they caught the guy

Media reports the authorities have caught the guy who pulled the trigger based on a pilot picture taken by a security camera on 23:00 hours local time.

One Ogun Samast, a native of northern town of Samsun, close to where a catholic priest was murdered last year was taken into custody by security forces supposedly coming out of a bus that took him from Istanbul, the city where he allegedly killed Mr. Hrant Dink.

He is said to carry all artifacts that can put him to the place of murder and can be seen on the pilot picture. He is said to be a worker in a northern town municipality.

This author still believes that all will be blamed to this guy and to this guy only and they will claim that he was acting alone and is solely responsible from this murder.

It is this author's view that, every Turkish citizen who turns his head against injustice, double standards and ignorance, who thinks that minorities are not citizens but foreigners, and they should be deprived off all human rights is the murderer, is the real murderers' accomplice.

But that is a matter of tomorrow. Today is the day for respect and mourning.

As I was writing these sentences, on TV the mayor of Istanbul was thanking the security forces for acting so quickly to take the alleged murderer into custody. I protest this hypocrisy. People whose job is to protect citizens cannot boast on catching some criminals. Shame on them, shame on all politicians right or left who fuelled these double standards and ignorance for 90 years now.

on turkish accession to eu

again, no comment;

from a speech by mr. olli rehn, member of european commission, responsible from enlargement, on turkish accession to eu, on march 8th, 2005 in istanbul:

"It is fair to say that the European public opinion is divided on the prospect of the accession of Turkey into the EU. However, the reality is more complex – as always – and some elements are worth noting.
One of them is the attitude of the younger generations which, according to recent surveys conducted in several EU Member States, is as a general pattern more open to the idea of Turkey’s accession than the older ones. This is pertinent food for thought for European political leaders.
The European project is geared towards the future. It is therefore the legitimate right and duty of the political leaders of the younger generations, of my generation, to look towards the future. We do not live any more in the Cold War Europe, but in the Europe of the 21st century, which is deeply aware that the relationship with the Muslim world is one of its major challenges.
If Turkey succeeds in its reform process and thus fulfils the criteria for membership after negotiations, it will become the crossroads of two civilisations. This represents a great opportunity for Europe and especially for the younger generations of Europe. I want to make sure that this opportunity is not missed.
In the accession negotiations the process is as important as the outcome. In other words, the process of reforms in Turkey - which will make the country fully respect the European values of the rule of law, human rights and democracy in all spheres of life and in all the corners of the country – paves the way for membership, and is as such as important as membership itself. As Prime Minister Erdogan has said, the Copenhagen criteria could actually be called the Ankara criteria, since they are, in the first instance, made for the benefit of Turkey’s citizens and not to please, say, some EU officials.
To convince the European public and governments, I cannot be a salesman of Turkey – but I can plead for fair, serious and determined negotiations, aimed at leading Turkey to EU membership.
My role in this process, and that of the Commission, is that of a referee and a manager. The referee must assess whether Turkey meets the criteria of membership and ensures that Turkey has a fair chance of proving its European credentials. The manager is there to support your efforts in meeting the criteria both financially and politically.
It is finally up to the Turkish people to take action. I am sure that winning this crucial match is worth it for Turkey and for the Turks, as well as for Europe."

"oh brother, where art thou?"

oh really where at thou? new year is here,but where art thou? they say foreigners are buying turkish land as in gold rush. they say that's the reason why ottoman empire was disintegrated. they blame the very existence of israel to this politics of ottoman empire. they say reciprocity is the key for such politics and since turks are very poor to buy land overseas, the foreigners shouldn't be able to buy land. since the greeks are number one foreign investors on land, oh brother where art thou?

and the answer is blowing in the wind.

again on the news, mr. turkish prime minister blamed u.s.a. for giving weapons to kurdish guerilla groups. he said "they carry american weapons, and we cannot watch while that happens, we cannot act as spectators towards the events in iraq". he said "we must follow up the events closely". well that is the very definition of being a spectator mr. minister. you are very affectionate but still one spactator. oh brother where art thou?

on the news yesterday, many students at a prestigious high school cought inhaling dangerous substances in school bathroom. according to the news, there is nothing wrong about teenagers using drugs, but what is shocking is the fact that these were rich kids with good backgrounds attending a $10,000/year high school. duh! the poor kids cannot afford drugs brother, they inhale glue on the streets, only the rich ones can afford real drugs.

a writer whose book about abused kids that was banned by the authorities (?!?) is on the news with a story of an abused 14 years old whose land lady abused her with a dildo. and the punch line is by this kid herself:
"please don't tell anyone, because if they learn they will kick us out of the house"

well, really oh brother where art thou?

the answer my friend is blowing in the wind.

on government and politics

"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. "

George Bernard Shaw, Everybody's Political What's What? (1944) ch. 30
Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)


"Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions. "

"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever. "
Albert Einstein US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)