The Celebrity Deaths Continue......

In a week that a number of celebrity deaths have occurred, actor Karl Malden has died at the age of 97. Malden starred in dozens of films and won an Oscar for "A Streetcar Named Desire." He also had roles as a priest in "On the Waterfront" and a warden in "Birdman of Alcatraz." He played General Omar Bradley in "Patton."

Malden's greatest fame arrived in the 1970s TV series, "The Streets of San Francisco," in which he played Detective Mike Stone. Malden also kept his face on television as the pitchman for American Express for over 21 years. I always enjoyed watching Karl Malden and he will be missed. Rest In Peace my friend.

Is there any subject or group that television executives won't make into a reality show? The cost of making a reality show is obviously lower than paying a troupe of actors in a comedy or drama and as long as the public continues to watch this type of garbage, television executives will continue to produce them.

I don't watch reality shows. I also don't watch American Idol, Dancing With The Stars or any other similar shows. It seems that quality shows are being replaced with hyped up shows that only become watchable when they get to the finality.

Al Franken has been declared the winner of the long contested Minnesota Senatorial race. Republican Norm Coleman conceded to Democrat Al Franken in Minnesota's contested Senate race on Tuesday, hours after a unanimous state Supreme Court ruled the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian should be certified the winner.

Franken portrayed the farcical "Stuart Smalley," a somewhat thinly veiled parody of PBS children's show, "Mr. Rogers." The only difference is that Mr. Rogers dealt with kids and Franken will be dealing with thieves and idiots.

From the state whose wise populace elected such greats as former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura as their governor, now have a comedian as their senator. If there's something the government does not need, it's another comedian in the Senate.

The scary thing is that Franken becomes the 60th democrat in the Senate effectively nullifying the republican ability to filibuster.

Odds and ends: Odd that Papa Joe Jackson is not in Michael's will. After his mumbling hype of his new record company during an interview about Michael's sudden death, maybe the lyrics to Michael's song "She's out Of My Life" should be changed to "He's Out Of My Will."........Governor Mark Sanford has referred to his mistress as his "soulmate" while at the same time saying he's trying to "fall back in love" with his wife. What an asshole!........Al "Podium Al" Sharpton has rode the Michael Jackson train like the professional he is. Pictures of him bumping and grinding with an audience member at the Apollo theater during the Jackson memorial demonstrates his pain........

This Date In History: 1690; William III definitively defeats the exiled James II at the Battle of the Boyne. 1867; The British North America Act, passed by the British Parliament, goes into effect, joining four North American colonies in the Dominion of Canada.

1916; The Battle of the Somme, the first major offensive of World War I, begins. 1997; At the end of its 99-year lease on the territory, Britain returns Hong Kong to Chinese control.

Picture Of The Day: Watching the "Streets of San Francisco" was always a must for me. A well written show, the script was always interesting and more importantly, believable. Current television shows and movies have such impossible stunts that it demeans the script and the integrity of the show.

I thought today's opening picture fit the current rash of celebrity deaths quite well. I especially liked the idea of Ray Charles being portrayed in the role as a musical Moses at the Pearly Gates.

Birthdays: Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, philosopher and mathematician 1646, George Sand, pseudonym of Amandine Aurore Lucile, Baronne Dudevant, French novelist of the Romantic Movement 1804, Charles Laughton, actor and director 1899, Diana, Princess of Wales, British princess 1961.

Printable Things I Never Told You: 1) Why is it that after I push one for English, I still can't understand the person on the other end? 2) It has been more than three days and the cave with the large boulder blocking the entrance is still in place. Mary is nowhere to be found. 3) I have the right to remain silent. Anything I say will be misquoted, then used against me. 4) One of the good things about growing older is your eyes won't get much worse. 5) I overheard a woman tell another woman that she liked the shirt that the guy (me) with the silver hair was wearing. As long as I'm referred to as the guy with the silver hair, I've got a shot. The problem is when they refer to me as "The old codger with the grey hair........"

My thanks to my pal, Linda in Washington, for her contributions to today's entry.

The Hits Just Keep On Coming:

One morning, a cop on horseback is sitting at a traffic light, and next to him is a kid on his brand new bike. The cop says to the kid, "Nice bike you got there." The kid says, "Thanks, I got it for my birthday." The cop says, "Well, tell your parents they should have put a tail-light on that bike." The cop then proceeds to issue the kid a $20.00 bicycle safety violation ticket.

The kid takes the ticket and before the cop rides off says, "By the way, that's a nice horse you got there. Did you get it for your birthday?" Humoring the kid, the cop says, "Yeah, I did." The kid says, "Well, tell the people who gave it to you that it's abnormal." Surprised, the cop says, "What do you mean?" The kid says, "On normal horses, the asshole is under the tail instead of on top!"

When Barack Obama got elected President and spent his first night in the White House. The ghost of George Washington appears, and Obama says, "How can I best serve my country?" Washington says, "Never tell a lie."

The next night, the ghost of Thomas Jefferson appears. Obama says, "How can I best serve my country?" Jefferson says, "Listen to the people."

On the third night, the ghost of Abe Lincoln appears. Obama says, "How can I best serve my country?" Lincoln says, "Go to the theater."

Dan Quayle, Newt Gingrich and President Clinton all get caught up in a tornado and finally land in the Emerald City of Oz. They are finally allowed to visit the great and powerful wizard and Dan Quayle says "I've had a tough time getting by in Washington and I think I'd like to have a brain".

Newt Gingrich speaks next and says "I've heard all they say about me and my conservative politics and I'd like to have a heart."

President Clinton speaks last and says "I'll just take Dorothy."

That's it for today my little alley cats. It's Hump Day and an excellent excuse to head over to my AREA 51 watering hole and see what's happening. More on Friday.

Stay Tuned !