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Digit wrote:

My criticisms just as much apply to the UK, with its ??? million CCTVs, or to many Secret Service's m.o.'s, etc. etc., Roy!

Totally agree, hence my point that I fail to understand why people point at the US, why not China? North Korea? Saudi Arabia?

Like I said: because those countries have a much less prominent role on the world stage they get less attention than numero uno...

He may not have found coalition partners RS but it could well be argued that the other parties are ignoring a good sized part of the voting population thereby.
Hardly democratic.

No, that could not be argued because (in)formation talks/negotiations immediately after the general election started with them (as the biggest winners) and another right wing party (the conservatives, the largest party now). But they couldn't agree after a couple days talking, which made talking to a third party (necessary for a majority in parliament) impossible. Ergo: it was not possible to form a government with the far right in it.
Sofar the far right have had their every democratic right honoured. That's not their problem. Their problem is that they don't have enough friends. Yet...

As regards the CTV cameras etc, yep, good old socialism in action!

It's Airstrip One allright!

The Chinese feel sorry for anybody who is not Chinese Min, their land is known as the 'middle kingdom' around which all else revolves. Their army is the Liberation Army, I don't wanna be liberated!
The NKs have little of anything to shout about I think.

Roy.

Like I said: because those countries have a much less prominent role on the world stage they get less attention than numero uno...

I don't think that the Chinese would appreciate that view RS.

Roy.

Digit wrote:The NKs have little of anything to shout about I think.

They shout about their big BOOOM...!
Which they haven't even got! It's good old-fashioned song & dance again. Smoke & mirrors. Childish grandstanding.
Most leave that phase after puberty. Kim can't. Which is why the rest of the world ignores his adolescent behaviour.

They shout about their big BOOOM...

Yep, empty vessels make most noise don't they?

Roy.

Minimalist wrote:I know there are lots of ideas floating around, E.P. but until one of them is actually tested and shown to work we are pretty much screwed if one of them is large enough and has our name written on it.

min, what faulty chain of reasoning leads you to that conclusion?

Rokcet Scientist wrote:

E.P. Grondine wrote:

Rokcet Scientist wrote: And since we, mankind, currently can't do anything about impactors or their trajectories, being 'concerned' will/would currently only translate in extremely counterproductive mass hysteria.

RS, where did you pick up that bit of rubbish?

Experience and history, E.P.
I can recommend learning from them!
Case in point: your own Patriot Act and FISA, and the subsequent rape of human rights, are the direct result of mass hysteria, triggered by 9/11.
As someone once said: "Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to relive it", because "l'histoire se répète".

In other words, RS, you made it up.

E.P. Grondine wrote:In other words, RS, you made it up.

For you, that will be my pleasure, E.P.

E.P. Grondine wrote:

Minimalist wrote:I know there are lots of ideas floating around, E.P. but until one of them is actually tested and shown to work we are pretty much screwed if one of them is large enough and has our name written on it.

min, what faulty chain of reasoning leads you to that conclusion?

E.P. Has there been a successful test of an anti-asteroid system which somehow missed the newspapers? I have seen lots of proposals....and some nifty computerized graphics....but that's a long way from ACTUALLY deflecting an asteroid.

Please supply a citation.

Minimalist wrote:
E.P. Has there been a successful test of an anti-asteroid system which somehow missed the newspapers? I have seen lots of proposals....and some nifty computerized graphics....but that's a long way from ACTUALLY deflecting an asteroid.

Please supply a citation.

Hi min. Delivery systems have been tested with NEAR, DEEP IMPACT, Hayabusca, Rosetta. The largest nuclear charge was the Tsar Bomba, and nuclear charges are not needed for most if found early enough.

Like I said earlier, no fear, except that we need more money for early detection.

As near as I can recall (pun intended) NEAR stood for Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous. It made no attempt to deflect the asteroid.

E.P. Grondine wrote:The largest nuclear charge was the Tsar Bomba

Trying to deflect a space rock with a nuclear explosion sounds like a an incredibly stupid plan. Nobody knows what would happen. It may e.g. disintegrate the space rock so instead of one huge rock impact the earth gets carpet bombed by a hundred thousand rocks, each capable of destroying mega cities. Etc. etc.

The concept of attaching an ion engine to that huge rock which slowly nudges it a 10th of a degree off course sounds much more realistic. Perhaps even feasible, in the (very) long run! Worth researching, imo.

Rokcet Scientist wrote: Trying to deflect a space rock with a nuclear explosion sounds like a an incredibly stupid plan. Nobody knows what would happen. It may e.g. disintegrate the space rock so instead of one huge rock impact the earth gets carpet bombed by a hundred thousand rocks, each capable of destroying mega cities. Etc. etc.

The concept of attaching an ion engine to that huge rock which slowly nudges it a 10th of a degree off course sounds much more realistic. Perhaps even feasible, in the (very) long run! Worth researching, imo.

Hi, RS. The best minds in the world have looked at this:
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/d ... 00625.html

For the non-nuclear alternatives we need as early a warning as possible.

Logic would suggest that small masses travelling at X mtrs/sec would stand less chance of penetrating the atmosphere or be as damaging as more massive impactors with the same velocity.

Roy.

Digit wrote:Logic would suggest that small masses travelling at X mtrs/sec would stand less chance of penetrating the atmosphere or be as damaging as more massive impactors with the same velocity.

Not only would logic suggest that, Roy, experience proves it 10,000 times per night, every night: shooting stars!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVLSwwr2wMk