http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/06/americas-death-star-of-freedom.html
"America's Death Star of Freedom". Yes, you did, in fact, read the end of that link correctly. And normally, I'm all for the geek reference to the original (and best part) of the Star Wars series (suck on that, George Lucas), but on this occasion, I'm assaulted with the memories of learning about another famous political happening that also involved the series that made me fall in love with Harrison Ford ('cause seriously; who else could get away with saying, "I know," after a girl tells them that she loves them but Han Motherfucking Solo? Haters can step to the left).
And considering what the article is discussing -- a defense system created as means to warn the U.S. to a possible North Korean missile attack -- and the shape of the system -- for now, the U.S. government is calling it the "golf ball" -- jokingly calling it "America's Death Star of Freedom" seems rather appropriate and, possibly for those who don't know their history, quite funny and witty.
But I happen to know my U.S. history (and, to be fair, I'm sure the writer of the article knows his as well) and the only thing that kept running through my mind as I read this was, "Aren't the 80's over? I thought we already went through this with Reagan?" There was also a heavy sigh accompanying that thought, but needless to say, I kept thinking about the "hip, catchy, Hollywood" name that the Reagan administration and the 80's media concocted to name the satellite-run missile defense system that would save us from those crazy Russians should they decide to lay the smack down a la Red Dawn. And yep; you guessed it. The nickname they came up with was....wait for it...STAR WARS.
It was only too perfect. It was exorbitantly expensive, ran an orbit around the earth, and, like the pin-point accuracy of the Death Star's laser cannons, would blast those damned Russian missiles to hell and back (or should I say, to Hoth and back? I know. Cheesy joke is cheesy). In fact, the plan was so ridiculously far-fetched and expensive that it never came to fruition. But it seems that our current administration was somehow able to pull the funds out of thin air in order to create their own version of Reagan's Star Wars. Dreams really do come true! :')
No matter how you look at it, though, the new name of "the golf ball" given by the author of the article was meant to be a joke. So that's what you should take it as. It sounds like some bit of truthiness that Stephen Colbert would create, if only to get a brief laugh and, because as a faux-Republican, that's what he gets paid to do. Either way, I got a bit of a laugh out of it and so should you.
...I'm thinking next time, a commentary on Twilight is in order.
"America's Death Star of Freedom". Yes, you did, in fact, read the end of that link correctly. And normally, I'm all for the geek reference to the original (and best part) of the Star Wars series (suck on that, George Lucas), but on this occasion, I'm assaulted with the memories of learning about another famous political happening that also involved the series that made me fall in love with Harrison Ford ('cause seriously; who else could get away with saying, "I know," after a girl tells them that she loves them but Han Motherfucking Solo? Haters can step to the left).
And considering what the article is discussing -- a defense system created as means to warn the U.S. to a possible North Korean missile attack -- and the shape of the system -- for now, the U.S. government is calling it the "golf ball" -- jokingly calling it "America's Death Star of Freedom" seems rather appropriate and, possibly for those who don't know their history, quite funny and witty.
But I happen to know my U.S. history (and, to be fair, I'm sure the writer of the article knows his as well) and the only thing that kept running through my mind as I read this was, "Aren't the 80's over? I thought we already went through this with Reagan?" There was also a heavy sigh accompanying that thought, but needless to say, I kept thinking about the "hip, catchy, Hollywood" name that the Reagan administration and the 80's media concocted to name the satellite-run missile defense system that would save us from those crazy Russians should they decide to lay the smack down a la Red Dawn. And yep; you guessed it. The nickname they came up with was....wait for it...STAR WARS.
It was only too perfect. It was exorbitantly expensive, ran an orbit around the earth, and, like the pin-point accuracy of the Death Star's laser cannons, would blast those damned Russian missiles to hell and back (or should I say, to Hoth and back? I know. Cheesy joke is cheesy). In fact, the plan was so ridiculously far-fetched and expensive that it never came to fruition. But it seems that our current administration was somehow able to pull the funds out of thin air in order to create their own version of Reagan's Star Wars. Dreams really do come true! :')
No matter how you look at it, though, the new name of "the golf ball" given by the author of the article was meant to be a joke. So that's what you should take it as. It sounds like some bit of truthiness that Stephen Colbert would create, if only to get a brief laugh and, because as a faux-Republican, that's what he gets paid to do. Either way, I got a bit of a laugh out of it and so should you.
...I'm thinking next time, a commentary on Twilight is in order.
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