English Settles Traffic Dispute Between Dialect-estranged Turks

türkçe links to original Twitter posting and video

           What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Two Turkish men got into a traffic dispute but their regional dialects

of Turkish - Kastamonu (Black Sea) and Adana (Mediterranean Sea) -

prevented them from communicating to resolve the matter.  As

tensions rose between the two they resorted to speaking English and

solved the problem amicably. 

                       ...and never the twain shall meet.

Arab Kidney Transplant Traffickers' Istanbul 'Operation' Dissected

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 December 2021)

                          "Organ Grinding Done Here"

A 10-person gang involved in illegal organ transplant trafficking, four 

of whom are Jordanian, Syrian and Palestinian citizens, were captured 

during a raid on the hotel where they were staying.  The gang members 

found kidney donors with the slogan 'VIP Service' that they shared on

social media. 

According to information about the gang that police have obtained,

Arab countries were targetted via social media and prospective wealthy

customers identified by blood type.  The 'VIP Service' the gang 

offered included hotel and hospital accommodations, as well as blood

tests for the patients.  Based on a positive test result, the gang collected

$50,000 from the kidney recipient, $10,000 of which was given to the

donor.  

The donor and patient were then brought to Istanbul and since the law

requires that they be close blood relatives, fake documents were 

produced as if they had been obtained from the donor-patient consulates.  

The documents were presented to the hospital, which received $15,000

for hosting the operation, leaving the remaining $25,000 for the gang.

                                                Ouch.

A Palestinian patient was given a kidney transplant at a private hospital

in Esenyurt, Istanbul, a few days ago. Those who facilitated the organ

transplant claimed to be close relatives of the patient but Turkish 

doctors opined that "the donor and the patient did not appear to be 

related.  Their dialogue was very cool, as if they didn't know each 

other."  This prompted hospital officials to call Turkish immigration

officials, who then began to examine the documents of the donor and 

the patient. 

The Palestine Consulate was asked for documentation of the relative

relationship of the donor and the patient but there was none to be 

found.  Turkish officials determined that prospective transplant 

patients stayed at a hotel near the hospital to be available for checks

from time to time.  When it was determined, as well, that gang 

members were staying at this hotel too, a raid was launched and

Jordanian Hasan abu Azid, Palestinian Ali Y.M. Shiruk, Syrian

A.M. and dialysis patient Palestian M.J.K. were apprehended. 

Based on interrogations of those apprehended, another raid was 

launched on the hotel and Palestinian H.Q.A., along with Jordanians 

A.H., N.S., M.S.V. and organ donor N.S.S. were taken into custody. 

Also seized in the raid were $21,600 in cash, 10,000 TL, a basin and 

a large number of fake documents.  

Police also arrested gang leader Jordanian Hasan Barakat, together

with 3 others, two of whom were kidney donors. Three of the 13

people taken into custody were released.  Barakat, his second-in-

command Jordanian Hasan abu Zaid, Palestinian doctor Ali 

Y.M. Shiruk and Syrian Ahmet Al Masri, who brought organ

patients and donors together, were jailed.  

"Beat & Release": Groom's Wedding Day 'Pompalı Tüfenk' Gift a Tad Inauspicious

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 December 2021)

The gloomy-looking bride seems to be having a premonition. 

Last Sunday, İbrahim Mendaşağu got married in the Gürpınar 

neighborhood of Istanbul's  Beylikdüzü district.  As a wedding gift, his 

friend Onur İlkan Demirkol hung a "pompalı tüfenk" (pump-action rifle), 

complete with a red ribbon, around the groom's neck.  (!)

At this point, the master of ceremonies declared "don't let the devil fill 

this time, how about some nice applause?!" Thus prompted, those in the

wedding hall erupted in applause.  Meanwhile, as the groom and his pals 

posed for pictures, the cameras also caught sight of the bride's forlorn 

visage. 

Once the pictures were posted on social media there was a storm of 

negative reactions against Mendaşağu and his cohorts.  Concurrently, 

the Bakırköy public prosecutor began an investigation and yesterday 

police took both Mendaşağu and Demirkol into custody, seizing the 

rifle, as well.  After giving statements, the two men were released.

In his statement, Mendaşağu said that "Since my wife didn't want the rifle,

I returned it to my friend."  For his part, gift-giver Demirkol noted that 

"we went to the wedding hall and gave my friend a 'pompalı tüfenk' as a 

gag gift.  I mean, instead of pinning some gold or money on him, we hung 

the rifle on him.  He didn't say anything except 'thank you'.  I don't regret 

it at all.  We got fined and the rifle was seized. We didn't think it would 

become such a topic of conversation."

Demirkol, who said he had a receipt for his purchase of the rifle, was 

fined 944 TL (about $80).  In addition, the wedding hall was found to be 

unlicensed so it was sealed shut and the owners fined 3,469 TL (about

$250).

 

                        Beylikdüzü district of Istanbul

TNT History Archives: Nearly 100 Years Later, 201 Ottoman Bodies Will R.I.P. in Greece

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 7 December 2021)

"mübadele" click here for details of the Greek-Turkish population

exchange.

201 bodies discovered in an Ottoman graveyard in the Greek village of 

Simantra (called 'Gargara' in Ottoman times) in Greece's Halkikiki

province's Nea Propontida (Yeni Bandırma) town, will be buried at noon

tomorrow in accordance with Islamic traditions in the Simantra

Municipal Cemetery.  The bodies were found during construction of a 

new sports arena.

