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.

klsanford0 - 04:43pm Oct 13, 2003 EST (# 14909 of 14913)

The Guardian, Showalter:

There have been about 600 postings on the NYT Missile Defense thread - and there have been disagreements - perhaps including disagreements that have involved significant efforts from NYT staff. I haven't controlled the pace.

A poster named cantabb has posted on the thread often - and his first 82 postings - starting Sept 17 and continuing up to Oct 4 - are collected at http://www.mrshowalter.net/Cantabb_Srch_to10_4.htm . I've found his efforts, and some coordinated efforts, bracing. There are a number of objections raised - but I believe one of the most important motivations for cantabb and perhaps for employers cantabb may have - is a suggestion I've made that it would be a useful thing, in the public interest - to find out who gisterme is .

jorian319 - 04:57pm Oct 13, 2003 EST (# 14910 of 14913)
"Statements on frequently important subjects are interesting." -rshow55

Gisterme is Mrs. Alfred Quinton Knopff of Strawn Texas. I have determined this after much investigation and reasonable inference.

Have a lot of fun with this useful and important information.

Remember - it's easier to connect the Dots while they're fresh. Stale Dots hardly stick to each other at all. If you buy some and they turn out to be stale, send them back to the mfr and they'll replace them with fresh sticky ones.

cantabb - 05:43pm Oct 13, 2003 EST (# 14911 of 14913)

wrcooper - 01:43pm Oct 13, 2003 EST (# 14883 of 14904)

[to : klsanford0]

I don't know what rshow55, lchic or cantabb write, and I don't care, so please don't relay to me any of their responses to anything I write. Thanks.

BUT you apparently “care” enough to appeal to Forum readers to "ignore” me. A Rx that has NOT worked for you (re rshow55+lchic) for 3 years.

What I post is NOT required reading for you, or for others.

What I fear is that their maddeningly off-topic and sometimes loony or angry posts will deter others from joing our conversation. That's the problem.

You do NOT know what I write, But that has NOT prevented you from making a baseless speculation. A speculation is as baseless as your appeal to Forum readers. That IS the "problem."

People take one look at a Showalter post or an angry cantabb rebuttal to a Showalter post, and that's the last time they'll ever visit the forum. We'll thereby lose potentially valuable contributors.

How would you know, while you have me on “Ignore.” What you call my “rebuttal” is NOT what you used to do in your OWN numerous ‘rebuttals’ to rshow55.

You ‘rebut’ when there is substance, and I don’t see it in his posts. Unless I’ve an idea what rshow thinks he has been working so hard here on for the past 3 years and what he has achieved vis-à-vis his claims, what’s there to ‘rebut’ ?

I hope everyone will put these posters on their "Ignore Posts list". That way, they can easily skim to posts that try to address the issues intended for the foru. That's IMHO.

What YOU find convenient and to improve the quality of debate on this FORUM are two entirely different things: One is your personal preference that although it did/does NOT work for you, you thought fit to appeal others to follow – apparently ‘caring’ enough, despite your protestations.

Why don’t you also recommend posters/readers to repeatedly extend invitations to rshow55 for a face-to-face meeting – like you did ?

And, I do NOT write for your approval. Highly presumptuous of you, to say the least, IF you thought so.

klsanford0 - 05:44pm Oct 13, 2003 EST (# 14912 of 14913)

rshow55:

"I haven't controlled the pace."

Looking @ this complaint, one begins to wonder whether Showalter believes that he usually DOES "control" the Forum.....that he cleverly manipulates it and its posters in a Grand Plan....looks like it..

(1 following message)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense