Daily News About Turkey In English

Research Extracts

2009-05-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

Cihat ALBAYRAK – 3231060006

Research Topic: Effects of Technology on Human Life

Research Question: What are the negative effects of technology on child health?

Hypothesis: Technology has not only physical negative effects on children, but more

current and important than that, it has psychological negative effects that may not be cured, which reveals as disintegrity in the society, increase in crime rates, unhappiness, failure in school and group works, and as the primary agenda, relationships with the family.

Albayrak 1

Focusing Children

Technology has been affecting human life since the industrial revolution. With every new progress and invention, there appeared both simplification and complification of life. For instance, Einstein(Wikipedia:15^th May 2008) had studied on atom energy with the purpose to make use of it in industry and his intention was just to have more peace on the world. But his studies were used in military and atomic bomb caused the death of thousands of people.

By products, wastes(which causes the pollution of environment),radiation(which leads cancer), unsociablity are some of the terms that affects human life in a negative way all being results of technology. There are studies to lessen these effects. But the point is that children endure technology more, and apart from the obvious effects just like eye diseases, infections, obesity; they have problems in social life, too. An essay on guzeldunyam.com,” effects of technology on human life” (guzeldunyam:5^th May 2008) explains this as follows:

“According to researchers, children are dragged to loneliness with the abstract technological products that take much of their time daily. In the paws of them, they live an emotional collapse, and see life as quite nonsense. They happen (technology/products) to be means of unhappiness ,more than entertainment.”

In spite of the fact that children are affected by technology most, in the studies/researches, there has not been a focus on them. The matter has been taken as a whole, and in the generalization,” technology and human life “has been researched. Recent (previous)

Albayrak 2

research on “negative effects of technology on child health” is restricted with newspaper articles ,internet documents and interviews by experts.

Bayram Kaya(K.Bayram:17^th May 2008), in his article, ”staying a long time in front of the computer dries eyes” focuses only on eye disorders resulting from technology, and explains that, staying a long time in front of computers causes the production of tears to lessen and thus resulting the chronic eye dryness. And states that, “if the risk increases, there can even be loss of seeing.”

Another article is from the same newspaper. In the article of ”Anadolu Ajansı”(Anadolu Ajansı:5^th May 2008), ”Children will watch TV far away”, it is stated that, ”According to the international standards, the distance between the child and TV must be at least 5 folds of the screen size. ”Rest of the article follows on the path of eye disorders and dangerous waves of lights.

An interview with the Manager of Biologists Association(saglikbilgisi:5^th May 2008), Kadir Sorucuoğlu, reveals that mobile phones produce electromagnetic waves that lead to cancer.(especially lymphoma c.), high blood pressure and spine(spinal/orthopedic) disorders.

Wikipedia(Wikipedia: 15^th May 2008) has more focus on child health and explains as, ”New forms of entertainment, such as video games, and internet access could have possible social effects on areas such as academic performance…Technology has increased the need to talk to more people faster causing social separation of singular interaction…” Wikipedia, thus

Albayrak 3

includes not only physical, but also psychological negative effects of technology on human life and especially child life, which is the focus of this research indeed.

In this research, physical disorders and diseases of children caused by technology will be studied first of all, to reveal the conditions that lead to the notion that “technology has negative effects on child health”. And then, social and psychological conditions will be analyzed so as to assess the objectivity of the hypothesis that, ”technology has not only physical effects on children, but also more current and important than that, it has psychological effects that may not be cured which reveals as disintegrity in the society increase in crime rates, unhappiness, failure in school and group work, and as the primary agenda, relationships with the family.

An interview with a doctor, Hasan Talay, and a questionnaire that will look for the ideas/impressions of parents will add up to the process.

Technology As A By-Product

In the modern world today, technology reaches to even the furthest, most uncrowded parts of the world. Even in Africa, people can use mobile phones, computers, internet, planes, and televisions. Production of technology, unlike industry and agriculture, does not need an enormous human power to run. Groups including some thousands of people, at the moment, produce new hardware and software and this simultaneously effects the life of billions of people.

Albayrak 4

Graham Bell came up with the idea that a gadget, telephone, would be useful for people, and today it is in the life of 7 billion people. Bill Gates developed the computer technology, and

economical points of view changed. Industry changed! A new age occurred; information age. Television was invented and today, it takes at least one hour of every single person on the world. A term having an effect of that much on people, technology, is worth to be thought, studied and programmed on any subtitle of it.

