Judas Priest, AC/DC Win Grammys
from About.com Heavy Metal
Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Kings Of Leon were the stars of the 52nd annual Grammys Sunday night, but there were awards in the realm of heavy music.
A good read on Euroscepticism (and a Euro roundup)
Nosemonkey interviewed: On euroscepticism from Nosemonkey’s EUtopia Forgot all about this, as the interview was originally conducted back in October, but it?s in the latest issue of Shift Mag, which focusses on Euroscepticism. Have a gander at the whole lot here or, below the fold, check out my responses to the following: To fix the … Read more
AKP’s class war?
Here comes my second most intense critic of AKP government. (here is the first one back in October 2008)
Things have changed. Now AKP has become a center-right wing party riding on wild capitalism. Although it sounds like a cliché, this is exactly what is happening. Recently, PM. Erdoğan attended a mall’s opening ceremony (why does a PM attend a mall opening is another question) and declared that “grocery stores are passé. Now it is the time of malls. Grocery store owners have to unite to survive”, something like that… I wonder if AKP leadership is doing any calculations on class politics. With all commercial-legal regulations AKP government is playing against small-scale businesses. They were never good at with workers and now they also abandon those businesses. Is this a rational calculation? I have heard more and more complaints from ordinary people who voted for AKP. Macro-economic developments might be doing all right but micro-economic woes grow. I do not believe AKP can still win with playing cultural and political politics. Yesterday, PM Erdoğan was lamenting: Youth memorize the top song lists in Western countries but do not know our cultural values, stuff. I do not belive this cultural populism will always work…
There has been a worker strike which had gained momentum and gradually media coverage: TEKEL has been privatized and the new owner will probably fire most of the workers. Workers will get compensation but most want to continue to work and they strike. It is not a new story and not always workers are right and TEKEL workers’ action is partially manipulated by anti-AKP circles. However, there is a pattern of AKP’s anti-labor politics. AKP is just too pro-corporate. I am not even anti-capitalist but this level of pro-corporate politics will turn masses against AKP and its possible democratisation moves…
Demirören wins
Unfortunately, Mr. Demirören will lead Beşiktaş for another term. He has beaten his challenger in yesterday club congress. If had had the same success he had in building constituencies, in football terms Beşiktaş fans would be happier…
Beşiktaş Chairman Yıldırım Demirören – Challenger Murat Aksu
Salinger in Turkish
Mavi Boncuk has a piece on JD Salinger’s works that are translated to Turkish… Rest in Peace dear Salinger….
J.D. Salinger in Turkish
from Mavi Boncuk by M.A.M
Now that J.D. Salinger (b. January 1, 1919 ? d. January 27, 2010) is gone I can revisit The Catcher in the Rye. I will spare you the impact the book had on me or why my young mind adopted most of Holden Caulfield?s traits that still defines me today.
Introducing Turkish Cybersphere (4)
* ? Turkish internet users have recently performed a virtual protest against web censorship: Visualize Dissent: Turkish Users Protest Censorship Using Google Maps * Turkish web enterpreneurship site etohum announced 15 web projects it will support in 2010. * Madde Bağımlısı announced 8 most creative blogs here. * Webrazzi announced a number of successful web … Read more
The Cyberpunk Educator (and other selected videos)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9106730147624587352#
The Cyberpunk Educator
1980’s Study of Cyberpunk Film for structural literary and political content. Or if you, prefer, the story of existentialist robots with guns. Free film, made available by www.cyberpunkfilm.com
every male soul tastes the military service (in Turkey) (!)
Recently, Hürriyet posted service photos of popular actors, footballers etc…
Greek woes continue…Euro roundup
Distilled Geography: Europe?s Alcohol Belts from Strange Maps
It matters where we are, for it helps determine who we are. Or, as the quote often attributed to Napoleon states: Geography is destiny. That destiny extends to drink, as demonstrated by this map. Where we are determines to a statistically significant degree what kind of alcohol we prefer. Or is it the other way around: the kind of alcohol preferred is determined by the place where it is produced?…….
And It?s A Bailout?..
from A Fistful Of Euros » A Fistful Of Euros by Edward Hugh
Well, it?s not fully official yet, and all the fine print certainly isn?t written and signed, but the will is now clearly there, and where there?s a will, there?s a way, especially when you have the global financial markets breathing down your necks. The first one out of the box was the Economist?s Charlemagne, earlier this afternoon.
Amazon vs. Macmillan
Amazon and Macmillan go to war: readers and writers are the civilian casualties
from Boing Boing by Cory Doctorow
An interview with Ferhat Kentel: Postmodernity and the Arc of Turkish Identity
Postmodernity and the Arc of Turkish Identity
from Turkish Politics in Action by Ragan Updegraff
Ferhat Kentel, Professor at Istanbul Sehir University / PHOTO from the Balkans Project
The Balkans Project recently featured a fascinating interview with Ferhat Kentel, a sociologist at Istanbul Sehir University. Working on the construction of Turkish national identity, Kentel is examining one of the most controversial and heuristic themes in Turkish politics — in many ways, a theme that defines, and most certainly pervades, every aspect of political discourse, be it Turkey’s efforts to come to terms with its minorities (Muslim and non-Muslim), its attempts to reconcile Islam and the Turkish naton-state, its ongoing EU accession process, its confrontration with ultra-nationalist elements like Ergenekon, its international relations, etc. I have provided excerpts in this post, though I most definitely recommend reading though the whole interview.
“Turkey’s Homework on Minority Rights
Turkey’s Homework on Minority Rights
from Bianet :: English
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe calls Turkey for a series of measures regarding religious minorities to be implemented throughout the coming twelve months. A progress report is expected by February 2011.
Davos summit continues without the Turkish state
here is a twitter hashtag for Davos summit: #WEF
The international dimension: Turkey should use, not lose, Davos
by KLAUS JURGENS
How long should ?one minute? really last? Let us travel back in time. I remember all too well where I was writing my analysis of last year?s events with regard to Davos 2009.
!f istanbul starts soon (11-21 Feb)
Independent film festival !f istanbul’s 2010 session will take place btw 11-21 February. Two Fbook groups for the festival: !f istanbul and !f istanbul 2010 film önerileri. Official website: !f istanbul 2010 Independent films coming to !f in Istanbul and Ankara – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review !f İstanbul festival announces glittering bill for … Read more
CEAUSSIC continues its work.
CEAUSSIC: Ethics Casebook
from American Anthropological Association by Brian
Dr. Laura McNamara?The AAA?s Ad Hoc Commission on Anthropology?s Engagement with the Security and Intelligence Communities (CEAUSSIC) continues its work. Our main activities at present include: 1. the writing of a report to the AAA on the widely and hotly debated Human Terrain System of the U.S. Army, 2. The editing of a casebook illustrating the diversity of kinds of practicing anthropology, including associated ethical questions, with a primary emphasis upon the security sector broadly conceived, 3. And providing support for the AAA?s ongoing ethics process. In an effort to keep our work transparent and part of the public and disciplinary discussion of all of the above, CEAUSSIC is also going to be contributing a monthly entry to the AAA?s blog. Each entry, by different CEAUSSIC members, will address topics that have arisen or that we have been thinking about, which we will continue to discuss via the blog, a discussion in which we hope you will also participate.?