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 - 09:48am Jan 11, 2003 EST (# 7589 of 7591)
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'm facing certain temptations. Sometimes the temptation to tell the truth - and tell it in a reasonably whole, and balanced way - is strong - and yet has to be resisted. I had nothing to be ashamed of (on balance) at any time in the sequence immediately leading up to, during, or immediately after my torture - and neither, so far as I can tell, did anybody else, on balance, though there were the usual infelicities - some the results of mistakes, some obligatory under the circumstances. I think Americans should be proud, of the hard work that led up to my torture - and the work done during it - and much afterwards involved with the efforts we were involved with. All the same, there are cautionary aspects to the tale.

I'm thinking about explaining the story, in a balanced way, from my point of view, on this board - but am hesitating. I can do it a little later, if I choose.

I have the usual mix of reasons to hesitate. And some specific ones. For one thing, I think a lot of things I've hoped for are going WELL - in my own analysis - and in the actions of others.

For another, I'm making a transition of certain things from a digital dominant to an analog dominant mode - my wife is helping me - and doing it beautifully - but yesterday I got so messed up that I flunked an eye test - from lots of points of view.

Professionals judge "perfect" according to criteria - and there is definitely such a thing as too much and too precise correction in a pair of reading glasses. Too much resolution can be harsh and distracting - and glasses are prescribed to a level where the person being tested can't reliably distinguish between one image and another a few seconds later. But people are different - and needs are different.

For me, I think I need a set of computer glasses that have the best resolution possible when my eyes are relaxed. I'll be going back and getting an eye test redone (and a set of lens specifications in a manufacturing que changed) so that I can correct for my own insensitivity on the last test. I'll ask for the prescription that lets me read the finest letters the opthamologist can get me able to read.

Corrections, both plus and minus - have to be right for specific circumstances - and answers that are backwards for one purpose may be fitting in another particular case.

To be very sensitive according to some criteria - you have to be very insensitive to many other criteria. Some few times, even backwards.

I woke up this morning feeling great - exhilerated, sensitive - - and I'm being careful. It isn't a good day for big or fast moves - it feels like a good day to relax, and make careful ones. Keller's piece is wonderful. I think things we've been talking about on the board are going well.

I'm hoping to get some more organized, ready to show and teach, about canonicity - and beauty.

I don't know whether I'll be posting much more today. I may.

rshow55 - 10:07am Jan 11, 2003 EST (# 7590 of 7591)
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.

Spent some time this morning toying with a small idea. Not big. But fun - thinking about a project that might permit North Korea to learn and do many of the things it needs to do - things that the rest of the world also hopes for.

I think North Korea should learn to manufacture and sell, for a profit, the Memorex personal compact disk player, Model # MD3020suffixB - - not hypothetically - but in such detail that they could actually do it - and actually did do it. On a profitable basis for THEIR society. With the sales real - not handouts.

I had an ulterior motive. I was hoping to be involved, in some way. Just dreaming - but small dreams, sometimes, can help people to work things out - in contexts where they can make small mistakes.

If North Korea - itself - could manufacture saleable Memorex brand Personal Compact Disk Players (Model # MD3020suffixB) so that it worked - and was a paying proposition - after a short period of transition - they could make a living for themselves - and we could live with them comfortably.

It might also be possible to work out an industrial base - unique to them - that would sustain the country well, and comfortably - in harmony with their traditions. They could design measurement and precision tool manufacturing equipment - very specialized but general purpose testing equipment - and organize teams to actually do the tests where there is a market for the services. There should be such a market - it should be stable and large - and the North Koreans are well fit for it in a very essential way. They are different from other people. Sometimes, that is precious. It is an essential, when certain kinds of testing need to be done.

(1 following message)

New York Times on the Web Forums Science Missile Defense