How To Cure Technology

The more cures are found to the diseases, the more diseases occur. For instance, cancer was not so common a hundred years ago. And there was not a disease, obesity, which limits the life of millions of children especially in USA. Ecological circumstances were not danger for people. For example, governments need not cope with global warming, which is again human-made indeed. From a perspective, scientists hunger for new technologies to help people face with life at ease, but from another perspective, people strive with the wastes and side effects of them. An article on Wikipedia(Wikipedia:15^th May 2008) points out this phenomenon as:

‘Each wave of technology creates a set of waste previously unknown by humans; one of the main problems is the lack of an effective way to remove these pollutants on a large scale expediently. In nature, organisms ‘recycle’ the wastes of other organisms. For example, plants and photosynthesis circulation…’

Albayrak 5

Unfortunately, there is no such circulation (or mechanism) existing to remove technological wastes and side effects. It is all up to awareness of people on how to and when to use technology.

For most of the situations, people do not know how a gadget will effect their children, and for some situations, they misunderstand these effects. In a questionnaire made for this research(Appendix 1), it was found out that, all of the participators (50 parents) thought that mobile phones had a negative effect on child health because of the radiation and electromagnetic waves. But it was acknowledged not to be true.

A GSM operator, Turkcell, made a press conference and answered the questions on minds. The co-manager of the corporation, İlter Terzioğlu, indicated that mobile phones did not emit radiation. To quote Kuvel(K.Selim:14^th June 2008) the reporter:

‘Mobile phones have no negative effect on human health; Terzioğlu claimed. He told that the radio waves that are emitted by mobile phones and the nuclear radiation did not have any resemblance and that, it was confused with the nuclear radiation and the heating effect resulting from electromagnetic zone.’

Interviewing A Danger

Parents suppose ‘radiation’ –they think it is emitted by mobile phones- as a danger, but it is proven by statistics(K.Selim:14^th June 2008) that this is not the situation and apart from this, they do not take the sociological and psychological factors into account.

Albayrak 6

Dr. Hasan Talay, from İstanbul Medicine Faculty, during the interview for this research, indicated that mobile phones posed a big danger for children. Talay points out that: ‘Social part of the situation must be thought in detail. Children who are supposed to play with their

friends in the streets touching the sand and earth to grow their muscles, each write more than 20 messages in a day with mobile phones. Thus, not only the understanding and ability to interact and play do not progress, but also they do not take in ‘what is friendship’. (Appendix 2)

Some criterias are true for televisions and computers used by children. Parents do not know from which side to look to the negative effect. They have a look at the process and think it just as a waste of time. But, the situation is found to be not so bare.

Talay concludes in the interview: ‘Watching television too near to the monitor and for a long time is extremely harmful. Fist of all, it causes the eyes to get wet. After a few months, it turns out to be eye dryness. At this point, eyes start to lose their transparency, and loss of seeing occurs. And also, computer games pose a great danger. Children sit to play a single game of 15 minutes, but it goes beyond hours. All of these hinder both muscle and bone development. When this factors are added up, a term appears frightening all the world (especially children): (Appendix 2))

‘Obesity’

Advantages of both television and computer are commonly accepted for both education and socialization of children. But, parents do not think on side effects effectively. For example, in

Albayrak 7

the questionarre, 14 parents out of 50 replied to have a computer for their children in their home and gave an average answer of 2 hours to the question; ‘how many hours does your child pass with computer?’ (14)

Spending hours and hours in front of the screens leads children to solitude. Their relationships get worse. This results in stress, which causes failure in academic studies. They do not have the ability to share, because computers and televisions are the friends of them, which construct a one-way communication thus leading to intrapersonal children. Children get more and more internal as every technology-based day passes.

Intrapersonal Age*

Children play ‘play station’ for hours in great excitement. It can be observed in hundreds of cafes in Turkey specifically, and all over the world generally speaking. Thus, just in a period when they need to grow physically, children sit and only their fingers work. Mental fatigue and eye loss is added. They are supposed to play football not on the screens with their fingers but on the grass working all their muscles.

A computer game called ‘counter’ is also a leading time-filler for children. It is full of violence and tends them to this attitude indeed. Just like television serials ’Kurtlar Vadisi’ or ‘Lost’, this game leads children to behave in negative manners. They have sympathy to guns, and the number of fights among them increases day by day. Classroom management becomes

* This term has been coined by the researcher.

Albayrak 8

harder for teachers as children progress an egocentric understanding of world –this makes

group work impossible, especially- and parents can not control their children. Crime rates increase and children meet with this ‘crime and punishment’ fact of life earlier than supposed to be.

The reason behind this formation is that, communities can not adapt technology according to their needs and potentials. The philosophy supporting production of technology is to serve people so as to make life easier and endurable. But all of these problems arise because people buy products that they do not need, or how to use. And then, the process turns into a waste of time and side effects come out.

Computers and televisions can be used as educational tools but rather they are used as only entertaining tools. What is more, mobile phones are vital in some situations just like information sharing and communication between parent and child. It is wrong to accept these products as ‘aim’ but not ‘tool’. They must just be communication tools; children have social problem because tools have taken the place of communication ‘Man have become the tools of their tools’ just like Goethe says. Life has become artificial.

Waste

Industry, in modern world, on the other hand, again is for children’s use sure. Productions assist their development. But, as industry gets bigger and bigger every new day, the wastes,

Albayrak 9

by-products and the ‘side effects’ term which follows the process, makes all these production a danger for the same children. Lack in purifying stages cause child deaths occur.

Pollution is one of the ‘main’ problems that is the agenda of governments.

Awareness Raising

Under all these circumstances, it is a prohibition to inform and educate both parents and children about technology and its use. Parents must limit and arrange child exposition to the technology and also children must be aware of their limitations, needs, and benefits from technology.

Conclusion

In this research, the goal was to analyze the negative effects of technology on child health. Social, and psychological aspects of the situation were the focus. The interview with Dr. Hasan Talay, and the questionnaire applied to 50 parents have proven that (when compared and synthesized with the articles on technology and child health) not only physical (diseases, etc.) but also (and, indeed superior to it) psychological, social negative effects have been on children because of technology and that parents, and governments have focused on only the physical face of the situation. Technology solidarities children and, unfortunately, parents are not aware of this. Many parents take buying brand new products to their children as a gift and as a responsibility indeed. The more children expose to the technology, the more parents feel

Albayrak 10

that they have done their job as parents and that they have fulfilled their responsibility. They suppose this process to be need-based and that the products (technology as a title) help their children to success in education. But it is important to monitor children during their exposure to technology and control it. Otherwise, as statistics show, their children may become unsocial and have psychological problems.

This research has based on situations as ‘terms’. It is important to focus on further attitudes, and time-fillers of children, for the research that may be made.

Drama - Three Monkeys

2009-03-17T02:38:00.002-07:00

Three Monkeys

‘Looking For Some More Meaning’

An Absurd Play of 4 Scene

By Cihat Albayrak

Blindy

(Blind begger)

Deafy

(Deaf begger)

Dumby

(Dumb begger)

Missi

(The girl)

Father

(The father)

Scene One

In a dining room. Evening.

Some cakes.

Missi and her father sit around a table and eat some cakes. Missi asks questions without interruption and the father doesn’t care much and doesnt’t give clear answers to her. Missi is irritated not to take satisfying answers.

FATHER: (full of cake in his mouth) You ask too many questions!

MISSI: I need to!

FATHER: It is dangerous to think too much on these matters. Just relax and enjoy your day

Missi.

MISSI: (irritated) You want me to take after you. To be indifferent to life!

FATHER: I call it ‘enjoying’, honey. Just try…

MISSI: (interrupting her father) Dad, why I have to go to school even though I do not

like to?

FATHER: Because you ‘HAVE TO’!

Missi freezes her father and goes on talking to herself taking a new cake in her hand

MISSI: (looks into the eyes of her father and laughs) You make me crazy Dad! Can’t you

see that I-am-not-happy? ‘Missi study; Missi read it; Missi solve it; Missi think

it!’ What a meaningless thing is it to be instructed to think!

The father regains his consciousness

FATHER: What did happen? I don’t feel good. Something strange happen to me nowadays.

MISSI: I know that Dad! But there must be another way. Or reasons to convince me.

FATHER: Because I want you to…

MISSI: It is nonsense to spend our lives reading coursebooks and than working for

nothing.

FATHER: It’s important to read Missi…

MISSI: That’s why you have read just one book after graduating from university? And of

course, if we can call a ‘users’ manual’ as book…

FATHER: I would read more if I had any time. But I have to work, you know.

MISSI: Why we have to have jobs that allow no time for us to do things that we like to?

FATHER: You must try to like things that you have to do. That’s the point honey!

Missi freezes her father again

MISSI: (with a mocking tone) That’s-the-point-honey!

The father regains his consciousness again

MISSI: I see Dad. You say it is unnecessary to talk about freedom, transparency, famine,

global warming, child abuse, crises, wars and etc.

FATHER: Yes, and etc. It has not a meaningful end. That will not earn you anything.

MISSI: You are right.

Missi freezes her father

MISSI: It is NONSENSE to discuss with you.

The father regains his consciousness

MISSI: Dad, I don’t feel ok today. I will not go to school.

