What is Happening in Istanbul? • Hacker News Board

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#391

Post by shriphani » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:10 AM UTC

api wrote: post #158

"These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its…

Oh please. Singapore's leadership exhibits far more compassion for the citizenry that the Turkey news bulletins show. I am certain that in the matter of handling crime Singapore needs no lessons from any western country no matter what ideals they (claim to) operate by. In fact they can take a page out of Singapore's book where people don't need to worry about their safety when walking home after 12:00 midnight (which btw I wouldn't dream of doing in Pittsburgh, Berkeley, SF and other major US cities) - IMO a far more important freedom than anything else.

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#392

Post by Apocryphon » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:38 AM UTC

pknerd wrote: post #213

jetblackio wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What? I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say. Might want to edit it to make it clearer. Anyway, I think you are wondering why this news is on Hackernews. I'd say it's because there are a lot of politically conscience people here, who care about what's going on in the world. One point I think people miss is that the content of this site does not necessarily have to be related to tech (though usually is).…

Hackers are Humans as I know so they have interest in other stuff as well, does this mean we will be expecting posts about Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga in near future?

If they have the certain je ne sais quoi to attract enough views and upvotes, sure. For what it's worth, not every non-tech related political, financial, or social news article hits the front page. Certainly at most times there may be one to three non-tech focused news story on the front page, but that's usually the limit. And this particular story is at least tangentially related to tech, what with the prominent role social media is playing in the ongoing events.

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#393

Post by RockyMcNuts » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:42 AM UTC

RockyMcNuts wrote: post #381

api wrote: post #158

"These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its…

Yikes! 'Singaporification' of Turkey makes geopolitical tourist analyst hacks look like Nobel prizewinners. Some stuff is not like other stuff - http://pawelmorski.com/2013/06/02/turkey-some-stuff-isnt-ver... This is messy and local and not understandable through pie-in-the-sky comparisons and metaphors and abstractions (or by reading clippings-job 'intelligence services', ZeroHedge-meets-Mossad-reject conspiracy the…

This is also some pretty good background

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/03/12/120312fa_fact_...

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#394

Post by muhuk » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:50 AM UTC

mpowel wrote: post #303

Here are some links that may help you see what is happening in Istanbul... Turkey is turning into a viloent police state... Thats whats happening! * Evidence collection site for police violence: http://delilimvar.tumblr.com/ * Police and pro-government militia attacking innocent people: http://pic.twitter.com/QTunT6irOF http://f.cl.ly/items/263f2A3T0b093I2D0r2G/alsancak%2002.06.2... http://24.media.tumblr.com/339ecfc…

* Photos: http://occupygezipics.tumblr.com/

* More photos: http://geziyardim.com/

* [Turkish] Live feeds: http://www.geziparkicanli.com/

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#395

Post by beatpanda » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:52 AM UTC

scribu wrote: post #348

chrischen wrote: post #313

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't forget the right to kill people and the right to pollute the environment. Singapore doesn't allow those either.

So, are you suggesting a) that in the USA you are _legally_ allowed to kill others and to pollute? or b) that no, the USA doesn't legally allow that, but in practice it does (any stats on how many guilty people got off the hook?) or what?

Yes, in fact, in the USA (at least in certain states) you are _legally_ allowed to kill others:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#396

Post by tlogan » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 1:57 AM UTC

api wrote: post #158

"These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its…

This is very optimistic view of the situation :(

The problem in Turkey is more depressing than "Singaporification": Turkey economy is growing but political, administrative, and legal system is not keeping with it. For instance, corruption is still rampant.

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#397

Post by knowaveragejoe » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 2:22 AM UTC

ozgune wrote: post #349

api wrote: post #158

"These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its…

I don't know how the media is governed in Singapore, but the traditional media in Turkey didn't cover the protests at all. News about the protests (could only) spread through the internet, and today I'm proud to be a techie. The Turkish Prime Minister expressing his concerns on news spreading, "There is now a menace which is called Twitter. The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the wors…

Is he wrong though? Misinformation spreads easier than ever through social media, and we instinctually trust a lot of it because it's coming from our friends/acquaintances.

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#398

Post by jasonlingx » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 2:23 AM UTC

damoncali wrote: post #249

jasonlingx wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The entire point of the post was that Singapore is a great place to live as long as you do not try to exercise a political freedom. This is not true. His exact words were "I find Singapore to be the scariest dystopia in the world today". > Singaporeans (or at least the ones who are left) happen to be willing to accept less freedoms in exchange for economic success This is bullshit. What a sweeping generalisation to…

What are these "less freedoms" exactly? You know, free elections, the right to arm yourself, the right to buy chewing gum . Singapore is pretty creepy under the surface and reeks of covert oppression, at least to my American eye. It seems to work for them, but I wouldn't want to live in a place like that, clean streets or not.

> the right to buy chewing gum.

In San Francisco it is unlawful to use used underwear to wipe off cars in a car wash.

So what?

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#399

Post by jasonlingx » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 2:28 AM UTC

aswanson wrote: post #361

venus wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> protesting something I call "Singaporification." I love how people always cast Singapore as some kind of horror story cautionary tale. No-one seems to have told the actual people of Singapore, who are perfectly free to leave their nightmarish dystopia at any time, and yet seem perversely inclined to stay. Somehow this obvious, central, crucial fact gets left out of the "we don't want to turn out like Singapore!" na…

Seriously, though. I mean, a ban on chewing gum, though? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum_ban_in_Singapore Right, I dont want to contemplate that.

In Minnesota, it is against the law to hang male and female underwear together on the same washing line.

So what?

Re: What is Happening in Istanbul?

#400

Post by CurtMonash » Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 2:36 AM UTC

cdash wrote: post #113

CurtMonash wrote: post #85

There are a number of defended buildings & complexes near Taksim. Consulates galore; a military hospital on Inonu Caddessi that has a bunch of sandbagged positions on it, along w/ more conventional guardposts; etc. And there's a military museum on the edge of the park, right next to where dozens of cats happily live. Any of those places reporting troubles? Or is it all in the streets and park itself?

Not really, there was a video of police showing up at a military guarded position that tried to order them around and force them to let them have access. They told the guards that they will be forced to shoot tear gas at them if they don't comply and the military told them we have things we can shoot at you too and then the police left. The military is not really taking any action and the protests are not upset with…

Sounds consistent with other reports I've seen -- the protests haven't morphed into a general riot. cf. the photos of protesters cleaning up Istiklal Street when they finish. (Istiklal is the premier historical consulate/shopping street of central Istanbul, ending in Taksim Square. A bit disappointing to tourist on, actually, but a big deal even so.)