Bingöl ("1,000 Lakes") Has Loansharks in the Water

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 31 May 2021)

                               Swim at your own risk.

In 2013, Nurettin Varol, the Bingöl provincial chairman for the MHP 

(partner with ruling AKP party) and his father, lent Mehmet Akif 

Güngörigök, the AKP mayor of Bingöl's Ilıcalar town, 60,000 Euros,

along with 135,000 TL and 80,000 TL.  At the time, Güngörigök was

involved in the furniture business and was experiencing financial

difficulties.  He signed promissory notes for these debts. 

When Güngörigök was unable to repay a part of the debt, Varol had

part of his mayoral salary sequestered, prompting Güngörigök to 

file a criminal complaint against Varol and his father for loansharking.(!)

The case was heard on 6 April in court in Bingöl and Varol and his 

father Abdullah Varol were convicted of loansharking and sentenced to

3 years 1 month and 15 days in prison, along with a 12,500 TL fine.

The verdict is on appeal.  Nurettin Varol noted that "we gave him 

money for his business and we didn't get it back. So he threatened us

with the loansharking suit.  Besides ours, there are 25 other 

sequestration orders against him.  If this was loansharking why didn't

he complain at the time? If any person in Bingöl accuses me, my

father or my family with loansharking, we are ready to leave here."

As for Güngörigök, he explained that  "Unfortunately, moneylenders

are shameless but borrowers are shamed.  It's not easy to bring a 

charge of loansharking - there have to be documents, witnesses and

investigations.  I borrowed money from the Varols when I was in a 

bind.  I was elected mayor of Ilıcalar in 2014.  I served jail time for

this in 2018 and 2020.  Now let them serve time."

        Ilıcalar town is just north of Bingöl city.

"Beat & Release": A Woman's Place is in the Home - If She Wants to be Murdered

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 29 May 2021)

  

                    When in doubt, appoint a commission.

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has presented statistics concerning

murders of women to the Turkish Parliament's Research Commission

for Determining the Causes of Violence Against Women.  In his 

presentation, Soylu said that "in incidents of violence committed 

within the family and against women, the murder victim is closely

related to the suspect." 

In this regard, 39% of the murderers are husbands, 19% are boyfriends,

15% are other family members, 13% are grandparents (!), 8% are

ex-husbands, 4% are common-law husbands and 2% are ex-boyfriends.

70% of the murders occur in the home (!), 15% on the street, 11% in 

parks and forests, 3% in vehicles and 1% in hotels. 

As for the reasons for the murders, 33% are the result of arguments -

17% of which concern jealousy, followed by refusal to reconcile and

narcotics use.  The number of murders that occur for unknown reasons

is 15%.  Other pretexts are a woman's desire to break up, psychological

causes, suspicion of infidelity and economic problems.  67% of the 

murders happen spontaneously and 33% are planned. 

In 88% of the murders of women, there is a restraining order in place. (!)

57% of the murder victims are married, 24% are divorced and 19%

are single women.  

According to the Interior Ministry's statistics, the number of murders of

women is declining (!):

2014 - 307

2015 - 360

2016 - 304

2017 - 353

2018 - 276

2019 - 336

2020 - 267

2021 (first four months) 95

Minister Soylu took note of the decline since 2014, declaring "it should

get to zero and that's our goal.  But there is no upward trend in murders

of women.  Of course, each one is a problem and I take responsibility for

every one of them."

            Intensity of violence against women by region.

"Beat & Release": Chivalrous Boxer Dies Defending Woman's Honor in Konya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Cumhuriyet Newspaper, 28 May 2021)

Boxer & goldens;  attacker, who didn't mind the gap he left.

In Konya, insurance man and boxing trainer Orhan Çumralıgil (35)

and his friend Dündar Kömürcü (42)  went to another friend's house

on Arafat Street in the Beyhekim neighborhood of Selçuklu district.

Industry worker Fatih Özçiftçi (28) and Yaşar Karadeniz (29), an ex-

soldier, who live in the same apartment building, invited a woman 

named A.B. to their apartment to have drinks. 

