[Malesherbes]

I lived in Turkey for a year. They have legally brewed at least two beers since Sultan times. Nothing better than a cold Efes Pilsen on a hot day.

The Kurds are outbreeding the Turks two to 1 and by mid-century half of the country’s population will be Kurdish. This is giving Erdogan nightmares.

[Righting]

Re: the Sirnak Massacre (Oct. 29, 2011). What would have happened if the US or Israel hit “civilians”???

[WilliamofCarmichael]

They certainly had beer when I lived in Ankara for several months.. I could walk into the local "quick stop" and they'd have 12 bottles on the counter, cold, sacked and ready to go before I got to the counter.

I was there before all the Islamism, Sharia Law stuff. I read a few months ago that 40 percent of the Turkish adults say that they will not live under Sharia Law. Period!

The AK Party got elected promising they'd fix the economy, rid the nation of corruption, and respect modern Turkey's secular heritage. They did the first two apparently but they lied about the third one. Much trouble now and more to come.

[AMitchum]

I have heard this as well. As the demographic situation becomes clearer, expect violence from the ethnic Turks.

[Myrddin]

I spent a week in Izmir in Nov 1992. An interesting and scary trip. The food and people were nice. I had to switch between English, German or Turkish depending on which shop I was visiting. Currency was trading at 8190 TL per USD at the time.