ElPunto;803314 wrote: Not sure why we must go with Arabic names if we don't go for Somali ones (minus those associated with Islam). You hear of someone called Axlaam - why not Chloe - it has about as much relevance as the former and easier to pronounce in the west. I couldn't agree more ElPunto. I'm the last born in my family and everyone has an Arab name. I'm the only one with an ORIGINAL Somali name and I love it. Inshallah if i ever have kids they're going to be called either Waaberi , rageh (obviously dependent on circumstance). Guled, Liban, Ayanle, Robleh and so on. For girls names like, Habon, Ruun Filsan, Deeqa, Waris or i could torture her by calling her Xalwo or Ibado

^^ Got it loud and clear. LOL

JB as you've no doubt sampled these products, i wanted to ask about the labelling. Does it have a region encoded i.e. here in the UK we have a large Made in GB symbol on all coca cola products. I suspect the labelling is region free. Possibly the only way to tell where it was produced is by closer inspection of the barcode. I'm pretty sure the coke factory in Mogadishu also suffered from the same problem, maybe you can clear this issue up for me. Next time you're downing a cool one take a closer look. Cheers.

IBANDA, Uganda — A military instructor clad in fatigues and boots who barks out orders to men half her age has become the unlikely star of a European Union program to train thousands of Somali troops. Nearly 98 percent of the trainees in the six-month class being held in a remote Ugandan village are men, but it is 40-year-old Fatuma Hassan Noor, who returned for advanced training, who often gets mentioned in discussions of what the program can be proud of after its mandate expires in December. Western governments are injecting millions of dollars into a program that they hope will contribute to the stabilization of Somalia, and officials stationed here hope dedicated students like Noor, when they finally return home, can prove that the money was not wasted. Col. Michael Beary, an Irish officer who is in charge of the training mission, said he is not sending soldiers back to Somalia to defeat the militant group al-Shabab. Beary said he is instead trying to create disciplined soldiers who will return home with "a different attitude." The 608 Somali soldiers in the current class are being trained on good citizenship, women's rights and how to stop gender-based violence, as well as weapons training, first aid, mine detection and communication during battle. The 60 trainers in the village of Ibanda come from 12 European countries. The program has already trained 1,800 Somalis since 2010. The trainers say the mission is a small but vital contribution toward the creation of a professional army. "This mission is very successful," Beary said. "It is having a real effect on the ground." Noor is well-regarded because she was a member of the inaugural 2010 class but returned last year to train as a noncommissioned officer, a forward step toward her goal of practicing as an army nurse. This time, she came with her daughter, Amal Ahmed, who now says she is no longer afraid of a loaded AK-47. "We don't feel lonely when we are together," Noor said last week. The girl glanced at her mother and said: "We comfort each other. ... Some say my mother brought me here, but I tell them that I am strong enough to correct my mother when she is wrong." The mother and daughter presence on a camp dominated by men has infused some excitement into a program that is conditioned by fluid and often volatile events in Somalia, which has lacked a stable government since 1991. Al-Shabab is on the mind of everyone at the Bihanga camp where students train among structures built to resemble Mogadishu's ruins. But the trainers say they cannot afford to focus on terrorists whose power is fading under pressure from foreign armies backing Somalia's transitional government. The class hopes to create good citizens. This thinking, missing in earlier sessions, is being practiced partly through what is called "training of trainers," courses in which a few fast-learning Somalis are taught skills they are expected to pass on. Noor is specializing in saving lives in combat, and these days she spends a lot of time training with rubber dummies. "She's good, very good," said Abdullahi Kula, a translator observing her teaching a class on CPR from a distance. Noor's teachers say they like her enthusiasm. "I met her the first day she arrived," said Portuguese Lt. Col. Mariano Alves, the camp's training commander. "She was very active. Immediately she asked me how life was here, how I was doing. She is a nice person." Noor is a private in the Somali army and the widowed mother of six children. She suspects she would be serving tea back home if she were not in the military. And she says she taught herself how to speak English, a skill that contributes to her popularity. "When I go back home the women will look at me and say, 'Look at her, she's 40 years old and we are 20,'" she said. "They will want to come here. But they can't speak English like me." Many of the Somalis here, who range in age from 18 to 40, are illiterate, and only 15 percent speak English. The trainers rely on a few translators to impart their lessons. Each of the trainees will get $100 for every month spent at the camp, but they can only receive the cash after completing the course. Trainers say the money does a lot to keep them motivated. "Like babies, they start by crawling, and then they start running," said Sgt. Godfrey Onio, a Ugandan who has helped train the Somalis since the mission started. European and Ugandan officals say they cannot control what happens after the Somalis return home. There have been defections in the past, with some frustrated trainees joining al-Shabab for better pay. Roberto Ridolfi, the Italian head of the EU delegation in Uganda, said any renewal of the military program would be predicated on what happens after the mandate of Somalia's transitional government expires in August. The diplomat recalled a recent trip to Bihanga, where he was introduced to trainees including Noor. He was impressed that the woman had returned for advanced training, and he thanked her. "It's a beautiful example," he said. "What the woman is doing is a good example of leadership." http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/610dc309c22c48418222aaed0b8c7701/AF--Uganda-Somalia-Training/