Allegedly, soon afterwards Özçiftçi and Karadeniz began to harass

A.B., who resisted and was beaten by the two.  Escaping to the 

corridor, A.B. started screaming for help as Özçiftçi and Karadeniz

pursued her.  At this point, Çumralıgil and Kömürcü heard A.B.'s

screams and rushed to intervene between her and her attackers.  

Özçiftçi stabbed Çumralıgil in the chest and Kömürcü in the belly.

Efforts to revive Çumraılgil proved unsuccessful and he died in a

hospital.  Kömürcü was treated and released.  A.B., who was injured

in her neck and chest gave a statement to police and left the building.

Özçiftçi and Karadeniz were arrested and jailed for "intentional 

murder and wounding."

Trans-Turkey Transport Alternatives to the Suez Canal, Now & 450 Years Ago

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 May 2021)

NOW...

There are two new transport routes that will make Turkey an important

international center for Asia-Europe transport.  Both routes have become

possible because of transportation cooperation between Turkey and 

Russia.  

The Russia-based P&O Maritime Logistics company, which runs the 

Volga-Don Canal that connects the Sea of Azov-Black Sea with the

Caspian Sea, and İzmit-based DP World Yarımca have reached an 

agreement, whereby containers loaded onto ships at İzmit will be 

shipped directly to Central Asia via the Volga-Don canal.  In 2020,

the total trade between Turkey and the Central Asia republics amounted

to $31 billion.  Transit via Russia's river-canal reduces both the cost

of transport and the bureaucracy involved. 

The second route has come to fruition because of the "EverGiven" 

incident that closed the Suez Canal.  The Danish shipping giant

Maersk  began looking for an alternative and its calculations revealed

that Far East countries can bring their goods to Primorye on Russia's

Sea of Japan coast, after which the goods will be transported to 

Novosibirsk via the Trans-Siberian Railroad and from there through

the southern Caucasus to the Tbilisi-Kars railway that connects with

Turkey.  

Maersk initiated the route with a trial run on 24 May, comprised of

247 containers that passed through customs at Primorye and headed

for Turkey.  The goods will be sorted out in Istanbul for distribution

to the European countries of destination in a process that will take

a total of between 25-30 days.  By comparison, goods from Taiwan

or China sent to Europe via the Suez Canal take 40-45 days to reach

Istanbul and the transport cost for the Siberia route is 20% less.

THEN...

//NOTE: For the full paper see Academia, under this title://

16^th Century Ottoman Caspian and Black Sea 

Canal Projects

In the second half of the 16^th century, Ottoman power was at its apex.  

Prime Minister Sokullu Mehmet Paşa, who served Sultans Süleyman, 

Selim II and Murad III, was involved in all the major developments 

of that era and even had time to conjure up initiatives for canals from 

the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, a canal at Suez, and an alternative 

to the Bosphorus via a Sakarya River-Lake Sapanca-Gulf of Izmit 

route.  

None of these canal projects came to fruition at the time, although 

later the Suez Canal and the Volga-Don canals were built by others.  

In any case, two Turkish journalists in the early part of the twentieth

century researched the Ottoman archives and other historical source 

from the earlier Ottoman periods and wrote summary articles about 

the Black-Caspian Seas canal project and the Sakarya-Sapanca-

Izmit canal project, championed and nearly achieved by one of 

Sokullu’s successors, Koca Sinan Paşa.  

1.Sokullu Mehmed Paşa’s Initiative for a Black Sea – Caspian Sea 

Canal

The driving force behind this 1568-69 initiative was Sokullu’s desire 

to re-take Ejderhan (Astrahan) from the Russians, who had seized it 

in 1556.  In addition, he hoped to put the Ottomans in a better 

position vis-à-vis the constant wars with the Safavids of Iran and 

enable Central Asian Moslems to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.  

However, Russian resistance and poor weather conditions in the 

summer of 1569 combined to halt the canal dig.  The Ottoman-

Crimean Tatar expeditionary force was routed and the Ottoman 

fleet destroyed in the Sea of Azov.

2.Koca Sinan Paşa Leads Sakarya-Sapanca-Izmit Canal Effort

In the time of unmotorized ships, the Bosphorus presented a 

daunting navigational challenge, especially at its entrance to and 

from the Black Sea.   As a result, the Ottomans began to  assess the 

possibility of a canal from the Sakarya River to Lake Sapanca 

and from there to the Gulf of Izmit.

Prime Minister Koca Sinan Paşa was enthusiastic about the project, 

which would also make the transport of wood for shipbuilding and 

for the populace easier.   A major effort was launched in the Spring 

of 1591 to bring the canal to fruition but competing wood suppliers 

and other palace minions convinced  Sultan Murad III that the 

success of the canal would make Koca Sinan Paşa’s star outshine 

the Sultan’s.  Consequently, after 80 days of intensive activity, the 

project came to a halt.

Queen's Year of Loss: First Prince Philip, Now Turkish Cherries

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 May 2021)

  Keeping a stiff upper lip, but sans cherry stains this year.

The cherries of Ulukışla district of Niğde province have long taken their

place on the table of the English royal family.  But this year, because of

frost and drought, the crop has dwindled by 70%.  

CHP (opposition party) Parliamentarian Ömer Fethi Gürer toured the

cherry orchards in Ulukışla, where world-famous Napoleon cherries are 

grown,  80% of which are exported from Ulukışla to 12 countries, to talk 

with the growers.  Gürer learned that this year's frost and drought have

reduced the cherry crop by 70%.  

          Was known to mischievously say "Cherry-o old chap".

Gürer noted that the Ulukışla cherries have a special aroma resulting

from the 1,600-meters-above-sea-level altitude where the cherries are

grown.  He added that "Ulukışla cherries even grace the tables of the

English royal family but, unfortunately, this year the crop has been hit

by frost and drought.  There are only one or two cherries on branches

that would normally have kilograms of them.  Much of the crop had to

be disposed of or dried up.  In normal years, 35,000 tons of cherries

are produced in a 25,000-dekar (one dekar = .247 acres) area."

Sex Messiah Transferred & Isolated From Disciples in Batman Prison

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 May 2021)

               Has a weakness for bulbous accesories.

Adnan Oktar, convicted of "establishing and directing an organization

to commit crimes" and "sexual assault", was sentenced to serve 9,803

years and six months (!).  He has been serving the jail term at the Edirne

prison along with his male disciples, who were convicted, as well.

                                       Scary guy.

However (!), Oktar began to hold meetings with his fellow inmate 

disciples and was warned by prison authorities to desist.  He ignored

this warning so he was reported to the Justice Ministry, which decided

to send Oktar in isolation to the T-type prison in Batman's Beşiri district 

that was opened last year.   

Their "Last Supper" together in the Edirne prison dining 

hall. Alas, the Messiah will  dine alone henceforth in his 

Batman batcave cell.

Oktar objected to the transfer but to no avail. So his disciples also applied

to be transferred to Batman with him but these appeals were rejected. Last

Sunday, under tight security, Oktar was taken overland to Batman from 

Edirne.  He was given a health exam at Batman Training and Research

Hospital and put in the Beşiri T-type prison yesterday. 

                       The Lonely Path of the Messiah.

TNT Ancient History Archives: Urartu Castle in Dam Lake, Dates to 2,800 Years Ago

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 May 2021)

urartu people click here for some background on

these ancient people.

                                    Castle on an island.

Petek Kalesi (castle), built by the ancient Urartu people 2,800 years ago, 

was mostly submerged under the waters of Keban Dam in 1974, leaving 

it as an island in the middle of the dam's lake.  After the Urartu's, the

castle was occupied by the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Selçuk and

Mengüjek Turks.  

