Internations Musings: Istanbul, Florence, Athens, Yerevan and Dubai

Day Opening - June 11

2011-06-11T11:08:00.000+03:00

Parliament building of Hungary in Budapest

Closed

2008-01-31T16:18:00.000+02:00

This blog is closed.

New blog is http://www.internationmusing.blogspot.com/

Meet the new co bloggers.

Day Opening - January 31

2008-01-31T01:11:00.000+02:00

Namebie.

Justice or Insulting Kerincsizness? By Sean.

2008-01-30T22:05:00.000+02:00

Our dear friend, Sean, post often about Turkey. Last night he send me an email with the link of his last post. Besides the fact that he is a great guy, interested in Turkey and its worries, he has, like many of Internation writers, some critical notes about Turkey. Hopefully this will make Turkey stronger. Below his post and link to his blog.

Smiling like a Cheshire cat from one ear to the other, today Tetrapilotomos asked me to read the following: Turkish police arrested 33 persons who were actively involved in ultranationalist activities. Some of them are quite high profile. Retired general Veli Küçük, who has been in the news since the Susurluk case, some mafia leaders, the notarious lawyer Mr. Kerincsiz, Aksam columnist Güler Kömürcü, Sevgi Erenerol, spokeswoman for the Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate - one opposed to the Fener Greek Patriarchate- are among the arrested ones...

I did and said: Interesting. And what's the amusing part about?

Spake Tetrapilotomos:

"I cannot remember that - and if so when - it happened in past decades that by reading a news I thought I were dreaming.Therefore, I have been visiting this entry of Erkan's blog, at least twice every day, since.
Not that I wouldn't rely on Erkan who is the best journalistic source one can find in Turkey; no, it's just that I was anxious the good news could emerge as one of my daydreams, that I had become victim of my wishful thinking. Now, after seven days I have decided to believe my eyes.

The infamous Kemal Kerinçsiz arrested. What a pleasure, what a delight! Once again, filled with joy my heart is rising like a falcon up to the sky!
The neurotic who would fill complaints against dozens of Turkish journalists and authors inculpating them of insulting Turkishness, the pettifogging moron who'd sue the moon if only he could, whenever this planet's celestial neighbour dares to not appear exactly in the shape as is determinated in the Turkish flag, facing a trial himself!

Ah, I wish him good health so that he may be able to enjoy the rest of his life behind bars.

Aside from that I remember that once you wished him to lose all his teeth except one for permanent toothache, as an admirer of Mr Kerinçsiz you will be aware of that the honourable gentleman heads the Büyük Hukukçular Birliği (Great Union of Jurists), which is responsible for most article 301-trials.
One if not all of his approximately 700 dear colleagues and brothers in mind will do their best to turn the table and file a complaint against the prosecutors for insulting Kerinçsizness.

By the way, my dear Tetrapilotomos, I do start to understand why you would never write what you are thinking."
Continue reading.

Is God a Turk...

2008-01-30T09:48:00.000+02:00

A couple of weeks ago, a Turkish professor, Ahmet Arslan, claimed that the Belgium people are of Turkish descent. I shall not write here how the Belgium press reacted, if they reacted since this claim was too absurd to believe.
Also, in the past, some Turkish scholars claimed that Hungarian and Finnish people were of Turkish origin. Based upon similarities in their languages.
Its time that they are going to discover Noam Chomsky, the world famous American linguist, philosopher, political activist, author, and lecturer. He is an Institute Professor and professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You can not claim someones heritage on coincidence of similarities in languages!

Now there are claims that the native Americans are of Turkish descent.
I really don't understand this usurpationistic way of thinking. Who is next?

I will label this entry as 'fun stuff': obvious or not?

Day Opening - January 30

2008-01-30T09:03:00.000+02:00

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain.

Historic visit to Turkey by Greek PM - a behind the scenes look

2008-01-29T10:09:00.000+02:00

Hello one and all, i know its a bit tardy of me, but i believe that i should just quickly comment on my favourite blog about the Greek PMs recent visit to Turkey.

I could say how talking is good, leaders hashing out important topics etc, unfortunately its none of that. Since last December, Greece has been rocked with its own SEX and VIDEO scandal. Mr Zahopoulos, a close friend of the Prime Minister and his wife - whom he made Head of the Ministry of Culture and Sport and who has held that position since the PM took office - has been caught on tape engaging in sexual relations with a female member of his staff (not his wife). The government has been desperately trying to spin this into a Sex story but the more this story drags out, the more it becomes clear that it is about abuse of power, misspent monies and cronyism at the highest level.

Since the spin is wearing off, the Greek PM who is well known for his dislike of international travel (he slept in and forgot to go to Davos in his first year of PM and has not turned up since) is suddenly making trips. He has gone to India to... visit apparently, upon his return to Greece he made a speech against corruption which was roundly ignored and now he has gone to Turkey to discuss.... nothing in particular. Now that he is back in Greece he is keeping a low profile. Who knows, maybe he may start doing some work, but i sincerely doubt it.

Day opening - January 29

2008-01-29T09:00:00.000+02:00

Japanese Art

The terrible Dutch

2008-01-28T20:16:00.000+02:00

Yes, they vetoed the new proposed European Constitution away, together with the French. And now they want to put a hold on EU negotiations with Serbia. They only would sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) "when Serbia hands over the people who stand indicted for the Yugoslavia tribunal".
All members, included the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, wanted to sign this agreement, but today they agreed that only this pact will be signed when Serbia handed over war crimes suspects to The Hague tribunal. The Netherlands was backed by Belgium.
The Serbian general Ratko Mladic is among those indicted on genocide charges.

Why do I write this down on this blog? Because I read so often in Turkish newspapers and on Turkish blogs that there are British-French or French-German 'alliances' conspiracies against the Turkish state. Nonsenses. Today proves again that even small countries can block what they want.
I recommend Turkish journalists, before making bold statements, to read my dear friend Erkan his blog. He will get his PhD. on Turkish journalism and the EU.
At the same time, its sad to read that a Turkish academic is handed down and sentenced him to a 15 month suspended jail term.
After the YouTube ban, the ongoing investigation in the 'deep state' of Turkey and the totally out of proportion debate of the head scarf, it will be in Turkish benefit if their government and the MP's knows what crisis management means instead of walking around with guns in their parliament!
Yes, I admit that I am a terrible Dutch, criticizing Turkey...as reaction on the biased, hateful and reactionary Turkish bourgeois press. The difference between them and me? I can write what I want, and they are not...)

Day Opening - January 28

2008-01-28T01:40:00.000+02:00

The Night Watch.

La Turquie est bourlinguer!

2008-01-27T22:37:00.000+02:00

Or...Turkey is drifting, looking for the best place to rest and then, move forwards.
After 3 years being a candidate EU member state, and ample discussions it didn't do anything than distorting the whole process of negotiations. Turkey is for example the biggest offender of Human rights within the EU and its candidate member countries, and complains and violates the rules of the the Court the most, just before Russia, more often than any other country.

Neo-Communism In Central Asia Mirror

2008-01-27T20:04:00.000+02:00

Two weeks ago I read a column of Ali Kubeli wherein he glorified the developments in Uzbekistan. And were he called his co-observers of the OESO and other countries (more than 200) partial and imperialist. In fact he is so biased, that I could not believe my eyes.
As everybody knows, Turkish 'sister republics' like Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan etc. are important for several reasons; its strategically locations, energy resources, and much more. That he supports the dictatorial regimes of these countries shows that he is still dreaming of a neo-communistic/anti-democratic Central Asia mirror. Including Turkey, and of course as the Big Brother for these countries.
That he, Ali Kubeli, is a notorious reactionair, becomes obvious. And part of Turkish establishment as well: always putting the finger towards others to blame for.
Or is it envy?

Heading towards what?

2008-01-27T19:58:00.000+02:00

Since last year, Turkey went from issue to issue. Or better said: from crisis to crisis. And it looks that neither Turkey nor their allies really knows what the upshot will be. And, in which direction? Still.

Turkey is on a breaking point: is it real democratic and religious or anti-democratic and religious intolerant? That’s at stake. The image of a honest broker between the different cultural and dutiful groups in Turkey are puzzled; is Turkey a multi-cultural society like where the Turkish communities in West Europe are living in? Or how the 'Americans' are living together, or the Brazilians, the Australians?

