Pentagon at its best

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

$750 million!!!!!???? JFC! I wan't to see a Bushie defend this one, I really, really do.

 

[UltraQuiet]

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

 

[SuperTool]

Why only in the middle East? Why not sell futures on murders an assasinations in the US?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Ultra Quiet

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

Money is a strong motivater. If someone has come up with some "system" or concept of analysis, they are more likely to participate. Altruism is all well and good, but money talks and BS walks. While it's weird, it IS harmless. Right now a billion dollars a week is being spent killing and being killed, and no one has made a convincing argument that this is going to prevent terrorism. I am hardly going to get upset about this.

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Ultra Quiet

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

As an idea it does cause one to think, I agree with you on that. But don't you think that assigning values to the probability of an event, ie: an assasination, would not drive someone with money on the table to influence or ensure the outcome of said event? It seams to me that the consequences of something like this would be tremendous and may actually lead to an increase in attacks spurred on by people who have a chance to profit from them, if not directly, through an agent acting on thier behalf in the US.

 

[UltraQuiet]

Originally posted by: LilBlinbBlahIce

Originally posted by: Ultra Quiet

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

As an idea it does cause one to think, I agree with you on that. But don't you think that assigning values to the probability of an event, ie: an assasination, would not drive someone with money on the table to influence or ensure the outcome of said event? It seams to me that the consequences of something like this would be tremendous and may actually lead to an increase in attacks spurred on by people who have a chance to profit from them, if not directly, through an agent acting on thier behalf in the US.

As I said (or tried to say) the entry of real money into this equation makes it a non-starter. They probably would have been better served by inviting in people from academia, think tanks,etc, set up dummy accounts like those stock picking contests, paid them a flat fee for their time and saw what happened.
DARPA's record speaks for itself and I find it hard to be overly critical of them because of it. They do spend a lot of money however but I would guess the ROI is pretty damn good.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Ultra Quiet

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

Well said. I also find the idea intriguing but the use of the actual future's marketing model in real life practice was extremely short-sighted. It's kind of amazing that they got so far along with it that they were just a day away from launch before it was forcibly re-evaluated and scrapped. The idea itself is very interesting but its implemenation as an assessment tool would be finicky, even if it were purely academic.

 

[chowderhead]

Originally posted by: Ultra Quiet

Originally posted by: Tripleshot
I was told today from an economist that this was not a joke and it has so far cost the taxpayers 750 million dollars. I am trying to substantiate the claim, but for sure this was not a joke. The damn government is run by ignorant dumbasses.

Vote democrat in 2004 and clean house (and senate).

If you had bothered to read the article it clearly says $600K,. so please save us your BS little story. DARPA has accomplished what it has by doing this outside of the box type thinking. Also if anyone here really understood how DARPA works you would know that what they do is solicit proposals to meet certain goals and then act as te project manager. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. They are also a very autonomous unit operating within the Penatagon. The attempts to criticize Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al just brings into specific relief the ignorance of the critiquer. Although I find the concept of making money off terrorists attacks, manipulating world events, etc., etc to be, at the least, troubling, I do find the concept of trying to assign values to global events, to predict future events, similiar to the futures market, intriguing. They would have been much better off doing this as some sort of academic exercise, earning points or something, rather than making this public with real money.

Day 1:
Surf over to:
Hollywood Stocks Exchange
go home.
Day 2:
Write a report replacing S.W.A.T movie bonds and J Lo # of divorces options with acts of terrorism and murder and other middle east incidents.
Day 3:
Wake up Poindexter and run report by no one.

Day 4:
spend 599,999.99 on a shiny toy.

Day 5:
Place request for more money.

Wash, Rinse and Repeat.

Absolutely horrid. People should be fired for this STUPID idea.

 

[prontospyder]

Very weird - glad it got canned. They already spent $740K on it and was asking Congress for $8 Million more.

Link

 

[Moonbeam]

Lil: As an idea it does cause one to think, I agree with you on that. But don't you think that assigning values to the probability of an event, ie: an assasination, would not drive someone with money on the table to influence or ensure the outcome of said event? It seams to me that the consequences of something like this would be tremendous and may actually lead to an increase in attacks spurred on by people who have a chance to profit from them, if not directly, through an agent acting on thier behalf in the US.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UQ: As I said (or tried to say) the entry of real money into this equation makes it a non-starter. They probably would have been better served by inviting in people from academia, think tanks,etc, set up dummy accounts like those stock picking contests, paid them a flat fee for their time and saw what happened.
DARPA's record speaks for itself and I find it hard to be overly critical of them because of it. They do spend a lot of money however but I would guess the ROI is pretty damn good.
-----------
The bad part that occurred instantly to me is what Lil, mentioned. Bet and self fulfill. The good part is that maybe if you knew something you could inside trade.

Thinking the worst doesn't cause it to happen, at least if it's not about your own life, but it might not be too good an idea to publish the predictions cause that could give people some potentially creative inspirations. Like a lot of theigs, there are pros and cons. I wonder if rewards like what got the Saddam boys, that prevent attacks wouldn't be more effective. It might be a good way to probe for vulnerabilities, though.

 

[flashbacck]

well, it looks like poindexter's taking the fall for this

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=1&u=/nm/20030731/ts_nm/security_market_poindexter_dc_2

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: flashbacck
well, it looks like poindexter's taking the fall for this

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=1&u=/nm/20030731/ts_nm/security_market_poindexter_dc_2

I dunno, it kinda looks like he's getting out before someone pegs him to take the fall or maybe out of disgust.

 

[CaptnKirk]

I'll take Saddam in the Dessert with the Candlestick, for $ 500, Alec.