^ That is some wild pic. Even the bystander is startled by the sheer gallantry of the LBST (Libaax-Badeed-Sankataabte) dude. Barcelona hehehe.

lol@xuubsireed baa xiray. I believe folks are giving too much credit to this Xuubsireed dude. I don't think he has any means to arrest or do anything to anyone for that matter. If anything happened to this good reporter, the blame would lie with Yeey and his main TFG sidekicks. Free Mummia.

Nuune, I think Ethiopia is one of those place the white South African investors --- with their western-style "supermarkets" and "subway rstuarants" --- haven't reached yet. The cost of living in East Africa, specially in Tanzania and Kenya, is staggering. My cousin just came back from Tanzania and he was stunned by the lofty prices of basic things such as "bariis iyo hilib" at a typical Somali restaurant. A simple Somali meal costs 6 dollars in Dar es Salaam. He couldn't understand how poor people can afford to live in such a place. I have few relatives who chose to move from Nairobi to Addis, and they seem to be doing much better with the few dollars I send them every month. It is very expensive to live in Kenya and Tanzania.

Where Does the Dollar Do Best? Frommers.com's Global Price Index for May 2007 By Carrie Havranek May 4, 2007 Getting from point A to point B is only part of the equation now. In the face of the dollar's declining value worldwide against foreign currencies, there can be a bit of sticker shock while traveling. To demonstrate where you can get the most bang for your buck, this monthly index compares the costs of common consumer goods around the globe. Conversions are calculated using www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Source: Ethiopian Tourism Commission; www.tourismethiopia.org) Movie ticket: $1.68 Bus fare: 5¢ Cup of regular coffee: 22¢ Bottle of local beer in a bar: St. George, 44¢ Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $44.91 Moderate, three-course dinner for one, without alcohol and tip: $10.10 $1= 8.90 Ethiopia Birr Andorra la Vella, Andorra (Source: Andorra Ministry of Tourism; www.andorra.ad) Movie ticket: $8.17 Bus fare: $1.70 Cup of regular coffee: $1.70 Bottle of local beer in a bar: San Miguel, $2.04 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $73.54 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol and tip: $10.89-$27.23 $1= .73 € Cheyenne, Wyoming (Source: Cheyenne Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; www.cheyenne.org) Movie ticket: $7.50 Bus fare: $1 Cup of regular coffee: $1.25 Pint of local beer in a bar: Shadow's Big Boy Amber, $3.25 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $89 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol and tip: $23.80 Concord, New Hampshire (Source: New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development; www.visitnh.gov) Movie ticket: $7 Bus fare: 50¢-1.00 Cup of regular coffee: $1.45 Pint of local beer in a bar: Fisher Cat Ale, $3.25 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $95-$130 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $25-$31 Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador (Source: Gander Tourism Development; www.gandercanada.com) Movie ticket: N/A Bus/subway fare: N/A; taxi, $4.51 Cup of regular coffee: $1.12 Pint of local beer in a bar: Black Horse, $3.61 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $135.49 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $17.11 $1= C$1.10 Odessa, Ukraine (Source: Mission Ukraine-Cognita; www.ukrcognita.com.ua) Movie ticket: $5.98-$7.97 Bus/trolley/tram fare: 9¢-15¢ Cup of regular coffee: 99¢-$1.19 Pint of local beer in a bar: Yantar, $1.19-$2.39 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $97.30 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $15.95 $1=5.01 Ukraine Hryvnia Port Vila, Vanuatu (Source: Vanuatu Tourist Office; www.vanuatutourism.com) Movie ticket: N/A Bus fare: $2.00 Cup of regular coffee: $3.00 Bottle of local beer in a bar: Tusker, $4.00 Moderate, three-star hotel room for two: $200 Moderate, three-course dinner for one without alcohol or tip: $25.00 $1= 100 Vanuatu Vatu San Ignacio, Belize (Source: Belize Tourism Board, www.travelbelize.org) Movie ticket: N/A Bus fare: 75¢ Cup of regular coffee: 50¢-$1.00 Bottle of local beer in a bar: Belikin Beer, $2.25-$2.50 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $61-$89 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $19-$27 $1= 1.96 Belize Dollars Yokohama, Japan (Source: Japan National Tourism Organization; www.jnto.go.jp) Movie ticket: $14.97 Subway fare: $1.66-$2.16 Cup of regular coffee: $1.49 Bottle of local beer in a bar: Asahi, $1.58 Moderate, three star hotel room for two: $149.74 Moderate, three course dinner for one, without alcohol or tip: $24.95 $1= ¥120.21

"Tolow colka jooja" - Sophist

"same history, sub culture, dialect etc" Are you sure the man in Laascaanood isn’t much closer to Garoowe as far as " history, sub culture and dialect" is concerned? Hargeisa iyo halkaa fog maxaad ula aaday Daraawiishta? Nugaal baaban ku ogayne?