Yes, there are quite some ‘Turkish watchers’ these days. Deliberations about Turkey during dinners, cocktails and other inter cultural merrymaking is a fact. But are perceptions changing and is the nation state of Turkey vulnerable for external pressure. Can it be a country which is not a secular one, nor religious one, but a third way, where the EU institutions can be a security factor? For all of you: if you join the EU, you can join but never leave.

Facts are that the country is changing swiftly, and it looks like that no one can really follow what’s going on, even some well educated Turks. . .

Day Opening - January 27

2008-01-27T09:15:00.000+02:00

English countryside.

The Angel of Death, Day opening - January 26

2008-01-26T07:52:00.000+02:00

Crowds of people have congregated as if in anticipation of experiencing a miraculous religious vision - but instead a grotesque dead chicken lies slumped across the cliff-top in front of them. The crowd's inability to recognize the inanity of the object they are venerating, emphasized the futility of their mission."Chihuahua" by David Alfaro Siqueiros 1947, Museo de Arte Alvar y Carmen T de Carillo, Mexico City.

Day Opening - January 25

2008-01-25T05:55:00.000+02:00

Valentino, Spring 2008, Paris.

Day Opening - January 24

2008-01-24T01:10:00.000+02:00

Alaska, USA.

Hillary

2008-01-23T18:28:00.000+02:00

2008-01-23T17:35:00.000+02:00

This post is follow up of this post. Enjoy..)

The Dutch, however, cannot take responsibility for inventing the fry.

Neither can the French. That honor goes to the Belgians, where fries are cherished even more than they are in Holland.

The fry culture in Belgium is similar to that of Holland—fries are everywhere, the thick slabs of potatoes are freshly fried and served in paper cones, and they are offered with a variety of toppings, the most popular being mayonnaise—but the Belgians have also developed a wide variety of specialized fries shops, called, in Belgium "frietkots" or "fritures". These range from small stands, to sheds, busses and caravans, to shacks or quaint chalets.

It is only in the United States that the nomenclature of fried potatoes insinuates a French connection. In England they are called "chips," in France "pommes frites" (which means, literally, "fried apples"), and in Belgium and Holland "patat" (not the word for potato, which is "aardappel").

The French fry has little to do with France other than the fact that it's popularity spread to that country as quickly as it did to others. In fact, the French, like most of Europe, eyed the potato with suspicion until the last century or two.

While living in the USA, I have been known to go out of my way to obtain fries similar to my beloved Dutch "patat," and have found in the past a few places in America where they are served.

In Santa Monica, on the Third Street Promenade, there is a fast food joint called "Benita's Frites" where geniuine Belgian fries are served, along with all the appropriate toppings.

Also, I once travelled to the outskirts of Boston just to sample the promised Belgian fries with sate sauce at a small restaurant, but was deeply disappointed when the fries I was served were clearly of the frozen variety, and the peanut sauce was nothing like what I was used to.

As luck would have it, just as I was in the middle of researching this article, I noticed a new shop being redone in New York City which promises to serve nothing but Belgian fries. Called "Pomme Frites," the shop is opening on Second Avenue, between 7th Street and St. Mark's Place.

If it is all that it promises to be, I will no longer have to travel to the Pacific coast when I want to spend some time in the USA, or cross the Atlantic, to get a taste of my favorite greasy snack.

Soon, a Dutch snackbar will be open its doors here in Istanbul.

Day Opening - January 23

2008-01-23T01:27:00.000+02:00

City of Love

City of Art

City to relax

Acupuncture

2008-01-22T20:20:00.000+02:00

After I left the Netherlands definitely behind me as 'home country' some 9 years ago, there was one thing I really missed. And that was not Dutch beer, Dutch cheese, or cozy life in Amsterdam, the vivid art and or the international business circles. Neither I missed the tolerance where people could have discussion all night long, nor the multi- national and multi cultural atmosphere of Amsterdam (172 different nationalities on a population of 800.000, Turks are one of the 172, he, only one). I also didn't missed the interesting and divers business culture. No, I missed my acupuncturist! While in Czech in the USA I travelled more to Amsterdam than since living in Turkey. So, I could visit him at least several times a year.
I am fond about my acupuncturist since I consider acupuncture and auriculo therapy as one of the best medical treatments available. And it prevents!
Although I found an acupuncturist in Turkey in 2003, I didn't go there that often. I relied on my many business trips (often unpredictable and very irregular) to visit my Dutch acupuncturist. But last weekend, after a terrible week of being sick, up, sick etc., I decided to go back to him. And yes, now the connection was made.
The relation between a doctor and a patient/client is vital. As I am being treated in several Turkish hospitasl like an ATM machine, I found my docter who also can direct me to the right people for other issues.
Not with doctors and who are more in love with my kind of credit card than my health. And yes, that's what I miss in Turkey; a social health care system. Its all about the head scarf, still.
And yes!! I miss Dutch Haring, Kroketten, Hutspot, Pindakaas, Kaas...
But not enough to migrate back..!!

Day Opening - January 22

2008-01-22T08:52:00.001+02:00

Gates of Paradise, Met'z.

Some news of the last week

2008-01-21T19:39:00.000+02:00

Fruit stall owner, Giuseppe Scirrocco, stopped paying taxes two years ago because he couldn't afford them. Officials in Milan, Italy recently landed him with a 5-billion Euro (app. US$7 million) tax bill.

Anton Wladich's snoring has become so loud since breaking his nose, that most of his street's residents in Warsaw, Poland, have moved house to escape the noise.

Furious girls in Lodz, Poland, are demanding a refund after paying US$800 to join a dating agency which had 300 women - but just seven men.

Trucker Boris Kalusch drowned after trying to drink from the beer tanker he was driving. Police in Siberia found his legs sticking from the inspection cover.

Six people taken to hospital from a reception in Moscow were injured by flying champagne corks.

A man dubbed by police in Athens, Greece as The Cigarette Saboteur has taken to attacking people he sees smoking and forcing them to eat their remaining cigarettes. The oddball has claimed seven victims in six months.

A pervert who exposed himself on the Paris Metro [subway] in France fled in horror when his victim - a transvestite - flashed back.

A zookeeper was pinned to the ground and had his trousers torn off - by a lovesick lady orangutan! Ken Alrand had cared for Anna ever since her natural mother rejected her in infancy. But he never realized that she had developed a crush on him. As Alrand was cleaning Anna's enclosure in Aalborg, Denmark, she pounced on him and ripped his pants off. "She's obviously fallen in love with me," says Alrand. "So I'll keep my distance from now on."

While motorcycling through the Hungarian countryside, Cristo Falatti came up to a railway line just as the crossing gates were coming down. While he sat idling, a farmer with a goat, which the farmer tethered to the crossing gate, joined him. A few moments later a horse and cart drew up behind Falatti, followed in short order by a man in a sports car. When the train roared through the crossing, the horse startled and bit Falatti on the arm. Not a man to be trifled with, Falatti responded by punching the horse in the head. In consequence the horse's owner jumped down from his cart and began scuffling with the motorcyclist. The horse, which was not up to this sort of excitement, backed away briskly, smashing the cart into the sports car. At this, the sports-car driver leaped out of his car and joined the fray. The farmer came forward to try to pacify the three flailing men. As he did so, the crossing gates rose and his goat was strangled. At last report the insurance companies were still trying to sort out the claims.

Day Opening - January 21

2008-01-21T08:55:00.000+02:00

Callas brasserie, Budapest, Hungary.

Turkish Muslim plays Anne Frank in Germany

2008-01-20T10:21:00.000+02:00

A Muslim former beauty queen is playing Anne Frank in a new stage production in Germany.
Asli Bayram, a daughter of Turkish immigrants who won Germany's national beauty pageant in 2005, has since turned to acting and plays Anne Frank in a one-woman show that opened this week in Frankfurt.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot, the tale of the Jewish teenager who documented her family's doomed efforts to hide from the Nazis during World War II holds special resonance for Bayram: Her father was shot dead by a German right-wing extremist when she was 14, an attack that she witnessed and which left her seriously wounded.
"By means of my work I want to prevent such terrible things, and to act against extremist ideology," Yediot quoted Bayram, now 26 and also a law-school graduate, as saying.
"People must always be reminded that they have to keep an eye on what goes on around them, to prevent such phenomena," she added.

Bayram's portrayal of Anne Frank has been received warmly by Germany's Jewish community as well as professional drama critics, Yediot reported. source: JWT news

Asli Bayram

Day Opening - January 20

2008-01-20T10:16:00.001+02:00

Holiday house, Mexico.

I believe darkness will one day reunite with light

2008-01-19T18:41:00.000+02:00

Istanbul. 2008

Day Opening - January 19

2008-01-19T00:37:00.000+02:00

Maria - the Untouchable

My Istanbul

2008-01-18T19:29:00.000+02:00

Last September I posted an entry about a book, called: 'My Istanbul'. Which is published in Dutch only.
Several days ago, Bernard Bouwman, the author of this book messaged me that this book is in translation and will be in Turkish in the Turkish bookstore's next month (read: February 2008).
The sweet and soft ironical tone, the diversity of subjects, and his love but also his critical attitude towards Turkey, make this book worth reading. I am pretty sure that it will be a bestseller. A book about Istanbul/Turkey through the eyes of a Dutchman, who is living in Turkey for 8 years, and who speaks fluent Turkish.
Bernard his book is made up about 50 chapters. All are short stories, interviews with famous Turkish people: politicians, intellectuals, artists. It also painted the fragile social infrastructure of Turkey. In the end, he doesn't make political statements.
The Turkish media will let you when it will be available. I recommend this book to everyone who lives in Istanbul and who are interested in Istanbul. Its fun to read.

One year ago

2008-01-18T11:28:00.000+02:00

Hrant Dink...and how fare are the investigations?

Day Opening - January 18

2008-01-18T06:54:00.000+02:00

New York, New York...

Day Opening - January 17

2008-01-17T01:21:00.000+02:00

The first pictures taken by the Messenger probe as it passed Mercury on Monday have started to arrive at Earth.
They include images that show parts of the surface missed by the Mariner 10 spacecraft when it flew by the planet in the 1970s.
Like the previously mapped portions of Mercury, the new sections appear heavily cratered.

Day Opening - January 16

2008-01-16T01:17:00.000+02:00

Villa Monticello was built by the counts of Orsolini at Avenza, Tuscany, Italy, in 1766 as a small country retreat. In the late 19th century, it was acquired by French Dervillé family, who did some renovating by adding grand flights of steps at the front and back, as well as loggias (balconies or entrance porches) on three sides of the villa.

Today, Villa Monticello is owned by Marzia Vanelli Dazzi, who lives there with her husband and children.

images: Taschen

Truthiness

2008-01-15T08:42:00.000+02:00

European politics, with the exception of the British, are in my opinion boring. For that reason I like a person as Sarkozy; ever witnessed a president who gives a 2 hour press conference for 500 journalist where he or she answered all the questions?
Turkish politics are different. Politicians are always insulted but at the same time they are offensive against everyone who criticize them. And with a press which don't know the difference between facts and fiction and between private and public information, you get a colorful mess.
How different are the USA politics. In this election year everything turns around 'truthiness': doesn't matter if something is true, as long as it looks like that it's true.
But can you prosecute people under this word?..))

Day Opening - January 15

2008-01-15T08:29:00.000+02:00

The 250-year old Taj Lake Palace, in Udaipur, India, a marble palace that appears as if it's floating on the waters of Lake Pichola.
Built in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar, Taj Lake Palace was originally built as a summer palace. It has recently been transformed to its former glory and is now possibly one of the most romantic hotels in the world.

Guests, of course, arrive by boat.

Day Opening - January 14

2008-01-14T06:38:00.000+02:00

Melbourne, terrace house.

Day Opening - January 13

2008-01-13T07:13:00.000+02:00

Buenes Aires, Argentina.

The new blog

2008-01-12T21:57:00.000+02:00

Last week I announced that Typepad will be the new host of this blog, but I changed my mind. It will be still blogspot: http://internationmusing.blogspot.com/ is the new blog name.

Busy with preparing a nice outlook, but next week, Seda from Turkey, living in Thessaloniki, will post her first post. Also Sandra, as I mentioned in my entry of last week.
Vassilio will come back after a retrait, and Myrthe will write as usual.
Happy reading.

Article by Super Hero (me and others)

2008-01-12T18:57:00.002+02:00

SH wrote an interesting posting.
Wanted to answer with a link which back up his statement but didn't succeed.
Here is the only link I found so far about Loverboys in English the Netherlands.
Had problems to put it as comment on his blog.
This a serious problem, which needs attention and must not be underestimated.

It's snowing in

2008-01-12T08:33:00.001+02:00

Bagdad.

Day Opening - January 12

2008-01-12T08:02:00.000+02:00

Liverpool, Cultural Capital of Europe 2008.

European Capitals of Culture

2008-01-11T08:19:00.000+02:00

1985 Athens
1986 Florence
1987 Amsterdam
1988 Berlin
1990 Glasgow
1991 Dublin
1993 Antwerp
1994 Lisbon
1995 Luxembourg
1996 Copenhagen
1997 Thessalonika
1998 Stockholm
1999 Weimar
2000 Avignon, Bergen, Bologna, Brussels, Santiago, Helsinki, Cracow, Prague and Reykjavik
2001 Porto, Rotterdam
2002 Bruges, Salamanca
2003 Graz
2004 Genoa, Lille
2005 Cork
2006 Patras
2007 Luxembourg
2007 Sibiu
2008 Liverpool
2008 Stavanger

Day Opening - January 11

2008-01-11T08:13:00.000+02:00

Stavanger, European Capital of Culture 2008.

Day Opening - January 10

2008-01-10T00:30:00.001+02:00

Alicia Machado.

Turkish mavericks....

2008-01-09T23:41:00.000+02:00

Its always fun to read the 'high school' articles of mr. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis, an unknown guy in the scientifically world.
But he likes the ramble and support terrorism against France, the UK and everything he hates: everybody who disagrees with him.

This maverick writes sometimes an article. He doesn't get paid for it since his back ground is full of lies and fake certificates.

Anyway, enjoy how he encourage terrorism for the sake of Turkey!!

Empty the Louvre!

Turkey must cause a lethal blow to France's image of Embodiment of Culture, Epitome of Education, and Epicenter of the Lights. Instead of foreign governments asking the return of archeological treasures stolen by the criminal French archeologists, local organizations set up by correctly guided immigrants, destitute French of the lower classes, and (culturally and nationally awaken) Britons, Occitans, Catalans, Corsicans, Alsatians and Basks of France must demand the morally imposed action.

An organization named "Do not visit the Louvre Genocide" must daily mobilize protestations and manifestations outside the former royal palace of France to prevent tourists from visiting the stolen collections that the French have disreputably gathered there over the past two centuries.

Another organization named "Money to France's victims, not thieves" should collect money from tourists ready to visit night clubs, casinos and cabarets, and fund NGOs engaged in former French colonies.

Independence for Catalonia, Bask Country, Corsica, and Polynesia

Even more aggressive against France the Turkish foreign policy should be in cases of the still existing French colonies; French Polynesia should become an immediate Turkish concern, and Turkey with its allies in Oceania, Australia and New Zealand, should fuel strife and clash, insurgence, and a successful outcome of the indigenous people's liberation movement.
A global effort of methodic and systematic defamation of France must be undertaken - not to diffuse lies (as the typical French policies would in similar cases) but to reveal the truth to billions of people allover the world about crimes perpetrated by the France in Africa and the Middle East, in Asia (particularly with respect to the Eastern Christians, the Aramaeans, and the Armenians, whom French gangsters masqueraded as missionaries either multi-divided or turned them their own countries, namely the Ottoman Empire and Iran, with the well-known disastrous consequences) and in Oceania. French colonial crimes in America should not be forgotten either.

It is impossible for Turkey to get successfully engaged against France without 100 Ph.D. published, publicized, commented and quoted in more than 10 languages allover the world.

Remove French Cultural Centers from allover the world!

Another effort should be deployed in the former French colonies; through the formation of bilateral NGOs (Turkish / Algerian, Turkish / Syrian), all French colonial deeds carried out and policies implemented against the normal formation of National Identity (of the various colonized peoples) and the elaboration of a true, locally centered, historiography should be denounced.
Accordingly, these NGOs, as social groups of pressure, should demand that all French institutes and colleges, universities and cultural centers in Damascus or Sanaa, Cairo or Rabat be closed down, as diffusing racist versions and visions of History.

As a matter of fact, Turkey needs a theoretical background to fight at an academic - cultural - political level against France, denounce the French colonial crimes (either in Morocco or in Corsica), and mobilize local masses allover the world against France (either in oppressed, Gaelic, Brittany or in semi-liberated Tunisia).

