QUANTUM LEAP

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Posts posted by QUANTUM LEAP

  5. Posted

    Thanks once again for your input Kheyr......

     

    that you can get answers is by reflecting on your self and your many imperfections and inconsistances and we all have them, walaal!

    Yes we all do brother Khyr but our imperfections take the cream de la cream when you compare us with most other communities around us. Surely shouldnt we be able to leave like most other people..develop as a nation and aspire to be the best there is ever? Shouldnt we turn our troubles into success by working 110% instead of being too laid back and content in someones own backyard. I can point out some countries that never give up like India which is suddenly emerging as a power interms of technology where the first world now goes and looks for inspiration and professionals for their IT industry.

     

    Ok we probably are one of the best countries in Africa when it comes to Technology/telecommunication despite not having a Govt. but shouldnt we have alove for more prosperity and peace.

     

    Jiisss:)

  6. Posted

    Deadly vision..I thank you for your "two cents" as u called it and would like to thank u too for not wholly agreeing with me somehow. That just shows that you have your own mind and can have your analysis of some of the questions asked. I have learned agreat deal already from the responses I have received from you all. I may have somehow included you all in my arguments but its because I find it unbelievable that we cant do much for ourselves as a community other than look on others to do it for us.

     

    Letefah sis....what would be better than be in your own backyard where you can watch the ocean from your window. The lovely breeze, the fresh foods and most of the lovely scenery you would enjoy without worrying. A peaceful Islamic state where you dont have to be pay too much taxes and ofcouse a helpful government that caters for all your every whim assuming it gets enlightened on whats right for us all as Somalis.

     

    The arguments put forward are based on the experiences I have had over the years with the many nomads I have encountered and the domant nature of their WILL to be counted as a force of some thought. So far I can take heart from the fact that we are still at the learning stage.

     

    MAY ALLAH BLESS US ALL AND MAKE US SEE WHATS RIGHT FROM WRONG.

     

    interesting poem

  7. Posted

    I’m truly glad to see all your reactions and hope that some of these same questions can trigger something in you to think and ponder. Thank you all for your opinions.

     

    Someone once said "It is essential that we keep the very best of who we are and what we believe - build upon it - if we are to be successful in defining and achieving a sustainable society." (Can’t seem to remember who).

     

    Self-Respect and Pride in One's Cultural Heritage

     

    First is self-respect and pride in one's own cultural heritage, without which it makes no sense to even think of cultural interaction with other countries. But obvious as this matter may seem to scholars and workers in the West, not all sectors, especially businessmen and the youth are easily convinced, laboring as they still are from a certain feeling of insecurity about the continuing validity of their own cultural traditions vis-à-vis the "modernizing" elements from the industrialized countries. But without this self-respect, we cannot expect Somali people to regard each other with much respect and consideration, for a regard for others is rooted in a sense of self-worth and dignity.

     

    An atmosphere of tolerance, a healthy regard for differences becomes a sine qua non towards realizing this multiculturalism, which some thinkers have termed "cultural democracy." Such label, however, is misleading for it may create the impression that the bearers of the majority culture have a right to prevail and impose their culture on the those of the minority culture, simply because of the former's numerical superiority, or so-called 'majority rule'.

     

    A system of vital ideas, as a culture is, cannot be considered superior or inferior simply on the basis of the number of its adherents, unless we qualify these adherents to be the most learned and wisest of the population. Otherwise, the numbers hardly signify anything. The culture of ancient Rome was not necessarily superior to the emerging Christian culture during the early Middle Ages in Europe, in spite of the imperial magnitude of the former.

     

    It might be better to regard each culture as a school of thought and feeling with their corresponding patterns of behavior and forms of expression. Being such, it will have a particular specialization, an area of undisputed strength. This is the basis of a culture's uniqueness and distinctiveness, what we call its identity. This is what gives the culture its definable character or spirit. That is why no two cultures are identical. And since each culture has its own particular specialization, energy and strength, all cultures are equal, though different. Thus, cultures may only be judged as relevant, functional or useful for a given period of time, situation, or purpose and not whether they are superior or inferior per se.

     

    The eminent French musicologist, Alain Danielou, has this to say about culture as a school of thought, as the genius or expertise of a people:

     

    The peoples most advanced on a certain level may remain relatively primitive on another...Iran and Arabia are...still today the lands blessed by the muses with poetry although this poetry may not find a publisher and we may be unaware of its very existence. Peoples who have a technological superiority...have often in the course of history, imposed most primitive religious, philosophical or artistic conceptions on peoples infinitely more advanced in these fields, causing a retrogression sometimes of several years. The greatest civilizations of the past have been virtually destroyed in this way. Weak and poor countries have sometimes played in the world - through the originality of their arts - a greater role than some rich nations, which have not known how to preserve an inner spirit, and consequently have nothing to offer us

     

    One of the reasons I asked these questions was that I get your perspectives on life and whatever experiences you have come across as individuals and collectively. I have come across many of my brothers/sisters in life to warrant the many questions I have had to ask.

     

    I do respect all your viewpoints and perspectives ofcouse regardless of how extreme or worthy they could be. After all, we are all here to try to learn and educate each other in some small way about the way we are seen by others in today’s world. I sometimes wonder why we are so different and yet so unique. We are such a beautiful race blessed with a very interesting rich culture that has a lot to offer but at the same time takes away a lot of what it offers somehow. Most of us luck the drive to research into it and provide some written evidence of how rich it is. As seen by most of you by now, many of the unbiased writers and promoters of our culture happen to be foreigners and what they write often is the yard stick used to gauge what the Somali people are and stand for.

     

    The portrayal of our communities in the media worldwide is of people who are selfish, lazy and not united. We are seen as a people who could be easily corrupted and assimilated and today that is evident in some of the writings here where we have individuals talking of Somalis who are homosexual and lesbians and ofcouse even embrace the language that goes with it.

     

    To be cont…..

  8. Posted

    I have been asking myself this questions for such along time now and I still cant put my finger on the answer. Why is it that Most of our brothers/sisters tend to be FOLLOWERS other than leaders in this world? Even the ones who ever get to that middle position tend to cut off from those who are still struggling? Why is it that we have turned out to be so hypocritical in perspective and understanding? Why can’t we get along? Why is it that our worst enemies are the same Somalis who smile at you and have a dagger with the other hand? How come we drop all our ideals, culture and embrace cultures that are themselves lost and trying to reinvent themselves. Why is it that we pretend to be true Islamic believers and as soon as one steps out of the Mosque change into a horrible person?

     

    All these questions have been killing me and I truly need some understanding of our people. Are we so lost that we cant see what is right or wrong? Do we still have a conscience knowing that out there are a people who are dying everyday and a group of people who are working for the extinction of our race?

     

    How do you walk this earth knowing that you don’t give a damn about anything but you as an individual and are never looking to ever go back to your homeland?

     

    [ September 02, 2003, 01:50 AM: Message edited by: Admin ]

  11. Posted

    Skirts chasing skirts wooow thats new to me esp. Somalis.... :D This is some serious cultural dilution. The fact that one can even have afriend who says they r this or that makes them a wee bit suspicious. Its HARAAM AND AN UNACCEPTABLE WAY OF LIFE AND SHOULD BE SCORNED AT.

  12. Posted

    I trully think Suban has summarised it in the best possible manner. She basically said once a new car goes out of the show room, it never has the same value as it was b4 it left. DEPRECIATION TAKES PLACE and there is no way that can be brought back as everything from tyres to engine have all run their couse. The Oils have changed many times n the car has been serviced more times than what u call a showroom one. So ladies and gents would u want a used car or a brand new one with all the trimmings?

  15. Posted

    Thanks ever so much Barwaaqo. smile.gif

     

    Fascinating episode on how the FBI are trying to combat Internet crime.

     

     

    FBI agents train to be 14-year-old girls

     

    The FBI has recruited three girls to teach agents how to pose as teenagers on the internet.

     

    The 14-year-olds have been teaching agents how to communicate like young girls, by using written quizzes on celebrity gossip and clothing trends.

     

    The training is part of the FBI's Operation Innocent Image, which aims to track down paedophiles and child porn peddlers who prey on teenagers on the internet, according to the San Fransisco Chronicle

     

    Best friends, Karen, Mary and Kristin were recruited after one of their fathers - an agent involved in the paedophile investigations - watched her instant messaging a friend and couldn't understand what she was typing.

     

    Gary Bald, special agent in charge of the FBI's Baltimore office, said: "We can teach agents how to be careful and make sure they're following the law and how to arrest people.

     

    "But how to convince people they're a 13-year-old is something we need help on."

     

    The first time the girls gave a quiz, all the agents that took part failed.

     

    One agent insisted that he was right when he answered on a quiz that Justin Timberlake was more popular than Destiny's Child.

     

    Another was upset when the girls told the class that Led Zeppelin just wasn't cool. Appraising the agents' performance, Mary said: "They, like, don't know anything."

  17. Posted

    Oil fueling conflicts

     

    Oil is the most powerful industry in the world. It fuels manufacturing, agriculture and transportation. Petrodollar flows shape the global financial system.

     

    Many wars have been waged out and are still being fought all over the world to ensure corporate control over oil. Oil is power and power needs to control oil. Behind the names of presidents and dictators are the names of much more powerful actors: Exxon/Mobil, Chevron/Texaco, Shell, British Petroleum, Elf.

     

    A government is toppled by armed opposition in a country in the South and coverage of the story only reports on the local hatred between factions and almost never the corporations and foreign governments backing each of the sides. In many cases, the actors behind the scenes are oil companies. In Venezuela, an elected president has had to face a coup and a general strike because he is sitting on top of a sea of oil and is not perceived as being sufficiently friendly to the US oil establishment.

     

    But oil is not only behind civil wars, coups d'etat and presidential campaigns. Oil is also responsible for countless "low-intensity" wars, that destroy entire communities throughout the world and particularly in the tropics. Many indigenous and other local communities have been wiped off the map or have had to face enormous hardship due to the environmental destruction resulting from oil exploration and exploitation in their territories, as well as from the widespread violation of their human rights. From Ecuador to Nigeria and from Indonesia to Chad, "black gold" has been a curse to local peoples and their environments.

     

    Governments of the world have made some attempts at addressing this issue. They signed and ratified the Convention on Climate Change and its related Kyoto Protocol. Similarly to what happened recently in the United Nations Security Council in relation to Irak, one government -representing the interests of oil corporations-decided not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because it would affect its interests. This one country -the United States- happens to be the world's number one culprit in CO2 emissions and home to the most powerful oil corporations in the world. It is thus responsible for most of the past and present oil wars.

    Big Oil also dominates the Bush administration. President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice and many other top-ranking officials in the administration have been top corporate oil executives or have longstanding ties to the industry.

  18. Posted

    I can’t help but think that you are bordering the super natural now that you can easily read my subconscious thoughts :rolleyes: . But as they say “ the truth is out there..” Athena; don’t forget that is still a matter of personal choice. Besides subconsciously or not there is nothing wrong with what I was advocating for. What you think is right may not necessarily be right for the rest of us. You could juggle both marriage and career but I doubt many can achieve what you are talking about without some sort of sacrifice from one partner or other.

  19. Posted

    Commitment to anything is all about Personal Choices. Everyone is not the same here. Each lady has different needs in life some are so focused on wanting to conquer the world and others have basic needs like having someone to love and a family to care for. Whether these choices are right or wrong for these individuals is something none of us can comprehend.

