They're Giving Money Away in Tekirdag!

freemoney links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 26 September 2013)

Yeah, but it's hard to believe...

Officials from a famous construction company came from
Istanbul to Tekirdag and gave banknotes of  5, 10, 20, 50 and
100 TL to 5,000 people on the street as a publicity stunt. So
that there wouldn't be a mad rush for the money, police
teams put the firm's officials in a police vehicle and took them
to a safe place.

The construction firm plans to build homes in Tekirdag, prompting
the cash giveaway idea. The banknotes were distributed to 5,000
people in the city center, inside brochures for the building project.
Some recipients didn't believe the money was real and others, thinking
there was nothing inside besides the brochure, didn't even take one.

Some citizens couldn't hide their amazement, with an elderly person
saying that it was difficult to believe the money distributors were for
real. A total of 200,000 TL was given away.

Raining money in Tekirdag.

Wandering Chickens Spark Deadly Brawl

chickens links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 27 September 2013)

Lives not worth chicken feed.

 

In Adana, a fight broke out between children of neighboring
families because some chickens entered a garden. When adults
joined the fray with clubs and rocks the scene turned into a
battlefield. Shots were fired in the melee, in which 3 people
died and two were injured.

The incident occurred yesterday in the Cinarli neighborhood of
Kucukdili town, in Seyhan district. Allegedly, while the children
of neighbors Kadir Orgen and Metin Batir were playing in the
street, Metin Batir's chickens entered Kadir Orgen's garden. This
sparked fighting between the 8-10 year old children of the two
families.

It is claimed that Gozde Orgen (evidently Kadir's wife) attacked
the other children with a knife in an effort to protect her own
kids. Metin Batir, who was in his house, heard the commotion, saw
that his children were being chased by someone with a knife and
intervened. Kadir Orgen and his relatives then joined the fight and
in a moment the street turned into a battlefield.

The fight, in which guns, bats and rocks were used, became a battle.
Kadir Orgen (20), Metin Batir (31) and Yuksel Yeter (19) died. Turan
Batir and Enis Batir were seriously wounded. Police took five people
into custody in connection with the incident and three others are being
sought. Two pistols were used in the fight and 19 spent shells were
found at the scene.

Keep your chickens penned-in Adana! 

  

American Flagpole at Ataturk's Tomb

flagpole links to shorter original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 27 September 2013)

//ed. note: herewith one of our occasional items about Turkish history.//

Flagpole's send-off in New York, 1946.

The flagpole mounted at Anitkabir in 1950 was removed
the day before yesterday after a ceremony. It will be replaced
by an identical 33-meter flagpole. The old one will be
exhibited horizontally at Anitkabir. Here is the interesting
story of the flagpole.

During the construction of Anitkabir (Ataturk's tomb) a
letter came to the Prime Minister's office from New York.
The letter came from the president of the American Flagpole
company, which made flagpoles for ships. His name was
William Johnson, but his original name was Nazmi Cemal,
a Turk.

Cemal had immigrated to the U.S. when he was 8 years old.
In his letter of 21 June 1945 he said:

"I am a citizen born in Macedonia under the Turkish flag and
raised with real Turkish breeding. With all my heart I am proud
of my Turkish heritage. Time and distance have not at all injured
the unshakeable love and respect I have for my homeland and my
Turkishness. Because I am bound with ties of deep love and respect
for Ataturk, I am determined to send to my homeland a flagpole
that I have had made especially by my experts and skilled engineers
to be planted at the blessed tomb of our Father where construction
is underway.  I have no motive other than to assist you and present
this gift to you assuming all expenses and insurance myself."

A ceremony was arranged in New York on 3 March 1946 before the
flagpole was sent to Turkey by ship. It arrived in Istanbul on
11 April 1946. A special effort was then undertaken to bring the
flagpole to Ankara and it was mounted in the spot where it stood
until the day before yesterday on 9 November 1950.

The flag on the pole would become quite heavy from wetness during
the winter months and wave with great force during storms, straining
the metal pole. This metal fatigue has been documented by ODTU
(Middle East Technical University).  Officials from Anitkabir have
had to place a brace around the flagpole to minimize the force of the
wind on it.