What the theoretical background of the Turkish attack against France should be we will analyze in a forthcoming article.

Time can make you Happy

2008-01-09T21:45:00.000+02:00

In 1999, I started a yahoo group. One of the first members and later moderators is Johanna from a place in the centre of Finland. Above a picture of her. Made several years ago. Not always happy, but determined to make something out of her life.

Then she disappeared, but came back with a beautiful message and picture: her son:
Miika Jaakko Sakari.

Here Johanna with her Miiki.
A happy family, with her boyfriend and child. And peaceful rest. Time can do so much, but think in the positive direction.

Are Belgians Turks (part two)

2008-01-09T20:31:00.000+02:00

Turkish Daily News: In a move that is destined to bring Belgians and Turks together as brothers, Professor Ahmet Arslan said that when the Selçuk part of the Oguz tribe formed a state in Central Asia, their capital was called Genk, having the same name as the city of Genk in Belgium.

Actually Genk was a Celtic village originally known as Geneche.

Turkish Daily News: He also said the symbol of Genk Municipality was a double headed eagle, and added as his conclusive proof, “In the Selçuk tribe, the same symbol was used. One head symbolized Interior Oguz while the other Exterior Oguz.”

The double headed eagle is a common symbol, usually associated with the Eastern Roman Empire.

Turkish Daily News: Referring to the city of Genk in Belgium, Arslan said: “There are many dark haired, light skinned people there. This is the basic characteristic of the Oguz tribe.”

Is he referring to the Turks that live their or the native Belgians? That "characteristic" is "characteristic" of many tribes. Moreover, definitions as to what constitutes "light skin" vary.

Turkish Daily News: The molecular genetic studies the department had conducted showed the main migration route from Central Asia followed the north west and west of the Caucasus Mountains, Arslan said.

He said there were close blood ties between Europeans and Turks as a result of these tribal migrations. These migrations did not expand to Western Europe, nor to Eastern Europe until the advance of the Ottoman Empire. The Oghuz Turks consisted of multiple tribes whose original homeland was in the Ural-Altaic region of Central Asia. Due to the dissolution of the Göktürk Khanate in the 8th century, the Oghuz migrated westwards to Transaxonia. From this base they would over centuries would establish the Seljuk Empire and continue west into Western Asia and Eastern Europe. While Turks did dwell in the Black Sea Steppes, and the Oghuz became first associated with the Hunnic invasions in the 3rd century (BC), the 8th century marks their first significant migration from the ethnic Turkic homeland. The Seljuks are derived from this Steppes area and migrated into Persia in the 9th century, mixing heavily with the Persians before advancing westward.

Genetic research and anthropology on Anatolia concludes the following:
1. Turkish was imposed on non-Turkic peoples
2. The original inhabitants (Mediterranean) were absorbed into the new population
3. Only 30% of present-day Turkish genes are derived from Central Asia
4. There has been continuous gene-flow from Central Asia to Anatolia for some 40 generations at a rate of 1% per generation
5. Modern Turks are closer to Iranians, Caucasians and Russians than Turkic populations in Central Asia

6 Of One A....

2008-01-09T18:38:00.000+02:00

Today, I went to my hair dresser in Akmerkez. After that a quick snack at McDonald's.

I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets.
I asked for a half dozen nuggets.

"We don't have half dozen nuggets", said the teenager at the counter.

"You don't?" I replied.

"We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply.

"So I can't order a half-dozen nuggets, but I can order six?"

"That's right."

So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets.

Day Opening - January 9

2008-01-09T00:59:00.001+02:00

The IBM PC was introduced in 1981. It was perhaps the first to wear the "PC" label, but that was IBM's only innovation.

Lets talk American

2008-01-08T23:13:00.000+02:00

Barack Obama....

Jesus Christ

Hillary Clinton.

Who of the 3....

Belgians are Turks?

2008-01-08T15:35:00.000+02:00

Okay, the American's make jokes about the Polish, the Spanish about the Portuguese people and the Dutch about Belgium, which is our national right...don't take that away from us...))
Anyway, I had a good laugh this morning reading the article "Belgians are Turks, says Turk academic'.

Professor Ahmet Arslan said that when the Selçuk part of the Oğuz tribe formed a state in Central Asia, their capital was called Genk, having the same name as the city of Genk in Belgium. He also said the symbol of Genk Municipality was a double headed eagle, and added as his conclusive proof, “In the Selçuk tribe, the same symbol was used. One head symbolized Interior Oğuz while the other Exterior Oğuz.”

Interpreting history, by all meaning, especially through philology, the study of ancient texts and languages, is the only valid parameter. Not some kind of cheap redenations. Philology also includes the close study of texts and their history. It includes elements of textual criticism, trying to reconstruct an author's original text based on variant manuscript copies. And therefor you need to understand the classical languages.
History from the Belgium takes its name from the Belgae, the early Celtic tribes who had settled in the area of the Low Countries during Preobscene era.
I am waiting on the moment that this professor claims that Brussels is built by Turks. Maybe a good way to become a EU member....

Day Opening - January 8

2008-01-08T07:50:00.000+02:00

Panama canal, Panama.

Day Opening - January 7

2008-01-07T08:30:00.000+02:00

London

Day Opening - January 6

2008-01-06T10:24:00.000+02:00

Pearl-qatar, Doha, Qatar.

Poem by Dylan Thomas

2008-01-05T16:20:00.001+02:00

Clown in the Moon

My tears are like the quiet drift
Of petals from some magic rose;
And all my grief flows from the rift
Of unremembered skies and snows.

I think, that if I touched the earth,
It would crumble;
It is so sad and beautiful,
So tremulously like a dream.

Dylan THOMAS

Day Opening - January 5

2008-01-05T10:16:00.001+02:00

Georgia, the country, not the state.

Changes on this blog

2008-01-04T19:28:00.000+02:00

Seda

Above Sandra.

I posted earlier that this blog will go through several changes. Not only the host will be a different one, but some co bloggers will be added as well. Unfortunately, Derya will not be able to be a regular blogger anymore, due to her job which requires a lot of time. She also told me that she cannot gain access to typepad. We will figure out how we can solve this since we like here comments and opinion. Its annoying that wordpress is banned in Turkey, so is blogspot in Syria.
New co bloggers will be Seda, a Turkish friend living in Greece, and a dear friend of mine, for years, Sandra. Born in Suriname and raised up in the Netherlands.
And last but not least: Bea, who will move back to the USA will contribute as well.
Together with a Dutch in Armenia, and an Greek/Australian in Greece, we will have a nice team here.

And there might be a chance that another 'yabanchi' will join this team.

Will keep you updated.

No freedom of religion in Turkey...

2008-01-04T17:33:00.000+02:00

As Turkey is trying to convince the world in general and the EU in particular, about their religious freedom, below you will find an article about the intolerance the Turkish state imposed on non Suni Muslims and other religions. This is not an act of the AKP party but institutionalized the last 60 years.
While Turkish citizens are crying that there is no place to worship in Europe, Turkish people over there knows better: their Mosques and school are funded with government money. Even cultural centre's are established for a better understanding.

The ignorance or arrogance of some Turkish people is astonishing.
The article below is from here

"In Turkey, the freedom in need of expansion is freedom of religion. While each of the issues that is currently on the agenda is a priority issue, each also touches on a broader question which remains off the agenda: freedom of religion and belief in Turkey itself.

A significant problem facing religious groups in Turkey is the nation’s biased religious registration laws. Registration is required for religious leaders and institutions to serve the spiritual needs of their constituents.
Currently, the Sunni branch of Islam is the only “state-sanctioned” form of religion.
The Alevi Islamic Community is not recognized as a separate religious group and is instead considered to be a de-facto group within Sunni Islam. This lack of distinct recognition severely limits their ability to form their own houses of worship and leaves them suspect to the laws of the state that pertain to Sunnis.
The Shi’a community is not recognized as a separate legal entity either.
The Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Jewish communities are recognized as having “a special legal minority status.” However, this only applies to the individuals within these communities and not to their religious institutions, which severely hinders the ability of these groups to perform a wide range of functions necessary to maintaining and serving the needs of their respective adherents.

All other religious groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, mainline Protestant and Evangelical groups, have no official legal status within the Republic of Turkey.

