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Museum of Innocence by Pamuk

Dedicating a museum to your love!

Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. But it wasn't meant to be a museum. This more modern-day (although set in the 1970s) novel, 'Museum of Innocence' by Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, deals with a man who decides to build a museum to honor his late love. "By obsessively collecting objects that remind him of her and of their days of love: jewelry, silverware, ticket stubs, movie posters, a yellow jug."

What have you done lately ... for your love? While they are still alive!

Auto Wudu Washer

Muslims who must pray five times a day are often not located near a mosque (unless you live in a Muslim country). Especially those who are traveling must usually rely on public restrooms to wash up ('abdest' or 'wudu') before prayers.

I've always been troubled by people trying to wash their feet in the public sinks. Not only is it problematic for some people to get their feet up high, it's also unsightly, especially to those who are 'foreign' to the whole thing. And it's not at all hygienic. In fact, signs are now popping up that read 'Please Don't Wash Feet.'

However, the above mechanism 'Auto Wudu Washer' is still not the answer, since it is aimed at mosques and other places of worship. And even then it's an expensive undertaking, as well as a training nightmare.

Istanbul Time-Lapse Movie HDTV

View-Master Project

As a child, I couldn't wait to insert the new scenic disks into my red GAF View-Master and experience the world beyond my imagination. It was so real, and in 3-D. I didn't realize the View-Master had been around for 70 years until I learned of its recent retirement by the then current owner, Mattel subsidiary Fisher-Price.

Do you have a favorite View-Master moment? Apparently, the guys who wrote the Transformers movies might. They are developing a new movie based on or around the View-Master titled 'Courtesy of Collider.' Should be interesting.

Ohio Rules Against Mark Geragos and Reckless Disregard for Truth

We all know Mark Geragos. There's never a case Mark won't take if it lands him on the front pages or on Larry King. The famed Armenian-American 'celebrity' attorney took on a case in Ohio, argued it, but lost. Perhaps he should have done his homework, and find, as the Ohio Elections Commissions did, that his client did not have any proof for his claims.

The issue was one of free speech and its interpretation. As I also agree, free speech does not and should not entitle you "a license to lie or defraud the voters," as Donald Brey, the winning attorney argued.

David Krikorian in his failed challenge to unseat Congresswoman Jean Schmidt (R) claimed that Schmidt took money from the Turkish government and Turkish government-sponsored political action committees. The motive: Armenian 'Genocide. Schmidt's position is that she doesn't have enough information to proclaim the events of 1915 as 'Genocide,' a view also shared by the U.S. gov't.

It is illegal for political candidates to accept money from foreign governments. Schmidt did not. After he lost, Krikorian claimed that she did. And hence the complaint brought on by Rep. Schmidt against Krikorian.

Does anyone in Ohio wonder about the current economy, or other important issues at hand that might affect Ohio? Should the voters penalize Krikorian once again for making this his priority number one in the next election as well? I think so! It's also time to send Geraros back to Hollywood where he belongs, and maybe take Krikorian with him.

Here's the original source: AP article in its entirety, via google.com

Obama Oprah and Olympics: Embarrassment

Uh Oh! or O O! The Obamas, along with Oprah were in Copenhagen to make a passionate plea regarding Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics.

In the end, it wasn't the thrill of victory but the agony of defeat as Chicago came in last among the four finalists. Rio de Janeiro was the eventual winner, a first for South America.

What's more embarrassing is that the President's staff should never have put him in a one-in-four position. Obama should have gone there only if it was a foregone conclusion that a deal would be signed, sealed, and delivered.

Holocaust Online

Holocaust has gone interactive. Now you don't have to leave your house as www.footnote.com/holocaust offers more than 1 million Holocaust related documents online, as a collaborated effort of the National Archives and the U.S. Holocaust Museum. Based on the story as reported in sltrib.com.

By the way, footnote.com is a great resource for accessing historical documents and archives online.

Notwithstanding Ahmadinejad or others' opinions regarding the Holocaust; at the very least, and no matter where you stand on the validity of some of the past, the digital revolution might go a long way as a reminder to help prevent any future crimes of the human condition.

Note: I wonder what the Turkish Government's take is regarding Ahmadinejad's claim that the Holocaust is an historical event best left for judgment by researches, as it relates to their own stance on the Armenian 'Genocide' issue?

My PayPal Saga and Fraudulence

In order to receive the money in your PayPal account in exchange for the goods you are sending the recipient, PayPal requires you to fill out the 'Request Money' form so that you may "receive secure, instant payments." The amount you are 'requesting' matches the amount the sender is 'sending,' and voila! Perfect, right?

Recently, I received a very 'authentic' PayPal email informing me that my 'request to receive payment' was satisfied. The subject of the email even said so: "Instant payment Notification!" And it was from 'service@paypal.com .'

I should've realized something was up when one of the words was not capitalized. I should've also remembered the earlier emails where the 'buyer' was using words like "cos" instead of 'because.' Another hint was one of her original emails where she said she'd like to have this item sent to her fiance, "I am actually buying it for her birthday. I am out of town. I will pay through paypal." Her fiance is a she? Heck, it's 2009! Just because gay couples can't get married in most states, why should I care how she chooses to address her lady?

