Sorghum is an Important Part of the Diets of Many People in the World

Sorghum originated in the north-east quadrant of Africa and spread from there throughout Africa and into India. In 1994, sorghum ranked fifth among the most important cereal crops of the world after wheat, rice, maize, and barley in both total area planted and production.

Eighty percent of the area devoted to sorghum is located within Africa and Asia, with average yields of 810 and 1150 kilograms per hectare, respectively. In 1992, sorghum was planted on approximately 5.4 million hectares in the United States with an average yield of 4,566 kg/ha and a farm value of over $1.7 billion. Grain sorghum plants are coarse annual grasses. Nearly all varieties grown in the United States are "dwarf" types, with stems under 5 feet in height and suitable for harvesting with combines. Many taller- stemmed varieties are grown in other countries.

Grain sorghum is well-known for its capacity to tolerate conditions of limited moisture and to produce during periods of extended drought, in circumstances that would impede production in most other grains. Sorghum leaves roll along the midrib when moisture- stressed, making the plant more drought resistant than other grain plants. Like corn, sorghum can be grown under a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. Unlike corn, however, sorghum’s yield under different conditions is not so varied. Consequently, it is grown primarily in arid areas where corn wouldn’t make it without substantial irrigation.

Sorghum is an important part of the diets of many people in the world. It’s made into unleavened breads, boiled porridge or gruel, malted beverages including beer, and specialty foods such as popped grain and syrup from sweet sorghum. In Africa, the straw of traditional tall sorghums is used to make palisades in villages or around a homestead. The plant bases are an important source of fuel for cooking and the stems of wild varieties are used to make baskets or fish traps. Dye extracted from sorghum is used in West Africa to color leather red.

Sorghum starch is manufactured in the U.S. by a wet-milling process similar to that used for corn starch, then made into dextrose for use in foods. Starch from waxy sorghums is used in adhesives and for sizing paper and fabrics, and is an ingredient in oil drilling "mud." The grain can be a source of grain and butyl alcohol. In the United States, sorghum is a principal feed ingredient for both cattle and poultry. Its protein content is higher than corn and about equal to wheat. Its fat content is lower than corn but higher than wheat. Tannin, an acidic complex, can affect both the taste and nutritional value of sorghum.

Historically, sorghum with a high tannin content was desirable because it’s not palatable to birds. High tannin sorghum is still grown where birds are a problem, but, in the United States, reduced-tannin sorghum has been developed, improving nutritional value by as much as 30 percent. Sorghum has a very hard kernel, which makes it resistant to disease and damage, butmaking it harder to digest for animals. Sorghum is ground, cracked, steam flaked, and/or roasted, to enhance the nutritional value 12 to 14 percent. Some sorghum, sudangrass, or sorghum-sudangrass hybrids are poisonous to horses. The exact cause is not known. There’s currently no treatment for this poisoning and affected horses rarely recover.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with introducing broomcorn to the United States. While traveling in Europe, Franklin was impressed with a small broomcorn broom he used to clean his hat. He found a few seeds attached to the straw, and took them with him when he returned to Philadelphia. He planted the seeds and initiated an industry. Arcola, Illinois is known as the "Broom Corn Capital of the World." Since the late 1800’s, area farmers grew the sorghum used in the broom industry. The broom corn is processed in Arcola and brooms sold across the country. Arcola holds an annual Broom Corn Festival each September.

Somalis Agreed to Disagree Forever; why?

Due to their nomadic culture, and inhuman social development, nomadism is only a few steps after the stone and hunting ages, Somalis do not only practice but are also proud of their patriarchal lineage system where one counts his/her lineage to infinity or is else “…laan gab… or of short lineage” a phrase that has a killing connotation within the Somali culture.

Consequently, Somalis are composed of tribes each of which assumes it is far superior to others and hence may not even like to respect let alone address them. That is one of the major reasons why Somalis refuse to coexist.

For instance:

The Darods believe they are the only born leaders and do therefore deserve to rule Somalis at whatever cost. Accordingly, they can hardly believe that others are asking for leadership! In fact, they would rather die for that than give it over. So they are confused asking themselves as to how on earth others dare to ask them to give up or share “their legitimate rights?”

The Issaqs believe they are Aristocrats (saada)… direct descendents of the Qureish of Mecca and a better race than all other Somalis. Therefore they are confused that negroid Somalis whose race is questionable are instructing them to do this or that or asking for equal treatment.

The Gadabursi believe they are the only intellectuals and wise men of all Somalis; are more civilized than others and according to them all other Somalis are crude barbarians and bushmen who need years of civilization to accomplish what they have and enjoy. To them, a proof to that is that they have had a governing system for centuries with documented constitution…thus the word Gadabursi….. a union

The Issas believe they are not a subset of Somalis. Rather they are equal and even far more than that. According to them, even the white man was once from the Issas and only his behaviors made him white. Therefore, how can they accept Somalis to instruct them to do this or that?

The Hawiyas believe there exist no other Somali tribe and in fact all other Somalis are a drop in the Hawiye Ocean! And accordingly, how can a drop try to change the color or constitution of a whole ocean. And so, to ask them to listen, rule or make rules and regulations to govern them is futile. That is why they always agree to disagree!

The Gabooye, Tomal and Yibirs who are the basic technology know-how of Somalis, technicians, musicians, composers etc. are years ahead of other Somalis…. So they are confused knowing not what to do!

The Dig iyo Midhigle and Biyamals are agriculturalists and a better civilized community without whose existence no Somali nation ever existed or will exist. They grew food for all and were providers of the bread of the nation before other barbarian Somalis forced them to fight back and destroy others too. They are confused and know not what to do.

That means all Somalis fit the Arabic proverb “ana amir wa anta amir, faman ya suuq ximaar?” or I am an aristocrat and you are one …. Then who will drive the donkey?” And ironically, that Somali division and superiority even within each and every clan does not have any boundary. So, may be the right driver of that “donkey” … country are the Ethiopians who centuries ago crossed the clan barrier and a union with them is essential! Or else let Somalis call their colonial masters to govern!

By Noah Arre

noah.arre@gmail.com

Somalis evolution is inevitable

When somebody catches an infection, they first show a primary symptoms for that infection , and the person should contact medical specialists as soon as possible.

But what happens if the person doesn’t contact a physician , the infection will step to the secondary stage. The secondary stage makes the person very sick and then he is admitted into hospital.

Somalia is like that at first there was primary stage , but afterthen we get the secondary stage which is difficult to cure.

Humans evolve , change , develop from one stage to another. That is what keeps them survive in the changing world. But if a nation didn’t evolve, that is a disaster. That nation may be extinct in worse conditions. The only way for a nation to catch up is to immediate evolution. In case of this nation , evolution will be to develop its culture and knowledge.

Tribalism , the infectious disease that is very common in Somalia. This disease is very developed in the lands of Somalia speaking ethnic groups. People need to evolve to change and to pass this stage. The other world has passed this stage hundreds of years ago. Examples.

In this article I don’t blame tribe , because tribe is a part of us , a capsule that contains our heritage, lineage and origin. In Somalia , place where there is no any governmental policy to register civilians, tribe is the only archive to track down civilians. Most of all, tribe is an insurance for its members.

But the problem is in using tribe as a measure to differentiate between people or have a fixed stereotypic views about members of certain tribe.

Cadnaan xasan

.... continued

Black hawk down; the step to great Somali invasion

As all of you know, Hollywood is the US tool to adopt the civil society to a specific issue, especially those related to stereotypes. People will not mind to watch an action movie about the adventure of US great army in Somalia. In the movie you can see several US soldiers being shot by Somali militants, each one of this military soldiers have his own history, the camera focuses on them while they are looking to pictures of their relatives, wives, children or parents. While the Somali people are like animals, they have to die and slaughtered. Around 1000 somalis are being shot by the US armies but no body cares, all of the spectators are keen and sympathetic with those few US soldiers dieing.

Black hawk is the name of US war Helicopter, known to kill people in masses. So why do a movie of this issue called after some helicopters. From here you can infer that 1000 Somalis died during this are worthless, they are just like the sheep slaughtered during the Eid.

When the US invaded Vietnam the American society went mad and demonstrations can be seen every where, but is this true for Somalia. Do the American media and public be agitated if US invaded Somalia. Of course not, Somalia is a Muslim state, so terrorism jumps to the mind, Somalia also murdered 18 US soldiers during 1992, but haven’t the US army killed with cold blood 1000 Somalis.

Its disgracing that we Somalis enjoy watching this movie, are those people in the movie really representing us, are we bloodthirsty, are we savages, are we merely some animals that have no soul. The answer is obvious.

This is stereotypic behaiviour is not confined to movies, its present in every aspect of our daily life in books, news, academic studies and even in our internal believes.

With such widespread stereotypic beliefs the western governments become capable of adjusting society to certain beliefs such as that Islam is Terror, Africans are savages and Arabs are western hating blood thirsty camel men.

On the other hand we Muslims have not the slightest idea of what is happening around us, we are blindfolded by ethnic and religious clashes, no one caring about the other.

Today no body cares about the war torn Islamic countries which all of them destroyed by the west beginning from Afghanistan to Somalia.

In Somalia World is illusioned that they are fighting between each other in tribes, in Iraq it is religious and ethnic clash, in Lebanon between Sunnis, Shia's and Christians. So has the muslim world gone mad or the story have something not right "sheekada far baa ku godan"...