"Leap & Release": Couples Wary of Marrying on 29 February, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 February 2024)

Today, 29 February, comes around once every four years so couples who

marry on this day can celebrate their anniversaries just once in four years.

Consequently, couples choose another date to marry. 

For example, at the Kadir Topbaş Municipal Marriage Hall in Bağcılar,

Istanbul, each day at least 10 couples tie the knot - yet today there are

no marriage ceremonies scheduled.  Looking at past leap years, one sees 

that in 2020 just three couples married on 29 February.  

Similarly, there are no marriages scheduled for today at the Ümraniye

Marriage Hall, and in Kadıköy, although five couples got married 

yesterday, just one couple will get married at the marriage hall there 

today. 

Türks would take issue...

"Vote & Release": Namesakes on the Ballot - One Devilishly Tricky, One Bizarrely Coincidental

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Cumhuriyet Newspaper, article by Sertaç Eş, 28 February 2024) 

               "Will the real Ahmet Akın please stand up!"

After the candidate lists for the local elections in Balıkesir were 

determined, an unexpected development has occurred.  Ahmet Akın, 

the CHP candidate for mayor of Balıkesir, whose chances of election 

are deemed good, has come face to face (!) with a devious plan to 

sabotage him - another "Ahmet Akın" has appeared on the ballot as an 

independent candidate. (!)

The intent seems to be to siphon votes away from the CHP candidate by

confusing voters.  CHP'er Ahmet Akın, criticizing the AKP government of

Balıkesir that has been in power for the past five years, asserted that 

"Out of fear, they've resorted to this trick that not even Satan could devise.

If they had provided the desired services to the people of Balıkesir for the

past five years they wouldn't have to stoop to such intrigues."

********************************************************

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Anatolian News Agency website, 18 February 2024)

             At least they don't look too much alike.

Bayram Demir, 45-years-old and born in Giresun province's Yağlıdere

district, and Bayram Demir (!), 49-years-old and also born in Yağlıdere,

are both candidates for the 31 March election to become the 

neighborhood chief of the Ulus section of Gebze in Kocali province.  

They even drive the same kind of car!

The national election authority tries to prevent ballot confusion like 

this by putting the namesake candidate's parents' names next to theirs 

on the ballot.  

"Beat & Release": Ceiling-splitting Noisey Neighbors, in Sarıyer, Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 February 2024)

                Good ceilings make good neighbors.

In Sarıyer, Istanbul, interior designer Sahra Cansu Yıldırım filed a police 

complaint about the noise being made by her upstairs neighbor, such 

that the noise created cracks in her ceiling (!).   

Sahra Cansu hanım in defensive mode.

Her upstairs neighbor Selen G. increased the noise to spite the 

complainant and, in addition, enlisted her ex-husband Ünal Ö. to 

threaten and harass Sahra Cansu hanım, whose lawyer stated that 

"Ünal Ö. spewed unrepeatable curses at my client and threatened her 

sexually, as well, making her reluctant to go to her own home."  

The court issued a 2-month (!) restraining order against Ünal Ö.

"Beat & Release": Traffic Ticket Offensive by "Honorary Inspector" Roils 55th Street, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 February 2024)

  

                             The 55th Street Revolt!

On 55th Street in the Davutpaşa neighborhood of Istanbul's Esenler 

district, many drivers have been given parking tickets over and over 

again on the same day and at the same times.  In order to protest this

situation, drivers formed a convoy, came to 55th Street, blew their car

horns and covered their license plates to avoid getting more tickets (!). 

One of the 55th Street victims, Vokan Karakaş, lamented that "a retired

policeman who is "fahri müfettiş" ( honorary traffic inspector (!)) started

to write traffic tickets against us repeatedly.  I realized that I wasn't the 

only victim so now we have a WhatsApp group with 150 members and 

many of us formed a protest convoy to condemn this 'honorary inspector', 

who wrote 7-8 tickets for our cars at the same time on the same day.  We

went to court and found out who he is - a retired policeman.  The day

he wrote seven tickets against me I wasn't even in Esenler and I had

video and photographic proof that I wasn't there!"

