5 ms·

I've been enjoying Edward Snowden's comments about this on Twitter. One great retweet by him from @droosien: "Runaway surveillance blimp" is the perfect metap

by Zikes 11y ago

I've been enjoying Edward Snowden's comments about this on Twitter. One great retweet by him from @droosien: "Runaway surveillance blimp" is the perfect metaphor for the military/intelligence industrial complex. And the perfect mascot.

70seconds 11y ago
Another metaphor for the fear of retribution: Everything on that article is hyperlinked properly except for the tweet from Snowden. Although I do give WP some credit for their original stories on surveillance by NSA/other agencies.
- strictnein 11y ago
  To me it looks like the author of the post on the Washington Post just doesn't know how to embed a tweet, or they're used to a system that will properly identify a link to a tweet and embed it automagically.
  - motoboi 11y ago
    Well, I have saw it too many times to believe in errors. Common targets are Snowden related URLs and First Look website. Don't believe me, just remember that the next time you see it.
Alupis 11y ago
It is suspicious circumstances to say the least. Every image of these JLENS blimps show them anchored with a great many anchor ties, not just one (or a few). However, every report says it just "came loose" or "escaped it's tethering". Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. These things are supposed to be for detecting missiles and high altitude planes, which would beg the question what one was doing blown up and ready to fly in Baltimore.
- jonnybgood 11y ago
  >Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. It says it right in the article: "It's currently on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground."
  - Alupis 11y ago
    > It says it right in the article No, the article says the JLENS program is on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground. That three years is up this year (started program in 2012)... so perhaps they will be decommissioned, or re-purposed. My statement was more along the conspiracy theory line of domestic surveillance tech being tested.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  Strong winds broke the tether. When it is at altitude, there is ~1 tether.
  - Alupis 11y ago
    Ah - the article didn't mention that. Seems like a design flaw really... the single tether. Furthermore, why is it shaped like a blimp with an obvious front-side, when it's designed to be stationary (wouldn't a simple balloon work?)
    - maxerickson 11y ago
      Well, the weight of the tethering matters. So they probably can't just have 2 of the strength of the one that broke. I believe it has a front side because then it can point into the wind, making it easer to stay stationary for the given volume (and hence lift capacity).
    - motoboi 11y ago
      Balloons are made to be carried away by wind. If you want to keep something stationary in the air, better find a aerodynamic shape. One that can keeps its orientation in the air is better yet.
mtgx 11y ago
> And the perfect mascot. Almost. It needs the eye of Sauron on it as well.
toufka 11y ago
The same blimp was just ominously featured in one of the weekly shorts published by the Intercept (the site Greenwald, Poitras, et al. are at and publishing Snowden's leaks). The short is called "The Above" [1], by Kirsten Johnson. It could pass as a great an intro to a dystopian sci-fi movie a la 'District 9'. [1] https://theintercept.com/fieldofvision/the-above https://theintercept.com/fieldofvision/the-above
- rasz_pl 11y ago
  you mean like Æon Flux (2005)?
bariumbitmap 11y ago
Link is here for the lazy: https://twitter.com/droosien/status/659439312317059074 https://twitter.com/droosien/status/659439312317059074

by Zikes 11y ago

70seconds 11y ago

Another metaphor for the fear of retribution: Everything on that article is hyperlinked properly except for the tweet from Snowden. Although I do give WP some credit for their original stories on surveillance by NSA/other agencies.

strictnein 11y ago
To me it looks like the author of the post on the Washington Post just doesn't know how to embed a tweet, or they're used to a system that will properly identify a link to a tweet and embed it automagically.
- motoboi 11y ago
  Well, I have saw it too many times to believe in errors. Common targets are Snowden related URLs and First Look website. Don't believe me, just remember that the next time you see it.

Alupis 11y ago

It is suspicious circumstances to say the least. Every image of these JLENS blimps show them anchored with a great many anchor ties, not just one (or a few). However, every report says it just "came loose" or "escaped it's tethering". Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. These things are supposed to be for detecting missiles and high altitude planes, which would beg the question what one was doing blown up and ready to fly in Baltimore.

jonnybgood 11y ago
>Conspiracy theory would probably speculate on some new tech being demoed or tested over Baltimore. It says it right in the article: "It's currently on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground."
- Alupis 11y ago
  > It says it right in the article No, the article says the JLENS program is on a three-year test run to see if it can help detect cruise missiles or enemy aircraft from 10,000 feet above ground. That three years is up this year (started program in 2012)... so perhaps they will be decommissioned, or re-purposed. My statement was more along the conspiracy theory line of domestic surveillance tech being tested.
maxerickson 11y ago
Strong winds broke the tether. When it is at altitude, there is ~1 tether.
- Alupis 11y ago
  Ah - the article didn't mention that. Seems like a design flaw really... the single tether. Furthermore, why is it shaped like a blimp with an obvious front-side, when it's designed to be stationary (wouldn't a simple balloon work?)
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    Well, the weight of the tethering matters. So they probably can't just have 2 of the strength of the one that broke. I believe it has a front side because then it can point into the wind, making it easer to stay stationary for the given volume (and hence lift capacity).
  - motoboi 11y ago
    Balloons are made to be carried away by wind. If you want to keep something stationary in the air, better find a aerodynamic shape. One that can keeps its orientation in the air is better yet.

mtgx 11y ago

> And the perfect mascot. Almost. It needs the eye of Sauron on it as well.

toufka 11y ago

The same blimp was just ominously featured in one of the weekly shorts published by the Intercept (the site Greenwald, Poitras, et al. are at and publishing Snowden's leaks). The short is called "The Above" [1], by Kirsten Johnson. It could pass as a great an intro to a dystopian sci-fi movie a la 'District 9'. [1] https://theintercept.com/fieldofvision/the-above https://theintercept.com/fieldofvision/the-above

rasz_pl 11y ago
you mean like Æon Flux (2005)?

bariumbitmap 11y ago

Link is here for the lazy: https://twitter.com/droosien/status/659439312317059074 https://twitter.com/droosien/status/659439312317059074