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?
Showing posts with label Fun stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fun stuff. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Some news of the last week
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Turkish mavericks....
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.
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.
6 Of One A....
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Belgians are Turks?
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....
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....
Friday, January 04, 2008
Sobering information about Drunk driving...
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?
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?
Sunday, December 30, 2007
clever....
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.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Smoking in Turkey
For people who came to Istanbul, these kind of taxi's is familiar for them: the Tufas.Lined up here at a taxi place. They were (and are) still cheap. But several things changed dramatically.
First, there is a legal ban of smoking in taxi's, both for the driver's as the passengers as well. And second, the Tufas is not there anymore. Most taxi's are now Fiat's, Honda's and even VW's etc.
And about smoking in taxis', just asked the driver if you can light up a cigarette, he will do it as well, as he will be relieved by the words: 'Can I smoke'. Most of the time he will offer you a cigarette and show a hidden ashtray..))
Thursday, December 13, 2007
How to pay a bill...
We’ve all experienced it, an awkward situation when the bill comes up after a dinner with a group. You know the drill… some people say they didn’t drink and some of them probably actually are telling the truth, but you’ve been having to much ‘fun’ to notice or to care about it. Others didn’t order a 18 YTL starter and emphasize that but forget to say that they had that Irish Coffee… Well whatever it is, it is always a hassle.
So here are five ways how to settle the bill:
1. Go Dutch, as the Americans would say. This means that you divide the bill through all people.
2. The pricky way. This is hard and you need to have some calculating skills. Everybody is paying for what they ordered. What did you have? ok that’s 35 YTL then. next…
3. Banking style. Everybody pays whatever they think they should pay and than there is one guy or girl who will cover ‘the rest’.
4.The Entrepreneurial way! One person pays for all of it and says: I’ve had a great dinner and time with you and as I just sold my company I’ll be more than happy to take care of the bill. You were my guests tonight.
5. Play for it! The Credit card game. (probably my favorite) This is fun! If everybody is wining about not splitting the bill equally (or nobody has sold their company lately) I suggest to put everybody their credit card into a hat and let the waitress pick one card who pays for all!It is very exciting (as you probably can imagine).
But there is a way out, as not all people are risk seekers/entrepreneurs, every one can ‘buy’ oneself out for the average price of the bill plus a small “chicken out” premium of lets say 2 euros (hey I’m Dutch, we have euros).
The funny thing is that a lot of people finally will agree to put it the average price plus the premium although they didn’t agree with splitting the bill in the first place. Some people stay in the game for the fun and excitement of it, the others who chickened out are watching the ‘ceremony’ with the waitress picking one card and have fun as well.
This is a win-win-win situation. The people who chickened out feel winners because they paid their part, had a great evening and didn’t lose the game, the people who put in there credit card and won the game win for obvious reasons (they had a free dinner which made their evening) and the loser is a winner because he/she has a story to tell (its bloggable)!
So here are five ways how to settle the bill:
1. Go Dutch, as the Americans would say. This means that you divide the bill through all people.
2. The pricky way. This is hard and you need to have some calculating skills. Everybody is paying for what they ordered. What did you have? ok that’s 35 YTL then. next…
3. Banking style. Everybody pays whatever they think they should pay and than there is one guy or girl who will cover ‘the rest’.
4.The Entrepreneurial way! One person pays for all of it and says: I’ve had a great dinner and time with you and as I just sold my company I’ll be more than happy to take care of the bill. You were my guests tonight.
5. Play for it! The Credit card game. (probably my favorite) This is fun! If everybody is wining about not splitting the bill equally (or nobody has sold their company lately) I suggest to put everybody their credit card into a hat and let the waitress pick one card who pays for all!It is very exciting (as you probably can imagine).
But there is a way out, as not all people are risk seekers/entrepreneurs, every one can ‘buy’ oneself out for the average price of the bill plus a small “chicken out” premium of lets say 2 euros (hey I’m Dutch, we have euros).
The funny thing is that a lot of people finally will agree to put it the average price plus the premium although they didn’t agree with splitting the bill in the first place. Some people stay in the game for the fun and excitement of it, the others who chickened out are watching the ‘ceremony’ with the waitress picking one card and have fun as well.
This is a win-win-win situation. The people who chickened out feel winners because they paid their part, had a great evening and didn’t lose the game, the people who put in there credit card and won the game win for obvious reasons (they had a free dinner which made their evening) and the loser is a winner because he/she has a story to tell (its bloggable)!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Some facts about me....and you
Super hero, here some facts about me, as you tagged me. I will ask for disclosure of some other bloggers' as well.)):
1) Born anarchist. Turned to be a social-liberal-democrat. Anti-nationalist. But still in love with Bakunin and George Moustaki.
2) Tall, thin, but you can feel my thoughts.
3) Studied for nothing. Law, philosophy, and drama/movies (UCI) made me escape in the world of Peter Stuyvesant and Martini: advertisement.
4) Making ads was not what I wanted and changed to PR; ended up as a communication manager but still can not talk Turkish.
5) Married at the age of 45 at Ciragan Palace. After 9 failed relations. Now happy with a non-typical Turkish spouse.
6) Born in the Netherlands, but made in Italy. Best friends in Holland: male from Iran, female from Suriname. Best friends in Turkey: male from France, female from Turkey but lives in Greece. Best friend in the USA: male from Holland, a female of Jewish Italian heritage.
7) I love to discover cultures and languages, but allergic to dogmatism. Traveller, open mind, but for some people still narrow minded.
And her I go to tag some others, only them with a blog:
Esra
Myrthe
Dinc
Bea
Metin
Derya
Kathryn
1) Born anarchist. Turned to be a social-liberal-democrat. Anti-nationalist. But still in love with Bakunin and George Moustaki.
2) Tall, thin, but you can feel my thoughts.
3) Studied for nothing. Law, philosophy, and drama/movies (UCI) made me escape in the world of Peter Stuyvesant and Martini: advertisement.
4) Making ads was not what I wanted and changed to PR; ended up as a communication manager but still can not talk Turkish.
5) Married at the age of 45 at Ciragan Palace. After 9 failed relations. Now happy with a non-typical Turkish spouse.
6) Born in the Netherlands, but made in Italy. Best friends in Holland: male from Iran, female from Suriname. Best friends in Turkey: male from France, female from Turkey but lives in Greece. Best friend in the USA: male from Holland, a female of Jewish Italian heritage.
7) I love to discover cultures and languages, but allergic to dogmatism. Traveller, open mind, but for some people still narrow minded.
And her I go to tag some others, only them with a blog:
Esra
Myrthe
Dinc
Bea
Metin
Derya
Kathryn
Friday, November 16, 2007
Today meetings
Today for the first time after 2 1/2 weeks inside and went out the house. Had some short business meetings and two private; this morning I had a really nice meeting and chat with Bea. A pity that we meet now, since she will return soon to the USA. But we will meet again soon...we have a lot to gosssip. Unfortunate, she lives on the Asian side, where I really don't know the way. I am only familiar with Moda since my in-laws are living there.
This afternoon I went with a friend to a Lancia dealer to have a look at the new Lancia, the Ypsilon. A cute small car but very well designed car, especially inside. Some things remembered me of a Bentley: not that many digital stuff, but antique designed clocks and other displays. And the car has two colors: partly black and partly grey. And we had great fun with the sales girl. We two Dutch men; my friend speaking fluent Turkish and I asking her all the time questions in Italian...too bad for her, that we left for a while to have a serious look at the Alpha Romeo's in the showroom next to her, where we also were approached by the sales people of Fiat. You know, they are all Italian... But not one Mazzeratie, Lamborghini or Ferrari there..(( Btw, before we went in the showroom we brutally parked my friend 4x4 huge Lincoln Navigator in front of their showroom...indeed, very asocial...
In the end, the girl 'convinced' us to buy the Lancia (she was all the time speaking to my friend if he was my 'driver') which he was for one day, lucky him.
Tomorrow I will go back for a test drive (remember, I never drove 10 meters in Istanbul - so a lot can happen)...
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
My little driver licence
Getting a driver licence is much easier to obtain in the USA than in the Netherlands, where you have take endless lessons to even get the 'right' to ask for an examination. Average time in the Netherlands from day 1 (you first lesson) and your first examination (don't think they let pass you the first time) is 9 months...ufff.
So, I got my driver licence, now in a cute credit card form, last time in Florida.
The problem now, I don't live in the USA anymore, nor in the Netherlands or any other EU country. And my driver licence is expired. And I as a Dutch with an Americam driver licence resides in Turkey, can not renew my American driver licence in a Dutch or American one.
