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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?

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rshow55 - 02:03pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1929 of 1937)

manjumicha2001 5/1/02 12:36pm

You don't ask naive questions at all:

"have you tried to contact the relevant governmment agencies directly ?

I tried off and on for much of the last decade (through Steve Kline, of Stanford) but not recently. There has been so much indirection, so much apparent action at a distance, that I haven't seriously thought of doing so for a long time - - and probably should again. I'd be a great deal more comfortable if somebody at the NYT, with a name I knew, knew what I was doing, and saw the correspondence. If that's unconventional, and an extensive involvement, a good deal that is unconventional and extensive has happened on this thread already.

"tried to contact the relevant government agencies rather than trying to speak to a media outlet such as NYT. "

I was told by Casey that in the complicated circumstance I was in, coming in through the NYT was the thing to do. His reasoning was that the contacts were clear, and anything that needed to be done could be done smoothly. This was before e-mail, or web talkboards - and it never occurred to him that I'd have a difficult time talking face to face with a person, where I'd have a good faith chance to explain myself -- something I've not yet been able to do. In human terms, it seemed to me then, and seems to me now, that Casey's expectation was very reasonable. Perhaps more reasonable now than a year ago. - - - (I'll write more on this point . . )

There are also NGOs formed by renowned scientists that do some good work in the area of NMD (debunking the misinformation)...for example, the Union of Concerned Scientists, etc etc. Have you tried to speak to them?

I haven't spoken to UCS, but I have had good contacts with others, and believe that everything I've suggested on this thread, in terms of examining MD in a systematic way, could and would be done if I could get past some security questions that people are, quite understandably, very concerned about. It would be wonderful to be able to explain why I think so, face to face, to a responsible person with a name. (I'll write more on this point, too. )

mazza9 - 02:57pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1930 of 1937)
Louis Mazza

Robert is struggling with how and when he can communicate. I gave a speech at Toastmasters last week entitled, "What we have here is a failure to communicate!" which is a famous line from the movie, "Cool Hand Luke".

Ask yourself, how do bombs get dropped on friendly forces? Why do negotiated agreements fail? Why, with all the sophisticated means of communications, do we fail to get our point across? Fascinating area to study. I use my real name and am not disposed to listen real hard to those who disparge me by the childish means of mispronouncing, mis-spelling or otherwise being impolite with my name.

Robert, wish I could help but since my last security access was in 1973 I'm in a different time warp.

LouMazza

lchic - 03:20pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1931 of 1937)

.... reads like a 'bulldust filler posting' mAzzA
- put in your word-count/time sheet and
no doubt you will be paid from taxes ....

contrast:

Showalter - reading some of 'your' links one notes that while you've been working on imperative challenges (stumpers) set by Casey - you've been left in limbo without funding, and without clearance to move on with your life in a sustainable and functional manner.
It's ironic that Uncle Sam - who cares for the whole wide world doesn't have a more proper, reasoned and caring sense of priority with respect to his own.

rshow55 - 03:30pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1932 of 1937)

I appreciate your saying that, Lou.

And yes, communication IS awkward. One of the things that I've been concerned about -- very concerned about, is the question "how do you check?"

Often, dangerously often, you can't.

Change some conventions, so that checking is easier - - and the world would get much safer.

mazza9 - 03:30pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1933 of 1937)
Louis Mazza

lchic:

MINNEA_PLO_IS!

rshow55 - 03:37pm May 1, 2002 EST (#1934 of 1937)

lchic 5/1/02 3:20pm . . . it has been awkward in spots. And not only for me.

Until Casey's retirement and death - - one could understand - - and there were difficulties that were brutal, but not necessarily anybody's fault.

Since then it has been rougher, and harder to understand.

It is easy for me to say "well, Casey got sick and died -- and you just fell through the cracks . . " but if that's true - I think I have every right to go on with my life.

Here's a reason that I think some may care about security issues related to me: MD1237 rshow55 4/10/02 6:37pm

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