In todays news...

[demographic]

Boris wants Ukraine to join the EU.

“I believe that once this war is done and once the Ukrainians have won, then, yes, they should begin the process of induction both to NATO and, of course, to the EU,” says @BorisJohnson at the @AtlanticCouncil.

[MingtheMerciless]

Apparently shot down with an AIM-9X sidewinder , which is an IR or heat seeking missile. Impressive that it could lock onto a relatively cool balloon, it's also capable of manoeuvring at 60G"s (not that a balloon interception would require that level of agility). Warhead is an annular blast fragmentation that basically means a load of rods get ejected in the blast shredding whatever it hits.

[KungFooBob]

You think they'd have just put a few cannon rounds through it, left it drift back down to earth slowly.

[Count Steer]

You think they'd have just put a few cannon rounds through it, left it drift back down to earth slowly.

Huh. If they'd opened the cockpit they could have had it with a bow and arrow.

[demographic]

Chinese balloon shot down into the oggin off Myrtle Beach. Ground stop at several airports & boats told to stay the fuck away etc until it's recovered.

It's seems that there was another three Chinese baloons that weren't shot down over the US a while ago?

[Yorick]

Apparently there were 99 red ones many years ago



Ooh. Nina. Phwooaar.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You think they'd have just put a few cannon rounds through it, left it drift back down to earth slowly.

I'm not sure balloons with big holes in drift all that well

[KungFooBob]

You think they'd have just put a few cannon rounds through it, left it drift back down to earth slowly.

I'm not sure balloons with big holes in drift all that well

Only a couple of holes!

Anyway, even if it did come down a bit quicker than expected it would still be in one bit, not a million small flaming pieces.

Couple of Vulcan rounds are a bit cheaper than a sidewinder too.

[irie]

https://theconversation.com/chinese-spy ... see-199245

How do these balloons navigate?
Most of these balloons literally go where the wind blows. There can be a little bit of navigation, but there are certainly not people aboard them. They are at the mercy of whatever the weather is. They sometimes have guiding apparatus on them that change a balloon’s altitude to catch winds going in particular directions. According to reports, U.S. officials said the Chinese surveillance balloon had propellers to help steer it. If this is confirmed, it means that its operator would have much more control over the path of the balloon.

[Horse]

How do these balloons navigate?
Most of these balloons literally go where the wind blows. There can be a little bit of navigation, but there are certainly not people aboard them. They are at the mercy of whatever the weather is. They sometimes have guiding apparatus on them that change a balloon’s altitude to catch winds going in particular directions. According to reports, U.S. officials said the Chinese surveillance balloon had propellers to help steer it. If this is confirmed, it means that its operator would have much more control over the path of the balloon.

Yet again proving the value of the ignore function

China must be amazing to send a hot air balloon thousands of miles with no way of steering it.

Not really.

General directions of wind is known eg the 'trade winds' for shipping in merchant sailing days.

Weather forecasting gives day to day variations, eg flow around high and low pressure areas.

Wind direction can vary by height, so that can be adjusted.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Fun little fact about trade winds.

"Trade" as in "shipping stuff around the world for profit" is named after the wind, not the other way around. Or at least, the name 'Trade' meaning something which follows a track or a path came first.

S'not what you'd think is it? Not what I'd think anyway

[Demannu]

Apparently the Spanish customs/GC have discharged weapons on Gibraltar.
Not heard if it was in self defence, but it was something to do with tobacco smugglers.

[irie]

China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of military force to attack civilian unmanned airships.

[Yambo]

The big red dot on the 'G' of Gazıantep is the main quake.

[Yambo]

Another big tremor just shown up on the map Mag. 7.5 near the town of Ekinözü, north of this morning's biggy.

[demographic]

Another big tremor just shown up on the map Mag. 7.5 near the town of Ekinözü, north of this morning's biggy.

As I have no idea how far you're away from it I'll ask.
Anything noticeable where you are?

[Yambo]

The area that they're all happening in is 500 miles away to the East. We've felt nothing here.

I know a lot of people from that area (that come to work here in the summer). I guess we'll find out in the next couple of days if they're OK.

[Felix]

Stop this video at 44 seconds. Two high rise look almost unscathed what looks strange considering what is happening all around.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/64544624

[Mussels]

Stop this video at 44 seconds. Two high rise look almost unscathed what looks strange considering what is happening all around.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/64544624

Buildings can be designed to be very earthquake resistant, might just be a better design.

[Yambo]

A lot of the collapsed buildings were probably built before the regulations regarding earthquake resistance came into law. I think the construction laws were changed in the 1990s but may have bee n earlier.

All buildings are required to have DASK (earthquake) insurance. I renewed mine last month, cost was about £15. It may well be more expensive for older buildings but my house was built to conform to the earthquake regs. What surprised me were buildings collapsing in Diyarbakir- nearly 200 miles away from the epicentre of the big quake.