And I will raise him up....

The Reverend Adelir Antonio de Carli remains missing presumed dead, nine days after lifting off from the port city of Paranaguá in Brazil, strapped to hundreds of helium-filled balloons. He is the small dark dot at the bottom of the colourful balloons in the above picture. He was wearing a helmet, an aluminum thermal flight suit, waterproof coveralls and a parachute and was seeking to raise money for breaking the 19-hour record for the longest time in-flight with party balloons. I find it difficult to feel much sympathy for someone who self-indulgently and wrecklessly endangers their life to break a record that is so narrow, insignificant and pointless. I think the next time the parish needs to raise money they might have a cake stall...

Torch-capades

OK. So there are Pro-Tibet and Human Rights protesters protesting during the Torch Relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. No surprise there. But what is worthy of noting is the choice of transportation for some of the crew escorting the torch through Paris - Rollerblades!!! I am sure they are functional but they look a little too 'fun'-ctional. It all seems very Cirque de Sin-eil...

Art becomes Salmon-ella

A very creative individual has produced a series of photographs of landscapes using food. The only thing missing is the owl and the pussycat for that pea-green-pod boat! The second scene is bucolic - or should that broccolic....

Economy or First-Class? What would Jesus do?

Am I the only person to be disturbed and bewildered that the organisers of the Catholic event World Youth Day are flying the decomposing body of a saint-in-waiting, who died in 1925, from Turin to Sydney specifically for the event? I quote, "While the logistics of the complex journey are still to be finalised, it will be the first time Blessed Pier Giorgio has been moved from Turin since his death in July, 1925." I think that is because it usual to leave people buried....

In the article Bishop Anthony Fisher, drooling into traditionally ominous territory for a man of the cloth, can barely contain his fervent appreciation for the "youthful good looks, charm" and "fun loving nature" of Pier claiming such qualities make him the "perfect inspiration for young people." I presume the organisers do not expect Pier to display any of these traits downunder in his role as World Youth Day patron.

"Gosh he looks awfully jet-lagged..."

Another of the World Youth Day patrons is Blessed Peter To Rot. If only they would let poor Blessed Pier do just that...

Stating the obvious

A sign in a lift at 101 Grenfell Street informed me today to "Please exit when doors open."
Was there another option really?

Who you gonna SMS? Insurance scam busters!

When I read news stories about locals and their ill-conceived attempts to engage in insurance fraud a little smile creeps across my face because I realise that no matter what I do today, however silly, I am clearly not the biggest idiot in my city. That title has already been claimed by the man who claimed his car was stolen and subsequently driven into a Stobie pole. However the police found his mobile phone in the car replete with a recently sent text message asking an accomplice to come and collect him from where he had just deliberately crashed his car.... Priceless.