So what faults of yourself have you discovered and how? Good question. No one's answering it. I know that I can't tolerate bad smells well. And that my compassion and tolerance drop quite dramatically when confronted with whiffs and pongs from fellow tube-takers particularly. It is bad enough being underground, to-ing and fro-ing from a desk job but having to pay through the same nose that has to deal with the regular onslaught of breaking down organic matter? It's too much to bear. I should write to Livingstone and suggest that all London Transport stations, buses and trains be feng-shuied- separate the smellies from the rest. Bring in signs that read, 'Mind the ponging git', 'No ponging', 'Ponging gits sit here', 'Ponging gits hold your breath and do the rest of us a favour!'.

Orgilaqe, your words.. It aint all that hard i am sorry to say.Yes she does drop them at school and pick them up and prepare food,cleaning etc but we men bust our a$$es all day at work as well and the do enjoy spending the proceeds of our hard work thank you very much.

Those of us who write would understand my stance. 'Inanta yar' needs to show respect for something called intellectual property. P.S: I was speaking generally.

I know plenty of families where the father is as involved as Nur describes. It's tragic. Nur are you suggesting that since he's not that involved anyway, no one will miss his presence? Orgilaqe, you sound resentful of your wife's easy life. How about you and she swap day time chores?

I look around and I don't see any Somali man that has it together(financially or otherwise) finding himself another wifey. It's the ones who don't that are the first in line. I don't know what motivates these men to find another wife, what encourages them or aggravates them into it. Bottom line, even if the wife is neglectful of the husband, his sneaking out and getting another wife and leaving a trail of resentment and disorder can't be condoned. You can't right a wrong with a wrong. And u can't fix one relationship with another. 5 babies. Do you know what hard work it is raising 5 children? What age should the youngest child be before the ideal father can go father some more with another woman? Only a man that is not emotionally involved with the upbringing of his children will consider fathering more so easily. My take.

It matters to men who sleep around and then want to marry a chaste woman; it matters to them the most. Never fails to make me scoff.

The poem has been changed and it has been changed by a Somali, whether you or your friend or a friend before that. If you want to share a poem on these forums, you'll need to say whose it is or it'll be concluded that it's yours. Leave the work of the talented untouched and unclaimed. a source

tres cute

Nur, I read your intro and the rest. You sensationalised it to receive a response? Right, I'll watch out for your tactics. BTW, I'll respond to anything that you post and that includes content, approach and tone if I so wish. That's the way it works on forums. 1. Let them solve theire problem, usuallly by coming between you and your husband, and usually women who play all or none game, divorce is the result, and a new wifey for the husband. So having an organisation takes away some of the unpleasantness? It's less intimate? The organisation helps with negotiations? Still, it won't change a woman's mind- she either agrees with his wish or she doesn't. And if she doesn't there will be a problem, organisation or not. 2. These women go the wrong way, again, that is the beginning of indecency in society, many married men are having extramarital affairs these days, because their wives wouldnt agree with a legitimate second wife, so when she refuses the second women to join the family, her husband is tempted and possibly falls as victim of his wifes fear. I understand this. I understand this one completely. It's a classic. Re-gurgitated in most cultures. The women lead the men to zina. A man is not responsible for his actions. No sirree. What a notion. Did Allah allow polygamy merely for the libido of the man? The first wife pushes him into bed with the other woman, does she? Men have no responsibility for their sexual indiscretion? Of course they do! And yet they're painted as victims. He's got an itch and first wife made him have it scratched by someone else. Boohoo, the plight of the Somali man. In my expereince of multi-marrying Somalis, the men just go on ahead and do it and the wife finds out through the grapevine. If something needs to be done as matter of priority it is to educate the men in our society about what being a man is. About husbandhood, fatherhood, responsibility and treating his existing family with dignity. How many men of a certain age disappear to Somalia, get themselves a teenage wife and leave a family behind? This kind of man then returns newly-wed aglow, usually after news has reached the family of his wedding, expecting to carry on where he left off. He impregnates the young girl, leaves her there, and returns to a family that's resentful. How exactly are these men doing any service to the societies they live in and the societies they yo-yo back and forth from for some ego boosting? 3. We cant revive dead men but we can rehabilitate men, (takes some effort, money , Allah's blessing and TIME) Then do it for the love of God. Who says it's easy creating balance in a society? Spreading what's good doesn't remove the existence of the bad. It creates further imbalance. 4. They share married men. She who wants to share shall share. She who doesn't want to share gets to share too. Neither approach is new to our culture. If one of these hypothetical women wants to be wife No 2/3 of some irresitible man, all she has to do is sell the idea to the guy. Does the fact that a man is financially able and in good relations with one wife mean he will maintain that state once he marries again or be able to re-create it with a new wife? Do we fix what's broke or recycle what works?

