Does He Get Air Miles?

miles links to related article

(Takvim Newspaper, 25 February 2013)

Not our hero but he wore such a jacket.

An Atlas Jet airplane that departed from Istanbul's
Ataturk Airport landed in Tehran yesterday morning
at 0300 hours. But as the ground crew unloaded the
luggage from the plane they noticed a person asleep
in the cargo hold. The sleeper was wearing a jacket
belonging to the Celebi Air Services company that
serviced the plane in Istanbul.

At first it was thought that this person was a Celebi
worker who had somehow been left behind in the
hold at Ataturk Airport. It was later learned, though,
that the individual had entered the hold acting as a
Celebi employee. The suspect, whose name was not
released, had come to Istanbul from Van, in eastern
Turkey, 20 days before but ran out of money.

Officials said that the Iranian stowaway was able
to survive in the cargo hold because it is only 5 or
6 degrees colder than the cabin.

Murder: Overeating and Nail Polish

overeater lnks to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 24 February 2013)

Taking a stand against overeaters.

In Kayseri, market worker Cengiz Alptekin (26) was
eating lunch the day before yesterday at the Tekel
restaurant with his friend Metin Aşmaz (22). Allegedly,
Aşmaz said to Alptekin "You've eaten quite a bit. Now
stop."  An argument ensued and Aşmaz went to his car,
pulled out a pump-action rifle and chased Alptekin as
far as the mosque. Aşmaz then pointed the barrel at
Alptekin and pulled the trigger. Alptekin could not be
saved and Aşmaz was arrested with his rifle.

Curb your appetite in Kayseri...

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

 nail polish links to original article

Look closely and you can see the nail polish.

(Sabah and Hürriyet Newspapers, 26 February 2013)

In Sancaktepe, Istanbul, Murat Midilli (25) stabbed his uncle
Halim Midilli while arguing with him for disturbing his mother.
Murat Midilli fled the scene, while Halim Midilli was taken
to the hospital where he died.

Murat hid out for a time in a relative's home in Darıca, Kocaeli,
but, thinking that his uncle Halim had not died and was receiving
treatment at the hospital, he hatched a murder plan. Murat donned
a wig, put on make-up and nail polish with the intent of sneaking
into the hospital as a woman and killing his uncle there. However,
police nabbed him as he left his hide-out in Darıca. Murat then
learned that his uncle had died at the hospital. Murat was sent back
to Istanbul.

                                                                 Darıca, noted for its polish, is in Gebze district of Kocaeli province

Trabzon: Image Make-over, Bike Return

tonya links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 24 February 2013)

Mayor on image offensive.

Trabzon's Tonya district, where in the lore of the
Black Sea the words "furdi, furdi, furuldi" (he shot
and shot and then got shot) are said to be written
on tombstones, and which is famed for being the
site of blood feuds, has set out on an interesting
image make-over.

At last week's 7th 'Trabzon from Every Which Way'
festival, held at the Ataturk Cultural Center in Ankara,
Tonya municipality displayed four tombstones, two of
which were taken from an Ottoman period cemetery in
Tonya, at its stand. The tombstones were both frightening
and intersting to citizens.

The reason for displaying the tombstones was Tonya's
reputation as a center for blood feuds. Tonya Mayor
Ahmet Kurt said that "there are guns on the tombstones
reflecting the love the people of the Black Sea region have
for guns. But there's no blood feud. We brought the tomb-
stones here to make this point, taking advantage of this
opportunity. These people died natural deaths. In other
words, "furdi, furdi furuldi" (as said with the Black Sea
accent) or "vurdu, vurdu vuruldu" (normal Turkish spelling)
is not written on tombstones. We've put that image to rest
here."

Mayor Kurt drove home this point by putting a note under
each tombstone: "Died Naturally".

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

vakfikebir links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 24 February 2013)

Old friend returns 20 years later.

In Trabzon's Vakfikebir district, Seyfi Cabuk (59), who
has worked as an electrician for 30 years, had the bicycle
he used to use to go to work stolen from in front of his
house in the Buyukliman neighborhood 20 years ago. At
that time he was forced to walk long distances to work
because he had no bicycle anymore. So when he saw the
same bike in front of his house the other day he couldn't
hide his surprise.

Cabuk, who had a hard time remembering the date of the
bicycle theft, said that "a few days ago I noticed a bike
in front of my house as I left for work. There was a note
on the bike that read 'I took this bike from the stairs of
your house 20 years ago and today I brought it back. Please
give me your blessing.' Whether I know him or not he has
my blessing. I can't really get any use out of it now but the
spiritual value is great."

Tonya and Vakfikebir districts on the left.

Self-inflicted YouTube Gaffe

fame links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 21 February 2013)

Quest for fame overwhelms prudence...

