Well, Imamoğlu’s imprisonment seems like Turkish authorities symbolically annulled the right to vote and to be elected. Most Istanbulites elected him for the third time- he increased his votes every time-, and here is what we have now. Secondly, a strong potential rival of the current president is eliminated by imprisoning him. I observe a … Read more
The recent closure of Gazete Duvar triggered a new series of criticisms towards Google’s search engine algorithm changes. Below is a curation of news on this topic ending with a comparative angle with other countries. My approach to Google has turned relatively sour recently, but I still don’t believe the platform itself is the only … Read more
I never liked Arabesk and listened to Ferdi Tayfur or Müslüm Gürses, but these musicians were strongly embedded in Turkish popular culture. After Gürses, Ferdi Tayfur just passed away at 79. Ferdi Tayfur, born Ferdi Tayfur Turanbayburt on November 15, 1945, in Adana, Turkey, was an iconic figure in Turkish music and cinema who passed … Read more
I am feeling strong doses of nostalgia after taking my personal belongings from my parents’ storage place. Like many families in İstanbul, my parents finally decided to move away from their apartments because of the expected major earthquake. Istanbul is in a frenzy of urban renewal, and the building they lived in for 45 years … Read more
Many citizens in major cities—including İstanbul—have seen these billboard ads, translated as “Who will wash me when I die?” The TV serial is called Gassal. Definition of Gassal Gassal literally means washer of the dead. In Islamic culture, the person who organizes the funeral procedures of a deceased person and washes and prepares the body … Read more
11 of the 20 articles were Syria-related! This week, 2,895 authors made 18,849 changes to 10,437 different articles. The top 20 articles for the week: Suriye (194 changes by 59 authors) Suriye İç Savaşı (98 changes by 38 authors) Beşşar Esad (91 changes by 39 authors) 2024 Suriyeli muhaliflerin taarruzu (78 changes by 24 authors) … Read more
I saw the news that Manisa’s ‘mesir paste’ gains EU geographical indication I guess I only tried it once. What is Mesir Paste? Mesir paste, also known as mesir macunu in Turkish, is a traditional sweet confection with a rich history and cultural significance in Turkey. Here are the key aspects of mesir paste: Origin … Read more
The death of Ms. Çığ created an instant controversy among social media users. After the praiseful comments about her life, some began to criticize her role in experiments on political prisoners! Check out Baransel Ağca and Özlem Akarsu on X. Here is the translation of Ağca’s X message: … why we have never liked her: … Read more
Just saw the news: Turkish exporters see surge in demand amid Dubai chocolate trend I have already seen viral videos on TikTok, and here is more information about this popular and probably anti-diabetic dessert. Dubai chocolate is a popular confectionery that has gained viral attention on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Here are … Read more
Since fixing social decline is harder, they chose the easiest option. They could not stop leaking the data they collected from citizens. Censorship! Now i will have to find a new venue for my classes’ communications and use VPN to reach many AI companies’ servers there. Yes, Turkey has banned access to Discord[1][2][3]. The ban … Read more
I saw a news piece in a pro-government newspaper: Orhan Pamuk’s quick eviction sparks outrage in Istanbul Residents of an apartment building in Istanbul, where Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk owns seven flats, are facing eviction as Pamuk initiated proceedings without waiting for a court decision. He obtained an eviction order from the local municipality despite … Read more
Jahrein will probably be released soon. But he deserves to be in prison more than many imprisoned. A Twitter user listed some fragments of his vile rhetoric against political opponents, minorities, and women, among others. I have translated the stuff. You can download it here: sins of Jahrein [update- the file seems to be hard to read, you … Read more
The Miss Turkey 2024 competition has sparked significant controversy and debate on social media and in local media, primarily centered around the winner, İdil Bilgen. Here are the key points of the controversy: Criticism of Appearance Many social media users have criticized İdil Bilgen’s appearance, claiming she doesn’t fit the traditional beauty standards expected of … Read more
Throughout the US trip, we watched an old Turkish show, Ezel, from the 2010s at night. I had already mentioned it in 2010, but retrospectively, I see how sophisticated the script was. It is a precursor to the growing success of Turkish TV shows. It is not streamed on any networks, but all episodes can be found … Read more
00:05 Turkish TV dramas gain worldwide popularity 00:51 Rise in popularity of Turkish TV dramas globally 01:30 Turkish TV dramas gaining global popularity 02:13 Turkish TV dramas increasing Turkish soft power worldwide. 02:56 Interest in Turkish dramas boosting tourism 03:40 Turkish TV dramas gaining worldwide popularity 04:20 Turkish TV dramas showcase cultural and historical elements … Read more