Do not bring mylar balloons to the innaugural

[Ian David]

http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/update/index.php
Balloon Rules at Inaugural Current rating: 6
by Buck Fush
Email: theresapaa (at) earthlink.net (unverified!) 18 Jan 2005
Modified: 19 Jan 2005
This year, you'll need to take special care using those Mylar balloons that have become such a traditional part of all Presidential Inaugurations.

Although the no fly zone has been extended out 23 miles, a stray balloon or two could cause major havoc in the Washington area around the time of the President's speech. Realizing this potential problem, the editors at Buck Fush have developed a simple checklist that will help keep the skies clear above the glorious celebration.

Make sure you keep a handle on all of your Mylar balloons, especially if you are upwind of Washington, D.C. in the early morning of the 20th.

Consider the time when you transport your balloons. For instance, if the wind speed is 15mph and you are 30 miles upwind from Washington, make sure you don't accidentally release any balloons 2 hours before the Ceremony. Keep in mind that winds aloft are stronger than on the surface, so this may not be a perfect formula for determining the worse time to lose a balloon, it may be sooner. Whatever you do, don't lose them at 15 minute intervals, because if all of them were lost this way, at least one would most certainly be overhead during the Inauguration which would be a real disaster.

Don't tie long strips of aluminum foil on your balloons. This is very dangerous, because if one of your balloons was accidentally blown from your hands, these bits of foil would make the balloon have a radar cross section of a 747. You wouldn't want the Air Force to think the skies over Washington were filled with commercial airliners, especially in the no fly zone.

More:
http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/update/index.php

[Inland]

1. Didn't think this was cute or funny the first time it was posted.

Let the pubbies be the ones who scare people for fun and profit. Anyone who works to panic might as well go around pulling fire alarms, and I would just as soon not be associated with anyone like that.

[Ian David]

2. You're right

I'm sorry.