Things To Do In Somalia

From the World Travel Guide, suggestions for Somalia Sightseeing.

Mogadishu: Were it not for the warlords, parts of the capital would be highly attractive to tourists.

Those damn warlords!

The beaches are nice, too.

Bad Lip-Reading

This is pretty good.

Quote Of The Day

Today's quote is from Michael Foley, a deputy district attorney for Clark County, Nevada. He doesn't like the idea of making it legal for people who are not affiliated with a religion to perform marriage ceremonies.

"If you allow every Elvis impersonator to go around marrying people, you’re going to have some problems with paperwork and so forth."’

Here's a random Elvis impersonator for you:

Go To The Stars

The Creation Museum has a planetarium and an astrophysicist on staff.  That means: You Can Be a Stargazer!

We had a neat story from this past Friday’s Stargazer’s Night. It was an amazing evening with very clear skies. The participants looked at Jupiter, star clusters, binary stars, and a supernova 27 million light years away.

That's a pretty good trick for a universe that's only 6,000  years old. But don't worry, they have it covered. Here's an excerpt from an article called Does Distant Starlight Prove the Universe Is Old?

Many secular astronomers assume that the universe is infinitely big and has an infinite number of galaxies. This has never been proven, nor is there evidence that would lead us naturally to that conclusion. So, it is a leap of “blind” faith on their part.

However, if we make a different assumption instead, it leads to a very different conclusion. Suppose that our solar system is located near the center of a finite distribution of galaxies. Although this cannot be proven for certain at present, it is fully consistent with the evidence; so it is a reasonable possibility.

In that case, the earth would be in a gravitational well. This term means that it would require energy to pull something away from our position into deeper space. In this gravitational well, we would not “feel” any extra gravity, nonetheless time would flow more slowly on earth (or anywhere in our solar system) than in other places of the universe.

A related article by Ken Ham's Creationist/astrophysicist: When astrophysicists go bad: Jason Lisle

October 23

I've been in touch with my hosting company, and my hosting account will expire on October 24. So October 23 is the last day this blog will be accessible. Coincidentally, that's also the anniversary of the beginning of the War of Jenkin's Ear (1739) -- and, of course, Weird Al Yankovic's birthday.

I plan to create a complete archive of all posts and comments, and make it available to anyone who wants it.

Telecaster Will Get Buried

A happy ending: Stolen guitar returned to man's casket.

It was returned to Jourdan's coffin over the weekend after the grounds superintendent of Allouez Catholic Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum was accused of taking it.

Steven Conard, 39, was charged Monday in Brown County Circuit Court with theft from a corpse. If convicted, he faces 10 years in prison and a fine of $25,000. Brown County sheriff's deputies recovered the guitar from Conard's home in nearby Bellevue, Wis.

Family members say Jourdan's hands had been wrapped around the instrument's headstock as he lay in his coffin. Jourdan, of Oneida, Wis., died Sept. 19 at age 67.

Jourdan's live-in girlfriend, Shirley Schuyler, said Jourdan owned several guitars, many of which were displayed at his wake and funeral. But the Fender Telecaster, a custom-built reproduction of one played by a famous musician, was Jourdan's favorite.

I can't believe the article didn't even mention the model of the guitar! I found the criminal complaint at Smoking Gun, and it's referred to as a "cream colored guitar." The guitar is also referred to as his "pride and joy," but the SRV model is a strat.

Here's a random cream-colored tele.

Stolen Shtreimel

Here's a headline for you: Hooligan Hoists Holy Hasidic Hat!

A thief was busted at a Williamsburg hat store for attempting to pawn off a stolen shtreimel, the distinctive fur-and-velvet hat worn by many Hasidic Jews. The alleged thief, Robert Giuff, brought the hat—which he said he found next to garbage on the street—to a store where he tried to sell it for $350, which is not the smartest move when the owner's name is written inside.

The store's owner immediately noticed the name and phone number of the shtreimel's righful owner written inside of the hat.

Here's a random man wearing a shtreimel.

Match Art

Here are some Matchbook Portraits.

Artist Mike Bell has found yet another use for matchbooks by turning them into 3-D portraits that are just flat-out cool.

Callista’s New Book Is Available

Mrs. Newtster, president of Gingrich Productions, has published a new book about the GOP mascot: Sweet Land of Liberty.

In Sweet Land of Liberty, Ellis the Elephant sets off on a quest to find out. Through an amazing afternoon at the library, Ellis travels through time and discovers the pivotal moments that have shaped our nation’s unique history.

The author is shown here posing with Ellis.

(via Princess Sparkle Pony)

Mistaken Identity

In Florida: Patrons mistake ice cream shop mascot for KKK robes.

The owners of Ice Cream Family Corner and Sandwiches at the busy intersection of South Pine Avenue and Southwest 17th Street say their two-month-old business is getting creamed because passers-by have mistaken their white-hooded ice cream cone mascot for a KKK protester.

Co-owner Jose Cantres says rumors are swirling on Facebook about the exact nature of the little vanilla cone, and employees heard through word of mouth that potential customers have steered clear of the shop to avoid the character.

Liza Diaz, who manages the store for Cantres and co-owner Jesus Diaz, said an employee at the bank where she does business told her a co-worker was so frightened by the white dollop patrolling the street corner that she called her husband crying and refused to drive through the intersection.

Anti-Religion Billboard

I'm not much for organized atheism, but I like this campaign: Calif. Atheist Billboards Lump Magic Underwear, Voodoo With Salvation.