Religious education is another significantly contentious religious freedom issue in Turkey.
There are two aspects of religious education that are particularly troublesome: the first is that Turkey requires a majority of its population to take state-mandated religious education classes; the second problem is the current restrictions that religious groups face in properly educating their clergy. Turkey currently requires all Muslims in the country, regardless of their sectarian affiliation, to partake in religious education classes.
Minority religious groups are exempted from these religious classes. The Alevis, and other Turkish Muslim minority groups, claim that these classes teach only the Sunni form of Islam that advances religious beliefs that are in conflict with their own religious teachings. These groups also complain that many of these mandatory classes actually demean and dismiss their beliefs.
Many other minority religious communities in Turkey face serious problems in educating their believers.
In 1971, the Turkish government closed all university-level religious schools, both Muslim and Christian.
There are numerous restrictions in place that hinder the ability of these institutions to reopen their doors, such as a requirement that all students be Turkish citizens, a very serious problem for Greek Orthodox clergy.
The government argues that these restrictions are necessary to prevent radical Islamic groups from opening their own religious schools that could spread a violent and extremist form of Islam.
These restrictions disproportionately burden the nation’s religious minorities.

The Greek Orthodox population has fallen to approximately 3000 people over the past several decades. They do not have a large enough population to maintain the primary Greek Orthodox seminary in Turkey – the Halki Monastery. Halki Monastery was among those university-level religious institutions closed by the government, and it faces numerous restrictions to reopening.

The Turkish Government will currently not allow any foreign students to be educated at Halki. Without foreign students, there are not enough Turkish Greek Orthodox seminarians to maintain an official seminary. In addition, due to legal restrictions mentioned above, this Monastery cannot call upon foreign seminarians to travel to Turkey to train the students of the Monastery.
In approximately a generation, the Greek Orthodox population will no longer have the capacity to train new theological leaders. Furthermore, due to legal restrictions that any religious leader in Turkey must be a citizen and be educated in Turkey, within a few years there will be no one that is eligible to be the new Patriarch of Constantinople. As a result, this religious group will have no way of practicing its faith or continuing its traditions. Without the ability to practice their faith or continue their traditions, the Greek Orthodox community will slowly disappear to the pages of history. The continued closure of Halki threatens the very survival of Turkey’s ancient Greek Orthodox minority and the “primus inter pares” of Orthodoxy, the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Turkey’s Greek Orthodox community is a victim of a silent genocide as their population, religion, and way of life are eroded over the years by actions taken by the Turkish government.

The Government periodically meddles in the internal functioning of religious communities. The Higher Court of Appeals recently ruled in favor of the Government in a dispute over the Greek Orthodox Patriarch.
The government refused to recognize the use of the term “ecumenical” in reference to the Patriarch. This means that the Turkish government refuses to recognize the Patriarch as leader of anything more than the country’s small Greek Orthodox community, in contrast with the esteemed position that the Patriarch holds amongst other Orthodox communities worldwide.
As the government only allows Turkish citizens to be members of the Orthodox Church hierarchy, this condition places a great strain on such a small population.

Another cause for concern in Turkey is the recent string of attacks against Christians. In January 2007, a protestant church in Samsun was severely vandalized. In April, three workers at a Bible house in the city of Malatya were viciously murdered. The victims’ throats were slashed, and a fourth person inside the building was attempted to escape by jumping out of a window and was severely wounded. It is imperative that the international community pressure Turkey into prosecuting those responsible to the fullest extent of the law.

Every community of faith needs the freedom to practice their religion without worrying about either themselves or their religious institutions being physically harmed."

Sobering information about Drunk driving...

2008-01-04T15:06:00.000+02:00

A friend of mine told me the following some rather sobering information about punishment for drunk driving convictions in other countries than in the Netherlands, where we have a zero-tolerance policy against drinking and driving.

He told me that
-In Australia, the names of drunk drivers are printed in newspapers under the caption, "He's drunk and in jail."
-In Malaysia the driver is jailed and, if married, the spouse is jailed too.
-In the United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden there's an automatic jail term of one year.
-In Turkey, drunk drivers are driven twenty miles out of town and forced to walk back home.
-In Bulgaria, a second drunk-driving conviction results in capital punishment.
-In El Salvador, your first offense is your last -- execution by firing squad.

So, if you live in the centre of Istanbul, and they drive you out of the city, then another 30 km, wow, that's a hell of a distance. But if prefer the Turkish option over the El Salvadorian one...
But are these stories true?

Day Opening - January 4

2008-01-04T10:44:00.000+02:00

Neo-nazi's in Russia...

Fear or being misinformed?

2008-01-03T21:15:00.000+02:00

Below you will find a comment, published on TDN forum, of a British friend of mine who lives in the Netherlands.
I don't say that I agree or disagree with him, but it shows how bad the Turkish Republic is doing its PR, relying on the USA to enter the EU.

Very often you hear (mostly Turkish) diplomats telling the world just how strategically (militarily) important Turkey is for the security of Europe and especially the EU.
Nope! The EU is not looking for an extra army. These people sometimes forget that there are enough nuclear powers in the EU, not to speak of far more advanced armies as it is already.

There is also this story about being 'a bridge between the West and the Muslim world'. Nope! EU has it's own institutions and channels for this. They don't need some kind of broker or middle man. Anyway the Turks will never be accepted by the Arabs as a go between.

How about Turkey being the most important energy hub for the EU? Nope! Useful but not the most important. Again the EU has it’s own institutions and channels for this and again there is no need of yet another broker.

Then you have the story about how beneficial Turkey’s accession would be for the job markets in the EU, how this would solve the social welfare costs for the aging population of Europe.

Turkey’s accession would be for the job markets in the EU, how this would solve the social welfare costs for the aging population of Europe. Nope!

Truth is, is that although unemployment in the EU is at an all time low, still more than the half of the social welfare recipients in the EU are immigrants (1st 2nd and even 3rd generation) from outside the EU. A big proportion of them are Turks (or shall we say Turkish passport holders). Why should this trend change once Turkey is in the EU? They will just create an even bigger burden on the tax payers then they do now.

Its up to you to comment.

Shnorhavor Nor Tari!

2008-01-03T13:01:00.000+02:00

I'm a bit late, but this is the first time in five days or so that I am online. I wish all of you a very happy, successful and peaceful 2008!

In Armenia the "holiday season" only really started on the 31st and will last for another week or so. Christmas is celebrated according to the Orthodox calendar on January 6 and then what is called the 'Old New Year' on January 13.

However, the real New Year is much bigger than Christmas and the celebrations last about a week starting from January 1st. So this whole week is a week off for almost everyone, including me. New Year's Eve is usually celebrated at home with family, but from January 1st people visit their friends, neighbors and relatives and eat and drink a lot. In every house there is a table filled with food and drinks standing ready for use because at any given moment guests can show up.

This can be lots of fun, but the downside of this is that many people spend more than they can afford on their New Year's table. A friend who has a shop in a small town in the north of Armenia once told me that all the money he makes in the run-up to New Year has to last him until April, because until then people just don't have money to spend. A taxi-driver in Yerevan told me the other day that for taxi's it is basically the same: For quite some weeks after New Year business is slower than usual, because people just don't have money to spend.

I'm off to another food fest at friends!

Day Opening - January 3

2008-01-03T10:22:00.000+02:00

More pictures of Maarssen.

New blog

2008-01-02T20:27:00.000+02:00

By January the 17th, this blog will continue on http://internationsmusings.typepad.com/
Since this blog has no administrator anymore its hard to handle.
The co bloggers: Vassilio, Myrthe, Derya, Seda and Bea will get direct access to the new blog.
I hope to succeed in transferring all the posts of this blog to the Typepad account.

It will take me some time to create a nice outfit for the new Internations Musing blog.

In the meanwhile, this blog will be still the blog to post and comment on.

Thanks

I Will Find My Darling in the New Year at the Bottom of a Rose Branch

2008-01-02T16:45:00.000+02:00

Nurduran, a good friend, who posted here several poets, wrote a short story for the New Year:

I Will Find My Darling in the New Year at the Bottom of a Rose Branch

“I let every opportunity slip away, even death.”

This was one of the immortal theatre heroes Cyrano De Bergerac’s closing remarks before he died... He couldn’t accept the fact that such a poet, a musketeer, a music lover, a man who knew physics, a man who was kind as himself and also a hero would die with a beat to the head with wood, as no one else including myself could. (Except for the writer Edmond Rostand).

As the question of whether Cyrano made the remark stated above to the musketeer or if it was the other way around flows through my head eager to find a bed to surface; first of all I intend to wish that nobody shares Cyrano’s fate in 2008. And that they welcome 2009 with a year end that is full of unused opportunities.