Took you 2 years to get it, huh, LOZ? So are there any SOL marriages?

Indeed it's beautiful. Welcome to SOL, sillysista. I hate to have to be the one to do this(again- not that u'd know, necessarily) but u're not claiming to have written the piece, are you? Unless, switching 'rum and coke' for 'milk and thee(sic)' classifies as writing it. Cut it out people. Leave the work of the talented untouched and unclaimed. Or I'll be breathing down your neck. And you DO NOT want that. the things I do for poetry

Somali Tsunami victim toll rises

All the guy's saying is that he's disappointed by what he saw. It is a Muslim country Americanised just like many a Muslim country. If he visited Kuala Lumpur he'd have been disappointed too and we'd have heard about it I guess. The Arab sensitivity on these boards is swinging both ways. Chill people.

Let me get this straight: there's a derth of good Somali men so instead of working on the ones who could be better, this organistaion opts to help the good Somali man spread some of his good loving around? Please. If there's a problem with men drifting from their faith, then you create an organisation to help draw them back. You don't send patronising letters to wives, detailing the CVs of themselves patronised wanna-be wives. Nur, my bro, this is the most patronsing piece I've read in a long time and I read a LOT. If there's a problem you deal with it head on, you don't try to side-step it and work around it. No woman would have written the letter you penned- not if she wants results. A woman's psyche is not easily mimicked.

SOL Tsunami Contribution

SOL Tsunami Contribution

SOL Tsunami Contribution

SOL Tsunami Contribution That kid looks like someone I know.

Thanks SOL. SOL Tsunami Contribution King, I'm sure plenty of SOLers have contributed already. It doesn't matter whether through SOL or another way. There isn't that much activity on the forums lately so why not spread the word. Send the link around like OG has. But for those who have contributed: give some more. And for those who haven't: don't be lazy, give; every little counts. Cut down on a silly expense(smoking, eating out etc) and you'll have more to contribute.

My, Muad, you do think highly of yourself. There's no such thing as a win/win situation. Somebody always loses. I'll pass on the invitation but u can have my shirt u skinflint. I'll send you my frilliest number. Serves you right. Northerner, I'm not too keen on skyscrapers- got a small fear of heights going on- which is why I always stand close to the edge when I'm way up high. The rush, u see... I hope your Dubai dream comes true. If you're up there somewhere doing what u lot do and u see a Somali woman swaying on the edge of the adjacent skyscraper, don't get help, just wave. She needs to be there to conquer a fear. It's got nothing to do with her adrenaline habit. No, nothing. In other news... French Climber Who Calls Himself 'Spiderman' Scales Top of World's Tallest Building in Taiwan A French urban climber who calls himself Spiderman climbed to the top of the world's tallest building on Saturday Taipei 101. Alain Robert, 42, took almost four hours to reach the top of the 1,679-foot building. The climb took him nearly twice as long as he had expected, partly because of dreary weather. Although he's climbed many of the world's tallest structures without the use of a rope, he climbed with one on Saturday, likely because of the wind and rain. He paused to rest every eighth floor and even chatted with the president of Taipei 101 before tackling the final stretch. As dark clouds drifted around the top, Robert climbed onto the roof with a tired smile. "It was very wet … and there was a strong wind," he said. Robert has also scaled the Eiffel Tower and more than 30 skyscrapers around the world, including New York's Empire State Building in 1994 and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1997. The Christmas Day climb opened a week of media events leading up to the official inauguration of Taipei 101 on New Year's Eve. The building houses office space and an observatory. A shopping mall at the base of the tower opened last year. The 101-story skyscraper is 184 feet taller than the previous record-holder, the Petronas Towers. Taipei 101 also claims to have the highest structural top, the tallest roof and the highest occupied floor. It also has two of the world's fastest elevators, which travel 55 feet per second and can go from the ground floor to the 89th in 39 seconds. oh the rush

