Ararat revealed a new crater

November 19, 2010 | 00:25

The Expert Group has found a new crater, probably formed millions of years ago at the top of Mount Ararat.

The discovery was made by two physicists, who somehow got access to that part of the mountain, which is a closed zone, writes «Technology Review», noting that Turkish authorities allow limited access to the northern and the western slope of the mountain.

Despite the current limitations, a scientist from the Yerevan Physics Institute, Vahe Gurzadyan and Sverre Aarseth, who holds an appointment at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, managed to investigate the area.
Panel presented a report on the discovery of an interesting, well-preserved crater at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, at coordinates 39˚ 47´ 30´´N by 44˚ 14´ 40´´E.
Unfortunately the crater is not visible on“Google Earth”. However, the main question remains how the crater was formed. According to one version, the crater is a volcanic formation. But Gurzadyan and Aarseth believe that we can not exclude that the crater was caused by an impact.

The researchers published their results in the online journal arXiv order to generate interest in the scientific community. They hope that other professionals would also be interested in the study and classification of the crater.

Note that the crater was not the only discovery during their trip. Because the region is a closed zone, it is practically not been investigated.

Source: here

What do you think, why do Turkish authorities allow just limited access to the northern and the western slope of the Ararat? Obviously, there are many interesting things to be discovered.

Sorry,

I really don´t know why. Maybe there were incidents in which so many people got lost there and found dead later. Maybe because of the terrorists.

Iverson plays first match in Turkey

Former NBA MVP scored 2 points in Turkish league debut.

Allen Iverson scored two points in his Turkish league debut Sunday as his new team Besiktaş Cola Turka lost 74-67 to defending champion Fenerbahçe Ülker.

Iverson missed three shots in the first quarter and was taken off with less than a minute left. He returned at the beginning of the second half but did not score until he sank a basket late in the third. He then returned to the bench for the rest of the game.

The win maintained Fenerbahçe´s perfect league record. It held a 40-35 half time lead and while Besiktaş closed the deficit and started the final quarter tied 53-53, it could not continue the comeback.

It was Besiktaş´ second loss in a week after a 94-91 defeat to Hemofarm Stada in the European Cup Tuesday, when Iverson scored 15 points on his debut.

Besiktaş handed out paper masks with a picture of Iverson to the fans before the game but their enthusiasm for the team´s new signing faded during the match.

Iverson, a former NBA MVP, spent 14 years in the league but was not offered a contract this season. The 11-time NBA All-Star then agreed to a $4 million, two-year contract with Besiktaş.

Iverson is 17^th on the NBA´s career scoring list with 24,368 points with Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit and Memphis. He won the league´s Most Valuable Player award in 2001.

Source: here

Some interesting views fom a Japanese guy (Ankara Ambassador Tanaka):

Aslında biz Japonlar statik insanlarız, siz Türkler ise dinamik insanlarsınız. Biz düşünüyoruz, siz düşünmüyorsunuz. Biz plan yapıyoruz ama harekete geçmiyoruz, siz ise plan yapmadan doğrudan harekete geçiyorsunuz. Türkler son dakika işlerini çok iyi yapıyor. En son Haliç Kongre Merkezi´nin yapımında buna şahit oldum. Prensimiz de açılışa gelecekti. Açılış öncesinde incelemek için gittiğimde her yer çok kötü durumdaydı, ancak açılış günü her şey mükemmeldi. Biz bunu düzensizlik olarak görüyoruz, ama Türklerin son dakikada her şeyi doğru yapabilme yeteneği var. Biz bunu yapamıyoruz.
Japonlar çok yavaş hareket eder, ama dinamik Türkler her yere gidiyor. Ülkemize gelip bizim iş adamlarımızı davet ettiler ve biz Toyota, Hyundai gibi yatırımları yaptık. Başta çok başarılı olmadı, ama daha sonra Türkiye´nin AB´ye üyelik müzakerelerinde olması nedeniyle Türkiye, Japon şirketleri için Avrupa´ya mal verebilecekleri bir merkez haline geldi. AB fırsatlarını kullanabildiler. Toyota, bana, Türkiye´de üretikleri arabaların en kaliteli üretimleri olduğunu söyledi. Türk iş gücü iyi eğitim aldığı zaman çok iyi işler çıkarabiliyor.´´

Translation:

Actually we Japanese are static people, while you Turks are dynamic. We think, you don´t. We make plans but don´t take action but you take actions without any planning. You are good at "last minute" things. Recently I witnessed it during the construction of Haliç congress center. Our prince was going to visit it during openning ceremony. It was terrible when I went there on the day before the ceremony. But on the openning day, everything was perfect. We consider it a chaos but Turks are skilled at doing the things well at the last minute. We cannot do such things. Japanese are slow movers while dynamic Turks are going everywhere. They came to our country and invited us for investment. We entered Turkie with Toyota, Hyundai, etc. Things were not going well at the beginning but there were opportunities due to the country´s EU prospect. Today Toyota tell me that Turkie is the production center of their best quality cars.

Source: here

Women´s World Chess Championship
05.12.2010 – Sixty-four of the top female players in the world have gathered at Hatay, Turkie, to fight for the title of World Champion, and register their names in the annals of history. The tournament is a knockout event held in a beautiful, but unusual locale: the Antakya Archaeological Museum, famed for its impressive collection of ancient mosaics.

Not your usual spectators

Source: here

American professor compared Turks with monkeys jumping from one tree to another

December 08, 2010 | 14:00

Ricardo Hausmann, Director of Harvard’s Center for International Development, compared Turks with monkeys jumping from one tree to another.

