Geel-jire, wax yar ii kaadi, i'm still doing the research, we may still have a fighting chance lol@Neph, hey, I didn't come up with it. Some scholars did to address the situation of Muslims who lack the wherewithal to get married, but want to avoid xaraam. Sometimes reality has a rude way of intruding into our finely-held ideals, and then, u gotta get creative, lesser of two evils and all that. The alternatives would be to get a girlfriend, or even easier with a lot less headache, the hook-up culture that is so prevalent. Xiin, Siyaasi wayn baa tahay. Why should I fast and you get to enjoy the all the barakah and benefits of marriage, weliba mathnaa wa thulaatha wa rubaac ? Like the older Mormon men who would run off the younger guys as soon as they come of age, to keep the flock of females all to themselves, filinkaas camal aa wadaa, lol...kidding, i got you, akh, jazaaks, fasting it is.

^^ This type of marriage would be more like 'we meet up when and where we can' kinda thing. In other words, there wouldn't be a shared home per se. And there wouldn't be the typical mandate for providing financial support. The expiry date comes into issue because you can get married for any length of time, and then dissolve it. This is appealing to those who don't want to or don't have the means to make the financial commitment marriage requires, yet want to partake in it's benefits. I know, it sounds dicey, Mut'ah formulated in legalese, which is why most scholars forbid it. Some say it's cool tho...for broke students, stranded travelers, and the like.

Yet, you then go into a world of absolutes where the Shabab conquer all that stands in their way and take over large swaths of territory! It's as if nothing had taken place in Somalia in the last two years and the ICU is still as it were back then. There is no Somali tribal militia on the face of the earth that can stand up to the fury of the Red Cimaamad blitzkrieg. This has been proven, time and again, up to a point where in some cases, TFG tribal troops refuse to fight if they do not have Etho troops with them. The fighting quality/ability of the cimaamad-wearer is unparalleled, no serious observer of the Somali scene will question that. This case scenario is the most realistic: 3- If they go it alone they shall become an extra problem/side in the Somali dispute They won't. Alshabab will overpower them. Hassen Turki will take lower Jubba (with the support from allies from Muqdisho), Hiiran will fall to Islamic courts affiliates, Jowhar is already under influence of Alshabab affiliates, Mukhtar Rooobow will take over Bay and Bakool. Yey will come back to Garowe (but won't be able to withstand internal dissent in puntland and full scale Alshabab invasion: assumption Ethiopia not there) 4- Someone will have to negotiate/deal with this extra problem No deals. They will vanish. Aptly put. F deals. They. Will. Vanish.

Xiin, Ninka saaxiib-kaa, rag'ga waxuu oo kala qaybiyay sadax. Ma xuma. But he forgot the 4th and most critical category: Iskaabulaha oo barkinta qoor-sagaaro ku hayo. Here's the problem: Marriage is simply not feasible while ur still in school. Maa fee faloos, abti. Financially and logistically, it's daunting(not impossible, but very close). But since necessity is the mother of invention, there's a Marriage 2.0 formula, updated just for broke students, now making headway among the youth. It's called: Zawaaj bi niyat talaaq(marriage with the intention of divorce). Although subject to alotta controversy, quite a few scholars have ok'd this, Shaykh Bin Baz among them(although he was 'overruled' by Shaykh Ibn Cuthaymayn). In theory, it's great. A xalaal version of friends-with-benefits. But it gets very dicey in practice. First off, you can't tell the wifey(by the numbers, mostly Ahlul Kitaab) this marriage is only for the short-term, cuz if u do, then it becomes Mut'ah and the marriage is invalid. And if u don't tell her, then ur basically engaging in fraud, cuz you already told her "I can't live without u" and she's seeing stars and is picking out names for non-existent kids. I mean, what do u tell her when it's over...."Um yeah, we had an amazing time together these past few days/weeks/months, but all good things must come to an end, and um, I gosta roll out. Sorry." Wifey, face frozen with shock: "But WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY ?" It's cruel and a couple of other words, none of them good. Marka abti, find me a loophole somewhere. Like if people can come to a unspoken tacit agreement, wink-cough-wink, that this most likely won't be a 'till death do us apart' joint, but more of a practical arrangement for mutual xalaal benefit. And if it grows into something enduring, then great. That way nobody gets blindsided. Some scholars say that any mention of a timeline immediately invalidates the marriage. Marka, athiga iyo saaxiib-ka, research noo soo sameeya, extenuating circumstances and all. Hadee kale, waxay noqonaysaa Minyaro Market inaa naligu careeriyo, lol. Stoic, I was in Philly this morning, you're right, AA hijaabiyaat all over the place, eclipsed only by the number of kuufis and beards.Mashallah, muslims there represent. Me and my brother were playing the "Spot a Muslim" game as we drove around. "Waraa, kaas Muslim waye.....maya, maya, kaas garkiisa style waye, he doesn't count"