Very interesting. If we take the very simplified stance i cant believe someone hasn't invested in a a single 2mw turbine which can power up to 1000 homes with ease at 2kw usage, that's going by industrial western homes usage standards. I'm guessing usage in Somalia would be much less. Cost of 2mw is around $1.3 million and installation logistics plus network infrastructural development and maintenance will easily take you up to a cool $2 million, with cash left over. These things have a life span of at least 20 years if maintained properly and if you buy from Danish and German manufactured components. Anyway there is a business case but as you can see start up capital is quite big. Some one somewhere, maybe a programme for UNEP one day.

From this study it seems Somalia has the potential to be a wind energy powerhouse. I know some of the drawbacks associated with this expensive option especially here in the UK with regards to offshore wind farms. However does anyone know of any credible stats or sources for how or if wind power is utilised in Somalia.

hahaha indeed! We are good at keeping the nut jobs preoccupied in the politics section, they don't tend to venture out here too much thank god.

Interestingly enough i have an open invitation for Garowe this summer, it would be good to see some villages en route.

Archdemos;801977 wrote: I'm alright waalal just still looking for permanent work. Finished uni almost 2 and half weeks ago now, so in limbo until i find something concrete and relevant. I'm also looking to escape for a while, 12 months of fulltime study without a holiday has takes its toll. Maybe, although I'm open to anywhere at the moment. Inshallah kheyr

I think it would be an adventure in itself to get to Hafun and then you've got the breath taking endless blue skies and pristine beaches. Somalis really don't know what they have.

I'm alright waalal just still looking for permanent work. Finished uni almost 2 and half weeks ago now, so in limbo until i find something concrete and relevant. I'm also looking to escape for a while, 12 months of fulltime study without a holiday has takes its toll.

^Malika check this link out, Hafun seems like a wondrous place. http://www.btcycle.com/diary/puntland-the-finish/

Feeling like i should just drop everything and get on the first flight out of here after watching these videos. Berbera has incredible light its as everything is in HD, and the sky is to die for. Tired of the concrete jungle:(

Xaaji Xunjuf;749473 wrote: Ahh good old Agip. I remember going there quite regularly to catch up with my peers from across town most evenings. It was quite a hip and happening place full of intelligent young people with interesting stories. One of my regular hangout spots.

