Lauren WeinsteinFeb 4, 2023

You're going to be amazed at how quickly the Chinese balloon story drops out of the news (except by MAGA-land) as more information about it surfaces. Most of the ranting I've heard about it all day appears to be massively overblown on all counts, including claimed maneuverability, theoretical spying capabilities over those of a satellite, etc. There even seems to be a lack of absolute confirmation about the second balloon claimed to be over Latin or South America.

What's really going on isn't entirely clear, but for sure the GOP is many orders of magnitude more of a threat to this country compared to this balloon.

Show threadtippenringFeb 4, 2023
@lauren I've been thinking this balloon is probably a college kids weather balloon experiment.
Show threadLauren WeinsteinFeb 4, 2023
@tippenring With a payload the size of three school buses?
Show threadMikeKFeb 4, 2023

@lauren @tippenring

The #balloon is the size of three buses, not the payload.🙂

Amateur radio guys are sending smaller ones round the world all the time.

Show threadtippenringFeb 4, 2023

@mkarliner @lauren the balloon the "volume" of three buses makes much more sense than "payload."

Weather balloons expand tremendously as their altitude increases.

However, a payload volume of "three buses" must have very little mass. A balloon just can't carry very much weight.

Show threadLauren WeinsteinFeb 4, 2023
@tippenring @mkarliner Also, think about this. Why would anyone use a comparison like "three school buses" for a round balloon? It makes much more sense that they're talking about what's below the balloon, and that's what the stories I've seen all say is being described -- the payload.
Show threadMikeKFeb 4, 2023

@lauren @tippenring

Possibly because the school bus is an SI unit of journalism. In the UK, it's been a London Bus since Brexit. 🙂

Show threadDave ByrneFeb 4, 2023
@mkarliner @lauren @tippenring A double decker bus has indeed been the standard journalist SI unit for length and volume since the 60’s. Don’t get me started in the Boris bus!
Show threadMikeKFeb 4, 2023

@davebyrne @lauren @tippenring

Also football pitches, and for post people, tennis courts....

Show threadLauren Weinstein
@mkarliner @davebyrne @tippenring But these described as *school* buses. Different.
Feb 4, 2023 at 4:25pmWeb