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,

Tropical Storm Fay Sloshes Through The Florida Keys

Friday's voyage to AREA 51 was fun, but laid back. My first stop was at Lakes Cafe where I learned that the business is being sold. Future plans are still uncertain. The karaoke show was going strong and I stayed a couple of hours to listen to the singers.

From Lakes, I went to The Billiards Club, which was enjoying a pretty good crowd as well. It was an enjoyable evening and I got home around 2:30, leaving plenty of time to be ready for my Saturday luncheon with my pal, Beverly. All in all, it was an enjoyable weekend with no hits, no runs, no errors and nobody left on base.

Tropical storm Fay is currently being a pain is the ass to South Florida and points north. The only good thing about the system is that it doesn't have very much strength and it will bring quite a bit of rain. Hopefully, it will dump a lot of that rainfall in drought-stricken, war-torn Georgia.

Congratulations to all Olympians, especially to swimmers Michael Phelps and Dara Torres. Phelps won the fourteenth gold medal of his Olympic career and his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, both new records. Torres (41), won three silver medals and her twelfth medal of her career dating back to the 1984 Los Angles Olympics, one year before Phelps was born.

The Cat's Ass Trophy (CAT) Award had two nominees. Anne nominated (c)rap artist, DMX and Linda nominated Swedish Olympic wrestler Ara Abrahamian.

DMX, aka Earl Simmons, was arrested in Miami Beach Friday for the sixth time since early May for not appearing in a Phoenix, Arizona court on charges related to marijuana and drug paraphanalia. He was arrested in May on drug and animal cruelty charges and faces additional felony charges for identity theft.   

Armenian-born wrestler Abrahamian, lost his semi-final match due to a disputed penalty from the judges and his opponent, Italian Andrea Minguzzi, went on to win the gold medal.

During the medal ceremony, Abrahamian took his bronze medal from his neck and dropped it on the floor as he walked out. The IOC executive board ruled that his action amounted a a demonstration and lack of respect to his competitors. He was disqualified and stripped of his bronze medal. Well done, IOC board and an excellent decision.

A CAT Award goes to DMX (Earl Simmons) for meeting the expectations of most rappers. I hope he enjoys his stay in prison where most of his fans currently reside. A CAT Award is also given to Ara Abrahamian for his lack of Olympic spirit.

The Pictures: It was just a matter of time before the photoshop experts pounced on the philandering John Edwards and deservedly so. I found some lampooned photos that will amuse you. As usual, there's a few additional oddities in "The Week In Pictures," including this picture recently taken of the border patrol in action.

                      

This Date In History: 1227; Genghis Kham dies in the district of Qingshui, China, leaving behind a Mongol Empire that he had extended across the Asian continent. 1587; Virginia Dare, the first English child to be born in North America,  is born to members of the Roanoke Colony on the Virginia coast, whose inhabitants will disappear three years later.

1896; Publisher Arthur Ochs takes over the failing New York Times, which he will build into the leading newspaper in the United States. 1958; Published first in a banned French edition three years earlier, Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita makes its first U.S. appearance. The book sells 100,000 copies in its first three weeks.

Birthdays: Meriwether Lewis, explorer (1774), Francis Joseph I, emperor of Austria (1830), Roman Polanski, director (1933), Roberto Clemente, baseball player (1934), Rafer Johnson, decathlete (1935), Robert Redford, actor (1937).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

The latest poll taken by the office of the Governor of California asked whether people who live in California think illegal immigration is a serious problem.

Thirty percent of the respondents of the answered, "Yes, it is a serious problem." Seventy percent of the respondents answered, "No es una problema serio.

A man is at his his neighbor's funeral and is surprised at the number of people in attendance. He turns to the older man next to him and says, "This man must have been pretty important." The older man says, "Yes, he was my attorney. We're all clients" The man says, "And all of you are here to pay your respects?" The older man says, "No, we came here to make sure he was dead."

A lawyer, laying on his deathbed, called to his wife and asked her to bring the Bible. Being a religious woman, she thought this was a good idea and brought the Bible to her husband.

The lawyer took the Bible from her and began scanning the pages. Curious, knowing her husband wasn't a religious person, she asked, "What are you searching for, dear?" The lawyer replied, "Loopholes."

