Thanks YoniZ

A really disturbing short documentary on racism against African migrants in Israel that's worth watching. It was initially commissioned by the New York Times, but they refused to publish it and the Nation picked it up instead. You can read about that controversy here.

Tallaabo;982477 wrote: Somaliland used to have a number of high quality schools like Sheikh which were very similar to the private schools in Britain. Those schools also had a lot of British and Indian teachers. I don't like the way the French peddle around their language to feel a sense of superiority. Yes, but they didn't even go to the old 'elite' high schools - my dad went to 1st July Secondary School, which is now the University of Hargeisa I believe, and my mom went to a girls' boarding school in Berbera and then a high school in Xamar. Hope things get back to that point. The French are snobs about their language, you're right. They even make fun of our French in Canada :mad: It's a language that is growing outside of France, and most French speakers are in Africa, so it makes sense that they're trying to extend their influence in the Horn too. It's almost noon here, so time for me to head to the library and get some work done. Will return to crash this bro-mantic thread periodically.

Tallaabo;982470 wrote: They came to Somaliland a number of times and have explicitly said they want to promote the French language and culture. I'm a biased Canadian on this, but I don't think French being offered in schools is a bad thing. It opens a lot of doors, but since English is the more important language internationally, I hope Somaliland puts more emphasis on English. I was a little surprised by the limited English skills university students back home had, and schools like the University of Hargeisa claim to instruct students in English. It wasn't too long ago that students like my parents were able to become fluent English speakers without ever leaving Hargeisa.

Tallaabo;982464 wrote: And the French want to join the re-colonisation club too as they want French language taught in our schools. Caruurtu waabay ku carrab beelaysaa luqaddaa foosha xun. Hmm interesting, do you have more info on this? Where do they want French taught? French is a useful language to know depending on where you are, but I would hope Somalis prioritize English for second language learning.

Khayr;982450 wrote: What a great piece of "unbiased and factual stats based" research article that Saff posted. I saw shackles, a black slave and a hyena waiting to eat him. After all, Somalis feed there mentally ill kin folks to the hyenas. So take it up with the BBC, send them an email from the comfort of your home and tell them what the Xamar mental health hospital staff and other mental health professionals are dealing with doesn't actually exist.

Tallaabo;982452 wrote: This exactly what those fitness trainers tell their descends of fat @ss clients to do in London's public parks. And I am sure they don't pay any tax on their income:mad: Tallaabo leave them alone dee, I love seeing people working on their health and getting into shape, regardless of size. I cheer for them in my head when I see larger people outside running and being active But you're right, boot camp style stuff is the trend right now. Here in the States, are getting really popular, almost cult-ish in its fan base.

*Ibtisam;982449 wrote: Safferz- that is wonderful- congratulations- We are a little different- it is easy to get into the institutions but extremely difficult to then find funding. So most be find the funding and then find what ever institution you want and providing you can find someone with interest in that institution to tutor you, then you are good to go. Most European Universities- including the very best are always looking for Phd on most African and Aisan countries when it comes to development - Somalia is also a recent obsession- so they are welcoming but finding funding is still challenging. Best of luck with your application, we definitely need more Somali academics as a counterpoint to Western narratives of Somali politics, history, development, whatever it may be. Academics who don't go on sabbatical and try to run for president, I mean

*Ibtisam;982436 wrote: ^^^^^9 SCHOOOLS OH my GOD! lol you was really driven and dedicated! I am applying to ONE! if I get in and the scholarship as well then I will decide whether to do it next year or push it back. Can't imagine applying to 9!- doing one is time consuming enough- Thanks I will- I think I read somewhere you are in the field of history!? Interesting Are you enjoying it? any regrets or pulling your hair out yet? Not sure about exercise shop- you saw one? I dont tent to venture out much- even my office is inside my house- but they've opened a gym right across the road- I can see the sign. Been told it is good- keep meaning to cross the road and check- but time- no time for anything in life. 8-10 applications is average, and some people apply to even more! I'm not sure how the UK compares, but in the US and Canada, PhD admissions are extremely competitive because programs are always funded. So while British schools accept many and fund very few, the US and Canada only admit the number of students they will fund. I aimed for the best schools in history knowing the academic job market and the (unfortunate) importance of pedigree and advisor name, so I wanted to also apply widely to improve my chances. Alhamdulillah I was accepted at 7 of 9, and the two I didn't get into were the lowest ranked ones I applied to and didn't actually want to go to, so I'm not mad lol. Being a PhD student is stressful, but I'm enjoying it so much and I can't imagine doing anything else. Yes, I wish I could remember where it was exactly. Suuqa hoose maybe? I bought a soccer ball there to give some kids back in the tuulo in Ethiopia I was doing research in, because they were playing with a flat one and had no pump lol.

