Structural adjustment -- the standard IMF/World Bank policy package which calls for slashing government spending, privatization, and opening up countries to exploitative foreign investment, among other measures -- has deepened poverty around the world. In the two regions with the most structural adjustment experience, per capita income has stagnated (Latin America) or plummeted (Africa). Structural adjustment has also contributed to rising income and wealth inequality in the developing world. Here's how various structural adjustment policies increase poverty: Privatization -- Structural adjustment policies call for the sell off of government-owned enterprises to private owners, often foreign investors. Privatization is typically associated with layoffs and pay cuts for workers in the privatized enterprises. Cuts in government spending -- Reductions in government spending frequently reduce the services available to the poor, including health and education services (though the IMF and World Bank now say they preserve health and education spending). Imposition of user fees -- Many IMF and World Bank loans call for the imposition of "user fees" -- charges for the use of government-provided services like schools, health clinics and clean drinking water. For very poor people, even modest charges may result in the denial of access to services. Promotion of exports -- Under structural adjustment programs, countries undertake a variety of measures to promote exports, at the expense of production for domestic needs. In the rural sector, the export orientation is often associated with the displacement of poor people who grow food for their own consumption, as their land is taken over by large plantations growing crops for foreign markets. Higher interest rates -- Higher interest rates exert a recessionary effect on national economies, leading to higher rates of joblessness. Small businesses, often operated by women, find it more difficult to gain access to affordable credit, and often are unable to survive. Trade Liberalization -- The elimination of tariff protections for industries in developing countries often leads to mass layoffs. In Mozambique, for example, the IMF and World Bank ordered the removal of an export tax on cashew nuts. The result: 10,000 adults, mostly women, lost their jobs in cashew nut-processing factories. Most of the processing work shifted to India, where child laborers shell the nuts at home.

is that how you see me??? walaaley I'm sorry if I did or said anything to make you think so little of me.

Not a complaint...an observation. I come to the women's forum to get a better understanding of my Somali sisters. You tell me what kind of image all of this is painting??????

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I look at the First few topics in this section and I'm truly distrubed that for an entire section dedicated to women all you can do is whine and complain. When was the last time some actually post anything positive? -4 wives -if I was a man... -I want to kick someones a$$ -I get no respect... I think you should all get over this inferiority complex and get on with your lives without needing permission and validation

Originally posted by imperial-lady: I conclude that these men aren't marrying for love , more for pleasure. Can someone please explain this "love" stuff to me please? Let's not roll our eyes in disbelief. WHAT IS LOVE? think about that question and sensible answers only please and thank you.

According to a May 9, 2003 AP story (ABC) The law may imply that you're a grown-up when you're old enough to vote, serve in the military or drink legally. But most Americans really think adulthood begins at age 26, according to a new study from the University of Chicago. The study said most people don't consider a person grown up until they finish school, get a full-time job and start raising a family. Tom W. Smith, who authored the study, said Thursday the results are a sign that society has accepted what researchers have long called an "extended adolescence." [...] Take marriage, for example. In the 1950s, the most common age for brides was 18. According to those surveyed, the average age someone should marry was 25.7, and the age for having children was 26.2. According to the Mayo Clinic, fertility rates remain relatively stable until the early 30s, and then they decrease to very low levels by the early 40s. Peak fertility occurs between the ages of 20 to 24. Why the modern delay for perceived "adulthood"? Back to the AP story: Robert Billingham, an associate professor of human development and family studies at Indiana University, said the trend of delayed adulthood can be partly explained by society's emphasis on attending college. And, he said, as more people pursue postgraduate studies to find jobs, traditional adult activities are likely to be postponed even longer. It's school. The ability to earn a liveable wage today requires schooling until after the reproductive years. Thus marriage is postponed, increasing the temptation for pre-marital sex, thus weakening the institutions of marriage and family even further. The educational equivalent of a bachelor's degree should be made available to all by age 18.

Does any one see a problem with this?????? The UN treaty, "Convention on the Rights of the Child" states in Article 13: The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice. And just to clear up any confusion, Article 17 reads: States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health. Article 7 prohibits closed adoption, thereby increasing the number of abortions: The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. Article 14 allows a 5-year-old to refuse to go to church, since the only age consideration in the treaty is "all under age 18": States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Article 15 forbids parents from determining what sort of characters their children hang out with or date: States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly. Article 16 prohibits parents from preventing pre-marital sex: No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation. Article 19 prohibits corporal punishment: States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child. Article 29 dictates that education be oriented toward the worship of the one world government: States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to: b) The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations; You may think I'm Paranoid but it's YOUR kids not government property.

