Jailhouse Café

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 31 January 2018)


"Scared Straight" for Yuppies...as close to jail as they'll
ever want to get.

In Yalova, a café that opened a month ago with a 'prison' concept
has drawn intense interest from young people.  At the Haft Coffee
café, the waiters wear prison guard uniforms and prisoner jumpers.
Customers who enter the cell-like interior can have their pictures
taken against the bars in prison uniforms. 


Surprise! The government just made this a real jail...

Canhür Aktuğlu, one of the café partners, provided some
information about the concept, saying that "since the concept is
a prison, we used a prison cell motif.  Customers can select the
prison jumper they want and have their pictures taken to post
on social media.  In this way, besides getting coffee, customers
can have an experience and a story to tell." (ugh!)

"Love Bridge" to Nowhere

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 31 January 2018)




In Arsin, Trabzon, the municipality made some improvements to
its shore facilities, to include a new cafeteria, walking paths, sports
equipment and parks on the 75-acre filled-in site. An interesting (!)
bridge was built, as well: 5 meters wide and 160 meters long.  The
bridge does not have any water running underneath it.  The city
has lit the bridge with lights purely as a tourist attraction.

Strolling along the shore, citizen Ömer Küçük noted that "it's called
the "Love Bridge" and lovers cross over it, taking memento photos.
We're riding bikes over it. It's a lot of fun."


Arsin district is east of Trabzon city on the Black Sea
coast.

Save the Children!...From Forced Betrothal

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 30 January 2018)


Well, certainly too old to be a flower girl at a wedding.

In Mardin, on 27 January authorities learned that a 14-year-old girl
would be married to someone 10 years her senior in Kızıltepe district.
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya and
officials in the Mardin governor's office and police force were
informed, as well.  The number from where the tip came was
identified as a hairdresser shop but when called, the answering
party said that no such tip had been sent to authorities.

It turned out that the informant was the young girl's aunt and
that the number was that of the hairdresser who was preparing
the girl for the wedding.  Authorities went into action and determined
where the weddingwould be held in Kızıltepe that night at 2200 hours.
In order to avoid a scene at the wedding hall, authorities rescued the
girl when she and her 'husband' reached home after the wedding. 


             Why isn't everyone dancing??

 The families first asserted that the girl, D.K., was not underage but
would not show her ID card.  D.K. had come to Kızıltepe 10 years
ago with her family from Suriye and became a Turkish citizen. 
However, D.K. does not know Turkish and speaks only Kurdish. 
She is also illiterate.   D.K. told authorities she is 14-years-old.

Local Mardin authorities, lead by Family and Social Policy Provincial
Director Hüsnü Bengin Efetürk, worked through the night to rescue
D.K. and kept Minister Kaya informed.  D.K. was taken under state
protection and her 'husband' and family were released but an
investigationhas been started.  Director Efetürk said that "Thank God
we've put the girl under state care. When we first saw the girl she
was in shock but she's fine now and hopefully she'll be even better
henceforth."

Fall Broken by Awning & Clothesline

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 29 January 2018)


If Hatice hanım was attempting suicide, seems the Angel
of Death had other ideas.

In Samsun's İlkadım district, Hatice Ç. (47) was on her fourth-floor
balcony when she supposedly had a dizzy spell and fell off.  Fortunately,
the mother of two children first landed on her 3rd-floor neighbor's
awning, rolled off and landed on the clothesline of her 2nd-floor
neighbor. (!)  Her other neighbors came and retrieved panic-stricken
Hatice hanım from the clothesline and took her to a hospital for
treatment.

Breaking Road Rules

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 January 2018)


Drivers get  the imam's blessing, instead of paying a toll.

In Esentepe village of Rize's Derepazarı district, because of a
shortage of available land in the village, a road has been built 
under a mosque and its adjacent course building.  This is yet
another of the innovative infrastructure measures taken by Black
Sea residents, as the result of the region's undulating geography.

When construction began on the mosque and course building, 
villagers realized that there was no other place for a road to go so
an opening was made through the buildings.  The mosque and 
course building had to be built 5 meters higher to accommodate
the road.  The mosque's imam, Orhan Büyük, noted that "People
find the road interesting and come to take pictures of it. Those 
who see it are amazed."


