Stranger Than Fiction

I'm one of those old school types who still reads the newspaper. But I have to. Otherwise I might miss out on, well, something.

Anyway, I've come across a few things today that require very little commentary from me, but each is mind-boggling in its own way.


It Was a Fine Idea at the Time


Balloons carry the Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli, now lost, in this photo from UOL Web site.

As seen in Philadelphia Inquirer 4/24/08

"Hopes of finding a Roman Catholic priest who disappeared after soaring into the air with hundreds of colorful helium balloons are growing slim, rescue officials in Brazil said. The Rev. Adelir Antonio de Carli has been missing since Sunday, when he lifted off from the port city of Paranagua in a fund-raising effort."

Um, well, I hope at least they raised a lot of funds...

I cannot imagine the lack of foresight that went into this stunt. Did the reverend drop the giant hat pin he was supposed to use to prick each party balloon (one by one) to lower himself back to earth?

Boggling the Mind & Turning the Stomach

Also in today's Inquirer, under the headline Animal-cruelty charges added in sex-assault case was a blurb about a Moorestown police officer in jail on allegations that he molested three children...who is now charged with four incidents of having sex with cows.

While I do not want to appear to make light of anything involving child molestation - it is about the most vile thing I can imagine - I couldn't help but wonder, "How did they find out about the cows?" Oh...then I read further to see that a "Pemberton Township filmmaker" -- a woman -- was also charged in connection with the sexual assault of the children.

Sick.

A Follow-up on the Gay-Porn-Star-Twin-Burglars:

I kinda dropped the follow-up ball when her involvement came out earlier this month, but it turns out Mom was the lookout while her gay-porn-starring twins did their burglarizing.

Proving once again that children learn their values from their parents.

From yesterday's Inquirer (See complete article here):

Burglary trial ordered for twin and mother

Two South Philadelphia merchants testified yesterday that more than $1,500 and other valuables were taken from their adjacent shops in a burglary in which two twins and their mother are accused.

Taleon Goffney, 25, of Maple Shade, and his mother, Towana Goffney, 42, of Swedesboro, appeared before Judge Harvey Robbins at a preliminary hearing on burglary and related charges. Robbins bound them over for trial. Taleon and his twin, Keyontili Goffney, are suspects in 45 rooftop burglaries in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware."

And now, for something completely different...

It Should Be a Mellow Wine

Proving that news online can be fab too, while looking up the links for these Philadelphia Inquirer articles, I found a story from today's Daily News:

Wine with a spin: Chaddsford label toasts vintage DJ Pierre Robert
Yay Pierre!

It's a fairly long feature article, but the news is that legendary and super-groovy WMMR DJ (who I had the pleasure to work with many moons ago) now has a wine named after him, Pierreno Grigio, courtesy of Chaddsford Winery...

"...which sells at Pennsylvania state stores and at select area restaurants. The winery Web site, where it sells for $17.99 a bottle, describes Pierreno Grigio as "mouthwatering with clean, crisp acidity and zesty juicy fruit."

It couldn't happen to a nicer citizen.