Khadafi;982425 wrote: Tallaabo and Safferz: People will always be nostalgic weather for the good or bad. What ever happens, Siyaad Barre ( aun) and his brutal regime are part of the Somali history. Only by discussing its achievements and failures can we understand the present and change the future. The regime of Siyaad Barre included all Somali clans and we should blame each others then pointing the fingers on a single man. One of the greatest failures of Siyaad Barre is that he failed to seize the moment when his regime was crumbling. Rather then leave the city and immediately start negations with the rebels he took another destructive path, Axmxaarki Mengistu ayaa ka fiicnay. Siyaad Barre and his regime was a disaster for the Somali society but his greatest permanent achievement must have been the writing of the Somali alphabet. Weather we like it or not, during his rule we had free education and healthcare . Now days only 20% of Somali children go to school. I agree with you completely.

SomaliPhilosopher;982427 wrote: You broke up with me dee I was joking dee, you're still my favourite How can I break up with someone who references Ngugi and Fanon? And I like you even more for seeing what everyone else missed about my comments in that awful thread. This one is for SP...

*Ibtisam;982424 wrote: This week I have been reduce to eating cereal for breakfast, lunch and skipping lunch. I have not eat pasta and baris for a week and I sooooooo dont miss it! I miss fruits. I need exercise that does not make me lose weight but gives me energy- I am already disappearing from lack of balanced food. I am staying in Europe- research- they will just endorse my primary research- I hate INGOs/NGOs- written so much criticizing them in the Somaliland context that they hate me- small world it is and they take criticism personal- although corruption and mismanagement is personal I guess. North America is tooo far- I dont even know you guys survive the journey- I am a nomad who does short trips. Lord knows if I will ever visit Australia or Canada for example. lol Maybe you need the bariis and basto then, you're not eating enough! Definitely stay away from Insanity if you don't want to get any leaner, and perhaps look into strength training 2-3x a week... I don't know if you'll be able to find weights in Hargeisa (I know there's a sports store but I can't remember if I saw dumbbells), but you can do bodyweight exercises like push ups and air squats. Good luck on your applications, and feel free to PM me if you need any insight on the application process I remember it being a really stressful time, and the waiting was much worse than putting the applications together. And I applied to 9 schools!

SomaliPhilosopher;982423 wrote: Safferz and ibtisam are the equivalent of that one guy in your group of friends that always tries to force himself themselves into your plans. GTFO this is the mens corner! Akhlaaq yeelo! NO. You're supposed to be on my side SP!

*Ibtisam;982417 wrote: Really? haha I dont mind Insanity- I just hate that screaming bully early in the morning and in the evening I am too tired. Also you end up being hungry all the time- not enough time or food in Hargeisa. Economic Development is my field. I can't be asked- mainly because I am not sure I want to study Somali's for another 3yrs-I am losing interest. True, it's definitely not easy to eat well back home, that's something I struggled with in Ethiopia and Somaliland this summer and unfortunately I'm still working on undoing the damage of all the canjeero/injera, muqmad and tibs I was eating I think it may help to have some carbohydrates before your workout, like some oatmeal or a banana, and be sure to get enough protein in your diet. Interesting... what schools are you considering, if you don't mind me asking? Depending on what you'd like to do after, there are some issues with the 3 year PhDs common in European universities... unless you plan to work for NGOs/government institutions, it's difficult to enter academia (in North America at least) with a 3 year PhD.

SomaliPhilosopher;981921 wrote: You fool Safferz, stealing my thunder dee! i beat you to that article! lol sorry, I didn't see dee

*Ibtisam;982411 wrote: 9am!! wow lol. It is 4.20pm in sunny Hargeisa. Almost a day done and my application still not done. yiiiks- I am applying for my Phd, but I am figuring if it is taking me so long to write the application- I should probably not do it. lol I miss exercising- I started this work out called Insanity- check it out on Youtube- normally military workout. but I gave up after a week- requires eating too much food to maintain the energy for high intense workout. Ha! I did Insanity two years ago, and I actually just started it again today, since I'd like to incorporate more cardio into my routine and I've been doing a lot of strength training lately. I like boot camp style workouts best because they're relatively short and super effective, but it's hard to look forward to doing them You may like TurboFire better, it's difficult as well but more fun to do. What field are you in? Still plenty of time to get an application together, the only thing you really can't procrastinate on is any standardized tests you have to take (ie. the GRE for American schools) and letting your references know about your deadlines early enough. The latter is what forced me to get my statement of purpose drafted earlier than I would have when I was applying to PhD programs, I wanted each them to have something to look at while they prepared their letter. But procrastination happens... I remember submitting one app a few minutes before deadline lol.

DoctorKenney;982402 wrote: I really suggest you stick to your Liberal Arts studies in college and refrain from talking about things you know nothing about. If you make a claim, you'd better substantiate it or withdraw it. Don't make the claim, and then claim that you're "uninterested" to carry the topic on further. And don't reference ambiguous Islamic politicians to make a point. I'm advising you to remain silent about what you don't know, as you're only making a fool of yourself on this forum. Don't approach topics with little research and zero knowledge. We are all laypeople, and you should be honest enough to admit that Try a PhD in history, but I suppose I know nothing about Islamic history or intellectual traditions (despite it being one of my fields) since some bozo on the internet says so. What I'm uninterested in is carrying on with people who don't know how to read or process argument, who lack the intellectual curiosity and open mindedness required for productive debate and exchange, who are more interested in attacking strawmans and projecting positions I've never stated, and who can only see the world (specifically religion here, but you and others in this thread are the same way when it comes to politics, family, etc) in black and white because they are too dumb to complicate things further and see the grey. In other words, I don't have the time or energy to debate with morons on the internet. I was going back to make edits and add to my post but saw it's now on page 7, so thought I should just re-state this again here. Peace.

