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Tag Archives: balloon

It is a balloon

18 Saturday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balloon, China, former newsreader, Mark Alford, missouri, right wingnut, social media, that ridiculous hat

Mark Alford (r) [2022 file photo]..

Hobby Club’s Missing Balloon Feared Shot Down By USAF
Steve Trimble February 16, 2023

A small, globe-trotting balloon declared “missing in action” by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10.
[….]
“I’m guessing probably they were pico balloons,” said Tom Medlin, a retired FedEx engineer and co-host of the Amateur Radio Roundtable show. Medlin has three pico balloons in flight in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
[….]
Launching high-altitude, circumnavigational pico balloons has emerged only within the past decade. [….]it was possible to calculate the amount of helium gas necessary to make a common latex balloon neutrally buoyant at altitudes above 43,000 ft. The balloons carry an 11-gram tracker on a tether, along with HF and VHF/UHF antennas to update their positions to ham radio receivers around the world. At any given moment, several dozen such balloons are aloft, with some circling the globe several times before they malfunction or fail for other reasons. The launch teams seldom recover their balloons.
[….]
In fact, the pico balloons weigh less than 6 lb. and therefore are exempt from most FAA airspace restrictions…
[….]

Yesterday, from Mark Alford (r):

[image cropped]

Mark Alford @RepMarkAlford
We need to identify UAPs sooner and act swiftly to remove any UAP that threatens our airspace and sovereignty before it flies over U.S. soil, not after.
[….]
7:11 PM · Feb 17, 2023

Just a few responses:

💤💤💤

Mark Alford @markalfordkc
[….]
You’re right!!! America is asleep alright!!! Wake up…the wolf is at the door!
8:49 PM · Feb 17, 2023

BS Li’l Marky. The big bad wolf [….]?

You are wrong Mark. TFG was the one asleep. They were flying over the US and the orange gut was golfing.

Give it a rest, Mark (r). Your balloon envy is tiresome.

Pearls and swine, now and then

17 Friday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, social media, US Senate

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

balloon, China, Fascist pig, gaslighting, Josh Hawley, officious gasbag, pearl clutching, right wingnut, U.S. Senate, Virginia

Today, from Josh Hawley (r):

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Nice job, Joe Biden
[….]
12:51 PM · Feb 17, 2023

Putz.

This you, Josh (r)?:

Josh Hawley@HawleyMO
SHOOT IT DOWN
[….]
11:34 AM · Feb 3, 2023

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

What a maroon.

Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go…

07 Tuesday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, balloon, China, former newsreader, Mark Alford, missouri, right wingnut, social media, that ridiculous hat

Mark Alford (r) [2022 file photo].

Yesterday evening:

[image cropped]

Mark Alford @RepMarkAlford
The Chinese Communist Party and their invasion of U.S. Airspace is the most critical national security threat facing our nation today.

I went to the house floor to talk about it [….]
5:32 PM · Feb 6, 2023

Dude, it was a balloon. It was brought down. We’re getting all the parts. What did the former guy do?

Some of the responses:

[….] I’d go with the active proxy war being waged with Russia. But yeah the balloon hurt my feelings.

Mark, your judgement is flawed-never served in the military-new to congress-your experience is very limitedas anchor on a early morning TV-be aware that you are not in any way qualified to ID national security threats – listen more – TALK & TWEET LESS

Yeah, nope.

You are an unserious [….] clown who needs to find a new grift

There are words for what you did on the House floor.

Bloviating
Grandstanding

MAGA Domestic Terrorists in Congress is the greatest danger.

Risky and Reckless.

@RepMarkAlford mistakes Chinese Ballon as most critical threat. He fails to recognize that failing to support increasing the debt limit will wipe out American families – wants to raise tft one left a markaxes on the middle class again & destroy Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid.

A balloon is the most critical national security threat? You’re no better at this job than the last one

Vicky Hartzler (r) [2021 file photo].

That last one left a mark.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row (February 5, 2023)

Engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed Ohio senator (February 5, 2023)

Eric Schmitt (r)…the Josh Hawley (r) of Missouri (February 5, 2023)

Give it a rest, Mark (r). (February 5, 2023)

Every right wingnut accusation is actually a confession

06 Monday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Eric Schmitt, meta, US Senate

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balloon, China, Eric Schmitt, meta, right wingnut, trolling, true believer

“…Article came out…”

We’d pile on even more insults, but it’s a bit of a wasted effort when it flys over their litlle tinfoil propeller beanie covered heads.

From time to time a right wingnut concern troll will try to leave a comment here. Our system defaults to automatic moderation – that is, comments have to be approved. We don’t allow such comments to be linked to the original post, but on occasion, when we see fit, we’ll mock these attempts.

We see fit.

An attempted comment to one of our posts critical of yet another of Eric Schmitt’s (r) pandering balloon tweets:

Thanks Eric for Standing up against the Bidens administration China 1st policy , America’s National Security last. Those knocking President Tump for not taking out China Spy Balloons during his time in office, get your facts straight. Article came out General Milley did not inform President Trump about spy balloons over the Unitd States. General Milley said Trump was too aggressive. Since when is standing up for your country’s National Security too aggressive. Wake up all who watch the Fake News & do your own research instead of believing everything you see & hear. God Bless America.