FATHER: It’s ok honey; you have a lifetime to go to school!

Scene Two

Corner of a street.

Afternoon.

Blindy, Deafy and Dumby sit next to each other on the corner of the street. Each try to beg witl all the talent specific to them. There is nobody around.

BLINDY: (irritated) Is there any costumer around?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy, what has Blindy said, by his body language)

BLINDY: Hey, answer me?

DEAFY: (hurriedly, too loudly) No, not indeed!

BLINDY: How much we have?

DUMBY: (taking the coins in his hand and showing them to Deafy with a glance)

DEAFY: Just three dollars…

BLINDY: Three beggers and three dollars in almost three hours! What a poor day is this!

DEAFY: Have we got anything to eat?

BLINDY: (falling into laughter) Of course Excellency! What would you like to have as an

appetizer? Bread or bread?

DUMBY: (showing the bread and telling Deafy by his body language that they have only

bread.)

DEAFY: It is becoming harder and harder to beg in this country! I think I will look for

another job.

BLINDY: (again laughing) Maybe we make a mistake. You know man, demand and supply! I think, three ‘beggers’ is too much for this corner! Did you get it?

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements with a meaningless look on his face.)

DEAFY: Is it funny? Do you think this is funny? People get more insensitive with every

new day. Remember, what Dickens says? It is a matter of expectation. People want to be equal with their friends. If they are rich, than they want to have the same richness. And if they are poor, than it is not important to be equally poor.

BLINDY: We are the poors! (in a victorious tone) We-are-the-poors!

DUMBY: (showing his pockets out; a movement which shows that they are really poor)

DEAFY: (shouting)People do not mind us! Don’t you see?

BLINDY: I see, I SEE!

DEAFY: They are lost in their daily works. Always struggle for more and have nothing at

last.

Dumby and Deafy talk to each other with body language

DUMBY: Relax!

DEAFY: Do I need to?

DUMBY: Everybody needs!

DEAFY: What about you?

DUMBY: I’m a gifted man. I think twice and say once. (smiles)

DEAFY: Of course, of course! Would you do if you had any other chance?

BLINDY: What’s up man?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy that Blindy is back again)

DEAFY: Most of the things that people do are nonsense! It is nonsense that people consume their time in vain by planning it with schedules in any moment.

Missi comes nearer to the corner of the street where the three beggers sit next

to each other and stops in front of them

BLINDY: (obsessed) Hey, shut up! I hear someone coming nearer. Come on; it’s time to beg!

DUMBY: (tries to tell Deafy that someone is coming)

DEAFY: Please lady, help these three old man! Please give some coins for something to eat!

BLINDY: Wouldn’t you want to make these three poor man happy?

DUMBY: (opens his hands with a wish of some money)

MISSI: (smiling)You three are so sweet! But I don’t have any money.

BLINDY: You are not a begger too, are you?

MISSI: No Sir, not indeed! I just beg for some meaning.

BLINDY: (happily)Did you hear? She called me ‘Sir’! Did you hear her?

DEAFY:

(falling into laughter)

DUMBY:

MISSI: Forgive me Sir, did I say something wrong?

BLINDY: No, of course no! But, what did you say? Do you beg for meaning?

MISSI: Yes.

BLINDY: We have no meaning for a child, especially for a rich child! Sorry! (laughing

again)What you want to have a meaning for?

MISSI: I am unhappy. But I can’t see any meaning in being happy. People look like happy.

But it is so foolish to look like; to pretend to be happy. That’s not something

related to the amount of things that you have or do not have. That is a problem of

employing a meaning to the things that you have and an aim for the things that you

do not have. And apart from all these, my father is indifferent to my questionfull

life!

BLINDY: I see. (hesitating) I mean I understand you.

MISSI: You are so funny Sir.

BLINDY: She continues calling me as ‘Sir’…

MISSI: Do you know each other?

DUMBY: (hugs Blindy and Deafy)

BLINDY: Yes in a sense and no in another sense!

MISSI: How can this be possible?

BLINDY: Do you really want to know?

MISSI: Yes, sure.

BLINDY: I know Dumby, because he always keeps my hand but I don’t know him, because I

have never seen him. I have never seen Deafy, that’s why I don’t know him. But I

have listened to him more than anybody else, that’s why I know him well. Dumby

doesn’t know me, because he has never talked to me. But he knows me well,

because he has heard my voice more than anybody else’s. Dumby knows Deafy he

has heard him almost as much as me, and has seen him more than anybody else.

But he doesn’t know him, because he has never talked to him. Deafy knows me

because he has seen me more than anybody else, and talked to me more than

anybody else he has had. But he doesn’t know me, because he has never heard me.