Chimera;801253 wrote: Carafaat, a shortage of all kinds of vitamins sxb, take a multi-vitamin each day. You should keep your hair moist with natural oil, and use non-sulphate shampoos to wash it out. Eat plenty of vegies and protein rich dishes, and excercise frequently! Alpha, I rejected the machoistic male tradition of neglecting of one's own hair a long time ago. To maintain healthy thick hair into your 30s and 40s we need to be more like our sisters and get busy with the oils, it's doing wonders for mine since I sure as hell won't look like no damn Vin Diesel if I were to become bald in the next 10 years, more like a bald thriller era jackson, xuux. Damn the thought alone gives me goose-prickles. Imagine a lion losing all of its manes, would you tell him its okay and he should embrace it? LMAO I just pictured a bald male lion strolling around the serengeti trying to heat up lionesses, they would laugh in his face. My hair is what always set me apart in class from my West African brethren, while my exotic curls danced in the wind during outdoor PE like the palm-trees of the motherland, theirs was as static as the Empire State building, while my white classmates' hair was flat and dry as a pancake mine was thick and lush. My hair is what distinguishes from princely status to pauper status, I'm majestic damn it lol. I'm blunt here because I don't think Archdemos should in this day and age, with all the treatments and technology available, accept going bald. Arch, walaal " Your worth it" lol Cheers buddy. Good info on DHT and what may be happening. I have been under immense stress lately and have abandoned my fitness regime and the like. Will get back on the wagon with regards to a healthy balanced diet and active lifestyle. I've never been one for putting stuff in my hair but will gladly give oils a go in this respect.

Is there a plan to help repatriate these IDP's back to their homes. Or are they now permanently in limbo forever dependent on food aid. You can only feed and clothe people temporarily but what are the NGO's and the TFG doing about creating incentives to help them move back. Or is this out of the questions whilst Al Shabab continue to hold sway over large proportions of Somalia.

Its the job of Somali filmmakers to maybe present this other Somalia, but they are also busy jumping on the terrorism and piracy bandwagon too.

A six part mini series on the Indian Ocean and its countries. From south Africa to Asia and on the way he visits Mog. He's a nice guy and I've got a lot of time for Simon, but almost all journos fall into the same trap when reporting Somalia. I've yet to see one decent programme that attempts to highlight culture, history and there's much more to Somalia than Mog and war.

I like Simon Reeve, ever since his documentary on places that don’t exists he’s continued to be a trailblazer in providing us with interesting TV. In his new documentary to air in 2012, (Indian Ocean) they have just finished filming in January so I expect it to start airing sometime in spring maybe. He returns to Mogadishu to describe whats been happening. It sounds like the usual narrative around piracy, deprivation and danger. However I was hoping for a more nuanced approach away from the now tired cliched narrative surrounding this ancient city. The story of the survivors, thriving businesses, positive aspects of Somali culture that have helped to maintain a semblance of dignity for these people. In short the untold stories. I can’t fully judge yet but I fear its going to be more of the same most dangerous city in the world mantra which has now become banal. Either way we shall see. Some interesting quotes from a recent interview; “He even admits it’s “perverse“ but says the country he’d most like to return to is Mogadishu, the epicentre of piracy in the Indian Ocean.” “They initially went to sea because people were illegally fishing in their waters. But now it’s a massive business, – they’re torturing and killing people and holding hundreds of people hostage now. It’s an awful situation.“ The force field, though, can’t shield Reeve from the scenes of deprivation and suffering – he insists the faces of some he’s met along his travels have stayed with him.” “I’ve had people thrusting babies in my arms, telling me to take it and give it a better life. That makes me well up even thinking about it now. It’s not something you can get over.” I’ve heard of countless Somali filmmakers who are yet to tell the human side to a story told often through the eyes of the international media.

I talked about something similar in a 2010 post. You should check it out. http://www.somaliaonline.com/community/showthread.php/9558-Origins-Migration-and-settlements