Şeyda Güvenç Duran, an architect whose grandparents and a large portion 

of her family lived in 'Gargara' and who were resettled in Antalya along 

with another 130 families during the "mübadele" (Greek-Turkish 

population exchange) period, said that the burial decision had been 

conveyed to her by Propontida Mayor Emmanoil Karas in an official 

document. 

Duran explained that "the bodies of our ancestors were found during 

an excavation in Gargara/Sinmantra village near Salonica (Thessaloniki), 

where my grandmother was born, and brought to a museum.  They will

be properly buried in the Simantra Municipal Cemetery with Islamic

rituals, presided over by Athens Islami Mosque İmam Zaki Sidi

Muhammed.  When the bodies were first discovered the Greek 

authorities were very slow about announcing it, to our great dismay. 

Since then the bodies have been kept in a warehouse. Turkish officials

have followed the matter closely, as have we on our own.  I'm grateful

to everyone who has shown sensitivity about the issue."

In Ottoman times, about 160 Turkish families lived in Gargara/Simantra 

village on Halkidiki peninsula, 90 kilometers from Salonica.  There are

no Turks living there now.  In accordance with the Lausanne Agreement

(finalizing the Turkish-Greek war of 1918-1923), Greeks from around

Erdek (on the Sea of Marmara) and Cappadocia were resettled in the 

village.  When the 201 bodies were found during the sports area 

construction they were put into the Halkidiki-Aynaroz Ancient Treasures

Office's warehouse, without Turkey being informed.  This prompted a

diplomatic reaction from Ankara.

 

Teenagers' 1,000-KilometerJoy Ride to 'Esencılıs', Istanbul's 'Los Angeles'

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 December 2021)

                     Social media's young & restless.

Three teenagers in Ordu stole a car and drove all the way to Istanbul

without encountering any police checks. Their quest was to see 

"Esencılıs" (Istanbul's 'Los Angeles'), otherwise known as Esenyurt

district. 

A.T., S.Ö., and E.K., aged 12, 13 and 15, respectively, broke the glass 

and entered the car dealership owned by Bekir Eren and Cem Uygun 

on Atatürk Boulevard in Ordu's Altınordu district at about 4 in the 

morning on 28 November.  Finding the keys to the cars in a draw, the 

teenagers took a brand new car for an 8-kilometer drive and brought it 

back to the dealership.  Taking another car, the three disappeared. 

How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen

Esencılıs.

When the dealership owners arrived at work they called the police,

who recognized the culprits from security video because they all have

extensive police records (!), despite their young ages.  Police went to 

the youngsters' homes but their families had no idea where they were.  

Police picked up the trail of the three via camera footage at a gas station 

in Ordu, where they filled the tank, and at a breakfast café in Samsun.  

Finally, the police license plate recognition system detected the car on 

Thursday, 1 December in Istanbul - the teenagers had traversed about 

1,000 kilometers and 10 provinces en route to the big city. 

Ordu police arrived in Istanbul to assist their city colleagues and the 

youngsters were finally apprehended on 3 December after spending 

most of their time in 'Esencılıs' (Esenyurt) and brought back

to Ordu.  They explained that "we see Esenyurt on social media all

the time so we wanted to see it for ourselves."  Esenyurt's good and

bad sides are reflected in, especially, 'rap' videos and the neighborhood

has assumed the nickname 'Esencılıs', after America's Los Angeles. 

"Steak & Travel": Nusret's Pricey London Menu = Istanbul Vacation Costs + Steak

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 4 December 2021)

      Always remember, there's a McDonalds a block away...

Nusret Gökçe is famous around the world for his steakhouses and "pinch

of salt" gesture.  But the prices at his London restaurant are outrageous 

and have sparked a reaction from even the city's well-to-do populace.  

So a London couple named Fahd and Nashwa checked the exchange rates

of Turkish lira and English Sterling, finding out that for the price of a 

Nusret steakhouse dinner in London (1,450 Sterling = 26,000 TL) they

could take a vacation to Istanbul and have the same dinner at one of 

Nusret's restaurants there for 110 Sterling (2,000 TL). (!)

                     In the kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

Lost in Turkish Translation: "Nice Ass" Does Not Mean "Nice Donkey"

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 December 2021)

       Maybe the prosecutor needs to watch more Netflix.

In Izmir, social media phenomenon and dancer Selay Yörük (22) filed a 

criminal complaint against A.I. for sexual harassment because he sent

her this comment in English: "nice ass".  (!)

The Karşıyaka, Izmir, public prosecutor, declined to pursue the complaint,

even though in his decision he translated "nice ass" to "nice donkey" (!),

since the English "ass" in Turkish is "eşek" (donkey).  The prosecutor

noted that A.İ. sent rose and heart symbols, along with "Maaşallah"

("wonderful"), together with the English words "nice ass" (nice donkey!)

but that these elements did not constitute sexual harassment. 

Selay hanım's lawyer Alperen Çetinkay insisted that "nice ass" had 

nothing to do with donkeys and constituted sexual harassment of his 

client by A.İ.  Çetinkaya noted that A.İ. did not include a picture of

a donkey in his comment to Selay hanım so he was surely referring

to the posterior of her anatomy and this amounted to sexual harassment.

   A.İ.'s evidence for his defense.