Sorry to disappoint you but I do realize that. It has been so clear since AKP has been in power. And you are definitley right about armistice government of Ottoman Empire-comparison.

I´ve always liked the word ´Kürt açılımı´. Such a shame they use such a ´useful term´ in such nasty ways. I am not against negotiations with Öcalan for this reason: either you were gonna hang him back in the days, or you will sit and talk and find a solution. I´m just afraid that there isn´t going to be much of a solution that will be fair on both Kurdish and Turkish side. Though I am pro-Kurdish anti-PKK, this government seems to forget the ´national conscience´ is a valid concept in politics. You cannot forget about all the mothers who lost their sons in a terrorist war for all these years, and for what?

As for ´Feto´ (liked that one ), for example Dale F Eickelman, an anthropologist for god´s sake (!!!) is praising the guy. I guess it has to do with the activities of his followers in Europe. They seem much more sincere and much more about muslim integration into the countries they reside in, than their counterparts in Turkey. But then again. If even an anthropologist cannot differentiate between what the world wants to see and what really is going on..

 I like it! We say hoca to everyone, it gives me sort of a ´communist feeling of equality´.

 Güzel vakit geçirdik .

Or maybe: Çok güzel hatıralarımız oldu. (We gained some nice memories.)

 maybe never...

 It´s even worse when you live in Turkey and cook for one! In that case eating outside is not only easier and faster, most of the time its much cheaper than doing groceries as well!

 I feel excluded!!! I was never told we had a special Ankara Group!!

If you are taking a dolmuş going to or coming from ODTÜ/METU, you can say Hocam

 I thought that was regular procedure

 I don´t know whom you´ve been talking to, but I know many people who don´t like AKP and do fear it will result in Islamization. The centre-periphery cleavage that has been dominating Turkish politics for decades is slowly fading away, but the Kemalist-Islamist agitation is still going on strong. Though ideologies of both groups have changed a lot over time and are very flexible in interpretation, the juxtaposition of ideologies is clearly visible.

For example, schools were closed on the Day of the Republic because of Domuz Gribi. I haven´t heard anyone who believed that was the real reason, everybody was angry that it was just a policy to make people forget about the importance of the Republic and the principles it stands for.

And why respect the majority that wants a regime like in Iran, but not respect the majority if it wants Şeriat (though Iran is not ruled directly by Islamic Law, the Council may sent a law that is incompatible with Şeriat back to the parliament for revision and can veto any law made by the Majlis on religious grounds) or communism? That´s not respect for democracy and majority, that is pragmatism based on your views

 Not funny when you want to get off at the left