This flag is considered to be the number one flag of the Turkish Republic.
It is never lowered to half staff  for any reason other than 10 November
(Ataturk's death anniversary).  The flagpole is the longest one-piece steel
flagpole in Europe. It weighs five tons and four meters of the flagpole
are under its base.

The new flagpole that replaces Nazmi Cemal's will be the same in
appearance and size.  Anitkabir officials stated that "Anitkabir has a
historical value. Nothing used will be different from the original parts."
The new flagpole will be mounted before 29 October (Turkey's
independence day). In the interim a temporary flagpole has been put
in place.

Anitkabir

One Letter, Two Villages

letter links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 September 2013)

                                                                  Gordes, in France

The book 'Brand City Manisa', prepared and printed as part of
the '251 Thousand Great Student Project',  under the leadership
of former Manisa Governor Halil İbrahim Daşöz, has come out with
a major mistake.  Fifty thousand copies of  the 248-page tourist
guide book, which depicts touristic places in all of Manisa's districts
were printed and sold to students for 5 TL.

We don't speak French in Gördes !

The picture used for the district of Gördes is in fact a picture of
the touristic village of Luberon Gordes in France's Provence region.
The mistake was the result of the two villages' very similar names.

Provincial tourism chief Erdinç Karaköse stated that the error occurred
when the publishing agency used the wrong photograph. Karaköse
added that "we're not in the business of publicizing a French village.
Despite being checked many times before publication, the 4 centimeter
photograph escaped notice.  This is the agency's fault. We've started
an investigation into the matter and the photograph that was used."

Kinda hard to see, but Gördes is in

north-central Manisa province.

Smokers Torch Istanbul; Fake Lawyer Gets 21 Years

smokers links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 25 September 2013)

Cage-man: anti-smoking crusader.

 

(For his heroic story see our

report of  2 July 2013: "Cage-Man

Fights Smoking Habit")

Some 43.9% of the fires in the Megakent (Istanbul)
in the period from January to June 2013, were caused
by cigarettes. The Istanbul Fire Department fought
11,734 fires during the first six months of the year and,
according to statistics, 5,157 of these were sparked by
smokers.

In second place, were fires caused by electricity. There
were 2,510 of these, corresponding to 21.4% of all fires
during the first six months of the year. 32.5% of the fires
in Istanbul occurred during the hours between 1800 and
2400.

===============================================
fakelawyer links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 25 September 2013)

This time, a fake lawyer in cuffs.

(For previous reporting on lawyers see our

item of 4 August 2013: "Lawyer Has a Bit Too

Much to Say") 

Zafer Yegen (53) obtained powers-of-attorney and money from
many people at the Kartal Court House by using the identity
information of lawyer Z.Y., who is a member of the
Istanbul Bar.  Nine people complained about Yegen in 2009 for
not opening suits or for not keeping track of them.

The lawyer's office address printed on Yegen's business card
could not be found and a case was opened against him for
'willful fraud and using false official documents.'  Yegen spent
some time in prison for the charges but was freed prior to his
trial.

The court's committee found that Yegen had taken advantage of
the similarity between his own name and Z. Y.'s in defrauding
the nine complainants. The committee has issued a sentence
of 21 years 3 months and a fine of 21,500 TL to suspect Yegen.

Groom Suffers Womanhood Before Betrothal

grooms links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 24 September 2013)

A different kind of bachelor party.

In Canakkale, prospective grooms cannot marry unless
the put on lipstick, dress in womens clothes and do the
wash in front of their intended brides.  The 500 year-old
tradition in Kumburun village of Ezine district is just
about 'torture' for the grooms at wedding ceremonies.

Most recently, at the wedding of Dinar Sahin and Mesut
Gurel the groom (Mesut) had to put on a dress and lipstick
before he shaved. This was followed by Mesut dancing
in the dress, accompanied by drum and clarinet music, and
then washing clothes in a washtub.

The groom said that what his friends did to him is a tradition:
"this is what we've seen our elders do so we carry it on. Anyone
who doesn't do these things can't get married." As for the bride
Dinar, she noted that "I never before saw such a wedding
tradition. This has been a memory for me on my happy day. I
won't forget this for the rest of my life."

