Ethnic Somali* Abdul Mohamed chosen as the new mayor of Southwark Borough of London

As the sh*tstorm continues, today Rob Ford fired his chief of staff: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has fired his chief of staff, the latest development in a tumultuous week at city hall where the pressure is growing for the mayor to comment on crack cocaine allegations raised by two media outlets. "I am no longer the chief of staff, I did not resign," Mark Towhey told reporters Thursday afternoon as he was escorted out of city hall. Towhey said it was "an honour and privilege" to work at city hall. His departure comes as pressure increases on Ford to break his silence about allegations he was captured on video smoking what appears to be crack cocaine. Last week, the Toronto Star and the gossip website Gawker reported they had seen a cellphone video that appears to show Ford smoking crack. The video has yet to surface. CBC News has not seen the video and has not been able to verify its contents. Gawker is trying to raise funds through online donations in an attempt to purchase the video so it can be posted online. Mark Towhey told reporters Thursday that he did not resign as the mayor's chief of staff. (CBC) On Wednesday Coun. Doug Ford defended his brother in a media statement lambasting the media. Doug Ford said his brother has told him the drug use allegations are not true. The mayor himself has refused to make a public comment about the video, beyond calling the allegations untrue and “ridiculous.” Frustration over Ford's silence The lack of a public explanation from the mayor has prompted newspaper editorials to criticize his silence. The Toronto Sun, generally one of Ford’s fiercest defenders, calls on the mayor to speak publicly about the contents of the video or step aside. "It is not enough for Ford to simply dismiss this allegation as “ridiculous,” or to send out third parties to deny it based on what he has told them. Of course it’s “ridiculous” that the mayor is being accused of smoking crack cocaine and consorting with drug dealers. The issue isn’t whether it’s ridiculous. The issue is whether it’s true … Ford needs to directly address these allegations, or get help and step aside." The Toronto Star, a newspaper Ford has long refused to speak to, calls on the mayor to leave office: “If Ford’s strategy is to lie low, stonewall, and hope this issue goes away he’s painfully mistaken. Beyond being inexcusably reckless, smoking crack in the company of drug dealers is a criminal offence.” In a column by Chris Selley, the National Post calls on Ford to provide more details about the video. “The allegations are too serious to ignore; and the possibility that Mr. Ford might actually survive them by crying media conspiracy is too outrageous to tolerate.” A Globe and Mail editorial calls for answers from the mayor's office. "Public office-holders do not need to respond to every rumour or allegation. But these allegations cross a line. There is no room for debate; Mr. Ford’s alleged appearance on the videotape is a legitimate public concern. Crack and those who deal it bring addiction and murder to city life, especially its young people." Some members of council were also left unsatisfied by Doug Ford's comments Wednesday. Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday said he wanted to hear from "Rob, not Doug."

Haatu;954121 wrote: Safferz, don't be silly. Too many PMs will follow after that post bugging me Of course :rolleyes:

SomaliPhilosopher;954116 wrote: Turkish saffy. Yea lool i ended up taking one of those soviet flights to mudug. They had 3 people squeeze into a row designated for two people. I am trying to find a flight that stops by an alluring European city. I have been delegated the responsibility to get my younger bro to the other side of the world, as the famz is moving to the great Afrik . So i must suckle him with the temptation of a europe visit It can be done... last time I took KLM to Dubai and stopped in Amsterdam, and Air France back with a stop in Paris. Enough time to see a few sights and have a crepe in Notre Dame

D'AWWW SP, you're a sweetheart :D And miyaad waalan tahay Haatu, let's see your face dee

SomaliPhilosopher;954104 wrote: one way flight from d.c. to xamar is 6,000 on certain dates lool Lawd what airline is this? It's all about getting a cheap flight to Dubai and taking a Somali airline's old Soviet plane to the Horn, SP. Ama Ethiopian Airlines but they only fly to Somaliland at the moment, still it's a direct flight from DC to Addis Ababa and not expensive at all.

Haatu;954096 wrote: Safferz, what does that make SP if you're a Samatar? :D I still want to know more about Tallaabo's preference for burly dudes lol But no, I'm not a Samatar but I'm tired of being accused of being male or someone's script :mad: Horta let me add another image to the photographic evidence of my femininity, my dirac:

This one goes out to Alpha, who always makes me smile with his crazy posts... love you Alphow

Alpha Blondy;954060 wrote: several comments..... 1. ''to say how much it reminds him of me and how he wishes I was there to hang out with him'' how do you remind someone of a country baal ilaah baan kugu dhaarshe?? this is the same 19th century colonial romanticism and mindset that inspired the likes of David Livingstone. are you an Ethiopian, inaar? this modern-day ''Livingstone'' has to all intent and purposes commodified your person ee sida uula soco.....secondly, are you a complimentary item as opposed to the ''entity'' you project on these boards? how does our ''Livingstone'' know you'll enjoy Ethiopia?......caal kul xaal and without any further interrogative measures from my side,...this ''Livingstone'' thinks your a possession of sorts, an object devoid of reason and choice.. , if you will, and that you ''belong'' to him. 2. if i was in the position of this ''Livingstone'' (unlikely since i'm black, have modest means and unable to win your heart despite my best efforts.. ).....i'd prefer clarity over ambiguity. war caad (clear news) is better than indecision. however, since i have an allure of attraction about my person (since i'm white, a WASP and won the lottery of life (white privilege)......), i'll do everything in my ability to convince you to come and already know you you'll do it ....not because you remind me of Ethiopian chicks, since there are better looking Tirgay chicks, who also happen to be cheaper by the dozen.....but rather...because i want to show you....that i have the ability to command you. this is what i call 'a skewed power dynamic'' of sorts. lool Alphow what do you mean by "are you a complimentary item"? Funny you call him Livingstone, he is British too I think maybe the Horn of Africa in general reminds me of him, I'm the only person who studies the region in our department and he has an interest in the area (he's been to Somalia and Djibouti several times), so we've talked a lot about politics and history, as grad students with shared interests do. I didn't know he was interested in me until this semester when he told me around March, and I turned him down nicely and spent the rest of the semester trying to avoid him. I just don't know how to reply to this email, maybe just wish him a nice trip and avoid everything he said about me and seeing him? Or is that me being ambiguous again and keeping the hope alive?

