1.
I had no clue Jim Belushi was an Albino.

He doesn't look very pale.

mac at 6:24PM on Jan 28th 2009

2. I’d like to see him PR-pummel Nancy Grace into a more palatable persona, but CAN one go from swamp sow to pleasant hominid? If so…then, I’ll nab his book.

I love Albanians! They make great family members.

ah, Clem at 7:49PM on Jan 28th 2009

3. (it's still the 28th here!)
Happy Bday Mister Mo!
You may be 40...but I hear you are reading on the 41 year old level-congrats on that.

Andrea at 2:38AM on Jan 29th 2009

4. Anyone remember the Albanian jailer from "Oh, Wicked Wanda!" ?

Master Shake at 7:20AM on Jan 29th 2009

5. Actually I disagree with that observation of Mr. Bragman's. Rather than "embrace his Albanianness" or his Albanian heritage, for the Nobel Peace Prize Jim would have to "transcend" his Albanianness. For example, he is a funny guy, so he could do this comedically, as opposed to comically, by prodding the American elements of Albanian supporters and Serbian supporters out of the idea that either should be supporting the old country nutcases. Actually there is a very good set of reasons to promote a lasting Balkans peace. The Serbian neuroses re. Albania rests on certain religious & historical sites there in Kossovo[old spelling-avoids the current Serbian Kosovo and Albanian Kosova], which are regrettably not adjacent to the border for some mutal adjustments/ easy rectifications. The solution? Vaticanize the Serbian Orthodox church in Pec[i.e. give it some 800 acres], add about 4 monasteries in the rest of the country a la Castel Gandolfo in Italy. Regarding the historical battlefield site of Kossovo field, there were two massive multi-national fights there, in both of which Serbians, Turks, Albanians, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Bosnians, Croatians, and Rumanians fought on one side or another-- and in the case of Serbs and Albanians-on both sides in both instances. So, internationalize the battlefield, put it under a multi-national commission where a representative from all concerned countries will govern its upkeep and tourism aspects. The cognate example is the current HQ of the Knights Hospitallers formerly of Rhodes and Malta in Rome. This will take care of the immediate Serbian grievances from a religious and historical standpoint, and then the means for a political lasting peace are the simple realization that in the future Europe is going to be more tightly unified. , and steps taken with foresight to achieve the best possible future for themselves in that case.. Most likely it will wind up in a Federal situation where each independent political entity will retain some influence due to that independent status. Which means the benefits of being ethnically diverse is enhanced, not diminished, by the presence of an large minority ethnicity being present in more countries /entities. For example, had the Serbian extremists gotten their wish of slicing off all Serbian-majority areas of Croatia, Bosnia, Kossovo, and kept Montenegro in a unified state, in a European confederation or federation it means Serbian interests would have been relegated to a sole country-derivative's vote to be likely in their favor. However, with presences of over 10% in Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kossovo, in addition to Serbia per se, the Serbian influence will equate on one level to that of the Germans[Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Lichtenstein], and French[France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Andorra, Monaco], and possibly more than the English, depending on the status of Ulster[England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and possibly Northern Ireland/Ulster] just as an independent Kossovo aids the Albanians by essentially doubling their potential influence and the presence of Albanians in Macedonia trebles it. So for Serbs AND Albanians the independence of Kossovo is a WIN-WIN situation...in the long run. And for getting the Nobel Peace prize all Jim would have to do is to present this so the lunkheads in charge over there in Serbia, Albania and Kossovo mutually realized it...so that in short order they A)come to an agreement re. religious and historical sites as mentioned above, B)stop living in fear of oppression and invasion(on either end) due to these not being beneficial or productive. And getting it done before the rest of Europe realizing it is happening :).

Daniel I. Radakovich at 11:36AM on Jan 29th 2009

6. I made it 1:13 into this AWESOME video, then had to run to work.

Please, Mo, give us more of this guy.

I WANT HIM BACK!!!

s at 4:19PM on Jan 29th 2009

7. Al Gore won a Nobel Prize???

Can I get my money back?

JS at 6:36PM on Jan 29th 2009

8. why not? if carter and algore can get nobel prizes, then it has absolutely no value. nobama will get one next, further devaluing it's importance

DEMOCRAPS ARE DOPES at 6:41PM on Jan 29th 2009

9. Much funnier than even Jim Belushi.

Mike at 1:26AM on Jan 30th 2009

10. watt the new American idol is albanian thats greatt lol

gesa at 3:11PM on Jan 30th 2009

11. Actually, the most famous living Albanian-American, I would say, is another top "performer" and I guess you all know him. His name is Regis Philbin and you can see him every morning live on TV. Yes, Regis is Albanian blood. How about the sexiest Vampire Slayer: Eliza Dushku. She is Albanian too. There are many, many others.

Anyway, some names for a start:

John Belushi - (Jim's undiluted-talented Albanian brother) - The Blues Brothers Legend and Saturday Night Live unrepeated talent.

Alan Shepard - One of the astronauts of Apollo 14 that have landed on the moon (always, if they ever did). He actually has sent the Albanian flag on the Moon as a symbolic gesture. Oh yeah!

William Gregory - Another Albanian-American astronaut, or as I like to call him: the Shuttle STS-67 Guy. Another astronaut? What? A ha!

Ferid Murad M.D. Phd. - the inventor of Viagra (You're welcome!) and Nobel Price Laureate in Medicine. I would personally give the top spot to this guy. Read some about him (if you're patient enough) http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=280


For those who like to travel:

In Egypt, there was an Albanian Dynasty reigning until the WWII. (Go figure!)