Ottoman Heir Dies

The grandson of Sultan Abdulhamid II, and the eldest member of the Ottoman Dynasty who lived most of his life in exile (mostly in New York City) died in Istanbul at the age of 97.

His funeral was attended by thousands, including state ministers, and, according to CNN International, an "eclectic mix of mourners -- stylishly dressed members of the royal family who grew up in Europe, alongside fervent Islamists."

For more on 'Ottomans in Exile,' you can visit my archived post by the same name, as well as the 5-Part Talk Turkey Series 'The Ottomans Revisited.'

Chanel No 5 Commercial - Istanbul

The Orient Express arrives in Istanbul's Haydarpasa Train Terminal (at about :30 seconds). For the longer version of the same commercial, please click here.

Turkish Prime Minister and Honey

Photo by Roger Wang

Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan is in the U.S. to attend and speak at the U.N. General Assembly's annual gathering, as well as the U.N. Security Council meeting on nuclear proliferation as one of its non-permanent members. He will also attend the G-20 gathering in Pittsburgh, along with leaders from 90 nations.

Also among his scheduled stops were a meeting with 50 representatives of New York and Washington-based US-Jewish groups including Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and Princeton University, where he delivered a foreign policy speech before faculty and students. Since he has a colorful past when it comes to context and anecdotes, it's worth following his news making appearances for brief glimpses of extraordinary brilliance and/or embarrassing clues to his speechwriter's whims. As such he didn't disappoint once again. 'Honey' was the operative word this time, and it was at Princeton. Here's the story via dailyprincetonian.com.

Congresswoman's Lesbian Affair with Turkish Spy

You remember Sibel Edmonds? The 'whistleblower' is back in the news again. This time, she is on the cover of the current issue of American Conservative. And inside is a 'steamy' interview with her, by former CIA agent Phil Giraldi.

Apparently, she tells us exactly how Turkish intelligence have penetrated national secrets, suborned government officials, and blackmailed Congress. Explosive!

"How could they possibly continue to ignore such tales of drugs, guns, spies, lies, bribes, sex, blackmail, terrorism and the nuke black market from such an inside source?" asks AntiWar.Blog.

But that's only half the story. The interesting part to some will definitely be Sibel Deniz Edmonds' revelation of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's (D-Illinois) bisexuality, and the matter of a female agent assigned to sleep with her on camera, in order to blackmail her.

Here are some excerpts from gawker.com.

McDonald's Chicken Meat Halal

Apparently, in Finland, following the trend by Danish and Swedish chicken producers, McDonald's is serving 'halal' chicken meat. Halal is the 'slaughter system' of killing animals, 'fit' for Muslim consumption, or as this blog (Tundra Tabloids) calls it, "rip-off version of the more well monitored and thorough Judaic system of ritual slaughter of animals, (shechita) which renders the meat Kosher under Jewish dietary laws." Such hatred!

Plenty of Muslims eat meat from animals 'killed' by non-Islamic methods; why shouldn't the reverse be OK? Does Kosher mean only Jews can consume the such labeled products? Take a look at the stuff in your refrigerator labeled with a 'U' or a 'K' and think about what it means (or doesn't mean) to you.

Speaking of mean, the above-mentioned blog goes as far to say also, "though the Christian faith allows the eating of meat sacrificed to foreign gods..."

Hmmm. Allah or whatever you may call it, Muslims also believe the one God is applicable to all people. That Christians, or Jews and others don't have a separate or 'foreign' God!

White House Eid Mubarak Wishes

The President released the following statement today to mark the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid-ul-Fitr:

"As Muslims in the United States and around the world complete the month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Michelle and I would like to extend our personal greetings on this joyous occasion. Eid is a time to celebrate the completion of 30 days and nights of devotion. But even on this festive occasion, Muslims remember those less fortunate, including those impacted by poverty, hunger, conflict, and disease. Throughout the month, Muslim communities collect and distribute zakat-ul-fitr so that all Muslims are able to participate in this day of celebration. As I said in Cairo, my Administration is working to ensure that Muslims are able to fulfill their charitable obligations not just during Ramadan, but throughout the year. On behalf of the American people, we congratulate Muslims in the US and around the world on this blessed day. Eid Mubarak."

Don't Eat Near Ramadan Fasters

Whenever I've fasted, my friends and colleagues who didn't, showed respect by not eating in front of me, although the smell and the sight of a hot sandwich never seemed to bother me. My problem was more often the issue of water withdrawal.

But I did respect how my fellow humankind was kind enough to consider my beliefs, while munching on their favorite pastimes.

I also always respected people who didn't fast, even if they were Muslim and didn't follow the proper protocol. To each his own I say.

But even in a Muslim country, and I know how the Turks will hate me for calling Turkey a 'Muslim' country, but I meant no offense as a geopolitical term, merely a religious observation, my grandfather used to tell me there will come a time when the person will be more ashamed of fasting in front of others than it was during his day when it was embarrassing for non-fasters to eat in front of the observers.