                      

That's it for today my little diary queens (and kings). More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: JimSulliv3, Jimmy's Journal, Possums Journal, Jimmys AREA 51, my perfect martini, ham and cheese, Tropical Storm Fay, Beijing Olympics, Jimmys-MySpace, ham and eggs, Jimmys Pictures, Stay Tuned !, The Cat Award

Cover Me, I'm Going Back In !

Friday's here and yours truly is still recovering from Wednesday's escapades, but I'll be ready for tonight's foray into AREA 51. The main plan for tonight is to get home early enough to have lunch with my pal, Beverly, on Saturday. My only problem is that I leave each Friday with the best of intentions but occasionally my plans get way-laid along the way. Some times that's good, sometimes it's not.

In the Beijing Olympics, American gymnast Nastia Liukin won the gold medal and teammate Shawn Johnson won the silver medal in the all-around women's gymnastics. Swimmer Michael Phelps won his sixth gold medal yesterday, setting the stage for a possible seventh and eighth gold medal. Congratulations to the American Olympic team.

Elvis Presley died August 16, 1977 at his mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis' music had a great influence on my music and inspired me to study and perform. Thirty-one years after his death, his music continues to be very popular and continues to inspire other performers.

                         

The CAT Award is still up for grabs and you have until Monday at noon to make a nomination.

A cease fire remains in effect in the Russian-Georgian War and AREA 51 war correspondents have had little to report. Communications have been disrupted and chaos still rules. It may be necessary to send AREA 51 Ambassador-At-Large Rose to war-torn Atlanta to investigate further. At last check, Jackie was embedded with the Alabama troops and the only correspondence that we have received thus far was a room service order for a gallon of Bloody Mary's.

Garnett's ass was last seen at the Georgia beachfront and there are reports that heavy artillery has damaged the beaches and created many holes and craters. I fear that if I send Garnett to look for his ass, he may be in danger of falling into one of the holes there because Garnett doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

Linda is still sending me cryptic messages and I have not yet been able to figure what in the hell she is saying. I urge all AREA 51 members to remain vigilant and to be on standby for future assignments. This has been a public service of Jimmy's Journal.

The Pictures: Today we give the spotlight to the doggies as there was a lot of howling when the cats were given the stage. As usual, there's always a couple of ringers thrown in.

This Date In History: 1057; In events later used by William Shakespeare in one of his greatest tragedies, the Scottish king Macbeth is killed by Malcom Canmore, the son of King Duncan I, whom Macbeth had murdered 17 years before. 1534; Saint Ignatius of Loyola founds the Jesuits, a Roman Catholic order of men, in Paris, France.

1935; American humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post are killed when their plane crashes in Alaska. 1939; The film version of The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland as Dorothy, has its premiere in Hollywood, California.

1947; Indian independence from Britain is proclaimed, with the former colony partitioned into the two nations of India and Pakistan. India is awarded the rights to provide the entire AOL organization with computer technicians.

Birthdays: Napoleon I, French emperor (1769), Sir Walter Scott, novelist and poet (1771), Ethel Barrymore, actress (1879), T.R. Lawrence, called Lawrence of Arabia, British soldier and novelist (1888), Julia Child, cooking expert and OSS Allied spy during World War II (1912), Oscar Peterson, jazz pianist (1925).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: Thanks to my Pal, Victor for the following story.

An Indian walks into a cafe with a shotgun in one hand and pulling a male buffalo with the other hand. He says to the waiter, "Want coffee." The waiter says, "Sure chief, coming right up."

He gets the Indian a tall mug of coffee. The Indian drinks the coffee down in one gulp, turns and blasts the buffalo with the shotgun, causing parts of the animal to splatter everywhere and then just walks out.

The next morning the Indian returns. He has his shotgun in one hand and pulling another male buffalo with the other. He walks up to the waiter and says, "Want coffee."The waiter says, "Whoa, Tonto! We're still cleaning up your mess from yesterday. What was that all about, anyway?"

The Indian says, "Training for position as democrat in United States Congress. Come in, drink coffee, shoot the bull and then disappear for the rest of the day."