Banks in the Cayman Islands have transferred US $140 million in frozen Iraqi assets to the U.S. Federal Reserve, the British territory's government said. The money's transfer was confirmed Monday by Assistant Financial Secretary Deborah Drummond. She said the funds were turned over by various U.S. banks with branches in the Cayman Islands to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in March. U.S. officials couldn't immediately confirm whether the money had gone into the new Development Fund for Iraq. Couldn't immediately confirm? Isn't that something that would have been decided before the transfer took place? :confused: Besides what authority does the Federal Reserve have in a matter between Iraq and the US Government. ( Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm)

Mideast 'Futures' System Set Pentagon Project Would Use Market to Seek Information By Ken Guggenheim Associated Press Tuesday, July 29, 2003; Page A15 The Pentagon is setting up a commodity-market style trading system in which investors would be able to bet on political and economic events in the Middle East -- including the likelihood of assassinations and terrorist attacks. Two Democratic senators said yesterday they want the project stopped before investors begin registering this week. The Pentagon office overseeing the program said it is part of a research effort "to investigate the broadest possible set of new ways to prevent terrorist attacks." It said there will be a reevaluation before more money is committed. The Policy Analysis Market (PAM) is intended to help the Pentagon predict events in the Middle East based on investors' information or analyses. A graphic on the market's Web page showed hypothetical futures contracts in which investors could trade on the likelihood that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would be assassinated or Jordanian King Abdullah would be overthrown. Although the Web site described PAM as "a market in the future of the Middle East," the graphic also included the possibility of a North Korean missile attack. That graphic was apparently removed from the Web hours after the news conference held by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.). "The idea of a federal betting parlor on atrocities and terrorism is ridiculous and it's grotesque," Wyden said. Dorgan said, "Can you imagine if another country set up a betting parlor so that people could go in . . . and bet on the assassination of an American political figure or the overthrow of this institution or that institution?" According to its Web site, PAM is a joint program of the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and two private companies: Net Exchange, a market technologies company, and the Economist Intelligence Unit, the business information arm of the publisher of the Economist magazine. DARPA has received strong criticism from Congress for its Terrorism Information Awareness program, a computerized surveillance program that has raised privacy concerns. Wyden said PAM is under John M. Poindexter, a key figure of the 1980s Iran-contra scandal. DARPA said yesterday that markets offer effective and timely methods for collecting "dispersed and even hidden information. Futures markets have proven themselves to be good at predicting such things as elections results; they are often better than expert opinions." According to the plan for PAM, contracts will be available based on economic health, civil stability, military disposition and U.S. economic and military involvement in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey. They also will be available on "global economic and conflict indicators" and specific events. Traders who believe an event will occur can buy a futures contract. Those who believe the event is unlikely can try to sell a contract. Registration is scheduled to begin Friday, with trading beginning Oct. 1. The market would initially be limited to 1,000 traders, increasing to at least 10,000 by Jan. 1. The Web site says government agencies will not be allowed to participate and will not have access to the identities or funds of traders. Wyden said $600,000 has been spent on the program so far and the Pentagon plans to spend an additional $149,000 this year. The Pentagon has requested $3 million for the program for next year. Wyden said the Senate version of next year's defense spending bill would cut off money for the program, but the House version would fund it. The two versions will have to be reconciled.

Too Temporary. That's kinda like going into a store and trying stuff on but not buying it....

Clew - A ball of yarn or thread So this Greek dude called Theseus macked a princess called Ariadne and she gave him a clew. Do you believe that, he's there trying to find a true love and she hands him some STRING. Anyway he took and went on his way. Later on my boy Theseus get in some stuff that involves a complex labyrinth and he uses his sweetheart's CLEW to find his way back out of the hole and into her arms. Now that's Romantic.

Originally posted by flying-still: loool @ underdog. War waa luguu raaxeeyay ee maxaa rabtaa? joking Well if you're in to that kinda thing (freaky, but it's a free world), I can make you very happy with a big lunch and a finger down my throat

MMA, not too long ago I was a strong supporter of riding the rocket,but sheekada waxay xumaatey when xariif sarqaan aah threw up on my shoes when I was on my way to date (the Dundas Streetcar, if you've never been on it, I strongly suggest you avoid it). So it was bad enough I had to try romancing this fine young lady via public transport, but matag markii lagu daro, it's time to invest in a car. wouldn't you agree?

