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 [F] 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.


Earliest Messages Previous Messages Recent Messages Outline (7760 previous messages)

rshow55 - 06:42pm Jan 17, 2003 EST (# 7761 of 7786) Delete Message
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) Delete Message
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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