Backstage (June 11, 2013)
Backstage
in the Weird News Community
June 11, 2013
The Dilemma of the Pro Weird-News Editor
Just yesterday, it happened again: A dazzlingly weird-news story of questionable bona fides hit the Internet, and Yr Editor doesn’t know what to think. I counted about 150 Google hits, but it’s undoubtedly way-higher by now, and it might be a true story, or maybe not. If it’s a true story, it may be exaggerated way beyond what readers of pro journalism expect. “Julia Caples” of “Wilkes-Barre, Pa.” has been drinking volunteers’ blood for 30 yrs because it makes her feel better, and her main problem seems to be how to keep her kids (ages 24 and 11) from adopting Mom’s choices. Yr Editor’s dilemma: Everything comes from one story in London’s Daily Mirror (which reeks with tabloidiness; makes the Daily Mail look like the New York Times), and despite Julia’s longstanding health habit, the two (count ‘em, two) daily newspapers in Wilkes-Barre are apparently unaware of their local celebrity. Technically speaking here, there are two verification issues: (1) Does Julia, of Wilkes-Barre and a blood-drinker, exist? and (2) If so, how much of the Mirror’s story is real and how much is juiced up in tabloidiness? Yr Editor is not all that concerned about the Nat’l Security Agency or any plots inside IRS (as distinguished from bureaucratic “bright” ideas), but this one causes me to nibble my fingernails. Daily Mirror /// Huffington Post /// msn.com
in the Weird News Community
June 11, 2013
The Dilemma of the Pro Weird-News Editor
Just yesterday, it happened again: A dazzlingly weird-news story of questionable bona fides hit the Internet, and Yr Editor doesn’t know what to think. I counted about 150 Google hits, but it’s undoubtedly way-higher by now, and it might be a true story, or maybe not. If it’s a true story, it may be exaggerated way beyond what readers of pro journalism expect. “Julia Caples” of “Wilkes-Barre, Pa.” has been drinking volunteers’ blood for 30 yrs because it makes her feel better, and her main problem seems to be how to keep her kids (ages 24 and 11) from adopting Mom’s choices. Yr Editor’s dilemma: Everything comes from one story in London’s Daily Mirror (which reeks with tabloidiness; makes the Daily Mail look like the New York Times), and despite Julia’s longstanding health habit, the two (count ‘em, two) daily newspapers in Wilkes-Barre are apparently unaware of their local celebrity. Technically speaking here, there are two verification issues: (1) Does Julia, of Wilkes-Barre and a blood-drinker, exist? and (2) If so, how much of the Mirror’s story is real and how much is juiced up in tabloidiness? Yr Editor is not all that concerned about the Nat’l Security Agency or any plots inside IRS (as distinguished from bureaucratic “bright” ideas), but this one causes me to nibble my fingernails. Daily Mirror /// Huffington Post /// msn.com
Comments
My gut instinct is that this story is probably true. After all, plenty of people drink urine for what they believe are health reasons. Drinking blood doesn't seem any more extreme than that.
Posted by Alex on 06/11/13 at 10:21 AM
Sounds like iron deficiency. The fact she drinks blood may pass but the volume and offspring may be a bit bloody much to swallow!
(Get it??? 'bloody much to swallow'?) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
(Get it??? 'bloody much to swallow'?) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 06/11/13 at 10:41 AM
I smell a fishing expedition - this being the bait and the fish would be an appearance on Maury Povich.
Posted by tadchem on 06/11/13 at 02:05 PM
So the lady hopped a plane to LONDON to confess her weirdness? Blogged about it on-line?? Very strange that the local paper know *nothing*...
Posted by girlgeniusNYC on 06/11/13 at 08:19 PM
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