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Pentagon Lets You Bid on Terrorism?
Elysdir writes "DARPA is creating an idea futures market, the Policy Analysis Market, to try to predict events in the Middle East. See Bloomberg article for more info." Read this article. I mean it. This is amazing.
Update: 07/29 14:45 GMT by J : The
NYT story
claims "The White House also altered the Web site so that the potential events ... that were visible earlier in the day ... could no longer be seen," but those example images are still being served:
Jordanian overthrow,
bidding on assassinations,
cool graphics... Update: 07/29 16:44 GMT by M : Looks like the publicity was too much.
when did real become a verb? (i know, no one is more boring than a grammar cop)
I know that someone who considers this "patriotic" is going to mod this down as flamebait but it has to be said: the double standards portrayed by the US are what makes it so unpopular beyond its borders. What double standards you say? Well, let me give you a few examples:
1. When France or Russia want to use their UN Security Council veto then it's treasonous. When the US uses its veto then it's OK.
The number of UN resolutions that the US has vetoed over Israel alone is astonishing. In most cases, the US was the only country standing in the way of a unanymous resolution and it was only its veto that scuppered each vote.
2. When the US interferes in Iraq it's OK, when anyone else does the it's not.
Get this quote:
"I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq."
Want to know who said that and when? Well it was Paul Wofiwitz, US Deputy Secretary of Defense, only last week. Now either he's been hiding in a cave with Osama for the last nine months or he's the one American dumber than Dubya because, as far as the internal affairs of Iraq are concerned, the US is a foreigner too!
3. When an Arab TV stations shows pictures of dead US and British troops it's disgusting. When pictures of Saddam Hussein's two sons are plastered all over the world's press, then it's perfectly fine.
If you want to trot out the line that the people of Iraq needed proof then please explain to me why the same reason/excuse can't be used by others seeking to provide proof of US/UK casualties.
4. Whatever the opponents of the war say is just a pack of lies, whatever the US/UK says is 100 percent honest.
Gee, where do I start with this one? The 45 minute threat assessment? The nuclear materials from Niger? The "saving" of Private Jessica Lynch? The evidence of WMD stockpiles that has suddenly become evidence of WMD programmes?
Since when was having a plan to make something the same as actually having it? Is that how it works? Because if it does then I'm a billionaire - hey, I've got a programme to become a billionaire and it's the same thing right?
This latest DoD gaffe is another example of hypocrisy - if a Muslim nation was to start making predictions about attacks on key US targets how well do you think that sort of "risk analysis" would be taken stateside?
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
WOW!
Who let the Ferengi in?
Contrary to popular belief, life is not a bitch. It is far far worse.