Hotelka weyn ee Maansoor Hotel ee ku yaal magaalada Hargeysa ayaa xalay lagu qabtay Xaflad lagu xusayey sannad-guuradii 17-aad ee ka soo wareegtey maalintii Jabhadda EPRDF xukunka Itoobiya laga riday Taliskii Mingiste Haile Marian, May 1991. Xafladdaas oo uu soo qabanqaabiyey xafiiska Ganacsiga ee Itoobiya ku leedahay Hargeysa, waxa lagu martiqaaday oo ka qaybgalay wasiirro ka tirsan xukuumadda Daahir Riyaale iyo xisbiyada mucaaridka ah. Iyo Hay’adaha UN-ka, ka jooga Somaliland Waxa kale oo isaguna hadal kooban ka jeediyey Halkaas wasiirka Arrimaha Dibadda Somaliland, Cabdillaahi Maxamed Ducaale Dhinaca kale dareenka dadka ka muuqanayey iyo shucuurta Dadnimo ee ku beeran qofkasta oo soomaliyeed ayaa diidaysey muuqaalka xuskan iyo ka qaybgalkiisa iyadoo dadku ay isweydiinayeen dhibaatooyinka ka taagan Somaliya ee ay horseedka ka tahay Dawladda itoobiya iyo qaabka ay dhinac kale oo ay saaxiibtinimo ku jirto isaga tusayso Ummadda Soomaaliyeed. Ka soo lagu tilmaamay inuu yahay mabda’ii qaybi oo xukun iyadoo Itoobiya ay dalka Somaliya Qaybna qori kuhaysato qaybna qalin ugu taliso Beerdhiga Followed by commentary by the readers: Waxaan sidoo kale aaminsanahay in tirada badan ee Soomaalidu meel kasta oo ay joogaanba isku raacsan tahay wanaagga, laakiin arrinkoodii, waa ku celinayaa, arrinkii Soomaliya uu gacanta u galay qawlaysato, hadday ahaan lahayd Puntland, Soomalilanad ama meelaha kale ee aan wali Axmaaradu magaca u bixinba. ALLAHU-ma, marka laga reebo waddaniyiinta xaq u dirirka (muqaawamada). Kuwaas oo ku firirsan Soomaaliya oo dhan. Waxaan Soomaalida meel ay joogtaba u dardaarmayaa in laga biskoodo cudurkaan dilaaga ah ee nala haray, RASUULKEENNUNA ku cabbiray Islaamkii oo laga laabtay, dunida ilbaxa ahina isga tagtay, waa qabyaaladdii oo gacmaha la isqabsado REER SOMALILAND weligood in ay guumeysi kalkaal noqdaan miyey ka doorteen in ay noqdaan dad soomaaliyeed oo la dagaalama guumeysiga cadawga u ah qofkasta oo muslim soomaali ah kuwaas oo dadka reer waqooyina ku jiraan. Waxaa laga sugayaa kuwa culimo isku sheega ah iyo inta diinta sheeganaysa in ay arrimahaas ka hadlaan umadana uga digaan, waxaani wax loo dulqaadan karo maaha in Culimo isku sheegtu ay shaydaan aamusan noqdaan oo xaqa sheegi waayaan. Iyada oo gumaad iyo dil, xasuuq maalin walba dadka muslimka soomaalida reer muqdisho guumeysigu ku samaynayo miyaa looga dabaa degayaa hargeysa oo aan Qof daaci ahi ama waxgaradi ka hadlayn. WAR ALLAAH HA LAGA BAQO OO HA LOO GARGAARO dadka reer muqdisho ee difaacaya diinta iyo xornimada dalka iyo sharafta soomaali. Walaalayal waa wax laga xumaado wax maanta ka dhacaya wadankeenii in meelna caruurteenii ay ku dillaan meelna ay ku dabaal-dagaan,waxaase la yaab leh in Culimadii Somaliland ayba kasii Liitaan Culimada Puntland,,,, Mise Culimada Laftooda waxaa lagu qanciyay Riyadii Beenta aheed ee Gooni isku taaga Gobolka Wallee Waa yaab!!! No part of the country is spared the ignominy of dhulinimo. Ka soo bilow the farthest South, Kismayo, to Baidoba, to Mogadisho, to Garowe, to Bosaaso, to Laas Caanood, to Hargesia; The lowest common denominator uniting these low-bred low-born b.astards is how much they can kowtow in slavish servitude to Ethiopia. And then call it 'statesmanship'. And then call it 'dowladnimo'. And then call it 'national interest'. They suckle at the breast of Mother Ethiopia, ingesting weaponry and money instead of nourishing milk. They beseech her: "Mama, save us from those people. Mama, the wadaads are a-coming, niman loo geli karo mahan. Protect us, your loving protectorates, from their wrath." But when them young buckin', steady gunnin' thoroughbreds come callin', don't say you weren't warned.

