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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.

gisterme - 11:22pm Jan 2, 2003 EST (# 7251 of 7259)

almarst2002 1/2/03 11:09pm

"...I quess you don't need them either... Thanks to such a strong stomach;)...

I don't need them, almarst, but it's not due to having a strong stomach. It's due to having some faith, honesty and common sense. I don't even have to worry much about the diet!

gisterme - 12:29am Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7252 of 7259)

rshow55 1/2/03 6:52pm

"...From my point of view - if the alternative is an occasional abortion, within agreed upon conventions, or the restrictions of the Burka, I'd find abortion the better solution overall..."

What's the matter with the time-tested traditional solution that is integral to faithfulness in marriage, Robert? You know, spouses only sleeping with their own spouses? When that's the case there's no question of paternity. That's something that Muslims, Christians, Jews and everybody else who has faith in God agrees with.

Sexual infidelity and promiscuity are principal fruits of faithlessness. They lead to all kinds of problems...lies, murders, heartbreaks...abortions.

Gee...I wonder if that's why God devoted so many of the ten commandments to covering just those problems? It occurs to me that that fundamental body of law was given to us for our own good and as a standard by which God might judge us. Aren't you the one who says we need standards, Robert?

In the absence of law, how is the concept of judgement anything but meaningless?

gisterme - 12:38am Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7253 of 7259)

almarst2002 1/2/03 8:41pm

"...What golden rule would be for one, locked in a cage with Mike Tyson?..."

Umm, almarst, could it be that you've already blown all your chances to apply the golden rule if you find yourself locked in a cage with Iron Mike? Or it could mean you are on your very last chance? Or maybe you should view the situation as an golden opportunity to teach the rule to Mike.

Naa. It seems more likely that Mike might teach it to you.

lunarchick - 02:05am Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7254 of 7259)

the time-tested traditional solution isn't what Gisterme assumes

Tests show that 20% of children in families aren't fathered by that families father figure head. (UK)

In highly-interlated cultural groups, all swimming in the same gene pool .... where does 'truth' 'lie'?

lunarchick - 02:10am Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7255 of 7259)

multiple paternity

gisterme - 04:14am Jan 3, 2003 EST (# 7256 of 7259)

lunarchick 1/3/03 2:05am

"the time-tested traditional solution isn't what Gisterme assumes.

"Tests show that 20% of children in families aren't fathered by that families father figure head. (UK)"

Assuming the population sampled consists of married couples, and the children were born after the marriage, all that proves is that there is either sexual infidelity or promiscuity involved in many of those cases.

I suppose that sometimes mates change after children are born, due to divorces, deaths etc. Of course divorces very often are the result of sexual infidelity. Imagine that.

Do you disagree that where there is no infidelity in a marriage there is no question about paternity of the children that result? Not unless you want egg on your face. So, you've made my point lunarchick.

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