At the industrial congress organized by industrial chamber of Istanbul, Hausmann pointed out the striking volume of Turkish exports.  Professor compared the market with trees, and the Turks - with monkeys, who are conquering the market, jumping from tree to tree., Millyet reported.

Turks look like jumping monkeys, he said offering his praise.

Source: here

well at first i thought he was a racist but apparently he didnt mean any  harm. he acctually was praising the rise of turkish economy   his metaphor may not be widely appreciated. well he could have resembled the turks to bees and  and the markets to flowers. that would have been more appropriate.

İzmir´in Bornova İlçesi´nde bir büfe önündeki kolinin içinde yaşayan ´Yamuk´ adlı kediyi tekmeleyerek öldürdüğü iddia edilen Ege Üniversitesi Su Ürünleri Fakültesi hazırlık sınıfı öğrencisi U.G. hakkında üç yıla kadar hapis cezası istemiyle dava açıldı.

Geçen ekim ayında meydana gelen ve bir işyerinin güvenlik kameraları tarafından kaydedilen, küçük kedinin 4 kişi tarafından tekmelenerek öldürülmesi, kamuoyunda büyük tepki çekmişti.

Translation:

The university student who killed a kitten named "yamuk" by kicking will be tried with the demand of 3 years in jail.

The killing happened during the last October and was recorded by the security camera.

Source: here

Wedding of Assyrian bride and Turkish groom ends tragically in Turkey

December 13, 2010 | 13:06

Wedding of Christian bride and Muslim groom ended tragically in Turkie.

A Christian girl was Assyrian, whose family was opposing her marriage with a Muslim, Internethaberoku reported. However,  Sona Vural threatened she would commit a suicide and got married with 29-year-old Zekeriya Vural ten days ago.

On December 12, girl’s brother met with his brother-in-law. Men argued and brother killed the couple.

Giving testimony in police the arrested said that during the quarrel his brother-in-law told him he had no right to interfere, while sister started defending her husband. “As soon as we left the café, I shot my brother-in-law and my sister,” he noted.

Uncle of the killed man told the journalists girl’s family opposed the marriage, whereas another relative claimed the man was compelled to change religion.

Source: here

The murdered bride is of Armenian origin...Her funeral is from an Armenian Church.

Moslem relatives of the groom were conforted by bride´s relatives in the mosque yesterday. The bride´s relatives meet their son-in law´s relatives in the church today.

What a pity! A beautiful couple. Time of deep sorrow for AlphaF...

A very sad love story indeed!!   At the same time a movie is  being produced currently with famous actors about a true love story between a young Armenian girl Arpi and a Turkish soldier Kerim...
Link here:
http://news.am/eng/news/41548.html

Armenian/Assyrian doesn´t matter but last night they said on TV that the bride was an Assyrian from Mardin.

Damat müslüman diye öldürüldü

Süryani genç kızın ailesinin itirazına rağmen evlenen genç çift otomobillerinde infaz edildi, polis genç kızın zanlı ağabeyini yakaladı.

Mardinli Süryani bir ailenin kızı olan Soney Ömey ile Batmanlı bir ailenin oğlu olan kuyumcu Zekeriya Vural, genç kızın ailesi dinleri farklı diye evlenmelerine karşı çıkınca 9 gün önce gizlice nikah masasına oturdu. Ayrı evlerde yaşamaya devam eden genç çift, ´barışalım´ teklifinde bulunan ağabey Gönay Ömey ile buluşunca ölüme gitti. Ağabey Ömey, evlerine gitmek için bindikleri Vural´ın otomobilinde genç çifti, tabancayla başlarından vurarak, öldürdü. Kaçan katil zanlısı dün bir kuşçu da tabancasıyla yakalandı ve kendisini ´Beni tahrik ettiler´ diye savundu.

Turkish Airlines signs Kobe for ads as it launches LA flights

Bryant will begin appearing in THY ads in the U.S. and Middle East early next year.

Turk Hava Yolları AO, the national carrier known as Turkish Airlines, signed Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as its “global brand ambassador” for the next two years, the company said in a press release today.

Bryant will begin appearing in Turkish Airlines advertisements in the U.S. and Middle East early next year, as the company launches its first non-stop flights to Los Angeles from Istanbul, the company said.

Bryant is the latest high-profile sports signing for Turkish Airlines, which also sponsors the European basketball league and soccer clubs Manchester United in England and FC Barcelona in Spain.

Source: here

Wozniacki to promote THY’s business class

Caroline Wozniacki
Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki has signed a contract to promote the new business class concept of Turkey’s national carrier, the company said in statement on Friday.
 

Wozniacki will promote Turkish Airlines (THY) in advertising campaigns and public relations activities for three years. The Danish tennis player is expected to arrive in Turkey on Monday to shoot a promotional film that will be broadcast throughout Europe and on international news and sports channels.

Wozniacki, 20, has won 12 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles titles and was the runner-up at the 2009 US Open and the 2010 WTA Tour Championships.

THY is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, carrying approximately 25 million passengers annually and flying to 126 international and 37 domestic destinations. It posted 389 million euros in profit in 2009, becoming one of the top companies in the world recording the highest profits in 2009, following Air China and Ryan Air.

Military aircrafts made in Turkey

Turkey will launch production of military aircrafts, said Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul after the session of Executive committee of defense industry.

The prototype aircraft will appear after two-year theoretical development. Therefore, the country will move from constructing F-16 fighters to production of its own military aircrafts, Trend news agency reported.

Source: here

Turkish singer killed for refusing to perform Kurdish song

Turkish singer Sarap Ozturk was killed in one of the bars in the Turkish city of Mersin for refusing to perform a Kurdish song.