Derepazarı district in along the Black Sea coast, left.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

//ed. note: not to be outdone, the architects (no doubt, Black
Sea natives themselves) of TNT Editor-in-Chief's new residence
in Erenköy, Istanbul, have taken saving the trees to a new 
level, at the expense of the driveway.//

Traffic Dispute Exposes 'Super Cop'

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 27 January 2018)


Another instance of women finding a uniform irresistible.

In Yenimahalle district of Ankara, Fatma D. was driving in evening
traffic on 19 January and got into an argument with another driver
who got out of his car with a police radio and identified himself as
"Police Chief Ayhan Şahin".  Fatma D., however, was not intimidated
and filed a complaint with police based on "Ayhan Şahin"'s license
plate number.

The resulting police investigation revealed that "Ayhan Şahin" was in
fact Ayhan G., with a police record of 22 crimes, including fraud,
theft and using the ID's of others.   On 22 January, Ayhan G. was taken
into custody in front of his home.  In his possession were fake ID's for
a public prosecutor, police chief, photos of himself in uniforms and
heroin (!).  In Ayhan G.'s car, police found a cloak that a prosecutor
would wear in court.

It turned out that Ayhan G. used to work as a legal secretary for a
lawyer who passed away.  In his statement to police Ayhan G.
confessed his guilt and explained that "because I was 'wanted' I
paid to have fake prosecutor and police ID's made in Istanbul.  I
posted pictures of myself wearing the cloak of a prosecutor on
social media and introduced myself to people as a prosecutor and
a police chief.  The complainants are right, I took money from them
but I'll pay it back in the shortest time possible."


Certainly has those James Bond looks women adore.

The people that Ayhan G. defrauded were all women. Herewith a
sampling of their complaints about him:

F.Y.: He told me that he was a prosecutor so I gave him 500 TL to
have my husband transferred frıom the Merzifon prison to the
Ankara prison.  It never happened.

Z.K: He told me that he was a prosecutor and we had a romantic
relationship.  When I went to his home I saw pictures of him in
his prosecutorial robes.  He told me he dined with VIPs like
Parliamentarians and Ministers.  He asked me to marry him.

Ç.K.:  I told him I wanted to get a driver's license and he said he
would help but wanted 2,750 TL.

G.A.  My husband wanted a permit to carry a gun and he said he
could help.  He told me to send him various documents and took
2,600 TL, as well.


Ankara's Yeni Mahalle district has a split-personality, too.

Getting Fat Off Fatteners

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 26 January 2018)


Maybe it was all just their diabolical escape plan...

In Kars, livestock fatteners have been hoodwinked to the tune of 43 million
TL (about $11 million) (!).  An individual named Ali K., using the identity
of someone who died years ago, won the confidence of the fatteners by
telling them that he had come to Kars on behalf of the "Young Farmers
Project" of the Agriculture and Village Affairs Ministry.

Ali K. gave hundreds of fatteners vouchers in exchange for 17,000
animals that were then transported to Şanlıurfa and Diyarbakır in 500
TIRs (tractor-trailers).  When the vouchers turned out to be worthless,
the fatteners understood that they had been defrauded.  Estimating their
losses at 43 million TL, the fatteners file a complaint against Ali K.


            Fatteners on a forced diet henceforth.

The village chief of Kalecik village in Susuz district, Karabey Mintemur,
lamented that "we were glad that our property was being sold for a good
price.  We were heartened that this was being done on behalf of our
Agriculture Ministry and that our money would not be lost."

'Bitcoin' Smugglers Snagged at Atatürk

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 26 January 2018)


              The virtual currency gets real.

Istanbul customs police conducted two 'Bitcoin' operations one day after
another at Atatürk Airport.  In the first operation, on 18 December, police
apprehended Batuhan A., who had come from New York.  Although
Batuhan A. said he had 'nothing to declare', his suitcases were x-ray'ed
and inside were found 12 screen cards used to make Bitcoins, 1 power-pack,
1 camera, 27 screen card slots, 1 sensor, and 1 signal-identification apparatus.
The items, worth 6,892 TL (about $2,500), were confiscated.

In the second operation, on 19 December, Rojin I., who came to Istanbul
from Abu Dhabi, was found to be in possession of 5 screen cards and 5
power-packs.  worth 76,500 TL.  Both suspects were remanded to custody.



              Homer always a step ahead.