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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
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(7760 previous messages)
rshow55
- 06:42pm Jan 17, 2003 EST (#
7761 of 7786)
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.
Well, a time came when I was discussing conversion to
Judaism with Marti - because I wanted to get to closure, and
marry her - and was working to earn money, honestly, and by
the sweat of my brow, to hang a rock on her, as she'd clearly
asked me to do. I felt I needed to show her what I was doing.
We were discussing the mechanics of managing babies, in a good
deal of detail at the time. I was trying to accomodate her in
every way I could. She was absolutely uncompromising in spots
- quite accomodating in others - and we were both being
careful.
I had an exercise machine, and some space, in a storage
room in the basement of the Cornell Res Club, and was
practicing some basic skills. My plan was to discuss nicely,
but frankly, the notion that I was physically superior in
fighting skills with a Karate-Judo teacher in practice in
Ithaca, NY, before witnesses, bet him that I could beat him,
and beat him, honorably and without any significant injury to
him, so that I could honorably take the money bet - and buy
the engagement ring. Naturally, I was being a careful
professional, not wanting to take any risks at all.
At that time I was quick, fairly calibrated, and my plan
was to bloody the guy's nose with a kick - fast enough that he
couldn't parry it - but without injuring him otherwise. I had
some other contingencies in mind, of course. I was practicing
- trying to show Marti how careful, fastidious, and controlled
I was.
I fell apart completely. I kicked a wall -intending to just
touch it - though to touch it quickly. I missed, and there was
a five + foot crack in the wall. I was terribly embarrassed.
Marti was careful, and played her careful (and somewhat
Rabbinical) role. She didn't see that I had blew it. But she
pointed out, carefully, that the crack wasn't straight. I
pointed out that there was a clean fracture line - from
cinderblock - through concrete - through cinderblock - through
the next concrete joint. She noticed that, and also noticed
that one could see daylight from the next room (a maid's room,
as it happened) through three feet of the crack.
I knew how badly I'd screwed up. I'd made some money, in
the past, betting guys on building demolition crews that I
could take sections of walls apart, with hands and feet,
faster than they could with tools. I knew the dynamics and
stress figures an engineer would be expected to apply to the
case well. I didn't make a lot of money this way - - but had
made some.
I'd fallen apart, showing off to my girl - and was even too
embarrassed to admit it.
We were both embarrassed.
Anyway, I pointed out, carefully - hoping not to offend too
much - that I had some background that might be useful, from
the viewpoint of an Israeli, but that had some dissonnances
with the Jewish tradition she was most closely associated
with.
We were both embarrassed. I didn't admit to her how
completely I'd fallen apart under pressure. We continued to
discuss the nuts and bolts of marriage - not always agreeing -
but caring a lot. Anyway, I was terribly embarrassed about
having fallen apart so compeletely - and how different the
result might be from the bloody nose I had planned on - and
modified some tactics.
Anyway, I'm not sure that wall was such a big thing. But it
might be used to argue that I was a real brute. When the fact
was that I was just a kid, with a little specialized
background, hoping to find a way to get married - and worried
about a unsual thing - making enough money to buy a wedding
ring.
rshow55
- 06:53pm Jan 17, 2003 EST (#
7762 of 7786)
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.
Anyway, I've suspected that some of the other 18 year olds
in the Phud program thought I was strutting around,
threatening them - and though I was in training, and a
bit preoccupied with some technical details - - nothing was
further from my mind.
I was working very hard, trying very hard, to be successful
young academic - and successful enough to support a family -
with a lady I was in love with who plainly wanted to have a
family - - if details could be worked out.
I thought then that the details could be worked out
- and the reasons I thought so relate closely to problems that
had been assigned to Nash - and were later quite
explicitly assigned to me.
If we take our time, and be careful, we can learn to make
peace - so it is both stable and reasonably just - - and do it
now.
I'm going to knock off for the rest of the night and rest.
bbbuck
- 06:56pm Jan 17, 2003 EST (#
7763 of 7786) Why do limpseed and lugukulu talk
politics on this board? Have they lost their minds? I'm
anti-limpseed,anti-lugukulul.
I missed the 'murder clue' first time around.
Thanks for pointing it out.
marydrabble
- 06:56pm Jan 17, 2003 EST (#
7764 of 7786)
rshow55...
I'm going to knock off for the rest of the
night and rest.
Ooh!! You Tease, You!!
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