'Dracula Bug' Sucking the Life Out of Hazelnut Trees in Trabzon

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 21 January 2021)

                     Dracula's hazelnut-blood fetish.

In Trabzon's Maçka district, so far 750 dekar (about 200 acres) of 

hazelnut orchards have been cleansed of the 'dracula bug' that has

been ravaging the trees, leaving another 1700 dekar in seven villages

still to be treated by the deadline of 26 February.  

There is no other way to battle the 'dracula bug', which sucks the life

out of (!) hazelnut trees, other than burning all the orchards where the

bugs are found.  First, the branches are cut, gathered and burned.  The

trees themselves are then ripped out by their roots and buried deep in 

the ground.  

       As with its master, the bug must be burned at the stake.

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry plans to compensate the 

hazelnut growers at 15 TL (about 10 cents) per kilogram during the

four-year period (!) when tree planting will be prohibited.

                          Now his pets get top billing.

Catch My "Drift"? I Want You to Marry Me!

türkçe links to original Turkish article and 

"drift" video.

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 January 2021)

What could be more romantic than a "drift"-assisted 

marriage proposal? Although there was a price to pay.

In Serik district, Antalya, İsmail Göksu (29) conspired with his friends 

to spring a surprise wedding proposal on his girlfriend Gözde.  The 

evening before last at around 7 PM,  they all met in the courtyard of the 

Çandır Şehit Öğretmen Mustafa Saadettin Küçük middle school.  Amid 

sparklers and confetti, Göksu got down on one knee and asked Gözde

hanım to marry him.  

At this point, one of Göksu's friends, driving a car with plate number

07 FK 354, began to "drift" (drive in a continuous circle) around the

happy couple, while the other friends immortalized the moment with

their cell phone cameras, for sharing on social media.  

However (!), the Gendarmerie also saw the activity on social media

and arrived at the scene to issue fines totalling 78,137 TL (about 

$10,000) to driver S.C. (33), B.Ş. (29) and 22 others.  

Göksu summed things up by saying "This had to be the wedding 

proposal of the century.  We all got together at 7 o'clock but we 

definitely practiced social distancing.  The only thing that was a bit

naughty was the "drift".  Otherwise, everything would have been 

perfect.  My girlfriend accepted my marriage proposal.  That was

the most important and wonderful thing of the day.  The rest (fines)

was aggravation."

"Beat & Release": Well-wishers and a Band Greet Rapist at Prison Gate

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 19 January 2021)

                                      Celebrity rapist.

Osman Ç. (28), who lives in Mardin's Kızıltepe district, sexually 

assaulted his niece Z.Ç. (16) for two days when she came to Mardin on 

holiday from Switzerland in 2019.  Z.Ç. subsequently went to the police

station with her older sister to report the incident and Osman Ç. was 

taken into custody but released after giving a statement.

Two months later, a police lab medical report identified sperm samples

in Osman Ç.'s room and Z.Ç.'s blood on a handkerchief there, so Osman

Ç. was arrested again and jailed in September 2020.  Nevertheless, at

the first hearing of the case on 13 January, despite the soundness of the

evidence and the public prosecutor's support for the victim, Osman Ç.

was released. (!)

As Osman Ç. left the prison he was greeted by a crowd of well-wishers,

complete with "davul ve zurna" (musical group).(!)  This prompted 

Z.Ç.'s older sister P.Ş. to say "My sister was 16 when she went through 

this.  We filed a complaint right away but the rapist has gone free.  My 

sister's psychology is a mess and she's tried to commit suicide twice.  

My  mother can't leave her side for a moment.  The police lab report 

confirmed what my sister said, yet five months later he's out.  Shame 

on justice!  And he's met by celebrations with pomp and music.  I want

the judge and prosecutor to explain how they can release rapists like

him."

TNT History Archives: Americans Were Confused by Multiple "Kâzım"s in Turkish Army (1923)

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 January 2021)

The year was 1923 and the new Turkish Republic was taking its first

steps as a nation.  On 1 November, Fethi Okyar was elected as the head

of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBBM), as new laws were 

promulgated and the army remained on alert, salving its wounds after 

years of war.

Ankara, the new capital, was filled with foreign diplomats and 

intelligence agents but for the American agents the most daunting 

matter was figuring out all the officers in the army named "Kâzım".

Diplomatic relations with the U.S. had been cut off since 1917 but now

American agents of the forerunner of the CIA were busy in both Ankara

and Istanbul. Surnames were nonexistent in Turkey until 1935, adding

to the confusion over the plethora of "Kâzım"s.

One of the U.S. military intelligence agents in Ankara prepared a report 

about the 10 "Kâzım"s in the army, which had bewildered him, so he

tried to sort out the "Kâzım"s for Washington with his report dated 

16 November 1923.

"Here are some notes about the different "Kâzım"s currently in the 

Turkish Army:

Kâzım Karabekir Paşa: General Inspector of the First Army

Köprülü Kâzım Paşa: Minister of Defense (later he adopted the surname

Özalp and served as TBMM chief.) 

Diyarbakırlı Kâzım Paşa: Commander of the Sixth Army Corps ( he took

the surname İnanç and later served as army chief, as a governor and a 

parliamentarian.)

Benli Kâzım Paşa: Commander of the 12th Division ( he took the surname

Sevüktekin and also served as a parliamentarian.)

İzmirli Kâzım Paşa: Commander of the 8th Division and the brother-in-law

of Enver Paşa (he took the surname Orbay and served as chief of the 

general staff.)

