Fasting Insects on Peaks of Mountains By Dr. `Abd Al-Hakam `Abd Al-Latif As-Sa`idi Wonderfully, in the world of insects beetles tend to spend the winter season on peaks of mountains, with their freezing temperature. As soon as they feel the coldness of air and the approach of the winter season, they hasten to peaks of mountains as if they call their species to swim against the current. It is well known that peaks of mountains and lofty locations in the European countries are very cold to the extent that they are covered with snow and consequently the (degree of) temperature lowers to thirty degrees centigrade below zero. No doubt, such a freezing temperature will have effect on these insects, in the sense of making them in dire need of extra amount of energy, though their bodies are filled with fatty substances on which they can depend throughout the hibernation and fasting period; that extra energy will provide them with warmness, especially in the latter days of the winter season, when alimentary canal normally runs out of its reserves. A question arises here: What about those insects whose time of breaking fast isn’t due yet? Do they give in to such critical condition or Allah Almighty grants them a proper means to overcome it? Of course, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, Who has fashioned all His creatures in a very beautiful manner and perfection, has bestowed on each creature the proper means to lead a satisfied life. So, Allah does not let these insects or other creatures down. Actually, an important process happens within bodies of these insects during their migration to mountains' peaks. During this period, they eat voraciously and store the extra amounts in the form of fats. At the same time, they abstain from drinking water. Hence, the ratio of water diminishes in their bodies and the free water existing in their bodies takes another form, i.e. bounded water. This kind of water dissolves some alimentary ingredients and turns them into a high-condensed shape of water. This process is of paramount importance for these insects which, thereby, gain the ability to endure the low degrees of temperature. Consequently, water in their bodies does not freeze when (the degree of) temperature becomes below zero. If the temperature diminishes severely to an unprecedented degree that cannot be endured, Allah's mercy with these creatures provides them with another important characteristic, which enables them to get a wondrous thermal energy through the water reserved in their bodies, and it’s normally within the inherent temperature of water. If the air temperature lowers to thirty degrees centigrade below zero, the insects will release water's energy and thus the temperature of their bodies will rise to zero.

Source:BBC

An international tribunal in The Hague has ruled that Eritrea will have to pay Ethiopia millions of dollars in compensation for war damages. Both were ordered to pay each other damages for the 1998-2000 border war, but the verdict leaves Eritrea with $10m (£6m) more to pay. The ruling covers compensation for businesses and goods lost and villages destroyed during the bitter conflict. Eritrea has already said it accepts the ruling of the tribunal. The Claims Commission, set up at the end of the war, ruled on awards across a range of issues. It gave a monetary value to the damage suffered by Ethiopians during a notorious incident when Eritrean jets dropped cluster bombs on a school in the town of Mekele. It also awarded Eritreans living in Ethiopia, whose homes and properties were seized by the government. Some claims - such as an Ethiopian demand for $1bn of environmental damage - were dismissed. In total Ethiopia was awarded $174m, while Eritrea got $164m - a net payment to Ethiopia of just over $10m. The chief legal adviser to Ethiopia, Don Pickard, said he did not think the amount reflected the level of damage suffered by Ethiopia during the war. BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says the real tragedy is that the money, like the rest of the internationally supported peace process, will settle very little. The border between the two countries is still in dispute and tens of thousands of troops remain entrenched along the border, over its bleak mountains and deserts.

There is one railway in Zone 5 (Kilinka Shanad) Magalada Dire Dawa. It links with Djibouti.

Palestine=Somalia Hamas=Dawalada Sh.Shariif Jund Ansar Allah=Al-Shabaab Fatah=all somali Warlords May Allah Guide all Muslim Ummah right path.

A serious problem for me. I finish reciting Qu'raan OR praying Salah, and the thought of riyaa enters my mind/heart. If I immediately fight this thought with thinking about Allaah or saying Dua (Allahuma ini Caudu bika Camali Mina Riya), can I still get blessings for my recitation, or is it completely ruined forever because of riyaa. How to overcome with this situation?

Gaaroodi iyo Xaaji_Xudjuf well comment bros who will make TANASUUL now? The Ruling party or Oppositions? A big thank To Sul.Mohamed Sul Abdul Qadir.we will be waiting for his results 2mrrow Inshallah.

Originally posted by G G: "We drew inspiration from our childhood & SOMALIA" ? LMAO! The dresses are GORGEOUS but there is NOTHING Somali about them! That is an outright ridiculous claim! I would wear all of the stuff I saw, they were very nice. None of the stuff were (too) short. The only thing I'd do if I were them is make the models wear separate sleeves with the dresses (or long shirts underneath to cover the arms & neck area). What I'd love to tell my fellow beautiful, ambitious Somali sisters is: you CAN be successful, amazing, gorgeous and do a lot of great things, without compromising your religion (i.e taking off your hijab or flashing flesh). If anything, people will respect you more that you haven't changed your beliefs or values. Sisters, we can have it all! This world AND the next! xoxo Good advice. JZK allahu khayr Sis.

Originally posted by Fu-Fu: adiga ilbaxnimo maxaad utaqaan? A civilized person is one who respects his culture. A civilized person has several qualities such as polite, well-mannered, cultured, refined, sophisticated, educated, developed, etc.

Do they consider their job ilbaaxniimo? &

Girl God is a tradition of worshipping young girls in Nepal. There are known as Kumari which literally means virgin in Nepali and other Indian languages. The Kumari is revered and worshiped by some of the country's Hindus as well as the Nepali Buddhists. Eligible girls are Buddhists from the Newar Shakya caste (the clan to which the Buddha belonged) of silver and goldsmiths. She must be in excellent health, never have shed blood or been afflicted by any diseases, be without blemish and must not have yet lost any teeth. Girls who pass these basic eligibility requirements are examined for the battis lakshanas, or 'thirty-two perfections' of a goddess. Some of these are poetically listed as such: * A neck like a conch shell * A body like a banyan tree * Eyelashes like a cow * Thighs like a deer * Chest like a lion * Voice soft and clear as a duck's In addition to this, her hair and eyes should be very black, she should have dainty hands and feet, small and well-recessed sexual organs and a set of twenty teeth. The girl is also observed for signs of serenity and fearlessness and her horoscope is examined to ensure that it is complementary to the King's. It is important that there not be any conflicts as she must confirm the King's legitimacy each year of her divinity. Her family is also scrutinized to ensure its piety and devotion to the King. Once the priests have chosen a candidate, she must undergo yet more rigorous tests to ensure that she indeed possesses the qualities necessary to be the living vessel of Durga. Her greatest test comes during the Hindu festival of Dashain. On the kalratri, or 'black night', 108 buffaloes and goats are sacrificed to the goddess Kali. The young candidate is taken into the Taleju temple and released into the courtyard, where the severed heads of the animals are illuminated by candlelight and masked men are dancing about. If the candidate truly possesses the qualities of Taleju, she shows no fear during this experience. If she does, another candidate is brought in to attempt the same thing. As a final test, the living goddess must spend a night alone in a room among the heads of ritually slaughtered goats and buffaloes without showing fear. The fearless candidate has proven that she has the serenity and the fearlessness that typifies the goddess who is to inhabit her. After passing all other tests, the final test is that she must be able to pick out the personal belongings of the previous Kumari from an assortment of things laid out before her. If she is able to do so, there is no remaining doubt that she is the chosen one. Having passed all the tests, the child will stay in almost complete isolation at the temple, and will be allowed to return to her family only at the onset of menstruation when a new goddess will be named to replace her.[2] There are claims contrary to the commonly-believed ritual and screening process, however. The ex-Royal Kumari Rashmila Shakya states in her autobiography From Goddess to Mortal (2005) that this has nothing to do with the selection process, but rather is a ritual the Royal Kumari goes through each year, and that there are no men dancing around in masks trying to scare her, and that at most there are only a dozen or so decapitated animal heads in the scary room test. She also describes the requisite physical examination of each Kumari as neither intimate nor rigorous. Once the Kumari is chosen, she must be purified so that she can be an unblemished vessel for Taleju. She is taken by the priests to undergo a number of secret Tantric rituals to cleanse her body and spirit of her past experiences. Once these rituals are completed, Taleju enters her and she is presented as the new Kumari. She is dressed and made up as a Kumari and then leaves the Taleju temple and walks across the square on a white cloth to the Kumari Ghar that will be her home for the duration of her divinity.

Thousands of people are flocking to a remote and mountainous village in Nepal to see a malformed baby which many are now worshipping as a God. Suffering from a rare abnormality, baby Risab has a headless "parasitic twin" attached to his abdomen and was born with four arms and four legs. His impoverished parents say all they want is for Risab to have a "normal body". They are worried that some see the baby not as a blessing but a curse - the reason why monsoon rains are late. 'Father of God' Januk Ghimire, the 32-year-old mother of the baby, has had to become used to visitors because thousands have descended on her village since Risab was born in January. To many locals, he is seen as a miracle and revered as the reincarnation of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant God, whose common forms have several arms. "About 5,000 have come altogether. Some from faraway districts, by bus or walking," said Prem KC, a local teacher. As news spread, as many as 100 visitors come every day to see the baby. "Some people, when they see me, they say I'm the father of God," says the baby's father, Rikhi Ghimire, a thin-faced figure with muddy legs from working in the fields. "They come to worship him and give him money. They just give a few rupees, make an offering. Sometimes they give clothes or food". The family of five live in a one-roomed house, a day's walk from the nearest main town, which they share with goats and chickens. Two single beds lie against the walls, while corns hang from the ceiling above a small stove in the corner. Outside the house, Ms Ghimire shoos away her two other young sons as they run around playfully, accidentally knocking the baby's basket. Six months ago, she had no idea her third son would turn out to be so extraordinary. 'Killed me' She describes how she was in severe pain for five days before Risab's delivery, believing "that this time, I would die". Risab was born on the porch, where Januk had only her mother by her side as she cried out in pain. "During pregnancy I saw a very abnormal stomach and I was very afraid - not of my family, or of my husband - but of neighbours and how they would talk," she said. "If my husband had not been there, they could have said I had given birth to a witch and come and killed me. "Most of the neighbours came and said it was a God so they told me not to treat it badly and accept it." But Ms Ghimire says most of the villagers are superstitious and - like her - believe in witches. Indeed, her fears are not surprising, with one local Hindu priest openly saying that he believes the baby is a curse on the village and the reason for the late monsoons. "Farmers cannot do agriculture because of that baby," says Sher Bahadur Bodathorki. "It is a curse from God because of a past life". In rural Nepal, the rains are crucial to agriculture and villagers' livelihoods. Teacher Prem KC says the reason that the baby has drawn so much attention is because there is little awareness of such medical conditions in rural Nepal and "villagers cannot understand it". Risab suffers from a rare condition which occurs only one in 50,000 to one in 200,000 births. His father sought medical treatment in Kathmandu but doctors said they would have to monitor Risab for six months. As Mr Ghimire could not afford to be out of work and living in Kathmandu for that period, he had to return home with the child. Hard life "When I first saw him I was worried about whether he would survive and that if I was not in this world who would take care of him," he said. His one wish is for his youngest son to have surgery so he can have a "normal body", but says he cannot imagine ever being able to earn enough to afford the operation, which could cost more than $50,000. "It needs a huge amount of money which I cannot provide. I don't earn much income, just work in field and sometimes I can expect something and sometimes not". Ms Ghimire says she gives Risab to her mother while she toils in the fields during the day, but says the baby is not easy to care for. "It is difficult to bathe him, to oil him, to put him to sleep. We do not have money so we worry we cannot give him what he needs," she said. "Some people say it is because I was sinful [that we had this child] but we didn't do any wrong thing so it should not be a curse," says Januk. "I used to be ashamed, but now I am not." While life is hard, she says, she would never consider putting baby Risab up for adoption. "We would never give him away. If someone wanted to adopt, they would have to adopt us - mother and father - along with him." http://news.bbc.co.u k/2/hi/south_asia/81 97192.stm

The French and German economies both grew by 0.3% between April and June, bringing to an end year-long recessions in two of Europe's largest economies. "The data is very surprising. After four negative quarters France is coming out of the red," said French Finance and Economy Minister Christine Lagarde. Few analysts expected the economies to come out of recession this early. The eurozone's official gross domestic product (GDP) figures will be released later on Thursday morning. Both the French and German economies last grew in the first quarter of 2008. The German economy, Europe's largest, contracted by a revised 3.8% in the first three months of the year. And while exports rose 7% in June, the fastest pace in nearly three years, few analysts had expected a return to overall economic growth so quickly. The country's Federal Statistics Office said that household and government expenditure had boosted growth. Consumer spending France's economy had contracted by a revised 1.1% in the first quarter. Ms Largarde said that consumer spending and strong exports had helped to pull France out of recession. "What we see is that consumption is holding up," she said. Official figures showed that household consumption rose by 0.4% in the second quarter. She said government incentive schemes for trading in old cars for new ones, together with falling prices, were helping consumers. Foreign trade contributed 0.9% to the GDP figure - a "very strong impact," said Ms Largarde.

They obviously want everyone else to be as 'toothless' as they are.

A Peace Song for Somalia by Ahmed Naji Sa'ad. (Trully Classic Song with hot lyrics)

Kulu Nafs Daiqatul Mot.Ina Lillahi Wa Ina Illeyhi Rajicuun.Iilahi ha u Naxariisto.

A Business Forum will provide an information about business opportunities in the international marketplace. It would be a place for Somali Businessman who want to share their knowledge, find help and encourage one another.

Originally posted by OLOL: halka cunna-kariyaha Madaxweyne C/qaasim uu ka ahaa Shariif Ibrow oo ahaa nin ********* ah, cunna-kariyihii Aaden Caddena uu ka ahaa Jaamac Joof oo ah nin reer Burco ah, wuxuu dhalay fanaankii Maxamed Jaamac Joof, Maxamed Jaamac Joof wuxuu ahaa Reer Hargeisa. Allah u Naxariisto

This is the right link.

BeCareful SOL Men Part 1.http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=P-WygVz plN4&feature=related Part 2.http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=xUMjBip 7u2w Part 3.http://www.youtube .com/watch?v=xmVAtYA Qs54&feature=related

This is a couple vids of the program What would you do? which is aired in ABC News by John Quinones. Part 1 http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=eNu-WZdHz aA&feature=related Part 2 http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=HIVgMvuCM _k&feature=related AND AND

Originally posted by GAAROODI: Ive never been to South East Asia, whats malaysia like and Thailand? Any of you been? Gaaroodi U better ask this Question to Somali Diasporas in Gulf espically those who lived in Saudia Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait in Late 70's and 80's.

Originally posted by GAAROODI: Ive never been to South East Asia, whats malaysia like and Thailand? Any of you been? Gaaroodi U better ask this Question to Somali Diasporas in Gulf espically those who lived in Saudia Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait in Late 70's and 80's.

Corruption in Puntland by Abdiweli M. Ali, Ph.D. Bossaso - Puntland Saturday,July 28, 2007. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the Puntland State of Northern Somalia. At around 4:30 PM, the small plane we rode from Nairobi landed at a small airstrip outside Bossaso. The last time I visited Bossaso was the same time but six years earlier. This time Bossaso was different, visually breathtaking and jarringly inexplicable; graceful and beautiful Somali women wearing colorful and religiously conservative clothes; teeming markets full of goods from all over the world, a convoy of camels, sheep and goats, on their way to the seaport; sheikhs and religious men in loin-cloths flocking to the mosques at the serenading sound of the mu’adin; a procession of lorries loaded with goods inching through crowded bazaars; and amid all this, a gut-wrenching impoverished beggars on every sidewalk. Somalis from all stripes and from all the shades of the clan spectrum are ubiquitously ever-present; and among these are those from Southern Somalia and Eastern Ethiopia who came to Bossaso because of its relative safety and the possibility of a dangerous sea-journey to Yemen (Tahriib in the Somali and Arabic Jargon). At the outset one would have thought that the harsh desert environment would have conspired with economics to give Puntland a particularly weak hand relative to the agriculturally- rich south. The false perception of Puntland as an inhabitable, isolated desert is perpetuated by the policy of neglect and indifference of its former politicians and intellectuals. They called it Gaariwaa (literally the inaccessible). Puntland was an economic periphery, unimportant in the schema of the country’s regional economics. However, all that had changed when the fall of Siad Barre tipped Somalia into an incessant violence and hostility. The resilience and optimism of the people of Puntland allowed them to overcome the most pernicious economic problem that could face the most vulnerable people on earth. It was their courage, determination, realism, and their sense of responsibility that allowed these impoverished and disempowered people to transform a once small isolated seaport of less than 5000 inhabitants into one of the safest and busiest business centers in Somalia, with over 250,000 inhabitants. Today, Bossaso is the third or the fourth largest city in Somalia. A good number of the inhabitants of Puntland lost their livelihood in the south; however, they quickly became realistic of their situation and instead of mystically accepting their fate decided to change it. They pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and dealt their unforgiving situation, gradually and fitfully. Not only did they transform the economic landscape of Puntland, they also welcomed others from all corners of Somalia who found themselves in the same predicament. They literally moved mountains. The small towns of Garowe, Galcaio, Las Anod, and Bossaso became cosmopolitans overnight with all the modern day necessities. Corruption In Puntland But beneath this veneer of resilience, the Puntland economy is becoming increasingly fragile because of the lack of a responsible and accountable government. Corruption and poor governance became Puntland’s venal sins, and the deepest of its current malaise. The corruption is so entrenched and broad-based that it seems nothing can be done about it. Even honest leaders (a rare disposition in today’s Puntland), would have felt as if they were tossing pebbles at a giant. The government of Puntland is basically inept and corrupt, and thereby unable to perform its most basic functions. Resources are squandered on an epic scale to the point that it grinds the spirit of the helpless taxpayers of Puntland. The extent of corruption is harrowing to contemplate and difficult to even fathom how extensive it is. The embezzlement and the pilfering of the taxpayer’s money became a shameless and a criminal activity. The infrastructure of Puntland although much better than in many other parts of Somalia is in a fairly decrepit state. The expenditure on education is non-existent so much so that going to a public school in Puntland is a hit-and-miss affair. Similarly, the lack of public health facilities kept the majority of the population of Puntland bereft of basic health services. The total expenditure allocated for education and health is less than 5 percent of the state budget. This is an indication of misplaced priorities and a political culture that attaches no value to the health and education of its populace. The Puntland state-employees are not paid for months and are extremely demoralized. The lack of payment pushed them into a spiral of unending indebtedness and destitution. I visited the Ministry of Finance in Garowe at around 11.00 AM to talk to the Budget Director about the Puntland budgetary processes. The building was empty. The security guard and one of the custodians were chatting in the hallway. The situation reminded me of the old Soviet worker’s joke: “if you pretend to pay us, we will pretend to be working.” When I talked to the locals about the state of government affairs, almost everybody invariably reacted with hoots of derision. Speaking with dignity, eloquence, and clarity about the predicament of their beloved state, I heard an earful of how the people of Puntland are used and abused by their political leaders. However, when I tried to address the people’s concerns to the few politicians I met, their responses reflected platitudes and clan prejudices, with little objective explanation of the state affairs. In the sulphurous atmosphere of Puntland, it is hard to sift facts from fantasy, however, I could easily tell the difference between their spin and the reality on the ground. They were full of themselves and their political storylines were filled with manipulated facts and fabricated fictions, in other words, an unadulterated nonsense. While the economic and fiscal problems of Puntland are creeping over by stealth, these politicians seem insulated in the comfort of their villas that they seem scarcely to have even noticed the problem. Why Are They Disappointed with The President? President Adde Muse - The people of Puntland needed change - This president has failed to show real leadership The election of Adde Musse for the presidency of Puntland and the peaceful and uneventful transfer of power is hailed as unprecedented in the recent Somali history and since the good old days of Aden Abdulle Osman and the late Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. For the last nine years, Puntland went through many painful twists, turns, and prevarications, and even a costly civil war. President Adde’s accession to power was welcomed as a breath of fresh air. The people elected him not because of his political acumen but because he was the new guy in the block and the only face card in the deck. People has known Adde as click-the-heels, salute, and get-the-job-done guy. Boots with brains, or so they thought! As much as his election to the presidency of Puntland was a test of character, Mr. Adde failed it miserably. He suddenly became the leader that lost his allure. The people of Puntland needed change but the President has so far showed only a fair bit of hand-wringing and some moralizing rhetoric, but precious little action. The President himself talks about the corruption that permeated Puntland. However, with all the loud rhetoric, it is his actions or the lack thereof that carries the day. He fancies himself as a straight shooter. Actually, he became a rank opportunist. It is true that he sometimes has tin ears and a sharp tongue, but when it comes to real practice, where the rubber hits the road, the President has failed to show real leadership. He had an enormous political capital to effect change but he squandered it. As far as I know, nobody is accusing President Adde himself of partaking any type of corruption, but his complicity and complacency of it undermines his moral leadership. To be fair to President Adde, Puntland’s troubles did not show up suddenly with his ascension to power. Most of the culprits of corruption are holdouts from the earlier regimes; corrupt officials who should have been weeded out longtime ago. Instead of sacking them, his cabinet is dominated by the same hangovers of the last nine years including all the poster boys of sleaze and corruption. It was simply a shuffling of a pack of thieves. His cosmetic change of nominating a thief cut from the same cloth of the one he replaces will not make a shard of difference in the kleptocratic government (a government of thieves) of Puntland. By keeping this coterie of self-gratifying rascals, Mr. Adde perpetuated the emasculation of the Puntland’s body politic of the previous regime. Hence, the pecking order remained intact. Moreover, the president’s dubious dealings and political double-talk creates confusion and misunderstanding. The president should say what he means and should mean what he says. Saying one thing and doing something else is the height of hypocrisy and a sign of weak leadership. The discrepancy between the president’s words and his deeds shattered our false presumption of Mr. Adde’s virtues and infallibility. The people of Puntland may not be ready yet to throw out the baby, but the change of the bathwater is long overdue. The Goons in the Parliament and the Putrid Behavior of the So-called Press All the financial mismanagement and bad governance are also partly due to the fragile and the feckless parliament of Puntland. The parliament seems to have no sway whatsoever over the government and has already lost the trust and the confidence of the people of Puntland. The recent wrangle over the former speaker’s corrupt practices is a clear indication of what to expect from this hopeless, corrupt, and defunct institution. All that the government has to do is toss few juicy bones to these salivating vultures and then continue their unlawful and illegal transgressions unabated. And so goes the oversight responsibility of the supposedly self-appointed parliament. By shirking their oversight responsibility, they reduced themselves to squabbling irrelevance. An American politician once stated “if foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, these guys must be great souls indeed.” This aptly pertains to the current parliament of Puntland. The press in Puntland also seems to be toeing the government’s line. The press should not be beholden to anyone and should have kept the government in check. Although they sometimes try to dance with the people, they most often serve the government either out of fear or out of sheer ignorance of the putative role a media plays in sustaining a democracy and safeguarding democratic transformations (if we can at all call Puntland a democracy). A Cautionary Note The formation of Puntland should have created substantive outcomes for the people of Puntland. It should have offered all the relevant forces real opportunities to improve their material and moral well-being. The biggest enemy of Puntland as a political entity is a performance failure. If it can’t deliver, it might not be worth having it. The politicians in Puntland seem impervious to the deteriorating situation of the state affairs. To that old play on Kipling’s lines: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you have probably misunderstood the situation.” They misunderstood the situation and they should not be surprised later when they reap the whirlwind of their heartless behavior. The wounds that hurt the most may be the ones that are self-inflicted. The people of Puntland are running out of patience, and unfortunately they may soon run out of political options too. Abdiweli M. Ali, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Economics Department of Commerce College of Business Administration Niagara University, NY 14109