I think we are not talking about the same Ocean restaurant. Are you sure? Or it deteriorated that badly in the past few years? That restaurant was up-and-coming for a Soomaali dining scene ayuu ahaa. Nice food, really, though the place was cariiri. But then again, the whole London was cariiri.

Do you know its meaning? Wir sheeg, I will even bet three American cents on it.

Originally posted by Dabshid: Naxar,and I know Che on facebook, what is ur name there? Makuu sheegaa magaciisa? Hint: Wuu indho waa weynyahay.

From to this. Waqti wuu ku sugaa, adigoo isogeyna will completely, physically, transform you in no time.

Eebba ha u naxariisto marxuumiinta la xasuuqay. I hope dadka geystay xasuuqaas in lasoo taago sharciga sooner. Probably meelo kale ku fakadeen oo Soomaaliya ahayn yaa og.

Almost eight years later, same wax lee ka hadleynaa wali. Shariif is C/qaasin of nowadays..

Daah la furaayo ma arki ani.

Abaaba Tuujka noo soo baashaal. Jaad lee ha nagu soo baran, though. Nuunka, si fiican usoo dhawee hee igaarka. Ireland usii dhaadhici. Taloow Ocean restaurant at Haringey ma furanyahay wali?

Because waala soo hordhigay. Wey ka doodeen, weyna diideen.

Universaltv ayaa ka fiirsan jiray. Axmed Naaji truly is a legend dalkiisa jecel. How many heeso nabad ku saabsan dalkeena u sameeye. Even during the heydays of our nation, he sometimes used to sing about our country. Waligiisaba heesaa daljecel ayuu ahaa. Alloow dalkeena iyo dadkeenaba noo badbaadi -- aamiin, aamiin.

Taloow the brother Taqwa intuu ku dambeeye? Darn, the only 'cool' wadaad SOL had seen; a straight-shooter too as well, dad badan buu runta u sheegi jiray.

Heestiisa Shankaroon soo xasuustayba. Cod ayuu lahaa, he should have continued in uu ahaado heesaa runtii. Shaxda geenyo joogtoo Keymo biyaha shubeeniyo Ku shakaalan dooxoo Wali aan shiraabo galin Oo shilaal ka qoortiyo Shakaal qabadka feeraha Midab shaadir madoow Iyo shaash lagu hareeyee Ama shaaca dunidiyo Hadba doon shin joogta Sharafteeda leedahee Shankaroon haweenkaay Shib waxaan iraahdaba Miyaan kugu shukriyeyaa Shirkaan kaa amaanaa Sheeda kaa tilmaama Marka aan isla showrnee Sheekeysto kaligey Waa shan iyo toban jir Shiikh wacani dhalayeey Sharka laga dab'ooloo Laga naaray sheydaan Shaxda geela daaqoo Shuxda lagu dareershoo Meeluu roob shanshada dhigay Dhex shibaaxinaayee Oo shalow garbeystoo Midib shirinladeediyo Casar kii shirbaysoo Aar shabeelinaysee Oo shuucubka kuriskiyo Shushub garaaran leedaad Shaaruf teeda leedahee Shankaroon haweenkaay Shib waxaan iraahdaba Miyaan kugu shukriyeyaa Shirkaan kaa amaanaa Sheeda kaa tilmaama Marka aan isla showrnee Sheekeysto kaligey Waa shan iyo toban jir Shiikh wacani dhalayeey Sharka laga dab'ooloo Laga naaray sheydaan

I am proud to say that I have never paid clan qaaraan, never attended a clan meeting, never sent money for clan cause (even positive ones, like isbitaal ama iskool lagu dhisaayaa, you never know), never advocated for my clan and of course never fought for it, whether verbal or physical. How many adult Soomaali would claim that? Let's see on SOL. It is not that impossible.

