Balloon Boy

Posted at 10:07 AM on October 16, 2009 by Than Tibbetts (4 Comments)
Filed under: News, Things that are puzzling

Suddenly, live on national television yesterday, our collective, inner, 6-year-old boy was stirred to life. Who wouldn't want to be floating free, up in the air with the birds, on a Thursday afternoon? Who wouldn't want to do all of that with a name like Falcon?

Perhaps we're well past the point of expecting cable news to check the veracity of the scenario, that a thin-skinned, sealed, relatively small helium balloon listing and bobbing through the air with little evidence of a ~50-pound load on board could actually carry a small boy, but it was fun while it lasted.

Today, the evidence is stacking up against the boy's father, Richard Heene. Apparently he was there when the balloon launched yesterday.

And after watching the bizarre Today Show interview this morning — wherein Richard dismisses the notion that it was hoax as young Falcon vomits twice — it just doesn't pass the smell test.

Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll be able to watch it live on CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News.

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Comments (4)

No comment on this non-story.

How about a post on the proposed $250 payment for social security beneficiaries or the associated zero cost of living allowance?

Maybe something on Ken Lewis from the Bank of America having his 2009 salary and bonus clawed-back?

Posted by kennedy | October 16, 2009 11:18 AM

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I think it's just great that the national media were so completely fooled by a bunch of kids (possibly including the wonky dad). Hopefully, they've learned a little bit of a lesson from it all.

But I doubt it.

Posted by Erik Hare | October 16, 2009 11:33 AM

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Aw, come on, kennedy. It's been YEARS since someone pulled a good old-fashioned hoax on the mainstream media. The last one I can think of was in 2001.

Seriously though, I feel sorry only for the kids. Who willingly goes on the TV show "Wife Swap"? Who tries to pull a fast one on the MSM, shoving your kids center stage? Kooks, that's who.

Posted by Tyler | October 16, 2009 11:40 AM

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You'd think that the countdown sequence would include:

1. Is anyone inside?
2. Is it tethered?
3. Wait, does "one woman holding a string, if she remembers" count as tethered?
4. Blast off.

I hope that if nothing else, this story can inspire more DIY weather projects and better countdown checklists.

Posted by Ben | October 16, 2009 11:43 AM

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