From: psperson@old.netcom.invalid   
      
   On Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:50:31 -0500, Cryptoengineer   
    wrote:   
      
   >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.   
      
   Hey, this is Pete Hegseth's "Department of War" military.   
      
   They don't coordinate with anyone.   
      
   You get out of their way or suffer the consequences.   
      
   >...and yes, a party balloon was shot down, and maybe other drones.   
      
   It's a good thing they weren't firing rifles into the air. "DoW" Pete   
   might have sent one of /our/ drones to suppress the uprising.   
   --    
   "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,   
   Who evil spoke of everyone but God,   
   Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)