I need a Turkish one! First task is to get my cute little driver licence credit card formmat translated into Turkish...
And I think I have to do a test as well: curious how the instructor drives..))
So, I got my driver licence, now in a cute credit card form, last time in Florida.
The problem now, I don't live in the USA anymore, nor in the Netherlands or any other EU country. And my driver licence is expired. And I as a Dutch with an Americam driver licence resides in Turkey, can not renew my American driver licence in a Dutch or American one.
I need a Turkish one! First task is to get my cute little driver licence credit card formmat translated into Turkish...
And I think I have to do a test as well: curious how the instructor drives..))
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
I want a Hammer...no a Hummer!
Just back from shopping. As you know, I live in Maçka, and next to that area is Nisantasi. And from there you go to Fulya. Maybe if you walk it, it will take 15 minutes. But by car 45 minutes, for 1 mile! The problem: too many cars and too many people who think that they can drive. And too many people who think the bigger their lousy German car is the more rights they have..)
Now, I can tell you that I am patient..)) And always tell my Turkish friends that in the Netherlands only pimps and taxi drivers have a Mercedes and the 'nouveau riche' drive BMW.
But people like me, Scandinavian cars! But now I need a Hummer, I want to make my way through Istanbul traffic. I prefer a black one, armored!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Bathroom talk: Antalya Turkey.
As some of you know, last weekend was a long weekend for me in Antalya, southern Turkey.
I am not into this fabulous concept which the Turks introduced in 1999: a 5 star hotel/resort, with full pension: unlimited eating and drinking, which attracts a lot of people. Lucky that this was a decent hotel in Kemer. And it was fun to drive a car for one day in the area. Antalya as a city depressed me. Looks like Praha 4, 5, 6 etc. for people who ever went to Prague.
But it was fun driving on a non-pavement road into the mountains which are named after me...)
15 kms up, on a narrow path...Ozlem was scared to death...))
Anyway, the first day I had an interesting encounter in the bathroom of the hotel. Just finished lunch, and since my metabolism works very fast, had to rush to the bathroom (in Europe called WC or toilet, in Turkey, tuvalet, but in the USA 'the bathroom').
Anyway, I was sitting down, and since the Turks have 'the cowboy bathroom doors' like in the USA, you can hear everybody. But it was quiet. Until 2 girls, with a huge 'upper class' Dutch accent entered the bathroom. I thought: 'girls, this is a bathroom for men only'. But no way. They started talking, and talking while one was using the toilet, and the other talked about men in the hotel. I must say, they were happy with some French, Israelis and Dutch men, but were not pleased by the Turkish men. Both were blonds (discovered that later).
Anyway. I heard every detail about their plans for the next week..)) And I was still thinking: 'Hello, this is the men's bathroom'. Then a French girl came in and she talked in the same way as these two Dutch girls. Were they in the wrong place or was I? Finally, when it was silent, I sneaked out of the bathroom and saw that I was in the bathroom for Women Only...)
But I know now at least how Dutch women think while they are on an autumn break...
I am not into this fabulous concept which the Turks introduced in 1999: a 5 star hotel/resort, with full pension: unlimited eating and drinking, which attracts a lot of people. Lucky that this was a decent hotel in Kemer. And it was fun to drive a car for one day in the area. Antalya as a city depressed me. Looks like Praha 4, 5, 6 etc. for people who ever went to Prague.
But it was fun driving on a non-pavement road into the mountains which are named after me...)
15 kms up, on a narrow path...Ozlem was scared to death...))
Anyway, the first day I had an interesting encounter in the bathroom of the hotel. Just finished lunch, and since my metabolism works very fast, had to rush to the bathroom (in Europe called WC or toilet, in Turkey, tuvalet, but in the USA 'the bathroom').
Anyway, I was sitting down, and since the Turks have 'the cowboy bathroom doors' like in the USA, you can hear everybody. But it was quiet. Until 2 girls, with a huge 'upper class' Dutch accent entered the bathroom. I thought: 'girls, this is a bathroom for men only'. But no way. They started talking, and talking while one was using the toilet, and the other talked about men in the hotel. I must say, they were happy with some French, Israelis and Dutch men, but were not pleased by the Turkish men. Both were blonds (discovered that later).
