Rize Folks See Things a Bit Differently

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 6 April 2016)


Rize's Bilal Atasoy built this house to fit a steep slope.

After a year looking into the matter, researcher-writer Adem
İmdat Kesici has identified 118 inventions and discoveries of
Rize residents that have been registered and which have drawn
interest from the populace.  Kesici has tried to determine the
genesis of these wonders, based on Rize natives' agile intellect,
curiosity and abilities.


'Atmaca 53' (Slingshot 53) in a class of its own. 

One of the interesting inventions in the book is a 3-person car
produced by Hayrullah Koçoğlu of Ardeşen district. The car
can reach speeds of 120 kilometers per hour and is named
'Atmaca 53'.


 I.M. Pei (from Rize, of course) would be proud.


                          Rize province

Parking Dispute Leaves Two Orphans

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 5 April 2016)


Yes, but it's hard to believe...

In Adana, a parking lot quarrel between two neighbors ended in
a double murder. The incident occurred in the Toros neighborhood
of Çukurova district the night before last. Tekin Özmetin (35), who
owns a textile firm, wanted to take his car out of the apartment
house parking lot but was blocked by the car of neighbor Hasan U.
(54), with whom Özmetin had had previous problems.

When Özmetin couldn't move his car he went to Hasan U.'s 6th
floor flat and asked him to move his own car. Özmetin waited in
vain for Hasan U. to come down and then called the police.  At
this point Hasan U.'s older brother Sadık U. (59) began arguing
with Özmetin.  Hearing his brother's voice, Hasan U. grabbed his
gun and came down to Özmetin's flat on the 3rd floor.


Parking and the sacred space: certainly worth martyrdom.

There, Hasan U. sprayed bullets at Öztekin and his wife Sinem (38),
killing them both.  Police took the U. brothers into custody and the
Özmetin's two daughters, aged 8 and 5, were left orphans as they
slept.  Özmetin's relatives, upon hearing of the deaths, gathered
at the front of the building and tried to enter but were rebuffed by
police using pepper spray.


                           Adana province

Underwater Hockey: Turks Are World No. 2!

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 4 April 2016)


                 A fish's eyeview of the action.

Our (Turkish) National A-team has scored a success that will
long be talked about, at the Underwater Hockey World
Championship held in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The national
team took second place in the tournament, which is held in an
atmosphere 800 times (!) more intense than the air.

Our nationals prepared well for the world championship that
was held between 23 March and 2 April, winning five of six
matches and rising to the semi-final. In order to make the final
our team, which is one of the four best in the world, met England,
a country which has made great investments in pool sports.


         World Number Two Submariners.

With one minute to go in the match, Turkey had to continue with
only two players, because of some red cards.  Nevertheless, we
were able to score a goal againt England, which was defending
its goal with six players, and won the match 3-2.  In the final,
our team lost to Australia 3-0.

Coach Cem Ekşioğlu had this to say about the team's success:
"we are dedicating our world number two to our martyrs in
the battle against terrorism."  


   Where the heck is Stellenbosch?

"Jammer" Jockey Courts Death

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 3 April 2016)


               He'll start to glow shortly...

The "jammer" used as a security measure during Religious
Affairs Minister Mehmet Görmez's visit to southeast Turkey
last week was noteworthy because, according to experts, the
policeman wearing the jammer device on his back was inviting
deadly health problems.

Dr. Selçuk Çömlekçi of Süleyman Demirel University in Isparta
explained that the jammer radiates magnetic waves in the 1-30
GHz range, with a strength of between 1-100 watts. The person
carrying the device is subjected to a 1 degree temperature rise
every 6 minutes in his head and back. Consequently the device
should be behind a metal protector in a vehicle, rather than being
carried by a human being.



           Jamming in SE Turkey.

Viagra Falls From Heaven

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 1 April 2016)



Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca has that naughty look in his eye...

Lawyer Rasim Kubilay Ünlü has filed a legal complaint with
the Bakırköy Public Prosecutor about Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü
(no relation), otherwise known as 'Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca'
('cübbeli' meaning one who wears the robes of an imam). Lawyer
Ünlü claims that a book entitled "Healthful Ayets Appropriate for
Every Organ" written by Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca, incites the public
to hatred and enmity and constitutes a crime of humiliation and
insult.

Lawyer Ünlü asserted that in the book the following statements
were given under the title "prayers for the male sex organ":

1st Prescription: "Regarding prayers for water in a portion of the
verse of the Quran, the 260th ayet of the Bakara Sura. Take water
and sprinkle it on the organ of generation and drink the rest of the
water."

2nd Prescription: "In order to remedy the weakness of the organ
of generation, read the El-Adiyat sura and blow."

3rd Prescription: "Speak God's name Kayyum and blow on the
organ."

4th Prescription: "He who speaks these seven sacred names one
hundred times, morning and evening, will never suffer impotency."



       Post-prescription contemplation.

Lawyer Ünlü asserted that using suras, ayets and, indeed, even
God's name for these made-up methods in prescriptions, which
have no basis in religion, constitute an insult to Islam, Moslems
and God.  Ünlü noted that the High Council of Religious Affairs
of the Ministry of Religious Affairs has stated that such superstitions
are harmful to Islam. Lawyer Ünlü demanded that the book be banned
and copies gathered up.

As for Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca, in his statement to the proscutor he
claimed that he had merely translated quotes from Arabic. He
added that "the reader can believe them or not.  I am free to quote
whatever I want to when I write a book.  There are other elements
of the Quran that address sexual issues, just like for any other
aspect of human life.  My aim was certainly not to cause harm to
religious values. Essentially, there are ayets in the İsra Sura of
the Quran about this matter."



            Among his fan base.