America falls in Love with Africa

Yes, the Banana Republic...keep on shopping.

Freaking Hot!

It's so freaking warm in Turkey, that even the flowers are starting to sweat...
Istanbul today, 38 degrees, no wind, and a forecast which only says: no rain in the next 10 days...
Maybe a voodoo-do-do witch can make some rain...

Since when...

...is Turkey defining who is the head of the Greek Orthodox Church? Read it here.
It's obvious, that the so many called reforms and law implementations, after 1923 became anachronistic. The Constitutional Court in Ankara say simply that all religions fall under the rules of Religious (Islamic) Directorate of Turkey.
Athens came today with a clear and logical answer, read it here.

Media rows

While there is some kind of row between Turkey and Germany about 'teen Marco', a more serious row started with the publication of Merkel breastfeeding the twin brothers Kaczynski (one is president and the other PM of Poland) in Polish magazine Wprost. All about the fact that Poland, since they became member of the EU, demands more and more of the EU. Already the biggest beneficiary of the EU, they want more 'a have to say'. In contrary, Poland became within the EU increasingly unpopular. Their human rights record is terrible, especially regarding homosexuals, gypsies, Jews etc. But Germany still feels a 'guilt' against Poland since they invaded that country in 1939. And the far right populist twin brothers know this very well. Read here more about this dispute.

Maybe Ali Babacan must play a different card from now. Which one? Will tell you after he made his call to me..))

A poem of Dylan Thomas

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

Just arrived

Good to know this place before arriving at Gatwick airport in London.

Cem Uzan and Turkish Imperialisme

Yesterday evening there was an interesting TV special: Cem Uzan almost the whole evening in discussion. What he told sounds reasonable, especially regarding SE Turkey (it's an economical problem) and the EU (not a good match).

Although the guy has a notorious past, wanted by Interpol, and Nokia and Motorola are not happy with him, at least to say...he made a good impression.

Personally, I think that he will get a lot of protest votes. Turkish politics will be interesting again...more elections, and more reforms which will be delayed. And yes, of course this is because of the 'imperialistic' EU. Friends in Latin America are wondering when they will be enlisted as 'imperialistic enemies of Turkey' now as well, and what about African countries, countries in the Far East....

And is it not strange that Turkish people are saying that the Ottoman Empire (pure imperialism, only that they never left..) is an example for world history? They know at least how to deal with religions...etc.

I really get annoyed by comments like this, mainly made by anonymous people on forums, but now on blogs as well. You can criticize everybody, calling Europeans killers, but the sensitivity of the Turks are out of proportions when it comes to their history....

The curse of Turan

The Curse of Turan (Hungarian: Turáni átok) is a popular belief that Hungarians have been under the influence of a malicious spell for many centuries. The "curse" manifests itself as inner strife, pessimism, misfortune and several historic catastrophes. The first disaster was the invasion by the Mongols, and the second the invasion by the Ottomans, Battle of Mohács in 1526.
I heard about this from a Hungarian friend. There is also an expression in Hungary: 'What are the 4 worst things you can face: the Death, no house, no food and a Turk'. But never could verify this expression...

Kurdistan

Although I sympathize with the Kurds regarding their culture, language and tradition (please: no honor killing, which sounds more like horror killing), I don't sympathize with a guerrilla group as the PKK. In fact, Europe suffered a lot in the seventies and eighties of the last century because of these kind of organizations (RAF, Beider Meinhoff Gruppe, Rote Army etc.)
I came across an article which shows the 'New Kurdistan', which is outrageous.
Both Armenians and Kurds are claiming the same land. Also, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Iraq will lose territory.
Their map is ridiculous. And as long as Europe doesn't want to see the intentions of the PKK, their goals will be alive. Yes, the PKK is still alive and kicking.

Holland European Champion football under 21 year

Holland brushed aside Serbia to retain the European Under-21 Championship title with a convincing victory.
Last year the Dutch became European champion under 21, in Portugal. This year again, but now playing in the Netherlands.

Interesting ads

These ads are made by Lara Sao Paulo.

Should we stay or should we go now?

Meetings and meetings. Announcements, warnings, threats, statements, counter threats and counter warnings. And so on. Is Turkey going into Iraq or not? I thought that a regular army can not win a war if the enemy are guerrillas. Take a look at Baghdad. 100.000 USA troops and still everyday suicide bombings etc. Will Turkey make the same mistake?

Kunta Kinte, 'Armenian Seed', the Denial of Racism!

