TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
meteoriteAP.jpg
In this combo made from frame grabs from dashboard camera video, a meteor streaks through the sky over Chelyabinsk, about 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. With a blinding flash and a booming shock wave, the meteor blazed across the western Siberian sky Friday and exploded with the force of 20 atomic bombs, injuring more than 1,000 people as it blasted out windows and spread panic in a city of 1 million. (AP Photo/AP Video)

Three days, and I'm still watching those videos

BY Dave Ross  on February 18, 2013 @ 6:38 am (Updated: 6:46 am - 2/18/13 )

All the Sunday talk shows were arguing yet again over budget cuts - I didn't watch them. I was watching Russian meteor videos. Comparing them to Armageddon movies. The movies make you think it's the impact that does the damage. They don't tell you about the sonic boom.

Actually - the multiple booms. Can you imagine something like this over a really big city? And no one saw it coming. Not a single doomsday prophet, not a single scientist - they couldn't even agree on how big it was.

First it was the size of a bus.

Then it was the size of a nuclear sub.

And then finally, "Weighing more than the Eiffel Tower," reported one news anchor. "Its explosion in the atmosphere the equivalent of 30 Hiroshima bombs."

Everyone now seems to agree it was about 50 feet wide and hit the atmosphere at 40,000 miles per hour. And yet no space agency - not ours, not Russia's - is set up to track something that weighs as much as the Eiffel Tower, and explodes like 30 Hiroshima bombs.

It's changed the meaning of the word meteor for me, I'll tell you that. Meteors used to be benign flashes in the sky. We called them shooting stars; we made wishes on them. Now it turns out they're the rogue nukes of the cosmos.

Here we are stressing about Iran's nukes, and North Korea's nukes; spending billions to prepare for mutual nuking, while the cosmos just laughs.

Anyway - keep your bike helmet on, and when you see the bright flash, you have a minute to get away from the windows. That, apparently, is all the warning we are going to get.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (14)


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  • cdbtx wrote...
    That's funny
    February 18, 2013 5:57 am
    I continue to watch them too and still jump everytime I hear that explosion.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Granted the budget interviews - and just abiut everything else out of DC - is about as exciting and new as Rocky XL, or whatever they finally made
    February 18, 2013 6:06 am
    But considering the LAST big meteor explosion (also on Russia - this can't be good for tourism) was in 1908, I wouldn't get all that excited.

    But, then again, we only have the 'word' of 'officials' that this was a meteor. ... What if it WAS Nut Korea or Iran with a nuke test off course? Or a drone test of pure stealth? (Disguised as an asteroid, who could blame the real senders?)

    THEN, Dave. You'd best keep that bike helmet handy. Though it won't do much for the rest of you if a drone get you.

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  • mnpat wrote...
    I told you years ago you should stop concerning yourself over climate change because
    February 18, 2013 6:22 am
    We will be hit by a meteor or watch Yellowstone go up before the cajillion dollars you want to spend will do any good.....but go ahead and spend your money on battery operated cars just the same that cost twice as much.
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  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    And does twice the damage as Gas Cars
    February 18, 2013 7:47 am
    to the environment in manufacturing (especially the batteries) and when those batteries fail and cost you upwards of 10 grand to replace, plus the nasty little elephant in the room of disposal.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Then it was the size of a nuclear sub.
    February 18, 2013 7:45 am
    Is a nuclear sub a different size than a diesel one? Or did you just want to work the word "nuclear" in there another time?
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  • Niall wrote...
    Some HAVE been saying this was coming
    February 18, 2013 8:44 am
    Not this particular strike, but the fact that we entered a high-risk period in the year 2000. A useful book that explains the history of 'cosmic nukes' and the probability that we'll encounter more them in the years ahead is 'Comets and the Horns of Moses'.
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  • AtheisticallyYours wrote...
    Maybe "ID 4" was NOT that far off!
    February 18, 2013 9:12 am
    Maybe NOW the world nuclear powers from North Korea and Iran can link THEIR nuclear programs with the United States, and others, and agree that its the COSMOS we need to retaliate against! Those damned rogue meteorites! Then again, it IS Russia that this landed in, and what have THEY done about it (besides not let anyone to the impact site!)? Maybe if these things just keep landing and "sonic booming" in Russia, we will all be ok!
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  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    So what do you want mommy Govt to do Dave
    February 18, 2013 9:41 am
    Outlaw asteroids?
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  • mnpat wrote...
    Think you nailed it Rick
    February 18, 2013 10:18 am
    We will spend millions to put in space a moniker stating Earth is "Asteroid free zone".....pricless
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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    About a dozen comments in, the political attacks begin
    February 18, 2013 10:59 am
    Funny. I can't think of a more apolitical topic than asteroids striking the earth.

    Dave never suggested outlawing asteroids or declaring Earth an "asteroid free zone"

    C'mon guys, is it possible to discuss *anything* without reverting to talking-point tactics?

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  • mnpat wrote...
    sorry about that Chuck....
    February 18, 2013 11:29 am
    couldn't help myself
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Chuck
    February 18, 2013 9:34 pm
    Bravo....sheeeesh, can't we let an asteroid hit Russia without politics....LOL
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    http://www.ketv.com/Fairbury-Man-Says-He-Was-Nearly-Hit-By-Meteorite/-/9675214/10095634/-/w9kw4nz/-/index.html
    February 18, 2013 10:37 am
    Assault Meteorite.Never know when you are gonna be a target.Better keep that helmet on "Full Time" Dave!
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