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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 - 01:26pm May 28, 2003 EST (# 12130 of 12148)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

I wish I'd written the postcard better in one respect. I wish I'd added the word bolded here

I feel that the TIMES staff spend more than 10% of its time on internal defense and offense. It should be more like 3.5%. I feel that the reduction can be done, step by step, with each step win-win.

My intention was to try to "earn my keep" by explaining some simple things that might have been useful about exception handling - checking mechanisms - and especially about the importance of setting them up so that they did not, with time - produce the opposite of the intended effects.

lchic - 05:09pm May 28, 2003 EST (# 12131 of 12148)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

Just catching up with the board ... interesting posts .... 'must have been a 'jumboPostcard' Mr S ..... doesn't 'The Poster' know that if he crosses Ms Dowd she'll 'have his guts for garters' + she used to work 'in' the bigHouse .... the fredmoore moniker has more substance than last week .. http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.QV9DbHJtbI3.2487606@.f28e622/13753

rshow55 - 05:57pm May 28, 2003 EST (# 12132 of 12148)
Can we do a better job of finding truth? YES. Click "rshow55" for some things Lchic and I have done and worked for on this thread.

I had an "energy depletion" problem over the weekend. I spent a lot of time laughing. It felt good. My wife was concerned. When I told her that I thought maybe everything I was trying to do might actually work (or a lot, anyway) - she made sure I stabilized myself.

"Don't get your hopes up. You're doomed ", she said, giving me the old eye. (Then she fed me a good dinner.)

But for the life of me, things still good. Sometimes, I'm still "losing some energy" laughing.

I must say that, after some "left handed" threats got posted this week, I've laughed a little less.

If anybody is afraid of me - there are perfectly straightforward and reasonable ways of dealing with that. They may cost a little, but not too much.

If people are afraid of the government - that's harder.

I have an "irrational" ambition. I'd like to have lchic adequately paid and praised for what she's done - (imho, that would take real money - enough to please her husband, maybe).

I'd like to have Sulzberger, and the family and board he serves, not only proud but satisfied with the investmentst the NYT has made on this board.

I'd like to repay my longsuffering, much wronged investors.

And (not incidentally) - I'd like to be dealt with reasonably myself.

Also, it would be satisfying if I could actually do everything I promised Eisenhower I'd try to do. I've been losing some energy, laughing about that. Because, just now, it sometimes seems feasable.

In my opinion, an honest cast of characters for this board would be enough to do it, from where we are. (Some other things might suffice, too.)

I remember being told about a sign at a used car dealership.

Big Hearted Sam's: "I'd give 'em away, but my wife won't let me!"

Could that apply to husbands', too?

If the only problems involve money - maybe something satisfying could be worked out - that "the average reader of the New York Times" would approve of.

For stability - especially on complex problems - issues of status and money have to be reasoably dealt with.

That's one of the reasons I'd like to have an meeting - not only with the admirable folks at DOE http://www.oit.doe.gov/aboutoit/pdfs/strategicplan.pdf - - but with Deutsche Bank Securities. Those folks might have different insights about "laughing Ike" than are common here in the States. Plus I'd love to travel. Perhaps we could have a meeting in Dresden. I hear it is a lovely city . . . (Or, and as an American I'd like this better - Schweinfurt.)

lchic - 06:16pm May 28, 2003 EST (# 12133 of 12148)
~~~~ It got understood and exposed ~~~~

When will Big Hearted 'Uncle Sam' see your value Mr S. ?

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New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense