From: petertrei@gmail.com   
      
   On 2/12/2026 2:16 PM, quadi wrote:   
   > I read a recent news item about how airspace was closed aroud El Paso for   
   > hours for safety reasons while the government was dealing with drones   
   > being used by drug cartels.   
   >   
   > While some of the news coverage noted that drones of this nature were a   
   > common occurrence, this in itself doesn't mean that suddenly the   
   > government did something unwarranted. These particular drones on that day   
   > could have been different somehow, or the government finally was able to   
   > do something to stop them.   
   >   
   > However, today I came across an article saying that the lasers used to   
   > knock drones out of the sky also hit some people's party balloons just   
   > before the airspace closure.   
   >   
   > This news item reminded me of the famous German song about how a young   
   > couple's release of ninety-nine helium balloons to celebrate their love   
   > accidentally triggered a global thermonuclear war.   
   >   
   > John Savard   
      
      
   I'm getting the impression that what happened is that the military   
   started testing a laser based anti-drone weapon, but didn't coordinate   
   with the FAA to make sure civil aviation would be safe. The FAA then   
   shut down the airspace to prevent accidents.   
      
   ...and yes, a party balloon was shot down, and maybe other drones.   
      
   pt   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)