^I just think there should be a debate on this. Somalis are business minded people but is it ok to have labels looking the same as a competitor? Geel_jire;707847 wrote: which is different from copyright. copyright deals with a creative work of authorship such as a book, play etc. trademarks deals with company logos, names, and short phrases e.g "Just do it" for nike is trademark. but the trouble with trademarks is that to enforce your trademark against another company you have to register your trademar, how that would be done in somalia/land I dont know. and the other problem is that if you dont actively protect your trademark against dilution you lose it. for example 'kleenex' is commonly used to describe tissue paper even though it is only a specific brand of tissue paper ... the trade mark is so diluted that it is no longer enforceable. and you can have similar/identical company names if there is no risk of the customer getting confused .. or one company unfairly benefiting from the good name established by a competitor through quality and hardworkd. that is why the Apple computer had to settle a lawsuit with Apple music (the company that produced the beatles) , when Apple computers entered the music game (itunes) after that lenghty lecture waan haraaday ... how have you been doing my fellow nomads ? My bad. Trademark it is. Welcome back.

The mother of a murder victim broke down in a Dubai court and demanded “is this justice?” as her son’s killers were jailed for just seven years. The dramatic scenes unfolded at Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday as the two Somali men were sentenced for premeditated murder. Prosecutors had asked for the death sentence in the case, where the men stabbed a friend with a broken bottle in a row over a stolen phone. However, Judge Fahmi Monier handed down the prison sentence instead, which sparked the mother’s outburst. “Is this justice?” she yelled through her tears. “There is no justice except that of God. Why not death, my son is gone, he is gone, and all they get is seven years. Is this Dubai Justice?” Policewomen surrounded the mother and asked her to keep quiet as she became hysterical. She was eventually escorted out of the courtroom. Under UAE law, the charge of murder can result in the death sentence. But the judge said he had decided on seven years after considering all the circumstances of the case, although he did not elaborate. The court had earlier heard that the defendants, also Somali, and aged 24 and 26, got into a fight with the victim in the Naif area. The defendants claimed the victim had stolen a mobile phone in Ajman by using one of their IDs, which resulted in the police arresting the innocent man. “They said that they were drinking in a flat when they insulted the victim and fought with him. He escaped but they chased him,” a police officer said. The defendants had denied murder and are expected to appeal. Dubai Public Prosecution has also said that it will ask the appeal court to increase the sentence. ali.shouk@7days.ae

Somaliland Plans to Enforce Compliance on Tax, Double Revenue By Sarah McGregor March 31 (Bloomberg) — Somaliland may double revenue collection this year as it enforces tax compliance among the country’s 40 biggest businesses and richest individuals, the Finance Ministry said. The autonomous region expects government income to total $100 million this year, even after the government slashed tax rates and abolished other levies, Vice Finance Minister Warsame Said Abdi told reporters in the capital, Hargeisa, yesterday. As of Jan. 1, payroll and sales taxes fell to 5 percent from 12 percent, while income taxes dropped to 10 percent from as much as 25 percent, Abdi said. “Somaliland people aren’t tax-oriented,” he said. “What they give to the government is seen as a loss. We are trying to educate them. We’ll use it to build schools, hospitals.” Somaliland, a former British colony, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the fall of dictator Mohammed Siad Barre. While no country has yet officially recognized its independence it has remained largely free of the clan warfare, kidnappings and assassinations that have plagued Somalia. Somaliland’s government relies entirely on taxes for its budgetary expenses and is debt-free, Abdi said. Foreign assistance is not channeled through the government, he said. The World Bank is helping to train tax officials and the United States’ aid agency this week agreed to build 10 state revenue centers across Somaliland, Hassan Jama Mohamed, the Finance Ministry’s public finance management coordinator, said in Hargeisa yesterday. Revenue Loss The loss of annual revenue from Telesom, the country’s biggest telecommunications operator, alone is about $25 million, because of authorities failing to enforce the domestic tax laws, according to Abdi. “We haven’t had the capacity to do the auditing or enforce the existing laws,” Mohamed said. The government is counting on improved revenue collection this year to pay for a doubling of salaries for civil servants, the police and military and a free primary-school education program introduced at the start of the year, he said. –Editors: Paul Richardson, Karl Maier. http://somaliland247.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/somaliland-plans-to-enforce-compliance-on-tax-double-revenue/

The Prem is back. BIG weekend!!!

