Infrastructure Edition: Danger at Every Turn

turkce links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 30 September 2014)

   Jousting on the subway? Seems he lost.

A passenger was injured on a subway car that jumped off the
rails in the Istanbul Metro. The accident occurred yesterday
morning on the Seyrantepe-Sanayi Mahallesi metro extension
line where tunnel work is being done.

For some unknown reason the second car on the train jumped
off the tracks as the train was en route to Seyrantepe. The
car hit some iron bars that were stacked for use in the related
tunnel work and stopped shortly afterwards. One of the iron
bars penetrated the car and became embedded in the hip of
passenger Fatih Coban.

The shocked train passengers walked through the tunnel to
the Sanayi Mahallesi station and exited to the street.
Firefighters and rescue teams cut the ends of the iron bar
that penetrated Coban's hip and brought him to Okmeydani
Training and Research Hospital for treatment. Coban said
later that "I saw the iron bar but I couldn't get out of the
way."

==========================================
turkce links to related Turkish article

Posta Newspaper, 27 September 2014)


Better grab a fire-proof parachute as you flee the flames.

In Cerkezkoy, Tekirdag province, there are so-called
fire escapes but the shortness of the escapes is cause for
concern, since they stop 4 meters (12 feet) short of the
ground.  It seems that no one is concerned about how
anyone would reach the ground in case of a fire.


Cerkezkoy is Tekirdag's easternmost district.
==========================================
turkce links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 30 September 2014)


    Everybody out of the pool!

When acid was mixed with water to clean a hotel pool in
Kemer, Antalya, 18 people were poisoned. Chemicals
were being used to clean the hotel pool at a 5-star hotel
in the Beldibi neighborhood but instead of chlorine, acid
was mistakenly introduced into the water.  The resulting
toxic cloud poisoned the 18 tourists and hotel workers.

All those affected were taken to Kemer State Hospital
for treatment and 5 were released soon afterwards.
Treatment for the other 13 victims lasted all day. Gendarmerie
units took security precautions around the hotel and as the
hotel was evacuated. An inquiry has begun.


Kemer district is south of Antalya city.

"Armenian Village" Ad Lures Treasure Hunters

turkce links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 29 September 2014)

//ed. note: conventional wisdom in Turkey says that wherever
the Armenians once lived they buried gold and jewels there
before leaving.//


Karsak village - there's gold (supposedly) in them there hills...

The land in Guvenli village, in Bursa's Gemlik district, and in
Karsak village of nearby Orhangazi district, has become very
popular of late.  The reason for this is the foxiness of a real
estate firm.  The firm bought land near Karsak village, a 700
year-old hamlet where Armenians lived,  and put out an ad on
an internet site offering 'land in a 700 year-old Armenian village.'
Four separate land offerings were made in the ad for the parcel,
which amounts to a total of about 7 acres.

The mention of an 'Armenian village' in the ad increased interest
on various other sites and a French one , 'armenews', picked it
up, as well. Mete S. of the real estate firm stated that "when we
bought the land we were told that Armenians used to live here
so in order to increase the attractiveness of the ad we include
this aspect. There's no question that the entire village is to be
sold and the mention of the "entire village" up for sale on some
foreign internet sites disturbed us, too.  For this reason we may
remove the ad but there have been a record number of hits on
the ad. The parcels haven't been sold yet but the villagers are
holding out and not selling land for 10 times more than the
former price of 2,000TL ($1,000)."

The residents of Guvenli and Karsak villages don't like the
idea that land in their villages is being described in the ad
as land in an "Armenian village".  The headman of Guvenli
village, Hasan Elbuken, stated that "our village is not an
Armenian village. It's old name is Asayis village. It's a
place that was settled when Turks came from the Balkans
in the repatriation process (during and after the Balkan
Wars around 1910-12.)  The Armenians lived in Karsak
village, which is about 3 kilometers from us."

