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 - 05:46pm Nov 22, 2002 EST (# 6183 of 6189)

rshow55 11/5/02 6:22pm

"...Let me assume, based on response times and lags on this thread, that you (Mazza) are in contact with gisterme..."

That would be an incorrect assumption, Robert. But how would you make that assumption "based on response times and lags on this thread". "Response times and lags" would be meaninless as a basis for the assumption, unless you've already pre-made the assumption. Mazza doesn't know any more about me than you do. But your throwing out "based on response times and lags on this thread" as rational for the assumption is a perfect example of how you try to qualify baseless conclusions with illogical nonsense. That's a pattern you repeat consistantly.

"- - and assume, further,..."

presumably based on the same illogical nonsense,

"...that gisterme is interested in this question (about connecting dots) ..."

I noticed that at one point above you mentioned the idea of "gatering the dots". Well, if the dots are all gathered, why do they need to be connected? The point is that, by definition, dots are where they are hence the need for connection. In the "dot game" most of us played as children, properly connecting the dots revealed an otherwise hidden picture. "Gathering" dots or changing their positions had nothing to do with the game. However, it seems to have a lot to do with your game.

"...Gisterme could, I believe, call up a man named Fred..."

No doubt I could call anybody whose number I have. It's not hard...just mash the phone buttons in the proper sequence and wait for an answer.

"...He has met Fred, and Fred is married to M___ - a very big wheel in the Wisconsin Republican Party..."

I have no idea who this Fred you're talking about is, Robert; but, I'm certain I haven't met him. I don't know anybody in Wisconsin. However, this time you've extended your based-on-nothing assumption technique beyond assumption to positive statement, saying "He has met Fred". Well at least this time you've got the gender correct. That is progress even if it may be accidental. :-)

"...M_ _ _ hates me, but Fred will talk to me anyway, at length, or would if gisterme asked - - - because we used to be friends, and because he has over a million dollars to gain by getting some things sorted out..."

Used to be friends? Why does Fred's wife hate you so much, Robert? What did you do to them to cause that?

"...My guess is that, after a little conversation, Fred and I might come to a solution that would be a very good solution for gisterme , everything considered..."

You're off the deep end, Robert. How could a litte converstaion between you and a person I don't know be any kind of a solution at all for me? Solution for what?

"...Just guessing, of course."

Of course.

rshow55 - 05:47pm Nov 22, 2002 EST (# 6184 of 6189)
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.

For one thing - just the number of combinations (2 at a time, or 3 at a time, or four at a time . . . ) make for a certain level of difficulty - especially if definitions have to be clear, and especially if a number of different definitions have to be considered.

Just at that simple level of arithmetic and definition - there's a lot of work involved.

There are some good reasons why negotiations take a while - and involve hard thought. And why there are lots of ways thing can sort out that are less than "perfect."

If you look at the complexity of the problems where the US has been, by default, making decisions - you shouldn't be surprised if some of the decisions are not the very best possible - -- nor should you be surprised if Americans exercising power become, in more than a few ways - "high-handed" and "dismissive" of people who don't actually take responsibility for sorting things out.

Even if Americans were saints (and they are surely not) - just the complexity should give you reasons why - if you want your interests considered in ways you consider fair - you have to get involved and do some work.

rshow55 - 05:49pm Nov 22, 2002 EST (# 6185 of 6189)
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.

gisterme 11/22/02 5:46pm - - - hi gisterme - just read you after my last posting . . . .

(4 following messages)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense