Dog's Tombstone Get's People Barking Mad!

Here’s how a tombstone of a pet dog get some people really upset:

When Judy Hagan lost her beloved rat terrier she bought two plots at the local cemetery, one for her and one for her dog. Eight years later she decided that it was time to put a memorial stone at the dog’s grave. And that has stirred up a lot of controversy, because the dog has a name that some people say are not appropriate for display on a tombstone…

The dog’s name? Shithead.

Link - via Boing Boing

Priest Carried Off by Balloons Goes Missing!

A story that is hard to believe ...

A Roman Catholic priest who floated off under hundreds of helium party balloons is missing off the southern coast of Brazil today. (April 22)

Rescuers in helicopters and small fishing boats were searching off the coast of Santa Catarina state, where pieces of balloons were found.

Reverend Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua yesterday afternoon, wearing a helmet, thermal suit and a parachute.

He was reported missing about eight hours later after losing contact with port authority officials, according to the treasurer of his Sao Cristovao parish, Denise Gallas.

Gallas said by telephone that the priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil's second-largest port for agricultural products. Some American adventurers have used helium balloons to emulate Larry Walters - who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons.

A video of Carli posted on the G1 website of Globo TV showed the smiling 41-year-old priest slipping into a flight suit, being strapped to a seat attached to a huge column green, red, white and yellow balloons, and soaring into the air to the cheers of a crowd.

According to Gallas, the priest soared to an altitude of 6,000 metres then descended to about 2,500 metres for his planned flight to the city of Dourados, 750km north-west of his parish.
But winds pushed him in another direction, and Carli was some 50km off the coast when he last contacted Paranagua's port authority, Gallas said.

Carli had a GPS device, a satellite phone, a buoyant chair and was an experienced skydiver, Gallas said.

"We are absolutely confident he will be found alive and well, floating somewhere in the ocean," she said.

"He knew what he was doing and was fully prepared for any kind of mishap." (source)

Virtual Vietnam Wall

Yesterday I read about a virtual or online version of the Vietnam Wall. Please note this site is not government sponsored site and people must explicitly request that a name appear on the site, but it looks interesting and worth knowing about. http://www.virtualwall.org/

Photo is called "Tommy can you hear me."

The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer, gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals. For more, visit www.cmu.edu/randyslecture.

"Journeys" are special University Lectures in which Carnegie Mellon faculty members share their reflections on their journeys -- the everyday actions, decisions, challenges and joys that make a life.

Charleton Heston ... Larger than life.

Hollywood legend and Oscar winner actor Charles Heston died in his home this week in Beverly Hills at the age of 84. His family released a statement saying:

"To his loving friends, colleagues and fans, we appreciate your heartfelt prayers and support…. Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life… No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country… In his own words, ‘I have lived such a wonderful life. I’ve lived enough for two people.”

I loved Heston's work; both his movies and his activism. He was one of the great ones. A "man's man," a patriot, activist and loyal husband. All qualities that are commendable and rare. He definitely made his mark and a difference.

Dead Funnies

The picture says it all : )