Velocipedestrienne 🇿🇦May 30
Jason Lefkowitz
My question for the "Golden Dome" system is the same as my question for all other defense contracting proposals: "is this more cost-effective than firing shrink-wrapped pallets of $100 bills at the target"
May 28 at 5:35pmWeb
Show threadJason LefkowitzMay 28

It occurs to me that the young 'uns may not get the reference

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/08/usa.iraq1

How the US sent $12bn in cash to Iraq. And watched it vanish

Special flights brought in tonnes of banknotes which disappeared into the war zone.

The Guardian
Show threadAndrew Benedict-NelsonMay 28
@jalefkowit those were the days
Show threadEljorgeabidesMay 30
@jalefkowit that would make a great heist movie plot
Show threadJason LefkowitzMay 30

@eljorgeabides “Three Kings” (1999) is not precisely that plot. But it’s pretty close 😆

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdal5c1TfmE

Three Kings - Original Theatrical Trailer

YouTube
Show threadEljorgeabidesMay 30

@jalefkowit

Oohhh I forgot about this movie

Show threadLocal AgencyMay 30
@eljorgeabides @jalefkowit
William Gibson wrote a book called Spook Country which featured some of the vanished cash in a shipping container.
Show threadDan SugalskiMay 28
@jalefkowit Someone should ask Trump if this golden dome has any relation to that golden shower thing of his.
Show threadMx. Eddie RMay 28
@jalefkowit
Same answer, too.
Show threadSeiðrMay 28
@jalefkowit [Looks at the SDI and gets back to you]
Show threadChris ArmstrongMay 28
@jalefkowit
My question is who is going to fire missiles at the United States when the last five years have established that the most effective way to kill Americans en mass is to stand back and watch.
Show threadbignoseMay 28

@jalefkowit
> more cost-effective than

Answering that, would require they be honest about exactly what “effect” they are pursuing with the plan.

My guess is, the effect they want includes massive ongoing funding to military contractors. So yes, their plan is more cost effective for that.

But they don't want to say that.

Show threadAlexanderVIMay 29
@bignose @jalefkowit they could just fire shrink wrapped pallets of 100s at the contractors and save a lot of time and hassle
Show threadWokebloke for DemocracyMay 28
@jalefkowit
A fair question.
Show threadWayne WernerMay 28
@jalefkowit someone should tell Donald that gold isn't very strong
Show threadJohn Francis 🦫🇨🇦🍁💪⬆️May 29

@jalefkowit gold bullets and artillery shells....

Incoming!
*thud*
We're rich boys! Let's go home!

Show threadJohn Francis 🦫🇨🇦🍁💪⬆️May 29
@jalefkowit I used to play a game... I think it was "Evil Genius"... one of the characters was a diplomat with a briefcase of cash that could bribe off any govt forces sent to shut you down.
Show threadSteven HoeferMay 30
@jalefkowit I remember (but cannot find at the moment) a Regan-era Bloom County strip where they offered to save money on the Star Wars Defense System by simply wrapping the earth in a sphere of $100 bills. I believe it still applies.
Show threadMichael BuschMay 30
@troublewithwords @jalefkowit @nyrath
There have been a few satirical fake stories from The Onion with the theme of "United States Announces Plan To Launch $700 Million Into Space" and similar.
Show threadWinchell Chung ⚛🚀May 30

@troublewithwords

I remember that Bloom County comic. IIRC the Regan administration was interested.

Show threadMats Holberg 🇺🇦May 30
@jalefkowit You’ve just made me think that the guy accused of a pee-pee tape shouldn’t be calling anything golden 😂
Show threadMoose Jolly HolcombMay 30
@jalefkowit the answer is always, no but we think this way will be more fun.
Show threadLuka RubinjoniMay 30
@jalefkowit It would have been way more deadly if NATO had air-dropped hard liquor over Yugoslavia in 1999, instead of dropping bombs.