Boy trapped in homemade balloon...

[Locutus of Bored]

To jail? For what? Being stupid.

For wasting taxpayer money, for wasting time and resources of first responders and other agencies that could have been better utilized elsewhere, for diverting aircraft approaching Denver International Airport (which last time I checked is a pretty serious offense), for destroying some guy's crops when the balloon landed and got swarmed by rescue vehicles, and a number of other similar offenses that yes, do stem from being stupid, or at least having extremely poor judgment and an overwhelming need to be famous no matter what.

Maybe I missed it but did those Cartoon Network ad folks go to jail for their stunt that cause a bomb scare?

No, because they never had any intention of triggering a bomb scare, and it was not a reasonable assumption that hanging a few light brights with an obvious cartoon character on them around Boston would be confused for the tactics of an evil terrorist organization bent on creating mass casualties and panic. It was an incredibly stupid overreaction and never something they anticipated when thinking up their viral marketing campaign.

What about the people that were going to give him a show based on this? Should they go to jail too?

Did they make the offer before or after he went through with this? If they encouraged him to go through with it, then while I think jail is a bit much, they should be held financially liable.

I'm not really in favor of jail-time for the dad either (at least nothing substantial). Make him pay off some of the expenses through a payment plan and work it off in community service or something. I don't want to see the family left destitute or broken up over this, but I do think the guy should face consequences for his actions, because he seems like the kind of person that is so desperate for attention he'd pull something stupid like this again in a heartbeat unless he knew there were potentially serious charges in the future.

There are real criminals out there, this guy is not one of them.

How many criminals do you know that involve NORAD, the Air National Guard, a medical airlift helicopter, an international airport with numerous diverted flights, and the first responders of several counties in their activities? This was not some small act, and he cost a lot of agencies and people a hell of a lot more money than a guy who robbed a liquor store. Yet you wouldn't be so dismissive of that, would you?

 

[Lindley]

he seems like the kind of person that is so desperate for attention he'd pull something stupid like this again in a heartbeat

But then when his boy really is carried away in a UFO balloon, no one will believe him!

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Since he didn't actually harm anyone, I wouldn't favor jail time, but he should definitely have to pay back every penny that was spent looking for his son.

 

[Squiggy]

How many criminals do you know that involve NORAD, the Air National Guard, a medical airlift helicopter, an international airport with numerous diverted flights, and the first responders of several counties in their activities?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

You know what I love about that movie? That Superman wasn't fast enough to stop two nukes flying in opposite directions, but he was fast enough to reverse the spin of the fucking Earth.

 

[John Picard]

Scour around and see if you can find a link of the call to 911.

The Bob and Tom Show played it this morning, and all I can say is that it's bad acting at it's worst

 

[Trekker4747]

LINK to the 911 call.

 

[Samurai8472]

Inside Edition brought up some of his crazy theories like the face that is supposedly on Mars.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

LINK to the 911 call.

Jesus, if I had to deal with that woman's voice every day I'd probably try to fly away in a flying saucer, too.

 

[RoJoHen]

I would be so confused if I was that 911 operator.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I would be so confused if I was that 911 operator.

You would think, if this was really for real, that the mother would say that it was a balloon shaped like a UFO, not say that it was a UFO. I know, if it was for real, I would be able to give the right sort of information to the operator. Once, many years ago I had the shock of seeing my small child running towards me on fire, I was able to put him out and summon help and explain precisely what happened.

I think both of them are poor actors.

And can someone explain what sort of power source it would need to produce a million volts and why it would need to in the first place? (I know it didn't but why would he expect people to believe it).

 

[StarryEyed]

I think there was supposed to be device to charge the skin of the balloon in hopes of attracting a real UFO. No kidding. I read that from an article by a guy who said he helped plan this stunt.

 

[Trekker4747]

And can someone explain what sort of power source it would need to produce a million volts and why it would need to in the first place? (I know it didn't but why would he expect people to believe it).

Well, your own body produces a million volts of electricity whenever you shuffle across a dry-air room in your socks and touch something metal.

So generating that "kind of power" isn't too unreasonable, hell a Van de Graaff generator can generate that much.

 

[Galactus]

I am sorry, but plenty of people break laws everyday. You know how many crank stupid calls these services get an hour let alone a day. It is not usual or rare. I think all of you and the authorities are mad cause you got conned and fooled. I am sure the guy did not think the whole freaking world was going to go crazy over this. So if we start asking people to pay money back when they do something stupid, that could become a slippery slope. I remember talk, and I am not sure anyone does it, but they were going to start charging for rescues for thrill seekers that get into trouble and need to be rescued.

Community service ok, suing in civil court, ok, but jail, please. That is way over the top.

 

[Tulin]

People are pissed off because they wasted their own time following the story and being concerned.

Anyone who sits watching a stupid "news" channel all day has too much time on their hands. Go volunteer at a soup kitchen.


"The Robot - Hour NINE"

fuck off.

 

[Trekker4747]

I am sorry, but plenty of people break laws everyday. You know how many crank stupid calls these services get an hour let alone a day. It is not usual or rare.

How many of them involve major federal departments and delay operations of one the biggest international airports in the country?

This wasn't an everyday crank call or call they turned out to be unneeded. This was a major crank call that got NORAD involved, delayed operations at Denver International and tied up operations of a life-flight helicopter.

Sorry, this isn't your everyday college frat prank 911 call that's a mild nuisance.

 

[StarryEyed]

I agree that jail is over the top.

Our so-called "justice system" is stupid. There has to be consequences to dissuade people from doing things that harm other people but they should be commesurate with the crime. Jail should be for violent people who are a danger to others. Crimes like this should call for restitution and community service.

 

[John Picard]

I agree that jail is over the top.

Our so-called "justice system" is stupid. There has to be consequences to dissuade people from doing things that harm other people but they should be commensurate with the crime. Jail should be for violent people who are a danger to others. Crimes like this should call for restitution and community service.

Agreed. A nice, stiff fine.

 

[Trekker4747]

I can, mostly, agree to that. Stiff fines, probation something like that. Jail terms seems a bit extreme, atleast for the local stuff. Mucking up federal agencies I could see being a bit stiffer.

But I see no reason to not nail this guy to the wall with all of the laws he broke and all of the mess he caused.

Jail time? I mostly don't think is needed.

 

[Jetfire]

I knew I saw those people on Wifeswap...I keep seeing them on tv and I am thinking where have I seen these people before...Wifeswap! Anyway...