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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 - 08:59pm Dec 30, 2002 EST (# 7141 of 7147)
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.

But you don't have to reject violence under all circumstances, either. Or tolerate everything . . .

I'm pleased with the developments set out in

U.S. Affirms Willingness to Talk With North Korea By DAVID STOUT http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/30/international/asia/30CND-KORE.html

and think it shows that there is quite a lot of reason for hope that we can solve some problems that have eluded people before.

Just now, my eyes are very tired, and my head is, too. I spent a good deal of time reading (there's a lot of thread to review) and trying to summarize some things. Also spent some time worrying about perspective, and tact - and looked carefully at The Art of Telling Science (Virginia Festival of the Book - Charlotsville, Va, 1999) chaired by Edwin Barber, with Douglas Starr, Natalie Angier, and Jennifer Ackerman - and some very interesting questioners. I repeated the section on evolution four times.

I'll be trying to remember the art discussed, when I write some things tomorrow.

rshow55 12/29/02 10:09am . . . If enough people, whatever their other religious and philosophical beliefs, could come to understand that we are animals - that we , as human beings - have no direct connection to either the world or to any God - and can get things wrong - - we could sort these things out.

Including some problems that have concerned people of every generation - that Plato talked about.

I tried to organize a good deal of stuff today - and think I did. Will write about it tomorrow. It seems that some political leaders, and citizens, are organizing some things too. Looking back, 2002 may turn out to have been a very good year. I'll write more tomorrow.

Some problems recur for all people - and some of those problems can resolved more clearly than they are now.

" What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! . . "

--From Hamlet, Prince of Denmark - 1601 - Act II. - Scene 2. - Rows: 115-117 http://www.shakespeare.sk/Tragedy/HamletPrinceofDenmark_1601/HamletPrinceofDenmark_1601_2_2.html

Animals? In some ways, we certainly are.

Special ones.

lunarchick - 09:06pm Dec 30, 2002 EST (# 7142 of 7147)

Showalter - were you once a Zookeeper? :)

New Year's Eve my Way -- Happy New-Years' one and all!

almarst2002 - 09:49pm Dec 30, 2002 EST (# 7143 of 7147)

The "axis of evil" Black vs. White world fantasy meets reality - http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/30/international/asia/30CND-KORE.html And comes up with "They're two different cases"

rshow55 - 06:48am Dec 31, 2002 EST (# 7144 of 7147)
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.

almarst2002 12/30/02 9:49pm - - and the people responsible for those decisions are getting a lot of things straight. Though, as you point out, there may be some sign errors in spots. Depending on point of view. And some points of view are better than others. Again, I think http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/30/international/asia/30CND-KORE.html is consistent with excellent results - and is a good, sophisticated enough, step toward convergence. Though folks may have some things backwards, at that. Maybe Iraq is tailor made for a diplomatic solution - and after a little talking, it will become clear that interdiction is just the thing for the North Korean case. Folks who know more details than I can would have to decide that.

I think things are going well - and from where I sit - with what looks like reasonable care. Things probably aren't right. But things will probably get righter - and maybe enough righter for satisfactory or good results. Maybe even beautiful results.

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New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense