About the balloon, (this just ticks me off)

stdreb27

Active Member
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/17/col...boy/index.html

Alderden said Friday that -- based on reports that the parents "took these children into potentially dangerous situations" with tornado chases, the experimental balloons and other activities -- it would be "appropriate to involve child protection [services] to at least see what the family situation is and whether the children are in a safe condition."
Earlier, the sheriff told reporters his department contacted child protection officials but asked them not to contact the family until investigators had a chance to re-interview them.

Seriously, these boys sound like they are having the time of their lives. Their dad is making a balloon in the garage that is steered by electricity, they go chasing tornados, they study other storms.
This is dangerous? Seriously what is dangerous is letting kids get into the car of these crazed mom's in giant SUV's.
Or letting your kid sit in front of an XBOX for 18 hours a day. How dare you raise your kids, the TV is for that.
If this were me I'd be having the childhood of my life.
 

t316

Active Member
Somewhat see where you are coming from, but....let's say, Jr. did acidentally crawl into the freaking "experiment" in the back yard?
This family is living on the edge IMO. None of us can make claims as to their ability, or non-ability, at child rearing, but they are pushing the envelope.
With the above said...."IF" this was in fact a staged event, then there was no harm to the kiddos, but....a serious mental evaluation is in order for the parents. Either way, intervention might be in order.
 

lovethesea

Active Member
drowing in pools, falling out of trees, breaking their neck on a trampoline, riding bikes without helmets, not wearing seatbelts in a car............etc

yeah, they are odd, but I don't think they are abusing their kids. I still feel sorry for the kid who puked on national TV and on his BROTHERS.......
 

aquaknight

Active Member
Watch any of the "Wife Swap" episodes with this family, the Dad has more then a few screws missing anyways....

But yea, I think anytime someone calls the cops with; "my son just floating away on my UFO balloon" I think a little 'probing around' by officials is justified
....
 

scotts

Active Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3156870
But yea, I think anytime someone calls the cops with; "my son just floating away on my UFO balloon" I think a little 'probing around' by officials is justified
....
First he called the FAA, second he called the local news station THIRD they called the cops.
 

bionicarm

Active Member
The local DA is trying to bring up some kind of charges against the guy. The main reason is when they interviewed this 6 year old for the first time, he looked up at his Dad and said, "I thought we were doing this for a show?" Based on that statement, they really think this was all a drummed-up hoax.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
I honestly don't think there is a single person in america who would call the media before the cops! We were just raised to believe that cops solve crimes, THEN we think, "Oh the media will get the word out, let's call them for help", but not first... No way no how.
AND... I have lived in, worked on, and visited MANY homes in my day and not ONE would give a child easy access to a garage attic...

If there was already a ladder in place or if a mounted one was lowered, then it would be an obvious place to check...
The whole thing is just stupid. And he's getting all the publicity he asked for, but I hope it comes with a heavy price.
 

lovethesea

Active Member
I totally think this was planned by the parents. They seem (at least for the cameras) ectentric. These reality shows only show people acting IMO.....OVER acting. These shows promote rude, distrepectful behavior that would not normally be tolerated. (wife swap for example)
It will be interesting to see if the kid really did get in trouble. I think he did because he probably did something he should not have and it was going to mess the "plan" up. The father wanted major attention for this ballon thing.......well he got it.
 

t316

Active Member
Well, looks like it was a staged hoax. Article here says all three of the sons knew about it, but won't be charged like the parents. Sick people...

http://news.aol.com/article/parents-of-balloon-boy-falcon-heene-will/719681?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fparents-of-balloon-boy-falcon-heene-will%2F719681
 

reefraff

Active Member
Originally Posted by lovethesea
http:///forum/post/3156869
drowing in pools, falling out of trees, breaking their neck on a trampoline, riding bikes without helmets, not wearing seatbelts in a car............etc

yeah, they are odd, but I don't think they are abusing their kids. I still feel sorry for the kid who puked on national TV and on his BROTHERS.......
The kid got sick during two different interviews. I am normally against the child services gestapo getting involved when there isn't obvious abuse or neglect but in this case I dunno. If my kid had gotten sick my next comment would have been interview over. If nothing else it might send a message to the idiot parents.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/3157032
I honestly don't think there is a single person in america who would call the media before the cops! We were just raised to believe that cops solve crimes, THEN we think, "Oh the media will get the word out, let's call them for help", but not first... No way no how.
AND... I have lived in, worked on, and visited MANY homes in my day and not ONE would give a child easy access to a garage attic...

If there was already a ladder in place or if a mounted one was lowered, then it would be an obvious place to check...
The whole thing is just stupid. And he's getting all the publicity he asked for, but I hope it comes with a heavy price.
WE had a whole train diorama in our attic.
 

zman1

Active Member
On the balloon incident - I not sure throwing the book at the parents and taking the kids away is the best way to proceed long term. Arrest the husband and mandatory counseling for him!!!!!. This is without all of the facts for now, I may change my opinion later.
 

reefraff

Active Member
These people are never going to get out from under this. The cost of redirecting the air traffic for Denver Airport could run over a million. Whether or not they did it on purpose they can be on the hook for that. Given what we have learned now I think they will be sued in civil court for that. If someone is stupid enough to give these fools a TV show they wont make a dime off it.
 

yearofthenick

Active Member
I'm really curious to know where the wife came from - she can barely speak English, though it has gotten much better since their debut on WifeSwap. I'm sensing Mail-order perhaps? If they have three kids, she must have been in the states for a while... I'm surprised she hasn't picked up English faster -especially with how fast the husband talks.
But a part of me is all for keeping kids involved in your wacky inventions. I only hope I can have enough money one day to tinker with things and I think many parents dream to see their children follow in their footsteps... the only way kids can follow their parents is by example. Even though my daughter is only 2 years old, I want to teach her how to use a screwdriver, or show her how to play DVD's/etc. She already knows to tap the trackpad on my laptop whenever the screen dims (touching the trackpad brings the screen back to normal brightness). If a few years down the road I have the money to start building a hovercraft in my garage, I would be ecstatic if my daughter took interest in it. Long story short, I can see both sides of it. However, I'm leaning more toward the hands-on approach for kids.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3158079
I'm really curious to know where the wife came from - she can barely speak English, though it has gotten much better since their debut on WifeSwap. I'm sensing Mail-order perhaps? If they have three kids, she must have been in the states for a while... I'm surprised she hasn't picked up English faster -especially with how fast the husband talks.
But a part of me is all for keeping kids involved in your wacky inventions. I only hope I can have enough money one day to tinker with things and I think many parents dream to see their children follow in their footsteps... the only way kids can follow their parents is by example. Even though my daughter is only 2 years old, I want to teach her how to use a screwdriver, or show her how to play DVD's/etc. She already knows to tap the trackpad on my laptop whenever the screen dims (touching the trackpad brings the screen back to normal brightness). If a few years down the road I have the money to start building a hovercraft in my garage, I would be ecstatic if my daughter took interest in it. Long story short, I can see both sides of it. However, I'm leaning more toward the hands-on approach for kids.
What gets me isn't what is happening, it is how this guy said it. He didn't say something along the lines of we asked CPS to investigate because he "lost" his kid.
It is just the way the sherrif said it.
 

reefraff

Active Member
I think the reason for the CPS involvement is they people were letting the kids play in that thing. Also as part of the whole mess video came to light showing this guy chasing a tornado with his kids in the car. I really don't think it is over the line that CPS is sticking their noses in.
 

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/3158127
I think the reason for the CPS involvement is they people were letting the kids play in that thing. Also as part of the whole mess video came to light showing this guy chasing a tornado with his kids in the car. I really don't think it is over the line that CPS is stinking their noses in.
I don't really either, but not because they chase tornados and build balloons.
 

miaheatlvr

Active Member
Expert liars but they got caught. Met in acting class.. making their kids lie. But little falcon BLEW UP THEIR SPOT.
 
Top