*Ibtisam;982404 wrote: Safferz how you doing? Lets turn this shitty thread into something worth reading. I am sure people would rather read our chit chatter than clanish, politics, rude crude rubbish that children who come out to play write. aaah was that a little harsh- Oh well they are big boys How you doing? I am procrastinating Agreed! I'm great huuno, how are things on your end? It's 9 am here in the best time zone in the world, I just finished working out and I'm now catching up on emails and having breakfast

*Ibtisam;982373 wrote: This is the most boring club every- even the babysitting club was better!!! Gate crash needed ASAP- +1

^^ look, like I said I have nothing invested in this debate and I don't care where people's opinions fall on this. If you have been reading this thread in context and read my responses to the semi-literate Classified, you would know that everything I've said is simply to point out that every matter that is ambiguous in the Quran is part of centuries of scholarly debate in Islamic intellectual history, and that everything that isn't explicitly stated to be haram in the Quran has been subject to scholarly inquiry. I'm sorry if it offends some of you fundamentalists that THIS is the Islamic tradition, and you can't change that. Ibn Taymiyyah said women can lead men in prayer, for instance. That was his scholarly opinion, others disagree. Am I "changing Islam" for saying that? No, except to morons who see everything in black and white and are unfamiliar with Islamic scholarship and history. This is my last post in this thread, I've wasted enough time making this same point here.

Classified;982343 wrote: So far, YoniZ, Wiil Cusub and "Irshad Manji" (Safferz) all condemn 21 October. Don't call me that again. Why do you struggle so much with reading comprehension, Classified? I've noticed this in more than a few threads now, either you don't read people's posts at all before responding to them, or you have difficulty processing nuanced arguments. Who in this thread has said anything about "condemning" 21 October?

Wadani;982354 wrote: Exactly...so why did u use his marriage as an example of an inter-racial marriage? It just doesn't make sense. I used it as an example because he was black, and the Prophet encouraged marriage between him and his cousin Zaynab. Her family's opposition to the marriage is why those verses in Al-Ahzab were revealed, and why he's the only Sahaba mentioned by name in the Quran. Anyway, I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot and I'm tired of this thread, so I'm gonna call it a night.

lol, what's well known is that Zaid ibn Harithah was black. Why are you so invested in denying this? Bilal ibn Rabah's father was Arab, which also gives him an Arab tribe and lineage, yet that doesn't take away from his blackness. So pointing out that Zaid was born to banu Kalb doesn't signify anything about his race.

YoniZ;982310 wrote: Thanks for your over simplified answers. However, few things need to be put into perspective. Siyad came to power with out one bullet fired and never left quietly, he made sure no one succeeds him in doing the below steps: - Refuse and even shell the few respected inter-clan negotiators who tried peaceful exit. If you are old enough, the names of AUN Hashi Weheliye and Muse boqor and many others should ring bells. - Open the gates of the weaponry dumps for certain clans. Again if you are old enough and, have been in Mogadishu in the first three weeks of January 1991, the names of Shirkole, isha Guulwadayaasha, xalane and, 77 distribution points should make sense. I can even give you which clan received what kind of arms from which point. - Talking to the international media in regular basis claiming that he is the rightful president and, the criminal bandits will be exterminated and he will get back to Mogadishu ASAP. Anyone who know little bit about politics can understand that, no one will succeed in forming government unless the incumbant president is either resigned, captured, killed or leave the country. - Organising his clan to march to the capital and secceeded to reach the gates of city before he was defeated. In short, Siyad inherited functioning African state with impressive international deplomatic ties dealing with both sides of the cold war blocs. He turned it to *** licker for one bloc and after few years inguinuanly turned against his only left allies.... The rest as they say is history. Having said that, the opposition groups had their short commings and I will hold my fire for the appropriate debates. But I will never compare them to a man who came to power with naive opptimism from people, stuck on seat for 21 years and left the country scorched to the dark ages. Well said. I enjoy your posts, YoniZ. Classified;982289 wrote: How did he sow the seeds of Somalia's destruction? Are you saying the position we're in wouldn't ever happen, had Siad Barre never came to power? As for it being brutal, can you give us empirical evidence? He systematically manipulated clan for political power, which had the effect of politicizing clan difference and creating clan based opposition to the state. One of the most lasting legacies of his rule was the destruction of the philosophical belief and trust Somalis had in being subjects and citizens, and with the collapse of the state, the primacy of clan as the only political unit that could be trusted for group welfare and collective security. This is something that even well functioning governments like Somaliland are unable to overcome and instead find themselves negotiating political power with the clans.

Wadani;982334 wrote: That's not right. He was a slave, but not black. He was an ethnic Arab. Yeah, it is. Being born into an Arab society and to Arab lineage doesn't mean you don't have black skin.