These names don't sound Somali to me especially the names of the so called 'Somali three'. A simple Google search brings up Asian faces. Anyway story is below. A former teaching assistant, based in London, has been jailed for five years and three months for donating £9,000 to fund terrorism in Somalia. Shabaaz Hussain, 28, gave the money to three of his friends who had left the UK to allegedly become involved in terrorism in the African country. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith told him he had an "industrious and productive" life before committing the offences. The judge said: "These were, as you realised, substantial sums for people living, most likely, in basic conditions in countries like Somalia and Kenya. "You certainly realised, in my judgment, that some of it would be used either directly or indirectly to help to resource acts of terrorism. You certainly realised as your counsel has conceded that it was going at least in general support of people with these intentions." Hussain had previously worked as a teaching assistant, but did not have a job at the time of the offences. In total he donated 14,380 US dollars (£9,114) which went to Muhammed Jahangir, Tufual Ahmed, and Mohammed Shahim, known as "The Somali Three". The court heard that the first amounts were paid to accounts in Nairobi, Kenya, using false names, and later Mogadishu. Evidence was gathered against Hussain when police secretly recorded conversations he had in his car. A huge amount of extremist material was also found in the flat he shared with his parents and brother. In mitigation, Imran Khan, for Hussain, said that he was looking after the extremist material for others and there was no evidence that he had actually viewed any of it. Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gjuyMTL4Kagk_ox9nx25CmNOBXcQ?docId=B24321111331293781A00

Muchas gracias to the contributors and your warm words of encouragement. I've decided to embrace my receding hairline, and as BOB says be proud of my manhood:) Alpha my manhood has never been in question. I was just tired of getting a trim every two weeks as i felt like a sham, something I'm not comfortable with and never have been. Juma kareem all

I have dwelt upon the greatness of Athens because I want to show you that we are contending for a higher prize than those who enjoy none of these privileges, and to establish by manifest proof the merit of these men whom I am now commemorating. Their loftiest praise has been already spoken. For in magnifying the city I have magnified them, and men like them whose virtues made her glorious. And of how few Hellenes 1 can it be said as of them, that their deeds when weighed in the balance have been found equal to their fame! I believe that a death such as theirs has been the true measure of a man's worth; it may be the first revelation of his virtues, but is at any rate their final seal. For even those who come short in other ways may justly plead the valor with which they have fought for their country; they have blotted out the evil with the good, and have benefited the state more by their public services than they have injured her by their private actions. None of these men were enervated by wealth or hesitated to resign the pleasures of life; none of them put off the evil day in the hope, natural to poverty, that a man, though poor, may one day become rich. But, deeming that the punishment of their enemies was sweeter than any of these things, and that they could fall in no nobler cause, they determined at the hazard of their lives to be honorably avenged, and to leave the rest. They resigned to hope their unknown chance of happiness; but in the face of death they resolved to rely upon themselves alone. And when the moment came they were minded to resist and suffer, rather than to fly and save their lives; they ran away from the word of dishonor, but on the battlefield their feet stood fast, and in an instant, at the height of their fortune, they passed away from the scene, not of their fear, but of their glory. Such was the end of these men; they were worthy of Athens, and the living need not desire to have a more heroic spirit, although they may pray for a less fatal issue. The value of such a spirit is not to be expressed in words. Any one can discourse to you for ever about the advantages of a brave defense, which you know already. But instead of listening to him I would have you