Anyway. I heard every detail about their plans for the next week..)) And I was still thinking: 'Hello, this is the men's bathroom'. Then a French girl came in and she talked in the same way as these two Dutch girls. Were they in the wrong place or was I? Finally, when it was silent, I sneaked out of the bathroom and saw that I was in the bathroom for Women Only...)
But I know now at least how Dutch women think while they are on an autumn break...
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Talk Metin - The Starving executive..)
The exact role of the starving executive depends on the constitution of the country you are living in. And depends on who executes the instructions given by the legislature, but has no power to act on its own without instructions, because that would put the 'starving executive' in the position of a 'work slave'.
Yes, Talk Turkey, or Talk Metin, written by our good friend Metin is commuting on poor Southern Californian also called the OC. His life must be a hell with all the untouchable beauties around him...and as a starving executive...))
Last week, I had a telephone conversation with Metin and we really had a talk, talk, talk Turkey. A roller coaster of laughs...and we agreed only on one thing: time to get a Margarita in the Blue Dolphin bar in San Diego.. and it was the most pleasant encounter for ages with a person I never faced...
But still I have my doubts: is he a true Turkish patriot or an American one..and he asked me: 'are you a Dutch or a Turkish patriot?' - I ..))
Up to California...to discuss what a 'starving executive' means...I will take my time.. Talk Turkey..)
Yes, Talk Turkey, or Talk Metin, written by our good friend Metin is commuting on poor Southern Californian also called the OC. His life must be a hell with all the untouchable beauties around him...and as a starving executive...))
Last week, I had a telephone conversation with Metin and we really had a talk, talk, talk Turkey. A roller coaster of laughs...and we agreed only on one thing: time to get a Margarita in the Blue Dolphin bar in San Diego.. and it was the most pleasant encounter for ages with a person I never faced...
But still I have my doubts: is he a true Turkish patriot or an American one..and he asked me: 'are you a Dutch or a Turkish patriot?' - I ..))
Up to California...to discuss what a 'starving executive' means...I will take my time.. Talk Turkey..)
Friday, September 21, 2007
Throwing a minister a pie on the face and article 301...
Okay, I admit that we Dutch don't have that kind of respect for authority, especially not politicians, but also not the police forces. And the army? Never seen them. But we have an expression in the Netherlands which goes like: 'Of course we must obey the law, but the law applies only to our neighbors'...Hope you get it.
For politicians we don't like, we express that in a human and funny way: we throw them a pie on the face. Picture above is of Pim Fortuyn during his book presentation, where he got not one, not two, but three cakes on his face.
And during the World climate change conference in the Netherlands the leader of the American delegation, Frank Loy, got a nice cake full of whipped cream on his face... At least he tried to smile. Ah you get used to it..))
But also our Belgian friends know how to deal with this popular phenomenon: here the Flemish Minister for Environment, Kris Peeters, gets one.
It takes only some minutes to clean up the face and change the suit..))
So now, when, for example PM Erdogan gets a cake on his face, will the cake thrower get the electronic chair? I say this because since a Turkish student refused to shake hands (only women can refuse to shake hands under Sharia law..)) with the Turkish minister of Health Recep Akdağ, he spent already 5 days in jail and faces up to 2 years imprisonment.Why?
The student, Durmuş Şahin refused to shake hands with him and they had a 'cozy' conversation:
“I don't shake the hand of a person who rules but does nothing for the good of the country”, and: “I don't shake the hands of traitors.” to which Akdağ responded: “You are the traitor. Your mother, father and whole family are traitors.” It is also claimed that two friends of Şahin that are tried for “openly insulting a public official,” said: “What is this ignoble person saying?” according to CNN Türk. And: “I am a Muslim Turkish child, you are a minister. How can you speak like that?”.
He is now facing a prison term of between six months to two years for violating article 301 of the Turkish penal code. So don't throw cakes to ministers and other saints in Turkey...
World famous pie attacks have taken place throughout the world, and claimed such illustrious victims as Microsoft's Bill Gates, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, former European Commission President Jacques Delors and Dutch Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm, who was last year felled by an organic banana pie at the opening of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.
The most active pie throwers are: The Biotic Baking Brigade and Mad Anarchist Bakers' League in the U.S., The Meringue Marauders in Canada, T.A.A.R.T. in Holland and People Insurgent Everywhere (PIE) in the UK.
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