sugarnspice;990704 wrote: Thank you, Safferz. What is thread actually about if I may ask? It's about absolutely nothing, sort of an anything goes thread for general discussion/chit chat that was started last year by a troll by the name of Alpha Blondy. We are his friends and enemies. SomaliPhilosopher;990706 wrote: what do y'all think of this gabra maahmaah “God first, then man, then camel and lastly the girl” That proverb can go f*ck itself :mad:

sugarnspice;990698 wrote: BTW do any of you guys know why the time on here is so wrong? Apparently right now according to this forum it is 14:09....oh how I wish. Thank you Safferz Go to "settings" on the top right, then "general settings" on the column on the left. You should be able to adjust your time zone that way

Alpha Blondy;990692 wrote: how many years can you survive without malaria vaccination? I don't believe there's a vaccine. There are various pills that you have to take before, during and after a trip to a a malaria region, I was on an awful tasting weekly pill called Mefloquine. Have you ever had malaria Alpha?

SomaliPhilosopher;990690 wrote: WTF not this again!!! i cant handle this as i am not well I'm sorry but there's just so much evidence to support the theory at this point, I agree with whoever it was who first suggested the two of you are the split personalities of one individual. Jekyll and Hyde, SP and Apo Get better soon Apo/SP...

SomaliPhilosopher;990662 wrote: sick Apophis;990684 wrote: Malaria Are you responding to SP, or did you forget to switch accounts?

I'm watching the Victoria's Secret runway show from last night, and I'm just gonna stop eating now

Michelle Obama was not unhappy during Nelson Mandela 'selfie', photographer insists AFP photographer who took picture of Barack Obama, David Cameron and Denmark's Helle Thorning-Schmidt, insists Michelle Obama had been smiling only moments before Michelle Obama's stern expression during a picture of David Cameron, Barack Obama and Denmark's Helle Thorning-Schmidt at Nelson Mandela's memorial was captured "by chance" and she had been laughing only seconds before, according to the photographer. The photograph of the Danish prime minister's "selfie" with President Obama and Mr Cameron featured on front pages around the world. While the trio looked delighted to be at the memorial in Soweto, the US first lady looked distinctly unimpressed in the background. However, it was a misleading image capturing a natural and relaxed atmosphere, according to Roberto Schmidt, the AFP photographer responsible for the snap. "Anyway, suddenly this woman pulled out her mobile phone and took a photo of herself smiling with Cameron and the US president," he wrote in a blog for AFP. "I captured the scene reflexively. All around me in the stadium, South Africans were dancing, singing and laughing to honour their departed leader. It was more like a carnival atmosphere, not at all morbid. "The ceremony had already gone on for two hours and would last another two. The atmosphere was totally relaxed – I didn’t see anything shocking in my viewfinder, president of the US or not. We are in Africa. "I later read on social media that Michelle Obama seemed to be rather peeved on seeing the Danish prime minister take the picture. But photos can lie. In reality, just a few seconds earlier the first lady was herself joking with those around her, Cameron and Schmidt included. Her stern look was captured by chance." Around two hours into the four-hour long ceremony to remember the former South African leader, the president and two prime ministers posed for a picture on Mrs Thorning Schmidt's mobile phone, prompting criticisms that it was unprofessional at such an event. Some took to Twitter to voice their concerns over the behaviour. James Armitage wrote "What morons take a 'selfie' at a memorial service? Oh yeah that's right, Barack Obama and David Cameron." Sarah McDermott accused David Cameron of having "zero class or decorum." Later photos show Mr Obama swapping seats with his wife Michelle, fuelling claims that she was annoyed with his behaviour. The picture was taken after President Obama paid an emotional tribute to Nelson Mandela, describing him as a 'giant' of history and encouraging world leaders to follow his example.

Thank God for grocery home delivery It's officially too cold for me to walk to Whole Foods every week and struggle with bags of groceries in the cold and snow. Only in America do other options exist

I feel bad but I laughed so hard at this.

Thanks underdog December 11 630 - Prophet Muhammad leads an army of 10,000 to conquer Mecca 1792 - Louis XVI is put on trial for treason during the French Revolution 1941 - Italy and Germany declare war on the United States, and the US declares war on them 1946 - The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established 1958 - French Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and French Dahomey (now Benin) achieve independence, first becoming the Republic of Upper Volta and Republic of Dahomey 1964 - Che Guevera addresses the United Nations 1972 - Apollo 17 becomes the last Apollo mission to land on the moon 1980 - Milton Obote is restored to power after elections in Uganda after Idi Amin is ousted the year before 1994 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin orders troops into Chechnya in the First Chechen War

underdog;990569 wrote: No mention of Nobel prize award ceremonies? Surely there must have been some notable (and timely relevant) recipients I included a few, but there were so many I had to leave out You guys are always free to include more events of the day, there are just so many that my posts are really only a snippet.

Welcome, sugarnspice What is happening here?

OdaySomali;990555 wrote: you're welcome Fazliyah. And thanks Safferz. But how does it work exactly... does one have to sign up first before being allowed to access the content? I believe so.

Safani;990515 wrote: I did find them!!!! by the help of a sweet person from Somaliaonline They are all fine and doing great! Wonderful news

Khayr;990501 wrote: Saff, if you equate literacy with progress then your premise is that Somalis are uncivilised and backward due to their low literacy rate and that lack of being civilised or cultured is rooted in this arab religion centered viewpoint. Literacy = Intelligence? If the qualitify of life is measured by your indexes and your likes then we are definitely uncivilised people. Let us be honest here with ourselves. That's the opposite of what I said actually, but you don't read.