Contrary to those who say that welcoming the New Year is nothing but hanging a new calendar on the wall and having to buy a new diary, I think that being in every celebration that witnesses various aspects of our lives is an opportunity. The current formulas of physics may not suffice to decide whether time cares if it is given a name or not but what harm is there in evaluating what has developed in the name of the human race, what has deteriorated, what has made people happy, what has humiliated them in the past year we gave a number a year ago? What can we loose by naming the coming year, New Year in order to conduce toward a new beginning, actually wishing to witness better times for ourselves, our country and our planet?

As long as we aren’t beside ourselves with consuming, aren’t the new year celebrations just another opportunity to express Love, confess love, thank everyone in our lives for being there, wishing them the best, honoring time that witnesses our every moment and most importantly for the whole world to have fun and enliven the universe with hope and best wishes all at the same time? Since we cannot all cry at once... Since we cannot all cry, and stand by watching the absurdity of those who set out to be kings of the world...

One should target the uniting, the peacemaking, the love contaminating and developmental side of everything and celebrate everything worth celebrating with latitude... Because, just as you can’t separate a melody from another, you can’t keep a person away from another. As one finds their darling at the bottom of a rose branch with a folk song from the city of Kütahya which they have never heard before; one other may embrace a totally different person and sing the “Salonika folk song” looking STRAIGHT into their eyes.

2008 will be composed of days that latitude is crowned and makes a pine needle blossom; days in which the fact that blood is thicker than water is comprehended once and for all; days in which we can stand against those who pass for wise men, side by side without the notion of “superior-inferior” clouding our judgment, brighter, wiser, and more sightful days in which we won’t let good deeds turn bad; It will be blessed.

Surely it will be blessed, did I write that many poems I attached to blue beaded brooms and made into fortunes to be drawn in vain?

“May getting rid of the past sorrows
beating them off
come easy as playing a game,
Let no evil eye affect
your love
your lover
in the new year(s)”

With the wish that the lives that are tangent to each other fully touch, and the ones that don’t, do.
And that those who are far away come back into our lives, and to feel the closeness of those who are near.

Yours,

Nurduran Duman

Day Opening - January 2

2008-01-02T10:11:00.000+02:00

Maarsen a/d Vecht. My birthplace.

a new life for Turkey

2008-01-01T13:55:00.000+02:00

A new life awaits Turks in new year

Starting a new year is always a joyful occasion, but Turkey has more to celebrate this year than just greeting 2008, as changes made to 170 laws are likely to pass next week, challenging some Turkish citizens to change their old ways of doing certain things.

A comprehensive ban on smoking will be one of the first bills taken up in Parliament after New Year’s. If the bill to be taken up this Wednesday passes, smoking in bars, restaurants and coffeehouses will be banned.
A host of new laws -- combined in a single bill -- will take effect in early January, perhaps as early as next week, and is bound to transform daily life in the country. The bill includes amendments to the basic penal legislation as part of the European Union harmonization process. The changes introduced are more than likely to directly influence the way we live our daily lives.
The new year will bring significant changes to Turks’ lives as the 170 amendments to be made to several penal provisions regulate a wide variety of daily life activities, from smoking habits to the way we treat our pets and other animals. The changes vary from fines introduced to employers who do not enforce official lunch hours in their offices to heavy penalties for hooliganism at football games. Individuals who fire bullets into the air will be deprived of their right to firearm ownership; owners of dangerous dog breeds will have to guarantee that they will not breed their animals and those who trade in animals without a license will have to pay heavy fines.
Although most of these new laws may seem to simply be a description of how a decent person with common sense would act normally, a majority of these are in fact a major challenge for many Turkish citizens. Very soon, most of us will seriously have to change our habits, as the harmonization bill has already passed the parliamentary Justice Committee. This 651-article bill will be introduced to Parliament next week.
continue reading

Happy 2008

2008-01-01T01:08:00.000+02:00

Fireworks at the Sydney harbor! 2008!

New Years Resolutions...

2007-12-31T18:01:00.000+02:00

...yes, I make them each year over and over again. It's fun.
For me this year:
1) less time behind Internet, more clearly: less blogging and other social media tools, but more time writing articles and working at my book. The latter must be finished by the end of the summer 2008.
2) shall I stop smoking? I have to!
3) moving to another country? Big chance! On the top of the list: Dubai, Italy, Greece, Canada and France. Only for the first I need a work permit, the rest not. So, we will see.
Wish you all a pleasant evening and for tomorrow: wake up healthy..))

Day Opening - December 31

2007-12-31T10:03:00.001+02:00

Countdown on One Times Square, NYC.

When the Turkish flag becomes a cross!

2007-12-30T16:29:00.000+02:00

An interesting article by Orhan Kemal CENGIZ

Flags are everywhere. On balconies, in shop windows, on taxis, some of them in huge sizes hanging from huge flagpoles and seen from everywhere. What is this symbolism all about? It is not a celebration, it is not a gesture of joy; there are some elements in it involving protest against terror, we can understand that. However, terror and the armed uprising have been routine parts of our lives for quite some time. This “flag love” is a very new phenomenon though. It was not like that before. The Turkish flag has become a symbol like the cross; every Turkish person should have and put it on a visible place in which they reside or where they work. It is the Turkish cross that will be put forward against evil forces! But who are they? Against whom did we take out our crosses? Is this country under invasion? Is this a protest against the “invaders?” Who are they? It is like in protest against an occupation people are showing their patriotism and their determination to resist!

Then our camera captures another scene in a completely different environment. A coffee house in the bus terminal in Samsun. Ogun Samast, the murderer of Hrant Dink, is in the tiny police station in the bus terminal, he is about to be transferred somewhere else. There is hectic activity in the police station. Gendarmerie and police officers are in a queue, they are in competition, and they want to get a good pose with Samast, who holds a Turkish flag in his outstretched hand! Later on we learnt that the flag he was holding was in his pocket when he fired in the neck of Dink from behind and it was given to him by one of the conspirators. Anyway, police and gendarmerie officers are satisfied because they were able to take a photo with Samast, the killer of the “Armenian.”
Continue reading here.

clever....

2007-12-30T14:35:00.000+02:00

A restaurant in the German state of Lower Saxony has come up with a novel way around a recently introduced ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.

Day Opening - December 30

2007-12-30T08:32:00.000+02:00

Saranda, Albania

Day Opening - December 29

2007-12-29T20:15:00.000+02:00

Red Light district Amsterdam, famous for its churches and: see below..))

The person who made this picture had to run for his life since the prostitutes and their pimps don't like to be photographed...

95% of the 'clients' are foreigners.

Differences in Christmas and New Year's Eve

2007-12-28T01:36:00.000+02:00

The Ten Differences Of Christmas (Between the North and the South of this Earth)

I was in in New York, some years ago, walking up a snowbound Fifth Avenue and watching the holiday season in the USA in full bloom - the neck-twistingly tall tree in Rockefeller Center adorned with enough lights to replace the stars; the Toys R Us in Times Square so huge that it contains a three-story tall Ferris wheel inside; presents at Bloomingdale's and Saks that can fit in your pocket and still cost more than the price of all four cars that I have owned in my life - combined. It was all truly a grand sight.

Now I am in Turkey where the holiday season is a good deal more humble. I thought that you might enjoy this little summary of how the holidays are different here and other parts of the world, for example Turkey - The ten differences of Christmas and New year's Eve here and there.

These are:

1. The Heat

If Santa is smart, then the moment he finishes up his gift deliveries in the north he pauses for a change of wardrobe (perhaps some nice red shorts and a matching tank top and a wooden coat), because here in our part of the world it is high winter and Christmas can be brutal cold. As a transplant from the north (even the Netherlands, which is still not Antarctica this time of year) it is one weird experience to bring home a Christmas tree in weather that seems more like July than December, I am talking about Rio now. Its all about perception..

2. Baby Jesus is Way Bigger Than Santa

In the north, there are so many images of Santa, and actual Santas about, that as parents we start telling our kids that his elves disguise themselves as Santa because there are just too many shopping malls for him to be in at one time. But for example in Turkey, Santa's face is visible here and there and I have even spotted a live one or two, but Christmas in Chritmas is really about New Year' Eve. Nativity scenes have sprouted everywhere, in nearly every home you enter, on street corners and store windows.

