Never Open Your Mouth...

Especially if you're not 110% sure of what you are saying.

Now, don't get me wrong, we're all guilty of it, and I will always (mostly ;) ) admit when I am wrong.  However, I enjoy it when people make statements and judgements and what-have-you, only to be proven oh-so-wrong.

Case in point, boxers, before their matches.  They puff up their chests, tell one another they are going to smack them into next week, stomp on their liver, pull off their arm and beat them with the soggy end.  And both boxers do this, but does the loser look back from his hospital bed and think "Wow, I was rather wrong"

The reason I bring this up is in relation to the disappearance last year of Steve Fosset, the chap that set records and was chums with Richard "I've Got A Big Beard" Branson.  When it came back into the news this week that what remains of his plane, and what remains of him, have probably been found, I couldn't help but think back to a report I'd read when he wasn't long missing... I've added the bold text for the statements that should really have been thought through...

Adventurer Steve Fossett may have faked his own death and could still be alive, according to investigators.

Fossett went missing over the Nevada desert (1) in 2007

Fossett, a pal of Virgin boss Richard Branson, went missing in September 2007 during a flight over the Nevada desert.

And despite a huge search and rescue operation, the biggest in American history, no trace of either him or his plane was found.

Lieutenant Colonel Cynthia Ryan of the US Civil Air Patrol was part of the mission to find Fossett and his plane.

She said: "I've been doing this search and rescue for 14 years. Fossett should have been found (2).

"It's not like we didn't have our eyes open (3). We found six other planes while we were looking for him. We're pretty good at what we do."

As well as no wreckage ever being found, investigators have also raised questions over a number of other anomalies surrounding the crash.

His flight was witnessed by only one other person, a fellow pilot who Fossett asked to prepare his plane for take-off – something he normally only carried out himself.

Fossett said he was scouting for possible locations for a land speed record attempt, but he took no emergency gear with him, including his GPS-equipped watch.

Insurance assessor Robert Davis conducted an eight-month investigation for insurers Lloyd's of London, who are said to face a £25m payout on Fossett's death.

He said: "I discovered that there is absolutely no proof that Steve Fossett is actually dead. (4)


"I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I'm a man who deals in facts, and I don't really care if he is alive or dead, it makes no difference to me.

"What I am interested in is the truth - and a proper criminal investigation of this man's disappearance was never undertaken by law enforcement or officials in the state of Nevada."

1- While he was supposed to be flying over the Nevada Desert, he was found in California mountains.
2- Yes, he should have been found - clearly you weren't looking hard enough
3- Well, apparently you didn't
4- That's what "Missing Presumed Dead" generally means... Presumed is the biggest clue.

Now, what do we suppose the chances of these people standing up and saying "Hehe oopsie, silly me" are going to be?  I'm voting slim to f'k all.

And if it turns out the remains in the plane are not his, then I will stand up and say "hehe oopsie"