Mucahit Unver, an 80 year-old resident of Karsak village,
said that "this village was establish in the 1300's. Turks
and Armenians lived here together. It cannot be said that
it's a completely Armenian village because Turks have
also lived here for centuries. Our Turkish grandfathers were
neighbors with the Armenians. There are still a few Armenian
structures here but most have come down. There's only
one home standing where someone lived until 10 years ago.
No its empty and will probably be torn down soon. I think
the real estate firm wanted to attract attention by calling
our village an "Amenian village".

Eyup Barak, who runs a coffeehouse in the village and
works in real estate,as well, said that "the land in the village
has increased in value 300% in the past three years because
the new Izmir highway passes just below the village. About
95% of the land in Karsak has been sold. There's no land
left where warehouses are situated and there are olive
fields left in the village."
 

    Gemlik and Orhangazi districts are in the north.

Obama's Security: Inoculate Against 'Cat'-astrophic Failure

turkce links to related Turkish article

(Posta Newspaper, 27 September 2014)


Secret agents turn up anywhere. Remember Pussy Galore?

When American President Barack Obama visited Istanbul in
2009 he went to the Aya Sofia museum accompanied by
then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan and then-Culture
and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay. While at Aya Sofia
Obama petted a cat that came to his side.

The Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Haluk Dursun,
stated that these cats have lived in Aya Sofia since Byzantine
times. The day before yesterday Dursun made an interesting
revelation on this matter, saying that prior to Obama's visit
to the museum the CIA had inspected Aya Sofia and had
even checked the cats one by one for their inoculations.


             Prrrrrrrrrrrrfect security

'Light' Will Shine in Greek Prison for 135 Years

turkce links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 26 September 2014)


  Electrician 'Light' better have long-term batteries.

Bayram Isik (27) (whose surname means 'light' in Turkish)
works as an electrician (!) in Edremit district of Balikesir
province.  After he split with his fiance he felt downhearted
so on the evening of 30 April he took his 3 meter rubber boat
out to sea to fish.  At the same time, Greek police, who had
just gathered 27 refugees from the sea off the coast of  Midilli
(Lesvos) island,  spotted Isik 2 miles from the Gure (a Turkish
town located 12 kilometers west of Edremit) shore and took
him into custody.

Isik was taken by the Greek police to Midilli and arrested
for human trafficking.  Isik's father, retired policeman Mustafa
Isik, tried mightily to free his son but without success. Last
week Isik was brought before a Greek court and sentenced
to 135 years in jail.  Father Mustafa Isik, who for years served
in various Turkish consulates, lamented that "the refugees
stated that 'he (Bayram) didn't bring us.' but those who made
this statement weren't allowed in court. In any event, that
boat couldn't hold 27 people, it would sink right away.
Nevertheless, in a single court hearing the judge gave a 135-
year sentence. They gave an order for execution without
due process in an EU country!"



      Gulf of Edremit in the Aegean Sea

Car Sales Edition: Unintended Consequences

turkce  links to related Turkish article

(Posta Newspaper, 25 September 2014)


     Bad idea:selling stolen goods on the internet.

In Seyhan district of Adana province, store owner Saffet Dogan
was walking along the street when he was mugged by B.M.E.(31)
and M.D. (29), who took Dogan to a building basement at
gunpoint.  The suspects knocked out Dogan with the butt of a gun
and took his car keys, wallet and telephone.

The muggers later put an add on the internet to try to sell Dogan's
car. However, police saw the add and, posing as customers for the
car, arrested both of the suspects, one a bartender and the other
a university student.

               Adana province.

=============================================
turkce links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 25 September 2014)


                 Answer at your own risk.

Idris K., who lives in Istanbul, stormed the home of
Fatih K. (27) in Istanbul's Bagcilar Yuzyil neighborhood on the
morning of 13 March because of a disagreement between them
over a car sale. However, Fatih K. had moved from the address
five days earlier.

Idris K., unaware of Fatih K.'s move, rang the door bell with
his revolver cocked and ready to fire.  The new renter, Mustafa
Simsek called from the window "who's there?", upon which
Idris K. shot him.  Simsek, who had nothing whatsoever to
do with the matter, died at the scene. Police captured Idris K.
and Cetin T., who had rung the doorbell at Simsek's home.



          Bagcilar district, Istanbul