In Ottoman times, the castle was repaired.  It has two walls, one within

the other, and the remains of a structure are between the walls.  The 

castle now lies on an island in the Keban Dam lake that forms the border

between Tunceli and Elazığ provinces.  To visit the castle people can

take a fishing boat to the island from the Tunceli shore 5 kilometers away.

//Info from Wikipedia//

Pertek Castle (Turkish: Pertek Kalesi) is a castle in the Pertek district of

 the Tunceli province in Turkey.

Its origins probably lie in the Kingdom of Urartu.^[1] According to the Italian 

archaeologist Roberto Dan, the castle exhibits characteristics of Urartu rock 

processing and was built for the control of nearby mines, especially copper 

mines.^[2] The name pertek comes from the Armenian word բերդակ (pertag) 

in the local dialect.

The current structure was built in the 11th century by the Seljukid Mengujekids 

beys. Under the Ottoman Empire it was restored and rebuilt, probably in the 

16th century, at the same time as the Sungur Bey Mosque and Çelebi Ağa 

Mosque in Pertek. 

Originally, the castle overlooked Old Pertek. In 1974, the surrounding area 

was flooded by the Keban Dam, leaving the castle on an island five kilometers 

away from the northern shore of the new artificial lake. It is close to the 

boundary of the Elazığ province.

The castle's walls are completely made of natural stone blocks. In the 

southern walls, clinker and blue tiles were also used.^[3] There is an entrance 

in the northwest, and cisterns along with two defensive walls in the castle. 

According to Evliya Çelebi, the castle hosted a sculpture of an eagle. Below 

the castle, the Baysungur Mosque and the Çelebi Ali Mosque, built by 

Baysungur, the bey of Pertek, were located.

"Beat & Release": He Throws Girlfriend Out the Window, She Lands on His Car and Wrecks It

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 May 2021)

            At least he parked in a good spot, for her anyway.

In Muratpaşa, Antalya, S.N.G. (24) came to the second-floor flat of her 

boyfriend Aytaç Süleyman Daşbudak (32), the owner of a car dealership,

yesterday morning at around 5 o'clock.  An argument ensued in front of

the living room window, during which Daşbudak sustained some injuries.

But  the next thing you know S.N.G. was lying flat on her back on top of 

Daşbudak's luxury automobile, bearing plate number 07 TED 11, parked

below in front of the apartment house.  (!)

Breaking through the car's sunroof, S.N.G. was spotted by passers-by

who called police and health workers.  Both S.N.G. were taken to a 

hospital for treatment.   In her statement to police, S.N.G. said that

Daşbudak had thrown her through the window: "we got into an argument

and that's why he threw me out the window."  Daşbudak was charged and

jailed.  As for S.N.G., she has a record for fraud, destroying property and

intentional wounding. 

      Fond of giraffes, even though he can't sell them cars.

Daşbudak said that he and S.N.G. have been together for ten months and

that because S.N.G. hadn't paid her rent she was evicted from her own

flat and moved in with him. Daşbudak added that "while she was living

with me, she transferred 4,250 TL ($500) from my phone bank account

to her own.  I complained to her about this and when she came home at

five o'clock we had a fight and she began to hit me. Then she jumped 

out the window." (!) 

Other residents of the building commented that "the couple entered the

building at 0445 and although the woman did not want to go to Daşbudak's

flat, he forced her to.  The couple fought and the woman began screaming

for help from the window. The next thing you know she was lying on

her back on top of the car." (!)

  

Kitten Saved by YouTube Cat Voices in Maltepe, Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 21 May 2021)

         If this isn't a Disney movie script then nothing is.

Three kittens fell into a 15-meter deep hole in Maltepe, Istanbul.  Two

of the kittens died but one continued to "meow" for help.  Residents

first called the fire department but the firefighters deemed the hole too

risky for a rescue operation.  Next, residents turned to AKUT (search

and rescue) and AFAD (disaster relief) but without success.  

Undaunted, the residents put pipes together and wrapped blankets 

around them for the kitten to climb up on.  As midnight approached

and the "meow" from below stopped, residents went to bed hoping

against hope that the kitten would climb to safety.  

