07-29-2003, 10:39 PM
Quote:Is it your contention that the plan does not create incentives to encourage certain criminal acts?
It is. Because, a fully formed idea futures market isn't about problems - it's about solutions. The bet wouldn't be "The Empire State Building will be hit by two airplanes tomorrow morning"...it would be "A terrorist event is planned on the Empire State Building...and here's how to stop it." It wouldn't pay off in the event of the terrorist event or criminal act succeeding - it would pay off only if the proposed plan succeeded in halting it.
Could that be abused? If you could find people willing to stage a mock terrorist act and then be imprisoned for many years, all for the sake of someone else's profit, yes. I doubt you'll find too many of those people.
Quote:I recognize there could be positive results to this proposed project. However, I believe the negative aspects outweigh the positive ones.
Bone, that's all I was asking for, and I can respect that opinion. What I was arguing against was the contention of pakman and TaiDaishar that the idea was ridiculous and could be summarily dismissed without discussion.