If they're ordained then yes, as near as we can tell.

The County Clerk's office has a terrific Web page with all the information necessary to obtain a wedding license and get married in Racine County.

The Frequently Asked Question section of the County Clerk's Web site lists several questions and answers relevant to getting married. One addresses who can perform marriages.

The answer listed is "Any ordained clergyman of any religious denomination or society, court commissioners, family court commissioners, any judge of a court of record, reserve judge or municipal court judge may perform the ceremony. A list of judges and court commissioners is available in the County Clerk's Office."

You can reach the County Clerk's Office at (262) 636-3121.

I read somewhere that you could buy a star in the sky. Is there any truth to this? I might like to buy three, if they're not too expensive.

You can't really buy a star. Celestial property isn't for sale. You can pay someone to name a star for you, but that seems hokey. If you don't agree, head to the Web site of The International Star Registry -

http://www.starregistry.com

Packages to name a star range from $54 to $139. All packages include a certificate detailing your star's name with the date and coordinates.

The International Astronomical Union isn't crazy about this idea, and points out that your star's name isn't really recognized by anybody with the juice to make it stick. The page on its Web site that deals with naming stars is pretty funny and should be read by anyone who wants to buy the naming rights to a star. Check it out at

http://www.iau.org/public_press/themes/buying_star_names/

How do you report a burned-out streetlight in the City of Racine?

You can do this online at the Web site for the City of Racine's Engineering Department.

Go to http://www.cityofracine.org. Click "Departments." Head to the Web page for the Department of Public Works and find the link for the City of Racine Engineering Department.

Scroll down that page and you'll see information on reporting a burnt-out streetlight.

You'll see an interesting fact. Did you know that there is a total of 8,183 streetlights in the City of Racine (WEPCO - 4838, City Streets 3345)?

Click the link that says "Report Street Light Outage" and a form will open in a separate window.

Every wooden pole is assigned a pole number, and you'll need that number. It's stamped on a metal strap at eye level. Cement and metal poles do not have numbers.

Make sure you also have the pole's precise address and location. You'll also want to check if the light is cycling, which means it's turning on and off, or if the light is off all the time.

Are laptop computers now more popular than desktops?

They are in the United States, but not globally. Laptop computers outsold their desktop cousins in the U.S. for the first time in May 2005.

USA Today recently did an article about the number of laptops in the U.S. doubling between 2001 and 2004. Falling prices, improvements in laptop technology that makes them as powerful as some desktops and built-in wireless connections are some of the reasons laptops are now so popular.

Laptop users worldwide number more than 100 million, and the laptop is becoming the PC of choice for many. Only one of 10 home computers purchased worldwide in 2000 was a laptop. Today, the figure is better than one in five.

Do ligers really exist?

Yes. But you're watching too much "Napoleon Dynamite."

Jon Heder, the actor who brought Napoleon to life, studied animation in college and drew an imaginary liger for the film.

Big cats usually keep to themselves in the wild. Hybrids are often the result of captive breeding, quite common in the latter half of the 19th century in the heyday of sideshows and traveling circuses.

A liger is the offspring of a male lion and female tiger. They can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and be up to 12 feet long. They might have both stripes and spots and even a mane, if the liger is male.

Lions and tigers are closely related. They share the same genus - Panthera - as leopards and panthers, and have enough genetic material in common to make breeding possible.

What is Glad You Asked?

Glad You Asked finds answers to the questions that keep you up at night. Don't lose sleep. Call (262) 631-1758, or send your questions to

ask@journaltimes.com