                      

That's it for today my little poodle skirts. Have a safe and great weekend and more on Monday.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: JimSulliv3, Jimmy's Journal, pshemmingway, Beijing Olympics, my perfect martini, Possums Journal, poodle skirts, Jimmys AREA 51, The Cat Award, ham and cheese

I'm Beat !

I finally managed to go to AREA 51 last night and my pal, Emilio and I started out at Lakes Cafe. We knew that there were rumors that Lakes Cafe had been sold since last Friday, but nothing was officially confirmed last night. Owner Richard had been hospitalized for a week and was discharged yesterday. My best wishes go out to Richard for a speedy recovery.

We left Lakes Cafe after one cocktail and stopped by another restaurant to see some friends and have a cup of Cuban coffee. It had been about a week since I had Cuban coffee and it was well worth the stop.

From there, we stopped by a store to purchase a few items and I encouraged Emilio to buy a lottery ticket. He bought one for $5 and it paid $25, so we were ahead of the game. After one more stop at another local watering hole, we came to the conclusion that everyone must have decided to stay home. Based on that, we decided to quit while we were ahead and played dominoes for the rest of the night. I got home about 4:00 a.m.

Julia Childs (nee McWilliams) was a spy for the United States, during World War II according to reports today. She served in China and Sri Lanka for the OSS (later the CIA). Although I applaud Ms. Childs dedication and patriotism, I must admit that faced with having to go out with her or betray my country, I too would have blabbed.

The Pictures: Kitty Katz

This Date In History: 1935; President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the federal old-age benefits, as well as other social programs such as unemployment insurance and aid to dependent children. 1941; British prime minister Winston Churchill and U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt sight he Atlantic Charter. After World War II, the charter forms the basis for the creation of the United Nations.

1945; U.S. president Harry S. Truman announces the surrender of Japan, which ends World War II. 1951; American publisher William Randolph Hearst, a dominant figure in American life since the turn of the century, dies at the age of 88 in Beverly Hills, California. 2003; Around 50 million people in the eastern United States and Canada lose power in one of the biggest blackouts in history.

Birthdays: Pius VII, pope (1742), John Galsworthy, novelist and playwright (1867), Earl Weaver, baseball manager (1930), Steve Martin, actor and comedian (1945), Gary Larson, cartoonist (1950), Earvin "Magic" Johnson, basketball player (1959), Debbie Meyer, swimmer (1952).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

A wife went in to see a therapist and said, "I've got a big problem doctor. Every time we're in bed, my husband lets out earsplitting yells."

"My dear," the shrink said, "that's completely natural. I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem," she complained, "is that it wakes me up."

A married couple was in a terrible accident where the woman's face was severely burned. The doctor told the husband that they couldn't graft any skin from her body because she was too skinny. So the husband offered to donate some of his own skin.

However, the only skin on his body that the doctor felt was suitable would have to come from his buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about where the skin came from, and requested that the doctor also honor their secret. After all, this was a very delicate matter.

After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the woman's new beauty. She looked more beautiful than she ever had before! All her friends and relatives just went on and on about her youthful beauty! One day, she was alone with her husband, and she was overcome with emotion at his sacrifice. She said, "Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. There is no way I could ever repay you."

"My darling," he replied, "think nothing of it. I get all the thanks I need every time I see your mother kiss you on the cheek."

                      

That's it for today my little tadpoles. More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: Jimmy's Journal, JimSulliv3, pshemmingway, Julia Childs, OSS, Possums Journal, Stay Tuned !, CAT Award, Jimmys AREA 51, my perfect martini, Jimmys Pictures, The Hits Just Keep On Coming, kittens

I Got A Weak Back About A Week Back !

It's Hump day, but if my back doesn't start feeling better, I'm not going to AREA 51 this evening. You see, I neglected to tell you that during my Friday soiree, I decided, along with my advisor, Johnny Walker Black, to invite a certain blonde at the party to dance the meringue. The meringue is a very fast based Latin dance that involves a lot of hip movement and also involves a lot of turns and spins.

After the dance finished, I was rather pleased with myself and was complimented by others as well. Johnny Walker Black agreed completely and told me to go back for more. Fortunately for me, my pal Emilio got a phone call and suggested we go to The Billiards Club because he was told that there was a lot of action there.

