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Up Oh! The Criminalization of Foil Balloons

articles.latimes.com — It all began when the local Water and Power Co. claimed that about 12% of the annual power outages were caused by metallic balloons hitting power lines.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jul 14, 2009

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  • borez, on 07/14/2009, -0/+69I blame inflation.
  • scooterbaga, on 07/14/2009, -0/+52So I can cause power outages with metal balloons... interesting.
  • mrfuzz, on 07/14/2009, -2/+29there must be another material that can work that does not wreck havoc on the power grid ?

  • wannaBdug, on 07/14/2009, -0/+19They can put a man on the moon can't they figure out how to make a better balloon?
  • laughtears, on 07/14/2009, -0/+18power lines around the world rejoice
  • srchgrrl, on 07/14/2009, -4/+22My daughter will be so sad if this measure stands. She loves the metallic balloons!
  • robertisaar, on 07/14/2009, -0/+17hydrogen + metallic balloons + power lines = Youtube Gold
  • AmyVernon, on 07/14/2009, -2/+18We had one of these goddamn balloons in the tree in our backyard for about two years at one point. Hate these things.
  • senorboombino, on 07/14/2009, -2/+18Just don't take away my balloon animals!
  • sbcea, on 07/14/2009, -2/+16It is ballooooooon!!!
  • republicker, on 07/14/2009, -3/+17This is ridiculous. As a former employee of TXU i can say that trimming trees would do far more to fix this problem, no need to potentially put small business' in the *****.
  • MargotCross, on 07/14/2009, -0/+13how hard is it to improve a balloon? if we can build airplanes and hybrid cars, can't we make a balloon that doesn't cause damage to power lines?
  • jaybudzik, on 07/14/2009, -0/+11The could just coat the balloons with teflon. Then the power lines will be safe but the birds will get Alzheimer's.
  • dsmx, on 07/14/2009, -1/+12I prefer Lead Zeppelins personally.
  • freshgrease, on 07/14/2009, -1/+12They see me flyin'
    They hatin'
    ....
  • DOCNM, on 07/14/2009, -0/+11crazy. how did you figure that out?
  • dse78759, on 07/14/2009, -0/+10Awesome. Just awesome.
  • enantiodromia, on 07/14/2009, -0/+8now only the OUTLAWS' kids will have foil balloons!
  • budboomer, on 07/14/2009, -0/+7They are non - insulated.
  • Ymeg, on 07/14/2009, -0/+7They could always put hydrogen in it. That would make balloons a lot more interesting.
  • inactive, on 07/14/2009, -2/+9They should criminalise powerlines instead
  • flyingengineer, on 07/14/2009, -0/+7Something sounds a little odd.... to take out a circuit breaker a mylar balloon would have to either create a path to ground... or one of the other phases on the pole. I don't think I've ever seen a mylar balloon that big that could accomplish either easily - maybe possibly around a transformer it could happen but with the mylar being so thin one would think it would flash/burn off before it would pop a breaker on the pole
  • rrife, on 07/14/2009, -0/+7I think I'm going to have to test this theory, because it sounds like BS to me.
  • scy1192, on 07/14/2009, -2/+8Aren't power lines coated? How does a balloon short one out?
  • Dested, on 07/14/2009, -1/+7The only thing worse than being fooled by the onion is thinking that a real article is from the onion... =/
  • atlasdugged, on 07/14/2009, -0/+6Metallic Balloons are now lead balloons...
  • BoneheadFarker, on 07/14/2009, -0/+6Horrible??? How could anything with Ice T as a mutant kangaroo be considered horrible?
  • ScottyAnimal, on 07/14/2009, -0/+5And what do you do that is such a "life necessity"? If it was your job that was going to be cut I bet you would change your tune.
  • MudMan69, on 07/14/2009, -0/+5You really don't understand capitalism, do you?
  • klick37, on 07/14/2009, -1/+6Isn't 'Water and Power Co.' the bad guys from that horrible Tank Girl movie?
  • Megadeth222, on 07/14/2009, -0/+5Legalize them!
  • Mpwns, on 07/14/2009, -6/+10ah America "if its fun we will be sure to take it away!"
  • Rudegar, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4next they will ban me wearing my tin foil hat when it's windy! :I
    or better yet when there is a lighting storm
  • digitalArtform, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4DOCNM: I gave you a green thumbs up
  • Hraes, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4They're shiny, they last longer, and they don't distort whatever picture is on them because they're not elastic.
  • morcheeba, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4The space program already determined how to make a better balloon -- and mylar balloons were the result.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET_film_(biaxially_o ...
  • budboomer, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4Do you have to be over a certain age to get that or do they air that show on Nick at Night?
  • jeffiek, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4Damn the balloons. Full steam ahead. Protect big business.
  • etx313, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4Patrollin, they tryin to catch me flyin shiny.
  • Hraes, on 07/14/2009, -0/+4/Now/ you're thinking with portals.
  • rrife, on 07/14/2009, -0/+3I think you're thinking about the cable & phone lines.
  • Rndm_Tngnt, on 07/14/2009, -0/+3That's why you don't touch them. Especially don't touch two of them.
  • inactive, on 07/14/2009, -0/+3They're also typically larger and harder to pop
  • skipvt, on 07/14/2009, -1/+4Isn't San Fransisco *in* California? And isn't this article about a bill to outlaw metallic balloons in the California Legislature? So PG&E did what now?
  • rmxz, on 07/14/2009, -2/+5Why didn't you just take it down if it bugged you that much? And if it was in a difficult to access place in the tree, that would have just made removal a more interesting project.
  • norcalscan, on 07/14/2009, -0/+3Are we neighbors? Because I see some dude with a sick grin and balloon under the powe
  • jaxter2010, on 07/14/2009, -0/+3*knock* *knock* *knock*

    Ma'am. Is this your balloon?
  • ScottyAnimal, on 07/14/2009, -0/+2They didnt ban Luft Balloons.
  • ahhell, on 07/14/2009, -0/+2That's just great. WTF am gonna do with 99 red ones???
  • pault107, on 07/14/2009, -0/+2Excuse my ignorance, I'm not being sarcastic (I have little experience of balloons), but why are metallic balloons so superior to other types?
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