Flaming Faggot?

I’ve never used the word faggot. The only time I used the word fag was when I was referencing to a cigarette. As we all know it’s quite common to call homosexuals derogatory words -all around the world.

I was recently watching “Louie”, the tv show starring Louie C.K. He makes me depressed -in a good way. I like Louie C.K. because he’s usually so dark and harsh and right it smacks me in the face.

The last episode had Louie and his friends playing poker. One of the guys, Rick is a homosexual. The guys ask him questions about gay sex and orgies and so on. Towards the end Louie asks Rick if he gets offended when he uses the word “faggot” on stage. Rick replies with etymology of the phrase. It is so shocking and disgusting that it made me cringe.

Here’s what he says:

Well, the word “faggot” really means a bundle of sticks used for kindling in a fire. Now, in the middle ages, when they used to burn people they thought were witches? They used to burn homosexuals, too. And, they used to burn the witches at a stake, but they thought the homosexuals were too low and disgusting to be given a stake to be burnt on, so they used to just throw them in with the kindling, with the other faggots. So that’s how you get “flaming faggot”.

He also adds:

You might wanna know that every gay man in America has probably had that word shouted at them while they’re being beaten up, sometimes many times, sometimes by a lot of people all at once. So, when you say it, it kind of brings that all back up. But, you know, by all means, use it. Get your laughs. But you know, now you know what it means.

I can’t ever imagine someone using the word knowing where it comes from. But I can’t imagine beating up someone because they are different than me.

You can watch the video of the scene here, the part which I talked about starts around min5.

Fashion Update: What have I been doing?

I usually use this blog to rant. I keep forgetting to update it. A friend recently asked me why I don’t put any of my fashion stuff here. I actually don’t have an answer. Maybe I see this blog as an escape from daily life, where I have to deal with school and work. I don’t put any of my fashion or make up stuff here.

However, I’ve decided to try something different.

Here is my Knitwear collection. It’s quite different from my usual stuff. I’m usually minimalistic. I actually like how the colors and textures come together. I think it’s a fun collection. I have a few problems with the drawings since they were done in a rush and don’t look that good. But as long as the person looking at them can get the idea, it’s fine. Making the samples were much more time consuming hence hasty croquis. The collection was inspired by Scotch Whisky and Scotland. These versions are just colored and lack shadows and highlights. The reason for that is that I was on the verge of going crazy when I lost 5 hours of work on photoshop and gave up. The next day I just colored them and turned them in due to it being the day of the deadline.

7 Things You Need To Stop Telling/Asking Turkish people

I meet people, and sometimes the fact that I grew up in Turkey comes up. And sometimes, people ask me stupid questions or tell me stupid things regarding this information.

Most people don’t do these. Especially people from San Francisco. They tell me about their trips to Istanbul or how they’ve heard that it’s beautiful. Even if they haven’t heard of Turkey they ask great questions that sometimes lead to amazing conversations. I’m not an advocate for Turkey, or any other country for that matter. It’s just funny to me how some people I meet think it’s okay to ask these questions and use that degrading tone.

Some people insist on taking this approach, and I shit you not, it’s no longer amusing to me.

1- So you guys travel by camels?

I don’t think that happens in metropolitan cities anymore, let alone Turkey. The only time I’ve seen a camel was in a zoo. I also don’t like the degrading tone. In Turkey, people travel by cars, public transportation and motorcycles. Just like they do in America or most of the world. The use of bicycles are usually limited to young people and mostly children.

2- So you guys live in the desert, right?

The city I grew up in -although not very pretty- was the capital of Turkey. The population is about 4 million people. It was not the desert. It looked something like this:

The city that I later moved to was Istanbul. With a population more than 12 million, the city was set on two continents Asia and Europe. Through the city is the Bosporus, which connects the Black sea to the Marmara sea. It was not the desert. The area I lived in looked something like this:

and the city and the Bosporus looks like this:

So NO, I did not live in the desert. However, Turkey is a country with a lot of geographic diversity (just like America). As you go towards the east, the climate and geography change drastically and there are areas that are deserts, and people do live there. But I’ve also been to beaches with white sand and clear blue water.

3- My friend (sic) said Turkey looks like Afghanistan.

I’ve been getting a lot of harsh comments on this. I had no intentions of implying that Afghanistan is “bad” (saying that an apple is not a pear does not mean the pear is bad, if you take it that way, maybe you should look at yourself). I think there is a certain perception of Afghanistan in America and when someone makes this kind of comment, they’re not giving me information but rather they’re trying to push buttons. I don’t want delve into this. Just because Turkey is not like Afghanistan does not mean there is no poverty, terrorism and many more problems. “Looks like” is something completely different. It also does not mean there are no deserts. I’ve referred to this on #2, there are deserts along with beaches and forests. Please stop taking blog posts this seriously, mainly ones that are not written to be taken seriously.

I’ve been getting this a lot. This pisses me off. First of all, your “friend” is an idiot. Go to #2 for geographic information. This statement usually continues with “it’s all sandy and is a desert. You ride camels around, women wear burkas etc). What pisses me off with this question is that the islamaphobia the media has infused into American culture shows itself. Just because Turkey is a muslim country does not mean it is a 3rd world country. It does not mean that people there ride camels or live in huts. Afghanistan is a war-torn country. Mainly because America. The reason you’ve just said that is so you can somehow feel like you’ve degraded me. If you don’t know anything about the country I grew up in stop giving me “facts” about it. Ask me how it was if you’re interested in it or better yet, if you’re not, just say something like “cool” and leave it alone.

4- When you’re in Turkey, do you (have to) wear head scarfs/burkas?

Although I can somewhat understand where this question comes from, it’s become the most asked and most boring question on this list. No I have never worn or intend to wear a head scarf or burka. I am not a muslim. There is no law that says women need to wear certain types of clothing. Most of my friends, including me used to wear revealing clothes, especially when we went out at night.

All my pictures from Turkey are imprisoned in one of my old laptops that I can’t turn on (I should get on that, I really want to see those pictures). I found this on facebook. It’s a picture of me at a cafe in Istanbul a few years back (sans make up).

As you can see, I’m dressed in everyday clothes. This was pretty much how I walked around every day.

However, there are women in Turkey who opt to wear head scarfs and burkas. There are women in Turkey who opt to have pink hair. The ratio usually depends on the city or region you are in.

5- Turkey the animal.

Any joke regarding the animal turkey or food is stupid. It’s not funny, never was. It does not offend me. It just makes me think you’re an idiot.

6- So you guys hate those Greeks, riiight?

This question usually comes with a nudge. No I don’t hate Greece or Greek people. I, for a matter of fact have no problems with any particular race on this planet. I do have problems with some of the governments and their policies, but that does not mean I hate a races or countries. I would be extremely offended if someone asked me this question while I lived in Turkey. I would love to visit Greece one day. But, just like everywhere else, there is racism in Turkey. Even though sometimes it’s extremely subtle. It’s sad but true. I’d also like to note that Turkish people visit Greece and Greek people visit Turkey and have no problems.

7- You can’t be Turkish, you’re white!

Yes, I’m in fact a Turkish citizen. I however do not have Turkish ancestors. My ancestors mostly come from Northern Europe (moved to America more than 200 years ago) and some from Russia. This does not change the fact that there are white Turkish people. There are also brown Turkish people. You strongly stating that I’m not Turkish is offensive. You somehow thinking that telling me I’m white and therefore can’t be from a Muslim country, is a compliment is stupid. It’s not about the skin color but that you insist that I’m not from there. Turkey has great diversity in skin colors. Telling someone they are not from a certain country because of their skin color is idiotic.

Please let me know if there are more you want to add to the list.

My advice would be, when faced with a foreigner, ask constructive questions. Ask them what their country was like rather than throwing some offensive stereotype out there. This goes for any country.

Protocols of Zion – documentary by marc levin

my macbook has gone mental. i dont have a working option/shift/caps lock/tab/control key as well as my number keys and f keys. I’m currently using the keyboard viewer -that sucks- and I’m writing this via mouse/broken keyboard combo. so sorry for the lack of capital letters.

i’ve watched this documentary by jewish filmmaker Mark Levin about a year ago. i was very moved by it. i dont agree with every second, but it’s a thought provoking documentary.

wikipedia puts it this way; -The Protocols of Zion is a 2005 documentary film by Jewish filmmaker Marc Levin about a resurgence of antisemitism in the United States in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Armed with his camera and appearing on screen along with his subjects, Levin engages in a free-for-all dialogue with Arab Americans, Black nationalists, evangelists, White nationalists, Kabbalist rabbis, Holocaust survivors, and Frank Weltner, the founder of Jew Watch web site.-

so, in the light of the current crisis, watch this movie before chanting antisemitic chants. I’ve deleted many friends from facebook -and my life- in the past two days because of their racism, and even the fact that they don’t see anti-semitism as racism. i will not stand by as innocent people are attacked, no matter what race they are.