One of the villagers, Nazmi Guler, explained that "this tradition
is special for us here and has gone on for years. As long as we
can keep it up we will."

Canakkale province.

Lovelorn Granddad Bilked by Three 'Brides'

duped links to longer original article

(Haberturk Newspaper, 21 September 2013)

 

Huseyin Coban:

"I want to live a second Spring"

Born in 1935, retired from France.

My motor is sound but I have a pacemaker

I like to tour and take trips.

I live in Egirler village. I have 120 acre field,

a 4 acre apple orchard and an 8-room house.

I have a son and two daughters, all married and

the youngest is 48 years old.

I want to marry a kind woman my own age so

I can live a contented and sweet life.

Huseyin Coban

0536 318 52 39  

Yalvac

 

Huseyin Coban (78) retired in 1999 after working in France for
two years and in Holland for 28 years. Upon the death of his
wife of 56 years, Ayse Coban, in 2008, Huseyin returned to Turkey
to live by himself in Egirler village of Yalvac district, Isparta province.

Huseyin Coban, who has three children and nine grandchildren,
decided after a while to marry again. He put an advertisement in
newspapers explaining that he wanted 'to live a second Spring.'
However, three women responding to the add with the promise to
marry Huseyin instead emptied his 150,000 Euro bank account:

 "Two candidates called from Greece. One said she had a tax debt so
I put 50,000 Euros into her account. Then she disappeared. The
second one hoodwinked me with a fake 130,000 TL promissory note.
The third candidate was from Gaziantep. I put a 20,000 Euro bracelet
on her arm and put my last 26,000 Euros into our joint account. I did
everything to make her my wife but she too disappeared."

A saddened Huseyin exclaimed "I don't even have money left for
a funeral shroud."

Yalvac is Isparta's northernmost district.

Wonder Woman Southpaw Arm Wrestler

southpaw links to original article

(Haberturk and Star Newspapers, 21 September 2013)

Don't mess with this lefty.

Ipek Ozgun Deper, an athlete for the Izmir Municipality, has
been unable to use her right arm since an unfortunate accident
occurred during her birth. But her left arm has made her Turkey's
pride and joy since she won the title of  World Arm Wrestling
Champion.

Ipek was born in Afyonkarahisar in 1996 and almost suffocated
during birth. Doctors were able to save her at the last possible
moment but in doing so the nerves to her right arm snapped. After
numerous operations and years of physical therapy, Ipek took up
boxing in hopes of using both her arms. She tried mightily, working
hours each day, but her right arm never responded properly.

Nevertheless, Ipek caught the attention of coaches from the Izmir
Municipal Sports Club and she started to work on arm wrestling.
At age 15 she took second in Turkey in left-handed arm wrestling
and won a bronze medal the same year Europe-wide. In 2012 Ipek
reached the summit of her sport in Europe and after that she became
world champion. Ipek won another gold medal in Europe in 2013.

Dump Truck Stampede Sways Bridge

dumpers links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 20 September 2013)

Looks like we got us a dumper convoy.

In Istanbul, truck drivers staged a two-hour protest on
the Fatih Sultan Mehmet (FSM) bridge, bringing traffic to a
crawl.  About 700 truckers conducted the protest which
was sparked by the Istanbul municipality's decision to
close the Omerli dump on the Anatolian side of the city
15 days ago.

The truckers drove their dump trucks over the FSM bridge
at slow speed and with so many heavy trucks on its surface
the bridge was seen to begin to sway (!).

=======================================================

'High Talker' Now a Baritone

soprano links to original article

(Haberler.com internet site, 15 September 2013)

From soprano to baritone.

In Derik district of Mardin province, Berakat Ergin has been
speaking with a girl's voice since he was a teenager but thanks
to voice therapy he underwent in Diyarbakir, Ergin has gained
a manly voice.  He said that "on the phone people would respond
addressing me as 'madam'. Getting my voice changed was my
biggest dream and it's happened. I can talk comfortably now."

TV's Seinfeld courageously took on

the 'high talker' issue in the '90's.

Diyarbakir University's Dr. Salih Bakir stated that "this problem
of the voice not changing during puberty is quite widespread but
it can be fixed with a few voice therapies."  Ergin (34), who is a
shopkeeper in Derik and who has six children (!), tried many cures
but all in vain. Finally, at the suggestion of a friend, he applied to
DU where the successful therapy has been developed in this region
where this voice problem is rather prevalent.

Ergin noted that he's had a girl's voice since he was a teenager and
that he generally tried to avoid talking, especially in new environs.
He added that "some people made fun of me because I sounded like
a girl. This had a very bad effect on my psychology. On the phone
people would address me as 'madam'. I'm the only one in my family
with this problem but now I'm cured."

'High talkers' prevalent in Mardin.

FBI's Wanted Man Yachting in Bodrum

wanted links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 18 September 2013)

Who says crime doesn't pay?

The FBI has issued a red bulletin for Saudi Arabian sheikh
Ghaith Pharaon for non-payment of billions of dollars in
taxes after he closed three banks in the U.S.  But it turns out
that Pharaon came to Bodrum, in Mugla province, three days
ago aboard his 60-meter-long 'Le Pharaon' yacht.

The Panamanian-flagged yacht anchored off Haremtan Point
and it is alleged that the person who got off the yacht and
boarded a high-speed boat veiled in a white cover was Pharaon.
This same person got into an armored vehicle on land and sped
away.

Ready to sample Bodrum nightlife.

Pharaon is the chairman of the board of Attock Petrol, Attock
Cement Pakistan and National Refinery Limited companies, which
are active in the energy, petrochemical, real estate and cement
sectors in Pakistan and in other regions around the world.

Sultan's Ship Returns Laden With Whiskey

whiskey links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 17 September 2013)

Sultan's mom Hurrem.

An investigation has been begun into the smuggling of
560 bottles of illegal whiskey that was hidden in a truck
among the costumes used by a troop from the Ankara State
Theater. The truck was returning by ship from northern
Cyprus, where the troop had performed the play 'Hurrem Sultan'.

The scandal came to light when the difference was noted
between the weight of the truck's load as it departed the port
of Mersin for Cyprus and its weight upon return to Mersin on
3 September. In the ensuing search of the truck, 560 bottles of
illegal whiskey and 22 packages of tea were uncovered.

It was determined that the labels written on the bottles - 'Murat',
'Sinan', 'Turgay', 'Nihat', 'Sule', 'Yasar', 'Orhan', 'Tolga', 'Husnu',
'Isik', 'Nihat', 'Caner', 'Yusuf', 'Semih' and 'Veli' equated to the
names of  the play's performers. The claim is that one of
these was Sinan Tekinton, who played the role of Sultan Suleyman
in the play.

When the incident came to light the head of the State Theater,
Mustafa Kurt, got involved and an inspector from the Culture and
Tourism Ministry was requested last week. The inspectors have
begun to take statements from 35 individuals, including Serhat
Nalbantoglu, the leader of the theater troop.  Following the dual
investigations being run by both the State Theater and the Mersin
prosecutor, those found to be responsible will have their relations
with the theater cut.

An official who didn't want his name revealed stated that "a new
era has begun in the Sate Theater. It is impossible to accept an
incident such as this. At the end of the investigation whoever was
responsible, including the troop leader, will be cut off from the
state theater.  As the case continues the legal struggle of the victim
(State Theater) will relentlessly continue. Our job is art. It is not
appropriate for an artist to be involved in an incident like this."

Pooch Banned From Beach

banned links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 16 September 2013)

Canine Aquatic Intruder (on the right)

Hürriyet Özçelik (52), a member of the board of directors of
Turkey's Women Entrepreneurs Association (KAGİDER), has
reacted to the 110 TL fine she got from the Gündoğan municipality
for letting her dog 'Romeo', a 7 year-old Scotch terrier, enter the
water at the Gündoğan public beach in Bodrum, Muğla province.

Özçelik has fıled a suit in administrative court to have the municipality's
decision, which was based on the premise that the dog disturbed other
bathers, voided so that it does not serve as a precedent. Meanwhile,
Ibrahim Bilgi, the MHP party mayor of Gundoğan, stated that the
municipality took its decision on 29 August to prevent the dog from
entering the water at the 'blue flag' (pristine) bay because the animal
was a threat to human health.