Originally posted by Tahliil: How did Cadde come to the presidency? was he elected? Did he campaing? went up and down in the region to shore up puplic support? Did he win an overwhelming majority vote? Who moniterd those elections? Or was he just, let's b frank, another renegade who got fed up with the system cause His tol had been abused and crashed by people from far away central regions and that Adeer of his Jamac Cali Jamac shamed the tribe by disappearing when the going got tough? and then the General left his home in Ottawa and took up arms against an older renagade to defend the honor and the name of the old Bari Kingdom? In any event I could b wrong, Would someone, with a better sense of history, please refresh my memory of how Cadde come to occupy the Villa Bosaso? ^^ Faroole! If Faroole (an influential Nugaal minister), didn't give all his votes to Cadde during the election, Tahliid woulnd't be curious today. Faroole had serious personal/political issues with the paragmatic former Puntland president Hashi who was widely thought at the time to be returning for a second term. How is that for a simplified version of events.

Originally posted by Valenteenah: [QB] I'm currently in Melb as it happens lool@ Val. Soon I will be hearing qoftii Val ahayd Gabon ayay ka degtay. Inadeer, have a wonderful vacation. Make sure you take nice pictures.

"A handful of men from the Gedo clan already present in that area were ambushed." There you have it. Horn has given us the hint right there. It is about a clan war again. Now, that we know what is going on, what will the TFG do to settle this clan war in Kismayo and bring peace to these warring clan communities? This madness can't go on forever. Dadkaan walaalaha ah ee bugta iska qasaya waxay u baahan yihiin nabad. Gacmo-dheere must feel disrespected. lol He is in Kismayo now and I am sure he will find out who attacked who.

Just go to any major Hawala outlet and ask how you can give Sadaqah to the suffering people of Mogadishu. It shall be taken care of. Also, Muslim Aid is heavily involved in Somalia. It may not be a bad idea to contact them. I know some of our nomads work for this organization and travel home quite often. http://www.muslimaid.org

UMMA Clinic is an amazing project in Los Angeles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_p9dU5s3vg&NR=1

The Ethiopians wanted no ceasefire so as to deny the Shabaabs any break. This is a mistake the Habashis made the first time. 8 days of fighting without supply, break, back-up had its toll on the fighting shabaabs. You can only fight so long and do so much when you are cornered. As for the US bombing Mogadishu, my gut tells me this is a propaganda. The good news is, the US government has a tendency to make these “operations” public in order to take credit for them. Keep an eye on the Pentagon briefings. If they did attack Mogadishu to “exterminate Al-Qeida elements” as they like to say, they will be bragging about it very soon.

Dhubad, ma anigaad ila hadlayaa awoowe, mise you and I posted the same time and you meant to talk to Duke?

lool@Duke, Awoowe, how did a band of rag-tag boys capture the city from the "impressive" TFG army? lol Tell me what happened to the "united army" of Somalia. Disoriented? Crumbling before our eyes? Morale issue? Awoowe, bal si yar iigu sharax oo sidii dhagoolkii iiga jaahil bixi. lol

The Ethiopians’ strategy is to wane the shabaabs’ fighting power with these silly, pro-longed skirmishes. The more these skirmishes go on, the worse it gets for the fighting shabaabs. City battles are hard-hitting for the enemy but you still need to be able to sustain the onslaught with fresh backup and logistics which is hard for the shabaabs to acquire without having a break. A ceasefire will, without a doubt, give the shabaabs another chance to re-group for another encounter. A ceasefire is not in the interest of the Ethiopians at the moment. Ilaahay muslimiinta la xasuuqayo ha u gargaaro.

· General yuusuf ahmed talan hotel sahafi, muqdisho Oct 18 2000. Ilaahay Jannadii ha geeyo, dambigiisana ha dhaafo. He was a good man. I knew General Talan, Ilaahay ha u naxariistee. Yusuf Talan was my good friend's father and I still remember the last conversation I had with the General. This tough nationalist from Borama was killed by gunmen believed to have been sent by Abdiqasim. These gunmen didn’t know the general and they were just carrying out orders from the top. After some search, the Talan family found good information on the killers' identity, their motive, etc. The killers were flown out of Mogadishu to avoid justice. The last word is that they were hiding in Nairobi. I have every reason to believe that if Abdiqasim or someone who was involved in this senseless killing goes to Borama today, justice will be served (Somali Style). Aano-Qabiil ma harto, Somaliduna waa in yar oo is taqaan. I know his sons haven’t forgotten the killers and the conspirators who executed their father on his hotel chair. Ilahaay jannadii ha geeyo, dambigiisii adduunkana ha dhaafo.