When I finally got home Friday night, I felt fine, but the next day, there was hell to pay. Evidently, I am paying on the installment plan because my back still pains me. It's difficult when a 30-year-old mind is coupled with an unwilling body. Well, two Advils and a cocktail might pick me up. We'll see.

Mark Phelps continues to roll in the Summer Olympics in Beijing, winning the tenth and eleventh gold medals of his Olympic career and setting a new record for the most gold medals ever won by any Olympic athlete. He currently has five gold medals in this Olympiad and is on pace to win eight gold medals which will also be a record. Go Mark ! Authors Note: My pal Linda pointed out that the swimmer's name is Michael, not Mark. Sorrrrrrrry!

The War In Georgia: There is currently a cease fire in Georgia due partly to the Alabama troop build up at the Alabama-Georgia Border. AREA 51 member and correspondent Jackie is embedded with the Alabama contingent and she has been sent instructions to get out of bed and go to the field.

Artillery specialist Garnett's ass has made a landing on the Georgia beaches along with the Cuban-American platoon from Miami. The contingent was impressed by Garnett's ass, although some mothers shielded their children's faces when Garnett's ass landed in the sand.

In Sports: The baseball race continues toward the playoffs. Here are some scores; 8-7, 4-1, 4-3 (10 innings) and a partial score, 5.

The Pictures: Pictures of the Russian-Georgia front lines. Oh, and drinks for the ladies!

This Date In History: 1521; A Spanish force under Hernan Cortes, aided by Tlaxcalan allies, completes its capture of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan (the site of present day Mexico City), after an eight-week siege. 1624; French king Louis XIII makes Cardinal Richelieu his chief minister. Richelieu will firmly rule the country for the next 18 years, bringing it to military prominence in Europe.

1942; Bambi, Walt Disney's fifth animated feature, opens at New York's Radio City Music Hall. 1961; The East German government surrounds West Berlin with temporary fortifications during the night, stopping the flight of East Germans to the West. The barrier is soon replaced by the concrete Berlin Wall.

Birthdays: Annie Oakley, American markswoman and sharpshooter (1860), Alfred Hitchcock, film director (1899), Ben Hogan, golfer (1912), Fidel Castro, asshole (1926), Kathleen Battle, opera singer (1948).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

A farmer walked into an attorney's office wanting to file for a divorce. The attorney asked, "May I help you?"

The farmer said, "Yea, I want to get one of those dayvorce's." The attorney said, "well do you have any grounds?"

The farmer said, "Yea, I got about 140 acres." The attorney said, " No, you don't understand, do you have a case?" The farmer said, "No, I don't have a Case, but I have a John Deere." The attorney said, "No you don't understand, I mean do you have a grudge?"

The farmer said, "Yea I got a grudge, that's where I park my John Deere." The attorney said, "No sir, I mean do you have a suit?" The farmer said, "Yes sir, I got a suit. I wear it to church on Sundays."

The exasperated attorney said, "Well sir, does your wife beat you up or anything?" The farmer said, "No sir, we both get up about 4:30."

Finally, the attorney says, "Okay, let me put it this way. "WHY DO YOU WANT A DIVORCE?" And the farmer says, "Well, I can never have a meaningful conversation with her."

That's it for today my little pop tarts. More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: Jimmy's Journal, War in Georgia, JimSulliv3, pshemmingway, Jimmys-MySpace, ham and cheese, My Perfect Martini, Jimmys AREA 51, pop tarts, Possums Journal

If This Is Tuesday, I Must Be In Bellview !

As you may have surmised, I can't stand attorneys (except mine) and politicians. The recent tardy confession by the dishonorable John Edwards has given me an idea. There should be a law, applicable to all politicians, stating that anything they say or swear to, can, and will be, used against them in a court of law. If this law had been in effect, (aside from the fact eighty percent of all politicians would have not ran for office), the John Edwards of the political world would have not affected the 2008 presidential election.