Mayor Bilgi asserted that the fine was lawful and he added that
"only 25 percent of the beach is restricted with regard to the dog
entering the water. The lady in question can have her dog swim
anywhere in the other 75 percent."

Failed Shop Class in High School

flames links to original article

(Posta Newspaper, 14 September 2013)

Dropped out of blowtorch-101 too soon.

Four thieves in Goztepe, Istanbul, broke the door of
an auto gallery and entered. They grabbed the locked safe
from the basement of the auto gallery, put it into their
getaway car and fled.

In order to open the safe the thieves took it to a repair
shop in Pendik. They tried to open the safe using a blow
torch but none of them really knew how to use the tool.
Consequently, they acted like rookie thieves and mistakenly
burnt up 25,000 TL that was in the safe.

The thieves then divided up the 1,000 USD and 14 pieces
of jewelry remaining in the safe. Meanwhile, the police
reviewed the surveillance camera video from the auto gallery
and determined the thieves' address. Sezer B. (29), Eray S. (26),
Sercan A. (26) and Emrah A. (28) were arrested.

Hittites' Ancient Temple Coming Into View

nerik links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 12 September 2013)

//ed. note: yet another of our occasional reports on Anatolian history.//

'Nerik' - Hittite worship site.

The Hittite religious center called 'Nerik' is coming into view after
eight years of excavation at Oymaagac Hoyuk (mound), located in
Oymaagac village of Vezirkopru district in Samsun province. The
excavation chief, archeologist Dr. Rainer Czichan, stated that the
tablets found at the site reveal that Hittite kings came to Nerik; that
they paid respects to the god of air here; that they conducted ceremonies;
and that they made sacrifices.

Dr. Czichan explained that "Nerik has the same meaning for that
period as Mecca has for Moslems today. It's a small place but it has
great importance from a religious standpoint. It is the northernmost
region of the Hittites."  Dr. Czichan added that they have also found
a tunnel made of stone, belonging to the Hittite period: "the tunnel
is formed of 40 steps and it goes toward a room inside the main stone.
There's a room at the end of the tunnel and we think that there's a
fresh water pool in this room. We're surmising that that those living
here would use this tunnel for fresh water in the event of an attack.
Additionally, remains from the Iron Age, the early Roman period
and the Byzantine era continue to appear."

Vezirkopru is Samsun's westernmost district.

An Unmentionable Hobby

unmentionables links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 12 September 2013)

Everyone's got a hobby, right?

In Yuregir district of Adana province,  womens
underwear items hanging from clotheslines on five balconies
were stolen in two days. The women involved, who had
hung their laundry items in the evening and found them
missing in the morning, called police.

As the police investigation was continuing, S.G., who
lives in Haydaroglu neighborhood, stepped out on her
balcony to get some air and noticed someone fleeing into
the orange grove with a bag in his hand. When S.G.
realized that the laundry on her balcony was gone she
chased the thief and some neighbors joined the chase.

The person that S.G. and her neighbors caught was
Tuna N. (27), who had a bag in his hand filled with
womens underwear. At the police station, Tuna N.
explained in his statement that he has an interest in
womens underwear, remarking that "I have a thing for
women. That's why I stole their underwear."

A total of 43 womens underwear items were found in
the bag Tuna N. was carrying and in his home.

Ladies! Keep an eye on your clotheslines!

'Mayoral Throne of Doom' Up For Auction

doomsale links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 11 September 2013)

//ed. note.: this is a follow-up to our report of a few days ago.//

I don't believe it's unlucky but...

In the aftermath of the death by heart attack of the mayor of
Acarlar town in Incirliova district of Aydin province, the
special mayoral election has been won by CHP council member
Askin Simsek. Simsek competed with the AKP candidate, council
member Sezai Ozkaya, but when one AKP council member voted
for the CHP candidate, Simsek won by garnering 5 votes.

Simsek stated that he would not sit in the chair in which 4 mayors
and one council member who died in office sat. Three of the mayors
died within the past two years. Simsek said the chair would be sold
at auction and "I'll donate the money to the Acarlar Sports Club. I
don't believe that the chair is inauspicious but since such rumors are
circulating I'll change it."   