One of the visitors ordered the singer to perform a Kurdish sing, but the latter flatly refused to do it, Turkish Beyazgazete reports.

The visitor started arguing with Ozturk and fired at him. The singer died at the scene. A few minutes later the criminal fled the location.

Source: here

His name is Sarp not Sarap.

What would you expect in a country full of rednecks capable of doing harm when their fragile egos are hurt. Still, this particular incident seems to be a personal conduct which can not be directly linked to the PKK. In big cities, Kurdish communities tend to form mafia type organizations in order to get economic advantage. For example, transportation fleets of many large scale organizations have been completely taken over by these de facto groups which do not let other ethnicities to share their income. There are other such groups formed by other ethnic groups but they are insignificant compared to the Kurdish activity.

Following WikiLeaks: Turkey has 90 nuclear bombs?

There are 90 nuclear bombs in Turkey, Republican People’s Party MP, Shokri Elekdag stated in the Turkish Parlament.

According to him, United States deployed 90 atomic bombs (model B 61), in Turkey during the Cold War, under the pretext of defense from the former Soviet Union. Turkish MP demanded an explanation from the Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutdoglu.

The MP reminded that in a secret cable dated November 12, 2009, published by WikiLeaks, U.S. Ambassador to Germany, admits the existence of these bombs on Turkish territory. He reported that the presence of these bombs is also confirmed by the Assistant Secretary of State Department, Philip Gordon, TRT reports.

Source: here

Türk hackerlardan ANCA´ya saldırı

Türk bayrağı ve Türkiye yanlısı mesajların yüklendiği ana sayfa, ilk saldırıdan ancak saatler sonra normale döndü.

ABD Temsilciler Meclisi´nde "soykırım" tasarısının gündeme gelmesi için Meclis Başkanı Nancy Pelosi´ye baskı yapan ve NBA yıldızı Kobe Bryant´ın Türk Hava Yolları (THY)´nin reklam yüzü olmaması için kampanya yürüten ANCA, Türk hacker´ların hedefi oldu.

Kendisine ´Jeopardy´ adını veren ve sanal alemde başka saldırılarıyla da bilinen bir hacker´ın lideri olduğu ´Code the arts´ grubu, ANCA´nın resmi internet sitesi www.anca.org´a Pelosi karşıtı ve Kobe Bryant´ı destekleyen mesajlar yükledi. Grubun oldukça olumsuz ve sert ifadelerinden Türkiye aleyhine bir tavır takınan Ermeni kökenli ABD´li televizyon yıldızı Kim Kardashian da nasibini aldı. Özellikle Kobe Bryant´a destek veren grup, ünlü oyuncuya "Türk halkı seninle, vazgeçme" mesajı verdi.

Saldırıyı gerçekleştiren ´Code the arts´ grubunun içerisinde Türklerin yanı sıra Türk savlarına destek veren Şilili ve Arjantinli hacker´lar da bulunuyor. Grup, ´Jeopardy´, ´PowerDream´, ´Nettoxic´, ´Xarnuz´, ´BuZuLL´ nicki kullanan 5 hacker´dan oluşuyor.

THY ile yaptığı anlaşma sonrası Ermeni lobisinin baskısına maruz kalan NBA yıldızı Kobe Bryant, eleştirilere, çektiği özel video kaydıyla cevap vermişti. Los Angeles Lakers´ın efsanevi oyuncusu Bryant, THY´nin tanıtım yüzü olmaktan duyduğu mutluluğu, kayda aldırdığı 38 saniyelik özel çekimde anlatmıştı.

Source: here

Translation:

Official website of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) was attacked by Turkish hackers on the night of December 29.

Turkish fag and message is support for Turkey was posted on the main page. It took several hours to lick the problem.

Hackers’ action was a response to ANCA’s policy on Armenian Genocide affirmation, Sabah reported.

The cyber criminals also left a message in support for NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant. American Armenians slammed Bryant after he agreed to sign an advertising contract with Turkish Airlines.

TRT yılbaşı programında Türkiye’yi Eurovision şarkı yarışmasında kimin temsil edeceğini duyurdu.

Lena´nın seslendirdiği parçayla birinciliği elde etmesiyle, 56. Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması´na ev sahipliği yapacak olan Almanya’da Türkiye’yi Yüksek Sadakat grubu temsil edecek.

Translation:

Turkie will be represented in this year´s Erovision song contest by the guys above. They call themselves "Yüksek Sadakat" (means High Fidelity).

Source: here

Anayasa Mahkemesi´nden şok sigara kararı!

Sigara yasağına devam!

Anayasa Mahkemesi, kahvehanelerde sigara yasağı getiren kanun hükmünün iptal istemini oy çokluğuyla reddetti.

İzmir Kahveciler Odası, kahvehanelerde sigara içilmemesini öngören 4207 sayılı Tütün Ürünlerinin Zararlarının Önlenmesi ve Kontrol Hakkında Kanun hükümlerinin uygulanmasına ilişkin Başbakanlık Genelgesinin 1. maddesinin iptali ve yürütülmesinin durdurulması istemiyle Danıştayda dava açmıştı.

Danıştay 10. Dairesi de 5727 sayılı yasanın 3. maddesinin 1. fıkrasının (d) bendindeki ´´Özel hukuk kişilerine ait olan lokantalar ile kahvehane, kafeterya, birahane gibi eğlence hizmeti verilen işletmelerde´´ şeklindeki, tütün ürünleri tüketiminde mutlak yasak getiren kuralda yer alan ´´kahvehane´´ ibaresini, Anayasa´ya aykırı buldu. Daire, söz konusu bentteki ´´kahvehane´´ ibaresinin iptali için Anayasa Mahkemesine başvurmuştu.