Originally posted by Meiji: The Saudi clan who have established a theocracy in the deserts of the Middle East and are the guardian over the two most holy Muslim cities are playing the game like this: Not only did they establish a clannish kingdom but they have succesfully subdued the religious movements in their country and created a form of ''Islamic Rule'' that safeguards the political order they have established. The same leader so-called Dhalinta get their utopic idealistic stuff from. It is only only him, his nephew, the long-time Sacuudi foreign minister went from this: To this: I guess his 'changed' his principles too. Dad ciil haayo wax walba ka sug. It was Xabashi ayuu keenayaa. That didn't materialize. It is he is shaking hands now, is wearing suits. What a folderol. What would it be tomorrow, though? He is sleeping on the left side of the bed -- a sheekh should have slept on the right side.

Making a mountain out of an anthill. Some people's priorities are misplaced, indeed. Caadi ayee la tahay dilka la xalaaleystay kumanaan Soomaaliyeed maati ah. Caadi ayee la noqotay bililiqada, isbaarada badda iyo dhulka taalo; Soomaalida ku dhamaaneyso badda iyo dhulka saxarada; Soomaalida ku rafaadsan dalalka kala duwan ee dunida. All caadi waaye, but the manufactured hubbub of a leader handshaking another leader. It indeed says more about us than a leader handshaking another person. But, alas, if only it had been the 'right' leader, the late Xabashi stooge, the glee would have been different -- it would've been an alalaas. That Xabashi stooge kissed, begged and led Xabashi army to invade our country, massacring thousands in the process -- and he couldn't get the former secretary Rice's finger, let alone her hand, to shake. Waxaan xaasidnimo, ciil iyo maseernimo la kordhabay iyo hoosdhabay la yiraahdaa. Ciyaalka Xamar maxee dhihi jireen xiligaan camal horta? Ciil qaboow cadaabta gal...

Bisinka. I am almost regretting of posting this clip now. Doobyaalkaa tihiin maxaa dhahaa, leave the sister alone. She is beautiful, oo maskax iyo wanaag xishmeed ku darsatay waliba.

Waxaas ayaa ku leh dal aan maamuleynaa. And what is he trying to say hortaba? Maskaxdeena wey madowdahay suu jirkeena u madoowyahay? Haddaan ummadaha kale (probably Carabta iyo wixii lamid ah ula cad) wax ku darsanana (guursano, iska dhalno) waa caddaaneynaa? Ilmo cad cad my behind. Iskaandineefiyaankii aad u cad caddaa ayaa Iswiidhan ku indhobeeliye u maleynaa maadaama uu meeshaas deganaa. Wiswis ayuuba ka qaaday jirkiisa.

Ibrahim’s tears flow as he utters the words he says he thought he would never say. He regrets bringing his family to Australia, even though it saved their lives. Maskiin.

Soomaali politics waa hal filin soo noqnoqonaayo, an endless one with new faces with old characters recycled. And the duped spectators (especially the cheerleaders at fadhikudirir shops and online) kama daalaan, never trying to realize they are watching an old, reran movie in the last 19 years.

Originally posted by The Zack: quote:Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiy aar: Qoraalka Afsoomaaliga wali si wada dhameystiran la iskuma raacin. Ereyo badan ninba gobolka uu ka imaaday sida loogu dhawaaqo loo qoro jiraan. Eniwey, it is a start. Miskiin/Aqyaar, Luuqad kasta soo saas ma aha? Tusaale haddaan usoo qaadanno ingiriiska UK iyo kan US farqi weyn baa u dhaxeeyo qoraalkooda marka waa iska caadi haddii ereyada qaar si kala duwan loo kala qoro. Hopefully we will have different versions of spell checker for different Somali dialects. Saak, tan Ingiriiska iyo tan Mareykanka loogu hadlo, laguna soo daabaco waa afaf qoraalkooda degan, meaning they are standardized, even in their differences. Ours is not. Saa hore u iriba waa biloow loo baahnaa hingaadsaxahaan.

