This is an update to my 8 October 2026 post. I feel a bit pessimistic. This scale of protests mostly brings in a more conservative/reactionary government. Let’s see how this will go. via French Student Protests After 8 October 2026 Since 8 October, the lycée movement has not simply continued at the same level: school … Read more
Once again, Turkish social media is abounding with debates about Orhan Pamuk’s political positioning and literary talents. Netflix released an adaptation of Pamuk’s novel, Museum of Innocence, and I asked Perplexity to curate the debates in Turkish media: Orhan Pamuk and the Netflix Masumiyet Müzesi: A Summary of Discussions The Series and Its Backstory Orhan … Read more
Many complex investigations gather leads and data through a blend of custom and open source tools. One example from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) this year was how their team partnered with experts to create a machine learning-based detection tool, and used this with its open source Datashare platform to automatically identify passport … Read more
I don’t understand why the platform would name itself in English if it claims to be local and national… Selçuk Bayraktar, a prominent Turkish engineer and chairman of Baykar and TEKNOFEST, and son-in-law of Erdoğan, announced NEXT Teknofest Social in July 2025 as a “yerli ve milli” (local and national) social media platform developed by … Read more
🎥 Video Overview: The Rise and Fall of Sony in Consumer Electronics This video examines Sony’s journey from pioneering tech leader to a company in decline within the consumer electronics industry, and how it eventually shifted its focus toward entertainment and semiconductor leadership. (Galaxy.ai) ⏱️ Estimated Highlights & Timestamps Approx. Timestamp Segment Title Summary … Read more
I have watched more than 50 episodes now, and one recurrent issue is the high level of violence and, of course, the promotion of macho masculinity. I have asked ChatGPT to curate a report: Sexism and Violence in Valley of the Wolves and Its Spinoffs Valley of the Wolves (Original Series, 2003–2005) Sexist Portrayals and … Read more
Current Scale of Wildfires in Western Turkey (July 2025) Overview Western Turkey, particularly the province of İzmir and surrounding areas, is experiencing a severe wildfire crisis as of early July 2025. The situation is marked by: Multiple large-scale wildfires burning simultaneously across İzmir and neighboring provinces. Evacuations of thousands of residents from affected towns and … Read more
The US is breaking up with its allies… Economists and experts overwhelmingly disagree with President Trump’s tariff policies, citing numerous negative consequences for the U.S. economy and consumers123: Economic Impact Inflation: Most economists believe the tariffs will increase inflation and slow economic growth1. Consumer Costs: The typical U.S. household is expected to face over $1,200 … Read more
Here are key timestamps linked to significant moments in the video: 00:00:00 – Introduction: Wikipedia’s Donation Appeals 00:01:03 – Criticism of Wikipedia’s Fundraising Strategy 00:02:11 – Insight from Wikipedia’s Former Fundraising Officer 00:02:45 – Volunteer-Driven Content Creation 00:04:59 – Early History: Nupedia and Its Failure 00:06:14 – Surplus Donations and Wikipedia’s Simplicity 00:07:59 – Operational … Read more
Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, recently made significant statements during a meeting with lawmakers from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) on December 28, 2024, at İmralı prison. His key messages focused on peace, democracy, and brotherhood for Turkey and the region[1][2]. Main Points of Öcalan’s Statement Turkish-Kurdish Brotherhood: Öcalan … Read more
Still, there is much manufactured news, too. A Turkish fact-checker listed some of them! In the past few days, Syria has experienced significant developments regarding its prison system, particularly following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Here’s a summary of the recent prison-related news from Syria: Liberation of Sednaya Prison Syrian rebels, led by Hayat … Read more
Last week, Turkey witnessed a significant crackdown on journalists, with multiple arrests and detentions across the country. Here’s a summary of the key events: Mass Detention Operation (November 26-27, 2024) Turkish authorities conducted a large-scale operation targeting individuals suspected of having ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or alleged offshoot organizations[3]. This operation resulted … Read more
It is getting harder and harder to cite Western media as good journalism in my classes. There have been significant critiques of Western media’s reporting on the Amsterdam incident involving Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. Several key points of criticism have emerged: Biased Framing and Selective Reporting Critics argue that many Western media outlets presented a … Read more
The devastating floods in Valencia, Spain resulted in over 200 deaths due to several key factors: Rapid onset of flash flooding: The floods occurred suddenly on Tuesday evening, catching many people off guard as they were returning home from work. The civil protection authority did not issue emergency alerts until around 8:00 PM local time, … Read more
John McAfee – The Millionaire Madman: John McAfee has been described as many things… Eccentric tech millionaire. International fugitive. Presidential candidate. And suspected killer. Honestly, John McAfee’s life is one of the most fascinating and bizarre stories I’ve ever heard. And opinion is split on whether John McAfee was a hero, or the devil. You … Read more