Undoubtedly the most disappointing aspect of the China Balloon incident is the number of knuckleheads who immediately began running around crying that shiny objects were falling from the sky. Or, alternatively, that the sky itself was falling.
Today at MoA Bernard walks through a NYT article that convincingly explains that the whole incident was, indeed, an accident caused by a freak weather event. Further, the flight of the balloon, far from being a surprise, had been monitored along its entire path.
Moon has its own axe to grind, but here’s the general idea:
Its claim that the ballon went unexpectedly off course is by the way completely correct. The U.S. had long tracked the ballon over Alaska and Canada and was equally surprised when it suddenly turned south:
Another U.S. official said intelligence agencies began tracking the balloon several days ago, not long after it had left China and began its controlled drift toward the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The official said American trackers continued to monitor the balloon as it progressed through Canada toward the continental United States, and were surprised when it crossed over into American airspace.
The cause of the surprising turn last week was a polar vortex over Canada that also brought a cold snap to the north-east:
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Such unusual weather patterns happen every once a while but are difficult to predict:
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The balloon was on an easterly course over northwest Canada when it was hit by exceptional winds blowing south.
That it was only last week's freak weather event that pushed the balloon across the U.S. makes it unlikely that it was intended to spy on U.S. proper.
So, balloons as shiny objects:
Questions: What’s the agenda driving the “conservatives” who are pushing “shiny object syndrome” on the masses? Is, for example, Brian Berletic correct (US Provocations vs Russia & China) that the China Balloon Hoax is to war with China what the Russia Hoax was to the war on Russia? Are we seeing a simply hysterical reaction to a current event, or is it part of a deliberate effort to steer the American public toward fear, hatred, … and war? Ask yourself, Has war with Russia been good for the US? Is war with China likely to be any better for the US? How about war with both China and Russia at the same time—because both countries’ leaders know that the US is gunning for both, so they’re likely to stand together (as we already see happening)? What’s behind this drive for war, coinciding with the war on Normality in Human Being?
Check your Shiny Object Syndrome. Don’t give in to it.
https://twitter.com/Judgenap/status/1623058616553971713
10:33 minute video by The Duran. Their claim is that Chinese were totally trolling the Americans and got the response they were looking for. YMMV, but I agree that the hysteria has been misguided.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmUDvIj2Vf0