4 ms·

They spent $42.5mm on the station. Other comparable stations in the region cost ~$500k. The title is a little misleading. The Pentagon asserts they cannot provi

by tspike 11y ago

They spent $42.5mm on the station. Other comparable stations in the region cost ~$500k. The title is a little misleading. The Pentagon asserts they cannot provide information on the gas station project because it was part of a discontinued program with a total budget of $800mm. Thus, the extrapolation that they have no idea where any of the total budget went.

7Figures2Commas 11y ago
> Thus, the extrapolation that they have no idea where any of the total budget went. This is patently false. We know where the money went. Toilet seats. Lots and lots of (very comfortable) toilet seats[1]. [1] http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-30/news/vw-18804_1_nut http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-30/news/vw-18804_1_nut
- michaelhoffman 11y ago
  The infamous "toilet seats" were actually what people would usually think of as a whole toilet without the plumbing parts. And they were specialized pieces that had to fit in a very specific place on a combat aircraft and meet lots of exacting specifications. Saying the military paid $640 for the same kind of toilet seat you might put on your toilet at home is more than a little misleading. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_seat#US_Navy.27s_.22.24600_Toilet_Seat.22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_seat#US_Navy.27s_.22.24...
  - 7Figures2Commas 11y ago
    Thanks for the clarification. I'm assuming you probably can't help me find a sarcasm detector for $640?
    - nevdka 11y ago
      That's a secret service project: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/06/03/the-secret-service-wants-software-that-detects-social-media-sarcasm-yeah-sure-it-will-work/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/06/03/th...
  - mikekchar 11y ago
    Not the kind of toilet seat you are talking about, but you can easily spend that kind of money for a home toilet seat: https://www.liftcaregiving.com/shop/products/urinary-tract-infections/clessence-advanced-toilet-seat-and-bidet/ https://www.liftcaregiving.com/shop/products/urinary-tract-i... (Not an endorsement -- I just grabbed it at random from a Google search). I actually do have a similar type of toilet seat (as do most other people in Japan). Some optional extras you can get on toilet seats include a heated seat (highly recommended if you don't have heat in your house) and a fan that vents odours. There are only 2 furnishings in my house that I wouldn't give up. One is the toilet seat and the other is a bath that pours itself and maintains a constant temperature with a recirculating pump. Worth every penny and more.
- PhasmaFelis 11y ago
  > Lots and lots of (very comfortable) toilet seats If they were made for the military, I can just about guarantee that they weren't at all comfortable no matter how much they cost.
viraptor 11y ago
Nitpick: Can we stick to ",000,000", "M", "e6", or even "kk" if really needed? "mm" are millimeters, or two "m"s - it really doesn't make sense for "million".
- ryanwaggoner 11y ago
  It's a common and widely accepted abbreviation: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million
  - viraptor 11y ago
    I know. It still doesn't make sense when people use k/M for 1,000, M/m/kk/MM/mm for 1,000,000 and B/MM/mm for 1,000,000,000. (sorted by ~popularity) It's even more annoying when someone uses "k" and "mm" in the same post, since the whole idea of "mm" comes from repeating roman "M" (1,000). So why not stick to k/kk (WoW-style) or M/MM (almost-roman style)? At least "k" and "M" are based on some kind of standard.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - wavefunction 11y ago
    It can't be an abbreviation as that refers to subtractions of letters existing in the word and I only count one 'm' in millions. Yes it's pedantry and yes I understand that 'mm' is in someways a convention but it's a terrible one.
    - anamexis 11y ago
      As long as we're being pedantic, abbreviation does not refer strictly to "subtractions of letters existing in the word," it is any shortened form of a word or phrase. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbreviation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbreviation (see especially the section on plural forms) http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/abbreviation http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_eng... http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbreviation http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbreviation

by tspike 11y ago

7Figures2Commas 11y ago

> Thus, the extrapolation that they have no idea where any of the total budget went. This is patently false. We know where the money went. Toilet seats. Lots and lots of (very comfortable) toilet seats[1]. [1] http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-30/news/vw-18804_1_nut http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-30/news/vw-18804_1_nut

michaelhoffman 11y ago
The infamous "toilet seats" were actually what people would usually think of as a whole toilet without the plumbing parts. And they were specialized pieces that had to fit in a very specific place on a combat aircraft and meet lots of exacting specifications. Saying the military paid $640 for the same kind of toilet seat you might put on your toilet at home is more than a little misleading. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_seat#US_Navy.27s_.22.24600_Toilet_Seat.22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilet_seat#US_Navy.27s_.22.24...
- 7Figures2Commas 11y ago
  Thanks for the clarification. I'm assuming you probably can't help me find a sarcasm detector for $640?
  - nevdka 11y ago
    That's a secret service project: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/06/03/the-secret-service-wants-software-that-detects-social-media-sarcasm-yeah-sure-it-will-work/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/06/03/th...
- mikekchar 11y ago
  Not the kind of toilet seat you are talking about, but you can easily spend that kind of money for a home toilet seat: https://www.liftcaregiving.com/shop/products/urinary-tract-infections/clessence-advanced-toilet-seat-and-bidet/ https://www.liftcaregiving.com/shop/products/urinary-tract-i... (Not an endorsement -- I just grabbed it at random from a Google search). I actually do have a similar type of toilet seat (as do most other people in Japan). Some optional extras you can get on toilet seats include a heated seat (highly recommended if you don't have heat in your house) and a fan that vents odours. There are only 2 furnishings in my house that I wouldn't give up. One is the toilet seat and the other is a bath that pours itself and maintains a constant temperature with a recirculating pump. Worth every penny and more.
PhasmaFelis 11y ago
> Lots and lots of (very comfortable) toilet seats If they were made for the military, I can just about guarantee that they weren't at all comfortable no matter how much they cost.

viraptor 11y ago

Nitpick: Can we stick to ",000,000", "M", "e6", or even "kk" if really needed? "mm" are millimeters, or two "m"s - it really doesn't make sense for "million".

ryanwaggoner 11y ago
It's a common and widely accepted abbreviation: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million
- viraptor 11y ago
  I know. It still doesn't make sense when people use k/M for 1,000, M/m/kk/MM/mm for 1,000,000 and B/MM/mm for 1,000,000,000. (sorted by ~popularity) It's even more annoying when someone uses "k" and "mm" in the same post, since the whole idea of "mm" comes from repeating roman "M" (1,000). So why not stick to k/kk (WoW-style) or M/MM (almost-roman style)? At least "k" and "M" are based on some kind of standard.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- wavefunction 11y ago
  It can't be an abbreviation as that refers to subtractions of letters existing in the word and I only count one 'm' in millions. Yes it's pedantry and yes I understand that 'mm' is in someways a convention but it's a terrible one.
  - anamexis 11y ago
    As long as we're being pedantic, abbreviation does not refer strictly to "subtractions of letters existing in the word," it is any shortened form of a word or phrase. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbreviation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbreviation (see especially the section on plural forms) http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/abbreviation http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_eng... http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbreviation http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbreviation