^I'm not saying they are or not exaggerating. Nor am I saying what it is the 'Islamic community' should feel. I am amused that newspapers like the Telegraph purport to 'care' about the destruction of the heritage of Timbuktu and what not. So much so that this news is being trumpeted across a whole bunch of media that have never ever printed the word Timbuktu in their annals ever. Everyday across so many parts of the world - historical and heritage sights are destroyed or demolished - it's amazing that when Muslims do it it gets so much coverage. Yes - Norf - but it doesn't give them the right to destroy them still. Nor does it add to their political cause. This requires education and time to change this errant mentality.

ailamos;847548 wrote: Why wouldn't it be? Let's erase the past and start afresh, shall we? No specifically - I am very interested in what your personal reasons are for being enraged at the destruction of monuments that have little or no personal connection to you.

Not at all. I just love all these folks who couldn't give a rat's azz previously about Timbuktu and its shrines or the Buddhas in Afghanistan going into fits when some angry Moslemz go on the rampage. You can't help but suspect it's just another bat to bash Muslims and Islam.

Why? Why is it enraging to you on a personal level?

I'd like to know how long it took him to save up to print up that sign. And wouldn't it make sense that the sign be in Somali since most customers would be unlikely to speak English. And why do all the customers look like they're posing. Fishy.

^You oppose federalism within Somalia ie PL demands but you are for confederacy in the 5 regions - why the difference?

^Because that's where the future lies. Already in Eastliegh they determine prices/economies across all of East Africa. Soon the politics will follow. Get in early with the winner yo. Actually Hassan Gouled was not an unknown quantity when he took over. You can rule as part of bigger whole - that's the problem with Somalis - they only see a small picture. If I'm not top dog - then I'm nothing.

Definitely on my piss me off list!

^Because they turned out to be the very opposite of dictatorship???? And Mr Hassan Gouled was a benevolent democrat when he inherited the country at independance??? Maybe because of gratitude or maybe because they were a country of 20,000 square kilometers with 100,000 people who had very little going for them.

Oh come on - would you allow yourself to used as a tool in that manner? You seem to be so ho-hum about it.

^unique selling point? More like foolish and false self denigration. Actually if she has the ability to change this bs about desert to doctor - then she has willingly chosen to bash her background in order to make her 'story' all the more 'herioc'. And that takes away from her accomplishments.

^Ditto. So given all the help they got from Somalia - why did they choose to go their own way rather than a merger?

Damn this shit about 'from desert to doctor' - how is it intelligent people allow their entire country and background to be defined as 'desert'. Caku qashinkaan.

Already diaspora Somalis are going back, following military gains against al-Shabaab over the past year. “If things ever come right in Somalia, we’ll see a lot more business shift. When the time comes, they’ll flog everything and take their cash back to Mogadishu,” Etemesi says. For now, though, Eastleigh’s boom days are far from numbered. The sooner the better. One day we will see all these anti-Somali Kenyans coming for jobs to Somalia.

LOL at this development. Can anyone be surprised if Galeyr and others also turn? Just individuals my foot.

^That sounds fine Chimera except about the Bajuni Islands being uninhabited etc. But with 3000 km plus of coast - beach tourism is the obvious strength. The surf club is a good idea. But make sure it has space for everyone even Somali woman. Check out this poor girl - there are probably millions like her who would love a place to surf and go to the beach without issues. Gaza's girl surfer battles pollution and prejudice Sabah Abu Ghanim, 12, says she is encouraging her friends to join her in making the most of Palestine's blockaded coastline Sabah sometimes senses disapproval of her activities from some conservative Gazans. "There is a difference [between boys and girls]. When we are swimming in the sea and men see us, they are very surprised. They tell us to get out." "When I am older, my society refuses to allow me to surf. It's shameful. I will keep surfing until then, and then I will have to stop. I will be sad," she says. Once, she says, her 16-year-old sister to come to the beach to watch her surf. "I found her sad. I said, 'You keep wishing to go back to the old days because then you could surf and swim.' She said, 'I wish those days would return.'" Her mother and aunts sometimes come to the beach to swim "if no one is around. But if others start to arrive, they get out and go home. We don't want people to talk about us." But, for now, Gaza's surfer girl is riding the waves. "People are proud of us. They say, 'This is the first time we saw a girl who knows how to surf.'" http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/29/gaza-girl-surfer-pollution-prejudice

^The party isn't a 'real' party duh? It's really a battle strategy meeting to free Laas Canood

^No one is speaking to you troll. Go to like 'minded' ppl.

Carafaat;842063 wrote: Primary education and secondary education levels doubled of tribled in most parts of the country(its all relative afcourse). And still increasing. The biggest issue is the lack of vocational and technical institutions, not all student can go to University. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/somalia_statistics.html That primary/secondary education has improved is clear - although most of these schools are fee based and if you can't afford it you're out of luck. But according to that stats you referred to - more than half of eligible kids are not enrolled in primary education. Let's please focus on that as a society instead of post-secondary institutions.

Marksman;842107 wrote: What kind of new model were you thinking of? Naked people are only on specific beaches around the world and very much limited. This will not be alloud in Somalia. And alcohol can be served to non Muslims in hotels and restaurants etc. Drinking alcohol on the streets is forbidden in most Western European countries. For instance, one cannot walk and drink alcohol and show an open bottle in public. It's all about the public order. Bikinis are naked from the Muslim persepective - I wasn't talking about naturist beaches. A man or woman in a thong or the like and with all their parts dangling or visible is naked despite whatever 'clothing' he or she may have. Alcohol cannot be served by Muslims to non-Muslims. What you mean is that non-Muslims may consume alcohol in a Muslim country - but it begs the question who will serve it them in a Muslim country? If so called Muslims do serve it - it's totally xaram income. Drinking alcohol on the streets in Western Europe is forbidden? Huh? So all those people sitting outside on patios all over are not really drinking alcohol but something that resembles it? The model is Muslim beach tourism. Why can't Muslims take advantage of their coastlines and swim and play without seeing naked ppl, alcohol consumption and other immodest behaviours? There are 1 billion Muslims out there - who are a big potential market that would be a good fit for the endless beaches of Somalia and our culture/religion. It is up to us to devise a new model that caters to these folks and would result in xalaal income and prosperity for Somalis.

Progress is good but I'm always amused at how folks build universities but not elementary schools. Where exactly will graduates come from if we don't strengthen the secondary education?

Man - he looks like an arab in that photo. Damiirkiisa iyo caqligiisa ba mayd ah - not Somalia.

Good for them. Hope they're able to find jobs in this economy. Perhaps it would have been nice if they also brought along an American flag - after all Somalia didn't give them the opporutunity at higher ed.

AUN.

Nice. But we need a new model of tourism apart from naked ppl and alcohol like Kenya coast or Carribean. North of Mogadishu