Balloon boy

[Mikefule]

I've just watched a 14 minute video of an interview with the father of the 6 year old boy who hid in the loft while half the National Guard and Air Force chased a silver balloon shaped like a flying saucer believing he was in it.

Didn't believe a word of it. This is a robust "man's man" who is used to chasing storms and who brought up his kids to be adventurous, yet his body language for the entire interview was humourless, with broken speech, no eye contact, and the most unconvincing display of almost-weeping I've seen for some time. Sure, there's tear-jerking emotion in getting your kid back, but isn't there als joy? And there is room for humour in the ridiculous side of the story. I am sure that his display of emotion was entirely artificial.

The guy has media experience including some tacky reality TV show, and his kids are making music videos - all the trappings of a family wanting celebrity.

The balloon is shaped like a classic 1950s style flying saucer. Hardly the best shape when surface area to volume is important to keep the weight down. What's wrong with a sphere (or something very similar to a sphere)? Was it designed for some sort of UFO hoax?

Weight is crucial - so if there is a compartment for instruments (camera, weather observations)why would it be sufficiently robust that they would believe it could hold the weight of a child? Instruments could be attached to a frame, which is lighter than a box.

The balloon was seen spinning in flight - and no obvious door for the kid to climb in.

He says he pressed the button for it to go up from ground level to about 20 feet - would he not have wanted the kid there to see this happening - the crucial preparations for a first flight of a family project?

What is the law on sending up something several metres across which might interfere with radar and air traffic? Would someone that enthusiastic not have more knowledge, and probably need to see permission?

Why did father conduct the entire interview with mother sitting quietly throughout. Surely the "human interest" is more likely to come from the mother of a small child - at least in the minds of the media. Clear case of Dad keeping control.

Why did the kids sit in "dejected poses" at the start of the interview - surely every American kid's dream is to be on TV.

Hoaxer or idiot? I know which I think.

[Into the blue]

Mike, you watch too much TV.

[Mikefule]

Mike, you watch too much TV.

Fart oo much.

[MuniAddict]

Pretty much the whole nation and even other countries were fixated on that story. During the CNN interview the father asked his son why he was hiding and didn't come out, he clearly stated, "You guys said...that We did this for a show". BUSTED! :eek::rolleyes:

The father and mother (Sounds like she farted right after, lol) are caught totally off guard and you can see them stumbling to cover up Falcon's disclosure. They did several surveys and the overwhelming majority (90%) believe it was a total setup. Maybe it wasn't, but it sure seems like it. Looks like they played the media and viewers like a cheap violin! If true the parents should pay back the estimated $28,000 in costs for the search, plus be fined or even prosecuted. Total pwnage at :36

YouTube - Balloon Boy Makes Dad Heene Have to FART to Cover Up Falcons Comment

[Mikefule]

I had watched the later interview. Looks pretty conclusive evidence to me. And yup, that sounded like an inadvertent release of lady-bottom-wind to me.:eek:

[Hazmat]

mike, you watch too much tv.
+1.

[MuniAddict]

You had to be living under a rock to have not been aware of that story! It was on non-stop on just about every station, TV, Radio and internet. Everywhere, all day long. They've even made parody videos...the SAME day!

YouTube - Balloon Boy Hoax Parody

YouTube - Balloon Boy Parody Song

YouTube - Geraldo Rivera Doesn't Find Falcon/Balloon Boy

YouTube - Hitler Upset at Balloon Boy Hoax

[SirSkillz]

The dad called 2 media sources before emergency help.

Publicity stunt.

[Into the blue]

Just watched the clip and I have to agree with you Mike.
Most awkward interview ever.

And I can't decide whether the parping noise comes from the dad realising he is busted on live TV or from the son realising what a walloping he's going to get later.

[MuniAddict]

The sheriff from that city is now giving a live press conference, saying "charges will be filed", and he flatly stated that "it was determined to be a publicity stunt". Big surprise, lol. A search warrant was also issued, and this guy Heene is in big trouble. I hope they make him pay back the $30k spent on the "search". All of this, says the sheriff, was concocted for publicity in hopes for getting their own "reality" show.

[cathwood]

You had to be living under a rock to have not been aware of that story!

I live under a rock!

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Balloon Boy Pukes on Live TV

[maestro8]

You had to be living under a rock to have not been aware of that story!

Right, because those of us who don't consume mainstream media are complete luddites. :rolleyes:

[hobo_chuck]

Right, because those of us who don't consume mainstream media are complete luddites. :rolleyes:

Well, yeah. You gotta be crazy to not care about some kid hiding in an attic hundreds of miles away.

[MuniAddict]

Well, yeah. You gotta be crazy to not care about some kid hiding in an attic hundreds of miles away.Haha, but nobody (except the family and friends in on the hoax/scheme) knew that until later on. While the balloon was still in the air-the Colorado National Guard even launched a Blackhawk helicopter and a smaller Kiowa helicopter to try and intercept the balloon-the story was so hot it even pre-empted a speech my Obama! (I mean comon, he hardly ever appears on TV, lol!)

It was broadcast all over the media, nation-wide and over seas, and of course, all over the internet. This family perpetrated a total fabrication on everyone, because this wacko and his wife wanted to get their own reality show! :rolleyes:

[Gadge]

I watched this "drama" unfold as I ran on a treadmill in a hotel gym. Even with a pretty small screen and my rusty science it seems pretty unlikely that a helium balloon that size could lift a 6 year old to the height it reached. If he had been on in there I would have thought it'd be pretty lopsided due to the load.

