Artist Spearheads Giant Banana Project Posted: Today at 5:12 p.m. TORONTO — Why not release a giant banana in Mexico so it can fly over Texas? That's a Montreal artist's reason for releasing a 985-foot banana-shaped airship into the sky late next year. The helium-filled balloon, made of bamboo and synthetic paper, is expected to float from Mexico into Texas airspace, where it will circle for up to a month, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported. It will drift in a low orbit some 12 to 18 miles above the Earth until it disintegrates. The project will cost about Canadian $1 million, roughly one-eighth of which has been raised so far. Federal and Quebec governments have both contributed small amounts. Artist Cesar Saez - who was born in Argentina, but now lives in Montreal - said it is up to individual viewers to interpret his art, according to the report. "We address advertisement, we address entertainment, we address political issues," Saez was quoted as saying. "The issue of migration in the (United) States is another. The banana is built in Mexico and released in Mexico and enters in a furtive way." When asked why he wanted to undertake the project, he responded: "Why? Because it's possible. Why not a banana over Texas?"
What rock did this guy crawl out from under? Couldn't a deserving charity use that money. Good Grief! :roll:
Here's the, a-ahem, official web site - even has a couple videos of the naner in action. http://www.geostationarybananaovertexas.com/en.html
Best response... A couple of F-18's making a banana split just as it crosses the border. BTW, has anyone considered, even though it's less than probable... The giant balloon could easily carry anthrax or any of hundred of other threats?
That would be 60,000 to 95,000 feet which is well above the operational ceiling of most combat aircraft unless you waste an ASAT missle on it. That is the range of the SR-71 if it were still being flown and had any armaments .....
Just cause the USAF mothballed the SR doesn't mean it's not still in use. As for armaments, doesn't need them all it would have to do is streak by at Mach 3+ and the "ballon" would be toast. Incidentally...on another note the military in all it's wisedom wouldn't mothball something like the SR unless they had a replacement project, that functioned atleast as well as what is being replaced. Craig
Possibly, but the thin atmosphere would make it very difficult to ensure the destruction. Right, and the lowest bidder always makes the best product. That would explain why the first combat use of the LAW (replacement for the bazooka) was a total failure and why the development of the Bradley went so smoothly after the Israeli version was built.
this is just a guess, i have nothing to back it up, but i think the decision to scrap the SR-71 was probably easy to make because of a combination of UAVs and powerful satellites. As a recon tool UAVs and satellites seem much more useful than a very fast plane flying in the LEO
In checking back I discovered two SR-71s had been returned to service by the USAF some 5 years after the last flight. Back on track it still would be difficult to attack a balloon at that altitude even with an SR-71 available.
:?: Is this serious? It's a joke, right? How does a balloon "drift in a low orbit"? Doesn't it just go where the wind blows? I would think, for anything to get into "orbit" it would have to be launched into space. Can someone explain how this thing will really work? I hate to sound dumb, but I just don't get it. :?