Anayasa Mahkemesi, Danıştayın iptal istemini reddetti.

 

Translation:

 

Supreme court rejected the application to lower the cigarette smoking ban by pertmitting smoking in closed areas of cafes. Earlier "Danıştay" (Reference court) had cancelled the parts related to smoking in cafes.

 

So the ban is still effective as it is. Thank you guys. I have been eagerly waiting for this decision.

 

Source: here

Turkie releases criminals, seeking to overhaul justice system

The militants, who were released under the new law numbered 102, were jailed in 2000 after police unearthed at least 70 bodies in dungeons in a crackdown on the Hezbollah group.

Turkie promised to speed up its judicial system on Wednesday after a new EU-inspired law forced the government to free alleged Islamic militants accused of torturing and killing dozens, as well as suspected rapists, murderers and mobsters whose trials have lasted for years.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin defended the release and promised to shorten trials, responding to public outrage over the law that says people may not be held in custody for longer than 10 years while they await verdicts.

The son of a teacher who was executed by an alleged militant in 1994 said he was furious at this week´s release of 18 members of a Kurdish Islamic group, whose supporters danced in the streets of the southeastern city of Diyarbakır on Monday to celebrate the freedom of a senior member, Edip Gümüş, while he awaits an appeal.

"It is like winning the lottery on New Year´s Eve for Hezbollah leaders," Ahmet Arif Oyur told NTV television. "I am shocked, I am so angry that I can´t sleep since their release. The murderers are among us."

The law was passed to try to conform with regulations of the European Union, which has criticized lengthy jail terms in Turkie, where it is not uncommon for suspects to spend more than a decade in jail until a final verdict. The EU, which Turkie aspires to join, has urged the country to speed up the judicial system.

The militants were jailed in 2000 after police unearthed at least 70 bodies in dungeons in a crackdown on the Hezbollah group, which takes its name from the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, but shares no formal links.

Most of the militants were sentenced to life in prison in December 2009 on charges of killing 188 people and attempting to set up an Islamic state in the country´s Kurdish-dominated southeast. But an appeals court failed to decide whether to uphold their convictions, forcing their release when the law went into effect Jan. 1.

"Of course, some releases might have caused outrage in the public and irritated all of us," said Ergin. "But the judges must deliver rulings based on the law, rather than their conscience."

Authorities have ordered released prisoners to report weekly to police and banned them from traveling abroad. They could go back to prison if the appeals court upholds their convictions.

But, Turkie has long, porous borders with Syria, Iran and Iraq, and many fear that suspects could easily escape.

Legal experts say the law hardly improves the justice system because suspects can still be kept in jail without a verdict in their trials for up to a decade. Hundreds of military officers and others currently face charges of attempting to topple the Islamic-rooted government, and some suspects in that case have been in jail for about two years.

Ergin said about 14 percent of the cases against Turkie at the European Court of Human Rights were related to complaints about lengthy jail terms. He said the new law was part of a reform process, but acknowledged the 10-year limit was long. He said about 1,000 suspects are expected to be released under the law.

"In the past, there was no limit and people could stay in jail without a final verdict for 20 years," he said. "We are working to shorten the trial process."

He said the country´s appeals courts are buried under more than 1.5 million cases waiting to be addressed.

Turkie seeks to join the European Union. The European Commission´s 2010 progress report said the overall number of vacancies for judges and prosecutors in Turkie remained high at more than 3,000. It noted that regional courts of appeals were not operational yet — a measure expected to speed up the appeals process once in place.

It was not clear if the new law will satisfy the EU. Riza Turmen, a former member of the European Court of Human Rights, told NTV television Tuesday that the maximum limit suspects can spend in jail should have been three years.

"The law might have been passed in line with EU regulations in order not to further restrict the suspects´ freedoms," said Oyur. "But it has aggravated our grief."

Associated Press

 

Source: here

The Magnificent Century faces trial

Turkish TV series slammed for sultan portrayal.

Some Turks are furious over a new television series that they believe depicts an Ottoman sultan in a negative light, and the government is promising to respond to the complaints.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç says the government will act "within the framework of the law" following an outcry over "The Magnificent Century," a drama on Show TV that portrays the 16^th-century rule of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Suleyman presided over the Ottoman empire´s glory years, but some commentators say the series hurts his reputation, showing him in his harem and apparently consuming alcohol, which is banned in Islam.

A script writer for the show says Suleyman only had a fruit drink in his goblet in the first episode, which aired Wednesday.

 

Associated Press

 

Source: here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12142630

...they made a porn movie ON the campus? Or was it a movie with sexual content... If it was the first, it´s not a case of "clashing cultures"... jeez, shooting a porn on campus

why are you so defensive? If nobody has seen the content then how anyone would know that it was porn? Anyway, dont students first get a sort of permission for any topic they search or work on? I suppose the title was approved by the professors? Am I right?

Yes of course! The student completed his work and got his marks from the professors. I think the student named it "porn project" and disclosed it on twitter then everybody got interested.

The professors on the other hand were fired because of approving such a project.

As I said earlier, there were similar projects but they never got attention of the public. This time, it made to the headlines and the university management felt it was necessary to do something (like firing the professors) otherwise in the future they feared that the families would not prefer their university for their children.

Turks see U.S. as biggest external threat, poll results show

January 07, 2011 | 18:49

Some 43 percent of Turks perceive the United States as the country’s biggest threat, followed by Israel, according to a broad survey carried out in December.