Deafy knows Dumby…

Missi freezes all the three beggers

MISSI: That’s an answer! I have never heard such an answer from Dad. What if this man

were my father! Than everything would definitely be more meaningful.

The three beggers regain their consciousness

MISSI: I think that’s something meaningful.

BLINDY: I think I have gone crazy.

DUMBY: (looks to his right and left sides, controlling anything abnormal)

DEAFY: What happened us? I feel hungry. What we have to eat?

BLIND: Excellency is back! (laughing)

MISSI: (laughing)

BLINDY: Bread with bread sausage is the special of the day monsieur!

DUMBY: (shows Deafy the bread and laughs)

MISSI: I would like to stay here more with you, but I must go now. Thank you, that you

made me reallyhappy. I wish I could help you.

BLINDY: It was enough to be called as a ‘SIR’ Lady! What’s your name, by the way?

MISSI: Missi, Sir. See you soon.

Scene Three

In a bedroom.

The three beggers are at their home. They prepare to sleep and have a talk

evaluating the day.

BLINDY: Don’t you think that we are lucky than many people?

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements again to tell Deafy what has Blindy said)

BLINDY: I can’t see; but I hear every word. I can hear better than many people. You Dumby,

can not speak, but you can hear better than many people. You Deafy, you can’t

hear, but you can shout more than anybody can. Hey Deafy, I talk to you!

DEAFY: What is going on there? You are again talking about me, aren’t you?

BLINDY: We were just talking about your successful life monsieur.

DUMBY: (laughing and telling Deafy that Blındy talks about their disablements and talents)

BLINDY: We may be disabled in some parts, but we are more talented in other parts

according to other people.

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements to tell Deafy what Blindy has said)

DEAFY: (laughing)

BLINDY: It is important to be aware of that. It is important to be aware of your talents,

capabilities.

DEAFY: Hey, what is this poor blind talking about! Sleep gentleman; we will have a long

begging ceremony tomorrow…

BLINDY: Than you may have eyes to look something; but you may not be able to see

anything. You may have healthy ears to listen, but it is up to you to be able to hear.

You decide what to see and hear. You may have a tongue to utter your thoughts;

but you may not be able to speak in any occasions. That’s a matter of choice.

People shorten or lenghten their time according to their choices.

DUMBY: (touchs Blindy’s shoulders to show his understanding)

BLINDY: (emotionally)People don’t want to see many things/people, they pretend not to see;

than they make themselves blind! And people don’t want to hear many

things/people, they pretend not to hear; than they make themselves dumb! People

don’t want to talk about many things/people/occasions; they pretend not to be

interested, not to have any idea about. They prefer to be silent!

DUMBY: (thoughtful)

BLINDY: What if you could speak! I know that you would speak in any aggreement or

disagreement of yourself. You wouldn’t keep silent!

DUMBY: (touchs Blindy’s shoulders again. Tells Deafy that he wants to sleep. Wants Deafy

to tell this to Blindy, and tell that he agrees with him.)

DEAFY: (laughing)He says he loves you. He agrees to sleep now. Have a good sleep.

BLINDY: (smiling)You must listen more, you Deafy! Good night…

Scene Four

Corner of a street. A tree.

Morning.

Blindy, Deafy and Dumby sit next to each other on the corner of the street. They try to beg in their full performances. Missi comes.

MISSI: (excited)Good morning!

BLINDY: (happy)Missi, is it you?

MISSI: Yes, Sir.

BLINDY: (smiling)Ok, now I’m sure that it is YOU.

DEAFY: (curious)What’s up Missi? What are you doing here in such an early hour?

BLINDY: You must be going to school?

DUMBY: (nods his head agreeing that she must be going to school.)

MISSI: (embarrassed)I want to stay here with you and talk.

BLINDY: This means that you don’t want to go to school?

MISSI: Yes Sir.

Deafy and Dumby talk to each other with body language

DEAFY: Why is this girl here in this hour?

DUMBY: She says she wants to stay here and talk with us.

DEAFY: Interesting. Doesn’t she go to school?

DUMBY: She says she doesn’t want to.

DEAFY: She must have some problems.

DUMBY: We will learn.

DEAFY: Listen her; listen, my man! You listening machine!

BLINDY: Why don’t you want to go to school?

MISSI: (determined)I see it meaningless.

BLINDY: (confused)But it is important to read!

MISSI: It depends on what you read.

BLINDY: You are right.

MISSI: I don’t want to read books that earn me nothing.

BLINDY: I understand.