Eylül (September) and friend will star in "September Rice 

Pudding", a joint Disney-Catflix production.

On the morning of the third day, the kitten was still in the hole.  Food

was lowered into the hole for the kitten and one of the residents had

the bright idea to play cat voices from YouTube, noting that "no cat

can resist the sound of another cat."  Sure enough, the kitten began to

climb up the pole in search of the other cat's voice.  

Running our of energy, though, the kitten was stuck but a resident

leaned over and was able to snatch the kitten from the pole.  The

successful rescue brought joy and celebrations for the residents.

The kitten was first brought to a veterinarian for a check-up and then

adopted by 11-year-old Eylül Bilginer, who named the kitten "sütlaç"

(rice pudding).

Alert Jeff Bezos! Amazons on Black Sea Island Under Excavation

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 May 2021)

alert elon musk! TNT billionaire alert service.

 by Jeff Bezos.

After a four-year hiatus, archeologic excavations have started up again 

on Giresun Island, one of only two islands in the Black Sea, comprised 

of 38,000 square meters and home to 71 kinds of natural herbaceous and 

forestry plants, primarily laurel and acacia.  Efforts are underway to get 

Giresun Island on UNESCO's temporary World Heritage List.

According to an announcement from the Giresun governor's office:

"the wall remnants that circle the island all around, the temple ruins from

the 2nd century A.D., the church ruins from the 12th century A.D., the

chapel, the well and many graveyard markers are being spread before

our eyes to show the island's historical wealth.  There were archeologic

excavations done in 2009-2010 and many findings were made.  

Excavations will resume in September-October 2021."

People have been urged to call it "Alexa" henceforth.

"The homeland of the Amazon women: many ruins have been found

relating to mythologic eras when the Amazons and many other tribes

lived on the island.  It is thought that the Amazon women lived here,

that Jason and the Argonauts and Hercules came here in search of

the Golden Fleece and that people have been living on the island, which

has been called by the names 'Aretias, Nesos and Khalkeritis', since

2,000 B.C.  During the 2010 excavations, church and temple ruins,

skeletons and wine casks were found.  The excavations indicated that

the island was a religious center in ancient times."

"Beat & Release": Absent-minded Torturer "May Have Beaten Her"

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 May 2021)

                                  GQ-ready torturer.

Oktay Güler (22) lives in Yenidoğdu village in Hozat district of Tunceli

province.  Seven months ago he began living with E.A. (22) but from 

their first day together arguments between the couple were common. 

Soon afterwards, Güler began to rape and torture E.A., whom he bound

with a chain.  This torture lasted for about six months. On 16 May, Güler

beat E.A. with a belt because some of cigarettes were missing.  Güler

then went out to feed his animals and E.A., whose feet Güler forgot to

chain, escaped through a window.

E.A. encountered a neighbor and asked for help.  After being taken in

to the neighbor's house, Ê.A. called her father A.O. to say "save me 

father!  He's murdering me!"  A.O. alerted security forces and a 

Gendarmerie team took Güler into custody.  However (!), E.A. was

afraid to press charges and after interrogation, Güler was ordered to

stay away from E.A. but was released. (!)

E.A.'s family took her to a hospital, where she obtained a medical

report confirming the wounds Güler's torture had left on her body. 

E.A. then went to the Hozat Gendarmerie Command and pressed

charges against Güler, who was taken into custody again and jailed.

In his statement to the public prosecutor, Güler explained that "Since

I was drunk during our last argument, I don't remember beating her.

I did not insult and threaten her continually for six months.  The

accusations that I locked her in the house and bound her with a chain

are untrue.  However, it may be that the wounds E.A. suffered on 

13 May were the result of me beating her." (!)

Tatooed Dentist Gets MeToo'd by Türkmen Cleaning Lady in Kadıköy

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 May 2021)

                     Some ink on your gums perhaps?