3. Angels That Glow in the Dark

Some ancient readers may recall a Christmas article that I wrote years ago, about the surreptitious arrival of a nativity scene into my home. This led to a family battle over my suggestion that we should at least paint Baby Jesus so that he glowed in the dark (I lost). Turns out that when I was in Italy, last year, they sell lots of small angel figures that actually DO glow in the dark. We have one watching iridescently over a non-glowing Baby Jesus in the manger.

4. New Years Eve Over Christmas?

The big event here in Istanbul is Old Year's Eve (are you getting confused already), not Christmas day. Extended families (which, with cousins, ants and uncles can almost be large enough for statehood here) gather together at midnight on the 31th for a large, traditional dinner. Mainly in hotels. How boring! Hotels are there to sleep, or otherwise: a scenery for pimps and hookers. I don't tell you more...

5. Fireworks A Midnight

One of the spectacular things here about New Year is that at exactly midnight Istanbul area explodes into a popping blare of home-launched fireworks. Thousands of families simultaneously set off every imaginable kind of pyrotechnic -giant 4th of July style explosions of sparks, roman candles, and miniature sticks of dynamite known affectionately here as "Mata Suegras", Spanish for 'Kill Your Mother In-Law', please don't take this to seriously, it are only lost feelings...
As the sparkles and flashes light up the midnight sky, it is truly clear that something special is happening and that all the people of Istanbul are marking it together.

6. The Thirtheenth Paycheck

It is a matter of Dutch labor law that, just before Christmas, formal employees receive a thirteenth monthly paycheck called an "Aginaldo" in Spanish. Families depend on this to buy whatever gifts they will for their families and whatever food they will put on their Christmas Eve or New Year's eve table. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer Dutch expiats actually have this kind of formal employment.

7. The Christmas Basket

The other traditional Christmas offering, from employers to their employees (this one not required by law but expected by custom) is the Christmas basket. This is composed of a straw basket filled with bags of flour, rice and sugar, a bottle of cooking oil, one chicken and a bottle of cheap alcoholic cider. We give one every year to Kubalya, the man who cuts our lawn, but since he doesn't drink we substitute Coke.

8. Real Sheep In Christmas Pagents

One of the things that my wife and I do here, as volunteers, is help run an 80-child orphanage. We've been involved there since 2003. Every year the children of the orphanage put on a Christmas pageant and tell the story of Jesus and Mary looking for room at the inn. The first year we did this we thought it would be cool to use a live baby lamb in the manger. Everything went very well until midway through, when one of the little boys lifted up the lamb's tail and little black pellets started to fire out. The little girl who would become our adopted daughter a few weeks later screamed with glee, "It is making poop!" and the Christmas pageant ended in toddler pandemonium even before Joseph and Mary got turned down for a room.

9. Buring Lama Fetuses

Last Friday, December 21st, was the solstice, the longest day of the year in the south and longest night in the north. And we were in Dubai. But at Christmas time, when material wealth and poverty splits these two worlds so clearly in two, that the two halves of the earth should also have their most exaggerated differences with respect to the sun. On these occasions our friend Mert, an indigenous medicine man (Sjaman) hosts elaborate rituals, which mark them in the traditional Sjaman manner. With not my favorite smell.

10. A Five Dollar Bill is a Fortune

It is a truism. What there seems like pocket change is here a treasure, but at no time it this clearer than at the holidays. The humble toys that in the north would be mere stocking stuffers or an afterthought, here would be a toy so grand that many children could not imagine it. The five-dollar bill that many in the north will spend on parking or for a Starbucks coffee drink, for many here would be a fortune. The streets of some parts of Istanbul are lined with indigenous families from small villages that come to the city at Christmas and Bayram in hopes of some small handout from people whose hearts might soften, if just a bit, this time of year. Five dollars is what many workers here earn for a hard day of labor. Some of the families on the street could easily feed themselves with it for days. I don't profess to be a Christian but, nevertheless, it does seem to me odd that the birth of a man who was poor all his life and who preached affinity for the poor, would have his birthday celebrated with a frenzy of material exchange and acquisition, while so many in the world have nothing. A thank you to everyone who is remembering the less fortunate as well in your holiday plans.
Happy Holidays to All!

Day Opening - December 28

2007-12-28T00:04:00.000+02:00

Killed.

Hybrid regimes

2007-12-27T19:22:00.000+02:00

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

2007-12-27T16:39:00.000+02:00

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

2007-12-27T07:57:00.000+02:00

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

2007-12-27T00:22:00.000+02:00

The moon.

A familiar feeling?

2007-12-26T09:29:00.000+02:00

A peculiar yet familiar feeling came upon me today when I walked downstairs to retrieve my (snail) mail ... I actually got very excited about it!
I was feeling the same exhilariting high I used to get when I would sign on-line and have e-mail. I must admit though, I felt somewhat ashamed that I had almost lost touch with the off-line world out there.

E-mail can never beat the heartfelt thoughts and well wishes that go into a handwritten note from a dear friend. I can't remember ever receiving a letter from someone special where I could possibly misinterpret EXACTLY what was hand written!
I've had plenty of opportunity to go back and forth with various e-pals because I didn't quite understand the inflection in their typewritten notes to me or misconstrued the meaning behind their/my grins, "!" and "just kidding" remarks. Many times I have continued on in jest only to find out later that they were never kidding, or I found out that my remarks were "believed" and someone missed the "just kidding" from me!
I hope we all never get so net-involved that we lose touch with our ability to make someone's day by writing a few special words on paper and dropping it into the mail. In spite of postage increases, mail is still cheap!
Can you imagine a life without ever receiving a greeting card in the mail?
I actually e-mailed a few "dads" I knew on Father's Day and wished them a special day. In hindsight, I can only imagine the joy they might have felt had I taken the time to select that special card among thousands and mailed a card to them.

There are cyber-flower services out there on the world wide web! Personally, I'd hate to imagine the day I no longer receive REAL flowers ... one's that I can actually enjoy the aroma ... one's that I must lovingly water to preserve the thought another day. Can you?

I think I'll spend some time tonight writing something special to those forgotten few who have not yet experienced the wonderful and sometimes impersonal cyber-world out there.
How about you?

Day Opening - December 26

2007-12-26T08:30:00.000+02:00

Vaticann City, the Holy See

Days in Dubai

2007-12-25T11:26:00.000+02:00

It was a nice trip to Dubai. And a country with a history. Maybe the buildings are new, the UAE has a rich history and full of traditions.
Yes, It is nowadays full with new build buildings. But it is a country of wealth, respect and almost no crime! The skyline of Dubai is amazing. And they are still building, with the speed of a Dutch extend its road: fast.

The first full day we met with Derya. An organized and sweet person. Since I forgot to take my medicines with me, she arranged a quick and effectual trip to the Iranian Hospital. Which scared me first, but those people know what they are doing. Thank you Derya.

We went to another 6 star hotel for a tea. And later that evening we had diner in 'the Ottoman' where her brother is the GM. Champagne and white wine.

There are so many shopping malls: you can even do ice skating there. The temperature in the summer is 45 Celsius, but in winter 25, and at night around 15.

The dress code in the UAE is much the same as it would be in your home country. But a healthy respect for the local customs should be maintained, as I recommend. You will see plenty of people wearing shorts, T-shirts, skirts, etc… Clothing doesn't have to cover arms and legs, but should be somewhat modest as a sign of respect for the local sensibilities.

You see the only 7 star hotel in world: the Jubla.

Personally, the women are extremely beautiful. And 'covered'. But on a traditional way. Like men are covered too...

The West can learn a lesson about this way of life, which is not perfect, but I rather see a person who takes care about themselve than someone who is obysieswith a dogmatic religion.

Thanks Derya for the nice time!

Cirque de Soleil 2

2007-12-25T02:37:00.000+02:00

Cirque de Soleil.
A must see performance,
The best show on earth.

Day opening Christmas 2007 - December 25

2007-12-25T01:34:00.000+02:00

Russia

Germany

The USA

The UK

Propaganda

2007-12-24T21:17:00.000+02:00

We had some lovely days in Dubai, the capital of the UAE.
We left last Wednesday and came back early this morning.

While writing this, Turkish television is broadcasting some propaganda, in the same 'body language' as Goebbels did for the Third Reich: the same style, the same voice, the same features: by Halk Television.
People can inspire a nation, like Mandela, Gandhi, Kennedy, but none of them were subject of blind adoration, with military bombards as Ataturk is seen in Turkey.
What does this means:
a) a nation can not act on its own without a strong leader or
b) a nation doesn't want to learn from its past.