Originally posted by Athena: The article is full of BULL. Keeping that aside, I think Magnoona girl should get her head out of the gutter and stop trying too hard to please :rolleyes: Did it actually cross your mind that who she's trying to please is herself and her family? did you not read her whole post as to what she wants? What would you rather be doing? we haven't heard your opinion on this.

I would think this is probably one of the most complex yet simple situations known to man (or woman). I really don't know what the "European way" is but what I do know is that I "prefer" that my wife would stay home and handle the homefront. That preference is by no means based on not letting her meet her full potential and having a servant to take care of me and my kids, not at all. It's based on the bigger picture, I don't want strangers raising my kids. I don't want to subject my wife to long work hours where we both come home dead tired. it's Wajib on me to provide for her and the kids and there's a bit of pride that is damaged when my wife has to support me with "my duty". Now as far as house chores go, I was raised in a super-conservative home, Boys weren't allowed in the kitchen. I even had a sister who got offended if I ever told her I would go in the kitchen and get "it" myself. Apparently the Home is the woman's domain. She calls all the shots in there. So is it fair to say (in my own little world, at least) that the man's "main" responsibilty is to solve all external problems and create an environment in which the woman raise the family?

That' truly disturbing. It's not bad enough that Ethiopia had always been itching to have control over Somalia, now they'll have an "anti-terror" power to walk into any country in the region. I heard a rumour the other day that EU, US and UN plans are in the works to have the entire region economically and Militarilly united with the governing body based in Addis Ababa. Sheekaduu waa xuntahay.

...here pu$$y pu$$Y

Probably not smarter....but what is the use of writing an article if no-one will read it. information is valuable.

Here's another article...it's pretty long but has a clearer view and a better explanation of the whole problem... http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/7595/debt.html one more... http://www.zmag.org/ZMag/articles/jan2000albert.htm

US military wants to increase its presence in Africa By Eric Schmitt in Washington July 7 2003 The United States military is seeking to expand its presence in Africa through new basing agreements and training exercises aimed at combating a growing terrorist threat. Even as military planners prepare options for US troops to join an international peacekeeping force to oversee a ceasefire in Liberia, the Pentagon wants to enhance military ties with allies such as Morocco and Tunisia. It is also seeking to gain long-term access to bases in countries such as Mali and Algeria, which US forces could use for periodic training or to strike terrorists. And it aims to build on aircraft refuelling agreements in Senegal and Uganda, two countries that President George Bush is to visit on the five-nation swing through Africa that he begins tomorrow. There were no plans to build permanent US bases in Africa, Pentagon officials said. Instead, the US European Command, which oversees military operations in most of Africa, wants troops now in Europe to rotate more often into bare-bones camps or airfields in Africa. Marines may spend more time sailing off West Africa. This northern autumn US trainers will work with soldiers from four North African countries on patrolling and gathering intelligence. Some plans are still on the drawing board and will need the approval of the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, or his aides. But other military initiatives in Africa are already under way or will soon begin. Late last year, for example, more than 1800 US soldiers were placed in Djibouti to conduct counter-terrorism operations in the Horn of Africa. Commanders say new threats require the Pentagon to pay more attention to the continent. "Africa, as can be seen by recent events, is certainly a growing problem," said General James Jones of the Marine Corps, the head of the European Command. "As we pursue the global war on terrorism, we're going to have to go where the terrorists are. And we're seeing some evidence, at least preliminary, that more and more of these large uncontrolled, ungoverned areas are going to be potential havens for that kind of activity." US officials say vast swathes of the Sahara, from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east, which have been smuggling routes for centuries, are becoming areas of choice for terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda. General Jones said an allied armada in the Mediterranean had forced drug smugglers, weapons traffickers, Islamic extremists and other terrorists south to overland routes through Africa. "What we don't want to see in Africa is another Afghanistan, a cancer growing in the middle of nowhere," said Major-General Jeffrey Kohler, the European Command's director of plans and policy, who is to visit Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria this month. Some Africa experts warn that the Pentagon, which promotes the idea of democratisation in other Arab states, ought not to compromise those values by dealing with governments with heavy military influence, like Algeria. "The downside of this is that you can take on the agenda of local leaders," said Herman Cohen, assistant secretary of state for Africa under the first president Bush. The New York Times Related article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,993026,00.html

