<p>BunsenBurner, I like Fareed Zakaria, too, but almost never have time to watch him.</p>
<p>S1 was reading the paper today, and saw a calculation of the weight that the balloon could lift. He said that he had done his own calculation the other day, guessing at the balloon dimensions, and came up with 100 kg. But the balloon dimensions were smaller than the numbers he used.</p>
<p>The child’s comment about “the show” didn’t bother me too much, because the family was always involved in “shows,” but I was suspicious when the parents made the rounds of the talk shows within 24 hours of the child’s excellent adventure. I don’t think that any parent who had so recently endured several hours of imagining that his/her child was in great danger would be capable of doing this. I watched the interview during which the child vomited, and I could not believe that the parents were not keeping him quiet in bed! Especially these days, when we are all uneasy about the flu going around.</p>
<p>I hope they throw the book at this couple. I also hope that the kids will be removed from the home. I think that the storm-chasing, the father’s angry ranting, and the participation of the children in this hoax are so far outside the range of acceptable child-rearing practices that it is not reasonable to allow them to remain there.</p>
<p>I felt uneasy when I saw replays of the child repeatedly getting physically ill on the talk show circuit. This child had already been on TV via the wife swap show and other news clips. So I did not think he was acting nervous about the attention. Seeing him sick to his stomach made we wonder then and there if this was not a hoax, and the stress of lying to the public over and over was taking it’s toll. I, too, am glad this will allow the authorities to question these parents and keep them under close surveillance. These parents are mentally ill, and the father mentally unstable.</p>
<p>Rachacha, to be fair, it was a plowed field, so the farmer had already gotten his crop harvested. The trucks driving over it would compact the earth some, so he may want to re-plow, but fortunately for him he didn’t lose all that much, since I don’t think he’s going be real high on anyone’s payback list!</p>
<p>During today’s press conference, we learned that there have been 2 previous “911” incidents. One call to 911 was a hang-up call and blamed on a juvenile in the house. The other 911 call was regarding a possible domestic violence situation. Mention was made that when police arrived at the house in response to the 911 domestic call, the wife had a welt near her eye and her eye had broken blood vessels yet there was insufficient evidence for the police to pursue the matter.</p>
<p>Was it Falcon who got sick? Because if it was, he couldn’t quit coughing during the previous day’s interview. Maybe it’s swine flu! Maybe they’ll all come down with it and we’ll get a break from seeing them for a few days.</p>
<p>Seriously, though, I think they could charge them with some type of air space violation for interupting traffic at the airport. That ought to carry a hefty fine.</p>
<p>I watched a good part of the live coverage. They were actually contemplating lowering someone from a Blackhawk helicopter to rescue the mythical passenger from the balloon. It’s not hard to imagine a tragedy occurring due to a hoax like this. 2 chase helicopters colliding, running into power lines… oh, gee, I never intended for anyone to get hurt.</p>
<p>It was reported by TMZ (not the most reputable source in the world, I know), but it is believable…if it was a winter wheat crop.</p>
<p>"Doug and Joanna Abbott’s field was the one that the Heene family’s UFO shaped hot air balloon landed in after the ordeal of Falcon Heene who was thought to be inside, but TMZ has learned that the wheat crop growing in the field has been ruined. </p>
<p>The family needs the crop for revenue, but the 300 acre field was mostly destroyed by the emergency vehicles and the people running to catch the craft, and most of it cannot be used now."</p>
<p>Rachacha, I can believe that. Poor farmer! And in this economy, every little bit counts, and a loss like this can be a huge blow to his business and his family.</p>
<p>I think the family definitely needs to reimburse this poor farmer & his family & I’m sure he will have no problems fnding a good attorney to represent him. If there was media collaborating in the “stunt” (which I have read some reports of), they can help reimburse the poor farm family!</p>
<p>If you look at the video of the balloon landing, it is clearly a plowed field – there is dirt kicking up all over the place — and if it was winter wheat it would not be up yet. What may have happened is he may have had a crop planted and he may have to replant part of the field, but 300 acres is awfully large – any rescue effort would have been fairly contained, particularly since they quickly figured out the craft was empty. Farmer’s have to replant fairly often, it is not the economic disaster a full grown loss would be. That being said, replanting is a cost that he should be reimbursed for and while it is getting to the end of planting season for winter wheat, he should still be able to get a fairly decent crop.</p>
<p>What’s this now about the wife calling in a domestic abuse report? She didn’t press charges but the authorities offered her a spot in a safe house?</p>
<p>Now that it seems to have been established that this was a hoax, I have to say that I find it mind-boggling to think that someone hatched this plan and actually carried it out. This man must be nuts. I feel sorry for his family; he seems like a brutal man.</p>
<p>NYMom, I’ve been thinking about this man’s behavior and mental state, too. I actually am a little fearful for the welfare of his family in the current situation, with charges looming and with the press turning on him.</p>
<p>Agree with above posters. I cannot understand how this man could possibly have thought this was a good idea. I believe that he called the FAA first when the balloon came untethered, supposedly with his son inside. Messing with Federal authorities does not ever result in a good outcome.</p>
<p>We’re on the same wavelength, alwaysamom. I have also been thinking that the stress this man will experience, facing charges and potential financial penalties (at the very least, he will have to pay his lawyer), will not bode well for the wife and children.</p>
<p>Eugene Robinson, my favorite columnist, has weighed in:</p>
<p>"Richard and Mayumi Heene and their three sons – including Falcon, the 6-year-old who was believed to be in the balloon – were already familiar with the swamp of embarrassment, humiliation and relentless self-promotion that is reality TV. They have appeared on two episodes of the ABC series “Wife Swap,” whose premise is explained by the title. It will come as no surprise that the Connecticut woman who came to live temporarily with Richard and the kids thought he was awfully casual when it came to parental supervision. </p>
<p>“When the cameras aren’t rolling, the Heenes find amusement and togetherness as storm chasers and UFO enthusiasts. That’s what they claim, at least. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s made-for-TV persona.” </p>