Jacpher;954039 wrote: ^You're still doing it man. You ain't ever gonna get bored of surfing the web for 'Somalis' doing all sorts of crimes around the world. Classy comment, Jacpher. Hop off, it's an important thread. Edit -- glad to see the original comment was taken down.

Nin-Yaaban;954029 wrote: Making this a personal crusade huh, Safferz. How how hard is't to recall him, or force him to resign from his position if what's being accused of him is true. I bet if they offered him a lifetime supply of Cheeseburgers he'd do it in an instant. That's one HUGE mayor. Indeed it is Believe it or not, the man was actually removed from office on a corruption charge before but he managed to be reinstated after another court overturned the ruling. But I believe this will finish him once and for all... I have a feeling he is waiting to see if the video will be released, until then he's in a position to keep denying allegations. The climate in the city has changed drastically though, it's possible we may see him step down because of the pressure.

Question to the guys in this thread, what is the best way to turn down a date and make sure the guy knows not to ask again in the future? I thought I handled this well months ago, but a white guy from school just emailed me from Ethiopia to say how much it reminds him of me and how he wishes I was there to hang out with him but that it can wait until we're both in Boston It's a delicate situation because I still have to see this person professionally and in my circle of friends, but this is so awkward. Was saying "I'm flattered but I don't think it's a good idea" too ambiguous or something?

$135k now, we're getting there... I CAN'T wait to see this tape.

Alpha Blondy;954007 wrote: ^ opposites attract.....did you know that? My exes prove otherwise :mad:

Wadani;954002 wrote: loool, waa runtaa. That's wat all women want, whether they admit it or not. I don't I have a weakness for nerds like me lol

Wadani;953998 wrote: This is true, ur brother has achieved something significant here. Also, another thing I didn't understand about their use of the term 'Somali dealers' surrounds the issue of citizenship. Almost all the youth from Dixon have been here since the early 90's and are Canadian citizens. If these dealers had been recent arrivals without citizenship their use of the term 'Somali', though still problematic, would make more sense. But these kids are Canadian...it's just mindboggling the levels of otherizing Somalis have to deal with. So I geuss in the West we are 'Somalis' when we sell crack but are ''Canadian' when we gain international acclaim (K'naan) and 'British' when we win Gold medals in the olympics (Mo Farah)....hmmm I c. It's a blatant process of selective conferment of the rights and privileges that should naturally come with citizenship. Exactly the issue and what's at stake here. I'm interested to see how the Toronto Star addresses this.

Alpha Blondy;954001 wrote: ^ oi homework boy! she wants the 'bad-boy' aka 'the jock' ee sida uula soco......but make sure you complete her homework. ma garatey? :mad:

Alpha Blondy;953996 wrote: i would love to have an intellectual orgasm with Saffz, especially on skype. i think we're more alike than she cares to admit, balse, we shall see, if she's willing to accept my charms and forwardness. she knows i'm into her but she's playing hard to get at the moment....... and as you will, no doubt, agree, woman like these sorts of mashruucs. Ku ma raabo :mad:

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Wadani;953992 wrote: I commend ur brother for his activism...but the damage is already done. Other media outlets are also using the term 'Somali dealers'. This is Toronto, one of the most Liberal cities in the world, so these journalists and editors who are letting these articles run know full well how racist and irresponsible it is to malign the entire Somali community through association....but they just don't care anymore. It's like a 'yea we know it's wrong, but we're just sick and tired of u Somalis' type of attitude that im sensing. You're right but I do think the Star realized that they really f*cked up here, and as responsible journalists they are going to address the social consequences of their mistake. One editorial will not solve the issue of racism facing Somalis in Canada, but I'm glad we can have this conversation on the pages of the Toronto Star, the most widely circulated paper and the one at the centre of this story in the Canadian press.

Safferz;951633 wrote: Update -- my brother spoke to the Toronto Star's public editor today, and she and the editor in chief agree that the article went too far, and they've made the reporters and the rest of the newsroom aware that the unnecessary use of "Somali" is insensitive and socially irresponsible. She's considering putting out a column this weekend about it, so will keep you guys posted if that appears. Column will be out on Saturday, stay tuned folks.

Tallaabo;953872 wrote: Looool;) ;) Hi Samatar. I like it big I like it burly;) Horta you haven't told us what you were doing at a gay club Tallaabo

I think it's time for me to be honest with you guys and let you all know I'm actually a man Che can confirm that I am, in fact, a big, burly dude named Samatar. Who is gay now, Alphow? :mad:

Summertime tun up!

I've never met a Somali Bantu in Toronto, I think I met my first in Columbus lol.