The Call The Wind Maria....er, Fay

Tropical Storm Fay passed through the Florida Keys last night doing little damage but dropping quite a bit of rain. I really didn't expect her to do much anyway as she really didn't have any time over warm waters to build any strength. The good thing is that there was no major damage. The bad thing is that we had to watch reporters standing in a light drizzle giving live reports of a non-event as cars and passersby went past with a business-as-usual air of nonchallance.

The weakness of the storm notwithstanding, it is not a wise move to venture out into any kind of inclement weather, especially in Florida, the lightning capital of America. Add to that the possibility of a hurricane force gust of wind and you have the makings of a really bad situation.

Witness the case of a young man who was stupidly out in the above described weather attempting to kite surf in the area of Fort Lauderdale beach. A strong gust of wind took him up about 50 feet into the air and slammed him to the beach. Another gust then picked him up again, took him across the street and into the side of an expressway, critically injuring him.

It's just a matter of time before one of these mindless media reporters is dragged across a parking lot or impaled by a piece of debris while trying to be a part of the obnoxious "breaking news" stories that we are subjected to on a daily basis.

The Pictures: Kewt Kids and animals, bumper stickers I'd like to see more of and the usual suspects make up today's eclectic photos.

This Date In History: 14; Augustus, the heir of Julius Caesar and the first emperor of Rome, dies. 1953; Royalist forces acting on behalf of Reza Shah Pahlavi, with the aid of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, overthrow Iranian Premier Mohammad Mossadegh.

1973; George Papadopoulos, leader of the Greek ruling junta since a 1967 coup, abolishes the monarchy and declares Greece a presidential republic. Popadopoluos is overthrown a year later. 1977; Groucho Marx, the best known of the Marx Brothers, dies in Los Angeles, California.

1991; Communist hard-liners attempt a coup in the Soviet Union, putting Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev under house arrest and declaring a state of emergency. The coup fails two days later. 2003; A suicide bomber destroys the United Nations compound in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 23 people including a high UN official.

Birthdays: Orville Wright, airplane inventor (1871), Coco Chanel, French fashion designer (1883), Ogden Nash, poet (1902), Gene Roddenberry, television producer (1921), Willie Shoemaker, jockey (1931), Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the United States, (1946).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: Thanks to my pal, Garnett, for the following list of The World's Shortest Books.

1. Things I Love About My Country by Jane Fonda and Cindy Sheehan. Illustrations by Michael Moore.

2. My Christian Accomplishments: How I Helped After Katrina by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

3. Things I Would Not Do For Money by Dennis Rodman.

4. Amelia Earhart's Guide To The Pacific

5. A Collection Of Motivational Speeches by Dr. Jack Kevorkian

6. All The Men I Loved Before by Ellen Degeneres and Rosie O'Donnell

7. My Plan To Find The Real Killers by O.J. Simpson.

8. How To Drink And Drive Over Bridges by Ted Kennedy.

9. My Book Of Personal Morals by Bill Clinton, with introductions by Jesse Jackson and John Edwards.

10. My Accomplishments In Congress and Things I Wouldn't Say Just To Get Elected by Barack Obama.

                        

That's it for today my little dandy lions (and lionesses). More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: JimSulliv3, Jimmy's Journal, Tropical Storm Fay, pshemmingway, my perfect martini, Jimmys AREA 51, Possums Videos, John McCain for President, Stay Tuned !, The Hits Just KeepOn Coming, Barack Hussein Obama, The World's Shortest Books, The Cat Award,