He made me do it.

^^^You're gonna sue me, huh? All I have is the shirt on my back and now u want that too! I have a useful(perhaps) list of job-related Dubai links that I want to post here but I can't access right now- I will as soon as. So, you'll excuse me if I don't post anything constructive yet. To continue in a light-hearted but somewhat relevant vein: Shah Rukh Khan seeks Dubai home Here's the full article although I would urge female Bollywood fans to click on the link. There's a rather dishy shot of him accompanying the article. Shah Rukh Khan and the wet look. Can't go wrong. NEW DELHI: After Mannat in Mumbai, Shah Rukh Khan is all set to acquire a "jannat" in Dubai. The superstar has decided to have a residence in Dubai's upcoming Palm Deira project, which is being developed on reclaimed land, according to a release by the project's promoters. The heartthrob, who has been hailed as 'the world's biggest movie star in terms of recognition' by Time Magazine, has discussed his plans to have a residence in the exotic island on Dubai's seafront with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of Nakheel. Shah Rukh was recently invited to Nakheel's Corporate Office in Dubai, where he and Sulayem discussed the incredible project that has risen above sea level in the last few months. During his official visit to Dubai where he is leading the stage performance of 'Temptation 2004' this weekend, he was mesmerised by the incredible developments that have brought worldwide interest to Dubai's doorstep. The Bollywood icon reportedly made references on several occasions to the privacy, safety and cleanliness of Dubai. "Shah Rukh Khan is an inspirational actor, a role model for millions across the sub-continent and beyond and clearly a fan of the cosmopolitan and dynamic city of Dubai. We are delighted that he has chosen to be part of The Palm," Sulayem said. Shah Rukh Khan enjoyed a boat ride around The Palm Jumeirah and The World - two other seafront projects being developed by the same company. Bin Sulayem confirmed that it was after the trip that Shah Rukh Khan, who had expressed his delight at seeing these islands rising from the sea, verified that he would reside on the latest Palm project, to be developed in the Deira area of Dubai. The superstar, however, was not available for comment.

I was about to post something useful(I think) and then I read this: Play still lady..Women are Women,Men are men.We both have apples. Treat yourself with Dignity and respect. Men will treat you with Smartness ever. Black cat and I lost track of what I was thinking. Sorry, will try again some time. We both have apples. Somebody explain that to me or I won't sleep tonight and I'll get in Santa's way. Maybe I'll ask him what that means.

I see u like bad jokes. Have I been away? I talk too much on these boards. Anyway, in the last few days I have been distracted by a bout of writing that has cramped my fingers. There is one crazy story disturbing my night's sleep- the characters want to step out of my head and perform on paper and I have been resisting and writing about other things. Tonight I might start letting them out- there will be little sleep as a result. I'm considering posting it here on SOL. Depends how bad the bad jokes are..

There's a queue a mile long. Whittling it down is turning out to be a rather amusing distraction. Q: Candidate No 156, how many humps does a Gulf camel have? A: Err, depends how smooth he is with the she-camels. Next!!!