Pentagon Personnel On Site to Investigate Loose Blimp

a reply to: Zaphod58

From what I read no one is supposed to know or talk about what exactly this balloon had inside.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Three members of a San Bernardino family were
killed Friday when they came into contact with the
electric current from a 12,000-volt power line that
had fallen into their backyard amid 50-mph winds.

Steven Vego, a 44-year-old plumber, went into the
yard Friday morning after he and his family were
jolted by two loud explosions. From inside the home,
Kayli Vego saw her father step over the line and
stumble to the ground.

She called to her mother, Sharon, who was in the
frontyard putting out two fires apparently caused
by falling power lines. Sharon sprinted to the backyard.
But when she touched her husband, she collapsed as well.
Her 21-year old son darted out next. He too tumbled to
the ground when he touched one of his fallen family members.

articles.latimes.com...

Here's an example of what ONE fallen powerline can do , very quickly.
Now multiply that risk a hundred times ...

Mitigate ... quickly
or , don't launch the balloon upwind of people , especially in marginal conditions !

a reply to: radarloveguy

Yeah, you're right. We shouldn't launch our military equipment if there's a chance that things could go squirrelly.

So what kind of damage do you think that a balloon that is 240 feet long and weighs upwards of 7,000 pounds is going to do compared to a broken powerline if that comes down on a neighborhood.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It could well wreck a couple of $ 500,000 homes .
But would need to be deflated very quickly so it
doesn't drag right through the neighbourhood !
Not sure how to do that though ....?

How about the military stop using military equipment to spy on citizens.

a reply to: radarloveguy

You can't. They're designed so that even when punctured they deflate pretty slowly and come down at a controlled pace to minimize damage to the systems. Even with an F-16 they're hard to shoot down.

a reply to: deadeyedick

Probably because they aren't with this.

a reply to: Zaphod58

You could not say either way.

It is classified.

a reply to: deadeyedick

The only thing classified is the specific radar in use.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Additionally, I think time after time, we learn that giving the order to 'shoot down' has rarely been the right answer. 9/11 may be the exception to this.

originally posted by: deadeyedick
How about the military stop using military equipment to spy on citizens.

And waste the NSA's $2 billion Utah facility? I'm sure they're loving reading everyone's twitter, instragram, and facebook accounts!