Isn't the new foriegn minister Riyaale's "cousin"? hmmm.... A political "move" against Somaliland?

Yes brother Clever. Gaffajo was killed in a car accident in Oil Country. The car he was in collided with a Semi-Truck in the highway. Chiefka was an amazing guy. He was one of T.O's most liked dhallinyaro.

Dear friends: Allah willing and with your help I intend to put on (in memory of Gaffajo & Grove ) a poetry performance event on: APRIL 27, 2007: FRIDAY EVENING 9-10 PM : WASP TIME DOORS CLOSE AT 9 P. M. SHARP: WASP TIME AN EVENING OF PEACE POETRY PERFORMANCE WITH TOGANE: TORONTO REMEMBERS GAFFAJO: THE MAN WHO MADE TORONTO SMILE PRETTY. I am sure the flyer for the event will contain the above and more. Mohamed Dahir will record the event live for a DVD to be sold later. All the money we make will go towards the founding the running of GAFFAJO & GROVE CENTRE FOR PEACE & POESY. I know those of you who knew Gaffajo didn't know Grove and those of you who knew Grove didn't know Gaffajo; and some of you might not have heard of either: This will suffice for now for both of them: They both loved life & laughter & peace which makes life & laughter & love possible. They both lived by this: "Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends." I am depending on you to make this event possible. I promise to do my part which is to prepare to put on a performance that will wow Toronto. Just like I did yesterday in Montreal in French! The coordinator of this event is Maroyare whose e-mail is: maroyare@yahoo.com whose phone number is: (416) 829-0360. I suggest as a venue for the event---Dr Deefle's Italian Centre where some of us got to know Ambassador Laqanyo! After we Somalis have put our own money where our mouths are; After we have put up and shut up After we have raised as much as we can for peace from our own Somali Community---- then and only then dare we approach other entities for matching funds. ....................... I try to practice what I preach: As some of you know a week or so ago I turned down the chance to play a major role in a film--- a real shot at Hollywood because I want to work to perform for peace for free. ...................... I suggest $20 as the price of the ticket for the event. I suggest all tickets to be sold way before the event: and on the ticket it should specify (9-10 p.m. WASP time; doors close at 9 p.m. WASP time). We are all inviting mainstream Canadian friends of Somalis & Peace to this event who (unlike us crazy & improvident Somalis!) know for sure that 9 p. m. cannot surely mean midnight! For once, let us teach by example our Toronto Somali Community that 9 p. m. means exactly 9 p. m. in WASP Canada where fate & fortune have flung us now. In Toronto: I kept hearing: Waa dhaqan guurte: Togane, culturally, you moved to the WEST side! to the WASP side! to the mainstream Cancuk side To which I always retort: Qurunka waa laga guura: It is most natural to move away from what STINKS! from what SUCKS! It just ain't kosher nor cricket nor Christian nor Moslem nor HALAL to show up at midnight when you promised to show up at midday. Naimo: Please share this info with Waris whose e-mail I don't know. To all of you: Please share this info with anyone who might help us. Thank you. I know I can depend on you all because you are my friends and because you are as passionate as I am for the cause of peace for peace & milk in Somalia. Last and not the least, let us all remember what Robert Frost figured out: Hell is a half-filled auditorium! Your exigent friend, Togane.

Cool video. http://www.midnimo.com/video/dalxiiskiialexandria.htm

I am not surprised by what Jeelle is saying. I am just just saddened by the amount of cheers he is getting from his clansmen or elders in that gathering. JEELLE: "You have seen what happened in the last four days. We will finish off the rest. Caydiid's old tricks are back and we are ready. Politicians are nothing without the base support and all of us "Tolka" who gathered here must get ready and watch the cards being played here. The exodus will be towards Galgaduud region. The city will be ruled by its true owners"

Great to see Somalis coming out to help one another. May Allah reward these donors for their good deeds.

Here is an image saved in SOL server. It seems to me Mogadishu looked much better during the 50's / 60's.

Horta Ninkan Jeelle sow Reer Mogadishu ma aha? Imtixaan ayaa Ilaahay masakiintii uga dhigay oo isagaaba Yeey hor ordaya. Cajiib.

loool. Does it matter what Yeey says? I don't mind people editing odds and ends of Yeey's old audio tête-à-tête just to make it seem like a recent speech. I actually found the piece to be hilarious and very artistic. I don't mind folks being creative so long as someone doesn't parade it here on SOL as the absolute truth just to mislead other nomads. Good one.