The Prime Minister Of Turkey Doesn't Know Any Blacks

“Whatever you have in the house, get rid of it, OK?” the prime minister can be heard telling Bilal in the opening conversation,...tell others in the family to get rid of cash,...

...In the fourth conversation at 11:15 that night, Bilal says he had almost “zeroed” out the money, but that there were some 30 million euros (about $39 million) left. When his father asks why,...Bilal responds: because “it takes a lot of space.”

At different points, Erdogan can be heard warning Bilal not to use a regular telephone. In the final conversation on the morning of Dec. 18, after Bilal admits that the money had not been “zeroed out,” the prime minister again says Bilal should get rid of all the funds.

“OK, Dad, but we are probably being monitored at the moment,” Bilal said. His father replied: “Son, you’re being wiretapped,” to Bilal responds: “But they are monitoring us with cameras as well.”

Turkey Is Carved (And Served Fresh) In Austria

Another Situation Where Prayer Ain't Helpful

"In this anniversary year, the polls are depressing. More than two thirds of Egyptians have never heard of evolution and almost half of all Turks think that men and dinosaurs lived at the same time."

-- Steve Jones, reviewing a new Richard Dawkins book - "The Greatest Show on Earth: the Evidence for Evolution" - and making it seem hopeless that the modern world will ever become,...well, "modern", but will leave humanity stuck in the age of The Telegraph.

Put On Whiteface, Barry: Keep 'Em Happy

"Welcome, Mr. Obama. You took our hearts with your hospitality. We appreciate your kindness. We will do whatever America asks of us, as friends. Now, we ask the same of you."

Hey - You Environmentalists Forced Us To Use Food For Fuel (Or Here's Another Reason Why All Those "Evil Oil Men" Should Be Our Farmers)

"Milk is as high as gas. That's crazy."

-- Brenda Tanner, mother of two who is "no longer eating out", in Richard Wolf's article on "food insecure" Americans for USA Today.

"Four-dollar-per-gallon gasoline is cheap.

British motorists are currently paying about $8.38 per gallon for gasoline. In Norway, a major oil exporter, drivers are paying $8.73. In 2007, out of the 32 industrialized countries surveyed by the International Energy Agency, only one (Mexico) had cheaper gasoline than the United States. Last year, drivers in Turkey were paying three times as much for their gasoline as Americans were.

(Gasoline is also cheap compared with other essential fuels. A Starbucks venti latte costs the equivalent of $23 per gallon, while Budweiser beer runs $11 per gallon.)"

-- Robert Bryce, adding some perspective, while writing for Slate.com

Wake up, America:

You've been whining too long, picking on the wrong folks, and wasting your "true potential" on foolish New Age ideas and endeavors.

Now you've made a mess and, still, want to blame someone else - like Bush. But Bush didn't do it - you did - while he's been holding the line. Once you accept that, and start acting mature, things will get better. But not until.

Blame yourselves - for not paying attention.