Originally posted by rudy: well, our community thinks that just cuz u have a highly expensive piece of paper from a dogmatic institution, that u all that and moo! Wrong. Every community thinks that. No exception. In fact, ours is the most forgiving of the uneducated. They're ostracized in other communities and live in ghettos and trailer parks. Again, for those who still don't understood the topic, this here is not a debate on the merits of education, that's another Oprah show. The article and the study are speaking of the disparity between the number of women graduating from college and that of men. The ramifications of such disparity and the long term effects if the trend continues. Simple? Yes. Real? Sure, we see it all around us. Mine will be a struggle to protect my girls from the stup!d, the uneducated, the violent and those who may be educated but for some reason education failed to bring them out of the darkness and into the light. And I would gladly forego being a grandfather if all that remained were the above.

Originally posted by Haddad: Latitude, longitude? If you knew where Utopia is, Haddad, you would show up and ruin it.

Originally posted by Alaina: Edited: I agree with FF helping the brother get formal education is not a bad idea, provided he will kiss my feet. Scenario: Girl goes to school. Girl gets a degree. Boy drops out of school. Boy gets a driver license. Girl gets a job in a downtown highrise. Girl is getting paid. Boy can't get a job downtown. Boy uses driver license to deliver pizza. Girl's boss orders pizza for the office. Boy delivers pizza. Girl sees boy. Girl things he's HOT. Boy sees girl. Boy thinks she's double HOT. Girl wonders why boy this hot settles for delivering pizza. Boy feels bad for he knows what Girl is thinking. Boy gets good tip. Boy leaves. Girl feels sad for boy. Boy is sh!t out of luck. And that, boys and girls, is the end of the story.

Originally posted by Alaina: ^^ Is that your answer to everything dear? Yes, dear. A budonkadonk is indeed the meaning of life.

Originally posted by Alaina: Seriously beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I don’t even know what beautiful means anymore. Alaina, beauty, just like ugly, is universal. We can all agree when someone is beautiful, overall. And we certainly agree when someone is ugly. It's not fair but that's how it is. In allah gameelun yuxib aljamaal. So there you have it folks. Being ugly sucks. Just ask god.

A budonkadonk.

Originally posted by bilan: i think as a father you're right to be concerned fidel. but what are you doing about it, so that your little girls will not have to choose between somali guy who delivers pizzas or marrying outside of their race. Bilan, this is a problem that would require more than one person's solution. I hope and pray it is reversed now before it's too late. And being the universal problem that it is becoming, my kids won't have to choose between the proverbial pizza delivery guy or a different race as other races are facing the same problem. This here is truly choosing between a rock and a hard place.

Originally posted by Haddad: To be frank, I didn't click the link, and I am not sure I will. Well, looking at your responses, you either read the article and misunderstood it, or, you didn't read the article and was ready to give your opinions on other non-related topics. If I may ask, why will you not read the article? Does it conflict with your pre-existing beliefs about women and education? Do you think ignoring such studies, and reality, would make them go away?

Originally posted by Haddad: I think it has to do with employability. Immigrant women are generally preferred to be employed as educated individuals than their male counterparts. I have seen many male immigrants with higher degrees (a few with PhD) who drive a cab or do other jobs that require a lesser or no degree. While lack of employment opportunities for immigrants is a real and documented issue, it is not the point of Mortensen's study. The latter refers to the dwindling numbers of boys and men in higher education. Immigrants or not. Whites, blacks, Somalis, asians or what have you. That's the point of the study. A dilemma , indeed. I think, the losers here are the educated women, as they generally stay unmarried way past their prime time. I have seen many who have aged to 40 and beyond. You're on topic now but only half right. The loser here are not just educated women but society as a whole. Unlike problems faced by minorities and other smaller groups, this particular issue affects fully 50% of every society. And when 50% of any society has a problem, 100% of that society has a problem. Hopefully this has made it a little clearer for you Haddad. I hope you've followed the link to read the article and are not just elevating my blood pressure.

Originally posted by Jomaana: Is it the lack of motivation ? Is it the lack of finance? ( We all have this problem) Is it the system? Jomaana, the questions you ask are baffling not only to you and me but to everyone worried about the trend. One possible explanation could be that co-education may be the culprit. It has been shown in other studies (Google them if you like) that boys did as well as girls when they were not in mixed schools. In other words, the mixing of the sexes is having an adverse effect on the boys. The study in the article was more towards finding the ratio now and predicting the future trends. And, unlike brother Haddad's docile women theory, this issue is not about what men prefer to make a wife but what is available to educated women as potential husbands. I don't have any numbers to back this up but your observation of Somali women out-numbering their kinsmen is in line with those women of other races and nationalities. The study shows that the trend cuts across all those differences. It occured to me while reading the article that I might pick a young man, through family and friend contacts, and groom that young man to become a college graduate. But I dismissed the idea knowing that even if the guy was smart and hunk numero uno, my daughter would reject him solely because I campaigned for him. What to do?