I just came to realize that his sister is married to my cousin. Soomaalida isku wada dhawaa. Poor brother, Eebba ha u sahlo xaalkiisa. ________________ A Canadian's ordeal The trial of Bashir Makhtal fit the stereotype of a kangaroo court: dubious facts presented without cross examination, a dearth of witnesses for the defence, and a verdict that confirmed the government's suspicions. At the end of it, the former Toronto resident was convicted on terrorism-related charges and condemned to life in prison in one of Ethiopia's overcrowded and pestilent jails. Makhtal, a Canadian citizen, has suffered more than two years of ill treatment – including arbitrary arrest, interrogation and solitary confinement. Transport Minister John Baird's behind-the-scenes advocacy and Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon's prompt protest against the life sentence are signs that Ottawa understands his plight. Now it should move at the highest levels to press Ethiopia, at the very least, to accept Makhtal's appeal while negotiating an exit strategy that would allow him to be released for time served or transferred to Canadian authorities. Canada has the clout to do so. Ethiopia is one of Canada's main aid recipients, with about $90 million a year sent to Addis Ababa for programs that range from vital food security projects to voter education. Ironically, some of the money has gone to humanizing the court system, a process that clearly has a long way to go. Makhtal's Canadian lawyer has filed a suit to limit non-humanitarian aid to Ethiopia. There's little doubt that Makhtal has been denied proper justice. Arrested in 2006 while re-entering Kenya after a business trip, he was caught up in Ethiopia's war on the Islamist regime in Somalia. Deported to Ethiopia, he was kept in solitary confinement, refused contact with Canadian officials, and stripped of his Canadian passport. Makhtal's surname – he is the grandson of a founder of an ethnic Somali separatist movement based in Ethiopia's ****** region – may have marked him as an Ethiopian enemy. Makhtal's Canadian lawyer says his client is no more than "a pawn in some political game." There's scant evidence that he was given a chance to prove his innocence in his trial. Both the U.S. State Department and Amnesty International have expressed serious doubts about the independence of Ethiopia's courts. The Harper government says it will "continue to explore all options" for supporting Makhtal. It should do so urgently. Today's Toronto Star editorial.

I can't believe the 'handshake' topic made into as a serious and established paper as Washington Post. In Somalia, a Twist on 'Handshake Diplomacy' NAIROBI, Aug. 5 -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Somali President Sharif Ahmed are expected to discuss weighty security issues when they meet in this city Thursday. But many Somalis will be paying close attention to a more delicate, but highly symbolic, matter of diplomacy: whether the two will shake hands. "The talk is everywhere," said Abdirhaman Mumin, a Somali sugar exporter who is hoping for the handshake. "Will he or won't he? For many people, whether he's loyal to Islam or not depends on the handshake." Somalia is a traditionally moderate Muslim country. Music and poetry are treasured, and handshaking between men and women -- taboo according to some conservative readings of Islam -- has long been considered normal. But since the collapse of the last central government in 1991, a more conservative strain of Islam has taken hold, with Somalis depending more on Islamic law to establish order. Ahmed, a former geography teacher and Islamic scholar, was the widely respected leader of a movement of Islamist courts that briefly took power in 2006 and imposed a more strict interpretation of Islamic law. The movement was soon ousted in a U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion fueled by accusations that the movement's military wing, known as al-Shabab, had ties to al-Qaeda. These days, a more resolutely moderate Ahmed is back in power and battling the Shabab, which broke with him and now controls much of southern Somalia. Increasingly, though, its members are rebels without a cause. They lost one of their main battle cries when the Ethiopian army withdrew from Somalia. They lost another recently, when Ahmed heeded a popular call and adopted Islamic law for the country. And so, at the moment, the Shabab is relying heavily on portraying Ahmed as an "impure" Muslim, a puppet of the West, a turncoat. Last week, pro-Shabab Web sites were speculating about a possible shake between Ahmed and Clinton, arguing that, were it to come to fruition, it would prove that Ahmed had lost credibility with Islamists. Some Somalis have argued that Sharif should refrain from pressing palms, if only to keep the Shabab from scoring a public relations victory. "If they shake hands, they'll definitely use it as propaganda," said one Somali analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Shabab is known to target critics. ad_icon But in recent interviews with Somali exiles -- a generally moderate bunch -- most said they are in favor of the handshake, a view that reflects their cautious optimism about U.S. support for Ahmed, usually referred to as Sheikh Sharif. The United States recently shipped 40 tons of ammunition to help the government fight the rebels. The pro-shake crowd also reflects a deep-seated desire among many Somalis to shed their image as citizens of one of the most dysfunctional and anarchic countries in the world. "I think it's good for him to shake hands," said Abdi Ibrahim, who was discussing the issue with friends at a cafe in Nairobi's bustling Eastleigh neighborhood. "Sheikh Sharif has to show Somalis that this is normal. Everyone shakes hands. Why should Somalis be different? Why the big deal? We need to join the world." "But," he added somewhat gloomily, "the insurgents will use it to say he has changed a lot -- maybe he shouldn't. I cannot say 100 percent." The former spokesman for the ousted Islamist courts movement, Abdirahim Issa Addou, said that in his view, Sharif is no longer interested in appeasing the Shabab and that "we need to show the Americans we're different." Following that line of reasoning, he said, Sharif should not just offer Clinton a hearty handshake. "To me, I'd go as far as kissing her," Addou joked. "But really, Sheikh Sharif is in a difficult position. "You know," he said with a sigh, "that Sharif has a lot of problems."