Come on Nuune, its quite clear the two designs and bottles are very similar. Somali, all commercial laws are required. I know people who are working on some but alot of delays in working with UNDP and translating into Somali. Somaliland Procurement Law is an example. JB, I'm written a piece on it for a certain SL website heh

Its an interesting case Zamzam have to answer. They are not the first to have a similar logo to Maaxda (Saxansaxo also have a similar label/logo). There are no copyright laws but what would happen if this was the UK for example? Would Maaxda have a case? Also, this what it takes for such laws to be considered. I'm sure both Alpha and Nuune wouldn't like competitors using a similar logo to thei own. If copyright laws are not introduced then this is what happens - court cases and bad business practices. Somalis need to understand copying isn't the way forward. Just look at all those ads on the Somali channels. Imisaa isku dayanaaya? Disclaimer: I may be biased heh

The Kalshala incident is hundreds of years old saxib only this time politicised which escalated the issue (to the benefit of the SSC). Somalia is in no position to sit down with Somaliland. When the time comes I'm ready but it could be too late by then. ps Somalia needs an uprising against Al Kebab not surrender.

Jump the caravan but somehow reel Somaliland into the discussion. Welcome back awoow

The following effects the economy back home. 1. Weak US$ - less money for people to spend 2. High oil prices - results in higher fuel prices which is passed onto the people as imports become more expensive 3. Food prices are currently going through the roof. 4. Economic crisis means people can't travel home and boost tourism/airport fees, hotels etc 5. Diaspora setting up business has dropped 6. Construction of homes by diaspora has declined 7. Governments have increased import duties Hope that help.

Never understood the Starbucks trend. Home made coffee is best. Nescafe Cap Colombie was a must every morning. Not anymore. Quit the black stuff a couple of Ramadans ago.

http://www.somalilandinfo.com/warar/2011/03/28/shirkad-dacweysay-shirkada-biyaha-ee-zamzam-waxay-dhabarka-saareen-madaxtooyada-gaar-ahaan-chief-cabinet/ 'infringement'

maxaa la waramay?

^Imagine Gerrard had Makele, Robin and Duff around him all his peak years. Lampard got lucky because his dad was a Hammer. He was then bought by Chelsea. Anyone can do what he does playing in that side.

^Ma Kismaayuu u ciyaari jiray?

Some familiar faces in those Finland pics. Eurosom is getting bigger and bigger. Well done to them.

Jimce wanaagsan biibol. Where will Ngonge go? Even Syria is out of the question now . Looks like the good ole UAE

Somalis and their silly unsubstantiated rumours :rolleyes:

^Good response there by Yasir. Why do people pick and choose when to be ignorant?

Xabi Alonso!

Blake Griffin who?

Must watch

NGONGE;703981 wrote: That's because this year has been rubbish, saaxib. The difference between Vidic (who I rate less than Ferdinand) and the others is that both Nesta and Lucio are more skilfull and more attuned to the art of defending. Vidic (for 34 PL games a year) has to deal with second rate strikers and the most basic of game plans. Nesta and Lucio play in a league where the football played is much slower and the strikers are not very quick. They rely more on their positioning and the holding midfielders to help them. Vidic can play both the positional game as well as the physical one. See the blinder of a game he had against your team Spurs (who scored 6 against Inter and beat Milan) at White Hart Lane. All without a world class holding player available to both Inter and Milan. Vidic has been playing in the CL for years. Won it in 08 and Runner up in 09 (plus a semi or two). In other words, playing against the best for years and coming out on top. Can't say the same for Lucio. Maybe Nesta back in early 2000s but we are talking about today. Tuujiye, we will see what Luis can do against a team who actually attack (he struggled against Man Utd).

NGONGE;703875 wrote: ^^ Luiz played really well in every game since Chelsea bought him. Vidic can be done by brute pace (though not many teams try it). Neither of them is a Lucio, Nesta or Carvalleho. But, of course, the best defender in the world is a certain tall guy that plays for Barca and Spain (silly Man U). Rooney ran rings around him (Luis). Lucio and Nesta can and are often done by pace (tell me a defender who is quicker than a top striker). Vidic for me. Best player in the Prem this year.

We all understand geopolitics. Let’s not plead innocence. This war was inevitable Inevitable, not because of the uprising but because of Muslims accepting dictators, corruption and greed as a form of governance since the end of colonialism. The events we see on our screens shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The west’s lust for oil and its attempted justification of ‘we are protecting the people’ shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Now we have got that out of the way, the question that remains is: Is bombing Libya (and possibly getting rid of the Gadhafi’s in the process) the lesser evil as opposed to letting him brutalise his people? Personally, I’m leaning towards a yes.

Tuujiye;703762 wrote: David Luiz is now in my book the best CB in the PL hands down. Just like that??? :D He played well. Vidic (best CB in the world) on the other hand has been doing for years!