"This year approximately 200,000 more women will receive bachelor's degrees than men," Mortenson says. "That means 200,000 women will not find a college-educated husband to marry. Next year there will be 200,000 more, and on and on. Women are being faced with two bad choices: not to marry at all, or marry a guy who delivers pizzas." In a more general sense, he argues that a culture filled with ill-educated, drifting men does not add up to a pretty picture for anyone, including women. Mortenson cites a conversation he had with the president of an historically black college where the female/male ratio had reached the startling figure of five to one. Read the whole article. These numbers in the article are in the United States. Any idea what the ratio is in the expatriate Somali communities? What about in Somalia? A father to two girls (with hopes of being a grandfather someday), this is very disturbing indeed. I wonder what it will be like in 20-25 years.

Originally posted by Haddad: It's time Somalis should explore/discover countries where there's a significant number of Muslims, where there's an opportunity for business and employment, where they can raise their children in an Islamic society and where there's the possibilty to integrate themselves with the brothers & sisters of those countries. I know of one such place. It's called Utopia. May all those who died rest in peace.

Originally posted by P_508: .... after I helped you find your old classmates of Jamaal Abdul Nasser School in Mogadishu .... Lexus was in high school in the late eighties? Wow. It must have been very tough for her to get around seeing that she would have been eight months old at the time. Are you spreading rumors here P? That's serious business dude and the mods won't allow it.

Hmm. Renovations, eh? Sunlighting is definitely the way to go. And not just for women either. An occupation that one loves and pays little is better in the long run than one paying loads of money and you couldn't get yourself out of bed in the morning. Alas, men and women have responsibilities to their families and children. I can put up with a job I hate (for a while) so that my kids can maintain the standard of living to which they've become accustomed. Employers are slowly but surely realizing that a happy (female) employee is their most valuable asset.

^^^ Having lived in T.O. (briefly) and visited it many times, I must say the above is a spot on description. In fact, I'm surprised I never ran into brother Jomaana for I have frequented all the places that he likes. May be I have run into him, who knows? Great town, great people (including the Somali women and some Somali men).

Originally posted by Xoogsade: I hope the habits you so loyally and fondly tend to are good ones. Indeed they are brother Xoogsade.

Originally posted by Bishaaro: Thanks anyways Papi Hallelujah, there is a god! Would someone pass me a tissue, please? Cries inconsolably into the sunset for he knew that Bishaaro would be back to her old ways tomorrow.

Originally posted by Bishaaro: Does this sound familiar ----> "Never take advise from your nemesis." No, this sounds more familiar: "No good deed goes unpunished!" It's on again woman.

Originally posted by Bishaaro: I didn't want to cry infront of the bytch. I'm totally exhausted, and sooo ready to go home. I'm touched by your predicament, Bishaaro. And while you remain my arch nemesis on SOL, I'd hate for you to be squeezed by an unappreciative boss. I have learned that being on the offensive with management, without being offensive, works magic. I am always thinking of ways to keep the ball in their court. That doesn't mean I don't do my work, on the contrary, I do the very best job I am capable of doing. What I do is keep them involved and engaged in whatever I'm doing. There's not a day or two that goes by without asking them a question, giving them an update or requesting feedback. Remember, they're humans still and walk into work with the regular hopes and fears of everyone. By keeping your boss engaged, they will see you as interested in them and their knowledge. A huge booster to their ego. In addition, it keeps you from going off on a tangent regarding the task at hand. Remember, what you think they want is not necessarily what the do want. This engagement has a two fold benefit: one, having been involved in the task, the boss will have to share some of the responsibility of the outcome. Second, you will feel much more confident that you're on the right track and therefore will please the bosses in the end. Either way, a boss will take credit for his worker's effort and will blame him or her when the fit hits the shan. It's just the standard operating procedure. I hope this helps. Crying is great too. In addition to moisturizing and cleansing your eyes of all the dirt flying in the air, it has the added benefit of cleansing your mind of that which is bothering you. I think it's great. I try to squeeze in a session at least once a quarter, if not more. I think I'm overdue for one right now. Now back to being arch nemeses

Originally posted by 7 0f Nine: Our mission, should we choose to accept it is to make this the longest thread on SOL. Our objective is to bypass ngonge's boredom one and laugh in his face. Our aim is to have fun, endless, mindless fun. Madame, you prove to me that leaders are born, not made. In your bid as president of the United Federation of Planets, I would be honored to campaign on your behalf.

Originally posted by NGONGE: Maybe there is no such thing as bad habits and it’s all relative! Maybe? Definitely! One man's vice is another man's virtue, dear Ngonge. Proper credit to the utterer of this gem of an adage is due if only one knew his or her name. Plagiarism and I have ended our mutually non-beneficial relationship the same day a dictionary taught me the meaning of the word. Most people, as you mentioned, would do the same. I am nothing if not for my bad habits. Mine are the product of years, if not decades, of careful and loving refinement. My habits enhance my living and I, in turn, make them look good. Mine have been there for me when summoned and I reward them with regularity and reinforcement. Quid pro quo, you see, and it's only fair. My habits deserve the same loving care as do my children, dear Ngonge, and I don't need my habits, I want them.

Like miss WOL, above, I like to stay consistent. Consistently a prick.

Originally posted by *LuCkY*: Lol^Seems that way doesnt? Not exactly. My sister forwarded this to me and I fell off my ganbar laughing. I specially like the dang and double dang.

Originally posted by 7 0f Nine: Tuesday is gone.. Not around here it isn't. Speaking of Tuesday, there's not a day that sucks like Tuesday. That was my profound statement of the day

Is marrying both open as an option?