"Justice" in Somalia

It was the most excitement the southern Somalian city of Kismayo had seen in quite some time: a vehicle with loud speakers roamed the streets, inviting the public to the enforcement of the Islamic law the dictates punishment for theft -- the cutting off the the right hand.

Hundreds gathered in Freedom Park as a young man named Mohamed Omar Ismail, found guilty of stealing goods from another man's house, was brought before the crowd as a statement was read. The passage from the Koran was read which decrees the relevant punishment. His hand was then immediately severed and held up before the crowd by the index finger, as if to prove that 'we mean business.'

Ismail, recovering from his wound in a local hospital, says he did not commit the burglary and is still in shock from what has happened to him.

The current struggle for control in Somalia is not secular forces versus Islamic forces, but hardline Islamists versus more moderate Islamists. Both say that sharia law, or Islamic law, will sooner or later be firmly in place in that war-torn country.

The International Language of Beatboxing

Witness and marvel: this 18-year-old Japanese kid has taken the art of vocal percussion to an uncanny level. 

If you're reading this in an e-mail or on Facebook, here is the link for the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZsML4uWoiw

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

On May 5, 1862, the underdog Mexican army withstood the onslaught of the powerful French army, undefeated in fifty years, in the southeastern state of Puebla. Even though it was not even a turning point in the war against the French, who completed their invasion a year later, it is remembered and celebrated for the Mexicans' determination to stand up against great odds. 

Believe it or not, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more outside Mexico than within -- the people of Puebla certainly celebrate, but it is primarily a regional, not national, celebration. Many non-Mexicans believe it is Mexican Independence Day (that is September 16). The date has evolved throughout the world simply as a day to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage, and a good excuse for many to indulge in Mexican food and tequila. 

Today's celebration in Puebla, however, will no doubt be mitigated by the current virtual lockdown in Mexico because of the H1N1 virus. In any case, here's to a lively, colorful culture which has impacted us all in one way or another.

The Fat Facts

This week's WorldQuiz question was: What country has the highest number of deaths PER CAPITA due to obesity?
The one person who posted an answer on this blog guessed what you might expect: the US. You may be surprised to know that per capita, the US is number five on that list -- with Austria in first place. Numbers two, three and four, respectively, are: Cayman Islands, Denmark and New Zealand.
In total numbers, however, more people do die of obesity in the US than any other nation, followed by Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Spain and Austria.

Shock for the Dutch

April 30 is Queen's Day in the Netherlands. My wife and I have wonderful memories, from our five years in Amsterdam, of the festive atmosphere which not only honors the past and current queen (Queen Beatrix is pictured here), but also coincides with a general relief that spring has arrived. People also take advantage of the occasion to set out on the curb any household items or furniture they've been wanting to get rid of -- a nationwide flea market.

Today the only relief was that none of the royal family were injured when an unknown Dutchman drove his car through the parade barricades as the royal family passed by in an open bus. Four people were killed, however, and several more injured.

WorldQuiz: Obesity

In what country do the most people PER CAPITA die of obesity?

Post your answer!

A Memory to Stop Traffic

Imagine the hustle and bustle of morning rush hour and the accompanying noise -- like any other day -- being suddenly interrupted by the wail of a siren. The overpowering sound of the siren then gives way to complete silence, as drivers get out of their cars, pedestrians stop in their tracks, and all that is heard is the wind as everyone stands stone still for two long minutes of silent remembrance.

That's exactly what happened today as Israelis, joined by other Jews around the world, stopped to remember when the unthinkable happened. Thousands -- Holocaust survivors, teenagers, Jews and a few Gentiles, joined in the March of the Living at Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland, where 1.1 million people, 90% of whom were Jews, were exterminated by the Nazi regime.

Any Jewish parent wants his or her children to know about and remember the Holocaust.

How about you, my Gentile friend?