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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

fredmoore - 08:04pm Dec 16, 2002 EST (# 6764 of 6779)

commondata 12/16/02 10:19am

What a timely article! 'Natures secret to building for strength: Flexibility.'

http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX? 14@168.rtNcaUArY5v^1864105@.f28e622/8237

We can stand tall in the saddle like John Wayne and confront the turbulence of a rapidly changing world or we can be flexible and plan for increasing the ordered states in society (decreasing entropy).

Two examples of decreasing entropy happening right now:

New premise in science:Get the word out quickly:Online: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/16/national/16CND-SCOT.html

Justices let wetlands case stand: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/16/national/16CND-SCOT.html

Yo Pill ... Grum!

If only we had a KRELL Brain booster (Forbidden Planet).

mazza9 - 08:24pm Dec 16, 2002 EST (# 6765 of 6779)
"Quae cum ita sunt" Caesar's Gallic Commentaries

Robert:

Sen Frist of Tennessee is not a cardiologist. He is a noted heart surgeon who has developed and performed heart transplant techniques. so he is also, a research scientist in his field. There was an interesting bio in the WSJ several years ago which presented other activities that he is involved in. He has a commercial pilot's license and an interesting story was told of how he was awakened one night and like doctors of old went out to deal with a friend who was on the transplant waiting list. He flew to St Louis to fetch the donor heart and then returned to place it in his friends chest.

Here's the real kicker. Every summer he junkets, but not like his colleagues. He volunteers to deliver medical aid to the disadvantaged. The summer preceeding the publishing of the article, he had flown into the Southern Sudan to deliver medical attention. He had to fly carefully to avoid the rebel/government forces and the battle that swirled around where he was headed.

I remember that during that period he was asked to give the Republican response t the state of the union speech by Pres Clinton. Afterwards Democrats dissed this man implying that he didn't know what he is talking about. Sen Frist's response focused on medicare, medical concerns and the health of the nation. I found it alittle hypocritical that the likes of Begala and Carville, who have never reached into a man's chest to squeeze a transplanted heart to life, could be arrognat enough to diss the doctor but that's the nature of the beast in politics today.

Of course this situation must be measured against the Republican penchant to starve children and push old folks in wheelchairs down stairs!

almarst2002 - 10:12pm Dec 16, 2002 EST (# 6766 of 6779)

mazza9 12/16/02 8:24pm

You are terribly mistaken if you think I am biased from Dems vs, Reps.

In my view, there is practically no difference between two parties judging from their acts, not their words.

It seems the US version of democracy succeeded in reducing the entrophy close to absolute zero. The question is - how much of democracy there remained.

As for Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Vietnam, Korea, Panama, Grenada, Iraq, Serbia and other "heroic" pages of the 20th Century history left by US - we disagree and profoundly so. You must hope one day your own child will not be sucrified for the greater good (or God) as a "colateral damage".

almarst2002 - 10:17pm Dec 16, 2002 EST (# 6767 of 6779)

Bush Plans to Seek $14 Billion Hike in Defense Budget - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55390-2002Dec14.html

almarst2002 - 11:36pm Dec 16, 2002 EST (# 6768 of 6779)

The USSR to be revived? - http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/12/16/40817.html

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