“…Wake up all who watch the Fake News…” Heh.

Actual Faux news:

“Faux News channel, fascist groupies” – protest sign, circa 2003- 2004.

“Thanks Eric for Standing up against the Bidens administration China 1st policy…”

Joe shot it down (Well, he issued the order).

Joe Biden (D) [2014 file photo].

“…do your own research instead of believing everything you see & hear…” WTF?

Not too clear on the “Show Me State” thing. Because actually seeing and hearing something is worse than what?

Maroon.

By the way, the IP address and email address of all comments are attached to the original comment in our blog operating system.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row (February 5, 2023)

Engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed Ohio senator (February 5, 2023)

Eric Schmitt (r)…the Josh Hawley (r) of Missouri (February 5, 2023)

Give it a rest, Mark (r). (February 5, 2023)

Give it a rest, Mark (r).

05 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, balloon, China, former newsreader, ignoranimus, Mark Alford, maroon, missouri, right wingnut, social media, stick to post offices, that ridiculous hat

Mark Alford (r) [2022 file photo].

Today:

Mark Alford @RepMarkAlford
It was a busy week in Washington and we accomplished a great deal.

This coming week we’ll address the CCP spy balloon that was allowed to fly over Whiteman AFB, and hold Biden accountable during his #SOTU.

Until then, here’s our Capitol Recap
[….]
1:14 PM · Feb 5, 2023

“…hold Biden accountable during his #SOTU…”

What are you going to do, fart loudly? Just asking.

“…we’ll address the CCP spy balloon that was allowed to fly over Whiteman AFB…”

JFC. Give your faux outrage a rest. They can just look it up, you know, on the Internets:

Counterintelligence, anyone, anyone?

What an ignoranimus.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row (February 5, 2023)

Engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed Ohio senator (February 5, 2023)

Eric Schmitt (r)…the Josh Hawley (r) of Missouri (February 5, 2023)

Eric Schmitt (r)…the Josh Hawley (r) of Missouri

05 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Eric Schmitt, Josh Hawley, social media, US Senate

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

balloon, China, Eric Schmitt, Fascist pigs, Josh Hawley, ladder climbers, missouri, right wingnuts, U.S. Senate, Virginia

“The most dangerous place to stand in Washington D.C. is any place between Senator Josh Hawley and a live microphone” – Charles P. Pierce

Eric Schmitt (r) [2022 file photo}.

This morning, late to the party:

[image cropped]

Eric Schmitt@Eric_Schmitt
A Chinese spy balloon was also a trial balloon testing Joe Biden. He failed miserably.

The incompetence of the Biden Admin is on full display to friend & foe alike.

The American people deserve answers which is why I’ve called for a full investigation.
[….]
9:28 AM · Feb 5, 2023

Some of the responses:

If this is a real spy balloon, so our invincible airforce just let it float and pass through the whole country and let it camera along our military base below? Nice [….]

JFC. Too stupid to remember to breathe. They can just look it up, you know, on the Internets:

I was expecting your response to the Chinese Balloon was to sue the Pattonville School District..

We see what you did there.

cool. i’d like to know what other spy balloons trump allowed to fly over the country.

You’re an embarrassment to Missouri.

What do you call Trump hiding the fact this occurred 3 times during his administration?

Oh Eric, always a day behind on your performative political outrage.
It’s no wonder that your own party in the senate are already keeping their distance from you.
You’re like Missouris version of Santos.

Or, Missouri’s version of…Josh Hawley (r). Heh.

I’m a constituent and would like to know your response when three similar balloons flew over the US when Trump was president.

Joe shot it down. [….]

Joe Biden (D) [2014 file photo].

Where is your rage tweet about trumpy saying and doing nothing when they were overhead during his term?

To be fair, Eric Schmitt (r) was busy soliciting snitches and trying to sue school districts.

Will that investigation also look into the three times Chinese spy balloons invaded our airspace under Trump? And the coverup?

He followed the advice of the military regarding a military operation.

Who the f*** are you?

How long are you going to flail this dead horse?

Be sure to ask for an investigation of the three balloons over out territory during the Trump years, where he sat around watching tv and did nothing about them.

Doubling down on ignorance doesn’t play well when your audience is national, Senator. If you want to investigate, start with why the American people were not advised by the previous administration of 3 prior incidents of this nature.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row (February 5, 2023)

Engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed Ohio senator (February 5, 2023)

Engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed Ohio senator

05 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media, US Senate

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balloon, carpetbagger, China, guns, Jason Kander, JD Vance, missouri, Ohio, right wingnut, social media

Jason Kander (D) [2016 file photo]

Yesterday:

[image cropped]

Jason Kander @JasonKander
Dumb shit like this encourages dumb people to actually fire at an object that is tens of thousands of feet out of range, and those rounds come down, and sometimes they kill innocent Americans, which seems like the kind of thing a United States Senator might want to discourage.
[….]
8:50 AM · Feb 4, 2023

JD Vance (r) doesn’t have a clue:

Jason Kander @JasonKander
Nah, but I guess I could’ve moved to a state I didn’t live and then disavowed everything I’d ever claimed to believe.