An atheist group continues to spread its anti-Christian, anti-religion message in the typically conservative communities of Orange County, Calif., by unveiling two more billboard signs mocking faith this week.

One of the billboards located in the city of Orange states, "Make this a better world. Reject all religious superstitions." Listed underneath the proclamation are 36 different references to Christianity, other religions, and cults. Included in the list are: "Talking Snakes," "Burning Bushes," "Resurrection," "Salvation," and "Sin."

Lumped in with the Christian references are "Voodoo," "Magic Underwear," "Astrology," and "Hand of Fatima."

The group responsible is called the Backyard Skeptics.

"I'm lumping them together to make a point that all of the religionists in the world think that the other religionists' superstitions are silly except for theirs," Gleason said. "We (Backyard Skeptics) think that people harm others because of their religious superstitions. If the world did not have any of these superstitions it would absolutely be a better place."

Luxury Parking

Because you've earned it: Car Safety Lockers are the ultimate in Luxury Parking.

While women love showing off their jewelry at every available occasion, guys have to make do with driving their pride and joys – namely cars on the roads and hope that their competitors notice them. Switzerland based architect decided to create deposit boxes like parking for cars which literally puts them in a show case.

Nestled into a hill, these concrete boxes make you feel as if your car is a piece of art worthy of admiration. The concrete boxes have glass windows which allow you to look on to the car while also offering some gorgeous views of the surrounding country side.

The Father Of Oral Chelation

Benny Hinn has expanded his ministry, and is now selling snake oil: Dr. Garry Gordon’s BC-I MultiVitamin and Bio En'R-Gy C Offer.

Get these two fine products from Dr. Garry Gordon, the "Father of Oral Chelation."

The mother hasn't been identified.

Your money will be better spent on a Prosperity Prayer Shawl.

Iraq Gets Free Stuff!

Lovely parting gifts: U.S. To Hand Over Iraq Bases, Equipment Worth Billions.

With just over three months until the last U.S. troops are currently due to leave Iraq, the Department of Defense is engaged in a mad dash to give away things that cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars to buy and build.

The giveaways include enormous, elaborate military bases and vast amounts of military equipment that will be turned over to the Iraqis, mostly just to save the expense of bringing it home.

"It's all sunk costs," said retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, who oversaw the training of Iraqi soldiers from 2003 to 2004. "It's money that we spent and we're not going to recoup."

Over 2.4 million pieces of equipment worth a total of at least $250 million -- everything from tanks and trucks to office furniture and latrines -- have been given away to the Iraqi government in the past year, with the pace of transfers expected to increase dramatically in the coming months.

Can't we trade it for some oil or camels?

Celebrity Kid Goes To School

How Scientologists are made: Suri Cruise starts scientology school

It was only a matter of time before Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes started ramping up daughter Suri's involvement with Tom's controversial belief system, Scientology, and last week, the five-year-old enrolled at a school which uses the teachings of the ‘cult's' founder, L Ron Hubbard, in its lessons.

The New Leadership Academy in chic Calabasas, California - a school established and funded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, who have never confirmed nor denied that they are Scientologists - boasts many Scientologist teachers, and uses a teaching system called ‘Study Technology', coupled with days of fasting and lessons far removed from traditional maths, science or languages.

"Instead of learning basic words and maths, Suri and the other children will learn how to rid themselves of engrams - that is, past memories that block learning and understanding," a former Scientologist told Woman's Day. Adding, "Everything is so different."

And Suri will also take lessons in learning to build and interact with robots, as robiotics are considered a major part of the ‘religion'.

With one of the core Scientology beliefs centred around the idea that an alien galactic overlord called Xenu was responsible for creating humanity and the earth as we know it today, pupils at the New Leadership Academy are taught lessons to prepare them for eventual alien contact.

(Photo from the Suri Cruise Fashion Blog)

Upside Down House

In South Korea (I think): Geokkuro Jip.

No, we didn't just flip the photo. That's what it really looks like.

White House Petitions

The White House Web site lets people post petitions that others can sign. It's Your Voice in Our Government.

The right to petition your government is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. We the People provides a new way to petition the Obama Administration to take action on a range of important issues facing our country. We created We the People because we want to hear from you. If a petition gets enough support, White House staff will review it, ensure it’s sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.

Sure they will.

The most popular, with 35,464 signatures: Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol.

Second, with 20,903 signatures: Abolish the TSA, and use its monstrous budget to fund more sophisticated, less intrusive counter-terrorism intelligence.

Keep An Eye On Your Pigs

Presented as a public service: Midwest Farmers on Alert as Pig Thieves Strike.

This month, 150 pigs — each one weighing more than an average grown man — disappeared from a farm building in Lafayette despite deadbolts on its doors. Farther north near Lake Lillian, 594 snorting, squealing hogs disappeared last month, whisked away in the dark.

And in Iowa, with added cover from the vast stretches of tall cornfields, pigs have been snatched, 20 or 30 at a time, from as many as eight facilities in the last few weeks, said the sheriff of Mitchell County, adding that among other challenges, the missing are difficult to single out.

“They all look alike,” said Curt Younker, the sheriff, who said he had only rarely heard of pig thefts in his decades on the job. “Suddenly we’re plagued with them.”

Why?

Some livestock economists pointed to the thefts in this hog-rich region as one more sign of the grim economy, a reflection of record-high prices for hogs this year and the ease of stealing pigs from the large barns that are often far from the farmer’s house.