day by day fix your eyes upon the greatness of Athens, until you become filled with the love of her; and when you are impressed by the spectacle of her glory, reflect that this empire has been acquired by men who knew their duty and had the courage to do it, who in the hour of conflict had the fear of dishonor always present to them, and who, if ever they failed in an enterprise, would not allow their virtues to be lost to their country, but freely gave their lives to her as the fairest offering which they could present at her feast. The sacrifice which they collectively made was individually repaid to them; for they received again each one for himself a praise which grows not old, and the noblest of all tombs, I speak not of that in which their remains are laid, but of that in which their glory survives, and is proclaimed always and on every fitting occasion both in word and deed. For the whole earth is the tomb of famous men; not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions in their own country, but in foreign lands there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men. Make them your examples, and, esteeming courage to be freedom and freedom to be happiness, do not weigh too nicely the perils of war. The unfortunate who has no hope of a change for the better has less reason to throw away his life than the prosperous who, if he survive, is always liable to a change for the worse, and to whom any accidental fall makes the most serious difference. To a man of spirit, cowardice and disaster coming together are far more bitter than death striking him unperceived at a time when he is full of courage and animated by the general hope. Wherefore I do not now pity the parents of the dead who stand here; I would rather comfort them. You know that your dead have passed away amid manifold vicissitudes; and that they may be deemed fortunate who have gained their utmost honor, whether an honorable death like theirs, or an honorable sorrow like yours, and whose share of happiness has been so ordered that the term of their happiness is likewise the term of their life. I know how hard it is to make you feel this, when the good fortune of others will too often remind you of the gladness which once lightened your hearts. And sorrow is felt at the want of those blessings, not which a man never knew, but which were a part of his life before they were taken from him. Some of you are of an age at which they may hope to have other children, and they ought to bear their sorrow better; not only will the children who may hereafter be born make them forget their own lost ones, but the city will be doubly a gainer. She will not be left desolate, and she will be safer. For a man's counsel cannot have equal weight or worth, when he alone has no children to risk in the general danger. To those of you who have passed their prime, I say: "Congratulate yourselves that you have been happy during the greater part of your days; remember that your life of sorrow will not last long, and be comforted by the glory of those who are gone. For the love of honor alone is ever young, and not riches, as some say, but honor is the delight of men when they are old and useless. To you who are the sons and brothers of the departed, I see that the struggle to emulate them will be an arduous one. For all men praise the dead, and, however preeminent your virtue may be, I do not say even to approach them, and avoid living their rivals and detractors, but when a man is out of the way, the honor and goodwill which he receives is unalloyed. And, if I am to speak of womanly virtues to those of you who will henceforth be widows, let me sum them up in one short admonition: To a woman not to show more weakness than is natural to her sex is a great glory, and not to be talked about for good or for evil among men. I have paid the required tribute, in obedience to the law, making use of such fitting words as I had. The tribute of deeds has been paid in part; for the dead have them in deeds, and it remains only that their children should be maintained at the public charge until they are grown up: this is the solid prize with which, as with a garland, Athens crowns her sons living and dead, after a struggle like theirs. For where the rewards of virtue are greatest, there the noblest citizens are enlisted in the service of the state. And now, when you have duly lamented, every one his own dead, you may depart.

