The only thing related to this issue that is more pitiful than the Heene family’s unprincipled scramble for attention is the media that are giving them exactly what they want.  No doubt there will be some sort of TV offer or book in the future.  The Heenes have already been burning up the talk shows, at goodness knows how many dollars per show per head.

Meanwhile, 30,000 kids a day die of starvation.  But that’s old news.  REAL news, to be sure, but old.

The parents need to be comprehensively billed for the expense of chasing the balloon, and forced to pay off every last penny — plus be charged criminally for filing a false report and fraud.  But, of course, someone would step in and help.