That first article is just nonsense. The south pole can't support life? It's been supporting humans for half a century. Can't protect against radiation? Live underground like Hamas did. Have to wait 9 months for food? We do that on Earth too - if you're hungry, call a farmer and ask him to plant some food then come back in a year or two when it's harvested. We solve that problem by pipelining it, just as you would on Mars.
He can't build Rods From God for his personal use because the government won't allow it. Or are you suggesting he builds it then uses it to perform a one-man military coup on the US and disables all their defenses? That's complete nonsense.