     

    For some it’s about achieving the ultimate goal education, independence, worldly goods and maybe at 45 have the first test tube baby . For others it’s just a normal healthy God given right that they should all fulfill as long as they are ready for that commitment. So if the sister says she’s desperate for marriage then I think we should sympathizes and wish her all the best rather than try to make a lot out of it. For all we know her Biological clock is ticking faster than many who have the time. She deserves your encouragement and I for one would help her achieve it if I knew her as I got far too many friends who are single and willing to make that commitment.

     

    A word of advice is, try to be social and mingle with people and not run every time you see a man. How successful you are in finding Mr. Right depends on the company you keep. You go the Mosque, you are likely to get men who are already married and probably looking for the second wife. If you stay home, you would probably end up with a cousin, as the only people who visit are most likely your relatives. Sometimes you need to take a chance and play your lucky card and always remember ALLAH HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.

     

    NOTHING VENTURED…. NOTHING GAINED!!

     

    Good Luck sister and none of the above people should discourage you from achieving your objective.

  20. Posted

    Hello Sheyma…The reasons why I tend to brush off single moms away is nothing other the question that keeps lingering on my mind which is why get divorced so easily in the first place? Why get married in the first place before finding out a little more about the person than jumping headlong? I always wondered how easy it is to get a girl or boy to marry one in our community. A nice car and hired suit and ofcouse a bit of showing off could convince a lady to marry a farax who u wouldn’t have otherwise married had u looked a little deeper. There is a lot of acting involved in all Somali relationships. If a guy or lady is interested in pursuing you, they would be willing to do all for the short term gain but hell when the going gets a little tougher then it byeeeeee n one comes back to square one. As Raxma said earlier, our community building blocks have started to disintegrate as a result of major family failures/breakdowns.

     

    In a small survey that I carried out in a small neighborhood, I found out that a lot of women point the finger to the men and the men point the finger at the women. You would think it’s a renewed war of the sexes. It’s unbelievable what you hear Single moms say in front of their kids about the dads. It’s also disheartening to see a real man who doesn’t care about how his kids grow up to be good human beings.

     

    Oh Shujui bro wouldnt u like to know ;) Trade secret Mate :D

  21. Posted

    "MARRIAGE IS LIKE AFLOWER YOU GOT TO WATER IT, TREAT IT AND MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WEED TO KILL IT"

     

    Shaqsii (1890) icon_razz.gif

     

    I have nothing against single moms/Dads but I have an issue when it gets to a stage were our ladies and men folk make it a fashion to either dump themselves before knowing whats really really wrong. There is a great luck of communication, patience and understanding. There is also a lot of greed and selfishness involved and most of all, the easy lifestyles that are pretty impressive to many a Farax/ Xalimo who come to the West where there are plenty of freebies aka **WELFARE N FREE HOUSING****. So with all these influences and a luck of grey matter/Imaan would be a very Lethal interms of longterm relationships (marriages).

     

    The other problem is watching too much OPRAH, RICKY, SUNSET BOULEVARD, MTV AND OFCOUSE NOT FORGETTING THE EVER SO LOVED JERRY where its easy to even have a relationship with ya mama smile.gif These have become a gauge for most if not all Somalis out there.

     

    So the little self respect and Morals have gone out of the window. Infact mind set and slogan of the day is "WHATEVER"

  22. Posted

    Single moms and single dads I think have too much baggage. I wouldnt go near any for the love of my life as the first huddle was a failure especially in the Western Hemsphire.

     

    There is always a reason why someone is devorced be it male or female. So as they say ...there is no smoke without fire...RUN RUN when u see one:) smile.gifsmile.gif

  23. Posted

    Its not easy to cultivate real friendships these days as everyone has aready smile and adouble edged dagger that comes with it. You would be suprised how much talk goes on when you meet people especially our folks. For any friendship to grow one has to take the bad with the good before realising what that individual has to offer or takes.

     

    All I can repeat is this "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."

     

    G.Washington