Comments on: What’s the Matter With These “Persons of Restricted Growth” These Days?

By: steve

steve — Sat, 24 May 2008 23:45:44 +0000

Yeah, no objection to a chuckle. Just seeing this everywhere last few days and no one seems to question why a website in the UK is the first to report on a minor oddity from a small(?) town in Texas. Because it's a hoax designed to generate link traffic and improve their Google ranking. (via)

By: P.M.Lawrence

P.M.Lawrence — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:56:49 +0000

Here in Melbourne, not so very long ago, there were repeated incidents of shots being fired into walls right next to an inner suburban police station. Naturally, this was noticed and investigated immediately - right up to the point where it was found that the shots could only have come from the police station. Curiously, the investigation stalled at that point.

By: Mona

Mona — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:23:12 +0000

But for the fact that I, too, am the now somewhat nervous father of a 13 year old boy living in Texas (who almost certainly doesn’t read his father’s blogging), I nonetheless hope the story is true.

And as a woman who raised three boys — two of whom were so precocious as to make me prematurely gray — it seems plausible.

Have I ever mentioned the time these two young geniuses found a shot gun and ammo in the attic of a friend’s house, and went down to the river and shot in the water — right behind the local police station, where the shooting was, uh, noticed? I had just begun practicing law in the city. Embarrassed much? Oh, not at all.

By: D.A. Ridgely

D.A. Ridgely — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:08:55 +0000

I took the liberty of reposting Anonymo’s first comment at my sight because I think he raises a valid concern. I agree the story could well be false. But for the fact that I, too, am the now somewhat nervous father of a 13 year old boy living in Texas (who almost certainly doesn’t read his father’s blogging), I nonetheless hope the story is true. What the hell? If it isn’t true, at least we’re getting a more amusing batch of urban legends lately.

By: Anonymo

Anonymo — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:17:40 +0000

Yeah, no objection to a chuckle. Just seeing this everywhere last few days and no one seems to question why a website in the UK is the first to report on a minor oddity from a small(?) town in Texas.

Are European media actually more susceptible to this kind of thing for some reason or does it just seem that way to me (American) since if I see a shaky story about America coming from Europe it’s more likely to be an urban legend, and a European would see the same effect in the opposite direction?

By: Mona

Mona — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:43:34 +0000

Amonymo: You may well be right, bit it still cracked me up.

By: Anonymo

Anonymo — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:09:46 +0000

Note that all the Google News hits on this cite the same money.co.uk report, which doesn’t smell right. Why are the police or the courts, who are never quoted, releasing the name of this juvenile suspect for a relatively non-serious case? 13-year-olds can kill people and their name might never hit the news.

“Asked why he ordered two escorts, Ralph said he thought it was the thing to do when you win a “World of Warcraft” tournament.” Too good to be true.

I’m calling BS unless someone’s got further corroboration.