And then I read the following: courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

'Hellow Dear' Letter - You Want $2M?

Here's the email I received today; like one of the many I and you probably have received several times in the past from various nations around the world, poor English and all... this one promising me $2M+

Phillies Dad a Hit with Parents

Steve Monforto has been coming to Phillies games since he was three years old, and after all that time, he finally caught his first foul ball on Tuesday night.

(He gave the ball to his daughter)

Then his 3-year-old daughter Emily threw it back.

...and the rest is history.

see the video: mlb.mlb.com

World's Tallest Man - A Giant Turk

Sultan Kose, 27, from Mardin, Turkey is 8 feet 1 inches tall. He will be in the 2010 Guinness Book of Records. But being tall is not as tall an order it is thought to be. He has to walk with the aid of crutches due to weak knees. And people who are very very tall tend to die young.

No More 'French Kiss'

According to kissing.com, "French kissing involves tongue contact, and there's really no right or wrong way to do it." They claim the french kisses you see in the movies, TV, etc. really only show you the exterior of the mouth. How can you tell what's going on inside? Obviously, you must buy their DVD. LOL!

Never mind 'French kissing.' The French nowadays are not even into the double-cheek kiss. The reason: fears of swine flu or H1N1. I wonder if it'd still OK to kiss with face masks on?

Here's an article from jaunted.com for more on this subject.

Top 5 Medical Travel Destinations: Turkey? Yup!

Turkey is gaining popularity within the 'medical (or 'health') tourism' category as a credible destination. Including for a growing percentage of Americans who are becoming medical tourists and headed for treatment outside the United States.

In fact, the largest medical tourism congress in the world will be held in Los Angeles on October 26-28. More than 2,000 attendees will get a chance to explore ways to pitch to, as Deloitte estimates, 1.6 million American patients who will travel to other countries in 2010 for medical care and treatment, doubling the numbers who traveled in 2007, and spending billions of dollars.

Here's what Kevin Poling, Director of Travel at Satori World Medical mentions about Turkey as one of the Top 5 Medical Travel Destinations:

Restroom Etiquette for the Office

Do you use, or try to avoid using the bathroom in the office? If not for number 1, most likely for number 2? Many people avoid going to public restrooms if they can help it. But most of us spend an enormous amount of our time in our second home, the office. And if you must use the bathroom there, then you might want to consider the 'restroom etiquette for the office.'

For more on this subject, here's an excerpt from the article on cnn.com courtesy of careerbuilder.com.

Taking a Break

Ramazan ("Ramadan") is here. Reality shows are nearing the end of their runs. Baseball is getting ready for playoffs. Football season is about to start. Kids can't wait to go back to school. Summer is almost over. And I am about to make some difficult choices. In the meantime, this blog will be on hold for a while. Play nice while I am away, and remember you can follow @TalkTurkey on Twitter.

Tom Ridge Threshold

Tom Ridge is one of my 'favorite' Republicans. The ones who are the true conservatives, not the 'neo-con' kind. He was a victim of circumstances surrounding the George W. debacle, joining among others Colin Powell and Bush Jr. himself.

In his upcoming book "The Test Of Our Times,” ex-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge claims Bush Administration pressured him to raise terror warnings pre-election in 2004, when Bush was reelected for a second term. Specifically, ex-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and ex-Attorney General John Ashcroft, both of whom also left the administration soon after Bush's reelection.

I wonder if it's still too soon for the truth to come out surrounding 9/11.

Big Brother: Chima Aftermath

At the end of last night's Big Brother episode, which by the way is the 'edited' version of real events from 48 hours ago, CBS plugs the upcoming Tuesday night's show telling us to get ready as one house guest "self destructs and is removed from the game."

According to CBS they've kicked Chima Simone off the show! But Chima says she quit! Not sure why CBS & Allison Grodner Productions have to wait until Tuesday's episode to 'explain' Chima's 'departure' of a couple of days ago. In today's day and age of social media overload and instant gratification, live feeds and spoiler sites that monitor them 24/7, any news older than five minutes is four minutes too old.

Chima Gone!

Update: CBS Press Release about Chima's Eviction!

Update: Chima's E-Mail Response! (Post-Eviction)

Chima shows her true colors in more ways than one, and she is a more miserable person than I ever gave her credit for. The Production of Big Brother repeatedly warned Chima about her antics at the house over the past few days. And early this morning she packed her bags and left the show. She will also not be a member of the jury house where the evicted house guests end up sequestered. But first, she'll have to get an attorney. The legal departments at CBS and Allison Grodner Productions have some explaining to do. And you've not heard 'the end' of Chima.

After a write-in campaign started just over 24 hours ago, CBS received thousands of emails regarding Chima's behavior, especially her repeated remarks at another castmate Russell, calling him a "Muslim Terrorist," while referring to herself as the "Twin Towers."

Chima also said (on the live feeds) that America would not hate her comments about Russell being a terrorist because they all hate Middle Easterners. Spoken like a true bigot.