Also on December 10... 1996 - President Nelson Mandela signs South Africa's new constitution, completing the country's transition from white minority rule to non-racial democracy

December 10 1520 - Martin Luther burns the Papal Edict, which asked him to recant or face excommunication 1868 - the first traffic lights are installed, outside the Palace of Westminister in London 1901 - the first Nobel Prizes are awarded 1902 - the Aswan Dam in Egypt is declared complete 1936 - Edward VIII signs the Instrument of Abdication 1948 - the United Nations adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1953 - Hugh Hefner publishes the first issue of Playboy 1961 - South African Albert Lituli is the first black African to win the Nobel Peace Prize 1963 - Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) achieves independence 1994 - Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin receive the Nobel Peace Prize

Alpha Blondy;990455 wrote: Kaluun was a martyr. lakinse, you needn't quit, maha? +1, Cadale you're an important member of our crew here in Alpha's troll and cantarbaqash corner dee, we can't lose you

SomaliPhilosopher;990441 wrote: You missed the point saffy. The UNESCO definition states "ability to identify , understand , interpret , create , communicate and compute ..." This definition does not capture the Somali who can simply read and write arabic, through his dugsi studies, which is essentially all that is important for the premise of this argument made by Odey. whereas "understanding, creating, interpreting..." is not relevant in this debate and thus why your statistic is misleading But I thought "the biggest xaar to ever be stated on this forum" is that Somalis don't understand Arabic (magicbird, 2013)? Fair enough, my broader point is on the history and context of orality and literacy in the Somali territories anyway, literacy rates are only one part of that.

SomaliPhilosopher;990410 wrote: And that is precisely why it is misguiding. You made the statement that the premise of this thread, that most somalis can read/write arabic is wrong, because most Somalis are illiterate . Given the UNESCO definition, a faraax who can read and write arabic, through his dugsi background, would not be considered literate. Despite the fact that he can still 'read' arabic, which is essentially the premise of the thread. Where does the UNESCO definition say anything about what language literacy is measured in? How do you think multilingual societies, like virtually every other country in Africa, grapple with the challenge of measuring literacy? It's not tied to the ability to read/write Somali, it's about the ability of people to recognize, read and communicate in a writing system. Anyway, to say it again -- Somalis are a predominantly oral people, even the way of learning Quran and religion is traditionally structured by orality not text (rote), and the problem/challenge of literacy goes far deeper than what some of you are acknowledging here. I have issues with the categorization of literate/illiterate though I've used them here to refer to the absence of textuality (I don't think oral societies are lesser than, and the privileging of writing as modern/oral as backward is rooted in colonialism), but as I pointed out earlier most African societies are oral and Arabic literacy in Muslim societies like ours has historically been confined to scholars and elites. That was the challenge during the Osmanya/Latin/Arabic debates -- grappling with the reality of an oral society, the impossibilities of replicating oral usage in text, the question of language growth and how to disseminate/institute mass literacy, etc. I'm just rehashing some of these points in this thread because it contradicts the mythologizing re: Arabic usage in the Somali region, but if anyone is interested in reading further on the topic, let me know. magicbird;990411 wrote: Some people are going to sit there and tell me Somalis can't read or understand Arabic, when our second and national language is Arabic and our school systems have been in Arabic since the collapse of the state. This is the biggest Xaar that has been stated in this forum. Speaking of mythologizing...

Nin-Yaaban;990370 wrote: You should go outside its really beautiful, with the snow covered trees and the almost all white conditions of the roads and the walking pathways. Its very scenic. I left soon after posting that and was out for a few hours, it really isn't that great here We have a mix of snow and rain going that's created a slushy hell in Boston. At least it's not terribly cold though.

SomaliPhilosopher;990399 wrote: Indeed. Well said. What further confirms your point is UNESCO defines literacy as the "ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society [and the inability to do is defined as illiteracy]. " Given such definition, the statistics used by safferz is misguiding in context of this argument. Except the statistics I cited are from UNESCO, so... DoctorKenney;990396 wrote: Do you see how this little change can raise our literacy rate in one day? I'm repeating myself here too. Your entire argument for this magical transformation rests on the false assumption the "virtually all of Somalia" can read Arabic, which is something you've determined on the basis of an accumulation of anecdotal experience, when they can't.

Khayr;990393 wrote: Saff, Ever done questionnaires for your research papers? Ever interviewed someone and quoted their "findings"? Exactly what sort of progress and development do you have in mind? Do you want Industrialization? If yes, are you prepared to take responsibility for the population and cancers that come with it? What literacy standard are you talking about here? Do you want Somalis to all become "English/French/Latin" readers so that we can "progress" as people? lol Khayr, it's always amusing to read your interpretation of things I've said and the (wrong) questions you pose as a result Literacy is an important indicator for development and quality of life in a society, it's linked to how people fare economically, socially, politically, it even has an impact on health. It's also linked to women's empowerment in a society, and in turn has consequences for children and families. I think the importance of improving literacy rates in the Somali region is something we've all agreed on here, but we differ in how we've analyzed the problem of illiteracy and in the solutions for it. I'm not sure I understand the relevance of the first two questions, or the strange comment about industrialization and cancer, but progress and development to me is the improvement of the quality of life of Somalis living in the Somali region, across a number of indicators. At the moment I'm concerned with our poor numbers in literacy, life expectancy, infant mortality, and maternal mortality rates, among other things.

Nin-Yaaban;990374 wrote: I'd say about 40-45yr's old. But i could be wrong though. Off by just a bit, but definitely getting into the old spinster/crazy cat lady area

Let us know if you find them