lakin seriously those look like ones parked in a used car lot near my home

how sickening to watch these ppl who niether fear ppl or God do as they please and let madness reign Subxanallah, how upsetting, sad and depressing [Frown] [Frown] I did not think I could feel any worse about somalia. Some reminders are just painful.[Frown] Starts plotting how to get ride of certain people Pathetic bunch of loosers Malika I saw that, cueing up like a bunch slaves for master Gabre to give the go ahead. Even the western media were mocking them, “I am now going to the place where Mogadishu is ruled from! The Ethiopian Embassy How can a human being be so indifferent to the suffering of his own people? The programme also filmed the 'police force' raiding civilians, and the head of the police response to this? They were impostors who bought the police uniform, simply pathetic I'm glad that you all see it that way. Hopefully now, you'll understand why the Muqawama will wage their liberation campaign until all the warlords are either six foot under, or in exile. Not just Mogadisho but every entity, every militia that is allied with Ethiopia in any shape, way, or form. There is no third option. The grim reaper of justice is calling, and he will be answered. Diplomacy will be used only in such a way to further that goal: Exterminate Dhabodhilifa by all warranted means, including khidca or stratagem. Good to see some of our peaceniks expressing their outrage. What was shown in that documentary is a fraction of the atrocities inflicted on the long suffering masses of Somalia on a daily basis. Only a fraction. The fact that you are outraged and indignant shows that you're not totally infected with that liberal kumbaya "Peace and surrender" BS. The world is not a pretty place, and now you understand that all the non-violence rhetoric you were taught in school, and that is ever so fashionable nowadays, is complete and utter bogus. It is also refreshing to see you recognize the sheer wretchedness of the TFG. Some people were laboring under the illusion that the TFG was a 'imperfect' government, and that 'bad government is better than no government'. Now, after seeing dhabodhilifs line up in front Gabre and kow-tow in almost cinematic servitude, you do understand that this dowlad-isku-sheeg is nothing more than a collection of murderous warlords, treasonous traitors, and illiterate two-bit jaahils, united in service to Ethiopia. And you also do understand that annihilating them, destroying their militia and weaponry,so that they will never pose a threat to Somali integrity, is an incumbent obligation, a necessity of the highest importance for the salvation of Somalia. Not bad at all. We're making progress. Nominal differences may exist, but it's good that my people are now seeing the big picture: Any Somali individual, group, organization, or entity that is allied with Ethiopia, even remotely, is a direct threat to ALL of Somalia, and hence, must be defanged. Permanently .

