Hybrid regimes

Some Turkish people think that the world turns around Turkey. That it is in the spotlight each and every day. I have to disappoint them: you can find small articles about Turkey and the PKK so now and then in European newspapers. That's all.
But it would be wise as the Turkish government spent some more money for the education of their kids. Like what the Europeans are doing by the agreement of Lisbon in 2000. Prfmairly focussed on education (each EU citizen has to learn English and a second European language by choice).

Amsterdam made an example: with its world famous International institute for Social History, its world famous Art schools and two well noted Universities, among 48 colleges, on a population of 750.000 people, it shows that the Dutch takes education serious. There are people from 172 nations living in Amsterdam!
In other parts of the Netherlands the University of Utrecht ranks world wide no. 40. (like all the Dutch Universities they are in the top 200 world wide).
The think tanks like Clingendael, the educational food industry, TNO for scientific work, shows why the Netherlands is country no. 1 for investments, even for Turkey with a total FDI of 3 billion: the Netherlands ranks one.

But back to Turkey as the centre of the world: I am sorry, but no news about Turkey and especially Turkey-EU relations. Not the European elite signed the Treaty of Lisbon, it was and are their voters who pursued them to do so.

And the USA?

As the USA produce daily thousands newspapers, for sure you will find some news about Turkey somewhere. Or protesting a Turkish consul a news outlet. Or another group of Turks are insulted.

The tragic story of Turkey continues to be one of corrupt regimes using religious extremists and external support to keep the secular democratic forces at bay; and when these forces do assert themselves, to tie them down in legal constraints that are designed to ensure their failure.
It is the story of a society that has been going round in circles for the last 80 years.

Not Ataturk dream I guess.

And that is all the result of being a hybrid regime.

Breaking News/Benazir Butto has been assasinated

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been murdered in a gun and bomb attack after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi. Police said a suicide bomber fired shots at Bhutto as she was leaving the rally venue in a park before blowing himself up. for more:

Shock blogs

There is a new trend on the web, which concerns me: shock blogs. With one goal: How to create a web blog which provides maximum shock value such as "psychological warfare" or inciting hate. In the last weeks there was such a warfare going on between Kurdish and Turkish nationalists in Germany. Or can we say: between PKK supporters and Gray Wolves members. Mainly on YouTube, but new radical blogs are made every day.
The Turkish press are willing to show one side of this dangerous game: the PKK are terrorists and no word about the Gray Wolves which are pur sang fascists.
Maybe of greater concern are the huge flock of 'followers' of the weblogs that engage in the slandering, insulting and otherwise non-constructive postings. As long the 'shock' and the 'reaction' is there the blogger is satisfied. Maybe we can say: the Net is Dead. Even Social media sites such as facebook, turns out to be a place where like minded idiotry are assembled in special groups.

Some blogs are created for the ego of the blogger. Not for social interaction anymore. You can bring news by telling 50% of the truth. But as an old Jewish expression says: part of the truth is one big lye. Most of these blogs are the the same old linkdumping, insulting or negative posting blogs which wants to shock. The Top-Ten is here. But personal, I can mention some (mainly political ones) here. Later!

Day Opening - December 27

The moon.