Ankara police took Kadir Inan (34) into custody in 2011
during a narcotics raid against a drug gang. Inan had a
record of more than 10 crimes that included drug sales,
possession, assault and threatening. He was thrown in
jail.

While Inan was in the Sincan F-type Prison he came up
with a scenario worthy of a film. During meal time he grabbed
a knife and stuck it into his own chest, leading to a bloody
trip to the hospital. Then, recuperating in the hospital after
an operation, Inan took advantage of his sleeping guards
and escaped by jumping from a second-floor window.

Inan is a big fan of the Polat Alemdar character in the TV
series "Kurtlar Vadisi" (Valley of the Wolves) and even
dresses like Polat. He was able to avoid police for two years
by using a fake ID card but on 10 February he made a video
of himself while driving on the TEM highway. Inan put the
clip on Youtube under the heading "You have to be willing
to risk everything".

Police watched the video and found the IP address of the
computer Inan used to make the video, subsequently raiding
a house in Golbasi, Ankara. Inan was found hiding in the
basement of the house and taken into custody. During a
search of the house an unlicensed handgun was found.

Transportation Troubles

stuck links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 20 February 2013)

What me worry?

Semsettin Taskiran (22) and his friends were
roaming around the dry river bed between the
Bahcelievler and Adliye Saray neighborhoods
in Denizli on Sunday and made a bet.

Taskiran claimed that he could make it across on
the nearly 30 meter-long water pipe that spans the
river bed but when he got to the middle of the pipeline,
which is 8 meters above ground, he couldn't go any
further. While Taskiran was being rescued by the
fire department his pals laughed their heads off.

Stranded braggart rescued.

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

flooded links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 20 February 2013)

No diving allowed.

In Umraniye, Istanbul, a bus crashed into a hydrant following an
accident and the water rushing in from the bottom of the bus made
for rough time for the passengers. Yesterday at 1400 at the Kemerdere
intersection on the Eski Sile Road, the bus, en route on its Uskudar-
Cekmekoy run, was hit by a passing truck. The bus then hit the
hydrant, with the high-pressure water tearing the bus's underbody
apart.

The 20 passengers, facing drowning, broke open the windows
with safety hammers and got out. Three injured passengers were taken
to the hospital. One passenger, Zulal Kay, said "a truck hit the bus from
the right side and the bus hit the hydrant. There were kids on the bus and
they were frightened. We got out with great difficulty". Some stores were
inundated, as well.

Great Holy Man Abdurrahman Lies Here, Maybe

unknown links to original article

(Hurriyet Newspaper, 13 February 2013)

Please let Rizespor win!

Muhammet Meral, who lived in Taslik village in
Rize's Gundogdu township, began to build a house
on a plot of land in the 1950's. However, the
foundation caved in three times so the villagers
consulted a hoca. The hoca proclaimed that "a
great man lies here and you're building a house
on top of him." This was enough to stop construction.

Subsequently, a small tomb was erected on the plot
where it is believed that the Great Holy Man Abdurrahman
lies. As for the house, it was built as a three-story
edifice nearby. Today there is no one around who knows
who either the hoca or Great Holy Man Abdurrahman was.

Tomb of the unknown Great Holy Man

 

 

 

Rookie Robber Leaves Own Credit Card

creditcard links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 17 February 2013)

Whoops! Forgot my credit card...

In Izmir, a young man gave his credit card to
a jeweler to buy a bracelet and then pulled a
gun on the store owner in a robbery attempt.
When the jeweler sounded the alarm the panic-
stricken youth fled, forgetting his credit card,
and ultimately got caught.

The youth, M.E.A. (20) who is serving in the military
in Kutahya, met a girl from Izmir on the internet
and decided to marry her. M.E.A. took leave from
his unit and went with his father to Izmir's Torbali
district to get engaged. While there, the young man
went to the jewelry store and had three bracelets
weighed.

M.E.A. gave the jeweler his credit card to pay for
the bracelets but suddenly pulled a gun from his
waist and confronted the merchant, saying "this
is a robbery, if you value your life put the gold
in the bag."  At this point, the jeweler pressed the
alarm button that rings at police headquarters.
Realizing this the young man fled in a panic,
leaving his credit card behind.

Police took the credit card from the jeweler and
reviewed the security camera images. The suspect's
photo was distributed and the town was sealed off.
About 50 minutes later M.E.A. was apprehended
while walking along the street. In order not to be
recognized he had taken off his sweater and hat.
Since he is in the military, M.E.A. was delivered
to the Gendarmerie for prosecution.

M.E.A. explained that he attempted the robbery
after he found out that his intended bride's family
was in financial difficulties.

Torbali just south of Izmir city.