^Ahhhh did your play for her fail? That would explain the bitter personal tone of your posts. *Light bulb goes off*

^LOL @ "than no-gooder and broke person doin critique from his /her 9 to 5 day job." Is that directed at the rest of us? It seems I must check out for myself sometime the goings on in these places. Gotta separate fact from massive Somali style exaggeration. Perhaps I will actually step foot in Somalia too.

^Can you send him over this way please? I'm tired of shoveling. And having a neighbour who somehow manages to direct the spray from his snowblower right on my walkway.

Patronage! Bah! You should've said so from the beginning Baashi. I've no truck with asz kissing and endless hat-in-hand requests. J11 - exactly. Whenever someone is making outsize profits everyone will jump in - you gotta have a lean operation to survive. And those outsize profits will only be around so long.

^ @ Cara. Who isn't! Am I supposed to believe you're that perky naturally?

^Hehe. I can honestly say I've never been in one of those places - dark, cave like and full of wierd creatures. See you gotta look at those worse off than you. We have 5 feet of snow on the ground here - and the headaches that causes for anyone doing anything or going anywhere. Your car stuck in the middle of a 'road', freezing your *** off because you disdain cellphones and refuse to get one and having to hoof it to the nearest gas station to get a tow which will take 2 hrs etc. Africans belong in the sun - I wish you a speedy return.

^Interesting. I'm not getting it though. Everyone can obtain cheap medicine and sugar. If folks are making good money - everyone will jump in and then only the fittest survive with much reduced margins.

^What - no mefrish outings lately?

^Warya - how many name changes have you had now in the past couple of months?

^LOL. Now words of our common heritage are being appropriated for political purposes. How much worse can it get! Go easy on armchair - he's not a Somali.

^Oh oh!

Do people not get tired of endless questions?

Interesting thread. I've always wondered why there has been so little excavation in Northern Somalia given how important a trade route it had been for centuries. There just may be archealogical treasures waiting to uncovered.

I think the advice put forth here is really useful. It would be nice if before they preached to anyone - these folks have a recognized certification. Life would be so much easier. * Brother stop - do you have the Sincere-Respectful-Knowledgable Wadaad certification - no SRKW? - Shut up, you have no basis upon which to preach

^touche

^Rat hole? Do away with your last paragraph and you have a reasonable post. Resuscitating the key aspects of a state such as embassies is a good thing unless you have no desire for any state to exist there. The current crop of actors can be done away with and likely just may but re-establishing the institutions of a state has the potential to benefit all Somalis. And such a step should not have vitriol and insults poured upon it.

^Pujah, you sound esperto - tell us where to put our money. Personally I think this is the biggest problem Somalis and other Muslims have. Somalis generally don't spend and consume at western levels but moneys saved tend not to be invested simply because the options are so limited. Baashi - can you guarantee me the 30% margin in East Africa and I will give you 5%? Honestly the number of swindles perpetrated is too many to count. And family is among the worst.

Topic poster wants shukansi - Ladies indulge him via PM and spare the rest of us

Now what is the point of this? I mean do you have to make people feel inadequate and on Ciid too?

^Discipline? No that is not the word I would use. Discipline is needed to exercise regularly or do your homework every night. To spend money that you don't have - that is simply living in fantasy land. I think to some extent - this is fostered by the culture. Everyone is in debt perpetually - one's parents, grandparents, relatives and neighbours etc. So why not you too? Skipper - I would advise you not to talk to people who don't know anything about financial matters as to what is and isn't haraam. Investing in stocks is not haraam - investing in certain stocks is.

Ciid Wanagsan to all SOLers and their families.

^I do understand where Somalilanders are coming from - and I'm deeply sympathetic. I just don't think secession is the solution. I think their greivances can be addressed short of the that mark. To have understanding is to have insight into what motivates people. With Somalis it's about past grievances - to comprehend that simplicity is not to say present reprisals are justified. Have you guys lost all sight of the nuances of the English language? It sorta reminds of the post 9/11 debate - about Muslim grievances being a partial motivator for the atrocity - and the interpretation by many westerners that 'one is justifying it'. Come on now.

^Not serious at all K - just taking a poke at Tuuj and LZ for being irritating

^LOL - agression is in our DNA Naden - we're Somalis.

Tension in the house! *Should I stoke it or cool it*