Of the four late mayors, Durmus Ali Akcan, Adnan Yildiz and Cafer
Yildirim died of heart attacks. Former Mayor Yunus Senturk succumbed
to cancer.

'Mayor-for-life' has new meaning, in Aydin.

So, Go Ahead and Jump Already

jump! links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper,10 September 2013)

Ramazan defies crowd's plea to "jump!"

Broad security measures were taken the night before last
around Kayseri Fortress in Kayseri Republic Square when
someone climbed up on the fortress. The person's name
was Ramazan Deniz and he was adamant about seeing his
child, saying "if you don't bring him to me I'll jump!"

Deniz held out for three hours and even climbed higher on
the fortress wall. He was angered, however, by the cries of
the crowd that gathered below urging him to "jump! jump!",
chanted in a cheering tempo. Deniz responded by throwing
rocks at the crowd.

Police summoned Deniz's older brother to the scene and he
grabbed Deniz just as the desperate man was about to jump.
Five police officers had a difficult time constraining Deniz,
who was handcuffed and finally brought under control.

When someone from the crowd asked Deniz "why didn't
you jump?" Deniz's older brother and the questioner got into
a fight.

Kayseri

No Such Thing as Bad Publicity (?)

paparazzi links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 9 September 2013)

Celebs to pay extra for accidental fame.

The Security General Directorate is bringing to life a
rather interesting practice in traffic supervision. Police
will henceforth investigate the traffic wrongdoings caught
on camera and aired on TV gossip shows of famous singers
and actors, who are followed by millions. The violations
will be reported to the concerned unit and processed in
accordance with the Highway Traffic Law.

The TV producers will be urged  to "please emphasize
this mistake on subsequent shows."  The police plan to
implement the same program with newspapers, with
publishers asked to explain to readers why traffic accidents
occur, in detail. The program is not just restricted to the
famous. Normal citizens who are caught on TV cameras
making traffic violations will have their license plate
numbers relayed to the concerned police unit.

Unemployed Cats Put to Work

cats links to much longer Turkish article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 8 September 2013)

//ed.note: thanks to Muge Fatma Tokad Snowden (a.k.a."birthday girl")
for alerting our staff to this breaking news item.//

Next time we meet, it's in the field.

In Eskisehir, stray cats housed at the Natural Life Center's
Temporary Animal Shelter, which is part of the Tepebasi
Municipal Veternary Affairs Directorate, have been spayed/
neutered and vaccinated.

The cats have been put to work  by farmers battling against
rats and mice. One of the farmers, Ekrem Alicikus, explained
that "There are lots of field rats and mice on our farm so we
see the benefit of having the cats here. I recommend that others
do the same and adopt some cats. It's a good deed to take care
of an animal. I'd like to thank the Tepebasi Municipality, in this
regard."

Release the cats!

Angels Swim in 'God's Mercy Water'

angelbrew links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 6 September 2013)

Three women filed a complaint with the Fatih, Istanbul,
Müftülük (local Islamic Law official's office) that would make
heads spin. The women victims explained that one Mehmet Üner,
who said that he could treat various illnesses with prayer and holy
water that he prepared, had the women drink what he called 'God's
mercy water'. The women allege that the water has created an
addiction for them and numbness in their bodies.

The Müftülük alerted the police to the situation and an investigation
was begun. Based on a court order, Üner's home was searched and his
'God's mercy water' seized. Scientific examinations of the liquid at
the Police Criminal Laboratory revealed a frightening reality - the
liquid contained narcotic material.

Üner was taken into custody and in his statement he said that he is
"God's ambassador" and that he prepared the liquid for people's
health. He claimed, as well, that there are angels in the liquid. The
prosecutor determined that Üner introduced himself to religious people
with problems as a 'hoca' (guru) and hoodwinked them into drinking
the liquid, after which they felt better (high) and paid him a fee that
Üner characterized as a contribution.

An indictment has been prepared against Üner charging him with
narcotics trafficking and religious exploitation. Üner obtained the
narcotıc material he added to the water from an individual named Ahmet
at the Fatih Women's Bazar.