I can't believe the 'handshake' topic made into as a serious and established paper as Washington Post. In Somalia, a Twist on 'Handshake Diplomacy' NAIROBI, Aug. 5 -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Somali President Sharif Ahmed are expected to discuss weighty security issues when they meet in this city Thursday. But many Somalis will be paying close attention to a more delicate, but highly symbolic, matter of diplomacy: whether the two will shake hands. "The talk is everywhere," said Abdirhaman Mumin, a Somali sugar exporter who is hoping for the handshake. "Will he or won't he? For many people, whether he's loyal to Islam or not depends on the handshake." Somalia is a traditionally moderate Muslim country. Music and poetry are treasured, and handshaking between men and women -- taboo according to some conservative readings of Islam -- has long been considered normal. But since the collapse of the last central government in 1991, a more conservative strain of Islam has taken hold, with Somalis depending more on Islamic law to establish order. Ahmed, a former geography teacher and Islamic scholar, was the widely respected leader of a movement of Islamist courts that briefly took power in 2006 and imposed a more strict interpretation of Islamic law. The movement was soon ousted in a U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion fueled by accusations that the movement's military wing, known as al-Shabab, had ties to al-Qaeda. These days, a more resolutely moderate Ahmed is back in power and battling the Shabab, which broke with him and now controls much of southern Somalia. Increasingly, though, its members are rebels without a cause. They lost one of their main battle cries when the Ethiopian army withdrew from Somalia. They lost another recently, when Ahmed heeded a popular call and adopted Islamic law for the country. And so, at the moment, the Shabab is relying heavily on portraying Ahmed as an "impure" Muslim, a puppet of the West, a turncoat. Last week, pro-Shabab Web sites were speculating about a possible shake between Ahmed and Clinton, arguing that, were it to come to fruition, it would prove that Ahmed had lost credibility with Islamists. Some Somalis have argued that Sharif should refrain from pressing palms, if only to keep the Shabab from scoring a public relations victory. "If they shake hands, they'll definitely use it as propaganda," said one Somali analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Shabab is known to target critics. ad_icon But in recent interviews with Somali exiles -- a generally moderate bunch -- most said they are in favor of the handshake, a view that reflects their cautious optimism about U.S. support for Ahmed, usually referred to as Sheikh Sharif. The United States recently shipped 40 tons of ammunition to help the government fight the rebels. The pro-shake crowd also reflects a deep-seated desire among many Somalis to shed their image as citizens of one of the most dysfunctional and anarchic countries in the world. "I think it's good for him to shake hands," said Abdi Ibrahim, who was discussing the issue with friends at a cafe in Nairobi's bustling Eastleigh neighborhood. "Sheikh Sharif has to show Somalis that this is normal. Everyone shakes hands. Why should Somalis be different? Why the big deal? We need to join the world." "But," he added somewhat gloomily, "the insurgents will use it to say he has changed a lot -- maybe he shouldn't. I cannot say 100 percent." The former spokesman for the ousted Islamist courts movement, Abdirahim Issa Addou, said that in his view, Sharif is no longer interested in appeasing the Shabab and that "we need to show the Americans we're different." Following that line of reasoning, he said, Sharif should not just offer Clinton a hearty handshake. "To me, I'd go as far as kissing her," Addou joked. "But really, Sheikh Sharif is in a difficult position. "You know," he said with a sigh, "that Sharif has a lot of problems."