“This the highest ratio ever on the external threat question among our surveys,” Professor Özer Sencar, chairman of Ankara-based MetroPOLL Strategic and Social Research Center, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Wednesday.

“The U.S. foreign politics since the Iraqi invasion, the hood incident [the U.S. detention of Turkish soldiers during the Iraq war], the war in Afghanistan, repeated Armenian bills in the U.S. Congress and the negative statements that Turkish leaders make about the U.S. and Israel play a major role in this perception,” Sencar said.

The Ankara-based MetroPOLL survey company, which is affiliated with the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, surveyed 1,504 people in 31 provinces in December.

The survey asked “From which country does the biggest threat come?” with 43 percent of Turks saying the U.S., followed by 24 percent who indicated Israel, 3 percent for Iran, 2.3 percent for Greece, 2.1 for Iraq, 1.7 for Russia and 1 percent for Armenia.

In previous years, Armenia, Russia and Greece were perceived as the main external threats for Turks, Sencar said.

“But their ratios have fallen to around 1 or 2 percent. Turks do not see them as enemies anymore,” he said, adding that the “zero problems with neighbors” foreign policy strategy of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu was working.

Source: here

Quoting si++

The Magnificent Century faces trial

Turkish TV series slammed for sultan portrayal.

Some Turks are furious over a new television series that they believe depicts an Ottoman sultan in a negative light, and the government is promising to respond to the complaints.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç says the government will act "within the framework of the law" following an outcry over "The Magnificent Century," a drama on Show TV that portrays the 16^th-century rule of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Suleyman presided over the Ottoman empire´s glory years, but some commentators say the series hurts his reputation, showing him in his harem and apparently consuming alcohol, which is banned in Islam.

A script writer for the show says Suleyman only had a fruit drink in his goblet in the first episode, which aired Wednesday.

 

Associated Press

 

Source: here

I probably never will understand this.

They should rebuild the Topkapi palace. Everybody can see the harem there, and can see several cups and glasses, which one could possibly put wine in! SHOCK  Ofcourse, this is gives the sultans a bad name, and is bad for Turkey and for islam....

Well, as far as I know the Harem is still very much intact and open to visitors. We must be neither proud nor ashamed of it. It is just a truth of the past very much like the concubine culture or the red streets of the West.

To be honest, if a man marries many women, he should be intitle to a "stiff" drink once in a while

I am not sure what you saw in Topkapı but the Harem was not in Topkapı palace. Topkapı palace is too small for the entire Harem. The harem was somewhere else where there is now Istanbul university campus in Beyazıt.

Hezarfen Çelebi - The flying Ottoman

YouTube link: here

Source site: here

The cartoon is fantastic!  Thanks for sharing this. 

Wonderful video. I will add this to my blog.

There is an harem area in Topkapi palace. It´s not a matter of discussion but a fact. If you don´t believe me, go to the Topkapi palace, and ask "show me the harem please." They will not direct you to the other side of town.

In any case, my point about rebuilding it is that people were getting angry because a tv show was showing some things that really happened. If they want to make the sultans look like perfect halal angels, they should rewrite history.

Here is a virtual tour of the harem section of Topkapi Palace. 

http://www.360tr.com/topkapi/english/

OK. I have to correct myself. There was no harem within Topkapı palace durign the reign of Kanuni (aka Süleyman The Magnificent). Then harem was in where I said it was. At those times Sultans would go there (where the harem was) to sleep.

And what happened to series about Süleyman The Magnificent? Is it continued or stopped?

The 4th episode will be aired tonight.

And it gets very good ratings.

Great!

And protests, are they continued?

No. Things seem to have settled down.

I am against banning this serial but I am sick of reading and watching Harem life in Ottoman Empire. What is so interesting about it?

From what I have been able to learn, it seems much of the downfall of the Ottoman Empire took place as result of the going on in the Harem. Hürrem, aka Roxelana was a clever manipulative lady who became a very powerful force. She considered herself Polish, BTW...hmmm....very interesting.

The whole sucession thing with the Sultans being the sons of captured slave women seems very strange to me. Not very efficient either. What kind of real loyalty can one expect from one who was captured against her will and forced?

The book The Harem by N. M. Penzer covers a lot of material on the Topkapi Harem. It was written 25 years after the end of the harem and has contemperanious interviews.

One thing I found interesting in researching the politics of the Ottoman Empire and the Harem, was the power and influence of the Chief head Eunuch, (Kızlar Ağsi) who was always black.

So far I know Anastassia Lisowska aka Roxalane or Hürrem was of Slavic origin, Ukranian, but at that time this region was under the control of Lehs, maybe that is why she considered herself Polish.  And right, she was very clever and manipulative even she caused Süleyman to kill his own and first son Mustafa who was very much loved by public and the soldiers. Mustafa was the most powerful nominee of being the next Sultan. And the period of Süleyman gave a start to downfall of Ottomans. I always likened the story of Roxalane to England´s Anne Boleyn by the way because Sultans were forbid to legally marry to the girls who were captured but as far as I know Süleyman broke this rule. Anyway It seems Süleyman was not that magnificent

Interesting....I did not know who you were talking about when you mentioned Lehs. There were many tribes, many forgotten now. The ones who stronger, more dominant have countries names after them.

Say whatever one might about Hürrem, she wasr part in the Kadinlar Saltanati (Sultanat of Women) that ushered in some of the most beautiful parts of what we think about when we think of Ottoman Culture.

Reading about the power these women had and how they wielded it, from behind a veil, gives an amazing view of power structures.

Alameda - I must say I was surprised when I saw which site you linked. Rahowa (racial holy war) is quite a controversial organisation.