Powerful, emotional, stirring! Over the years i have kept on coming back to this war time speech for its many nuanced qualities. Incredibly moving piece, also in the context of the Peloponnesian war. The following is an extract from Pericles as quoted in Thucydides' seminal timeless work The History of the Peloponnesian War written two and half millennia ago. Most of those who have spoken here before me have commended the lawgiver who added this oration to our other funeral customs. It seemed to them a worthy thing that such an honor should be given at their burial to the dead who have fallen on the field of battle. But I should have preferred that, when men's deeds have been brave, they should be honored in deed only, and with such an honor as this public funeral, which you are now witnessing. Then the reputation of many would not have been imperiled on the eloquence or want of eloquence of one, and their virtues believed or not as he spoke well or ill. For it is difficult to say neither too little nor too much; and even moderation is apt not to give the impression of truthfulness. The friend of the dead who knows the facts is likely to think that the words of the speaker fall short of his knowledge and of his wishes; another who is not so well informed, when he hears of anything which surpasses his own powers, will be envious and will suspect exaggeration. Mankind are tolerant of the praises of others so long as each hearer thinks that he can do as well or nearly as well himself, but, when the speaker rises above him, jealousy is aroused and he begins to be incredulous. However, since our ancestors have set the seal of their approval upon the practice, I must obey, and to the utmost of my power shall endeavor to satisfy the wishes and beliefs of all who hear me. I will speak first of our ancestors, for it is right and seemly that now, when we are lamenting the dead, a tribute should be paid to their memory. There has never been a time when they did not inhabit this land, which by their valor they will have handed down from generation to generation, and we have received from them a free state. But if they were worthy of praise, still more were our fathers, who added to their inheritance, and after many a struggle transmitted to us their sons this great empire. And we ourselves assembled here today, who are still most of us in the vigor of life, have carried the work of improvement further, and have richly endowed our city with all things, so that she is sufficient for herself both in peace and war. Of the military exploits by which our various possessions were acquired, or of the energy with which we or our fathers drove back the tide of war, Hellenic or Barbarian, I will not speak; for the tale would be long and is familiar to you. But before I praise the dead, I should like to point out by what principles of action we rose ~ to power, and under what institutions and through what manner of life our empire became great. For I conceive that such thoughts are not unsuited to the occasion, and that this numerous assembly of citizens and strangers may profitably listen to them. Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others. Our government does not copy our neighbors', but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy, for the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while there exists equal justice to all and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward of merit. Neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition. There is no exclusiveness in our public life, and in our private business we are not suspicious of one another, nor angry with our neighbor if he does what he likes; we do not put on sour looks at him which, though harmless, are not pleasant. While we are thus unconstrained in our private business, a spirit of reverence pervades our public acts; we are prevented from doing wrong by respect for the authorities and for the laws, having a particular regard to those which are ordained for the protection of the injured as well as those unwritten laws which bring upon the transgressor of them the reprobation of the general sentiment. And we have not forgotten to provide for our weary spirits many relaxations from toil; we have regular games and sacrifices throughout the year; our homes are beautiful and elegant; and the delight which we daily feel in all these things helps to banish sorrow. Because of the greatness of our city the fruits of the whole earth flow in upon us; so that we enjoy the goods of other countries as freely as our own. Then, again, our military training is in many respects superior to that of our adversaries. Our city is thrown open to the world, though and we never expel a foreigner and prevent him from seeing or learning anything of which the secret if revealed to an enemy might profit him. We rely not upon management or trickery, but upon our own hearts and hands. And in the matter of education, whereas they from early youth are always undergoing laborious exercises which are to make them brave, we live at ease, and yet are equally ready to face the perils which they face. And here is the proof: The Lacedaemonians come into Athenian territory not by themselves, but with their whole confederacy following; we go alone into a neighbor's country; and although our opponents are fighting for their homes and we on a foreign soil, we have seldom any difficulty in overcoming them. Our enemies have never yet felt our united strength, the care of a navy divides our attention, and on land we are obliged to send our own citizens everywhere. But they, if they meet and defeat a part of our army, are as proud as if they had routed us all, and when defeated they pretend to have been vanquished by us all. If then we prefer to meet danger with a light heart but without laborious training, and with a courage which is gained by habit and not enforced by law, are we not greatly the better for it? Since we do not anticipate the pain, although, when the hour comes, we can be as brave as those who never allow themselves to rest; thus our city is equally admirable in peace and in war. For we are lovers of the beautiful in our tastes and our strength lies, in our opinion, not in deliberation and discussion, but that knowledge which is gained by discussion preparatory to action. For we have a peculiar power of thinking before we act, and of acting, too, whereas other men are courageous from ignorance but hesitate upon reflection. And they are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense both of the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger. In doing good, again, we are unlike others; we make our friends by conferring, not by receiving favors. Now he who confers a favor is the firmer friend, because he would rather by kindness keep alive the memory of an obligation; but the recipient is colder in his feelings, because he knows that in requiting another's generosity he will not be winning gratitude but only paying a debt. We alone do good to our neighbors not upon a calculation of interest, but in the confidence of freedom and in a frank and fearless spirit. To sum up: I say that Athens is the school of Hellas, and that the individual Athenian in his own person seems to have the power of adapting himself to the most varied forms of action with the utmost versatility and grace. This is no passing and idle word, but truth and fact; and the assertion is verified by the position to which these qualities have raised the state. For in the hour of trial Athens alone among her contemporaries is superior to the report of her. No enemy who comes against her is indignant at the reverses which he sustains at the hands of such a city; no subject complains that his masters are unworthy of him. And we shall assuredly not be without witnesses; there are mighty monuments of our power which will make us the wonder of this and of succeeding ages; we shall not need the praises of Homer or of any other panegyrist whose poetry may please for the moment, although his representation of the facts will not bear the light of day. For we have compelled every land and every sea to open a path for our valor, and have everywhere planted eternal memorials of our friendship and of our enmity. Such is the city for whose sake these men nobly fought and died; they could not bear the thought that she might be taken from them; and every one of us who survive should gladly toil on her behalf.

Thanks for putting things into perspective sis.