This is Orhan Kemal Cengiz. A columnist for Turkish Daily News. And who writes every week on Friday a column. I must say, his columns are really newsworthy and excellently written, and for sure, lots of Turks don't like what he writes. I think, when written in Turkish and in an ordinary daily such as Sabah or Hurriyet, the nationalists will lynch him. The hunt is already started in Turkey by some people. Since the (ultra) nationalists most of the time don't understand another language than Turkish, it's safer for him to publish his comments in Turkish Daily.

Here is the start of the article, further reading link below the article.

Friday, June 22, 2007
By Orhan Kemal Cengiz

ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

If you asked a man in the street in Turkey what racism means, you would probably receive a vague answer and some random examples rather than a conceptual definition. These examples most probably would refer to other countries, like the United States and European countries, but not Turkey at all!
For us, racism is what the white man did to the black man. Racism is just an image for us haunting our memories from the film “Roots”. It is the picture of the white man who was whipping a black guy: “Say your name nigger”, “My name is Kunta Kinte”, “Your name is Toby boy”, until at last, after hours of lashing, Kunta Kinte gives in and says “my name is Toby sir!” This is the only form of racism we know.
I have never come across any Turkish person who considers himself a racist. However, racist remarks are just flying in the air in the daily conversations in this country. Our language is full of racist remarks. For example, Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, is called an “Armenian seed” (Ermeni Dölü). If you consider how much Öcalan is hated in this country then you can imagine how “flattering” being an “Armenian seed” may be. “Jews are cowards!” “Arabs are back stabbing people”! Not to mention very offensive vocabulary about the Roma people!

Continue reading here.

ING and Oyak, be Happy

The ING group bought yesterday Turkish Oyak bank. A Turkish friend of mine challenged me by saying: ING is German. Holy Cow, the Orange lion is our national symbol. Some other people were saying that this is bad for the Turkish national interest. I don't think ING won't sell it back to Turkish investors if they get some good net profits. But are there any?

These pictures are of ING headquarters in Amsterdam. Yes, the Netherlands is well-known for its architects, only of course among other architects and project developers around the world...


We call this organic architecture. Lots of space for the employees, green, light and water.


This building replaced the old headquarters in 2002. There are 120.000 people working for ING worldwide.



The entrance already gives a good impression of the interior, it looks friendly.


An open garden 'inside' the building!


The Berlage meeting room, where they planned the 'coup' in Turkey..)) The interior, in contrast with the exterior, is 'antique'.

Retirement

On the left the house I want to buy...hehehe..))

Doing PR for free...

Just added some people to my blog. Of course my Super Hero in Istanbul.
But also Derya, a Turkish woman in Dubai, and Bertus from the Netherlands (you have to learn Dutch - easy language if you understand English).
And a friend from India, on duty to get his MBA in Canada: Great blog Priyank.
And then the Turkish invader in Moscow... Bad, bad, they are Slavic, Christian Orthodox... and we Dutch invaded already Russia..)) But at least, it's fun to read your blog. And in case you don't know it: I invaded Istanbul...can you stop me..))

Hamas in action...

Hamas took over control in Gaza. After opening the prisons and by setting rapist, thieves and killers free, they first started looting and destroying Christian churches and schools. Then they looted the house of former president Arafat. Disgraced all of his work, awards e.g. the Nobel Price for Peace. The next step they took was the announcement that Christians can only continue living safely in the Gaza Strip if they accept Islamic law, including a ban on alcohol and on women roaming publicly without proper head coverings. Including teaching of Islam law and religion at Christian schools. Read it here.
Not that long ago Hamas was on an official visit in Ankara. On invitation by R. Erdogan. Do you think they still have contact?

A shot from Beirut

I could not resist to upload this picture here. It's made in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday. This image is priceless. Although there is some kind of civil war going on, these people look feeling confident.

Good ads

These ads are made by DDB London. Good ones. Turkish advertisement lacks creativity, although its level is increasing.


I can tell you that it takes weeks to produce these pictures.


Click on the images to enlarge them.

Women in Iran

I got some shocking pictures of Iran. The most disgusting was a woman hanged on the street. This picture was taken 2 months ago. Between the time this picture was taken and my putting it on my blog are 2 months. Since then, 67 people have been executed. 17 on the street...
Do you want to see more? Interested in how women are beaten up? Or do you want to hear the stories in the Gaza strip, where women are now 'protected' by men?....