$852 quadrillion 'death star' will not be built

[wintonian]

According to the Huffington Post the US will not be investing in the ability to blow up planets at the moment.

The chief of the Science and Space Branch cited key points as:

• The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
• The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
• Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?

One can only assume that those promoting the idea were concerned about the likes of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea colonising Mars before the US gets chance to build a military instillation on it. :roll:

Yet another example of the bizarre attitude of some Americans who seem to think the only way to protect themselves is to blow everything else up and find the diplomacy takes too long and just gets in the way of their rightful domination of the galaxy.

Death Star Petition Gets White House Rebuff

Sorry, folks. The Obama administration will not be building a Death Star.

The White House responded Friday night to a petition on its website urging construction of a Death Star for job creation and national defense purposes by 2016.

Here's why, according to Paul Shawcross, chief of the Science and Space Branch of the Office of Management and Budget, who wrote an epic response to the petition and its nearly 35,000 signatories:

</snip>

The guardian also has the story

The US government has rejected a petition urging it to build a "Death Star", claiming it was too expensive, conceptually flawed and did not fit in with the policy of not blowing up planets.

</snip>

Paul Shawcross, the head of the science and space branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget, outlined the reasons why the White House was not planning to build a Death Star, an artificial planet used with devastating consequences in the Star Wars films.

He said the estimated cost of $850 quadrillion would not help deficit reduction plans and asked: "Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?"

</snip>

 

[Ivo]

Just found this (on the BBC's website; interesting in comparison with the recent things about the Toy Company bidding for the WCML and other things.

Having clicked on the Petition, the headline response (from the White House) is rather amusing:

This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For

There are lots of other puns too. Anyone who knows even a little about the galaxy far, far away should have a read.

 

[wintonian]

Just found this (on the BBC's website; interesting in comparison with the recent things about the Toy Company bidding for the WCML and other things.

Having clicked on the Petition response, the headline response (from the White House) is rather amusing:

This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For

There are lots of other puns too. Anyone who knows even a little about the galaxy far, far away should have a read.

You can give feedback to the petition here., questions available include:

• Even if you don’t agree with the Obama Administration’s response, was it helpful to hear the Obama Administration’s position on this issue:
• Did you learn something new about the Administration's policies in this response:

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I'm glad the Americans aren't considering it, I'd hate to see the death toll from friendly fire!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If the usual method of American finance supply is to be considered, it would have been the Chinese "coughing" up the money for this project....:roll:

I wonder how indebted are the Americans to China at this point in time ?

 

[Flamingo]

If the usual method of American finance supply is to be considered, it would have been the Chinese "coughing" up the money for this project....:roll:

I wonder how indebted are the Americans to China at this point in time ?

PJ ORourke is of the opinion it's no problem, the US can just view the amount of US $ China holds as a huge collateral free, interest free loan.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

PJ ORourke is of the opinion it's no problem, the US can just view the amount of US $ China holds as a huge collateral free, interest free loan.

Surely, a more indicative view would be how the Chinese view the amount that they are owed. Only last week, they made "unhappy" noises in the halls of the financial markets regarding certain recent American policy statements.

The "Land of the Free" is not one to be regarded as an indicator when interest payments owing on debts can finally reach a level where matters reach a critical level.

 

[yorksrob]

One can only assume that those promoting the idea were concerned about the likes of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea colonising Mars before the US gets chance to build a military instillation on it. :roll:

Surely the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one !

 

[ainsworth74]

Surely the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one !

But still they come!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Surely the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one !

Was that not a base for Ming the Merciless in "Flash Gordon..the movie" ?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I find this lack of money disturbing.

 

[90019]

I wonder how much of the predicted cost would be red tape?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps it will be the next new project that Tesco will take on once their current plan of world domination is complete....:roll:

 

[Heinz57]

Perhaps it will be the next new project that Tesco will take on once their current plan of world domination is complete....:roll:

It's certainly one way to see to the competition