As a Brazilian of a certain age, I can't really appreciate the article's attempt at poetry. Baloeiros to me are murderers, their pleasure brought only devastation. They may say they can control...
As a Brazilian of a certain age, I can't really appreciate the article's attempt at poetry. Baloeiros to me are murderers, their pleasure brought only devastation. They may say they can control the harmful effects of their floating incendiary bombs -- they can't. I suppose it's easy for a foreign journalist to find beauty when those in danger are not their own.
Came in here to say a similar thing. Everyone in Brazil (well, almost everyone) knows how dangerous these balloons can be. They're not the manned hot-air balloons that a lot of people might...
Came in here to say a similar thing. Everyone in Brazil (well, almost everyone) knows how dangerous these balloons can be. They're not the manned hot-air balloons that a lot of people might picture when they read the headline. They're unmanned balls of fire that are just released into the world and made into someone else's problems.
Speaking to the newspaper O Globo last year, the police chief tasked with foiling Rio’s baloeiros insisted ballooning was a crime, not a cultural practice. As well as endangering aircraft and vehicles, balloons had landed on homes, power lines and petrol stations, causing explosions, forest fires and deaths.
If someone had a gender reveal that burned down half a forest in California, people would (rightfully) be outraged. Should be the same with these balloons.
As a Brazilian of a certain age, I can't really appreciate the article's attempt at poetry. Baloeiros to me are murderers, their pleasure brought only devastation. They may say they can control the harmful effects of their floating incendiary bombs -- they can't. I suppose it's easy for a foreign journalist to find beauty when those in danger are not their own.
Here's a recent ballon fire I found with a quick search: https://g1.globo.com/jornal-nacional/noticia/2021/08/23/incendio-provocado-por-balao-destroi-mais-da-metade-de-parque-na-grande-sao-paulo.ghtml.
And here's a case with death: https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/brasil/2009/04/05/interna-brasil,95868/queda-de-balao-provoca-incendio-e-morte-no-rio-de-janeiro.shtml
More:
https://www.metropoles.com/sao-paulo/sp-balao-em-chamas-atinge-predio-e-moradores-ficam-desesperados-video
https://www.otempo.com.br/brasil/balao-causa-incendio-florestal-que-devasta-parque-estadual-juquery-em-sao-paulo-1.2532382
https://www.band.uol.com.br/videos/queda-de-balao-provoca-incendio-na-grande-sao-paulo-17170110
https://g1.globo.com/rj/regiao-serrana/noticia/2023/11/12/grupo-de-baloeiros-e-detido-em-petropolis-apos-balao-cair-na-reserva-biologica-de-araras.ghtml
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2023/05/balao-cai-proximo-a-pista-do-aeroporto-santos-dumont-rj-e-impede-pousos-veja-video.shtml
Came in here to say a similar thing. Everyone in Brazil (well, almost everyone) knows how dangerous these balloons can be. They're not the manned hot-air balloons that a lot of people might picture when they read the headline. They're unmanned balls of fire that are just released into the world and made into someone else's problems.
If someone had a gender reveal that burned down half a forest in California, people would (rightfully) be outraged. Should be the same with these balloons.