Missi takes out some cakes from her bag. Deafy and Dumby take them from her hands. They eat like horses. They laugh and don’t give any cakes to Blindy.

BLINDY: Hey, what’s going on there? What are you doing?

DEAFY:

(laughing)

DUMBY:

BLINDY: Missi, tell me what these poors do.

MISSI: Here you are Sir, I have brought some cakes for you.

BLINDY: You disableds! Were you going to eat all of them yourself. You hungry horses!

MISSI: (laughing)

BLINDY: Did you have permission to bring these?

MISSI: No, but I did them myself.

BLINDY: Are you serious? They are so delicious Missi.

MISSI: Thank you Sir. I have brought some money for you, too.

BLINDY: You don’t have to. (laughing)You are not a costumer.

DUMBY: (laughing and telling Deafy what has Missi said)

DEAFY: (shocked)How did you get this money?

Missi freezes the three beggers

MISSI: I have stolen it from Dad. I have taken the money that he doesn’t need but that is

very important for you. What is the point in collecting that much money

eventhough you don’t need and many other people need it to live. How can I say

you that I have stolen it? A-ha, I know!

The three beggers regain their consciousness

MISSI: I found it! On the first corner of the street.

DEAFY: I have never seen that much Money together in a place.

BLINDY: You must be joking Missi!

MISSI: No, I swear.

BLINDY: Ok, we believe you. But, we can’t take this money. It may possess to a person that

really needs it. Or, even if you can’t find the owner of the money, it belongs to

your! We can not take it.

MISSI: I don’t need it. Please take it. You must take. You need it.

Deafy and Dumby look to each other. Blindy asks the opinions of his friends. They decide to take money and than think on hot to find the owner of the money.

MISSI: One more thing; I want to stay with you tonight!

BLINDY: You must have gone crazy!

MISSI: No, I am serious. I want to have a day with you. I want to see how is it to be a

begger. I want to understand how is it to live just like a begger.

BLINDY: I can’t understand. Just say that ‘you want to beg’, so as to complete the nightmare.

MISSI: Please allow me. I want to stay with you today.

DEAFY: What does she say?

DUMBY: (tells Deafy that Missi has gone crazy)

DEAFY: Ah, I can imagine!

BLINDY: Ok, girl. But you must not stay near us too much. Or else, we will not have any

costumer. Understand me?

MISSI: Yes, Sir. I will sit on the other corner. But before it, I want you to answer some

questions.

BLINDY: O my God. Ok, Ok! (showing his ear)I am listening…

MISSI: Tell me about your world. How is it not to see any thing?

BLINDY: I can’t tell that. You must live it to understand.

MISSI: (frightened)What you mean?

BLINDY: Close your eyes just for a day. And try to live in this way. You can understand

than, how is it to be a blind, tol ive like a blind in a sense.

MISSI: (happy to hear that kind of an answer)What about you Dumby?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy to say Missi that, she must do the same thing; not to speak any word

during a day, not to answer anybody/anything)

DEAFY: He says, you must shut your mouth up during a day to feel what he feels.

BLINDY: What kind of a brain you have Deafy!

MISSI: And, what about….

The father appears on the other corner of the street. Missi becomes afraid.

MISSI: I, I must hide. My Dad comes. Please, please don’t tell him that you have seen me.

Missi hides behind a tree. The father appears.

FATHER: (looks very frightened and is in a rush)Excuse me, have you seen a girl here? She

is 15. She was wearing a red cloth. She is out with a big sum of money. I’m afraid

that something bad will happen to her, or has already happened!

Dumby tells the situation to Deafy by some quick movements. Blindy closes his eyes with his hands. Deafy closes his ears with his hands. Dumby closes his mouth with his hands. The three beggers look like ‘the three monkeys’.

BLINDY: I have not seen.

DEAFY: (tells that he has not heard by closing his ears.)

DUMBY: I don’t know.

FATHER: Ok, thank you.

BLINDY: (with an upset tone)Would you want to give some coins to these poor man?

FATHER: (surprised to hear that)Oh, yes sure. I just forgot.(gives a note of ten dollars)

DUMBY: Thank you Sir! God save you. You will find your girl Sir. Do not wonder.

The father walks away. Missi appears and comes nearer to the beggers.

MISSI: (anxious)What did he say? What did you talk about with him? Tell me…

BLINDY: You neend’t give us money. We have told you that we did not count you as a

costumer. By the way, we had a ten dolar note from your father. Forgive us. But

that’s our job!

MISSI: He asked me, didn’t he?

