tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6753820.post5222896648663871809..comments2023-10-30T04:16:25.917-04:00Comments on Sentient Developments: And Now, for Something Completely Different: Doomsday!Georgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13003484633933455827noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6753820.post-58981901672957740712009-10-20T13:50:39.062-04:002009-10-20T13:50:39.062-04:00Casey, sorry to spoil great reference to Dr. Stran...Casey, sorry to spoil great reference to Dr. Strangelove, but what is described is not Kubricks Doomsday Machine. From Wired article:<br /><br />"It would immediately transfer launch authority to whoever was manning the system at that moment deep inside a protected bunker—bypassing layers and layers of normal command authority."<br /><br />And a bit later:<br /><br />"The US did build versions of these technologies, deploying command missiles in what was called the Emergency Rocket Communications System. It also developed seismic and radiation sensors to monitor for nuclear tests or explosions the world over. But the US never combined it all into a system of zombie retaliation. It feared accidents and the one mistake that could end it all. Instead, airborne American crews with the capacity and authority to launch retaliatory strikes were kept aloft throughout the Cold War. Their mission was similar to Perimeter's, but the system relied more on people and less on machines."<br /><br />Except that I fail to see how the Soviet system is a system of "zombie retaliation". In both cases the decision to retaliate is made by human, some lower ranking guy on duty and not by commander in chief.<br /><br />In short, just like in US case this is essentially a backup communication system designed to transmit launch instructions in a case all other communication systems are fried. Its existence was not really a secret, I heard about it in 1992 and pretty much anyone interested knew about it in late 1980s or early 1990s. <br /><br />I have no idea why they had to write about this ancient system now. The world is suffering Soviet scare withdrawal ?Лёшаhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16017802015009891686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6753820.post-8019023919219275692009-10-19T22:13:13.881-04:002009-10-19T22:13:13.881-04:00Hey, once a Sentient Developments blogger, always ...Hey, once a Sentient Developments blogger, always a Sentient Developments blogger. All SentDev alumni are welcome to retain their posting privileges and can post articles at any time. That's why you'll see articles from people like David Brin and Russell Blackford pop up from time to time.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13003484633933455827noreply@blogger.com