I would like to thank Classique for her recommendation of The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I read both of them soon after and found both books interesting. Spent three hours on the Alchemist and eight hours on Wuthering Heights. I couldn't find "Adrift in Soho" by Colin Wilson and is out of print in my area. Amazon.com has some used ones and I will try ordering online Once I get settled. I also bought beloved by Toni but didn't get to it just yet. School has come back in full force so it will have to wait for a while. Anyway, if someone wants to read "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte, without buying the book, and they have access to internet, They can visit www.literature.org, click on Authors, then On Emily Bronte, And they will see the Only book listed for her as "Wuthering Heights". Her sisters are there too LOL. Or simply click on http://www.literature.org/authors/bronte-emily/wuthering-heights/ As for my comments on the books, I liked both of them. Very nice read. Even my Yankee co-worker which read the Alchemist after I gave it to him was happy after he read it and told me that he had hard time reading fiction books before, but the Alchemist was totally different and had in it something he could relate to. Strangely, We were talking about the book few minutes ago after I showed up for work before checking here and seeing the dedication. Tata! take Care everyone

The study below suggests Somalis(Minnesota) are at risk of Diabetes. http://www.health.state.mn.us/diabetes/diabetesinminnesota/prevalence.pdf#search='Somalis%20and%20Diabetes'

Nationalist, Do others from other tribes care if you belong to a noble tribe or not? Will any somali accept that you get something because of your tribe's entitlement? How you are going to sit across a table with the rest of somalis using your tribe will always be at issue. Nobility or whatever feel-good things one espouses about their tribe, others don't care and have no use for it. That is the challenge for you. You either keep your tribe confined to your private life and stop using it where it is not appreciated or wanted, or you live in the current saga. Anyway, I am still waiting for the quote where the prophet said he was proud of his tribe. Hey GUARDIAN. Your true tribe is your husband lol

Macalimuu, nicely put. Ilaahey ha cafiyo Somali waa jiran tahaye.

Nationalist, Can you quote where the prophet pbuh said "He was proud of his tribe"? People should Stop using islam to advance pre-islamic notions. Qabiil is identity the Quran teaches but not a tool to use and abuse in politics. Anyone who knows anything about islam would know for a fact that Islam is the system Muslims should use for governance PERIOD. No tribal system and bigotry, no tribal loyalty because you are supposed to be loyal to GOD not to your tribe. How does one expect from someone who hails from another tribe to work with them if they are telling him their tribe comes first? How does that person expect unity with them? And following the logic of tribalists, what makes it wrong for someone to decide to take the LOYALTY up a NOTCH and call it quits by declaring independence from the rest of Somalis? we can't blame them can we? Because if we do, we are contradicting ourselves. They are loyal to their tribe, cant trust others with their affairs and interests, and the rest can't argue with them. This is to shed a light on the result of tribal loyalty and where it leades people to. The rest of the examples I can draw in here are even more darker. Look at Xamar and its people? How Qabiil transformed them in to hopeless beings? That is tribalism in its darkest manifestation. Doesn't anyone think these people could have benefited from islam and could unite for a common cause instead of advancing hopeless tribal loyalty and find themselves in perpetual fighting where there is no winner? Islam and Somalism are dead so long as people believe in tribal loyalty. AYOUB SHEIKH No doubt in my mind I have my own interests and things I like to see in a woman, nonetheless, what tribe she belongs to is of no consequence. Somalis marry black Americans and whites lately, so what makes a Somali woman unfit for marriage?

MsWord, I am tempted to ask if your resolution includes not to marry a man from another tribe then? And you write very good english. I know this is not directly related to the topic although I somehow connected it in my mind thinking, If she was forced to abondon her prestine views by dealing with corrupted people too often, did she also decide as well to keep within the tribe where marriage is concerned? As for the topic, I never relied on a tribe for anything, so even if I decide to be an active member of my tribe at this stage, I have no idea what I would contribute to them. Everything is corrupted from politics to personal views they have about THE OTHERS. The same way many among other tribes are as corrupted. If they let me share the name, that is all I aspire. What I won't accept from any somali though, is to BS me with his tribe is this or his tribe is that. I have no stomach for dealing with such bragging and empty rhetorics, bigotry and bias of any kind. How someone personally behaves towards me won't change my perception about the tribe he belongs to, cause, I can't generalize. I will treat everyone who has the wrong attitude as an aberration and move on(And I wonder if we have got in our society millions of aberrants). PS: It is hard to keep faith.

Moments like these are when I feel embarrassed.

Speaking for myself Only; A- I don't judge Arabs because they are Arabs. B- I don't praise them because they are Arabs. C- I am not ethnically an Arab but Somali and the connection I have with them is the Bond of islam which is very important. My only reservation about islamic brotherhood is that I wouldn't glue myself to someone who can't see the value of it, be they Arabs or Somalis. I simply go on my separate way. If you don't like me, tough deal, I don't like you too. I am glad to say though, when I meet students of Arab origin at school, I can sense the connection of brotherhood even if we don't know each other. We pray together and act as acquintances. That is the beauty of islam. It engenders the sense of oneness among different ethnic groups and you don't need to know a lot about the person. The sooner you hear his/her name, the faster the connection and familiarity. As for criticizing them, first, I can not say Arabs are this or that because the Word "Arab" covers both the good and the bad among them. I am sure they don't do things collectively as "Arabs". Allah will judge them individually. So I better judge them that way myself instead of generalizing. Their governments are corrupted and minions who don't represent fully their people's aspirations and hopes, so I guess I am not too interested in naming what they do as something done by "Arabs" as a collective measure. Also, when everyone who doesn't like islam screams about "Arabs", I side with the "Arabs" without expecting anything from anyone. I do it to stand up for something I value and believe in. It is not important what some arab individual thinks or doesn't think. Anyway, Sheekada meeshaasaan kusoo xirey

lool Qacda, flight thirteen waa maqlaa lee, goormee imaadeen iyaga? besides, bro, dadka nala joogo nuskood dhinacaasey ka imaadeen iyagoo shaqo raadis eh. Waa fiican tahay sidaas because shaqaa loo soo safrey ama wax barasho in any case. I welcome them too. Iyagaana meesha sawir mugdi ah iga siiyey. Consequently, Canada wexey ila noqotey meelaan shaqo laga helin ama wax progress ah laga gaari karin. Ceyr, Riwaayad iyo Tumasho lee. Ciyaal biidoo dhanna waa joogaan. Macalimiintii xamar lol. Tuujiye horta Canada maku nooloo asagana? Kaas camalaa meesha ku badan. lol. He could be driving a VAN to pickup girls and take them to weddings. The best job ever for him lol. And I thought you lived in London?? Whatever happened? ama anaa qalad u qaatey?

I don't know why but I associate the word "Canada" with "Hunger" and "Baagamuundo". Wax calaacalaayo lee ka imaado. As for the topic, I think Ethiopia then Kenya, UK, Canada, USA. PS: Dadka waa sii qaxaan markey America yimaaddaan, so i think in Uk la isugu shubtey LOL.

NGONGE, Thanks saxib. Ignore the comment I wrote but deleted if you have read it and were planning to reply Thanks.

I pray this effort to work for the greater good despite my opposition and negative comments. Qudhac and Co, Idinkana, walaaltinimo and support hala idinka helo. Xaasidnimada qaarkeed waa laga fiican yahay. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4041161.stm#abdi Miskiinkaanoo kalaa Dowlad u Baahan iyo kuwo kaloo la mid ah.

Alla-U-Baahne, I am thinking the word "rational" doesn't apply to the arguments against "Aakhiro" in Mutakallim's post although there is no way around the conclusion you made considering how the sentence is structured. LOL. Mutakallim will clear the confusion or insist on what he said and show the "rational" arguments against Aakhiro. I doubt if he meant anything like that.

Shirwac, You typed what you "meant" without elaboration. Typing what you "meant" doesn't "mean" others will get your point as you wanted them to in some cases. Misinterpretation is possible. "1. There is no way in Hell that someone can proof aakhiro exists. " If that be true, How do you explain your firm belief in its plausible occurence as a muslim? Samatar and like-minded people would love such replies because it proves/supports their point of view or conclusions. You gotta have some explanations for your beliefs according to them or you are guilty of blind faith. So, Shirwac, do you have any explanation for why you believe in Akhiro? I am guessing you have good reasons, so elabroate them. You can even try explianing the "No way in Hell", or better, try "There is a way" from your point of view as a believer and extrapolate. What do you say Shirwac?

It would be interesting to see the debate between Nur and Samatar. I hope he doesn't mind coming here for a debate. One of the website Owners should invite him by looking up his e-mail at the College he teaches and politely ask him to come here and accept a challenge. Shirwac Did you mean to say you lack knowledge rather than conviction, and that is why you aren't able to proof Aakhiro exists? Or you meant to say you don't believe in the existence of GOD to start with for you to believe in Aakhiro? PS: My apologies to Nur. I don't have the knowledge. Just interested in this fella, Shirwac's comment. Very interesting Guy lol.

Nationalist, You were transparent in your previous one as well although you were a little more subtle. Honest answer.

Bro Maakhir, The geography(within Somalia) inwhich historical events took place, and what segment of Somali society shaped that history or were involved, are of no consequence to me. I treat both the history and the somalis involved with fairness and try to understand the events within context. Somalis are like siblings from the same father whose differences are family differences, but nothing profound that requires anyone of them to feel separate from the rest of the same family they belong to. At least for me, that is how I operate mentally.

Wind.Talker, Wouldn't you accuse of him then of what resulted out of acting on bitterness? Yes or No? PS: Cid ku gaar ah naceybka ma leh. Waa la is wada neceb yahay. The only difference is that some are more vicious(more violent)than others.

Qudhac, I have no idea what Riyaale did or what he was, but Voting for someone into office doesn't absolve him of any crime he committed if he committed any. The sin still sticks and requires accounting. For any group of somalis to be credible, acceptance of punishment across the board for all former regime head-honchos, present tribal warlords(the dead ones already met their fate) or murderous politicians, is required of them. But I know this concept is not going to fly or is workable for the simple reason that the same people mentioned above are the chosen leaders of every tribe and for the whole country. So I say, Marka Hore, Dawo Allaha keeno, ka bacdi lee Nin Dambi uu galey loo ciqaabo suuragal noqoneysaa. Former Members of the Old regime are more unluckier than the current criminals packed in the Parliament. The latter have willing tribes behind them. They even wield so much respect from the same somalis who despise them on a personal level. I am disappointed with All somalis, educated or not. The educated is subservient to the ignorant tribal leader, Kii jaahilka ahaana waaba kaas Suuqa laga mari la'yahay. For these reasons I tell myself, it is futile to talk about justice when there is anything but a just somali society. And for these same reasons, I am neither clamouring nor being supportive of anything spearheaded by such men. Waaba iskala weynahay waxaan iney madax ii noqdaan. Smith&Che-Guevara Thanks for the replies.

Maakhir, What did I know bro? I never had access to a balanced history and everyone I am related to or made contact with on an intellectual level was intent to indoctrinate me into certain beliefs. It is good to read variety now and learn more. Thanks again for the website. I will spend sometime on it Inshallah.

Thanks Bro Maakhir. I read one of the articles quick. I didn't know some of the tribes mentioned had been traitors to the dervish cause lol. Good info though. Will read some more of the history.

Dhahar Gobolkey ka Tirsan tahay?

Not that I care about who gets accused or not, but my observation has been, only certain segment of our society are too interested in going after whom they call criminals to a pitch of obsession. Also, To Horn And Other Land Community(like Smith, Nationalist, Wind.talker), Would you have accused Aidid Sr if he was alive and were to visit America? Just Curious.

Action Jackson, People like him are very sensitive knowing how much somalis deplore the concept of conversion and look down on idol/person worship. When you call again, I doubt if he or anyone in that office will readily give information about their activity.

Action Jackson, masawirka/avatarka "juba" ma aragtid miyaa inuu yahay sawir gabareed? LOL. I could be wrong though.