Counterattacking, the "honorary inspector" pointed to this 

sign prominently displayed on 55th Street: 

"Beat & Release": Social Media Phenom "Bird Man" Proves He Cannot Fly, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 February 2024)

            Forgot to figure in the "whoops" factor. 

Social media "phenom" Ozan Kuşçu (24 and whose surname means 

"bird fancier") lives in Konyaaltı district of Antalya province.  Last 

week he went to Güver Cliff Canyon to record a video of himself in 

a hammock hanging above the 60-meter chasm there.  

He planned to remain in the hammock for 24 hours, bidding well-

wishers and followers: "if anything happens to me, give me your 

blessings."  At that moment (!) one of the ropes holding the hammock

snapped and he fell 20 meters into the chasm.  But a rope linked to his

waist prevented him from falling all the way to the bottom of the 

chasm.  Rescuers arrived and after two hours of effort they succeeded

in saving Kuşçu, who declared "I'm lucky to be alive!"

"Bark & Release": Pomeranian Crisis! "Lui Lui" Held Captive in Antalya!

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 February 2024)

For the original "Louie Louie" FBI crisis listen here and

see below:

not about a dog long ago in America (1963)...

               Aslı hanım and "Lui" in happier days.

Aslı Ayan, a performer working in the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet

organization, met Havva Ayşe Güzel when she was living in Antalya

five years ago.  In June 2019, Havva Ayşe hanım gave Aslı hanım a

Pomeranian-breed dog named "Lui" and Aslı hanım had the creature

registered as belonging to her.

In January 2021, Havva Ayşe hanım asked Aslı hanım to let her have

"Lui" back for a while.  Aslı hanım delivered "Lui" to Havva Ayşe hanım,

temporarily she thought, but the latter said she would not give "Lui" back

so Aslı hanım filed suit in April 2021. 

A court in Antalya issued its decision in June 2022, ordering that "Lui"

be returned to Aslı hanım.  However (!), so far Havva Ayşe hanım has

not complied with the court's order.   A crestfallen Aslı hanım said "Lui

has disappeared from my life."

Another good example of "there's no such thing as bad publicity"...

The band attracted nationwide attention when "Louie Louie" was banned 

by the governor of Indiana, Matthew E. Welsh, also attracting the attention 

of the FBI because of alleged indecent lyrics in their version of the song. 

The lyrics were, in fact, innocent, but Ely's baffling enunciation permitted 

teenage fans and concerned parents alike to imagine the most scandalous

obscenities. (Ironically, the FBI totally missed Lynn Easton yelling "Fuck!" 

at 0:54 after fumbling a drum fill.) All of this attention only made the song 

more popular. In April 1966 "Louie Louie" was reissued and once again hit 

the music charts, reaching No. 65 on the Cashbox chart and No. 97 on the 

Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Beat & Release": In-laws' and Outlaw's Deadly Showdown, in Isparta

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 February 2024)

Defendant must live for about 400 more years to complete

his sentence. After that, he'll be a free man. 

Last year on 10 August, near Yenicekale village in Isparta's Şarkikaraağaç

district, Hayrettin Tekeli (71) came face to face with Osman Karakoç (36),

İmran Karakoç (39) and Adnan Karakoç - the children of  his daughter's

father-in-law, along with Bedrettin Deniz (46) the father-in-law's son-in-law

(!).   Tekeli grabbed a "pomplalı tüfek" (pump-action rifle) from his car and

shot dead all four of them. (!)

Tekeli then turned himself in to the police and a trial began, with a sentence

of four lifetime prison terms requested.  During the trial Tekeli "explained"

that there was enmity between him and the deceased individuals over 

money and that he killed them because they threatened him.  Tekeli 

expressed regret but, nevertheless, the court sentenced him to four lifetime

prison terms. 

It's a lovely place, please come visit.

"Beat & Release": Estranged Thieves Can't Get Their Stories Straight, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 21 February 2024)

 Turkey's next astronauts. Will need separate capsules. 

In Pendik district of Istanbul, two thieves who entered a house attracted

the attention of policemen guarding the nearby district chief's office so the

thieves opened fire on the police (!).   When the policemen returned fire

the two thieves fled on a motorcycle.  

The police identified the thieves as Salih Özmen and Seyithan Karataş.

Özmen, who has a police record of seven past crimes, was arrested in

Kadıköy.  In his statement to police, Özmen claimed that "I haven't 

spoken with Seyithan Karataş for four years.  I wasn't there that night."

As for Karataş, he was nabbed in a friend's home in Şile and jailed. 

In his statement, Karataş "explained" that "until I was taken to the police

station I didn't know why I'd been arrested.  We thought that the police

came because we fired a rifle at the hawks threatening the pigeons. (!)

I've known Salih Özmen for a long time but we've been on bad terms for

3-4 years.  We don't like each other so that's probably why he slandered

me.  I wasn't involved in the incident."

"Beat & Release": Hunters Build Blinds but Are Blind to Hunting Prohibition, in Diyarbakır

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 February 2024)

                           Blinds leading the blind.

The Kabaklı Sulama Pond, created by waters from the Tigris River on 

the campus of Dicle University in Diyarbakır, is home to more than 200

species of birds, including storks, herons, sandpipers, larks, pigeons, 

goldfinches, turtle doves, redshanks and black-necked stilts (!).  The

site, essentially a bird haven, has become a go-to place for birdwatchers.

However (!), despite hunting being prohibited, some unidentified 

individuals cut down four trees on the campus to make hunting blinds

in two places, where many spent bullet shells have been found.  

Dicle University's Biology Department Chief Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kılıç

asserted that this illegal hunting threatens bird species with extinction

and he added that "our winter birds and other animals are faced with

this problems.  Unfortunately, the hunters have cut down trees to make

blinds for themselves, harming the trees and murdering the birds with

automatic weapons (!).  There is no need for hunting these days, it's 

considered just a hobby, a sport.  From the spent cartridges we know

that tens of bullets have been fired at the birds.  Kabaklı Pond can be

entered with permission but the hunters ignore the prohibition on 

hunting.  We have many species here but we will lose them all if this

continues. We expect the requisite penalties for these hunters."

"Beat & Release": Uzbek Woman, All Black and Blue, Lacked Fresh Redness Around Wounds; "Attacker" Released, in Denizli

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 February 2024)

                A colorful story of black, blue and red.

Ramazan Akbay (59), a retired farmer and the father of three children, 

lives in Honaz district of Denizli province.  His wife died four years ago.

Through his niece, he met and began chatting by cellphone with 

Zulkhunur K. (39), who was living in Uzbekistan.  The two decided to

live together and on 18 July last year Zulkhunur settled into Akbay's 

house.  Two days later, Zulkhunur hanım ran barefooted to the local 

police station, claiming that Akbay had sexually harassed her, beat her

and stole her belongings. (!) 

Zulkhunur hanım got a report from a hospital that showed more than 50

bruises on her body.  Akbay, who was arrested and jailed on 21 July, 

rejected her claims but a case was filed against him for "kidnapping, theft 

and sexual harassment" with a related jail sentence of up to 45 years.

However (!), at a court hearing on 8 February,  Akbay's lawyer Salim 

Kutlutürk declared that Zulkhunur hanım's bruises must have been 

sustained before the date of the alleged attack by Akbay because so soon

after the "attack" there should have been only redness around the wounds,

rather than black and blue marks.  

Hearing this, the court ordered Akbay's release from jail.  His lawyer 

Kutlutürk asserted that Zukhunur hanım had lied and that "the bruises

on a woman who arrived in Turkey two days before the 'attack' should

have shown redness.  The court agreed and my client was released from

jail.  In all likelihood, she sustained the bruises in Uzbekistan and came

to Turkey to save herself."  

As for Akbay, he lamented that "she wanted 5 bracelets and a pricey

telephone from me.  I said that maybe later I'd get those things for her.

We went to my home but then she ran away and accused me.  But I 

didn't do anything to her, yet I've spent 6.5 months in jail for nothing."

"Beat & Release": Murder Case Hangs on Heartbeat Record of "Smart Watch", in Erzurum

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 February 2024)

                           Witness for the prosecution.

Russian Anastasia Emelianova (33) came to Erzurum after the Russia-

Ukraine war broke out and struck up a romance via social media with 

Syrian coffee shop barista Mohammad Nizar Arnabeh (30).  Last 20 

September the couple had an argument, which was heard by neighbors.

