New Years 2006/2007
So we survived our adventure in Porto Nueva, Mexico. Our 12 person expeditionary force consisted of C-Bunch ( entries, pics), his cousin SirPsychoSexy, their friends Byron Tyrone Tyrel Tyrice Bison Tyson & Branch, Kim Bowles ( entries pics), Little Colleen ( entries), Colleen Milton ( entries, pics), C.Milton's cousin Elise, Lyrakeet ( entries, pics), Sashakeet ( entries, pics), Kristykeet ( entries, pics), & myself ( entries, pics). We stayed in two six-person suites, which were built in a vertically oriented manner, not-unlike a cat-tower. A narrow spiral staircase led up to the highest rooms, which being the highest parts of the buildings were quite tower-like.
In the nearby lobster-oriented village, every restaurant seemed to have the exact same $12-16 lobster special (of corresponding amounts of lobster). It was really difficult to distinquish between the restaurants... and not only that they need to learn how to come up with more creative names, there was Porto Nueva Lobster Restaurant I, II & III, and Restuarant Del Mar I, II & III, etc etc!
Meanwhile Elsewheree
Elsewhere apparently, Saddam Hussein had a rather unpleasant end to his New Years eve countdown . In Somalia, the Ethiopian and Transitional Government forces crushed the final Islamic Courts Union (ICU) stronghold between the evening of New Years Eve and the early hours of New Years Day. Local clan elders asked the ICU to leave the city (Kismayo) to prevent the city from being destroyed in the fighting, when the ICU refused, fighting broke out behind the front lines between the ICU and local clan militias. ICU commander Sheikh Yusuf Hassan stated "are not going to surrender. We will fight to defend Jilib and Kismayo until we die," shortly before there was a mutiny within the ICU forces and they began a disorganized flight from the battle area. Kenyan forces were seen moving towards the nearby Kenyan border to prevent ICU forces from crossing over, and the United States fifth fleet patrolled the coast to prevent ICU forces from escaping by sea. This appears to be the end of the ICU. The transitional government has announced weapons collections and amnesty programmes for former fighters.