I can't believe the 'handshake' topic made into as a serious and established paper as Washington Post. In Somalia, a Twist on 'Handshake Diplomacy' NAIROBI, Aug. 5 -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Somali President Sharif Ahmed are expected to discuss weighty security issues when they meet in this city Thursday. But many Somalis will be paying close attention to a more delicate, but highly symbolic, matter of diplomacy: whether the two will shake hands. "The talk is everywhere," said Abdirhaman Mumin, a Somali sugar exporter who is hoping for the handshake. "Will he or won't he? For many people, whether he's loyal to Islam or not depends on the handshake." Somalia is a traditionally moderate Muslim country. Music and poetry are treasured, and handshaking between men and women -- taboo according to some conservative readings of Islam -- has long been considered normal. But since the collapse of the last central government in 1991, a more conservative strain of Islam has taken hold, with Somalis depending more on Islamic law to establish order. Ahmed, a former geography teacher and Islamic scholar, was the widely respected leader of a movement of Islamist courts that briefly took power in 2006 and imposed a more strict interpretation of Islamic law. The movement was soon ousted in a U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion fueled by accusations that the movement's military wing, known as al-Shabab, had ties to al-Qaeda. These days, a more resolutely moderate Ahmed is back in power and battling the Shabab, which broke with him and now controls much of southern Somalia. Increasingly, though, its members are rebels without a cause. They lost one of their main battle cries when the Ethiopian army withdrew from Somalia. They lost another recently, when Ahmed heeded a popular call and adopted Islamic law for the country. And so, at the moment, the Shabab is relying heavily on portraying Ahmed as an "impure" Muslim, a puppet of the West, a turncoat. Last week, pro-Shabab Web sites were speculating about a possible shake between Ahmed and Clinton, arguing that, were it to come to fruition, it would prove that Ahmed had lost credibility with Islamists. Some Somalis have argued that Sharif should refrain from pressing palms, if only to keep the Shabab from scoring a public relations victory. "If they shake hands, they'll definitely use it as propaganda," said one Somali analyst who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Shabab is known to target critics. ad_icon But in recent interviews with Somali exiles -- a generally moderate bunch -- most said they are in favor of the handshake, a view that reflects their cautious optimism about U.S. support for Ahmed, usually referred to as Sheikh Sharif. The United States recently shipped 40 tons of ammunition to help the government fight the rebels. The pro-shake crowd also reflects a deep-seated desire among many Somalis to shed their image as citizens of one of the most dysfunctional and anarchic countries in the world. "I think it's good for him to shake hands," said Abdi Ibrahim, who was discussing the issue with friends at a cafe in Nairobi's bustling Eastleigh neighborhood. "Sheikh Sharif has to show Somalis that this is normal. Everyone shakes hands. Why should Somalis be different? Why the big deal? We need to join the world." "But," he added somewhat gloomily, "the insurgents will use it to say he has changed a lot -- maybe he shouldn't. I cannot say 100 percent." The former spokesman for the ousted Islamist courts movement, Abdirahim Issa Addou, said that in his view, Sharif is no longer interested in appeasing the Shabab and that "we need to show the Americans we're different." Following that line of reasoning, he said, Sharif should not just offer Clinton a hearty handshake. "To me, I'd go as far as kissing her," Addou joked. "But really, Sheikh Sharif is in a difficult position. "You know," he said with a sigh, "that Sharif has a lot of problems."