I think the term Armegon was looking for was Lechites. They gave origin to an alternative name of Poland in many foreign languages. If I remember correctly Polish as a language is Lehçe in Turkish?

On a not so serious note, it doesn´t surprise me that Roxie was one tough woman, we, Slavs, are like that. Plus she gave birth to Selim the Drunkard, which means he had to have our blood in him

Why surprising that powerful women were smart enough to have influence from behind the veil? Isn´t it obvious that tough times call for tough solutions? If you lose a leg, you learn how to use a prosthesis. Still, it doesn´t mean it´s an ideal situation, or a situation where anyone would have managed equally well. Finally, why is it strange that an abusive, self-important sultan was easy to manipulate? People convinced they´re next to god are usually easy to play

I am surprised too.........to tell you the truth....I didn´t look around that site too much, but rather just looked at the definition of Lech, Czech and Rus..........I have removed the link now....and I was trying to find something other than Wikipedia...sigh...

Here´s a less controversial link to the same legend. Lech, Czech and Rus

There´s also an anegdote about the 3 brothers having had too much to drink. Lech was quite all right in the morning, he sa an eagle and decided to make it the emblem of his new country (Poland). Czech had drunk a bit more but still was able to spot a lion that became the emblem of his new country. But, just think how drunk Rus must have been since the emblem of Russia is a two-headed golden eagle

Turkish desire for EU fades away

February 11, 2011 | 17:24

A poll regarding prospects of Turkish membership in the European Union was conducted by Turkish-German Foundation for education and research in late January.The poll was conducted among 1,5 thousand respondents aged 18-60, in six Turkish cities, that are most actively involved in trade with EU countries.

In 2005, when Turkey first began the accession of negotiations with the EU as a full European member, almost two-thirds of residents (74%) were for the integration. To date, this figure dropped to 34.8%.

According to the survey, 60.1% of respondents gave a negative answer to the question of whether they believe in the fact that Turkey will be admitted into the EU. Respondents believe that main obstacles to Turkey’s European integration are France (30.2%) and Germany (23,5%). Most Turks now believe that their country does not need to join the EU. Only 24,9% of respondents believe in the opposite.

At the same time 41,2% of respondents believe that the next best alternative to the EU for Turkey is to develop regional cooperation with neighboring countries, including Russia. As an alternative to the European Union, 33,1% of respondents refer to the Economic Cooperation Organization, 15,5% - BRIC (unites Brazil, Russia, India and China), 10,2% - the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), shows the study.

The results will be sent to the president and prime minister of Turkey, as well as to the leaders of political parties, said the head of Faruk Şen fund in an interview with Aksam newspaper.

Source: here

Şiwan Perver PKK´ya sert çıktı!

Kürt Ozan Perver, TRT Şeş´te konser vereceği için PKK tarafından hain ilan edilmişti

Yıllarca kasetleri, türküleri yasaklanan, tutuklanma endişesiyle ülkesine dönemeyen Kürt Ozan Şiwan Perver, kendisini saflarına katmayan terör örgütü PKK´nın da yıllardır hedefinde.

Perver, Almanya´da Başbakan Yardımcısı Bülent Arınç´la görüştü. TRT Şeş´te konser vereceği için kendisini hain ilan eden terör örgütü PKK´ya sert çıktı.

"Kendilerini sultan ilan edip ´bize sormadan bir şey yapamazsınız´ diyorlar, onlar kendi insanlarını öldürüyor, hainlik varsa kendilerinde arasınlar" dedi.

 Şiwan Perver´in konuşmasını dinlemek için tıklayınız...

 

Translation:

Somehow I highly doubt it. Are they saying more people visit Antalya than New York? No way! And I don´t understand why in the article it says it´s fourth, and than it says it is aiming to become number 5... huh?

Yes you may be right.

But note the red text below:

Antalya is among the four most-visited cities in the world, trailing only Paris, London and Singapore, according to a senior official from the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Demirel said Antalya was one of the seven greatest tourism destinations in the world. “Antalya is among the 10 most-visited cities in the world, in the fourth position following Paris, London and Singapore. Paris, London and Singapore counted their own citizens in visitor numbers, but Antalya did not.”

Murder a fact of life for women in Turkey

Ayşe Paşalı (R), who was allegedly shot to death by her ex-husband, unsuccessfully sought official protection due to her husband´s alleged physical abuse and threats to kill her.

The number of women murdered in a year in Turkey shot up 1,400 percent between 2002 and 2009, according to data recently revealed by the country’s justice minister.

Some 66 women were murdered in Turkey in 2002, but the numbers have been steadily increasing since then, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said in response to a parliamentary question from Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, Van Deputy Fatma Kurtalan.

Eighty-three women were murdered in 2003, 164 in 2004, 317 in 2005, 663 in 2006, 1,011 in 2007, 806 in 2008 and 953 during the first seven months of 2009, the last date for which data was available, according to Ergin.

Source: here

Quoting si++

Murder a fact of life for women in Turkey

 

With nearly a thousand women murdered in Turkey in 2009 according to new data from the Justice Ministry, the country has witnessed a drastic increase since 66 women were murdered in 2002. ‘The reason behind violence against women is the imbalance of power in society,’ an activist says

Ayşe Paşalı (R), who was allegedly shot to death by her ex-husband, unsuccessfully sought official protection due to her husband´s alleged physical abuse and threats to kill her.

The number of women murdered in a year in Turkey shot up 1,400 percent between 2002 and 2009, according to data recently revealed by the country’s justice minister.

Some 66 women were murdered in Turkey in 2002, but the numbers have been steadily increasing since then, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said in response to a parliamentary question from Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, Van Deputy Fatma Kurtalan.

