something like this?
var li = $('ul li').map(function(){
return this;
}).get();
$('ul').html(li.sort());
demo
I was somewhat lost you may be wanting something like this...
$('ul#list li:first').appendTo('ul#list'); // make the first to be last...
$('ul#list li:first').after('ul#list li:eq(1)'); // make first as 2nd...
$('ul#list li:contains(Foo)').appendTo('ul#list'); // make the li that has Foo to be last...
more of it here1 and here2
