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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.

jorian319 - 05:41pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15494 of 15511)
The earth spin rate is slowing 2 msc/day as evidenced by the additon of a leap second every 500 days - James "I failed math" Nienhuis

So a mild mannered rebuke by a forum host constitutes reason for you to believe the paper planted a professional victim to provide dialog for you? You are sick, Robert. Scott used to make such comments routinely prior to NYT's abandonment of all moderator functions. Somehow, YOU are the only person who was thereby convinced that NYT was doing things to/for/because of them.

When the sun comes up every morning, do you take it personally? God out on a mission to make you get out of bed?

Here's how you can bow out gracefully:

"Dear Forum Particpants, NYT administrators, casual readers, and of course, Mr. President;

"Over the past several years I have made a conscientious effort to utilize the resource of this forum in order to promote a better future for humanity through elucidation of problem solving methods, and clarification of the nature of problems themselves.

"At this juncture, I realize that this may not be the most effective way for me to expend such efforts, and so I wish to bow out gracefully.

"Thank you all for reading and responding to my posts. It has been a rewarding and enlightening experience and I am truly grateful for the interaction. This will be my last post here, but I can be found at the forums at The Guardian (insert url here) carrying on the good fight.

"May you all enjoy good health and success in your well intended endeavors

"Sincerely,

"Robert Showalter (insert email address here)

THERE! SEE HOW EASY THAT WAS?

lchic - 05:46pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15495 of 15511)
ultimately TRUTH outs : TRUTH has to be morally forcing : build on TRUTH it's a strong foundation

Since 17 September Cantabb has made [ ] postings on the MD forum, non related to Missile Defense ...

That's an interesting statistic

rshow55 - 05:55pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15496 of 15511)
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.

With a letter from the New York Times acknowledging which posters were NYT employees - and some discussions to make that reasonable from a NYT point of view - it would be possible.

But it isn't as easy as you suggest. I have been mangled and spun dry. And you've known it very well.

jorian319 - you don't seem much concerned with other people's interests.

Not only mine:

Quotes from jorian319 expressing his opinion of the Guardian-Observer, from the New York Times - Science - Missile Defense thread.

All these opinions are negative.

The significance of these comments depends on who jorian319 happens to be, and who knows it. If it is an "open secret" in the New York Times organization that jorian319 has high authority in the New York Times organization - these judgments could be consequential to the people who depend on the New York Times as a source of credible information - either directly or indirectly.

http://www.mrshowalter.net/JorianOnGuardian.htm

lchic - 05:57pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15497 of 15511)
ultimately TRUTH outs : TRUTH has to be morally forcing : build on TRUTH it's a strong foundation

'They have thrown billions of dollars at these programs and they have not hit anything.'

- John Pike, Federation of American Scientists

US Missile Defense Drifting off Target http://search.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/03/26/us/us.1.html

According to the above Showalter is ON TARGET with his posts on the MD thread!

rshow55 - 05:59pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15498 of 15511)
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.

The New York Times is very, very often in the business of telling others how to behave.

And it expects to be trusted.

You people need to be responsible, too.

Relationships are reciprocal - and I've been asked to do work by posters who are probably NYT employees - certainly if you trust what they post - again and again and again.

And put into, and maintained in, a situation where the phrase "reckless endangerment" makes considerable sense.

I need to be able to walk away and function .

And the TIMES, by now, has some obligaitions to me.

(13 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense