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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be concerned about the balloon discovered hovering over Montana

262 replies

MeetPi · 03/02/2023 05:57

The balloon is said to be a Chinese spy balloon up to three football fields long. In the last few minutes, another balloon has possibly been spotted over Canada - where the first balloon apparently came through to the US.

Purportedly President Biden wanted to shoot the balloon down, but the Pentagon convinced him otherwise, as this could prove a risk to people on the ground.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/02/pentagon-chinese-spy-balloon

OP posts:
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5
Switchwitch · 03/02/2023 06:01

I'm amazed they can have a balloon that tracks people and spies on nuclear sites but my Amazon Alexa tries to play me house music rather than time my pasta on the hob.

Ylvamoon · 03/02/2023 06:02

Propaganda?

PAFMO · 03/02/2023 06:04

I was going to be facetious but the BBC news page confirms they are trying to decide what to do with it. And it's very big.

greenspaces4peace · 03/02/2023 06:06

3 football fields big…I’m north of Montana, it might have spied on my MN activity.

Augend23 · 03/02/2023 06:10

I guess I don't really know what the balloon will do that a satellite can't? It sounded from that article like they weren't really sure if that either?

VioletPickles · 03/02/2023 06:13

Switchwitch · 03/02/2023 06:01

I'm amazed they can have a balloon that tracks people and spies on nuclear sites but my Amazon Alexa tries to play me house music rather than time my pasta on the hob.

Brilliant

Original poster
MeetPi · 03/02/2023 06:17

The second balloon in Canada.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/canada-chinese-spy-balloon-spotted-b2274974.html

OP posts:
Hillrunning · 03/02/2023 06:21

What is it you are concerned OP?

plumduck · 03/02/2023 06:24

Augend23 · 03/02/2023 06:10

I guess I don't really know what the balloon will do that a satellite can't? It sounded from that article like they weren't really sure if that either?

Yeah I wouldn't sweat it, sounds like it's more of a gesture than a useful tool

plumduck · 03/02/2023 06:25

MeetPi · 03/02/2023 06:17

The US think its the same baloon

Ifailed · 03/02/2023 06:27

Your worried about an obvious balloon, but not the 1000s of spy satellites flying overhead?

Happysalley · 03/02/2023 06:28

Not exactly stealthy is it?

WandaWonder · 03/02/2023 06:29

I presume amazon, Facebook, tik tok, twitter and probably a million other things tracks more of the things we do ourselves than any balloon tracker thing, if true

milkyaqua · 03/02/2023 06:30

It's not just a "balloon" it is an enormous structure, said to be the size of three football fields, flying over populated areas, doing no-one knows what, sent by a country that is hostile to the USA, and it may or may not fall from the sky and crush an innocent township/school/groups of motorists/suburb, etc.

Endlesssummer2022 · 03/02/2023 06:31

Read the article and I’m concerned about the increased use of these things. If they fall out of the sky, they could cause death and damage on the ground, whereas satellites would burn up before hitting the ground.

plumduck · 03/02/2023 06:32

milkyaqua · 03/02/2023 06:30

It's not just a "balloon" it is an enormous structure, said to be the size of three football fields, flying over populated areas, doing no-one knows what, sent by a country that is hostile to the USA, and it may or may not fall from the sky and crush an innocent township/school/groups of motorists/suburb, etc.

Yeah that's why they didn't shoot it coz it's absolutely massive and might injure people

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 03/02/2023 06:32

Meh. They know what it is, where it is, and can work out what it’s doing. That’s spying for you. We just use satellites instead.

If the US govt was really worried, they’d destroy it regardless.

plumduck · 03/02/2023 06:33

I wonder where it's going

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 03/02/2023 06:35

It's the size of three buses - not three football fields ...

Ifailed · 03/02/2023 06:35

Yeah that's why they didn't shoot it coz it's absolutely massive and might injure people

It's massive because it needs a large envelope to hold the lighter-than-air gas to provide lift. Ever been up close to a hot air balloon, yet it it all packs into the back of a car?

MarshaMelrose · 03/02/2023 06:35

Happysalley · 03/02/2023 06:28

Not exactly stealthy is it?

Maybe it's cloaking device failed?

User17649787 · 03/02/2023 06:38

Reminds me of The Prisoner and it's the size of 3 buses not fields

Allthelego · 03/02/2023 06:38

Clicked before I read the title properly. Was sad it’s not hovering over Madonna.

milkyaqua · 03/02/2023 06:38

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 03/02/2023 06:35

It's the size of three buses - not three football fields ...

Oh. That's okay, then.

plumduck · 03/02/2023 06:39

Ifailed · 03/02/2023 06:35

Yeah that's why they didn't shoot it coz it's absolutely massive and might injure people

It's massive because it needs a large envelope to hold the lighter-than-air gas to provide lift. Ever been up close to a hot air balloon, yet it it all packs into the back of a car?

Wouldn't want a hot air balloon to fall on me even if it was compacted

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