Tag Archives: turkey

Impressions of Istanbul Part 1

Back from Istanbul and I was so busy I decided to hold off on long posts until I could sit and gather my thoughts properly. So here’s how it begins:

I’ve never stood at the edge of Europe and looked at Asia. I’ve never arrived in Asia and looked back towards Europe. Actually if I start to list all the I’ve nevers for my time in Turkey, this post will fill up instantly.? Istanbul and its 12 million people was a place filled with things that I loved and things I think no one loves, even Istanbulu’s themselves.

As the 5 euro bus pulls out of the airport area and rides along the sea, I’m fixated atContinue reading “Impressions of Istanbul Part 1”

bm295 An Alternative Media Network in Turkey

BazarBianet is an alternative media network in Turkey. The network’s goal is to cover the topics which the mainstream will not or does not, with a special emphasis on human rights, labor, women’s rights, the environment, and much more.  How are they funded? Is their structure alternative? What does it mean to be alternative in Turkey’s media landscape? My guest, an editor at Bianet, sat down with me at their office in Istanbul to explain.

Bianet in English

 

PRocessing

Turkey content coming up. 4 podcasts relating to alternative radio, a radical magazine, an alternative media network, an LGBT magazine.. and perhaps more.? It’s all processing and today is my last full day in this lovely city. So for now.. I leave you with the fishermen.

Art, Violence, and Other Recommendations

Art, violence, politics, sometimes they all just hit me in the face in one sitting. And so allow me to share some links with you today to illustrate:

First, I was watching a lovely vlog entry on insanefilms.com, featuring my good friend and wonderful artist Hollye Davidson. Her explanation of how colors can be seen and how she sees colors what particularly fun for me to watch. Plus if you’re a dog person, or like me.. just enjoy watching dogs and not having one, there’s some great video of two very unique creatures.

From there I read Pauline’s latest entry from Equatorial Guinea. Not that she encountered physical violence, but her account of what I see as mental and emotional violence got me very upset. You’ve probably heard Pauline on my podcast in the past, and her blog continues to rise in terms of richness of content.

Then it all comes apart, as it so often does when I watch Euronews’ Nocomment section. I’ll spare you the video of Turkish police beating the crap out of horrified pro-democracy protesters, but what I do recommend is that you watch the Iraq entry. (follow this link, and scroll down, click on 30/04
If you watch, you’ll see amazing beauty in one of the worst parts of Baghdad. The terrible wall they have sadly laid down to divide communities, being painted in such amazing ways by local people. Instantly a disgusting wall that symbolizes so much violence and hate, becomes something beautiful to look at. (though still representing a pretty sad policy)

Don’t just scroll and take my word for it, see with your own eyes, and hear with your own ears… if you’re so lucky to be able to.

bm173 Turkey Talk in Lisbon

En route from Amsterdam to Lisbon via Porto, I had ample time to read through the French, British, and Portuguese papers. I ran into many articles on Turkey and the decision by the EU to slow down or what many call “freeze” the process of expansion to include them. While it is certainly not under-reported news, it is an issue that I have a seperate or somewhat different concern about, and therefore voila: a podcast on this topic, including some other EU related concerns and criticisms from me. No podjournalism today, just me in this chilly Lisbon apartment, trying to huddle around a electric-space-heater.

Here’s an article for additional reading.