Despite the indictment, Üner spoke with our reporter and defended
his holy water, saying that he has witnesses who will testify that
'God's mercy water' is beneficial for illnesses. Üner previously was
sentenced to 10 months in jail for the possession and sale of narcotics
but the sentence was converted to one year of treatment and supervised
release.

Mayoral Throne of Doom

doom links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 5 September 2013)

Hotseat and four who got burned.

Cafer Yildirim (60), the mayor of Acarlar town in Incirliova
district of Aydin province, died of a heart attack yesterday.
Previoulsy, three Acarlar mayors, two of them back-to-back,
died during their first year in office. The townspeople have
declared the mayoral chair to be inauspicious.

Yesterday Yildirim, of the AK Party, suddenly became ill during
an argument with town official P. S. around noon.  After initial treatment
by emergency services, Yildirim was taken to Aydin Ataturk State
Hospital where it was determined that he had had a heart attack and
he was placed in intensive care. Despite all efforts, Mayor Yildirim
lost his life around 6 p.m.  His funeral will be held today following noon
prayers and he will then be buried at Acarlar Cemetery.

The mayoral deaths, which have created surprise and sadness among the
townspeople, began in 1994 when Mayor Durmus Ali Akcan (57) died
of a heart attack. Yunus Senturk of the AK Party took office after the
local election in 2009 but died on 19 January 2012. He was replaced by
Adnan Yildiz, a municipal council member also from the AK Party, but
Yildiz had a heart attack after only eight months in office and died on
6 September 2012.

Mayor Cafer Yildirim, also an AK Party municipal council member,
took office on 14 September 2012. Yildirim, married and the father of
three children, said following the publication last year of a story in the
Yeni Asir newspaper after the death of Mayor Adnan Yildiz entitled
"He Who Sits Here Dies", that he wouldn't pay any attention to such
nonsense.  Referring to the mumbling about the three mayors who died
in office that "this mayoral chair is inauspicious, he who sits in it dies",
Yildirim had said that "this is superstition. I won't change this chair that
others say is inauspicious."

 

Incirliova left of Aydin city.

Imaginary Characters Hijacked!

make-believe links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 4 September 2103)

Sword can't protect kidnapped Metin2.

 

Nearly 150 people who play the internet games
Metin2 and Knight Online, which have become
phenomenons, have filed complaints saying that
the game characters they have paid lots of money
to enhance have been hijacked. One player in his
petition stated that "I spent 20,000 TL to enhance
my character but he's not mine anymore."

Police say that there has been a marked increase
recently in the number of people complaining about
hijacked characters. The Anti-Cyber Crimes Office
stated that there has been a sudden rush of complaints
from people who've lost their characters, primarily
Metin2 fans, followed by Knight Online players.

According to police, within the past three months
about 150 people have filed complaints. As a first
step, police contacted those who run the game sites
and by tracking IP addresses and forums they identified
150 suspects. Seventy people, including hackers, have
been taken into custody. Some of them have denied the
charges.

One player who lost his character exclaimed that "I
spent 20,000 TL to strengthen my character but I
can't make contact with the character anymore. I've
filed a complaint about the person who hijacked my
character."

Police officials explained that people who loiter on
cyber game sites have different aims. One official
said that "some people grab these characters and make
them their own. Others kidnap them and sell them to
other gamers to make money."

Ancient Turkic Motifs Found in Hakkari

motif links to more detailed Turkish article

(Aydinlik Newspaper, 3 September 2013)

//ed. note: this is yet another of our occasional items about the greater Turkish
world.//

//ed. note: comment/questions: kardelen889@gmail.com//

Motif from Resko Mountain.

 

Umit Siraci, the head of the Denizli Nature Lovers Association,
has found rock paintings at the 3,400 meter level of Resko
Mountain in the Oramar region of Hakkari province. The area
had been closed to civilians for 30 years because of terrorism.

Siraci made the climb with a 35-person team on 26 August and
reported that the 10,000 year-old rock paintings have Turkish
traits and motifs.  He noted that he had previously encountered
rock paintings in the Sat Mountains, Tirsin Mountain Pasture
and in the Gavuruk region.

