talkturkey

The Last Queen

There will probably not be another Queen ruling the United Kingdom anytime soon. Not that there aren't any more Queens in the world, but Elizabeth II is the most talked about, and the most popular Queen of them all. And she's been the Queen for all of my life.

Hard to believe that Queen Elizabeth II has been the head of the royal family for 57 years and counting, with no signs of turning the helm over to her son. Only Queen Victoria (63 years) and King George III (59 years) have reigned longer.

Obligated to Leave

The reason many businesses hire consultants is so they can terminate the relationship once the project is done. Not with employees. Companies are stuck with them even after their obsolescence. Except in times of economic peril. Like now. And then all the 'experts' on TV, who have jobs due to others not having any, instigate this fear of the sky falling. Instead, the sound you hear is the toilet flushing on those whose jobs were long gone, but were still kept around.

No Corporate Jet CEOs Fly Jet Blue

Corporate jet privilege taken away? Don't worry. Jet Blue has a fix to your problem. Watch the three fun videos... Here's one of them.

Istanbul Unplugged

If you're a fan of people and faces and photography, I recommend you pay a visit to Zeynep's Flickr page. Along with her, there are dozens if not hundreds of Flickr members who have posted pictures about Turkey and things Turkish. But Zeynep seems to be able to capture the facial expressions, complete with lines and wrinkles that are very telling of stories past. As Nevin did with her latest post.

I also came across a blog, Istanbul through My Eyes by Ozgur, which is full of quite fascinating pictures of Istanbul, including holy and historic places, and I am not talking just mosques either.

The picture headlining this post was taken by me while I was in Istanbul last March. The street has quite a nostalgic meaning to me. Can you guess where it is in Istanbul? (no cheating by clicking below)... Give up?

It's That Taxing Time Again

Just a reminder, unless you were expecting a refund and e-filed your return few minutes after you received your W-2, there is not much time left to procrastinate. April 15 is less than a month away.

Will you be declaring income from the 'Ottoman Turkish Empire Settlement Payments? Another one of those 'Only in California...' stories... (go to bottom of page 5)

It's insurance policies settlement. Not restitution payments.

Bracketology

I just turned in my picks in the 2009 Bracket Challenge on Facebook. I have Louisville, Duke, Memphis, and N.C. on my Final Four, with Louisville against North Carolina in the finals. Then again I have another one with UCLA (hometown favorite) and UConn to make it to the Final Four, but with the same final two on that one as well, Louisville vs North Carolina. Who are your picks?

And I feel a lot more comfortable now that a computer model picked North Carolina to go all the way this year.

Repeat Post: Ron Paul Nostradamus

Please watch: It's very relevant to today...

In case you missed it the first time: predicting the current financial crisis...

Celebrity Apprentice and Kotu

We are three weeks into the second season of Celebrity Apprentice, where the biggest celebrity is The Donald himself. This season it's the men versus women playing for charity. And the men's team lost their third challenge in a row to the women last night. Not because the women are playing extremely well, rather the men are simply bad.

Ironically, the men named themselves 'Kotu' at the beginning of the season. In Turkish, ('kötü') means 'bad.' And what do you expect when you throw in Dennis Rodman, Tom Green, Clint Black, and Jesse James together?

Do you think Claudia from Deal or No Deal will win the whole thing? Since I think the celebrity version of this show is about promoting the network. And just like last season's winner Pierce Morgan, Claudia is on another NBC show. That's bad! Or 'kotu.'

Control Issuance of Currency

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.... The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."

Thomas Jefferson

As a prelude, please read 'Currency Destruction & Fiat Money'

Currency Destruction and Fiat Money

Crazy Ron Paul is at it again! Now, he's introducing a bill to audit the Federal Reserve (HR 1207). You've got to be kidding me...

Why would we want to 'audit' the Fed??? What would Thomas Jefferson do?

Islam, Muslims, and the 'R' Word

It is more evident with each passing day, religions and those who follow them are at odds with each other, even if such a statement sounds contradictory at first read. But stay with me, I may make a convert (no pun intended) out of you.

How many times have you heard people say they're just not that into 'organized' religion, as if it reminded them of a family reunion at a mob convention?

Given today's Islamophobia by the 'West,' relative to the 'true' Islam versus the 'perceived' Islam, thanks mostly in part to an unlikely source, the Muslims in general, one can't help but wonder (or in my case wander) if Islam was really meant for Muslims?

I tried to address this rhetorical question in a two-part series of posts back in 2006. And for their relevancy still, I'd like to re-post them for your enjoyment, even if it is to simply get a conversation started. And hopefully not (God forbid) to awaken anyone's ire.

I am fully aware that 'reform' may not be appropriate for Islam; however, 'reform' of the people practicing Islam is way overdue.

Islam: No Muslims Allowed: Save Islam from the Muslims (Part-I)

Epilogue: Post-Muslim Islam (Part-II)

Prinkipo (Büyükada) Istanbul

For those lucky enough to have visited, or lived in Istanbul, nothing can compare to the Prince Islands, off the coast of Istanbul. The main island or 'Büyükada' (Prinkipo) is the most prominent among the nine. And collectively, they offer a glimpse into the multicultural society that Turkey is, even if the islands are often viewed as a haven for jet setters and a destination for others trying to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Obama Talks Turkey

Hillary Clinton delivered a personal message to the Turks today. No, it wasn't about bailing out Turkey, or its government; but rather about the selection of Turkey as Obama's first presidential trip to a Muslim nation. And I think there couldn't have been a better choice!

Not only is Turkey a Muslim nation, but a strategic partner of 'The West,' more commonly referred to by the radical Islamists as 'evil.' This visit should go a long way towards assuring everyone on all sides of the perception and public relations issue when it comes to Islam; the U.S. is not out to castigate the Muslims, and not all Muslims are 'evil.'

But still, 'evil' is a funny word; it has 'vile' intentions, and can be used as a 'veil' to hide the truth, when most of us simply want to 'live' in harmony. I wish changing our take on it was as easy as rearranging its letters.

Hillary's View and Turkey

UPDATE: Obama will visit Turkey in about a month!

As part of her trip to the Middle East, followed by Brussels and NATO, the new Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will make a stop in Turkey. Most likely to assure the nervous Turkish government that the U.S. will continue its policy towards Turkey, of treating Turkey with kid gloves.

I am sure she will tell Turkey what it needs to hear; that Turkey is still strategically relevant, that it needs to be a part of the EU, and that it is a great Islamic democracy for others in the region to emulate.

All great sound bytes. And possibly with great intentions. But not because the U.S. (government) actually endorses them for the reasons that Turkey thinks it does. All with the sincerity of a predator seen toying with its captured prey waiting for the right time to act on its inevitable instincts.

After After After Final Rose

The post-Bachelor after-after-the-final-rose is what this post will touch on this morning. And then I will predict the 'fake' Bachelor/Bachelorette series will be making its final appearance next season with Jillian at the helm.

Last night, we were told that another six weeks had passed since the fiasco of Jason the Bachelor dumping Melissa, the girl he proposed to over Molly a few weeks ago, only to change his mind to be with Molly instead. And both Jason and Molly were on the show last night reaffirming their right to continue to develop their relationship, proving once again one cannot find true love on a TV show over a month, even if the whole thing is played out over what seems like a lifetime on TV.

Aside from my now total lack of respect for Jason, I restate my conclusion about Molly in my last post; she is a few brain cells short of genius herself.

In response to criticism across America, here's what she had to say,"we are real people, we have jobs, we have families, and these people who say these things don't realize the damage that their words can do."

Honey! I got news for you! You chose to be on a 'reality' show on TV! Did you really expect people not to come to love, as well as hate and criticize you for what you say and do on the show, in front of millions of people? Wake up, or better yet, grow up!

The Bachelor Chronicles

Did you watch 'The Bachelor' last night? I can almost guarantee that 'The View' will have something to say about the ridiculous season ending episode. Hopefully, the women will all admit that the bimbos on the show are either gullible, or dumb, or both. And I am not talking about The View.

A little background for those living in a cave as Bin Laden's neighbor. Last season, the bachelorette ends up picking the other guy, after narrowing her choices down to two. The man who got dumped at the altar is then awarded his own show for this season. He narrows his choices down to two as well, after several weeks of intolerable rose ceremonies less exciting than watching the paint dry on a nude model wearing only body painting, while admitting he's falling in love with both at the same time. And last night, he picks one over the other.

This is when it gets interesting.

What $1 Trillion Means

Do you all remember the original $700 billion 'bailout'? Half of it is already spent, and we seem to have no idea where!

Assuming we count the illegals, and pretend there are 350 million people here in the US; that's $1,000 for every man, woman, and child.

Now there are rumors that the 'rescue' will amount to $3 trillion. That's almost $10,000 per person. Or did I just hear someone say $10 trillion?

"But what is a trillion, really? Well, consider this: If you counted 1 million seconds it would take about 11-and-a-half days. A billion seconds would take 32 years to go by. A trillion seconds equals 32,000 years."

I have a suggestion!!!