Emperor, the mangy flea-ridden Xabashi mutt barks. Listen up, boyo. emantes from my firm belief in upholding Somali diginity. A dangerous precedence that will encourgae future Ethiopian rulers to treat Somalia much like how Syria used to treat Lebanon must not be allowed to develop, as well. It is a negation of the ideals on which the Idaale and Dinsoor bloody battles were fought for, to settle for undignified compromise and to display defeatist mentality. The war of liberation must be continued with determination and zeal. In the end, the fruits of that struggle will be sweet and the history of tomorrow's Somalia will illuminate with tales of gallentry and courage displayed by the thousands of sons who are dying for the reclamation of its lost glory. Being an hopeless Ethiopian adoon, being a qabalisto waving the Tol flag(even as it fails him time and again), it is only natural that you do not appreciate the words of wisdom above. Wax la daho principles ama qiyam aaa laga yaabaa in weligaa lagu soo barin. Or maybe waalagu soo baray but you started smoking the Tol pipe and abandoned Islam. Marka, la yaab malahan, inaa dhabo-dhilif noqotid. La yaab malahan inaa dhuli dayoos noqotid. A man is only a product of his environment and his experiences. From his words, Abtigiis's upbringing and belief-system is evident. And the same goes for you. You, my good friend, represent the last gasps of a dying breed of men who worship the Qabiil idol, that want to keep the status quo of "anaga vs ayaga" alive. The Ethiopians are your last card, play it well, duqa. For after they are expelled, you and your kind will be brought to your knees and force-fed the dirt of humiliation, if not death(when deserved). They say there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. Islamic governance has captured the imagination, the hopes, and the aspiration of the Somali people and just like a tsunami, it's waves are increasing in height every day, untill they come crashing down on shore with unabated fury. Untill then, ii bashaal, bashaal-ka baroor iyo oohin aa ka dambayso.

Kismayo-news Dagaal ooge, qabqable, la dil, waa la afduubey iyo Tigree waa waxii umaddeena iyo dalkeena kala qaaray dhibaatadanna ka danbeeyey. Balse maanta waxaan aragnaa saadaal ka wanaagsan middii hore carafteediina ay dhawdahay. Walaalnimadii, amnigii iyo waliba Islaanimadii Soomaaliyeed maanta ayay ugu dhawdahay ee Qalbigaagu Ha Nuuro! Illaahay ku xamdi! Cudduda Muqaawamada oo adag iyo rabitaankooda oo ku xidhan illaahey jidkiisa iyo waliba shacab daacad oo jecel oo iyaga u nugul waxey soo iftiimisey rajadaan ka qabo in Soomaliya markale ay calankeeda dib u qaadato nabad iyo barwaaqana ku waarto. Caasimadii Xamar ee burburtey waxaa gacantooda ku dhisan doona dadkii lahaa. Tigree dharbaaxada ku dhacaysa iyo dhafoor xumadoodu waxay sahayan doontaa Zenaaawi. Kenya edeb bay yeelan doontaa waxeyna markale si wanaagsan u furi doontaa xadkeeda. Muslimka geeska Afrika waxaa saldhig markale u noqon doona caasimadda Xamar. Qurba joogta kuwoo waxsoo bartey iyo kuwooda u xiisey dhulkoodii waxey buuxin doonaan jasiiradaha quruxda san ee Liido iyo Aljazeera. Ganacsi iyo nabad buuxda waynu arki doonaa mar aan fogeyn. Dunidii ina dumisey mar aan fogeyn way inoo imaan iyadoo ku dhawaaqeysa anagaa idin gabney. Zenaawi waji gabax inuu la dhinto haddii aysan ciidamadiisu dilin waa la arkaa. Tuugtii dadkooda gumaadey ee Tigree u raacey meel ay joogaanba tuke canbaar leh oo aan umadda ka mid noqon waa laga dhigi doonaa iyagaana is masaafurin doona. Idamka illaahay nabad waara iyo isjeceykeenii waan arkaa waana muuqdaa.. Qurbajoogta oo iyagu ilo dhaqaale u ah umadda waxey malaayiin ku bxiin doonaan dib udhiska waddanka. Khilaafaadka iyo aragtiyaha kala duwanna kolla inagama joojin doonaan inaan danteena iyo diinteenna u midawno. Culimada maanta duurka u hoyata iyo kuwa gacanta Tigreega ku jira mar aan fogeyn Tarbuunka way kala hadli doonaan malaayiin Soomaaliyeed oo u heellan araggooda. Dadkii barakacey guryahooda way imaan. Ugu danbeyn, dhamaanteen waxaa ina faran inaan kaqaybqaadano dib u dhiska, iyo xoreynta waddankeena. Rag baa u dhimanaya maanta inteenna kalena aan taageero hiil iyo hooba kula tacaallo . Tigree waa JABAYAA,! Only a matter of days, weeks, months, and years. Somalia is back. Victory is at hand. Kalimatullahi will prevail. I can already smell it. It smells like: Allahu Akbar. Smells like Eid day, and the euphoric atmosphere of brotherhood. Smells like Sakiinah. Smells like the beginning of a new era.

