National program not ‘national’ enough for opposition
Turkey’s main opposition parties were reluctant to read a key document detailing the country’s National Program, prepared by the government to present to the European Union. The program……
"Poll finds Europeans favor Obama over McCain in US
Poll finds Europeans favor Obama over McCain in US
"Poll finds Europeans favor Obama over McCain in US
WASHINGTON: Despite some optimism in 12 European countries that Democrat Barack Obama could improve relations with Europe if elected president, most Europeans polled in a survey released Wednesday do not want closer ties with the United States.
Some blog ratings…
Following Julian, where this blog stands: (!) hmmm, this was at a higher level before, as far as I remember.
"Sorry, you?re just not European enough….
Sorry, you’re just not European enough
Better luck next time, Ukraine.
One of these days the EU powers that be are going to realise that when you’ve got countries torn between a European and non-European identity, to keep on telling them “sorry, you’re not European enough yet” is just going to drive them into the other camp.
How much longer are the likes of Ukraine and Turkey going to put up with these repeated, very public rejections before heading off to the waiting embrace of Moscow or non-secular Islamism?
Migration fears unjustified, OECD
Growing migration is putting strains on rich and poor economies alike, according to the OECD.
Turkish national team's TV ads
Latest one: “national dads” Fathers of players act in the ad.
Erkan's quarterly visit to the military office
update: this time it was harder. spent all my afternoon. but don’t worry. i am free until December, until the next postponement… I will be on my way to the military office in Bahçelievler to postpone the mandatory duty for another 4 months. It is always stressful to do that. Turkish army does excuse us … Read more
"A match without a loser
A match without a loser by ALİNE ÖZİNİAN
When we set off for Yerevan on a scheduled midnight Armavia flight this Thursday, we saw something we had not seen since long ago on a flight between İstanbul and Yerevan. Instead of men and women carrying several bags, probably goods to be sold in Armenia, as is customary on these biweekly scheduled fights, there were a number of journalists from the Turkish press.
"Sarkozy, Solana in Russia to clarify Georgia ceasefire
A new rival for Merkel
Social Democrats shake things up
COALITION governments often make for interesting bedfellows. The union between Germany’s Christan Democrats, the party of Angela Merkel, and the Social Democrats (SPD) should be more entertaining to watch after a weekend shake-up of the latter in which the current foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was chosen as the SPD’s candidate to face Mrs Merkel in national elections next year.
Johannes Simon/Getty Images
Next Wednesday, scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland will switch on the $6 billion Large Hadron Collider, a 27-kilometer particle accelerator that will create physical conditions that haven’t existed in the universe since the big bang. It all sounds totally awesome, unless you’re one of the very few people who think that the LHC will create a black hole that will expand to consume the planet. In World probably will not end next Wednesday
Sarkozy, Solana in Russia to clarify Georgia ceasefire
Accompanied by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Commission President José Manuel Barroso, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is in Moscow today (8 September) before heading to Tbilisi this evening to discuss the implementation of the peace plan he brokered at the outbreak of the Russia-Georgia conflict a month ago.
Day 2 in the battle of AKP vs. DMG
I thought after yesterday’s speech Mr. Erdoğan would not talk back immediately, and i spent the day out without recognizing today’s speech until the evening. Well, Mr. Erdoğan gives "1 week" to correct the false news disseminated by Doğan group dailies. Mr. Doğan replied back in Kanal D to declare that his media will not be an obedient media in sum. I found Mr. Doğan a little bit scared. But only a little bit. He has a giant media empire, his journalists occupy many Press institutions, his daughter is the head of powerful businessman association, TUSIAD. Although he said last night "all state institutions belong to AKP, they can finish us easily, we know that things do not work like that. A leftist TV channel, Hayat TV was closed nearly all summer and no body could help that but DMG is not a small marginal media group and dynamics of politics is much more complicated. Never politically correct Mr. Erdoğan waited for more than 2 years to attack back, and only after the Constitutional Court case, he felt more secure to start the battle.