SYTYCD? I think he can!

I love watching So You Think You Can Dance. I love seeing -actually- talented people on TV. While the realms of reality tv is secured by plastic bimbos (here’s looking at you Speidi), little is left for people who appreciate talent and art. I’m not a dancer, I don’t watch sytycd and think “oh, great technique”, I say “wow, this person, through my television screen is making me feel something, and looks beautiful doing it”.

So far, the 7th season looks promising for sytycd. The first episode aired tonight and I think the person who stood out for me is Teddy Tedholm. This quirky looking guy came on the screen, I did not expect him to do what he did, and mostly I did not expect him to make me feel the way he did.

The song chosen, Prague by Damien Rice, a haunted song, is one of my favorites. According to his youtube account the dance is choreographed by Billy Larson. It was, nay, is fantastic to watch!

I skipped all the “woo it’s soo crazy in NY today” crap. I don’t like the sappy stuff and I particularly hate the sob stories they put on these shows. I like getting to the point. An amazing dancer, an emotionally charged dancer. Please disregard the judges crying and blabbering. The dance, by itself is enough.

Here’s another video in case the top one gets deleted (copyright violations *rolls eyes*).

The American Dream of Diamonds – Cartier and America

Just like glamorous Hollywood movies glistened a ray of hope during the great depression, Cartier and America shines like the diamond it is during these though economic times at the Legion of Honor of San Francisco. You can see it in the works as hundreds of visitors flock to the exhibit in awe.

Cartier has always been a heavy hitter in the jewelry world. Ever since it opened it’s doors in Paris in 1847 when Louis-François Cartier took over the jewelery workshop where he did his apprenticeship in Paris the rich, famous and the esteemed have followed the brand religiously. Cartier’s world wide fame came with Alfred Cartier’s sons Pierre, Jacques, Louis, the grandsons of Louis-Francois. Cartier opened it’s first store in England in 1902 and finally opened it’s first store in New York City in 1909. After Pierre’s death the family sold all three stores which were later all bought by Joseph Kanoui and a group of investors to restore Cartier to it’s old glory.

As you enter the exhibit it’s easy to see why Cartier was called the “Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers”. A diamond clock awaits curious wanderers as the entrance piece. Information posters on the walls celebrate Cartier’s 100th anniversary in America. As you move on to the second piece, a diamond and platinum tiara you’re already intoxicated by the beauty and dreams of waking up a princess, crowned in such exquisite jewels. The pieces and rooms are in chronological order so it’s easy to see the difference in the fashion and the changes that happened within the company. The first room shows a clear interest in Chinese and Buddhist art splattered with the touch of art deco. Clocks with monks carved in enamel and belts made of rubies and gold to replicate a piece made for the Qing dynasty; the influence is evident. Soon you get to the brooch which graces the poster of the exhibit. Made of emeralds, diamonds, platinum and enamel, this piece is definitely a master piece. Names like Ernest Cassel, Gloria Swanson, Mary Scott, Princess Marie Bonaparte, Vanderbilt and Princess Anastasia of Greece flash by as the crowd glides into the next room. The style makes an abrupt change to Ancient Egypt as Tutankhamun’s tomb is discovered in 1922. Clocks are based on the Temple of Khonsu with similar murals carved in gold. Turquoise is used in many items as well as the silhouette of scarabs. The social influence, America’s own royalty, the socialites become the center of attention. Head bands take the place of tiaras, like the one purchased by Doris Duke made to fit the 20′s shorter hair style.