^

Tell ya what, I'll stay delusional, if you will promise that you'll remain a dhabo-dhilif to the bitter end, even when the Tigrays leave. Shake on it.

^ Nah, a reckoning for many people in many places, but in your specific case, a reckoning in Garowe. Ain't that swell

6 Recalls its intention to take measures against those who seek to prevent or block a peaceful political process, or those who threaten the TFIs or AMISOM by force, or take action that undermines stability in Somalia or the region, and therefore requests the Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) (herein after 'the Committee') to provide, within 60 days from the adoption of this resolution, recommendationson specific targeted measures to be imposed against such individuals or entities; It commends the AMISOM peace keeping mission and expresses it sorrows for a loss of a Burundian soldier and threatens with heavy steps and serious consequences to anyone who in ever way, should it be minor or major threaten them. Watch out peace-spoilers, especially so the Afowerki lackeys and the wronged Al-Shabaab. ^^^I hear him talkin', but he 'bouta get that azz stomp. Dear Dhabodhilifs, Ikhwatul Khawana wal Khanaazeer, Look in them eyes. Look at the noble visage. The proud smile. The steady unrelenting gaze. The ciz'za . The sharaf. The anifa. Something you will never have in 10 lifetimes of abject dhulinimo. The Ethiopians will be expelled, sooner or later. I know this, you know this, let's not play coy. The UN ain't ridin' to the rescue. Again, you know this, spare me the Is-Qancis. Question is, what then ? Your 'army' consists of a rabble of jaat-chewin marqaan-high goat-herders with a penchant for sprinting within 30 minutes of hearing bullets go crack. How will they fare against the Thoroughbreds pictured above? Ever thought about that? Please do tell. I mean, you didn't think it was gonna be that sweet didja? Surely you must have some sorta exit strategy(Code name: Cagaha-wax-kaday) for when the Day of Reckoning arrives with unforgiving justice. Just thought I'd give y'all a lil reminder of what you're up against. :cool:

^^ Trust and believe, akh, before this thing is over, there will be a reckoning. The Amxaars were doing a house to house search and one of them went into this particular home. The father was inside taking a nap and his children and my friend were also inside together when the soldier came in spoke to them in amxaar language pointing to his machine gun asking for any guns in the house. The kids all shaked their heads singling "NO GUN" and the soldier went into all the rooms looking for gun's where he came upon their dad. Again the soldier asked him to give him his gun/AK-47 and here the dad was faced with a crusial test knowing he would loose anyways. If he said yes he would kill him and if he said no he would still kill him knowing the nature of what was taking place outside. He said " NO GUN" and the soldier searched around his room and found the AK-47 under his bed. Without hesitation the ethiopian soldier got a hold of one of his kids and blatantly shot and killed him right there infront of his dad's eyes. He then shot my friend in the head also killing him, and Finally killed the Father. And they speak of 'peace and stability'. And they speak of dawladnimo. And they speak of qaranimo. And they speak of power-sharing. And they speak of unity. "Qul hal tarrabsuuna binaa ixdal xusna'yayn, wa naxnu natarabusa bikum an yuseebakum'allahu bi cathaabin min cindihi ow bi aydeena, fa'tarabusoo inaa macakum mutarabisoon." "Say: "Can you expect for us (any fate) other than one of two glorious things- (Martyrdom or victory)? But we can expect for you either that Allah will send his punishment from Himself, or by our hands. So wait (expectant); we too will wait with you"

Bump. Up you go. Stark reminder of the ugly reality we would deign to wish away. Falaa naamat acyunal jubanaa.

^^ Treasure of a find, Abu. Good looks.