But glad the kid's safe, it would have been pretty ironic if he'd fallen out the loft:rolleyes:

Guess some lawyers will get richer working out if the family insurance covers this one!

Seems like a good week for stupid people pulling stunts, spotted this one about a group who left a guy in wheelchair on Snowdon 'cos they got tired

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8313108.stm

Almost unbelieveable...

[petad]

Haha some guy from 4chan ordered pizza online to the Heenes' house and it was on TV http://thenextweb.com/shareables/files/2009/10/enhanced-buzz-10847-1255713412-0.jpg

[hungry4uni]

I live in Fort Collins, Co. I've heard enough of this story:rolleyes: What idiots.

[johnfoss]

I live in Fort Collins, Co. I've heard enough of this story:rolleyes: What idiots.I live really far away from Fort Collins, and me too. Idiots? They went on the show Wife Swap twice. So we already knew that. :)

Though it looks like the family may be liable for mobilizing police and other rescuers, but it's not thier fault that the media tripped all over themselves to show their "flying saucer" on TV all afternoon. I was at a restaurant eating lunch and all they were doing on CNN (or CNN Headline) was looping what footage they had, over and over and over, while repeating the limited information that was available to them at the time. All that time I was wondering if that was enough balloon to carry a small person. But at that point apparently they had already discovered the kid wasn't in there, so they were trying to determine if he was in a separate part that had fallen off. But if it wasn't enough balloon to lift a 6-year-old in the first place, you figure all these news outlets might have been able to ask that question a little earlier. But the footage was too compelling. A really interesting-looking balloon, appearing to be traveling at high speeds (due to telephoto footage from moving aircraft), was too cool to look away from. I guess.

[MuniAddict]

Though it looks like the family may be liable for mobilizing police and other rescuers, but it's not thier fault that the media tripped all over themselves to show their "flying saucer" on TV all afternoon. ....Not their fault? Are you kidding, lol! That's EXACTLY what they [the Heene's] set out to do! And get PUBLICITY for some lame reality show that they had in the works for months! He even called TV stations BEFORE he put in his phony call to 911, with his wife "crying" about her son possibly being on that balloon. They totally knew that the media would buy it hook line & sinker since the world will always have sympathy and glue themselves to the coverage, whenever a small child's life hangs in the balance. They played on that fact, and USED their kids for their own selfish gain. Deplorable. It's 100% HIS FAULT. :rolleyes:

[maestro8]

Well, yeah. You gotta be crazy to not care about some kid hiding in an attic hundreds of miles away.

I agree. Except that one has to prioritize which kids deserve more attention than others...

http://i.imgur.com/RDKDF.jpg

[Motogoon112]

hahaha i see what you did there :D

[Gadge]

I agree. Except that one has to prioritize which kids deserve more attention than others...

http://i.imgur.com/RDKDF.jpg

Yup +1

[johnfoss]

Not their fault? Are you kidding, lol!I agree with you on all of that, except the media companies choosing to play it all afternoon/evening. You can lead the media to water, but they have to decide if they're going to drink or not.

The circus company I used to work for (National Circus Project) was all set up to do a piece for the Today Show at a school on Long Island. It was all planned and scheduled, then cancelled at the last minute due to a tiny announcement being made that day in the Baby M trial. A five minute press conference about a little detail in that story took precedence. Everybody remember Baby M? I don't.

[john_childs]

I live in Fort Collins, Co. I've heard enough of this story:rolleyes: What idiots.

:crawling out from under my rock:

I've managed to almost completely ignore the story. I didn't even know about it the day it happened. Never saw (or watched) any TV that day or since. I don't do cable TV. Never saw anything about it on the internet sites I browsed on the day it happened. Didn't hear anything about it on the radio during my drive home. I've yet to actually see any video of the balloon in flight.

Just turn off the TV. You won't miss anything of any importance.

:crawling back under my rock:

[johnfoss]

Just turn off the TV. You won't miss anything of any importance.Ooh, scary!



Because we know it's true.

[ħǻřрέŗ]

Cain't ya watch Tv on one of them thar sell phones these days?

[ħǻřрέŗ]

But if it wasn't enough balloon to lift a 6-year-old in the first place, you figure all these news outlets might have been able to ask that question a little earlier


It takes about a cubic meter of helium at STP to lift a kilogram.

[john_childs]

It takes about a cubic meter of helium at STP to lift a kilogram.

See, that's what I like about the metric system. The units just work out to nice even numbers. Imagine what that rule of thumb would be in imperial units?

[saskatchewanian]

See, that's what I like about the metric system. The units just work out to nice even numbers. Imagine what that rule of thumb would be in imperial units?

based on 1kg/m^3@STP I would say about 515 cubic feet to lift one slug at STP. or an actually quite reasonable 16 cubic feet per pound force at STP.

[Motogoon112]

these idiots are idiots...:D

[Peripatet]

Whoa! Leave it to a Canadian to figure out the US system. :)

[Zwakawaka]

im glad he wasnt in there i thought that michael jackson ordered take-out from heaven:eek:

[Tyler_N]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8323590.stm

[Mikefule]

Well, no big surprise, but I was right.

[BillyTheMountain]

Well, what do you know.

Now it turns out the cops beat a false confession out of them.
:eek::p:D

[maestro8]

Well, no big surprise, but I was right.

Honey, is that you? How'd you hack into Mikefule's account?

[BillyTheMountain]

Are you saying your wife says that a lot?