The Blue Mosque, an unbelievable icon of Ottoman Empire was build in Istanbul by an Albanian architect. His name was Mehmet of Elbasan.

The Taj Mahal Chief architect was the Albanian Mehmet Isa. What? Taj Mahal? Are you crazy? Oh yeah! How it comes I didn't know about that till now? Well, you didn't, but Albanians did. Until now.

The famously terrible satrap of Janina, Ali Pasha of Tepelena, was of course an Albanian.

Gjika (Ghica) Family - the founders of Wallachia and Moldavia - present day Romania. Probably the most famous Albanian throne holders.

...and to make your brains pop like a...nevermind...how about this:

"Napoleon Bonaparte's Albanian origin?

On 1903, Adolf Thieres write: ”When Josef Bonaparti, the older brother of Napoleon Bonapartit became King of Naples on 1806, Arberesh/Albanians that went to welcome him, he told them: ”And Bonaparti family is from arberesh origin". Adolf Thieres, x-president of Franc said: Bonapart's older brother admit on 1806 , that his family was an Arberesh origin and had very close relationship to Ali Pasha Tepelena. On Bonaparti's family, profesor Robert d’Angely with origin from Corsica enlight in his book "Enigma of race of origins and languages of Pelasg,Arian,Hellen,Etruscan,Greek and Albanian". It is a book with seven volumes and with a 30 years work from this profesor. In pages 113-117 he wrote that Napoleon Bonaparti was an albanian origin, same as it was Great Alexander and Scanderbeg.It is interesting that the profesor says in his book that the old surname of Napoleon was ”Kalë-miri” ( in Albanian good-horse) and not Kalimeros as greeks lie.

Additional Details

Napoleon apparently also swore in an 'unknown language' when becoming furious. Smth makes us conclude that this language couldn't have been a language near France, because I don't think Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch or English were 'mysterious' idioms that nobody not only didn't understand, but apparently never even heard to. Another thing which might indicate smth, is Napoleon's treatment of one of the generals who conquored Egypt (who's name I cannot recall). He was besieging a fortress in Egypt protected by Albanians for the most part. The general gave the Albanians his promise that if they surrendered the already lost fortress without further resistance, they would be pardoned and left to go. But when they abandoned the fortress, they were disarmed and executed (2,000 men according to the source ).

Napoleon upon hearing what happened, fired the general and confiscated his medals, stating that 'French soldiers do not fight that cowardly' - did Napoleon do this because he felt kinship with the betrayed warriors who defended the fortress, or because he was a fair soldier or because of his blood from ......Arberesh?(it could be the latter, but didn't Napoleon's men slaughter people wherever they went, more or less?)??

P.S.: Arberesh is the branch of Albanians that live in the South of Italy and there is where Regis Philbin's family has its roots as well.


Well, that's enough for now. Next time I will explain to you why one of Mr. G.W.B.'s first companies was named "a r b u s t o." Maybe, we'll need to add more names to the list...you never know.

Korab Arba at 9:20PM on Jan 30th 2009

12. By thanking Korab Arba, I would like to add something more!

"Albert Einstein was a stateless person in the period 1896-1901. In April 1931 he was issued an Albanian passport from Albanian King Zog which he used to travel to USA and a year later he received a Swiss passport."

Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stateless_person

AO KS at 1:49PM on Feb 1st 2009

13. i love everyone from my country Albania .Albania is small land but they great history.Small land alot HERO like JIM Belushi They are Hero lider Albanian -American Arberesh Joseph Dioguardi every night I stay 1:30 AM.I looking for our origine.We have the Great Histori .Im proud to be Albanian American .I wach every morning the great Regis Philben Kara dioguardi.I like the dancin the Stars Toni Dovolani best dansin.allot great hero is small Land the great People.They have the wanderful Human and Great famouse Mother Theresa She left for our generation to go more to bring our Country honest and love respect for each other to bring our country to be forever together Albania is big together .Im sorry but our country Albani Kosova Arberia e Italia and greek we are from the Hero Scanderbe George Kastrioti .is Religion Cathlik why Im suffering allot .How coming we are religion cathlik from the scenderbe.Please we want to be together likes we was our inheriti .Albania it was CATHLICK Why they used to us like this.im feel very bed .In albania long time people they have name catholike .Every Family when is born the name is Catholike .Im sorry im not to be bed but this our religion long time it was the great famose Skenderbe.Im not emberesed to be Albania we can try to be together to do great job for our origine Albania Americane .GOD BLESS AMERICA GOD bless Albania and gOD BLESS THE GREAT OUR LIDER JOSEPH DIOGUARDI AND EVERYONE THEY ARE PROUD TO BE ALBANIA.LOVE PEGGY,KASEY,MARSI AND ZIMMI,NY usa.

peggy mesutllar at 11:32AM on Nov 1st 2009

14. Yes jim belushi is the best aktor and hero artist .Jim Belushi can win the nobel prize.love my family peggy M

peggy mesutllar at 12:20AM on Oct 31st 2009

15. Jim Belushi is great actore we love him in acting ,Singer writer is is everything Famouse on the show we waching on television .YES JIM BELUSHI WORKIN LONG TIME BEAUTIFUL SHOW JIM BELUSHI CAN WIN THE PEASE NOBEL pRIZE SURE.WE LOVE YoU JIM BELUSHi FROM SI,NY.FROM PEGGY,MARSI ,KASEY AND ZIMMI.

peggy mesutllari at 7:21PM on Oct 31st 2009