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The last two of eight prototypes for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall took shape Thursday at a construction site in San Diego.
The prototypes, including one built by Israeli defense firm Elta, form a tightly packed row of imposing concrete and metal panels, including one with sharp metal edges on top.
[...] The models, which cost the government up to $500,000 each, were spaced 30 feet (9.1 meters) apart. Slopes, thickness and curves vary. One has two shades of blue with white trim. The others are gray, tan or brown — in sync with the desert.
Bidding guidelines call for the prototypes to stand between 18 and 30 feet (5.5 and 9.1 meters) high and be able to withstand at least an hour of punishment from a sledgehammer, pickaxe, torch, chisel or battery-operated tools.
Features also should prevent the use of climbing aids such as grappling hooks, and the segments must be "aesthetically pleasing" when viewed from the US side.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Thexalon on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:05PM (3 children)
That does bring up an interesting point though. Imagine if the US were completely secured on all sides: A giant unbreachable wall on the Mexican side. A giant unbreachable wall on the Canadian side. Coast Guard so dense that smuggling is completely impossible on the water borders.
Now imagine that the US government decides to take out a bunch of people for what are currently illegal reasons. Not bring them to court, but send the cops or military to kill them. You might suggest they take up arms, but they have AR-15s and the military has drones that can blow them to smithereens from miles away before their targets even hear the missile coming their way (a US government who would do this isn't concerned about how the bad public relations involved in this). That leaves their only viable option as getting out of dodge, but now those secure borders are working against them.
Walls that can keep people out also keep people in, and vice versa.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @10:10PM (1 child)
> Now imagine that the US government decides to take out a bunch of people for what are currently illegal reasons.
"Imagine"? Ever hear of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki or Nawar al-Awlaki?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 22 2017, @12:43AM
As of April 2015, the list included 6 more:
Adam Gadahn
Ahmed Farouq
Samir Khan Bottom
Jude Kenan Mohammed
Warren Weinstein
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 22 2017, @08:56PM
Border walls between neighbouring countries won't really matter in that regard for people in the United States. The country is so huge, 90% of the people living in the US aren't going to get to a neighbouring country in time to prevent their impending death. When backed into a corner, the only option is to fight back or die. With that considered, you should also realise no government will kill an entire population within a country unless they honestly value the dirt that much.