A few hours later, Arnabeh came to a neighbor on the floor below to

request help because he said Emelianova was injured. 

Police and medics arrived to find Emelianova dead from blood loss.

Arnabeh was arrested and in the first hearing of the case he asserted

that he would not concur with his earlier statement to police that he

had stabbed Emelianova in her calf with a piece of broken glass.  He

"explained" to the court that "I do not accept the statement I gave at

the police station, which was a piece of fiction.  This is what happened:

I left work at 0115 hours and came home at 0135 hours and found

Anastasia face-down on the floor and I thought she must be dead."

Begüm Osma, the lawyer for Emelianova's family, took note of 

Arnabeh's conflicting statements and pointed to Emelianova's 

"smart watch" as the key to finding the truth because the watch would

have recorded when and whether Emelanova's heartbeat stopped.  (!)

She added that "this was a monstrous murder of a woman and we will

not let it rest."

Consequently, an expert will examine the "smart watch" until the 

court takes up the case again in March. 

Time flies when you're having fun.

"Beat & Release". Unhappy Valentine's Day as Lovers Argue, Jump into the Bosphorus - Both Died

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 February 2024)

            Lovers' view but you have to live to enjoy it. 

The day before yesterday in Sarıyer, Istanbul, Aleyna Sarıkaya (23) and

her boyfriend Ramazan Kaya (24) came to Emirgan pier on the Bosphorus

with two friends towards morning.  As the couple sat in their car an 

argument erupted, prompting Aleyna hanım to get out of the car and jump 

into the water (!). 

Seeing his girlfriend struggling in the sea, Ramazan bey jumped in too to

try to save her.  Neither one of them could get out of the water, though, so

their friends called for help and both the maritime police and the coast

guard sent units to retrieve Aleyna hanım and Ramazan bey from the water

but they were both unconscious.  Efforts to revive the two went for naught

and they both died at a hospital. 

"Beat & Release": Neighbors Beat Him to Death and Tried to Make it Look Like an Accident, in Denizli

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 February 2024)

Lesson learned too late: good fences make good neighbors.

In Acıpayam district of Denizli province on the night of 15 September

police were alerted to a motorcycle accident and, upon arriving at the

scene, determined that Şahin Demirten (65) had died.

However (!), Demirten's children, son Ceyhun Demirten and daughter

Ceylan Kaçar suspected foul play and found blood stains and parts of 

wooden bats near the "accident" scene.  The children suspected that 

their father's neighbors had killed him and after an investigation 

neighbors Hasan G. (63), his wife Makbule G. (59), his son Cihan G.

(22) and daughter Serap G. (38) were taken into custody.  

In the ensuing interrogations, Cihan G. confessed to the murder,

"explaining" that he persistently asked Demirten for money and when

Demirtan refused he hit him with a wooden bat.  The other family 

members then dragged Demirten 50 meters away and beat him some

more.  

To give the incident the mask of an accident, the G-family members

created a brake skid mark and Cihan G. reported the "accident" to

the police, giving an "eyewitness" report to the police, as well.  

Yesterday the entire family was arrested, with Cihan G. jailed and the

others released on judicial supervision. 

"Keep the Beat and Release": Fun and Music to Start the School Day, in Kayseri

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 16 February 2024)

                        "Get fired up!" for the school day.

Şule Yüksel, who has been teaching at Osman Zeki Yücesan elementary

school in Kayseri for 24 years, starts her students' day with musical 

exercises in the school's garden each morning.  

Şule hanım explained that her aim is to have the students' interest in their 

lessons amplified by the exercises, adding that "along with a few of my

teaching colleagues, we decided to use this musical exercise approach to

motivate the students.  If it's too cold in the early morning, we have them

do the exercises a bit later in the day when it warms up.  Every day we

play new music and introduce new dance moves for the students' welfare

and our own."

Some of us have fun-less memories of grade school...

"Beat & Release": Pope's Would-be 1981 Assassin Still Quite a Troublemaker, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 February 2024)

Father forgave him for he knew not "what" he did....

but he's never stopped doing "it". 