......... for this? Are you ? Well then,

Source Brothers/sisters this is a true story walaahi that i would like to share with yall, just one of many atrocities the ethiopians were commiting, are commiting now and will commit in the future so long as they stay in somalia. It happend on an early Thursday morning in the beginning of 2007 if my memory serves me correct when the Ethiopians who invaded our capital came from Cali kamiin to Towfiiq which is in Yaqshid district for those who know their way around Mugadisho. It was there that i resided with my family, we awoke to heavy gunfire between the Muqaawama(or insugents as they say) who knew they were on that route passing by and the Amxaars who had many tanks and soldiers. It all happened on the intersection of Towfiiq which we were really close to it so we were in danger of shelling and bullets flying everywhere. The place was a chaos with extreme exchange of gunfire and the Amxaars were merciless shelling and bombing with their tanks everything that moved. We got out luckily all of us and went to the outskirts as did all my neighbors. As I was walking near the battle trying to get away from it all, the muqaawama all with cimaadads around their heads, some on their pickup truck mounted with an anti-aircraft and some walking with their AK-47 guns were heading opposite direction of me going to the intersection where the Amxaars were located with their many tanks and weaponry. I could see the determination and calmness in their eyes which was contrasted by the total chaos of the place. One shiekh was leading them reading from a little book which when i glanced at it definitely was a Du'a kitaab which has many supplications in it, they were saying after him some of those supplications maybe they knew they would meet their fate and never return alive. He looked at me and said "Noo soo duceey in ilaahay na garab siiyo" i said i will and kept walking looking back at them wondering what their fate would be. Moments later i've witnessed something that up till this day I would never forget and would remain in my subconscious for sometime. A boy who i would guess to be around 16 or so who had his whole life to look forward to, was strapped with two bazookas on his back which he barely could carry and an AK-47 on one hand going to where the Amxaars were and hoping to inflict some harm to them. I observed him for a bit and also seeing how alot of older men were running for their lives, and seeing this young kid risking his life and this dunyaa for something he believed in. This gave me chills really and I becamed ashamed of myself. During late in the evening when the fighting calmed down and the Ethiopians left that area i came to realize that one of my friends which i happened to get to know very well during my stay was brutally murdered by an ethiopian soldier in that morning. It happened like this: My friend was staying at some other guys house near the intersection and they seeked refuge in that home along with their father and siblings. Their childrens's father was well know in that area because he was a businessman and they lived in a good home with a nice car parked in their front. The Amxaars were doing a house to house search and one of them went into this particular home. The father was inside taking a nap and his children and my friend were also inside together when the soldier came in spoke to them in amxaar language pointing to his machine gun asking for any guns in the house. The kids all shaked their heads singling "NO GUN" and the soldier went into all the rooms looking for gun's where he came upon their dad. Again the soldier asked him to give him his gun/AK-47 and here the dad was faced with a crusial test knowing he would loose anyways. If he said yes he would kill him and if he said no he would still kill him knowing the nature of what was taking place outside. He said " NO GUN" and the soldier searched around his room and found the AK-47 under his bed. Without hesitation the ethiopian soldier got a hold of one of his kids and blatantly shot and killed him right there infront of his dad's eyes. He then shot my friend in the head also killing him, and Finally killed the Father. I have met my friends mom once again in a small town outside Mugadisho briefly, she wasn't herself I remember her to be a lively outgoing person with joy in her eyes but she seemed busy with herself. I can understand her really, she only had two sons, one was 18 and became mentally ill, the other was my friend, a 17 year old who always talked about going to America and dreamed about having a better life, he was the only hope for her as he was running her business for her and being the Man of the House. Unfortunately his life was cut short, all i could say to her was:inaa lilaahi wa'ina ilayhi rajiun Peerless heroism and savage brutality facing off in Somalia while the world turns a calculating blind eye. Sabran Ahla Muqdisho, fa'inna mowcidakum al-Jannah, inshallah.