But I’ve had a far greater impact on the world by doing it my way.

I can live without the title. You go enjoy it, because it’s all you have, Senator.
[….]
12:49 PM · Feb 4, 2023

Heh.

It’s a good bet that only one of the two can reassemble a rifle blindfolded.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row (February 5, 2023)

Anxiously trying to elbow his way to the front row

05 Sunday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

7th Congressional District, balloon, China, Eric Burlison, missouri, right wingnut, social media

Me, too! Just slower than everyone else…

Eric Burlison (r) [2016 file photo].

Yesterday:

Rep. Eric Burlison @RepEricBurlison
The Chinese spy balloon should’ve never flown over our country!!

We need to immediately find out what information was sent to the CCP and why the Biden administration kept this espionage hidden from the public.
5:49 PM · Feb 4, 2023

Counterintelligence, you think?

Some of the responses:

Sorry, you are trying to figure out why the Biden administration doesn’t give out counterintelligence information publicly?

Heh.

This didn’t age well.

Wouldn’t be surprised if any communications between the ‘weather balloon’ and it’s controllers are already in the hands of one or more of our intelligence agencies (NSA, CIA, etc.). Seriously doubt that you guys or the general public will ever know what it was though.

Check with Trump. It happened three times when he was in the White House. [….]

Yes and while you are at it, investigate the 3 Trump didn’t shoot down that the American people never heard about until today.

[….] WOW. Pentagon just confirmed that THREE Chinese balloons flew over the US during the Trump Admin & not only didn’t shoot them down,but he also didn’t say anything about it. Shows you how ridiculous Republicans are right now by only talking about the balloon.

Chinese have done this before . At least once when trump was in office. Soo?

OMG, shut your idiot trap for once.

The blimp [2014 file photo].

No, not that one. It’s a blimp. It was in Missouri for nefarious purposes, but in 2014.

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room (February 4, 2023)

The adult in the room

04 Saturday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balloon, China, Joe Biden, president, release, White House

Joe Biden (D) [2014 file photo].

This afternoon:

The White House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2023

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BIDEN
IN PRESS GAGGLE

Hagerstown Regional Airport
Hagerstown, Maryland

3:15 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: On Wednesday, when I was briefed on the balloon, I ordered the Pentagon to shoot it down, on Wednesday, as soon as possible. They decided — without doing damage to anyone on — on the ground. They decided that the best time to do that was as it got over water, outside — within our — within the 12-mile limit.

They successfully took it down. And I want to compliment our aviators who did it. And we’ll have more to report on this a little later.

Thank you.

Q Mr. President, what does this say about China? What’s your message to China?

Q You were saying the recommendation from your — was from your national security —

THE PRESIDENT: I told them to shoot it down.

Q On Wednesday?

THE PRESIDENT: On Wednesday.

Q But the recommendation from them —

THE PRESIDENT: They said to me, “Let’s wait till the safest place to do it.”

3:16 P.M. EST

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district (February 4, 2023)

They were searching in vain for any of the locations of your open public town halls in the district

04 Saturday Feb 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional Distrct, balloon, China, former newsreader, Mark Alford, right wingnut, social media, that ridiculous hat

Professionals always manage to do their job despite the screeching from the peanut gallery.

Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III
Feb. 4, 2023

This afternoon, at the direction of President Biden, U.S. fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command successfully brought down the high altitude surveillance balloon launched by and belonging to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) over the water off the coast of South Carolina in U.S. airspace. The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above U.S. territorial waters. On Wednesday, President Biden gave his authorization to take down the surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon’s path. After careful analysis, U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload. In accordance with the President’s direction, the Department of Defense developed options to take down the balloon safely over our territorial waters, while closely monitoring its path and intelligence collection activities. This action was taken in coordination, and with the full support, of the Canadian government. And we thank Canada for its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon through NORAD as it transited North America. Today’s deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the PRC’s unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.

Mark Alford (r) [August 2022 file photo]..

On the other hand:

[image cropped]

Mark Alford @RepMarkAlford
About time!! This took far too long and we deserve answers.

@JoeBiden must address why he allowed the CCP to invade our airspace and to what extent our national security was placed at risk during the State of the Union on Tuesday.
2:33 PM · Feb 4, 2023 from Washington, DC

“…After careful analysis, U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload…”

A couple of the responses to Mark Alford (r):

Well one thing you are good at Mark is clutching your pearls [….]

Heh.

About time? What do you know about anything? You are a teleprompter hack. If it was shot down over land, you would be on here whining and crying about how crazy it was for them to shoot it down over land. You are an embarrassment to Missouri

Previously:

Are you certain it wasn’t Rick Brattin (r)? (February 3, 2023)

Maybe they’re just checking on all of their Missouri farm landholdings (February 3, 2023)

Apparently Jason Smith (r) believes China is unaware of any easily accessible map applications (February 3, 2023)

Marked “Safe” in Virginia from the Balloon (February 4, 2023)

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