Mehmet Ali Ağca, infamously known for the 1979 assassination of 

Milliyet Newspaper's chief editor Abdi İpekçi and for the attempted

assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981, is now on trial for 

intimidation, based on a complaint from Gökhan Soylu, a vegetable 

commission agent at the fruit and vegetable wholesale market in 

Bayrampaşa, Istanbul.  

According to the complaint, lodged against Ağca,, who changed his

surname to "Aslan", and four others, Soylu explained that Muhittin 

Erdal, with whom Soylu was engaged in business, owed him money.  

Soylu purchased a house owned by Erdal's nephew in Bahçelieveler 

but Mehmet Ali Ağca threatened Soylu and had the house turned over 

to himself, through intimidation.  

At the hearing yesterday in court in Bakırköy, witness Ahmet Gülmedi,

who works with Soylu, stated that "they summoned us to the office of

Mehmet Ali Ağca in Bakırköy.  Ağca pounded on his desk and said

'You're rich! You have a BMW! These fellows are poor, you'll give them

the flat.  Otherwise, we'll see what happens.  You have children and we 

know where you live and when you go to an from work.'"  (!)

"Soylu was scared by this outburst and a few days later he signed the 

flat over to Ağca, who then said to us 'Don't say anything to anyone

about this. Disappear.'  He also took a 1,300,000 TL (about $42,000)

check from us."

The court issued a warrant for fugitive suspect Ahmet Çetin and 

postponed the trial until Çetin is apprehended. 

Still has "that look" in his eyes :(

"Beat & Release": Hookwinkers Sold Same Car 8 Times, in Ankara

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 February 2024)

                   Can't seem to find a good home.

In Ankara, Halil Ç. agreed with B.K.A., G.Ç. and EG.A. to buy a used 

car, giving them a down payment of 65,000 TL (about $2,100).  The 

three sellers brought the car to Halil bey and even gave him the key,

but they noted that "we don't have the car's documents so we'll bring

them tomorrow and finalize the sale."  

However (!), that night the "sellers" came back and took the car with

a spare key.  When he woke up in the morning Halil bey first thought

the car had been stolen but he then realized he'd been duped by the 

"sellers", who ignored his phone calls.  Finally, a few days later E.G.A.

answered a call from Halil bey and "explained" that "sorry! I did this to

you together with B.K.A. and G.Ç. and my share was 8,000 TL, which

I will give back to you. I duped you and I regret it."

Indeed, the 8,000 TL found its way into Halil bey's bank account.  It

turned out that the "sellers" had pulled this stunt with the same car 8

times before (!).  Halil bey's lawyer Ali Erdem Gündoğan noted that 

"this is a new fraud technique. They 'sell' the car, get a down payment

and take the car back, before disappearing.  A lot of people have been

hoodwinked this way. "

In the footsteps of another notorious used car salesman.

"Beam & Release": Passenger on Pegasus Airlines Plane Points Laser at Tower and Other Planes, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 February 2024)

The night before last at 2155 hours, Pegasus Airlines flight PC-2026,

an Airbus A320 airplane, took off from Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) Airport 

in Istanbul en route to Antalya.  

However (!), shortly after take-off it was determined that a passenger

inside the plane was pointing a laser at the SAW air traffic control tower

and at other airplanes.  The tower alerted both the Pegasus flight pilot

and Antalya airport about the laser beams and the passenger was 

identified by the flight crew.  He was taken into custody by police at

Antalya airport. 

Suspect has a long history of this kind of activity...

 

Good thing it wasn't a phaser...

"Bleat & Release": February is Birthday Month for Sheep, in Çemişgezek

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 February 2024)

         Ahmet had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb...

Sheep herd owners in Kıraçlar village, located 33 kilometers from 

Çemişgezek in Tunceli province, have their sheep in a "kom" (winter

station for flocks) 10 kilometers from their homes.  The "kom" is a

sheepfold surrounded by stone walls and covered with tenting.  

As of February, the herd owners have a new concern: the sheep will

give birth.  So the owners are keeping a 24-hour watch on the "kom"

in the face of the twin risks of cold weather and wild animals. When

the sheep give birth the owners are there to act as veterinarians and

make sure the newborns are safe.  Some sheep giving birth for the

first time don't always look after their lambs so the owners step in here,

too.   The mothers and lambs are brought together twice each day for

feedings.

Kangal dogs ward off the wolves.