My particular interest in this topic was sparked by the news....Why is it that the G7 and the WTO ministers meet every few months and there are always riots when they meet? I have some connections with business people back in Africa and it's shocking the terms and conditions WTO, IMF and the World Bank impose on Third world countries. You have to realize a problem when these international bodies govern what you produce, how much you produce and who you can and can't sell it to. There is a new age of slavery. Divide and conquer in it's truest form. Our Best and Brightest have been given a taste of wealth that sparks a deep greed in them so individual intrest has superceded the needs of entire societies. It's becoming too easy to ignore.

By: Jacques Meihoff As America sleeps, globalization is firmly underway. The simple fact is that the hour is later than most people think when it comes to the move towards a collective global nation-state. The European Union is steadily coalescing itself into a virus-like entity with tentacles that are insinuating themselves into more and more sociopolitical orifices in both Europe and the US. We barely grunt at these unsolicited penetrations as a European governing body which voted itself into existence, arbitrarily assumes more and more power for itself, passing so-called "laws" that give it the de-facto authority to dictate everything from religious expression to Internet publishing standards for countries that are not even officially part of its Union! For example, the International Criminal Court has given ITSELF authority to punish a web author for "hate crimes" if material on a website, though legal in the country where it originates and is hosted, is VIEWED in a country that has legislation prohibiting such expressions. And we blithely give these groups credibility by running to them for ever-more expansive rulings regarding everything from ecological preservation to copyright violations. Every time we ask for a ruling by the ICC or its ilk, we establish a ruling that becomes a legal precedent merely by the fact of its existence. Every time this precedent is referenced in subsequent rulings (yes, even by our U.S. Supreme Court!), it gains even more credibility, even though the original finding was provided by an organization with no legal right to exist, and no binding legal authority in this country! I was recently privy to a fairly high-level brief by a strategic military and political planner who spoke of globalization not only as highly desirable, but as an all but forgone conclusion. Countries with strong, nationalistic identities were viewed as "old world" and presented as the enemies of globalization, and thus indirectly, enemies of the United States. That's right. The United States was presented by this senior military planner as being at the forefront of the move towards an interdependent global identity. He spoke of finding and implementing ways to deal with "system perturbations," which were defined as actions by those who won't "get on board" with globalism. Traditionally this has meant third world countries, especially those of fundamentalist Muslim foundations. I am not making this up. In effect, those who oppose globalism are in effect third-world throwbacks who won't get on board, and so have to be dealt with. So boil it down to one sound-bite: Under current political thought at the highest levels, opposition to globalism equates with terrorism in both the perceived threat and required response. You read it here first. I suspect that the move towards globalism is about three or four steps ahead of where most people, even those who view themselves as informed, think we are. You can see hints of it in many shapes and forms. Notice that many phone numbers, especially on widely sold products, now use a period instead of a dash to separate the numbers (i.e. - 209.555.1212). This is a European convention that is quietly, without fanfare and little notice, being widely adopted by businesses and political institutions. Nearly all operational and strategic military doctrine and planning hinge on the concept of "jointness." This is not just joint service commitments, such as conducting warfare using assets from the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marines, but also Joint in the aspect of relying on foreign countries to fill out our force mix. Much planning and thought is going into how to best operate in a "joint environment" and "joint theatres of conflict." Some would say that you can't maintain control over a world government of such a scale. You can if control is mostly voluntary, under the color of treaty and international law. Enforced by economic sanctions and military force. How viable could such a military be? Western Navies have in their inventory catamaran-hulled "fast response ships" which can cruise at upwards of 80 knots -- nearly three times as fast as the 25 knots capable by most older amphibious ships, changing response times from days to mere hours. They can offload an entire Battalion Landing Team in 20 minutes. The US is also developing a hypersonic bomber capable of carrying out an unmanned attack anywhere in the world in two hours. The social, political, and military resources needed to make the "global village" work are inexorably being worked into place. Penalties for opposition and/or noncompliance are being established and given progressively greater authority and legitimacy by sold-out politicians who have read the writing on the wall and are working to secure their place as high up as possible in the new world's command structure. Don't be fooled into thinking the the US is some valiant bulwark against globalism. Our legislative, judicial, and executive branches are not only greasing the rails, but pouring coals to the locomotive as well. And here we sit in the dining car, blissfully playing Canasta while our destiny is decided for us because we care not for where the train is going, as long as our glass is full and our seat cushions soft