Eighty-three women were murdered in 2003, 164 in 2004, 317 in 2005, 663 in 2006, 1,011 in 2007, 806 in 2008 and 953 during the first seven months of 2009, the last date for which data was available, according to Ergin.

 

Source: here

In a related story:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=reduced-sentences-given-to-men-in-mardin-rape-case-2011-02-21

Unfortunately, Turkey is not the only place where this happens.  Violence against women is the silent terror that has been going on for eons all over the world.  Its just sad.  It gets noticed...now what will they do?  For many women and their children, nothing will get done fast enough. 

Well actually I cannot see how they are related??

Anyway, right Turkie is not the only place. But that woman had applied for state protection claiming that her husband would kill her otherwise but she was turned down by the prosecutor. And 2 days later it happened. Is it also the same everywhere?

I believe, in some other places they can get effective protection measures (like relocation to an unknown place, and/or getting a new identity and even a new face after a plastic surgery operation).

Try telling that to the families of those women who were killed and see what they will tell you.  Plastic surgery is expensive and relocation programs and protection programs of that sort is for extreme measures like testefing against organised crimes bosses and such situations. 

Have you ever tried to identify a female friend at the morge?  Where her face was so battered and disfigured from the beating to death that she received, that the only way you could idenfenty her was by a tattoo she had on her lower back or that the only way to identify her was with her dental records or her fingerprints.

I had friends that were beaten within an in of thiers lives and their boyfriends had found out where they lived and let me tell you that Canada is rather a large country where you can hide yourself in.

When a man decides that he is going to kill his wife/girlfriend the planet is not big enought for her to dissapear on.

And remember that most of the violance done against women, those women have almost no recourse because the man made sure to isolate her from her family and friends.  If the woman decides to leave she puts her family and friends at risk of being assaulted by her husband/boyfriend.

So no, it is not better in some other places.  In 99% of the time when help is available for the woman it is already too late.

I myself have no idea for the other places. I watched her (Ayşe Paşalı´s) lawyer on TV and she had said that some other states (I believe she meant the European states) protect their women in similar cases. I assumed she had done her research on this matter.

Any country, even with all the laws in place to protect the women from abusive men, will always have problems with men abusing women. wether it be in Europe, Asia or the Americas.  Some men take pleasure in beating their wives/girlfriends.  This has nothing to do with the society or the culture or the people, this is about male dominating "his" female, which he considers as his "posession".

Unfortunatly lawyers think that since laws exists this will stop the violance but it is not true, laws are just words written on paper and cannot stop a man who has decided to beat or kill his wife/girlfriend.

It is easy to say "if this would have happened in such a country, the laws would have..."

As an example, here in Canada we do not have the death penatly.  It has been revoked since 1967 when the last person hung was an innocent man.  In certain states of USA they have the death penalty.  It was easy for me to say "if we would have been in the USA this man who killed my best friend would be put to death, he would get what he deserves" but I do not live in the USA and I have to accept the fact that the killer will spend the rest of his life in jail, being fed and kept by my tax money.  So I am paying taxes to the government to keep a killer alive in our prison system.

The only way to stop this is for the women to raise their voices and say enought is enought and have the authoreties recognise that this is an issue and a serious one at that and that the women do not ask to be beaten, that it is not their fault.  It will not happen overnight and it will not be easy but it can be done.

It is related because they both relate to violence against women....I don´t think rape is that different from murder.  One is the murder of your body and the other is a murder of your soul.   

Anyway to answer your question, yes.  It happens in the US.  A very good friend of mine went thru a nightmarish ordeal with a jealous boyfriend.  She was unable to "prove" he was stalking her and she could not get protection from the police on the basis of his harrassment.  He eventually was arrested when he broke into her parents home and tried to stab her in the middle of the night. 

My point is that nothing ever happens until bad things happen.  Then, MAYBE, things begin to change but they change at a snail pace.  The problem is NOT what to do with the criminal it is how to stop men from growing into criminals.  What needs to happen is a fundamental way that women are viewed in patriarchial societies.  Boys need to be raised differently so that they do not grow up into the types of monsters that think its OK to abuse women because they are property or inferior. 

 Battered womens shelters are not government run but private institutions.  They must still work within the confines of the law and ultimately must seek protection under the law.  And why should a woman be forced to run away, move from her friends and family, uproot her kids, have plastic surgery????  Why should the woman be punished?  I do understand what you are saying...that some women in some parts of the world have more options...but would YOU want to take some of these options or would you want this person to be stopped?   

Turkish health officials look to reduce number of caesareans

At 42.5 percent, Turkey tops all other countries in the number of cesarean operations its doctors perform.

Turkey’s Health Ministry has announced new plans to double the pay doctors receive if they deliver babies normally in a bid to discourage the increasing preference for cesarean births, according to news reports.

Daily Radikal reported Wednesday that the ministry plans to begin a public awareness campaign next month to reduce the number of caesarean operations. In addition to encouraging the use of midwives, the campaign will aim to inform people about conventional birth methods while rewarding doctors, nurses and midwives who encourage more natural birthing procedures.

“The health staff who recommended conventional ways instead of operations to their patients will be granted double wage,” said Ümit Göktolga, head of Ankara’s Zübeyde Hanım Obstetrics and Gynecology Training and Research Hospital.

Göktolga also said prominent people would be used to front the campaign to explain the benefits of natural birth.

At 42.5 percent, Turkey tops all other countries in the number of caesarean operations its doctors perform. As such, government authorities, along with the Gynecology Association, are aiming to reduce this figure to 35 percent by 2013. Ministry data showed that cesarean rates in Turkey increased from 36.3 percent to 42.7 percent between 2007 and 2009.

