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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 - 08:16pm Oct 11, 2003 EST (# 14799 of 14808)
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.

1257-8 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.gKLKb77KNPW.2046532@.f28e622/1604

Nuclear-Tipped Interceptors Studied - Rumsfeld Revives Rejected Missile Defense Concept - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28866-2002Apr10.html

Here are "obvious" points - about the study - and the administration:

The "vulnerabilities" are serious -- they'd probably destroy most PC's, the entire telephone and internet grid, and many-most information dependent electrical appliances within very wide areas. And, or course, be instant death for people with pacemakers . . . .

Many satellites would be more vulnerable, even, than PC's.

And odds of blinding radars would be "great" - i ( read 99.99+% ) -- suppose two missiles were launched, a minute, or five minutes apart?

For all the politics, the administration knows it is in technical trouble (and perhaps knows a little better because of this thread) - - and the whole world ought to want to look carefully at this.

We're involved here with a boondoggle that needs to be stopped - - and a great example of why it is that bad ideas, with inertia behind them - - go on and on.

We're squandering as much technical resources as were spent on the Apollo project -- for stunts with no tactical use whatsoever.

We have to protect against nuclear risks - and other risks -- but it has to be done in ways that work.

1565 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?8@13.gKLKb77KNPW.2046532@.f28e622/1969

Bill Keller's piece said some interesting things about "missile defense" today. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/20/opinion/20KELL.html The question Are you out of your minds? - - directed at people who support nuclear tipped MD devices, and other nuclear devices, is a good question.

- -

There are other good questions, too - about essentially all the MD proposals now soaking up money to no good purpose.

rshow55 - 08:27pm Oct 11, 2003 EST (# 14800 of 14808)
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.

Bill Casey laughed at this movie - and I liked it, too.

Gaily, Gaily (1969 ) http://www.hollywood.com/movies/detail/movie/163364

Synopsis: A naive young news reporter arrives in Chicago at the turn of the century, gets a job covering the seamier side of the city for a major newspaper with the help of a "madam", and then gets into a lot of trouble.

Cast & Role

Beau Bridges Ben Harvey

Melina Mercouri Queen Lil

Brian Keith Francis X Sullivan

George Kennedy Axel P Johanson

Hume Cronyn "Honest" Tim Grogan

Margot Kidder Adeline

Wilfrid Hyde-White Governor

Melodie Johnson Lilah

Norman Jewison Director and Producer

Hal Ashby Associate Producer

Ben Hecht From Novel

Henry Mancini Music

- - - -

There's a great scene. A cub reporter deals with his editor, in a whore-house, the editor partly the worse for drink - but in full possession of key faculties.

Do you KNOW . . . asks the editor in a theater shaking voice . .

What a SEX FIEND does?

. . .

The cub admits he doesn't.

The editor explains, in a thundering voice that must have stressed the theater's audio equipment:

" A sex fiend SELLS NEWSPAPERS ! ! ! ! ! ! "

If this thread isn't to the advantage of The New York Times - it is the paper's own fault. Or shows the limits of its negotiating skills and imagination.

klsanford0 - 08:32pm Oct 11, 2003 EST (# 14801 of 14808)

Oh, well......rshow55 on the movies ...thinks poster "becq" was President Clinton....

wrcooper - 08:50pm Oct 11, 2003 EST (# 14802 of 14808)

klsanford0

Please link or give me the exact reference. I can't find a post that states that nuclear-tipped missiles would be used defensively.

Thanks.

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New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense