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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.

rshow55 - 11:28am Apr 10, 2002 EST (#1231 of 1237)

For many of the problems that stump people now -- for many of the things where we say "if only we could do the obvious" - and then do much worse -- there are problems of simultenaity, complexity, and human nature of similar forms.

For instance, if you want to think through, in detail, what would be required for real, solid, sustainable peace in the Middle East -- I think asking the following question is useful in a number of ways.

How would you make a good, persuasive, interesting movie about achieving real peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis?

We know how complex making movies is -- and people actually make them.

When political leaders approach problems that are more important, and basically harder, these days - the approaches are very often stumped because patterns of socio-technical function are much less advanced than movie-making takes.

That's true of technical problems, too. For two reasons, at least:

1. Movies are at roughly the level of complexity actually involved.

and

2. Movies have to make emotional and aesthetic sense and everything else people do that works well has to make emotional and aesthetic sense, too.

mazza9 - 12:06pm Apr 10, 2002 EST (#1232 of 1237)
Louis Mazza

RShow55:

The L-5 Society, now the National Space Society has been advocating Dr. O'Neil's view of space developement since the mid 70s. Why don't you join us and bring your space advocacy to a place where your voice might be heard. Tom Hanks is on the Board of Directors of NSS and he did produce the HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon." Might try to get his ear for this movie project.

LouMazza

Oh lchic you need not kneel to show abeyance. A cute curtsy will do!!!!

manjumicha2001 - 01:21pm Apr 10, 2002 EST (#1233 of 1237)

rshow:

What's your take on this report on China's laser-induced fusion studies?

To quote:

In an area large as a football ground, the newly developed "Shenguang (magic rays) II" super laser, consists of over hundred optical apparatus, is able to send out gigantic energy equals to that of global electricity network in a spark of one billionth second, creating a physical phenomenon which is likely to be found only at the center of a nuclear explosion, the rim of black hole or inside a star. Situated at theShanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the super laser, by sending out tremendous energy in a very short time, could give out extreme pressure and high temperature to trigger off fusion reaction.

By providing extreme physical conditions the laser is to be used in scientific experiments, and is of great significance to basic researches, hi-tech application and development of new technology for national defense.

"Shenguang" is of promising prospect, expert says, for in nuclear fusion lies the hope of clean energy in future years. By the middle of this century scientists, as expected, could use laser-produced fusion to turn rich deuterium and tritium in seawater into great and endless energy. Completion of "Shenguang II" marked a step forward made by China towards the getting of energy from seawater.

rshow55 - 01:53pm Apr 10, 2002 EST (#1234 of 1237)

manjumicha2001 4/10/02 1:21pm - - the science journalism you quote may not be exact on all the facts - - and the laser fusion experiments being touted may not work any better than ours - - the project sounds much the same as the work the US is doing.

The "cleanliness" of fusion as an energy source is pretty questionable -- radiation is a big problem.

Me, I'd rather work with fusion generated energy from the sun - - a safe distance away from us.

Mazza , thanks for your suggestion. I'm taking it seriously, will respond soon. The suggestion is a good one - and I may take it - but it doesn't solve the main problem I've been worrying about, for a while.

But maybe things are getting closer.

I wrote an expository poem on damped and undamped exponential functions, a while back.

Thought I'd post it here -- it has something to do with "connecting the dots" - getting things done -- and how hopes can be stopped , as well.

Chain Breakers http://talk.guardian.co.uk/WebX?14@@.ee79f4e/618

Just musing -- if I put on a suit, shined my shoes, and walked into the State Department - asking for permission to see some people -- what do you think might happen?

I'd like to make a pitch to the Russian Embassy, and some other places, as well.

gisterme - 02:06pm Apr 10, 2002 EST (#1235 of 1237)

rshow55 3/28/02 5:17pm

"...Now, there sometimes seems to be an almost unrestricted "freedom to lie." -- and "freedom to reject checking."..."

Would these be the assumptions that you'd use to rationalize doing both so frequently yourself, Robert? If so, your statement makes you king of "Do as I say, not as I do.". Fortunately, people in general are not so stupid as you apparently assume, Robert. Even a fool couldn't fail to notice that your "kingdom" is very sparsly populated...

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