Mark Phelps tied an Olympic record yesterday in the Beijing Summer Olympics winning his third gold medal in swimming and his ninth career gold medal which tied the record. The record should be short-lived as Phelps is expected to win more gold medals in this Olympic meeting. He will be trying to win seven or more gold medals in a single Olympics which will tie or surpass the 34-year-old current record held by Mark Spitz.

Congratulations to my pal, Linda, author of Linda's World, for winning Magic Smoke's What's The Caption contest. Our fellow AREA 51 members have all been doing well lately.

War in Georgia update: Conflicting reports say that the cease fire is not being honored. The governor of Alabama has sent troops to the Alabama-Georgia line as a precaution. A Cuban-American batallion from Miami is being prepared for a possible beach assault similar to their previous assaults on Miami from Cuba (wet-foot, dry foot policy notwithstanding).

Our Washington State AREA 51 reporter Linda, through her Michigan sources, has learned that Detroit has turned down Atlanta and CNN's request to return in exile to their home city. The city stated they have their hands full with Mayor Kwame. Our artillery specialist, AREA 51 annalist Garnett, says that he will use his ass (pictured below) in any way possible to repel the insurgents. This has been an AREA 51 update on the conflict.

                    

                                              Garnett's Ass

The Pictures: The 2009 Jaguar, priced from $42,000 to $62,000 for your perusal. Everyone gets one when I win the lottery. I've also enclosed the painting on a ceiling in a smoking lounge and the floor in another restaurant. Imagine yourself hurrying to the restroom, entering, looking down (or up) and seeing this.

This Date In History: 1851; American inventor Isaac Singer receives a U.S. patent for his sewing machine. He is not the first to patent such a machine, but within a decade, he is the world's largest sewing-machine manufacturer. 1867; U.S. president Andrew Johnson suspends Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, an ally of his Radical Republican opponents. Johnson's treatment of Stanton will lead to impeachment hearings against him in 1868.

1898; The United States formally annexes the islands of Hawaii, which becomes a U.S. territory two years later and a state in 1959. 1972; The last American ground combat troops are withdrawn from Vietnam.

Birthdays: Robert Southey, poet (1774), Christy Mathewson, baseball player (1880), Cecil B. DeMille, motion-picture director and producer (1881), Samuel Fuller, motion-picture director (1911), Buck Owens, country music singer (1929), Pete Sampras, tennis player (1971)..

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

A little old man shuffled slowly into the ice cram parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.

The waitress asked kindly, "Crush Nuts?" The little old man replied, "No, hemorrhoids."

                         

That's it for today my little chicken pluckers. More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: JimSulliv3, Jimmy's Journal, pshemmingway, Jimmys AREA 51, My Perfect Martini, Possums Journal, Jimmys-MySpace

Pardon Me Roy, Is That The Cat That Chewed Your New Shoes?

Friday's journey to AREA 51 turned out to quite the experience. My pal, Emilio, joined me for the evening and I had the good fortune to be the dedicated passenger. This factor gave me quite a bit of cocktail leeway and I took advantage of it.

We arrived at my pal, Mercy's house around 8:30, a little early for my normal evenings, but then again, the invitation said 7:00 pm. I knew most of the people at the party as they were mostly in real estate and/or musicians. Being a political rally, things were a little stiff at first, but when you're with people who are mostly Latin and imbibe regularly, it didn't take long for people to loosen up.

The affair, quite by accident, had three major areas of interest. There was a domino game outdoors in the patio, musicians singing and performing on one side of the entertainment room and people mingling in the bar area on the other side.

Things later centralized to the music area, with various people (myself included) performing. As the evening progressed, many people who normally don't (or can't) perform, drank that extra glass of courage and gave some impromptu performances. Later, the dancing began and everyone seemed to be having a great time. It turned out to be an enjoyable evening and I have no idea what time I got home. Like I said, I was the designated passenger.

Breaking News: Jimmy's Journal, not to be outdone by CNN, has received information from un-named sources that Russia has invaded Georgia. Oddly enough I had Georgia On My Mind this morning and I had an inkling that The Devil Went Down To Georgia. It is uncertain at this time if the Russians took The Midnight Train To Georgia.

I urge Americans all over this nation to gather arms and fight against this immoral Russian tactic. In the interim, I suggest that the residents of Atlanta return to their home city of Detroit and take the news and political anchors of CNN with them. This has been a public service announcement.

