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I got a phone call last night from a friend telling me about a helium balloon carrying a six-year-old which was floating high up in the American skies. A huge rescue operation was underway. That was the story for a few hours last night. And the story in our paper this morning.
It transpired a few short hours after the balloon hit the airwaves that Falcon Heene was in fact not in the balloon. He was hiding in a box in the attic.
Now, it’s not clear whether the boy had let the balloon loose and hid away to avoid the consequences, or whether it was a hoax. Why the speculation of it being a hoax? Apparently in an interview with CNN, Falcon said he had heard his family calling his name.
“Why didn’t you come out?” his father, Richard, asked.
Falcon answered: “You had said that we did this for a show.”
Will the family be billed for the expensive rescue operation that followed the balloons high flying escape? I wonder.
I don’t often wish for DSTV and all it’s programming. But today I wish for at least a few of its news channels. Last night I missed Gaddafi’s performance at the UN General Assembly. And tonight I’m missing Robert Mugabe on the AMANPOUR show for a rare interview.
It’s on CNN at 9pm tonight. On Christiane Amanpour’s show. I am sure it will be very entertaining.
While I was hit sidewards, flattened, knocked out by an attack of hayfever and the accompanying antihistamine, I see that a photograph of Michael Phelps smoking a huge marijuana pipe was published in the UK. On Sunday morning the US woke up to an apology from 23 year-old Phelps. His statement read: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”
I think the key here is that he acted in a ‘youthful’ way.
This is the picture News of the World published:
And I read today that all charges against George Obama in Kenya were dropped. He was arrested on Saturday for possession of marijuana but CNN reports that he was released hours later.
See the Time’s list of top 10 athlete drug busts.
Ted Kennedy collapsed at the inaugural lunch celebration today and was taken out of the room on a stretcher. He will spend the night in Washington hospital and is expected to leave tomorrow.
CNN reports that:
“After testing, we believe the incident was brought on by simple fatigue,” said Dr. Edward Aulisi, chairman of Neurosurgery at Washington Hospital Center, in a statement.
“Sen. Kennedy is awake, talking with family and friends, and feeling well. Read More…
