[Cobra64]

In the annals of dumb government ideas, it is difficult to top this one.

That's an understatement. Whoever endorsed this plan should be fired.

[Rodney King]

What exactly is everyone's problem with it? I thought we all believed that markets yielded good, unfiltered information. I thought we all agreed that State Deparment analysts were a bunch of nimcompoops.

[billbears]

Policy Analysis Market is under the supervision of retired Adm. John Poindexter, the head of the Terrorism Information Awareness program

It's Poindexter, what else would you expect? I'm just suprised they didn't make it a national lottery....

[Spiff]

That's an understatement. Whoever endorsed this plan should be fired.

Wrong. I think this is a good example of people who have no idea of what they're talking about reacting to idiotic media reports of some "betting" thing going on in the Pentagon - that they're "betting" on terrorists.

The media is reporting it all wrong. If the best form of trend analysis and prediction is the market method where various sources are used and probability is tracked somewhat, vaguely similarly to the stock market - then that is the best form and it should be used. If the bulls-eye graphic I posted is credible then they have evidence that the market methods is the best method. No amount of media hype should deter them from using the best tools for the job.

The person that should be fired is the idiot that improperly leaked this to the press and who first used the term "betting".

[Rifleman]

"That's an understatement. Whoever endorsed this plan should be fired."


Why? And please explain your answer.