Kudos to 41 year old Olympic athlete, Elizabeth Torres, who swam the anchor leg in the in the 400 meter freestyle Sunday. The team earned a silver medal, bringing Torres' lifetime Olympic medal count to 10, the first (gold) occurring in the 1984 Barcelona Olympics at the tender age of 17.

Sorry to see the passing of comedian Bernie Mac (50) and musician Isaac Hayes (65) this weekend.

The Cat's Ass Trophy (CAT): The CAT award had 2 nominations. Myra, author of My Thoughts, nominated John Edwards for acknowledging his long rumored affair with Rielle Hunter. Garnett, author My Brain Is In Pain, nominated Vince Weiguang Li, the dirtbag who decapitated the man on the bus. The latter is a no brainer, but I'd much be the one who administers the lethal injection to Mr. Li.

The matter of John Edward's tardy admission of guilt only reinforces my opinions of slick talking politicians, who are experts at telling you what you want to hear. Their only goal is to win and they'll say and do anything to get there. I return to my stand on presidential politics; This Is Not American Idol ! The Cat Award goes to both nominees. 

The Pictures: Things I found today that made me smile.

This Date In History: 1841; Fugitive slave Frederick Douglass, soon to be a well known orator, speaks before a mostly white abolitionist meeting for the first time on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket. He begins his speech with a well known Nantucket limerick. 1952; Sixteen year old Hussein ibn Talal is proclaimed king of Jordan after his father is declared unfit to rule. King Hussein remains on the throne until his death in 1999. This author has been on the throne many times, but never surpassing 20 minutes.

1956; Abstract painter Jackson Pollack dies at the age of 44 in an automobile accident on Long Island, N.Y. 1992; The largest mall in the United States, The Mall of America, opens in Bloomington, Minnesota. The developers wanted to call it the Pall Mall, but the name had already been taken.

1997; Bill Clinton is the first U.S. president to use the line-item veto (a power granted by Congress to the president in April 1996, but ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1998 because it was intelligent and they didn't want to break tradition).

Birthdays: Giford Pinchot, forester (1865), Louise Bogan, poet (1897), Alex Haley, brother of Bill and novelist (1921), Jerry Falwell, evangelist (1933).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

One day, a father gets out of work and on his way home, he suddenly remembers that it's his daughter's birthday. He stops at a toy shop and inside, asks the saleswoman, "How much for one of those Barbie dolls in the display window?"

The saleswoman answers, "Which one do you mean, sir? We have Beach Barbie for $19.95, Dancing Barbie for $19.95, Work Out Barbie for $19.95, and Divorced Barbie for $265.95.

The amazed father asks, "It's what? Why is the Divorced Barbie $265.95 and the others only $19.95?"

The annoyed salesperson rolls her eyes, sighs, andanswers, "Sir, Divorced Barbie comes with Ken's Car, Ken's House, Ken's Boat, Ken's Furniture, Ken's Computer, one of Ken's Friends, and a cute little key chain made with Ken's balls.

That's it for today my little cocoa nuts. More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

Tags: Jimmy's Journal, JimSulliv3, Possums Journal, Jimmys AREA 51, ham and cheese, Jimmys-MySpace, Bernie Mac, My Perfect Martini, Jimmys Pictures, John McCain will win, CAT Award, Monday Blues,

Change? A Letter From A Cuban

I normally don't post on the weekend, mainly due to the fact that the bulk of my time is spent searching for body parts misplaced during my treks to AREA 51. I found this letter, sent to me by my pal, Gipsy, to be quite compelling and I thought I'd share it with you. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Jimmy

Letter from a Cuban - CHANGE

From Richmond Times-Dispatch, Monday, July 7, 2008 ~

Dear Editor, 'Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day, and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba, and a few months later, I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said, 'Praise the Lord.'

And when the young leader said,'I will be for change and I'll bring you change'; everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent, the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education, it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented, Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over, more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

CHANGE

Would we?

Manuel Alvarez, Jr. Sandy Hook

Tags: JimSulliv3, Jimmy's Journal, Letter from A Cuban, Politics