Source: here

Quoting si++

Turkish health officials look to reduce number of caesareans

 

The Health Ministry will launch a campaign to reduce the number of cesarean operations due to the growing number of women opting for such births. ‘Health personnel who recommend conventional ways of giving birth to their patients instead of operations will be granted a double wage,’ a doctor says

At 42.5 percent, Turkey tops all other countries in the number of cesarean operations its doctors perform.

Turkey’s Health Ministry has announced new plans to double the pay doctors receive if they deliver babies normally in a bid to discourage the increasing preference for cesarean births, according to news reports.

Daily Radikal reported Wednesday that the ministry plans to begin a public awareness campaign next month to reduce the number of caesarean operations. In addition to encouraging the use of midwives, the campaign will aim to inform people about conventional birth methods while rewarding doctors, nurses and midwives who encourage more natural birthing procedures.

“The health staff who recommended conventional ways instead of operations to their patients will be granted double wage,” said Ümit Göktolga, head of Ankara’s Zübeyde Hanım Obstetrics and Gynecology Training and Research Hospital.

Göktolga also said prominent people would be used to front the campaign to explain the benefits of natural birth.

At 42.5 percent, Turkey tops all other countries in the number of caesarean operations its doctors perform. As such, government authorities, along with the Gynecology Association, are aiming to reduce this figure to 35 percent by 2013. Ministry data showed that cesarean rates in Turkey increased from 36.3 percent to 42.7 percent between 2007 and 2009.

 

Source: here

 Great. But the worst culprits are the private hospitals. I get fed up of having the following conversation:

"When is your baby due?"

"15 June"

"Well, about then, it may come early or late."

"Oh, no, it will be at 3:30 pm I have the Caesarean booked"

"Think again - it can have side effects, including you being in pain when needing to look after a new baby"

I reckon the doctors recommend it for 2 reasons:

1. They dont have to wait up through the night, and can deliver the baby during a 9 to 5 working day

2. They can charge more money

Caesarean should only be for a medical emergency.

Although therre surely are advantages to an elective ceasarean, like knowing the exact date of delivery and pain free labour, there are more disadvantages that people hardly ever think about. First of all, it is a surgery, your muscles and skin are cut and it takes time for the wound to heal, not to mention the scar. Painkillers work wonders but for about 6 weeks after the C-section you will be uncomfortable. You´ll have a newborn to learn and yourself to mind. Just as if having the child was an easy part I had an emergency section with my 1st son and I am really hoping I won´t have to have another one. I´d never ask for it on my own.

Girl´s death in ´honor killing´ angers main Turkish opposition

Women carry Hatice Fırat´s coffin after the 19-year-old was killed in what appeared to be an honor killing. Fırat’s family refused to attend the ceremony. DHA photo

A 19-year-old girl killed in what appears to be an honor killing in Mersin was buried Tuesday as parliamentary deputies urged the government to take measures on women’s murders in the wake of the death.

“In the last six months, a woman was killed everyday through domestic violence. The state could not protect the right to live, which is the first right of humans. It is dangerous that the perception that ‘males may decide to divorce, but female may not’ is being cultivated in society,” a motion drafted by members of the Republican People Party, or CHP, said Wednesday.

The body of Hatice Fırat was found Monday in the Mediterranean province. It is alleged that she ran away with her boyfriend Feb. 3 but was eventually located by her family. The girl’s brother, Mahsun Fırat, is suspected of stabbing Hatice Fırat more than 40 times following an alleged decision by the family to kill the girl for besmirching the family’s honor.

The girl’s funeral was conducted by a group of 50 women Tuesday in Mersin’s Güneykent cemetery after her family refused to take responsibility for the ceremony. 

The women shouted slogans during the funeral, saying, “We are not going to be anyone’s honor,” “End honor killings,” “Hands that hurt women should be broken.”

Police have detained 11 family members, as well the girl’s boyfriend, but Mahsun Fırat remains missing, Doğan news agency reported.

Source: here

Galatasaray looks to break ´loudest crowd´ record in Istanbul derby

I didn´t expect it but its rating is getting higher and higher. The last episode aired on Wednesday had incredible ratings.

Genelev manzaralı cami!

"Namazımız kabul olmaz çünkü..."

Antalya’da geneleve 10 metre uzaklıkta cami yapıldı. Kıbleye durduklarında karşılarında genelevin bulunduğunu belirten vatandaşlar, namazlarının kabul olmayacağını düşündüğünden başka camilere gidiyor.

Soner ÖZCAN / AHT

Antalya’nın Kepez İlçesi Kuzeyyaka Mahallesi’nde 42 yıllık genelevin karşısına inşa edilen Abdurrahman Gazi Camii geçen yıl ibadete açıldı. Antalya Müftülüğü de camiye imam atadı. Ancak bazı mahalle sakinleri genelevle arasında sadece 10 metre bulunan camide namaz kılmıyor. Kıbleye durduklarında karşılarında genelevin bulunduğunu belirten vatandaşlar, “Namazımız kabul olmaz” diyerek başka camilere gidiyor. Genelevin kaldırılması için 2 bin imza topladıklarını belirten Muhtar Binali Güney “Belediye Başkanı genelevi kaldırma sözü verdi, bir yıldır bekliyoruz” dedi.

Translation:

A new mosque built at Kepez Antalya is not frequented by the nearby people because of the brothel 10 meters away from the mosque. People say "We have stand to the direction of brothel for our prayer that would make it worthless, that´s why we go to the other mosques around."

Ewwwwww.