Gut-busting hilarious, but so true too. Dear chronically procrastinating young person, Slate has asked me to offer you a few words of advice—as I, too, am a procrastinator. Always have been. In college, I'd start 10-page papers after midnight on the day they were due. Half my memories of this period involve screaming at my printer to print faster, ripping the pages from its maw, and then sprinting to my professor's office with moments to spare, sweat streaming down my face. Why did I subject myself to so much stress, instead of starting my work earlier like "normal" people do? Well, you've no doubt heard all manner of theories regarding the root cause of procrastination. Fear of failure. Crippling perfectionism. Abnormally low type-2 phloxiplaxitus levels. I'm here to tell you that it was none of these things. The root cause of my procrastination, in technical terms, is this: I'm lazy. Extremely lazy. Don't judge, pal—you're lazy, too. It's why you procrastinate. When there's a difficult, disagreeable, or tedious chore that needs to get done, guess what? You don't want to do it. So you don't. Until you have to. It's just that simple, my slothful friend. And guess what else? The trick to overcoming procrastination is even simpler. Ready? Here it is: Get off your fat badonk and stop procrastinating. Right now. No, not after the Gilmore Girls rerun ends. Now now. Will you do this? No. You will not. You will dabble at the crossword for a while. Later, you might get a yogurt. Eventually, you'll start reading pointless crap on the Internet. You see, you're doing it as we speak! Because: You are lazy. Understand that this will never, ever change. You will always be lazy, and you will always procrastinate. I know it's tough for you to hear, but it's a harsh truth that you need to internalize. I'm serious about this. It's bad enough that you're so damn lazy. People like you can't afford to be delusional on top of all your other problems. Oh, I'm sure you imagine yourself growing out of this silly procrastination phase. In the future, you'll get an early jump on projects, work at a steady pace, and always finish ahead of schedule. You'll take the time to do things right—instead of nipping under the wire in a rush of half-assed, flailing chaos. It's a beautiful dream, my indolent chum. And I'm here to shatter it. Again, I speak from experience in these matters. When I was young, my procrastination was merely debilitating. As I age, it gets far worse. Take, for instance, this assignment. I first learned of it two weeks ago and, since then, I've gotten really, really superb at Guitar Hero III. Now I'm awake in the middle of the night, facing a deadline that's hours away, and I'm guzzling caffeine and just getting started. Crikey, I haven't done a lick of research! My editor specifically asked me to find historical examples of procrastination. Hold on, gonna Google a couple things … OK, back now. It turns out the ancient Greeks may well have procrastinated. And Leonardo da Vinci left a whole stack of unfinished projects. Also—this is conjecture on my part, but seems plausible—I'm guessing the people of Pompeii spent their final moments wishing they'd been a bit more on the ball about fleeing that bubbling volcano. "But Seth," you interject, as I take a Rubik's Cube from my desk drawer and begin fiddling with it, "what about that kid in my econ section who's always on top of things? He makes an outline of his paper two weeks in advance, writes a rough draft, then does further research and revisions. Couldn't I be more like that kid if I put my mind to it?" No. You couldn't. That kid will grow up to be a powerful politician or business leader. You won't. And that's OK! Some of the kindest, most interesting people are pretty lazy, and not at all powerful. Take da Vinci: He was totally awesome, despite—as my extensive research suggests—being an easily distractible scattershot. His very strength was that he allowed his mind to wander where it pleased, instead of always locking into the task at hand. Sure, maybe you wouldn't want da Vinci as your air-traffic controller. But you'd definitely want to have a beer with him—am I right? And despite his problems knuckling down, the guy produced oodles of brilliant, imaginative work. Which is where my advice comes in. Stop resisting and embrace your procrastination. Don't agonize in front of a blank computer screen. Don't sit around for hours—intending to start your work any moment now—only to find that in the end you've accomplished zilch, save for ruining your own day. You could instead, for instance, work on a small, tangential aspect of the assignment. Some weird take on things—one that doesn't make you miserable. This may be of little direct application, but there's a chance it could also pay off, kick-starting a new line of thought or adding nuance to your final result. Or, better, take a walk outside. Read a book for pleasure. Roll a spliff and share it with a friend. You're going to procrastinate anyway, so you may as well enjoy the time you're stealing from your tasks. While that grind in your econ class is toiling, you're becoming a more relaxed, quirkier, less-programmed person. You nurture the creative sprouts that take root only in long hours of idleness. You're open to soulful experiences that lie only beyond the bounded worlds of work and study. Of course, this is all dependent on there being a deadline waiting at the end of your walkabout. For true procrastinators, nothing gets done without a deadline. As we say in journalism: The deadline is your friend. And when that deadline looms too near to procrastinate any longer, you need to take care of business. Crank it out, baby. Executed correctly, this method is in fact terrific practice for maintaining your cool in stressful work environments. Pressing deadline anxiety can be channeled into an extreme level of focus. If you can train yourself to complete your assignments under pressure, quickly and efficiently, you will always find yourself in demand. OK, fully bumping up against the clock here. Time to get this thing to my editor. A few important questions remain, so I'll attempt to answer them in our waning moments together: 1) Could I have done a better job on this assignment if I'd started sooner? Quite possibly. 2) But would I really have used that additional time to my advantage, instead of just doing the crossword and watching Gilmore Girls reruns? Very doubtful. 3) Am I crazy good at Guitar Hero III? Oh my, yes. I'm money on the multibutton combos now, and I can even nail some of the faster solos. You should come over and play some time. Maybe bring that spliff. Your shiftless amigo, Seth Slate

