New York Times on the Web Forums Science

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 - 04:41pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13097 of 13106)

"...Bravo Hercule!..."

Thanks Fred and jorian.

gisterme - 04:50pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13098 of 13106)

"...The questions:

What did gisterme think and say, and when?..."

That's easy. What I say on this thread is what I think. Each post has a time and date on it. So that question is easy to answer.

"...and

Is gisterme President Bush?..."

You know better, Robert; but just so you can't say I'm being evasive, the answer is an unqualified NO.

"...are coupled, and answerable, questions..."

Coupled by you, answered by gisterme.

- - - -

"...They remain answerable questions - answerable by actually checking..."

You have your answers. Take them from the source's mouth (or fingertips in this case).

"... - after gisterme's last 16 (mostly evasive) postings."

Would you kindly point out what was evasive about the postings you refer to? Does my not agreeing with you constitute evasion in your mind? If so that would explain a lot.

mazza9 - 05:04pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13099 of 13106)
"Quae cum ita sunt" Caesar's Gallic Commentaries

FredMoore Gisterme is Not GWB! I am!!!

gisterme - 05:15pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13100 of 13106)

"...I don't find the idea that "spinoffs" from the Osprey program can make any significant contribution to justifying the program entertaining , and found gisterme's 13074 sad and misleading..."

That sentence would't make much sense to anyone not accustomed to your convoluted hyperbole, Robert. However I think I know what you meant to say.

There was no attempt at entertainment in that post and it was just an expression of what I think. What's misleading about that?

"...If the Osprey program is justified - it is on military grounds alone..."

Just like the development of integrated circuits, computers and the internet to name a few. All of those have yielded vast public benefit in spite of all the short-sighted naysayers who were around when money was being spent to develop them as military programs. I wonder where all those folks are now? So, it would seem that you are putting the Osprey development program in pretty good company.

I noticed that one of the futuristic Boeing concept aircraft you posted an article about made use of a combination wing/rotor to attack exactly the same problem as the Osprey concept but on a much larger scale. 'Seems like a logical evolution to me.

I'll humor you, Robert. Why wouldn't a fast, fuel effiecient VTOL aircraft find a good application as a civilian transport? Perhaps you have a reason I hadn't thought of.

Better watch out though, Robert, some might consider it evasive if you're "too buisy" to answer. :-) Not to worry. We know you have a lot on your mind.

gisterme - 05:19pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13101 of 13106)

Mazza9: "Gisterme is Not GWB! I am!!!"

There you have it, Robert. You managed to coax out a confession. Congratulations! :-)

fredmoore - 05:42pm Jul 22, 2003 EST (# 13102 of 13106)

Now Mazza's a mate

I cannot deny

we've been through so much of this forum together

but when he aspires

to those hellish POTUS fires

I know he is tugging the tether

(4 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense