^^ Not at all. There was more of a whiff of disapproval at the way things were done. If anything, the show was attempting to illustrate how backward and unjust Iran was.

Ms DD, To stop a headache you need to get yourself a very tiny but sharp needle. Take your shoes off and stick it gently into the back of your foot. You shall feel a bit of pain of course but keep holding it there for five more seconds. You headache will be gone and you'll be left with a slight pain in the foot. ps Answer North's question.

^^ You insult our illustrious country's election system then ask me if I'll vote? :mad: (I probably don’t qualify).

Originally posted by Northerner: What complete and utter nonsense! The only barnaamaj I watch these days is our Raageh’s Witness (football and news is not considered as such). Glad to be out of the ‘rubbish TV’ neighbourhood. I am not sure it could be classed as rubbish, saaxib. It was an interesting program displaying the folly of government, clerks and individuals. It was also very informative about what goes on in Iran these days! These lady-boys did not want to have the operation but were forced to have it because it was their only way to live the lives they chose. In a way, this program explained why Ahmdinejad told those American students that there are no homosexuals in Iran! It seems that the Iranian government/clerks have decided to circumnavigate the gay issue by forcing these men to turn into women. In fact, the government contributes towards the cost of the operation and finds these wretched souls shelters to recuperate in after the procedure has taken place. In addition, when the program revisited one of the patients a year later, it found him/her working as a prostitute. Let me hasten to add (and using his/her own words) that he/she was a halal prostitute. He/she said that because transsexuals cannot get pregnant there was a huge demand for them in the vice trade. He/she also said that he/she got married (at times) once an hour (zawaj mutca)! All in all, and despite the strange topic of the show, it was an eye opener and a fascinating journey into the psyche of the Iranian transsexuals and the workings of that country's government. Malika, The Mrs recorded the snake show and tricked me into watching that African Python (it was not an Anaconda) eating the antelope whole! I also watched the bit where the Anaconda was giving birth. Oh well, at least I managed to miss the bit with the spitting cobra.

^^ Was better than watching the damn snakes. Iran is one crazy place. It really is! One of the guys wanted to become a woman because, according to him, he felt it was haram to remain a homosexual! I think he's the one who later became a prostitute!

Watched this last night --------- Mon 25 Feb, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins In Iran homosexuality is punishable by death, yet sex change operations are not only legal but are sanctioned by Islamic law. Iranian-American filmmaker Tanaz Eshaghian was given access to a leading gender reassignment clinic in Tehran and her film, Transsexual In Iran is an intimate and revealing film of the pressures that drive many young Iranians to extreme solutions. Sex changes have been legal in Iran since the late Ayatollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of the 1979 Islamic revolution, passed a fatwa authorising them nearly 25 years ago. Today, Iran carries out more sex change operations than any other nation in the world except Thailand, with the government providing up to half the cost for those needing financial assistance. In the film the religious cleric responsible for gender reassignment says Islam has no trouble justifying the operation. It is no more a sin than changing wheat to flour to bread.. Transsexual In Iran follows a number of young men facing-up to stark choices and challenges of gender reassignment. For many, daily harassment and the threat of arrest by the morality police add an element of fear and a pressure to conform, even as they struggle to reconcile their sexual identities with the wishes of their families and communities. According to Dr Bahram Mir-Jalali, Iran's most prominent sex-change surgeon, none of his patients have regretted their decision to proceed with surgery. He claims to have conducted in excess of 450 gender reassignment operations in 12 years. Yet, as the film reveals, there is a darker side to this picture. The pressure of life as a transsexual in Iran means that the only option for many is this radical surgery. Many do it reluctantly and face decisions that some ultimately live to regret. Adult themes. [AD,S] Source

^^^

^^ Not that different to be honest, unless it changed in the past four years. Last time I went, I had to give my Abu Dhabi mate directions of where to go. It did grow though. They seem to have expanded into the desert now. Edit: Was your first one Betamax or VHS?

^^ Milkshake generation

Worth a repost I guess --------------- Somaliland Elections A candidate's speech. My fellow Somalilanders, with this extraordinary election, we embark upon a path of fairness, freedom and democracy. Once we were a renegade state, a shambles and a mere dream. Now, we've a democratically elected president and are about to elect a democratic parliament. We're well and truly on the road to nationhood. My people of Burco North: I am contesting this election with another twenty-five candidates. We're all fighting for your votes. Hush. We're all competing for your votes. My esteemed opponents have all decided to tackle this election with a national mindset. They all speak of political parties, presidential impeachments and international recognition! Beware of their forked tongues and misleading rhetoric. My cousins, my family and kin. The whole of Somaliland knows of you, the whole of Somaliland respects you and the whole of Somaliland reveres you. Throughout the centuries, the whole of Africa had heard of your heroic deeds. Throughout the years, the entire Somali people had marvelled at your great literature. Your men are great and women pretty. In faith, though our mosques are tiny, they're packed to the brim with faithful worshippers. In trade, though are businesses are new; they compete with the best of African businesses. People of Burco North, one can't fault your hard work and efforts of turning this part of our nation into the great social, financial and political hub that it became. You've built the villas, the schools and the hotels with hardly any governmental help. You've summoned the aid of our migrant brothers all over the world and used that help to build great hospitals and more schools. My brothers, unlike my fellow candidates, I believe that it is time the government contributed some money, experience and work into making Burco North a better place. Like all the faithful and patriotic citizens of this great and prosperous land of ours, we've been promptly paying our taxes and helping in filling the coffers of the central government. All the while, we had nobody to speak up for us and pass our requests to the powers that be. My beloved North Burcawis, I hereby declare my candidacy for the post of Burco North MP. I pledge to have your interests at heart and fight for North Burco's right to share in this nation's wealth. Why should we not have running water like the people of the capital, allegedly, do? Why shouldn't the government subsidise our villas like it, allegedly, does with the people of Borama? Why should we not have our cake and eat it like the people of Laas Caanod? My exploited brothers, we're no less important than the people of Hargeisa, Borama or Ceereqabow! Even the Southern Burcawis received government assurances (and opposition pledges) to ease their suffering and, allegedly, build a state of the art Ice Rink in the centre of that area! We, my brothers, have been asking for a proper and adequate sewer system for years. We offered to help with the cost but our cries and protests were ignored. What, I ask you; will the Southern Burcawis do with an Ice Rink? My relatives, it's your duty, responsibility and obligation not to waste your vote on any weak candidates come Election Day. I don't covet your votes for personal gain, prestige or tribal reasons. I want your votes because, I believe, that I could help alleviate your pain, contribute to your gains and banish the chains; of misery and poverty. The other candidates are attempting to appeal to your tribal links, heritage and emotions. They aim to divide you, o people of North Burco. I don't. You are all my brothers (and sisters). You all mean the same to me. I am not like these other candidates that went to canvass in their own neighbourhoods and use the clan politics to secure votes. Yes, North Burco is my neighbourhood and yes my house is round the corner from here. But, no, I am not running on a clannish agenda. These vulgar ideas and this unhealthy politics might work in South Burco, but I have enough respect for you North Burco people to know that you will never fall for any clannish rhetoric. The people of the capital, those of Borama and all those of the various areas of Somaliland might elect their candidates alongside clan and tribe lines, but not the knowledgeable people of North Burco. Never the people of North Burco! Therefore, I come to you with pledges. Vote for me and I'll ensure there is hot and cold water in every home Vote for me and I'll make certain that North Burco boasts world-class sewers Vote for me and I'll guarantee that North Burco has non-stop electricity Vote for me and I'll promise to improve the local economy Vote for me and I'll pledge to start a drive against illiteracy Vote for me and I'll vow that we'll always be ahead of South Burco Vote for me and I'll make sure that North Burco is always at the centre of any national discussion. Do not waste your votes on self-serving politicians and their puppets. I'm the candidate for you, ilma adeeryaal. Long live North Burco.

^^ Didn't we agree it was not miyi where you slept? They lied to you, woman, they lied to you.

There were no cheap video cameras in my youth or I am sure I would have been on Youtube at one point or another. I still vividly remember one of my greatest childhood days where I walked down my neighbourhood in old Sharjah with a similar monkey sat on my shoulder, sixteen dogs following behind, me astride a donkey and a cow strolling by our side! Aaah, those were the days, man, those were the days.

Ibtisam, That country is full of snakes. Please don't go. ps Talking of snakes, if you hate the buggers I advise you not to watch BBC1 tonight. Life In Cold Blood is on and it is all about those ugly creatures.

No idea, Rob.

^^ No Rob, it's an African name.