Manastırlı Kâzım Paşa: Commander of the 2nd Division, with the 

Albanian nickname "Kiasko". (he took the surname Dirik and served as

army commander and as a governor.)"

NOTE: Information in parenthesis added by Hürriyet.

After listing these "paşa"s, the report continued: "There are two other

"Kâzım"s in the army, with the rank of colonel but they will probably

be promoted to "paşa" soon: Kemahlı Kâzım Bey and Musa Kâzım Bey,

both of whom serve on the staff on the eastern front.  There is also another

Musa Kâzım Bey, who is a parliamentarian from Afyonkarahisar."

Colonel Kemahlı Kâzım Bey was later promoted to general and took the

surname Kıvılcım.  The report was posted social media by war history

researcher Erhan Çifci.

Loud Talker's Neighbors Save Him From a Bilking

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 January 2021)

                      A rarity: grateful for nosy neighbors.

In Bakırköy, Istanbul, on 13 January, Kevork Y. (59) got a phone call.

The caller said he was a policeman and that Kevork Y.'s ID card had

been found at the scene of a jewelry store robbery.  In addition, the 

caller told Kevork Y. that he was the prime suspect so he should "send

us any money you have and we can check the serial numbers."

Kevork Y. has a hearing problem so he speaks loudly and, as a result,

his neighbors heard the conversation and called the real police right

away.  Concurrently, they told Kevork Y. that "the real police are on

their way.  Don't open the door to anyone before they arrive."  

Meanwhile, the caller, hoping to increase his credibility, told Kevork

Y. to prepare a note that the person coming to collect the money would

sign.  Kevork Y. dutifully put all his money in a bag and awaited the

"civilian policeman who will come to get the money.", as the caller

instructed.  Soon after, someone came to take the money from Kevork

Y. and once he did, the real police, staked out at the building, took

hoodwinker Mehmet Ali K. (43) into custody. 

The money, $12,850, was returned to Kevork Y.  and Mehmet Ali K.

was taken to jail.  Kevork Y. noted that "I went to the bank and took

out all my money to give to someone coming from the 'prosecutor's

office'.  The moment after he came the real police arrived and 

apprehended him.  I'm very grateful to the police." (not to mention

his nosy neighbors!)

 

      Bakırköy, in red, on the coast of the Sea of Marmara. 

A Miracle! Kebap Grill "Appears" in Abandoned Church in Şanlıurfa

türkçe  links to original English article

(duvaR.english website, 15 January 2021)

 Just "blessed take-out" available right now. COVID, you know.

A kebab chef was criticized for hosting a barbecue in an abandoned 

ancient church in southeastern Turkey on 14 January. The 19th-century 

structure had been abandoned after treasure hunters ransacked it, locals 

reported.

Dating back to the 19th century and located about 10 kilometers from 

the nearest settlement, the Germuş Armenian Church has become a spot 

for squatters since its abandonment, one local noted.

"Treasure hunters destroyed this place. Now, people come here to 

drink, or grill kebabs," Dağyanı Neighborhood resident Übeyit İnci said, 

urging the state to swiftly restore the ancient structure.

           Tourism Ministry to update poster with a menu.

Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Garo Paylan also

slammed the chef's abuse of the ruins in a tweet. One local responded to 

Paylan's tweet with more photos of the structure, adding that they've 

been trying to rally public support to save the church to no avail, and 

that it has essentially been left to rot. "I don't know what to say, shame!" 

Paylan said. 

"Beat & Release": Flame, Lightning and a Combustible Relationship

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 15 January 2021)

                                  What's in a name...

The evening before last, a fire broke out in a flat on the 14th floor of an 

apartment building in Ataşehir, Istanbul.  Firefighters entered the flat

and rescued Alev Şimşek ('Flame Lightning' in Turkish), whose arms 

and legs were bound and her mouth taped (!).  Alev hanım's boyfriend 

Emre Y. was arrested for having started the fire, but after appearing 

before a judge he was released on judicial supervision (!). 

In her statement to police, Alev hanım explained that "we drank 

alcohol together.  He said he's married but in the process of divorcing.

We argued like we always do.  Right now, I don't remember him tying

me up, taping my mouth and starting the fire.  But there was no one 

in the house besides us.  I may have blacked out.  When I'm better I'll

give another statement."

As for Emre bey, denying the accusations, he asserted that "my old

girlfriend Alev and I split up a month and a half ago.  I went to her

home on the day of the incident to help her move. After we chatted

for a while I left. I did not drink alcohol and I did not tie her up, nor

did I set the house on fire.  I'm filing a complaint against her for

slander!"

                           Towering inferno of love.

However, Alev hanım's neighbors said that Emre bey continually

committed violence against her and 15 days ago he hung Alev hanım

out of a window (!).  Apartment building attendant Ayşe Sosyal 

noted that "Alev told us that 'my boyfriend beats me all the time.' 

She got a restraining order for six months but 15 days ago he hung

her out the window.  Alev cried for help and myself and the building

administrator went to save her from the guy, who fled.  Alev wrote

a note to us, saying 'if a fire breaks out, how will you save me?!'.

She was obviously trying to warn us but we didn't understand. 

Yesterday, it happened." (hmmmmmm)

Police reviewed video from the building and saw that Emre bey had

left four hours before the fire started.  They speculated that Emre bey

may have ignited the fire with a remote mechanism  or perhaps 

Alev hanım taped her mouth and somehow bound herself before 

starting the fire.  After a fire department report becomes available

the cause of the fire may be determined with certainty.