BLINDY: Missi, you shouldn’t have told us a lie. We accepted the Money, because we knew

that you had not found it. It is mportant to help people. But it is not always a must

to give money to help somebody. You called me ‘Sir’ that was a great help. You

made and brought us cake; that was a great help for my two horses, Dumby and

Deafy.

MISSI: (ashamed)I just wanted to…

DEAFY: (hugs Missi)

DUMBY: (in a quiet tone which is unusual for him)Missi, you must give the money back to

your father.

MISSI: But…

BLINDY: You will give it back. And I think you mean a great importance for your father!

He was so curious and afraid. I think you have begged for a great meaning. You

will find many answers with your father.

DUMBY: Everybody bears as disabled! But some of them stays so. Some HAS TO, but

some DECIDE to stay as disabled.

BLINDY: That’s meaningfull, right?

MISSI: Thank you, Sir. Thank you all.

Missi goes away and disappears with the money.

DUMBY: Yes gentleman, we stayed alone again. What we HAVE TO eat?

BLINDY: Bread, with a sausage of MEANING.

Hayat Dersi / Moral Lessons

2009-02-08T05:13:00.000-08:00

I watch and follow a program called 'Hayat Dersi' -I can translate this as 'Moral Lessons'- that is on STV(Samanyolu Television) with a great interest. The program that is being presented by Dr. Muhammed Bozdağ focuses on striking/astonishing stories.

I want to talk about the format of the program for my readers that have not (most probably all the readers do not know anything about it- and the reason why I write this essay is to introduce it) watched it before.

The program crew makes investigations based on the warnings, complaints. They work in cooperation with the security forces. There are stories most of which are family problems that have turned into crime! Hidden cameras are used with the permission of polices and nterviews are made to know more about the stories/problems. At the end of the program (both)sides are brought together in the studio with the guidance of Dr. Muhammed Bozdağ. They are brought face to face. Than one side leaves the studio and polices arrest him/her (and even them).

Until a short time ago, while watching programs just like 'Kalp Gözü, Sır Kapısı, Sırlar Dünyası', I wouldn't help talking to myself as 'What next! Rubbish!' or 'Come on!!!'. Indeed I think that even that kind of programs, serials-television films are very necesay for Turkish community. And I have a good impression for them when I compare with the other serials-television films. But I would focus on the scenario, the flaws of the scenarist andthe exaggerations. But when I watched even the first episodes of 'Hayat Dersi', I understood that almos all the plot and the characters were REAL! They were REALIZABLE! It is so hard to face with incidents in real life that you call as 'these can only happen in films' while watching or listening to something.

I am shocked to see the things that two family members can to each other; that parents cn do to their children or the old!

I sincerely thank to and congratulate all the 'Samanyolu Television' channel, 'Hayat Dersi' program crew, and especially to Dr. Muhammed Bozdağ (for his precious comments) for the job/service they do for Turkish community. And also, I must thank to all that have contributed to the program with warnings/complaints. Because these complaints have led to secure/help many people until now.

I hope that the number of people who help that kind of organisations will increase...

Deal or No Deal

2009-02-04T04:54:00.000-08:00

Many things were written about the program 'Deal or No Deal' (Var mısın Yok musun) that's broadcasted since almost a year on Show Tv, a leading channel that makes broadcasting in Turkey. Indeed many critics constructed sentences starting with that kind of an introduction. The program that is producted by Acun Medya and presented by Acun Ilıcalı has been so effective that more than a million Turkish people have registered to be a competitor.

(see: http://www.superpoligon.com/haber/5591 )

Turkish spectator followed the process of change that the program has had. But I support the idea that there are still points that need to be tought about.

First of all, Ilıcalı points to the fact(!) that all the competitor are selected carefully. He tells that people that really need the money(the program offers) are selected, etc. But I have concluded(since I have watched most of the programmes) that the competitor are not among the 'needers' of our community. There are exceptions that are a good part of the whole, we can not disregard this, but I believe and have witnessed that the competitors of 'Var mısın Yok musun' do not represent the 'needers/people that are in need of' Turkish community.

A second point is that, Acun Medya pays a great sum of money to the renowned people(around the world) to attend the programme. They pay mllion dallar(S) to them to bring them Turkey just for a programme and then, just like an insult, talk about their(renowneds') modesty and their love of Turkey/Turkish (people). And I can not believe, but they declare these people as self-sacrificers and call their coming to Turkey as a thing that must be appreciated. All the competitors, we must take the fact into account that they are needers, talk in English with the renowned people (I can list as Christina Aguilera, Adriana Lima, 50 Cent) and we get crazy with just two words of them 'Var mısın Yok musun'; their two words' Turkish! First of all, they are not mad of Turkey! They see this as a job; as a much profitable job. Secondly, Turkish people do not hunger for these people that are called as renowned! We can always bring these people paying their money... Apart from this, many renowned people/artists visit Turkey, even if their aim is not making job! We often meet with leading people from different areas.