İsmail Beker (70) is a dentist in Kadıköy, Istanbul.  His cleaning lady 

Münire Saparaboye of Türkmenistan went out on the balcony of Beker's

office and screamed "He's sexually assaulting me! Save me!"  

In response, some 15 people entered the building and began to beat and

kick Beker, who had gone down to the building's entrance with 

Saparaboye.

Both Beker and Saparaboye were taken to the police station but soon

afterwards Beker was exonerated by the video from the office camera.

Saparaboye, who worked for Beker for a month, came to demand 9,000

TL (about $1,100) and began recording the scene with her cellphone.

Beker objected and tried to take the cellphone from Saparaboye. At

this point, Saparaboye raced out to the balcony and began screaming

for "help".

Beker filed complaints against Saparaboye and those who pummeled 

him, explaining that "she cleaned for about a month and I paid the

cleaning company.  There was no payment to the individual involved.

On Saturday in the afternoon she came to the office and demanded

9,000 TL.  She said 'if you don't give me my money, then I'll disgrace

you. I'll say you raped me and I'll call your wife.'  I told her I paid

the company for her services and then I noticed that she was 

recording the scene and tried to take the phone away from her. Then

she went out on the balcony and screamed.  I took her down to the

building entrance where there were about 15 people who beat me

without giving me a chance to speak." 

"I've been a dentist for 40 years.  I was very disappointed to see that  

mob mentality.  If it hadn't been for the camera footage I wouldn't

have had a chance.  I'm married and have two children.  My family

came to my defense.  I will not let this rest."

         At least you can put this on Instagram in Ashgabat.

F.U.! And Other Ditched & Bilked Wannabe Grooms of Hayriye Hanım

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 May 2021)

another femme fatale click here for the Tekirdağ version.

Despite appearances, Hayriye hanım insists she's not 

the marrying type.

In Mersin, contractor F.U. (!), who is married, had a six-year relationship

with Hayriye K. (30).  During this time, F.U. continued his marriage and,

at the same time, rented a house where he lived with Hayriye hanım,

planning to live happily ever after once he got divorced.  Consequently,

F.U. had four of his properties registered in Hayriye hanım's name.  He

also bought 8 automobiles of different makes for Hayriye hanım and 

350,000 TL (about $45,000) worth of gold for her. 

However (!), in July 2019, Hayriye hanım left the house she was living

in with F.U. and vanished.  This prompted F.U. to call the police and 

in his statement, F.U. said that "she took all my clothes besides her own.

She also took 150,000 TL of household goods, 50,000 TL worth of my

personal items, as well as 350,000 TL worth of my checks and promissory

notes."

An investigation was opened into Hayriye hanım, who claimed that most

of the items she took from the house were hers but that "if there are checks

and promissory notes among those things I will return them."  F.U. filed

suit against Hayriye hanım for "misuse of trust" and she countersued F.U.

for "insulting".  F.U. also had a court order issued to put a stay on the 

registration of the four properties he signed over to Hayriye hanım, who

claimed that he works for minimum wage and she derives income from 

the properties in question. 

It turns out, though, that Nuri Ö., who works in the natural gas sector in

Mersin, bought 300,000 TL worth of gold for Hayriye hanım, who 

promised to marry HIM.  Nuri Ö. has filed a criminal complaint against

her but the complaint was thrown out.  Nevertheless, Nuri Ö. has 

started a legal process to get the gold back from Hayriye hanım.  

Similarly, furniture gallery manager Ali K. filed a complaint against

Hayriye hanım after she got 40,000 TL worth of goods from him before

vanishing.  

                    A working girl who plays the odds.

Hayriye hanım's lawyer Abdullah Naci Torun explained that "my client

worked as a croupier at casinos in Cyprus for a time.  She is also a 

teacher (!).  The accusations against her are baseless."

F.U.' wife and Hayriye hanım have filed suits against one another for

insulting text messages.  F.U.'s former assistant Fulya B. also filed

suit against Hayriye hanım for smashing a bottle on her head, which,

if found guilty, would put Hayriye hanım in jail for 7 months 15 days.