Waar Xoolayowgaan layiri Madaxbaa tihiin yaa Ummada ka qabta.... Niman dulli ah ayaa wadanki wada heesta sidee kayeelnaa Good to have you seeing the light. Even you still have hope. Sidaan ku soco, abti. As for yaa Umada ka qabta. Wax yar noo kaadi. Waxaa ku mashqoolsanahay Amxaar-ka iyo dhabo-dhilif-kooda sida aa aga natheefin lahaayn najaasadooda Koonforta. Soon as we liberate the South, restore law & order, and a governing admin, our next stop is Garowe. Ikhawatul khawana wal khanazeer(PIS and Dhabodhilif, Inc) aala exterminate garaynaa inshallah. Waala cirib tiraa, bi'kuli macnaa al-kalima. No Somali dog will ever remotely contemplate treason or prostitution. Wait and see.

But how would you reconcile the understanding of those who receive a deeper layered meaning with those who only understand the apparent Yeah, this is where that sorta confused thinking is gonna take ya -----> The Ismailis understand the Qur'an to have several layers of meaning, but generally divide those types of meanings into two: the exterior (zahir) meaning and the interior (batin) meaning. While a believer can understand the batin meaning to some extent, the Imam alone has the complete understanding of the Qur'an and it is to him alone to interpret it according to the times Every escapee from a mental asylum will claim to have recieved 'special and exclusive knowledge of the deepest layers' of the Qur'an. And they will hide their utter ignorance by saying : "I am an 'Aarif', you could never understand my level of knowledge" Iska ilaali slippery slope-kaas, once you start formulating Islam calaa kayfak, min jaybak, religion cusub aala soo baxaysaa like the Ismailis.

^^ Ok, so riddle me this: This was a successful military operation by any metric: enemy dead and wounded in the tens, destruction of 3 very important armored trucks and other weaponry, and no civilian causalities whatsoever, so as we used to say in high school: What's your problem ? You're no Duke, so it's not the Ethiopian baqti that's bothering you. No civilians got hurt, so you can't use the humanitarian crutch. The Ethiopian enemy was destroyed in the countryside. So, eesh mushkila ? Mase waxaa laga soo horjeeda any notion of armed resistance ? Waxaa ka baqaa hadoo Meles Zenawi heart attack ku dhaco, some of our 'moderates' will say "Ilaahay ha uu naxareesto", because that would be the 'polite and civilized' thing to do. War Soomaliyaaaay hordatha ka kaca !!!

Since when Benjamin Franklin become a role model for the armed youth Xadeeth: Al-Xikamatu Dhaala'atul Mum'nin. Wisdom is the lost possession of the believer. Anywhere we find it, it's ours. In the Qu'ran, we're exhorted to look unto the histories and examples of past and present nations. I put more stock in the wisdom of my man Benjamin, than in the 'wisdom' of the vast majority of the so-called 'leaders' in the Muslim world.

What say you about the ICU men, people like Prof. Caddow, Sh. Caynte, and others, who are there in Jabbuuti to negotiate with the tfg and their backers I think they are strategic thinkers and are following the xikmah of the Xadeeth: Al-Xarbu Khidca. War is Stratagem. You see, we've gotta be able to play the PR game(one of our weak points). So when the UN, the EU, and Arab League says: "Peace Talks !". We say: "Sure! Where do we meet up ?" Knowing full well, that they were silent backers of the Ethiopian xasooq. Do not think for one minute that Prof Caddow is willing to compromise on iron-clad principles. He may give concessions here and there, but it is all a way to ensure final victory for Soomalida Xalaasha ah. They are in Djibouti to play the PR game, diplomacy, after all, is another conduit of war. Just because they sat down with the TFG doesn't mean they are willing to accept the TFG or Ethiopian occupation 'for the sake of peace'. Here's an example of a concession that, in may view, is strategic: Offer to suspend attacks, a hudnah, for a period of 1 month, during which the Ethiopians would completely evacuate every inch of Somalia. Also, a promise not to attack the TFG for say, another month, during which the war criminals(basically the whole leadership, Yusuf, Nur Cade, Qaybdiid, Dheere, etc) resign and head into exile. If they are found in any part of Somalia, they will be summarily executed. And so on. Whaddaya think ?

Xiin, Would you be able to respond to Benjamin Franklin's qoute ? I'd like to hear your take on that.