Mr. Erdoğan claimed that Mr. Doğan visited him and requested some privileges for the Hilton Hotel site located in near the super valuable Taksim square. (In tonight’s interview at Kanal D, Aydın Doğan said "of course, we always have requests from the government, we do lots of business and we have needs to discuss] When he was rejected, DMG dailies began to attack. DMG is known to request some sort of airwave rights for CNN Turk. That is also refused. After tens of TV channels, anti-trust laws do not allow him for more airwave but Mr. Doğan wants more basically. Anyway, we will see new files to be opened in the next few days. In the mean time, in today’s papers Abdullah Gül’s visit to Armeania and the "battle" news competed in headlines. DMG’s flagship Hürriyet replied back. Milliyet also. [circulation report of dailies are given in the end]
DMG’s newly acquired furiously anti-AKP Vatan columnists charged their weapons like the ones above:
more Chrome links and more from the cyberspace…
More ‘EU controlling blogging’ outrage – a more careful analysis
Back in June there was a lot of debate on numerous blogs about a draft European Parliament Resolution by Estonian Socialist Marianne Mikko. The original draft contained some rather strong paragraphs about placing legal restrictions on blogs but, after all, the initial draft – as I argued at the time – was probably the misguided view of one MEP, and that some MEPs had proposed sensible amendments.
British artist Alan Jaras turns light into awesome works of art. A majority of the works are analogue images of the refraction patterns from a beam of light passing through a transparent object (Jaras uses pieces of textured glass). VIA
"Orhan Pamuk: Characters pull me along in their own directions…
Orhan Pamuk: Characters pull me along in their own directions By ABDULLAH KILIÇ These days Turkey is abuzz about Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk and his new book, “Masumiyet Müzesi” (Museum of Innocence), with a first printing of 100,000 copies. Pamuk is quite pleased with the initial reactions from the press and from the first … Read more
Now open warfare between AKP and Doğan Media Group (DMG)!
After a corruption case whose details given below, DMG papers and CHP started a new wave of attack against AKP and its leadership. As usual Milliyet leads the accusations. As far as I remember PM Tayyip Erdoğan uttered the name of "Aydın Doğan" for the first time and he accused him of not having moral … Read more
Historic game in 3 hours
Map showing the Turkish areas that were inhabited by Armenians in 1915. Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul has made a historic trip to Armenia to watch a football match and try to tackle decades of animosity between the estranged neighbours.
(AFP Graphic)
I am here in the office working on the dissertation, on a particular chapter and what I want most in life right now is to be in our joint, sitting with my friends and watching the game. Nearly in the break between the first and second halves of the game, we will have our traditional iftar. This will be the tenth? I am expecting 10-15 people to appear for the game and iftar.
There might be some protests in the Armenian side, some provocative acts but these are already expected. Hopefully, this will be a good day for two countries, a good day for me, having friends around and playing cards all night after a soccer victory. Hmmm even if Turkey loses, I guess, I won’t be too upset.
There is an ache in my back for three days due to getting cold for sure but today i began to worry if there might be a case of hernia. My dad had one. This makes me more worried; i am going to see a doctor soon if there is no progress! ok Let me back to work on "Internet based Urban Legends in the EU Process" chapter…
Rounding the circle
President Abdullah Gül is traveling to Armenia for a historic visit; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is off to Syria for Middle East talks; direct negotiations are taking place between leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, and the foreign minister of Turkey’s neighbor and former rival Greece declares herself hopeful that the two sides will eventually reach a settlement; and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently visited Turkey.
Can Soccer Heal Turkey-Armenia Rift? – TIME
"What does the military?s surprise visit mean?
What does the military’s surprise visit mean? by İRFAN YILDIRIM
The Ergenekon case is still shaking Turkey. Most recently, the visit paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) by Kocaeli Garrison Commander Lt. Gen. Galip Mendi to retired generals Şener Eruygur and Hurşit Tolon, who are being held in Kandıra Prison in connection with the case, has added a new dimension to the issue.
Nosemonkey reports: "European Commission: It?s not racist to target a particular ethnic group for police persecution
European Commission: It’s not racist to target a particular ethnic group for police persecution
Good news for fascists today – according to the EU, it’s no longer racist to target a particular ethnic group based on folklore that suggests they’re all criminals.
EU Should Balance Criticism Toward Russia and Georgia
Leonie Holthaus: The EU should serve as a mediator in the Russian-Georgian dispute. This role requires that the EU does not take sides with one conflicting party but rather balance its criticism. Even if a position like this is perceived as "hesitant" in the US press, it may contribute to resolving the conflict by diplomatic means………