They count back from 10 while opening the boxes. I will not give any more importance on this subject.

In spite of this harsh(!) criticism, I must talk about the positive sides of 'Var mısın Yok musun', that differentiate the programme among the competition pollution. The format is wonderful as there are not rivalries, which face us with the human fact of lowness. And some of the competitions were made for the sake of relief agencies and great sum of money were collected. These are great occurrances; but as I cited before, it is not normal to transfer money to the renowned people just fore rating, a sum of money that is much more than the money that has been collected/transferred for the relief agencies. And apart from all, the scene that all the studio wait on some people's hand and foot...

God Bless You Google!

2009-02-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

Google presents a perfect service for Turkish users!

We can make instant translation from 40 different languages to Turkish via 'Google Translation'. (That also means that we can translate Turkish into 40 different languages:) We could already make online translations using various web sites or programmes. But the system google has presented is revolutionary for Turkish internet users. We write the name of web site to the system and all the content turn into Turkish in a few seconds. Web sites in English, French or even Russian is ready to use in Turkish!

Now, let's go into the system step by step:

STEP 1: Click or type to your internet explorerthe adresse

http://translate.google.com/?ver=70

STEP 2: You face with a window just like that. Here you are presented a box that you are to fill with the stuff that you want to translate and the choices of languages.

STEP 3: In this step, you are to fill the box with the information or the adresse of the web site and choose the languages that you want to make a translation between and at last click the 2translation' button.

STEP 4: In a few seconds, so short that you can not believe, the stuff that you want to be translated is presented to you.

STEP 5: In spite of the fact that there are (indeed many) false translations that do not reflect the exact meaning I can not sneeze at this service of google. We must take the totally 'abstract' label of this process into account. The fact that google gives Turkish version of this service since a very short time can be thought as another criteria. With the button, 'Suggest a better translation', users are supposed to expand and progress this service in Turkish version. And I believe that it will have a critical progression in a short time. Another detail is that you can see the original version of the written things when you put the marker on the specific part.

Languages available for translation:

Albanian/ Indonesian
Italian/ Japanese
Korean/ Latvian
Lithuanian/ Maltese
Norwegian/ Polish
Portuguese/ Romanian
Russian/ Serbian
Slovak/ Slovenian
Spanish/ Swedish
Thai/ Turkish
Ukrainian/ Vietnamese
Arabic/ Bulgarian
Catalan/ Chinese
Croatian/ Czech
Danish/ Dutch
English/ Estonian
Filipino/ Finnish
French/ Galician
German/ Greek
Hebrew/ Hindi
Hungarian

After I saw this list, I could not help thinking that google has been very late in starting translation service in Turkish for Turkish internet users.

Must Nobel Go To President Erdoğan?

2009-02-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

There is a romour going around on internet.

I thought this too when I first heard the news about Davos.

(Click for the latest news about Davos.)

But when I think on it, putting away the Nobel, I want to say why that kind of a talk, that kind of a reaction did not appear days before? I suggest International Nobel Peace Prize Recommendation Forum to give a 'Nobel of Shame' to all that had done nothing to prevent hundreds of chilren from being killed in Palestine and to the people that had not made their voice heard. More than a thousand people died and policy is being made on the corpses and the one that have stayed back. I am not judging President Erdoğan's attitude in Davos; in contrast I support. But, as I mentioned above, there is a fact that 'these people DIED', and we are talking about hundreds of injured people.

All the people that stayed back were injured. Some of them were injured from their bodies and some of them were injured from their hearts! Children who have lost their parents -all the people that they can trust and look for peace- cry day and night at their homes that have been destructed by the same bombs that have killed their parents. They are unconsciously being stuff for the news of tens of pressman. I wonder so much; how many of these children were cared, looked for after the interviews? After the feeling of success that has appeared because of the interviews, how many of these pressman helped the referred children, how many of them wondered what has happened to the children? Best of the policy is being made by the media; we are not aware of that!

We all remember Kevin Carter! He has photographed a Sudanese child that was about to be a prey to a vulture because of hunger. He has taken the Pulitzer Prize. But after a short time he has felt the crime that he had not helped the child or even had not even wondered what had happened to her. As a consequence, he has suicided. I hope that the pressman who have witnessed everything and have used children as a stuff for their job do not fell the same feeling of crime in the near future! Of course not only pressman, but also politicians may have the same future...