I’ve been planning on taking a vacation this summer, so I decided to do some research beforehand. The last time I just got in my car and started driving. I’d rather not go into great detail, but let’s just say it didn’t turn out all that well (and that porcupines, tequila and snorkeling is not a good combination).

Anyway, while doing my research, I ran across this list on AOL.com of the Top 10 Places To Not Visit. When I saw this, I thought to myself, “This will be a very useful tool. When I think travel knowledge and competence in general, I think AOL.”

These places are known, according to the list, as “hells on earth.” I think you might surprised to find out that the #5 place in the world Not To Visit is our own Oklahoma City. To put this in some perspective, OKC is the only city in the States to make the list. We rank as a worse place to visit than Baghdad and Chernobyl. I mean, Doug Sauter’s mustache is as terrifying to me as the next guy, but I always thought we were at least in better shape than most warzones.

Here is what they said about us:

The weather is frighteningly unpredictable, with blizzards often descending on the city and winds that could knock a high rise clean off its feet. It is, after all, located in the direct path of “Tornado Alley.” The worst time to visit would be from March to August, when the severe weather season makes Dorothy’s Kansas look positively calm. One of the most powerful tornadoes on record — an F5 with wind speeds of 320 mph — devastated much of the city in 1999.

Oh. Maybe these people don’t exactly know what they’re talking about. Perhaps I should put Mogadishu back on my list of potential vacation spots after all.

UPDATE: I guess they removed us from their list. That takes all the fun out of it. Boo.

photo from flickr user “zoomar”

Say what you want about the town of Wilson, Oklahoma, that won’t change the most important thing: I’ve never heard of it.

As of this writing, the lead story on NewsOK.com is about a crime that occurred in the Carter County town of Wilson this weekend. Basically, a lady died, and her dog got sent to the pound. So a few kids, fearing that it would be put to sleep, hatched a plan to bust the dog out of the slammer and let it attend it’s owner’s funeral.

Fortunately, the town of Wilson has a top-notch police chief named Felix Hernandez and his department was able to use their awesome detective skills to deduce what had happened:

“The door to the pound was wide open and there was a guy with the dog in his arms,” Hernandez said.

Now that is some incredible police work!

I don’t know about all of you, but I am glad this story is in the news. It brings some much-needed press to the small town of Wilson, and it also teaches kids that Crime Doesn’t Pay. Except when it does. Am I right, Hooker I Just Skipped Out On Without Paying? High Five!