Christmas is not a Christian holiday as Frank White explains. Its the day of light and self reflection. Thousands of Christmas trees will not change anything in the streets of Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara etc.

The propogandists are still out there. We? We can only wait. Wait that one day they can not enslave our thoughts again.

The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

2007-12-24T11:19:00.000+02:00

Over the weekend I read The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak. I posted a review on my litblog, but because that is hosted by Wordpress (which is still blocked in Turkey), I repost the entire review here.

______________________________

"What will that innocent lamb tell her friends when she grows up? My father is Barsam Tchakhmakhchian, my great-uncle is Dikran Stamboulian, his father is Varvant Istanboulian, my name is Armanoush Tchakhmakhchian, all my family tree has been Something Somethingian, and I am the grandchild of genocide survivors who lost all their relatives at the hands of Turkish butchers in 1915, but I myself have been brainwashed to deny the genocide because I was raised by some Turk named Mustafa! What kind of a joke is that!"

This passage, shouted out by one of the characters in The Bastard of Istanbul, is what got Elif Shafak in court for "insulting Turkishness", another case based on the by now infamous Article 301. The case against Shafak was eventually dropped, but she became well-known as one of the very few Turkish authors, together with for example Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, who was not afraid to tackle the issue of the Armenian genocide in a way that was not well appreciated (to put it mildly) by the Turkish authorities.

Armanoush is the child of an Armenian father and an American mother who remarried with a Turkish man. She divides her time between her mother in Arizona and her father's family in San Fransisco. When she feels something in her identity is missing, she sets off on a trip to Istanbul, to stay with her stepfather's family and find out more about her past. In Istanbul, she becomes fast friends with Asya, the youngest member of her stepfather's family.

The Armenian genocide is a major theme in the story, but eventually it is one of the ways the bigger theme of dealing with the past is worked out. All of the major characters have something in their past they have to deal with, either by accepting it or denying it or, even before acceptation or denial, by trying to find out what their past actually is.

The first chapter was hard to finish - I didn't like the writing style, very "flowering" with long sentences and many adjectives. I regularly had to reread a sentence to actually get the meaning. Fortunately, that was only the first chapter, after that I either got used to the language or the style changed (I guess it was a bit of both). Anyway, I got hooked and, having started the book on Saturday afternoon, had finished it Sunday before dinner.

It is a beautifully told story with an interesting plot, if somewhat constructed at times. I felt as if the author wanted to represent all the different opinions on the Armenian genocide in the book. There is the staunch Turkish nationalist who is absolutely convinced that there was no genocide and that, on the contrary, the Armenians killed the Turks en masse. There is the Turk who acknowledges that the Turks did horrible things to the Armenians during World War I, but that that was in the past and that the current generation is not responsible for it. There is also the Armenian who thinks that Armenians still living in Turkey are being repressed and who is convinced that they'd be better off emigrating. There is the somewhat skeptical Armenian who thinks that striving for recognition of the genocide is the only thing that still binds the Diaspora and that once recognition by Turkey has been achieved, the Diaspora will fall apart. Finally there is the Armenian who was born and raised in Istanbul, feels Istanbulite first and foremost and doesn't want to live anywhere else. This urge to represent all those opinions led to superfluous scenes and even characters in my opinion. I ended up quickly reading the superfluous parts and then diving back into the rest of the book.

There were already so many characters, major and minor, that at times, especially when the perspective changed for example from San Fransisco to Istanbul or from present to past or back, I had to try to remember who was who and what the relation's were between them. On the other hand, this extensive set of characters was also part of why I loved the book. I especially loved Asya's family with all their quirky characters. Armanoush initially started out as an interesting character as well, but soon I started finding her a bit bland, colorless, especially compared to colorful Asya and her equally colorful family.

I am not sure the book is among my favorite reads of this year, but I did enjoy it very much and am certainly interested in reading more by Elif Shafak.

This review is crossposted at The Armenian Odar Reads.

Day Opening - December 24

2007-12-24T04:34:00.001+02:00

Turku, Finland

Day Opening - 23 December

2007-12-23T08:00:00.000+02:00

Burj Arab and Palm Island, Dubai,UAE

Happy

2007-12-22T22:32:00.000+02:00

Happy Bayram!
And Happy Christmas.
Peace upon everybody.
Greetings from Dubai.

Christmas and New Year Decorations

2007-12-22T09:12:00.000+02:00

I wanted to share some photos from here in Dubai; most of the Shopping malls are decorated for Christmas and New Year. I guess we do have more decorations than anywhere in the World:) All for tourists and 60% expats who lives here.

Day Opening - December 22

2007-12-22T04:45:00.000+02:00

Jerusalem, Israel.

Day Opening - December 21

2007-12-21T04:39:00.000+02:00

The lily-of-the-valley, Convallaria majalis.

One of the six national 'nature symbols' of Finland.

Day Opening - December 20

2007-12-20T01:12:00.000+02:00

Sarkozy's new love.

A big mystery (from wikipedia)

2007-12-19T12:19:00.001+02:00

Dr. Fuat Deniz (24 July 1967 – 13 December 2007) was a Swedish sociologist and writer of Assyrian descent.
He worked as a lecturer in sociology at the Department of Social and Political Sciences at Örebro University.
Deniz was born as the oldest son into a Christian Assyrian family in the village of Kerburan in the Tur Abdin region of south east Turkey. He came to Sweden with his parents as an eight-year old and grew up in Örebro.[1]
In his youth he was active in the Assyrian Youth Federation in Sweden, which he also co-founded, and was also a diligent writer for the Swedish National Assyrian Federation's magazine Hujådå.[2] He finished his doctoral thesis in sociology at Uppsala University in 1999.
In his thesis, titled En minoritets odyssé ("The Odyssey of a Minority"), he discussed the experiences of Assyrians coming to Sweden in the 1970s.
Deniz was a well known figure among the Assyrian community in Sweden and was also internationally known for his research on the Assyrian Genocide.

On 11 December 2007, at approximately 15.30 CET, Deniz was stabbed on campus at Örebro University by an unidentified perpetrator.[3] He later died from his injuries at Örebro University Hospital.[4] The Swedish police are investigating several leads and have also been in contact with the Swedish Security Service, due to a possible political motive behind the murder.[5] Several of Deniz' academic colleagues in Sweden have been threatened due to their work relating to the Assyrian Genocide and Armenian genocide, which is a controversial issue especially among Turkish nationalists.[6]

Day Opening - December 19

2007-12-19T06:46:00.000+02:00

Croatia, the Mediterranean.

Cartoon crisis in the Netherlands?

2007-12-18T08:13:00.000+02:00

Last week the Dutch retailer Dixons distributed its new special Christmas magazine.
But some Christian clubs complained at the Dutch Advertisement Code and Ethics commission.
For them several cartoons about the birth of Jesus are blasphemy.
On one of the cartoons you see the Three Wise men of the East looking for Jesus with a TomTom (GPS system). Another one shows Jesus laying down and listening with his iPod to 'Dreaming of a White Christmas'.
I think they have a slight chance to stop the distribution of these magazines.
It's now waiting on the first threats...))

Day Opening - December 18

2007-12-18T08:02:00.001+02:00

Edinburgh castle, Scotland.

Day Opening - December 17

2007-12-17T01:02:00.000+02:00

Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

No other religions than Islam allowed....

How brain dead you can be...

2007-12-16T22:48:00.000+02:00

Here is our friend, Ali Kulebi. Again with an article for which he would be prosecuted under several international laws for inciting hate, giving false information and providing fake statements to provoke war. But the guy seems to be a hero for some Turks. And for sure, he hates everything which is not 'Turkic':

Today the primary and the particular threat for Turkey is not the Middle Eastern or Near Eastern countries where our brothers live but it is Greece, which aims to weaken us by every means and supports the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and which overcharges us at every international platform, and makes alliances with our neighboring countries against us. It is absolutely clear that if Greece believes that it has reached our military power at one day, it would certainly attack Turkey without any question.

That he can write this statements freely in Turkish Daily News, shows how mature this newspaper is. But at the same time, how immature he is.

My dear friend Erkan wrote on his blog that I am biased against Turkey-EU. Yep, I became since Turkey is biased about everything which has to do with the EU, USA, in fact the whole world...'Give up your arms' and 'Make Peace not War'...would be an proper strategy for Turkish foreign policy.

Here Ali his points.