Happy Atheist Forum

I was just reading comments on CNN about the boy who wasn't really in the balloon and that his father might face charges. Apparently a lot of people think it was a hoax since the boy was found hiding. I don't see what benefit the family could have from pretending their boy was in an illegal aircraft then having him show up later that day at their house. If it had really been a hoax, wouldn't they have 'found' him somwhere along the balloon's travel path then tell the media how happy they were that he survived the fall? A hoax just doesn't make sense. This is a smart family; not a group of hillbillies who wouldn't have thought things through. I think the public and media is claiming hoax just because the family is a bit odd.

Am I missing something?...based on reading CNN facebook comments; I seem to be the only person who isn't jumping to the hoax conclusion.


related article:  http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/17/colora ... index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/17/colorado.balloon.boy/index.html)

There's a financial benefit from media attention. There might be backlash now that they figured out what happened, but don't be surprised if they are a lot richer now than they were before the hair-brained scheme. It's not proof, but it is motive.

From the news reports I read, they say the police searched the house twice. If the police did not find him, that leads me to believe he was not in the house, which then makes me think that someone else was complicit in hiding him. It does not do to take such things at face value when inconsistencies are involved.

Yeah this seems very media oriented.  These may not be hillbillies but they are crazy f**ks.  Yesterday on T.V. they were showing previous interviews by them when they went on wife swap.  Apparently this family believes they are alien hybrids and have been trying to communicate with their brothers.  I tend to disbelieve their sincerity when I see where their logic has lead them.  Also I hope the parents would face some charges here hoax or not.  Child Negligence would be top on my list of charges.

Oh, most definitely a publicity stunt by the dad (maybe the mom too). He's an attention whore - always trying to get a show for himself. Read up on the interviews with the producers of "Wife Swap". He drove them crazy with new ideas for more shows with him as the star.

Also, there was so much wrong with the "launch video".

That balloon, estimating size and volume very crudely, could carry maybe 50 lbs, in ideal conditions. Also, if the kid was inside, he'd have died from helium poisoning/asphyxia. Dad also actually seems to push the balloon upwards at the same time he begins yelling, "Oh god!". He could have easily just grabbed it or one of the lines you see trailing off of it.

He believed he had much to gain in fame and fortune. The guy's a whackadoo.

Oh, and they are filing criminal charges too.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/200910 ... 7P1G0.html (http://apnews.myway.com//article/20091018/D9BD7P1G0.html)

The kids comments pretty much destroy this for me

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- ... 0315407699 (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Colorado-Boy-Balloon-Drama-Launch-Video-Fuels-Hoax-Claims---Falcon-Heene-Found-Safe/Article/200910315407699)

"Why didn't you come down from the attic?"
"You said we did this for the show"

Looking a bit hoaxy? That kid has a poor sense of timing.

Quote from: "McQ"That balloon, estimating size and volume very crudely, could carry maybe 50 lbs, in ideal conditions. Also, if the kid was inside, he'd have died from helium poisoning/asphyxia. Dad also actually seems to push the balloon upwards at the same time he begins yelling, "Oh god!". He could have easily just grabbed it or one of the lines you see trailing off of it.

I hadn't seen the video.  The last time I had heard anything about it was that they had found the kid then the next thing I heard was about pressing charges.  

Unlike Bill Maher....I'm willing to change my views once the truth of the situation is explained to me