4 ms·

Funny to me that spacex is the only company not allowed to grift the US government war machine.

partiallypro 3y ago
What are you talking about? You do realize you're replying to a thread on the Pentagon giving SpaceX funding, right? Not to mention SpaceX already had pre-existing contracts with the DoD and even has a defense contractor arm dubbed StarShield. Musk only got pushback because he went on a childish tirade (an increasing habit of his) on Twitter and then started pushing opposition narratives.
foobarqux 3y ago
It's amazing that people go from "Musk is not grifting the US government" to "Musk is grifting the government (actually the people of the US) and that is good and right".
- George83728 3y ago
  You're overloading your definitions of "grift", to simultaneously mean dishonest scamming and standard profiteering. SpaceX is a regular for-profit defense contractor. They aren't scamming the government. For anybody aligned with America's foreign policy interests, both of these are a good thing. (And for those who aren't, it's an unmitigated disaster.)
  - mardifoufs 3y ago
    Grifting basically just means "people I don't like are making money" at this point. I've seen someone selling industrial tooling being called a grifter.
  - foobarqux 3y ago
    People should decide if the price is too high to pay, it shouldn't be done it secret, essentially robbing them. I don't think the public would accept the prices being charged in this case. Arguing about what words to use to describe this is beside the point.
    - adventured 3y ago
      Starlink is close to magic as far as the situation in Ukraine is concerned. There is no such thing as a price too high. There's losing the war with Russia vs paying whatever it takes to keep your information networks functional. Go ahead and list all the other companies or countries that have done what SpaceX has with Starlink (the answer is: something like it has never existed before in human history).
    - George83728 3y ago
      > "essentially robbery" There you go, with your 'creative' use of language again. You seem strangely upset about Ukraine having internet access, because you're throwing up all sorts of FUD about it throughout this discussion (16 comments from you so far; 21% of posts in this discussion), all with a negative tone and hyperbolic abuse of language. Why are you so keen on getting people to be upset about Starlink's use in Ukraine?
      - foobarqux 3y ago
        If you have evidence to present or an argument to make you should do so. Instead you object to the number of comments I'm making (which in contrast do provide evidence and reasoned argument). So we can conclude you don't have any. I think stealing is a fair word for secretly taking tax payer money and greatly overpaying for something. If you don't think people would object the solution is simple: make the price paid public and people can decide for themselves.
        mensetmanusman 3y ago
        It costs more because they have to defend against jamming and EMI warfare.
        George83728 3y ago
        You haven't posted anything but hyperbolic FUD. "reasoned arguments" my ass, you're asserting that a telecom company charging more for service to a military in a warzone is "essentially robbery" and you ignore every comment that points out the practical difficulty and risk inherent to providing such a service. Pathetic.

What are you talking about? You do realize you're replying to a thread on the Pentagon giving SpaceX funding, right? Not to mention SpaceX already had pre-existing contracts with the DoD and even has a defense contractor arm dubbed StarShield. Musk only got pushback because he went on a childish tirade (an increasing habit of his) on Twitter and then started pushing opposition narratives.

foobarqux 3y ago

It's amazing that people go from "Musk is not grifting the US government" to "Musk is grifting the government (actually the people of the US) and that is good and right".

George83728 3y ago
You're overloading your definitions of "grift", to simultaneously mean dishonest scamming and standard profiteering. SpaceX is a regular for-profit defense contractor. They aren't scamming the government. For anybody aligned with America's foreign policy interests, both of these are a good thing. (And for those who aren't, it's an unmitigated disaster.)
- mardifoufs 3y ago
  Grifting basically just means "people I don't like are making money" at this point. I've seen someone selling industrial tooling being called a grifter.
- foobarqux 3y ago
  People should decide if the price is too high to pay, it shouldn't be done it secret, essentially robbing them. I don't think the public would accept the prices being charged in this case. Arguing about what words to use to describe this is beside the point.
  - adventured 3y ago
    Starlink is close to magic as far as the situation in Ukraine is concerned. There is no such thing as a price too high. There's losing the war with Russia vs paying whatever it takes to keep your information networks functional. Go ahead and list all the other companies or countries that have done what SpaceX has with Starlink (the answer is: something like it has never existed before in human history).
  - George83728 3y ago
    > "essentially robbery" There you go, with your 'creative' use of language again. You seem strangely upset about Ukraine having internet access, because you're throwing up all sorts of FUD about it throughout this discussion (16 comments from you so far; 21% of posts in this discussion), all with a negative tone and hyperbolic abuse of language. Why are you so keen on getting people to be upset about Starlink's use in Ukraine?
    - foobarqux 3y ago
      If you have evidence to present or an argument to make you should do so. Instead you object to the number of comments I'm making (which in contrast do provide evidence and reasoned argument). So we can conclude you don't have any. I think stealing is a fair word for secretly taking tax payer money and greatly overpaying for something. If you don't think people would object the solution is simple: make the price paid public and people can decide for themselves.
      - mensetmanusman 3y ago
        It costs more because they have to defend against jamming and EMI warfare.
      - George83728 3y ago
        You haven't posted anything but hyperbolic FUD. "reasoned arguments" my ass, you're asserting that a telecom company charging more for service to a military in a warzone is "essentially robbery" and you ignore every comment that points out the practical difficulty and risk inherent to providing such a service. Pathetic.