up, up and away

The headline in this morning's paper held so much promise: "Suspected hot-air balloon thief grounded." I pictured a slow floating getaway perhaps with the police chasing him in their own balloon. Alas, the stolen balloon was not inflated at the time of its capture. The guy in the mugshot has a certain "My Name is Earl" quality about him. It doesn't say why he stole a balloon. Maybe he fancied himself to be the next Vijaypat Singhania.

In other balloon news, Robin B. Hall is determined to keep his giant helium inflatables in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You go Robin.