Garbage Prank Has Radio Station Down in the Dumps

--A radio station in Bangor, Me., that urged its audience to send garbage to Libyan leader Col. Moammar Kadafi has so far received more than 1,000 pounds of trash as listeners apparently misinterpreted the station’s instructions. “People are sending their trash to Kadafi, care of WGUY,” said Jack Roberts, the FM station’s program director. “Don’t send it here! Send it to the Libyan mission!” he pleaded. The station had suggested that listeners send their garbage to Kadafi in response to the Libyan strong man’s comments that he might attack Americans on their own streets, a threat that the station called “garbage.” Kadafi’s comments were made after the United States talked of retaliation against Libya for terrorist attacks in which 15 travelers were killed at airports in Rome and Vienna. “This thing is really unbelievable,” Roberts said. “People are interpreting the message that they should send the garbage to us,” and scores of local people have been the first to bring their garbage. One virtue was “it’s very clean trash,” Roberts said. “We had urged people to wrap their trash, and they wrapped it up fine, no problem.” Nothing has come by mail yet, but Roberts said he’s expecting a large package from a Minnesota man who identified himself as a Libyan immigrant. “The man said he’s sending us 1,000 pounds of dried cow manure,” Roberts said. That package, along with the garbage already collected, will be forwarded to the Libyan mission at the United Nations.

--Seven elephants, 13 Arabian horses, four zebras, two ostriches and an assortment of other circus animals joined thousands of tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II’s blessing. The Pope watched from the window of his apartment overlooking the square as animal trainers from an Italian traveling circus marched their charges before the papal blessing during the noon prayer. John Paul offered his “cordial greeting” to the circus artists “and also to the animals.” He wished the spectators a “serene 1986.” Many children were in the crowd Sunday, the eve of the Epiphany.