Cartier’s secret may lay in the brand’s consistency. As 1920′s style morphed into colorful jewelery, Cartier continued to use white diamonds. More names flash by as the years progress, Mrs. J. F. Kennedy, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Lady Astor, Paul-Louis Weiller, Duchess of Windsor. More and more animals start appearing on the jewelery. New ideas and styles -like surrealism influenced the brand. With the dolphin bangle, made out of 1028 diamonds and emerald eyes, you can almost see the shimmering ocean. Maybe the exhibit’s most ironic piece, 18 carat gold replica of the Apollo 11 lunar module made by Michael Collins in 1969 sits in the corner, a bit lonely. Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels quickly drew everyone to it’s self. 69.42 carat diamond bought for Taylor by Richard Burton for one million dollars is maybe the only thing that could have over-shone the iconic Taylor’s beauty. As you exit you gaze at illustrations, photo-books and casts of the pieces made throughout decades. Some of the most famous diamonds have been trusted to Cartier, like the 47.69 carat diamond, Star of South Africa discovered in 1869, also the first significant discovery in South Africa and the Hope diamond.

When you leave the exhibit, the feelings it creates follows you. A euphoric state followed by resentment of having to go back to normal life. Cartier’s pieces are an ode to the American dream, a fairytale life. Rendering the visitor speechless, the exhibit makes you feel like a child, dreaming of being a princess -feeling like a princess. There is no doubt that Cartier’s pieces have evoked emotions in everyone with its immaculate technique and beauty and now with it’s added history. The exhibit is a definite success and an incredible experience for those who can visit.

Emergency Response to Haiti – Help!

There is no doubt that you haven’t heard about the devastating earthquake in Haiti. It is said to have killed more than 100,000 people. Haiti, already a poor country is in need of help more than ever.

So please go to CNN’s Impact your world page and find organizations you can donate to and ways that you can help.

Here’s a video of the Prime minister of Haiti explaining the what the situation is in Haiti right now:

No donation is too small. Every little help counts.

We’ve used Direct Relief International to donate for the emergency response to the survivors of the Haiti earthquake.

Please used trusted organizations to secure that your money goes to people in need.

Playing the URL ABC’s

So Eren told me I should do this. It seemed easy enough to do, and hey, a post is a post. Now I can feel like I don’t ignore my blog.

Here is how it goes. Go to the address bar in your favorite browser, and type one letter. Start with “a”, end with “z”.

It was kinda sad how long I spent trying to find something for Q. Well, who cares.

And since it’s such a sort post, here’s something great to watch. I loved it and hopefully you’ll like it too.

Worst Thing to Happen to Pop Culture

Seriously how much of an idiot do you have to be to like something as useless and stupid as twilight. Yes, Anne Rice used vampires to reach the angsty youth as well but, come on, Anne Rice knew her shit. She did her research and her books were actually readable. (I like Anne Rice by the way, and I thank her for her books who accompanied me through my tween years and I actually apologize that I’m comparing her to Stephenie). Unlike Stephenie Meyer’s books Anne’s books don’t sound like they were written by sad 12 year olds with out imaginations.

Who the fuck names their main character Bella Swan. SERIOUSLY. WTF? Beautiful swan? The book and the movies are full of – no scratch that – made out of such cliches that it actually hurts. I highly doubt that a emo 13 year old could ever come up with something so unimaginative.

Sparkling vampires? Vampires who can, but choose to not fuck? Here, this is a quote from the douchess: “one of the great things about fantasy is that research rarely applies”. Seriously. Did I just travel to bizarro land? Oh, oh here’s another one “When I write the story, it’s not like I’m thinking about what I’m doing” I rest my case.

Also, why the hell is she advising tween girls “to threaten to kill themselves if their boyfriends want to leave them”. The movie (which I watched -not in the theaters-, since I’m not going to read the crappy books) is so full of sexism that I was in shock for a few full hours. The lead female is spineless and has a creepily dependent personality, the lead male is an asshole, and is emotionally abusive.

Now that I’ve made myself clear. Please get the hell out of my life. If I ever see that emo poster again, I’m going to barf on it. It’s the most shittiest editing job I’ve seen on a hollywood poster.

On a final note, Robert Pattinson is not hot, he is scrawny and just plain regular. Not showering does not make you a hot, bad guy, neither does sparkling like a fucking diamond. If you seriously think he’s so fine that he blows your mind, please gtfo and go suck a lemon.

And that is the end of my rant. Now something nice to listen to to do away with all the crappiness I’ve been talking about.