Siraci explained that "the rock motifs in the Oramar region are
more prevalent. It's as if it was a central point. A place where a
shaman might want to reach God. It's higher than the other places.
There are graves made from the surrounding rock piles that
resemble those of Central Asia. Research shows that the motifs
previously encountered in this region are at least 10,000 years old."

Hakkari. In extreme SE Turkey.

Ferry Tale Ending Somewhat Unpleasant

ferry links to related article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 2 September 2013)

//ed note: comments/questions: kardelen889@gmail.com//

Those empty seats look mighty inviting...

Passengers wanting to return by sea to Yenikapi, Istanbul, from
Bandirma last night had quite a scare. The fast sea bus that took
on passengers at 2100 hours started to founder in rough seas and
the captain turned back to Bandirma. The ship had a difficult time
approaching the shore and some passengers fainted, while another
had an asthma attack.

Once back at port, the fast sea bus passengers rushed onto
the much larger  Adnan Menderes Ferryboat that was scheduled
to leave Bandirma for Yenikapi at 2130 hours.  However, the oncoming
sea bus passengers took any open seat they could find on the ferryboat,
sparking disputes with the ticketed ferryboat passengers. The
ensuing arguments quickly turned into fist fights, upon which
police came on board to evict the unticketed passengers.

The ferryboat finally left Bandirma for Yenikapi at 2330 hours.

Bandirma is on the sea, north of Balikesir. 

Police Brutality in Equal Measure

brutality links to related article

(Posta and Hurriyet Newspapers, 31 August 2013)

 

This is what we get underpaid for?

 

In Kahramanmaras, Burak Hancerkiran (23) went to the
Sehit Murat Orumcek Police Station to report that a driver
he argued with had punched him. Allegedly, the police
paid no heed to Hancerkiran's complaint and when he
insisted he was beaten by the police.

Hancerkiran then called his uncle Bilal and his brother
Okkes and they all went back to the police station where
they had a pitched battle with the police. In the end, policeman
Mehmet Mavis's nose was broken and his colleague Ahmet
Keskin's leg was broken, as well. Both sides have filed
complaints against each other.

Kahramanmaras

Old Turkish Inscriptions Found in Mongolia

inscriptions links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 1 September 2013)

//ed. note: herewith another of our occasional news items about the greater
Turkish world.//

Japanese discoverers and inscriptions.

Two giant columns inscribed in the Gokturk alphabet
were found on 6 July 400 kilometers southeast of the
Mongolian capital of Ulanbator, sparking excitement among
scientists. Dr. Mehmet Olmez, a professor at Yildiz Technical
University's Turkish Language  and Literature Faculty, has
been discussing the discoveries, which were made by Japanese
researchers, with the Mongolian embassy and other scientists.
He shared the details of the find with Sabah.

Dr. Olmez explained that Mongolian Dr. Ts. Bolorbaatar, who
is running the study with the Japanese scientists, told him that
"the length of the monuments is 3.92 meters. On the back there
are carved writings. On the front there is the mountain goat seal
of the Asina lineage, a Turkish noble family, and below it there
is a three-line message. On the two monuments there are 20 lines,
2,832 letters and more than 30 seals."

The first effort will be to identify the letters and then understand
the words and sentences, according to Dr. Olmez. He added that
"now we have to figure out the lines and marks so we can read it.
Written on the monument repeatedly in the oldest Turkish language
are the words 'ebim e', 'begim e', 'yerim e' and these mean 'ah my
home', 'ah my leader', 'ah my country'. "

Dr. Olmez stated that this fourth discovery of such inscriptions is
very exciting for researchers. He noted that "the other three monuments
were found in other places, meaning that the places where they were
erected were not just near the capital."

The Kul Tigin inscription is made from a four-sided marble rock, whose
length is 3.75 meters. The Bilge Kagan Inscription's height is 3.80 meters.
There are 41 lines on its east face, and 15 each on its south and north faces.
The first of the Tonyukuk inscriptions is 2.43 meters; the second is 2.17
meters in height.

Dr. Ts. Bolorbaatar stated that "the seals on the inscriptions may belong
to tribes that participated in a ceremony establishing a sacred cemetery
made as a sacrifice to dead nobles." 

Mongolia