I didn't actually say it was me, I just thought it was funny as hell....by the way the email joke forwarded to said Toronto not Chicago. But I guess MMA is the Chief Intelligence officer in here...you can finger print me, find my links with Baraakat and send me to Guantanamo. I don't function on credit and I don't need a pat on the back to validate me. So you can keep your credit. If you like the story and and it brought a smile to your face good. If it didn't too bad. I remember something you said in a previous post in the Sports section about how Somaalis like critizing each other. Looks to me like you're continuing the trend. Kinda sad, Bro. But I think I speak for most of the other Nomads here when I say We're here for Bro. Anything you need to say or do to feel better about yourself, we're with you

They say Toronto is friendly city. Well, my last experience taking public transit was almost a little too friendly. In fact, if it happened in Afghanistan, I’m pretty sure I’d be in jail. Those Taliban guys are pretty strict about personal space and such things. It does explain why none of my female friends take the train, though. It was Saturday afternoon and I had just dropped off my car at the mechanics, and while I did know there was a Blue Jays game that afternoon, for some reason, I’d thought it was a 1:30 start. I was wrong. ****** me, I got on a Southbound train heading home 45minutes before the first pitch. It was so bad, the only thing I grab onto to stabilize myself while the train moved was to put three fingers inside the opening around the emergency door-opening knob. Otherwise, I’d have been bouncing off three people. All went well for a couple stops, despite my newfound sympathies for sardines in a can. Everyone on the train had used deodorant and most people at the subsequent stops realized there was no way in hell they could fit into the car and decided to wait for the train that had come up behind us. This continued until I was one stop away from where I was getting off. Then it happened. Some dipstick decided he needed cram into the car, which was OK, as there actually was room for one more person… barely. Unfortunately, he decided his girlfriend needed to get on the train, as well, and there wasn’t room for her. I think she realized this, as she didn’t step into the car as much as her man grabbed her hand and yanked her in. She popped into place between myself and some other guy, much like a jigsaw puzzle piece. So quickly was she yanked in that her purse was actually stuck between my waist and the car door. Not only was I completely wedged in and unable to move, but between the cramped quarters and her purse being inadvertently wrapped around me, every time she moved, I was going to move. Oh yes, and the way she was wedged in placed her backside directly in my lap. Worse yet, while I at least had three fingers inside the ledge to stabilize me, all the young lady had to hold onto was her boyfriend’s arm, and apparently he wasn’t the strong sort, ‘cause the ride was bumpy and she was bouncing all over the place… in my lap… while I was standing up. To put it in more crude terms, I was getting the grind. It was a bit of a shock. Regardless, this was definitely an uncomfortable situation and getting worse by the second. The young lady in question was mad at her boyfriend for yanking her on the train, she was mad at me for simply standing where I was standing, and she was mad at the fellow on the other side of her because he had seen my predicament and was staring at me with a big smirk on his face. Since she was getting so angry, the young lady, not realizing I literally couldn’t move at all, started twisting around right and left, trying to unwedge herself. Since there wasn’t over an eighth of an inch of compressible space anywhere around her, all this did was accelerate the grind. I consider myself a gentleman, after a fashion, and the situation was starting to go from bad form to downright impropriety. It wasn’t like I could get any separation from the young lady, and frankly, the guy behind me was a little closer than I thought manly, as well. As she continued to buck, although I wasn’t on my way to the ball game, in an attempt to avoid a more embarrassing situation, I sure did start thinking about baseball. While I was in middle of thinking about baseball, her purse finally popped free and she was able to finally get off my lap. Unfortunately, when she moved off my lap, she landed on the only place that could possibly be more indiscreet. She wound up wedged against my leg. Specifically, right over the pocket where my keys were. My rather bulky set of keys. And as it was still her backside wedged against me, I don’t think she quite realized that it was protruding metal she was leaning on, ‘cause she didn’t look too happy. Fortunately, by this point, the train was finally pulling up to my stop. Needless to say, I wasted no time in getting off the train. While a fat woman did take the seat next to me and spilled over into my personal space on the ride back home, largely because she was a seat and a half wide, I didn’t have any other significant events on public transit on the way home. In the future I’m probably going to make more of an effort to avoid the train around Bluejays games. It could give a guy a bad reputation, just for standing around.