Serenity's 'love' of her work is cute. The woman has been working for over a year yet farxada shaqada is still there! Give her time, people, give her time. Val, You always misunderstand me, m'dear. I was praising you there. I was. I went to Hargeisa for a few days and almost met JB but, for some unkown reason, he refused to let me see his face. We had a quick chat from behind his front door and then I had to leave. I did not see any snakes. Well, apart from accidently walking into the snake section in Dubai Zoo and almost knocking all the glass cages over! They really should put signs clearly indicating where the snakes are, man. I almost had a heartattack! ps Ibti, We need to sort out this affair you're having with my brother. People are starting to talk you know.

^^ It's not the english way, m'dear What's all this about 'dummaashi'? What about my brother? I already gave him your details and he promised to hunt you down (silly boy doesn't want an introduction, he says it's too indian and arranged)! ps Val, just go as yourself. For the type of people organising that party you're probably already in fancy dress, dear.

^^ Reading a well put argument is always a joy, even if you disagree with it. Of course, some paranoid poeple might think I'm only encourging him to tire himself and write a five thousand word essay only to counter back with the line: You're talking rubbish, mate.

^^ Haha! I had a full week of not thinking of work at all. I wonder if things are ok there. Thanks for spoiling the rest of my day, Serenity. I better go have a nap now. Xaaaax, this is the life ya sheek. Edit: Ibti, Glad to hear you're not a smelly student anymore. Pray for the rest. I shall be here for another week, though I don't mind not coming back at all to be honest. ps If you ever come here, don't visit North. That guy is no good. He's the worst kind of host. He keeps tricking me and paying for everything.

A nice map with lovely colours. We should reward the child that made it.

^^ Hmmm! Ninyaho, Somalidu waa Cawaan.

Stuff and nonsense....

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! We've got someone writing in Somali here, someone call a turjuban quick. (Or is it a turjuman?)

^^ Lucky then that your love (or hate for that matter) does not really count. Maybe it's best if you gave more details about the 'tribal zeal' and the return to the 'era of feiefdoms' IN the 21st century! I for one would love to read your reasoning there.

Must. Not. Troll. Must work on my suntan. Must. Not. Troll. Must do something constructive. Must. Not. Troll. Oh well! How are you doing, gang? ** Turns baseball cap round and pushes back his glasses **

I'm not really here. This is the answering machine keeping my posting average up. NGONGE told me to tell you that he's in the third world right now and may need a black hawk to fly in and rescue him soon. (actually, I logged in to search for things to do when in Dubai. I never thought I'd have this much time and nothing to do, even though I've done quite a bit already). Over and out... ps As my plane flew off out of London, I looked out of the window and there was now EVERYWHERE! A blessed journey one must say.

^^ You may need one of these:

They've been doing this for years. Not just the UAE but also the entire Gulf States (and parts of Jordan, Syria and Egypt). Even though there are different categories, they usually judge the beauty of the camel in relation to its face, cheeks and neck.

Originally posted by Baashi: Ngonge, Coming in from the cold huh! How does it feel pal to finally come out of the closet and endorse the use of violence against Las Anod residents? Quite liberating I’m sure I’m sure you have accumulated volumes of Waxa-La-Yirri hearsay a la Cilmi Dhegood so much so that you now think it is foolish to question the root cause of the secession after the fact -- after 17 yrs! I guess it is ok to go half century back -- 48 years! Some logic eh! Where does the half century number leave your analogy? Come to think of it, the 48 yrs old with legit birth certificate has better chance to have his papers get revalidated than the 17 yrs bastrd Easy with the flippant remarks there, saaxib. Where is your objective analysis? We are talking politics, are we not? To say one is endorsing the use of violence against the people of LA is to window dress the facts on the ground. What violence are you talking about here? By whom? As for the dig about the Waxa la yedhi, you do know I abhor that practice and pay it no attention at all. I go by FACTS (not the 'feeds' that you're so fond of employing). The facts that can not be disputed is that Somaliland has manoeuvred the people of LA (and other disputed areas) into division and the discarding of old loyalties. This is politics, mi amigo. Acknowledge it. Accept it and hope the other side can engineer a similar ploy to regain the upper hand. The sensationalist guff about endorsing violence is rather below you and does not follow your principle of objective analysis. One the point of the seventeen year old basturd, I got to applaud you on a great sound bite there. It probably received approving nods from the Somalilanders in here (not just the solitary clapping by Xiin there). That's the Somali way after all, a creative sound bite is always welcome. However, it still remains a straw man, no more and no less. The seventeen year old basturd is here, living, breathing and growing stronger everyday. Of course, you're within your rights to attempt to character assassinate him by referring to his background and origins but, objective analysis would (in the normal course of things) force you to acknowledge his existence and eventually accept that harking back to his origins at every turn is a futile argument. In short, you can by all means disagree with, oppose and contest the existence of Somaliland but after seventeen years of that existence it is quite foolish to harp on about original reasons and what not. Let me give you a tip and advise you to concentrate on reasons why you believe the 48 year old with a birth certificate is more worthy of support. It'll make your argument more commanding and objective than the crazy attempts of trying to ignore the seventeen year old one. You see, when I'm bursting with objectivity I share it around. Now say thank you. Ps Coming out of the cold is an invigorating experience. I would not have done it for any lesser reason than the fact that the Somaliland administration has finally proven its ability to play the game of politics. Isn't time you stopped the whining and gave credit where it's due? They played a blinder by driving a wedge through the ranks of those in the disputed territories. And all done with hardly any Somaliland guns being used.

^^ As the kids would say: allow it, blud. Don watch me yeah.

If we're being truthful, sabaayad is just a failed attempt at making the Indian paratha.

Originally posted by -Serenity-: ^ Why, because I like to get a good night's sleep without feeling like I'm sleeping next to the train station? You have a cure for snoring?

^^ I resent your offensive implications there. When I rant I do so over something worth shouting about. A supposed over eager Muslim convert kicking people out of a bus is only worth those two words I wrote above, stuff and nonsense. At any rate, this is a tabloid story of the worst kind. One line did bring a smile to my face though: An elderly couple also looked really confused and worried.

^^ Sometimes I do. Ladies, this rubbish is not worth much of a rant.

Stuff and nonsense...

Originally posted by Ibtisam: Ngonge just try me, you better take your brother, I don't want in aad xaaq ii eeryatidi. As JB said, I'm reer burco. Maybe I cannot beat him in a fair fight, but trust me if he ever so much as slapped me, let alone put me in hospital and other kinds of madness I keep seeing, He would not see daylight again. Jb: Maasuri You're all talk, my dear. Don't insult burco girls. Our women have class, they don't beat up their men. They get their brothers to do it.

Ibti, Unless you marry Peter Pan (or some fairy) I can't see you being able to beat a man, my dear.

Originally posted by Northerner: quote: The logic there is circular. The question now becomes are you for secessionism only because of the civil strife in the South or are you for secessionism because you buy the argument that secessionism basically entails restoration of lost sovereignty? What if the will of the people in certain segment of what used to be British Protectorate is against the dismemberment drive as manifested in Sool and Sanaag? How should one go about demarcating clan -- or to be politically correct in this joint clan based districts -- borders? These are pertinent questions that hit the epicenter of secessionists’ project. You oppose, in your opinion, an entity based on clan but then in the same breath wish for the resolution/demarcation of regions based on clan? Am I reading this wrong ya Baashi? Don't mind Baashi on this front. He has a blind spot when it comes to the disputed regions. I still remember that long discussion I had with him in regards to this region in 2005. He strongly argued that it was all about the H factor and that people of that region will never willingly agree to join Somaliland. Yet, today, through diplomacy, cajoling and, or, maybe even a touch of self-interest, a sizable number of people from those regions are happily dancing to the tune of Somaliland! But wait a minute; he'll probably say they were forced into it like they were in that grand meeting in the early 90s! On the point of secession he's still flogging whatever remains of that old dead horse about clannish grievances and colonial legacy! On a thread talking about the annual convention of Somaliland's main opposition party no less. It is quite foolish to argue the reasons for secession after seventeen years. They don't matter anymore. It's akin to someone coming seventeen years later and questioning a woman who had an accidental pregnancy that resulted in the birth of a healthy child! Why did you have him? He would say. You were young and had your full life ahead of you! You could have had an abortion or better still, you could have used contraceptives! Of course, every last could, would and should is meaningless now. That child is seventeen years old and as each day passes he gives his mother more and better reasons for knowing she did the right thing when she decided to have him. But would Baashi and others grasp that simple idea and drop the concerned brother act? I doubt it. You should have kept your legs firmly crossed they'll stubbornly shout.

^^ You're a drama queen, S.

^^ Sunday