Originally posted by Malika: What is in a name? "A rose called by any other name would smell just as sweet" -- wrote Shakespeare in his immortal play Romeo-Juliet. How ever some of us are aware of our identity, hence the importance of our names. I disagree with this new phenomenal to change ones name because Jane cant pronounce it, its time Jane learned every one in the world isn’t called Jane, Tom or Dick. In general, names mean a lot. They define our identity; our place in the social order within the family; the community and even the circumstances of our birth. So if a Ms Jones cant pronounce my name tough! Colonialism is over, changing peoples name just because they cant pronounce is purely ignorance. What about those pious names that makes us remember God Almight[Allah] every time we call our brothers/sisters through day and night. Wasn’t that the aim behind names like AbdiMalik,AbdiQadir etc? So to be called Mo instead of Mohamed one should be offended rather than feel accepted. You're being ultra militant on what is an extremely trivial subject. Much ado about nothing, as the bard would have said. Names are just names but you're attaching some great and undeserved significance to them there! Some people no matter how hard they tried will not be able to pronounce Somali names that have the letter 'X' (in Somali) in them. That's because many languages do not have that letter and that sound. If they *******ise your name a little, what's the harm? Poor Jane does not speak Somali and is not obliged to learn a new language in order to pronounce your difficult name. As long as she does not mean to offend, the way she pronounces the name should not be much of an issue. The funny thing here is that most Somalis adopt Arabic names they themselves can't pronounce. Abdullah becomes Abdullaahi! Fatima is turned into Fadumo (or some such madness)! In fact, half of the names that remind you of god (as you mentioned above) are shortened to the wretched Abdi (and some people have that in itself as a first name). The list of Islamic names that have been ruined by Somalis is endless. However, it is done out of necessity and the inability, at times, to pronounce them correctly. It really is a trivial issue and I suspect LST posted it with a playful intention. Ps Give your children easy and simple names or give them a complex; the choice is yours. Pps Ayeeyo, can you even pronounce your name correctly in Arabic?

A nice read, full of wit and nonsense! In spirit (at least), this criticism of the UDUB party is fair and true. However, the writer was just being lazy when he chose to concentrate on rubbish such as taking women on trips to the USA and the like! He was also being sly with the title of this piece. How and what could UDUB learn from Silaanyo when the author did not tell us one thing that the opposition leader did? This piece was obviously written with the upcoming elections in mind, but what puzzles me here is the actual point of such articles! They're written in English, they're posted on the Net and employ/talk about concepts your average Somalilander would not know about or understand! It is clear it was a partisan piece lacking any semblance of neutrality. Does campaigning on the Net really work? Ps North, will you be voting in these elections?

^^ Basic principles are one thing, the stuff about not being able to live with yourself are another. Now, please oblige me and successfully argue that.

^^

^^ Edit: I just realised it would be pointless to admit my reasons.

She is shy, people. She's denying it of course but I bet she's blushing like a baboon's bottom as she types all these denials. ps Shy is sweet.

Originally posted by LayZie G.: Ngonge, as Nephy one's said, haba haba, oo meel fadhiiso, maanta warba makuu yaalo. I can't believe you at times. Here you are providing rationale on behalf of these people, when you know full well that they are on the wrongs. How can you justify attacking one's ideas ? Can't a person be allowed to express his or her ideas freely without confrontation? You people are wondering why I am always on the attack mode, and its because I can't for the life of me understand who made you people the judge and the jury on one's own freedom of expression. Whether it may be the marc expressing his views regarding state of somalia or Johnny B discussing his beliefs regarding the religion or anyone else for that matter speaking about a certain subject, all we can do as spectators is just to either agree or to disagree, we can not go on a rampage regarding one's true intentions, nor can we assasinate one's character as ghettonima has so profoundly displayed here. How can I justify attacking one's ideas? Are you doing ok, my darling? What new nonsense is this! Remember, this is a discussion forum. The whole point of it is to air your views and see if others will agree with you or criticise them for being weak, dreamy or downright ridiculous (Marcus's fall into all three categories). I know you like him (and his ideas) and that's fair enough. He failed to articulate those ideas in a way that meets with the approval of his readers. Instead of defending him by attacking these people, why don't you explain your side of things to them? Of course, I personally believe Marcus to be a demented caricature and always view his ideas as being delivered in a tongue-in-cheek way. I simply refuse to accept that someone that could speak so well would hold such maddeningly incomprehensible and confused views. I also find it strange that he's so thin skinned. Beneath that sensationalist exterior beats an intelligent heart (one that you seem to have spotted). Lets hope Mr Smith will find a way to reveal it to the rest of us. Ps Do not invoke the name of Johnny B in such a careless way. The man has his own ideas and, unlike your beloved, can (quite entertainingly) debate his detractors into silence. I also had the pleasure of hearing him speak (on many occasions), and let me tell you that your beloved is a mere toddler when compared to the Gothenburg Giant.

^^ It was a figure of speech, silly. Anyway, was it that hard to admit you were shy?

Why is it arrogance? It was for charity, saaxib. Xaasidnimada jooji.