Heh@Stoic! My boss got a million pound bonus (that's two million for you yanks). It's been an awful year yet he still got his money! It's the way the cookie crumbles, saaxib. Don't be bitter. As for JB, can you imagine him marking the work of his students? All the good ones will have 'loooooool', in red, spread all over their papers.

^^ Do you teach at this Uni you go to? I can't imagine you being a student, saaxib.

Why would a hard core secessionist listen to the advice found on this thread? Does the author actually understand the meaning of secession?

^^ A good start to what is supposed to be a lifetime partnership!

Morning all. I feel......

^^ I don't get the time anymore.

^^ That's what I love about you; you never miss the slightest innuendo. But there is money to be made there, trust me. The guests don't matter. Only the bride and her family do.

^^ He doesn't realise the condescending nature of his post.

^^ No?

^^ We should start that business together. I can be the sleeping partner. What say you, neighbour?

You've got to give it to Marcus, people. He initiates the most nonsensical topics ever yet he manages to get countless replies. It's a skill, I tell thee, a skill!

^^ You know, only the other day was I talking to the Mrs about starting a wedding planning business! There are many young girls (like yourself and AAliyah) who dream of the perfect wedding and are willing to pay any amounts of money to have it. I think there is an opening for such a project. I also think I could organise a knock-out wedding (Indian style). Alas, I'm too lazy for such a crazy job. Someone should do it though. Any takers?

^^^ Mea culpa! I fear you'll have to enlighten me as to the importance of a letter written in English to a predominantly Somali speaking people and hidden deep in the pages of insignificant (on this occasion of course) Somali websites. The floor is all yours, cheif.

^^ You are not planning to tempt him into going to that ugly city, are you?

^^ Nope. I don't watch Liverpool's league games anymore. Only the CL matter now.

Come back. Come back! I was only teasing. ps Thanks Stoic.

And of course: The rest of your lives

Here is AAliyah's perfect wedding (in pictures): The wedding dress: The Bridesmaids The Wedding Cake The guests The Band The groom The Wedding Hall

^^ This and that mostly. I don't do it often enough though. Awlugeeye, could you not choose an easier name, saaxib? I always have to scroll up to read the name before replying to you. And, NOW, I forgot what it is I was going to write!

^^^ Worst case scenario, surely!

Do you people never do any work? [rolls eyes]

Heh. Isseh, I have to applaud you on a gallant defence of that article and its author. Alas, in attempting to explain one part you also managed to cast the spotlights on another, more distasteful area! But, first, let me address the issue of making phone calls. I personally have no direct contact with the powers that be in Somaliland. However, and even though unlike the author above I don't brag of my great persuasion skills, I nevertheless honestly believe that, should I wish it, I could easily find a way (through phone calls) to get in touch with the president himself. It is, after all, the Somali way. Secondly, an open letter on the internet and in a different language is the worst option anyone could choose to communicate with his own clan! At best it could only be viewed as a sign of hopelessness and desperation. At worst, it comes across as another form of naval gazing and self gratification (in other words, the brother is just enjoying the sound of his own words). Thirdly, when I compared the exodus of people to Somaliland as opposed to those going in the other direction, I did it specifically for the purpose of highlighting the issue of treachery and selling out one's principles/people. A passing Somaliland imbecile might bask in the thought that this treachery is a trait of those hailing from Makhir or Sool/Sanag! However, any rational person would easily dismiss such arguments and rather speculate about better and nobler reasons for such a transfer of allegiances! Surely if it were simple treachery we would have had many Somaliland leaders (and their followers) making the same move in the past seventeen years (instead of having the odd individual that lacks any clannish backing). Why is this not the case in the parts and people that decided to rejoin Somaliland recently? I can accept and understand the accusation of treachery when it is applied to Buuba. After all, he's just but one man with hardly any support from within Somaliland. Still, I hope that you would note that I accept the argument or accusation but fall short of calling the man a traitor. For all I know he is doing it out of principle. What I can not accept however (or at least find hard to accept) is the argument that all these people that are now siding with Somaliland are traitors, mercenaries or sell outs! As I understand it, it is not one or two individuals but blocks of people and sub-clans! Your final post seems to make more sense than your previous one. In that one, you are arguing that these people are hedging their bets and choosing to side with Somaliland until a better time when Somalia is back on its feet and they're presented with a better choice. That, I have to admit, is not a bad argument. In fact, I would go as far as saying it is the most sensible thing anyone in their situation could do. The only thing that your argument (conveniently) overlooks is the surge that such decisions add to the momentum of Somaliland's pursuit of international recognition. In addition, god only knows how long it will take for Somalia to sort itself out! If the situation remains unsteady for another seventeen years, whose to say that these newly returned Somalilanders will not abandon that dream and become fully immersed in their new nation? With proper management from the Somaliland government (not to mention a few carrots) they, in time, may become more fervent than even our beloved Oodeweyne! As for Somaliland being a pipe dream, well, that is true for the time being. Yet, the dream looks more real as time passes. America's unilateral invasion of Iraq and Kosovo's independence are proof of the fluctuations and volatility of international politics. In that arena, there is no such thing as a pipe dream. All is possible and all is doable. Interests, one-upmanship, a rare moment of generosity or luck and timing could all make it happen. All Somaliland has to do is continue to pester the powers that be whilst securing the support of factions within its disputed borders to help and add a shine to its PR efforts. All in all, one has to admit that for the north of the former republic of Somalia, things are starting to get pretty interesting indeed. Who shall fall to the Somaliland flood next, I wonder! Who will stop swimming against the tide? Who will ditch the blue flag? Could it be you? Won't it be you? May god let it be you!

Oh the irony of writing an online open letter to your kith and kin! Though I may sound harsh and my motives would typically be questioned, I can't help getting the feeling that this writer has already given up! Surely it is not as if he needs to talk to every last cousin he has in order to show them the folly of their ways. If the family bonds are strong and if he's still in contact with the people that matter, all he needed to do is make a couple of phone calls and try to reason with the people concerned! As things stand, this piece has a strong whiff of desperation and the cry of he that wails from the margins! Still, and keeping with my new reached resolution to abandon my fence and fly the flag of Somaliland, allow me to make a couple of observations: In the past seventeen years, there has been a steady trickle of those that formerly opposed the creation of the State of Somaliland suddenly changing their minds and championing the cause of that state (just like yours truly did). Many of these have been respected and experienced persons. Yet, recently, the trickle has turned into an avalanche and the number of those changing sides seems to (surprisingly) have increased. Could it really all be about the selling out of principles and pursuit of a quick payday? On the other hand, the number of those switching sides and abandoning Somaliland seems to decrease and is hardly noticeable these days! What is the cause of such a decline, I wonder! Even the tired old SNM slur (like the one the author above has used) is starting to lose its old shine. Though it may sound mischievous one is obliged to suggest that these writers and commentators start using the term SNM & CO when disparaging the State Of Somaliland (for their intellectual and factual integrity, you understand). Many of the replies to follow will probably justify the current situation by blaming it on mercenaries and rats. But here is a little fact to show you that you underestimate rats at your peril: when a ship is sinking, the first creatures to abandon it are the rats! The author and his ilk may just want to think about this and follow the rats to take their rightful seats in the Somaliland rescue boats.

^^ You don't even look at them, how in the world do you expect them to propose? No. In your case, I think a leap year is heaven sent. Grab it with both hands, my darling, propose to the first coolie you meet.