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.

rshow55 - 06:19pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15505 of 15539)
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 don't think the answer of " none " is a sustainable answer - but if I had good reasons to accept it - I might.

But it would be inconsistent with a lot that's on the record.

The New York Times does not have a constitutional right to lie.

rshow55 - 06:20pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15506 of 15539)
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.

This thread has been exceptional for a long time.

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

jorian319 - 06:21pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15507 of 15539)
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

The New York Times does not have a constitutional right to lie.

You don't have a constitutional right to private facts. I guess you do have the right to lie, as you apparently did when you said you wanted to "bow out gracefully".

rshow55 - 06:27pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15508 of 15539)
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 right to privacy one right among a number.

A letter acknowledging which posters were NYT reporters - and which were not - with an agreement from me not to pursue the matter - and not to sue - would be win-win for both of us - and if properly negotiated could be something that the NYT and I could reasonably be proud of - and better off for.

And if done gracefully - I could go off and work well - doing work that the NYT sometimes seems to have approved of. I'd be very inclined to do it in ways that "the average reader (or stockholder) of the New York Times" would approve of if I possibly could

A situation where I have to leave mangled, in all the operational ways that matter isn't something you can expect me to do voluntarily.

For a win-win situation my needs have to be accomodated, too.

Even if we happen to hate each other. (Which might be an overstatement in this particular case. )

rshow55 - 06:31pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15509 of 15539)
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'd be perfectly happy to have this thread shut down today - that's been true for weeks.

But I intend to get a "win-win" situation - or behave rationally in my own interest otherwise. With what few resources I may be able to muster.

Who wouldn't?

rshow55 - 06:38pm Oct 23, 2003 EST (# 15510 of 15539)
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.

From here - we could set out a model that would be a very substantial advance on Nash equilibrium - and that would be a great thing for diplomacy.

But forget about that - I have to care about myself - and for stability - that means I have to care a little bit about you.

And for stability - that has to be reciprocal. And, as a practical matter - stability involved reciprocal penalties, as well as benefits.

In complex cases - it is alson necessary to know the essentials of what happened.

(29 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense