tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-326757052011-10-14T18:55:23.878-04:00Reporting from Places UnknownEmre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.comBlogger1071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-44769320907265334982011-09-17T14:53:00.000-04:002011-09-17T14:53:14.138-04:00

Have we reached it? That point, and age, and turn in life When everyone stops saying hello. Are we there yet? Where we say, Oh, pretty please, I've been so wanting to call you, and yet don't. Are we there, to say, I've been thinking of you? And to think, Do I have the time? Have we reached that point whereby it doesn't sting anymore to do things, and think of people and never let them know,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-13487992337809407102010-05-08T07:52:00.001-04:002010-05-08T07:55:40.101-04:00

It happened again. It''s been years, since it last emerged. Without being forced. No drugs. Just plain company. Good conversation and plenty of, well, beer, and sochu, and beer, and bourbon, and beer and, us. Us is the keyword. It is 6:14 a.m., after all. I had given up. Thought those days would never come back. That glimmer of craziness associated with youth, energy and sense of being invincible

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-45340728697128844662010-03-11T00:17:00.003-05:002010-03-11T00:19:57.115-05:00

In the Music Department, Talking Heads meets Paul Simon's Graceland to hopefully forever kill all Vampire Weekend nonsense. Presenting: Local Natives.Two weeks ago, Monday night. A martini, two beers and a couple of capirinhas later, talking soccer and sketching out chances of Turkey making it to the Euro Cup 2012: Check the schedule here, look at this awesome forecast based on worst odds that

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-17518340796804454522010-03-09T23:32:00.001-05:002010-03-09T23:37:19.569-05:00

Started out alright. Had a busy, good day at the HQ, pumping out three solid stories and feeling well-deserving of a martini.Met J.G. as planned for dinner at L'Artusi, a fine Italian establishment with modern overtones in the W. Village. Thirsty and late due to work, I ordered a vodka martini, up with olives. The bearded bartender that resembled the dude from Zig-Zag cigarette papers was quite

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-51234449356114793022010-02-18T22:50:00.001-05:002010-02-18T23:27:17.774-05:00

This short week threw off our regular schedule. So did the trip to DC, outlined below. Without further ado, here's what's keeping Gybrians happy:Last week in NYC, covered in snow, partially. Scenes from the East Village:View of St. Mark's Church on the Bowery, caddy corner from TEE house, while en route to work.Alamo (The Cube) the outdoor sculpture by Bernard Rosenthal at Astor Place as

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-31458667321965901912010-02-16T23:03:00.001-05:002010-02-16T23:18:13.942-05:00

It doesn't matter. Regardless of how good people say the service is these days: on schedule, with free Wi-Fi, more legroom, safe. The BoltBus: bright red, slick black and ready for action. Or the MegaBus. Cheap as their cousins from Chinatown and their Hasidic neighbors by Penn Station in NYC. And at the end of the day, the yuppified followers of the original cheap-buses are the same: crazy

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-55727659106566005232010-02-08T22:00:00.001-05:002010-02-08T22:00:06.441-05:00

Heroes du jour: them Saints. Who dat? From Greeks to Romans to the Sun King, you'll know 'em by their sign: fleur-de-lis.A gun smuggler, portrayed so much like Maqroll, Abdul and Ilona, it was hard to not think of his misadvenutes as fiction: The Trafficker. John McPhee shares a very personal tale, hooking readers after a slow start about fishing pickerel. The man's certainly got some sort of tie

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-71582945686244418232010-02-06T19:43:00.004-05:002010-02-08T22:14:16.192-05:00

Less than a quarter pound in one week! Unacceptable. First Atkins, then the South Beach diet, and I still can't burn all this fat from last summer. How unfair. Here I am, starving myself to death in this ungodly cold. And them smart-folk talk about global warming. What a load of bullshit. Speaking of which, I could use some bullshit right now, something to nibble on while all the pesky East

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-29886616236737295152010-02-04T00:48:00.002-05:002010-02-04T00:52:30.532-05:00

Never thought my Zodiac sign would mar me as I was sitting at the bar in Fanelli's with J.M.C. around 7 p.m. today. A middle-aged restaurant publicist walks in. She takes the corner stool, between the elderly gentleman at the end of the bar and myself, and orders a glass of pinot gris. J.M.C. and I are contemplating various scenarios about the state of affairs in the U.S. Nothing original, the

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-45440809109196046652010-02-01T23:02:00.001-05:002010-02-08T22:14:53.947-05:00

Seemingly the only guy in a sea of wallowing indie kids who's not afraid to play rock n' roll guitar:(Click. Listen. Rock. Beware: loud music.)In other music, Gybrians find themselves swaying to a concoction of Danger Mouse + James Mercer of The Shins.If you like Bloody Mary's, the meanest maker of your hangover cure, Cajun style, is back in action. After a month-long hiatus induced by a

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-14521611268607331352010-01-31T12:24:00.001-05:002010-01-31T12:38:44.610-05:00

Why write? A good stab at the topic from Holand Bartels of Wisconsin, courtesy of Joseph Leonard's restroom. I was pretty drunk when I took this picture, quite a while ago, and just got around to reading it. Every time  I think of it, it seems funny that I get paid to write. For your consideration: Spot the soap-bubble balloon floating over the high-line in Chelsea:True that (2nd Ave.):

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-43428020332200656852010-01-30T20:52:00.006-05:002010-01-30T21:30:27.601-05:00

A long journey, a long time in the making. It took guts to venture out there, deep into Midwood, Brooklyn. But, we'd read, Di Fara's was worth it. S. emailed U.T. and me about three months ago, urging us to go there. ``For pizza?'' I asked myself, questioning S.'s wisdom. But S., a recent transplant to Berlin who studied to become a chef at FCI before moving to Istanbul and then to Germany to

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-10848247740845174522010-01-30T00:02:00.004-05:002010-01-31T12:42:35.861-05:00

too long...i know. a lack of presence.back. slowly.for S., this is.because, i can't twitter.so, describing the night:came home, after listening to jj, no. 2.before that,we were at automatic slims,and before that.at tortilla flats.it's D.W.'s birthdaytoday.and,beyond that celebration,which i couldn't join,there is plenty more.all i wanted to notewas thatin Berlinall was fineand in Berlinit was

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-61814914275921697812008-05-12T20:23:00.005-04:002008-05-12T20:46:55.591-04:00

One of the more profound effects of Thomas Pynchon's V. on my easily impressed reader's-mind was the concept of yo-yoing. Everyone did it, but Benny Profane, made an art of it. And Profane's take was also of immense proportions; when he yo-yoed, he created masterpieces.It was up and down the Eastern seaboard, it was pinging back and forth between Times Square and Grand Central on the Shuttle, it

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-75047606348071694742008-04-21T15:43:00.002-04:002008-04-21T15:51:42.922-04:00

Thanks to The Millions, I get a chance to remember books that I read a long time ago and continue to find inspiring - just like Hendrix to generations of guitar players.In the meanwhile I have been to DC and back. I like that won despite my cynical approach to politics The low buildings and open sky are pleasant changes after getting holed up in New York.Oddity on the way: the train slowed down

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-4071486345740435942008-04-08T20:39:00.002-04:002008-04-08T20:41:19.924-04:00

Blogging about blogging about blogging, at The Millions.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-78883031001279310632008-04-03T19:51:00.010-04:002008-04-03T22:54:48.296-04:00

David Berman is not like most rock pros who get old, clean and lame. An exciting musician from the beginning of his career, Berman, 40, touches a new high with his band the Silver Jews' forthcoming album Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea.The 34-minute record, which is scheduled to be released in June 17, is an abridged epic. I listened to the Silver Jews on and off in college and in NYC. Like many

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-39419971104404768692008-03-31T19:46:00.003-04:002008-03-31T21:09:35.353-04:00

The past five months have been interesting. While I was busy getting used to my job, living with F.R.F., juggling other assignments and re-entering the beehive that is NYC, the world has shifted time and again.I sat, read and watched - mostly in amazement and disbelief. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated as the U.S. scrambled to come up with a policy for Pakistan. Israeli-Palestinian conflict raged

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-40647645972227765712007-11-05T23:09:00.000-05:002007-11-05T23:41:11.725-05:00

And they appeared. They came in suits and jeans. One showed up in a tuxedo. The other in a well-groomed botox. Yet she came with sagging cheeks, breasts and chin. There was the bold guy. The one in a fantastic red tie in a perfect Windsor knot. And there was the guy in a black knitted tie, knotted with a perfect dimple.There was the man in black. And the men in black. There were ubiquitous girls

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-79906815809789360582007-10-26T17:50:00.001-04:002007-10-26T17:58:06.374-04:00

I am awed by Mr. Stephen Colbert's valiant sacrifice in running for president in South Carolina in his selfless quest to save America from evil liberals. Since South Carolina's favorite son is getting nearly no play in the press, I decided to weigh in and pay my dues to the man that has given us so much throughout his public career. You can check it out at The Millions. I'll be back with more

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-89374210351874198702007-10-17T20:24:00.000-04:002007-10-17T21:24:33.533-04:00

The Department of Only in New York Presents the Following:On Oct. 14, 2007, the following was spotted at the intersection of W 65th St, Columbus and Broadway.Stereotypical old New York woman with a cat and a dog, shopping and walking her pets on a warm autumn Sunday. I am particularly fond of the cat for perching on the lady's left shoulder and letting her do the walking as it absorbs the chilly

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-44643380185501741342007-10-09T01:24:00.000-04:002007-10-09T23:16:07.497-04:00

This is not a Radiohead song; it's a New York reality.Every day more than 4 million people ride the tin can the City calls its Subway. New Yorkers love their Subway - and, they hate it. Depends on who's in on the conversation.With fellow denizens, a New Yorker is likely to discuss weekend shut-downs, service delays and suffocating stations.But, lo and behold, should you hail from a geographic

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-53540558467463113062007-10-01T22:27:00.000-04:002007-10-01T22:29:36.351-04:00

I never knew there were kids on this island. Nor did I know that here in Manhattan properly dressed couples walked well-groomed dogs, old folk jogged, teenagers donned school uniforms, supers actually tended apartments and the cable guy waited in front of the apartment to hook up a new subscriber.I suppose it’s true, one can move a block in this city and be in a different world. Upon my return to

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-68863784290132249892007-09-12T18:39:00.000-04:002007-09-12T18:42:07.247-04:00

If you want to find out how to build a nuclear bomb or why Iran will get its own very soon, check out How I Learned to Love the Bomb: A Review of William Langewiesche's The Atomic Bazaar. Cheers.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-15247387212437969652007-09-11T21:56:00.000-04:002007-09-11T22:02:43.020-04:00

... and toiling endless to graduate from Medill, find a job and maintain my sanity, I also worked on a realizing project that I really enjoyed writing. Inspired slightly from my experiences and desire to incorporate Turkey into my reporting and mostly from my curiosity, I wrote an article and sidebar discussing those of us I like to call the Young Young Turks. Feed your intellect: Turkish

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-62447274611031475382007-09-10T20:09:00.000-04:002007-09-10T20:50:57.817-04:00

And the limbo that defined my life for the past two months is almost over. Plenty of ideas brewing - it's just been, let's say, a little hectic.A lot happened in the meanwhile, I suppose. Briefly: I moved back to NYC after a year, quite happy about it, ah, yes, I graduated from j-school and I started working.Moving back to New York is a hustle, of course. Not that I am one to bitch, but, well, I

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-7054310855583197842007-07-20T00:51:00.000-04:002007-07-20T12:55:58.196-04:00

Woke up at 9:19 a.m. – setting the stage to for a day full of miracles. I was late. Or, I was going to be late to a Senate committee hearing, which I was supposed to cover in the morning and file a story about in the evening.Uncharacteristically, I shrugged off the late awakening. My alarms had been going off for a while sometime by that point. Two hours, give or take. I got used to not hearing

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-20400990844126554532007-07-16T11:27:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:31:55.725-04:00

Not being lazy, just postponing Gybria postings with musings like this one. If I can get a break from Facebook (which is ruining my life), working on multiple stories, looking for a job and trying to have a normal life, I will surely be posting here. Soon, I hope. Cheers.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-81481376571069475302007-07-11T08:42:00.000-04:002007-07-11T08:48:57.149-04:00

And then bring him back. Mikhail Bulgakov, that is. For a review of The Master and Margarita please click here. I'll be posting more book reviews on The Millions throughout the week, but should be back with some original Gybrian content soon. Until then, I hope you dig the literary wind...

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-6703020292634552032007-07-09T07:51:00.000-04:002007-07-09T07:53:11.745-04:00

Finally getting my act together and writing my share for The Millions again. Click here for the starter, more to follow.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-62851122977289179812007-07-05T21:01:00.000-04:002007-07-05T22:09:47.032-04:00

Lo and behold! Spoon's new album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga will hit the shelves and various digital stores July 10. What's more, I got an advance copy thanks to R.L. and have been rocking out to it for the past three days.What do I think? Take a guess...Yes, it's great - at times.The album is Spoon at their most poppy. It's good - that is, the way Britt Daniels' angry-whiny-cracking-touchy voice is infused

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-21919374704587699872007-06-24T23:38:00.000-04:002007-06-25T00:56:24.438-04:00

Overboard, sensational, witty, funny and not-so-objective Sicko is a Michael Moore classic. It is also a lesson in how to take a not-so-controversial issue (providing health care to all) and turn it into a provocative subject (by suggesting that Cuba, France and Canada's universal coverage works wonders).But there is something inherently good about Sicko's provocative approach: it prompts debate

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-62215571360106746682007-06-22T19:12:00.000-04:002007-06-23T12:17:56.476-04:00

Once, there were two gentlemen in Virginia. One rocked out at the basement of Tokyo Rose with the punk-rock band Excitebike, defying the conventional hippie-fratboy music scene. The other grew a fantastic mustache, among other things.Then the two gents graduated. Then they lived in farmland. Then, experimented with some beats. Finally, drummer Sysop and bassist Ted Dancing realized that

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-36072135869277940902007-06-20T00:14:00.000-04:002007-06-22T22:49:24.777-04:00

No, really. Almost. And I am not strictly talking about my long lasting absence from Gybria. Rather, a battle that might have lasted as little as half an hour.As much fun as covering Hill politics is, one needs a healthy dose of monkeys, rivers, iguanas, Imperials, Casados, bright green and seemingly infinite forests and, well, the ocean to really kick back, enjoy life and have a hearty laugh.And

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-83123385852629156552007-05-08T07:23:00.000-04:002007-05-08T08:07:08.011-04:00

"Relax, man, relax," Steve said Saturday at 3 a.m. after I asked him if he visited Chicago."Relax, man, relax," he said when I asked him how his trip to Costa Rica was."Relax, man, relax," he continued as I fielded a couple of other questions. I gave up.Three of us were sitting at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, celebrating a revered teacher's visit from Chicago, chowing down chili dogs and

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-13854143775932629122007-05-02T18:36:00.000-04:002007-05-02T19:11:53.048-04:00

The carpenters' union is pissed. So, in an act of kindness, it paid about 25 homeless guys and gals to protest.At more than $20.45 per hour, unionized carpenters cannot afford to take a day off - let alone a whole week - to picket the building next to our newsroom. Allegedly, someone in there is using non-union carpenters for some work. The protesters were not sure.First, they brought the rat.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-54220581716383047142007-04-30T22:13:00.000-04:002007-04-30T23:02:42.819-04:00

The unfortunately fast pace of time greatly hampers my ability to post on Gybria and is a constant thorn on my side. Especially now, when there is so much to write about.In the span of six days we celebrated two weddings and one birthday. Due to straining external pressures, time is yet again limited but here is a rundown:04/20/07Depart from D.C. courtesy of J.D.D. Arrive in Charlottesville, VA,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-19343314272882435322007-04-16T22:47:00.000-04:002007-04-16T23:47:51.992-04:00

I swore never to take it again when the driver blew two tires on the rear-right side and continued driving 65 miles-per-hour on the New Jersey Turnpike. Luckily, a hysterical woman forced our blase Russian driver to stop the fake, Hasidic-run Chinatown bus.That was four years ago, and when I was working and pretended to have loads of money. Plus, I believed that bad things happened to you when

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-54573586139987693472007-04-03T01:50:00.000-04:002007-04-03T02:51:33.889-04:00

In a city of coats and ties and skirts and blouses, where marble halls twirl in mazes and Romanesque, neo-classical buildings impose their might on awestruck hordes of tourists, the last thing an unsuspecting newbie expects is a Southern gust of joy.An ensemble of 16 gentlemen and one little girl played to a transient crowd of more than 100 passersby Monday around 10 p.m. They were blowing sweet

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-4610408261365396172007-03-27T21:58:00.000-04:002007-03-27T22:33:41.744-04:00

Down here, I thought it would be easy. With 100 senators and 435 representatives in congress, news should flow like wine. If you are a wino, that is.But, I am, blessedly, not a wino, and damn me if news flows like that. I mean, it does, but once in this town of politics - world politics if you dare - I became intoxicated and overwhelmed.I am covering news for an Iowa paper. That is, I need to

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-73079542677927128442007-03-23T01:26:00.000-04:002007-03-23T01:34:04.570-04:00

I am surrounded by screeching babies and smell of poop. No, I am not assigned to the baby beat in D.C. (yet, at least). I am at LaGuardia, waiting for a flight.A fan of traveling, I despise airports and planes. It is a fairly new phenomenon; and a misfortunate one since time constraints and distances mostly compel me to fly places. Prior to arriving in the U.S. for college, flying was a rarity

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-15998850894905014872007-03-22T02:22:00.000-04:002007-03-22T11:52:08.340-04:00

This is a brief one, for I am exhausted and must sleep soon.Life is good.Especially if one’s schedule is as follows:Thursday 11:00 a.m.: Complete house transfer in Chicago, discontinue internet and electric services.Thursday 12:00 p.m.: Shit. I got nothing to do and plane tickets to Las Vegas for A.Q.’s bachelor party are $800.Thursday 12:15 p.m: Himmm. New York for $200?Thursday 12:30 p.m.: New

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-24168562917547364352007-03-12T20:47:00.000-04:002007-03-12T21:27:49.866-04:00

Not to worry, I did not slit my wrists and submerge in a bath filled with slowly cooling water. Instead, I struggled with the final week of school and two unwieldy final projects. Fun, fun...As the Chicago chapter of my life is winding down, I am realizing how little of the city I came to know. Quite a shame, really, considering all the activities the city offers.Once, my friend S. and I were

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-10984158724786186122007-03-04T00:30:00.000-05:002007-03-04T00:53:34.995-05:00

Pictures...They're my screen saver. All those pictures, drunk, happy, smiling, ridiculous, sad, pathetic, New York, New York, New York, Chicago, Istanbul, weddings, birthdays, friends, friends, friends.Frantic rant. Not going anywhere. Thoughts run through my mind, accompanied by memories. Memories of good times. It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times?I don't know. I'm stuck in a

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-37077291866817950382007-02-28T02:13:00.000-05:002007-02-28T02:40:33.271-05:00

Plenty of challenges and activity later, Chicago gets a fresh breath of air. Or, so you would think.If you look slightly farther, with a little sarcasm and a little history, you will see, well, that this is a small step for both the new aldermen and humankind. Yes. Plenty of politicking, ripping down signs, putting up signs, but not much has changed. Except for a few. And the incomers were, well,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-39743200025361896112007-02-25T12:57:00.000-05:002007-02-25T13:02:55.703-05:00

Chicago is done with muscle politics. Or so it appears. Politicians now rely on civil organizations to do the job for them. For more, check out this Chicago Journal article by yours truly, here. Enjoy.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-60437604481632338482007-02-23T14:55:00.000-05:002007-02-23T15:44:57.845-05:00

"You know they are not making these any more, right?" my faithful deli owner said Thursday. In shock, I swapped my credit card for two packs of Lucky Strike Lights."What?" I gawked, "How many do you have left?""Just three more packs," he said, I should have bought all of them then and there. "But don't worry, I will go down there and pick up some more for you this weekend," he reassured me.I am

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-58312827740591022862007-02-21T20:43:00.000-05:002007-02-21T21:26:49.775-05:00

Sorry for yet another cop-out, but this is an article I worked on for a couple of weeks - compiling data, interviewing people and, finally, writing it. I enjoyed the process, it provided me with yet another glimpse to power politics in Chicago. Are citizen getting screwed in this deal?That is for you to decide. Check out the article at Chi-Town Daily News here.Again, thanks for your continued

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1574562839177806042007-02-16T20:40:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:28:14.950-05:00

I am obsessed with unions. I think it is one of my romantic longings, a major weakness. Solidarity, political clout, action - the idea of workers achieving something for the masses. I dream that I lived in the 1930s when when unions were gaining strength, when a union endorsement meant victory in elections. How I wish...Even in our presumably blue-collar Chicago, unions are not what they used to

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-67339446348612161472007-02-14T12:29:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:28:59.883-05:00

I was very sad that my first investigative-reporting article did not get picked up. It turns out Chi-Town Daily News did think it worthy of publishing. So, here it is - needless to say, I am vainly proud of myself for this article. For background info on my reporting, you can check this post.Thank you for your continued interest in Chicago politics.Wait, who am I kidding? Even the locals are

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-39356417495526259672007-02-13T22:30:00.000-05:002007-02-13T23:15:08.363-05:00

I woke up this morning and got myself a beer. No, sorry, rewind. Not my song.I woke up early this morning and the air was still. I popped my window open despite the white cold lurking outside my window and hopped in the shower. By the time I was out and dry, five inches of snow had accumulated at my windowsill. But, this being Chicago, that is normal, right? Sure. So I drank half a pot of

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-34953398183264915772007-02-10T19:55:00.000-05:002007-02-10T20:17:59.013-05:00

A shop caught my eye as I idly stood at a downtown bus stop, waiting and cursing the cold. "What in the world have you been smoking?" I asked the non-existent hairdresser as I stared at this peculiar marketing expertise. See for yourself:A couple of things about this enterprise make it particularly interesting. Not to point out the obvious, but who in Chicago - of all places - would turn to a

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-66097544663431250722007-02-05T17:08:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:29:36.987-05:00

I was not aware, but apparently my article regarding the election of the new chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party got picked up. From NWI-Times, here. It was an interesting event which might speak to Chicago's back-door politicking. This place is absolutely insane.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-330877455565364652007-02-04T22:52:00.000-05:002007-02-05T17:13:37.767-05:00

So, Da Bears lost. I was devastated. Only a true sports fan can understand. It's about the anticipation, the dedication, the will to make it work. And, undeniably, you as a fan rely on them "golden stars" to deliver.It is almost fifty-fifty. You bet, against the odds, and with your heart... that it will happen. You know, one thing I miss living in the States is that constant, unconditional

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-54929043449956618112007-02-03T18:58:00.000-05:002007-02-03T19:05:29.829-05:00

I read Dick Simpson's 2001 book, Rouges, Rebels and Rubber Stamps, for my Urban Seminar. People had cautioned me that it is a dry read, but I strongly disagree. Simpson's historical analysis of election results and divided roll calls, coupled with his reconstruction of battles on the council floor, make for a phenomenal read. For more details, check out my review posted at The Millions here.More

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-72523419140673823102007-01-30T00:50:00.000-05:002007-01-30T00:52:27.851-05:00

Chicago’s cold would be tolerable if it were not for the city’s terribly lagging public transportation.After an unexpected night of heavy drinking Saturday, I woke up early and terribly hung over. After lingering in the warm comforts of my house for about an hour and donning my best for Sunday church, I left for the South Side.I planned on attending two church events in the hopes of familiarizing

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-32565217429451948582007-01-27T13:10:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:30:17.644-05:00

An event I covered got picked up by the Chicago Defender. Here. This city's turbulent politics never cease to amaze me. More later, I'm off to brunch for a change...

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-90737512283516360102007-01-25T16:51:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:30:49.524-05:00

For any and all interested, my article on mayoral challenger Dorothy Brown's housing position is published in the Chicago Defender and Chi-Town Daily News. Yeay!

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-84109000490704528752007-01-23T20:10:00.000-05:002007-02-13T22:25:35.360-05:00

Hrant Dink, Armenian-Turkish journalist, was murdered Friday.* I wanted to write about it since, but lacked words.Dink’s funeral was today. I received an email from my father at 6:36 a.m. and read it one hour later. He mentioned taking a different route to work and attending the funeral procession. I was moved to tears when I read these lines:“Today I realized once again that years before we

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-24161134635584821102007-01-22T10:21:00.000-05:002007-01-22T10:32:33.143-05:00

I shaved my beard and my life changed. No, really. But I will not bother telling the story since Emmanuel Carrere does a much better job in Class Trip & The Mustache*; you can read my review here.* Y.S. thank you for the Carrere book loan, I am putting it in the mail today - expect it soon.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-63322020500329313192007-01-16T18:19:00.000-05:002007-01-16T18:49:02.839-05:00

Yet another book review at The Millions for all you legal and media fans out there. Don't be shy now, I know you exist...On a separate note, this city is in love with Sen. Barack Obama - who announced the opening of a presidential exploratory committee today. That means Obama will be testing the waters for a presidential bid. Final decision due Feb. 10 (oh mi god, I can't stand the suspense*).

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-21515187666539999362007-01-15T23:31:00.000-05:002007-01-15T23:40:29.177-05:00

I am devoting some of my time to catching up with my writing for The Millions, my blogging alma matter. Pardon me if I am not in Gybria this week – you know where to find me. With that said, go ahead and have a taste of Anthony Bourdain’s The Nasty Bits here and check back for more contributions soon.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-23398539267528521922007-01-15T02:10:00.000-05:002007-02-17T15:33:04.016-05:00

Thanks to V. I now know how to advance my revolution of the beard. The Spanish battle cry at the end of last post should have been: ¡Viva la barba! Especially important are, of course, the double exclamation. They turn your head upside down, man, just like the revolution of the beard.OK, so, I may be mumbling. I thought about writing about UFOs for a while. They are the latest craze in

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-59212066022685606142007-01-09T00:33:00.000-05:002007-01-09T00:37:12.234-05:00

I shaved my three-and-a-half-month-old beard almost one week ago. I am rather fond of my fresh, pale face these days. Shaving your beard does pose at least four problems, however.The first problem with shaving a beard is revealing grandiose stupidity. My claim to the prize was attempting to rid myself of burly facial hair without trimming it first. Sure, I have experience shaving off beards,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1167966932848848842007-01-04T22:13:00.000-05:002007-01-04T22:15:32.860-05:00

Laziness no more. No, thank you very much, it is not a New Year’s resolution. A necessity, rather. Second quarter started today. I will be covering Chicago politics, which could be as bad as – or worse than – Turkish politics as far as corruption goes. Wish me luck for some good, enterprising, hard-news stories.I have been meaning to tell you the following since I last wrote:1. Going back

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1166777402187662082006-12-22T03:42:00.000-05:002006-12-22T15:07:52.853-05:00

In order to alleviate the pain of Christmas shopping – or New Year’s, if you are a godless heathen – I thought it might be wise to compile a list of 10 items likely to be desired by even clueless non-Gybrians. Here it is:1. Bourbon: A bottle of Maker’s Mark goes a long way, or at least a few hours, depending on your audience. It is guaranteed to make for good, funny, embarrassing memories,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1166736800262103502006-12-21T16:32:00.000-05:002006-12-21T16:33:20.286-05:00

Buying presents is not my forte. I prefer presents at random. You see something, you know who will like it, you buy it, you hand it over – immediately. I avoided Christmas shopping by virtue of growing up in Turkey, but that changed – even before my arrival in the U.S. Santa started visiting Muslim countries around New Year’s when I was a kid. See, Santa is a wise man, he understood Christians

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1164821756476355232006-11-29T12:31:00.000-05:002006-11-29T12:35:56.926-05:00

I had a pretty ridiculous weekend that merits telling, but with school coming to an end I will just be lazy and direct you (who, I know, are all very interested in what happens in Chicago) to one of my reporting assignments. Here's a piece about tax-breaks to Chicago hospitals, I might be doing a lot of this next quarter - we shall see. I will be back...

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1164413408798885012006-11-24T18:54:00.000-05:002006-11-24T19:10:08.986-05:00

The quarter is nearing its end and I become, all of a sudden, more prolific. Destiny or coincidence? Time will decided that. It is, however, safe to say that I write more frequently in my feeble attempts to procrastinate.I have two projects and one final left. I am, as you can imagine, already in vacation mode. With one plane ticket to NYC, two days after school ends, and another one to San

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1164337541446060322006-11-23T22:03:00.000-05:002006-11-23T22:05:41.456-05:00

Thanksgiving. My favorite American holiday – and tradition. Life is good on this lazy Thursday – every year.I was oblivious to Thanksgiving when I first came to the States in 1998. Instead of spending a traditional Thanksgiving at an American home, I headed north to Yale. The plan was to catch up with fellow Turks and get as far away as possible from people who kept asking: “y’all eat turkey

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1164005772165780362006-11-20T01:48:00.000-05:002006-11-20T01:56:12.180-05:00

I had a 40 last night, the first in many months – if not years. We went out for sushi afterwards, and then decided to try and catch a play. The focal point of our night, however, turned about to be the ride to the theatre.John Rees was mentioned in the Chicago Reader (the Village Voice of our town, though I like it much better) about two months ago (check it out here). I remember reading about

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1163388189743554332006-11-12T22:20:00.000-05:002006-11-12T22:25:29.083-05:00

One of the indisputable signs of becoming a local in a new city is getting recognition in your neighborhood. When I was in New York, I strove to be identified as a regular in certain restaurants and bars.Sometimes it is as easy as helping open up store (see Regarding Lucy’s) and then again sometimes it takes forever to gain recognition (Tartine took a while for example, Corner Bistro would have

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1163003966437629652006-11-08T11:33:00.000-05:002006-11-08T18:56:13.276-05:00

Below is a slightly edited story from Y.S. in New York. I stayed at their house, the said Kimball Industries, for a while before moving to Chicago. It is a glorious apartment, but recent developments left the tenants sour:This touches upon only the beginnings of a paranoid and traumatic life.While A.T. happily continues her mice-free life, the apartment she left has been under invasion of a big

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1162838373594617502006-11-06T13:34:00.000-05:002006-11-06T13:39:34.093-05:00

A colleague from Medill put together The Methods Reporter for us to publish graded stories. The website is very neat and provides us an opportunity to go public. Chicago news might not be that interesting to you, but if you are interested in reading evolving writers, and seeing how audience oriented journalism (sic) works, please, go ahead and take a look. I have one story up there and will

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1162695114252064982006-11-04T21:50:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:51:54.263-05:00

I had my first rat sighting in Chicago. I was walking home after dinner and I saw a rat going in and out of the elementary school next to my apartment. Sweet, I thought, they are everywhere.But Chicago is not half as bad as New York when it comes to rats and mice. In New York you will see them everywhere: the subway, your apartment, milling through the trash bags on the street and many other

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1162249653397667142006-10-30T18:05:00.000-05:002006-10-30T18:07:33.406-05:00

I never thought it would come to this. All that know me will testify – without a hint of hesitation – that I value sleep more than, practically at least, anything else. I love to sleep. And with time, it always seemed like drag, something that takes forever.Now, all of that is changing. I sleep less than I ever have. I average 4-5 hours a night, tops. During the last month, I have functioned

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1162095818421763832006-10-29T00:18:00.000-04:002006-10-29T00:23:38.433-04:00

Last night I saw Jesus Camp with a friend from school. I had seen previews for the movie and meant to catch it for the past two months. So, finally, I succeed at something (by seeing the movie, that is).If you have any doubts about the Evangelicals on the rise, I strongly suggest you see Jesus Camp. The movie will mess with your head, seriously. Jesus Camp got me thinking about how people

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1161536806987235412006-10-22T13:03:00.000-04:002006-10-22T21:20:58.313-04:00

“Hi.”“Hi.”“You can take a picture of me.”“Thanks.”“Are you Muslim?”“Yes.”“Why are you not eating?”“I’m not fasting today.”“Ah, OK, that’s fine.”I nod and smile; he walks away. The crowd at Khan BBQ is slowly leaving. I’ve been in the restaurant for the past half hour or so, taking pictures of the counter, Muslims breaking fast, images of Kabe broadcast on TV and tables getting cleared up. This

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1161138332661515652006-10-17T21:45:00.000-04:002006-10-17T22:55:05.030-04:00

I approached the mosque on Friday around 4:30 p.m. There men – father, son and an acquaintance – were mulling outside the indoor parking lot of Jame Masjid (translates as – roughly – mosque chapel, I think). I walked over and introduced myself.I told them that I am a journalism student looking to cover iftar (meal to break fast during Ramadan). I had heard that the mosque served dinner to the

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1161017866704540222006-10-16T12:55:00.000-04:002006-10-16T12:57:46.716-04:00

J.E.A., M.O. and I toured Europe via train in the summer of ’97. It was a great trip, throughout which we discovered and teased each other about character quirks.One of the stereotypes we oft employed played on our political ideas. J.E.A. was our designated communist, looking out for workers rights and social injustice. We even tried to goad him on to save a prostitute from the streets of

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1160853616656191452006-10-14T15:06:00.000-04:002006-10-14T15:21:53.826-04:00

I have plenty to write as I dig deeper into the Chicago social scene. But for now, let it suffice that I have a new post on The Millions regarding Ted Conover’s Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing. You can read it here.In the meanwhile, Chicago is beginning to get very cold. Wednesday morning before heading out of my studio I checked the weather report, foolishly disregarding the snow forecast. Yes,

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1160697157676167192006-10-12T19:41:00.000-04:002006-10-12T19:54:53.400-04:00

Too much school work and no fun make E a sad panda. Nevertheless, E keeps writing, and mostly rewriting. But not for Gybria, sorry. Good friend J.M.C. comes to rescue, as he's been known to since '98. Today, he emailed E a review of Scorcese's The Departed and Momofuku ssam bar. The latter makes E wanna go to New York, hang out with friends and eat superb food. E out, J.M.C. in -We went last

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1160256130461878212006-10-07T17:12:00.000-04:002006-10-07T17:28:49.980-04:00

The AP reported that state officials in Kentucky, home of bourbon, are rallying against vaporizers – devices that let you inhale alcohol. (You can read the article here.) Who would be so idiotic as to inhale bourbon when you can drink it?The vaporizers are, apparently, used for inhaling a wide range of libations: wine, martinis and vodka are among the few listed. The article quotes a researcher

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1160096866029835502006-10-05T21:04:00.000-04:002006-10-05T21:07:46.040-04:00

Sorry for the cheesy, headline-wanna-be title. My editing lab instructor is adamant about not letting me write outrageous, silly, New York Post style headlines*, so, I’m taking it out on you. But skip that, less about Medill and more about Beck.As you might already know, Beck released his seventh major studio album, ninth L.P. altogether, The Information on Oct. 3, 2006. Yes, that’s two days

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1160015794141781542006-10-04T22:25:00.000-04:002006-10-04T22:48:52.646-04:00

We had Monday off from school (thanks Yom Kippur) and I spent the whole day reading for my law & ethics and editing classes. Just as despair was setting in and letters began to twirl around in each new page I tried to focus on, I remembered the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah concert at The Vic.I called the venue, was informed that the CYHSY concert was not sold-out, and that the band would begin

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1159640650059279862006-09-30T14:22:00.000-04:002006-09-30T14:24:10.066-04:00

I was standing outside Fisk Hall smoking a cigarette during break. The weather was misty; it had rained earlier. Thoughts passed through my head in rapid succession and then everything stopped.I was about to toss my cigarette to one of the many ashtrays that don the Northwestern campus when I recognized the brownish water that collected in the ash bowl. I took me back to my first year at UVA.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1159311972742220952006-09-26T19:05:00.000-04:002006-09-26T19:06:12.756-04:00

So, yes, sorry for neglecting Gybria. It’s never my intention to do so but school turned out to be umpteenth times more challenging and difficult. The workload is gruesome and humbling. As I am having a difficult time just keeping my head over the water, I had very little time to even read the news, which I must for my studies, let alone write for Gybria.I hope to write more Military Journals

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1158787178201443572006-09-20T17:03:00.000-04:002006-09-20T17:19:38.216-04:00

School started on Monday. I resolved not to write about it, especially since my advisor is reading Gybria. I can tell you one thing though; I will have my ass beat and handed over to me on a silver plate in the coming months. Exciting – no, seriously.So, here comes another – albeit a quick and brief – concert review. I saw Built to Spill at Metro on Saturday with my friend J.E.A. It was, as

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1158436412775184062006-09-16T15:19:00.000-04:002006-09-16T15:53:32.926-04:00

On the morning of our third day, our major gathered the battalion in front of his gazebo – yes, all the commanding officers seem to have one – and told us about the rules and regulations in the barracks. After the major was done with his spiel, which seemed to contradict all actions in the base, he went on to emphasize that the only thing that really mattered during our tenure in the army was

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1158280264437844252006-09-14T19:52:00.000-04:002006-09-14T20:31:04.806-04:00

I arrived in Chicago two days ago. I was exhausted from my continuous farewell parties in NYC, which culminated in an all-night dance off at Y.S., A.Z.M and A.T’s wonderful house in SoHo/Tribeca. If it were not for A.Z.M.’s dedicated effort to get me, and my drunken revelry, out of their house on Tuesday morning I would probably still be asleep at their house. I thought that my death was

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157964236588065592006-09-11T04:21:00.000-04:002006-09-11T04:43:56.760-04:00

Last Friday night I ended up at my favorite dive bar in the East Village: Lucy’s (Avenue A between St. Marks and 9th Streets). This is probably one establishment that I frequented most often during my four years in New York. An older brother from the S.F.R.H., who took me under his wings during the summer of 2001 when I interned in the City, introduced me to Lucy’s. The cheap drinks, cozy

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157911363142262002006-09-10T13:53:00.000-04:002006-09-10T14:02:43.143-04:00

I have been visiting places that are very dear to me throughout my last weekend in New York. These visits generated a healthy dose of drinking, eating and hilarious moments, which I will recount on Gybria shortly. In the meanwhile, you can visit The Millions and read my take on David Foster Wallace’s article concerning Roger Federer (available here). I will be back with more, ciao.

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157701640668321242006-09-08T03:21:00.000-04:002006-09-10T13:50:39.573-04:00

At the end of our third and potentially longest day we finally completed our registration and received our military IDs. It was an excruciating experience that left the whole platoon exhausted and sick. By the end of the night everyone was sneezing and coughing. We filled out eight forms, essentially replicating the information on each new paper. The classroom where we were finalizing our

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157519443890211502006-09-06T01:00:00.000-04:002006-09-06T01:10:43.983-04:00

I mean to write everyday. Somehow, New York makes me lazy with just about anything other than eating and drinking, hence my lack of steady posts. This is not necessarily a bad thing (the gluttony that is, not the lack of posts). But it is one of the reasons I am glad to leave this marvelous city for Chicago.I am currently procrastinating in a couple of avenues. One is the continued writing of

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157331695048538542006-09-03T20:50:00.000-04:002006-09-04T14:46:10.523-04:00

Shortly after seeing Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, I was informed by a friend about the documentary Loose Change and given Noam Chomsky’s 9-11 by another. I continued my September 11 study by watching the hour and half long documentary and reading Chomsky’s collected interviews immediately after the attacks. Both pieces reflect on issues seldom discussed and are loaded with facts, ideas

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1157065332266645442006-08-31T18:48:00.000-04:002006-08-31T19:02:12.970-04:00

After Turkish Milo fed us, and I got a haircut, we were dropped off in front of the barracks. There was a huge single file line to enter, and a bigger, wider line within the fences that fed the new pashas to a small building located at the entrance. The eleven of us joined the line behind one another, constantly shifting not to be the first, and began our wait. In the days to come we learned

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1156922433700113212006-08-30T02:17:00.000-04:002006-08-30T03:20:34.440-04:00

The Turkish military requires that all men eighteen years or older serve a mandatory military service. This rule has been in effect since the foundation of Turkey in 1923. My grandfather served as an artilleryman in the second half of the 1940s for 24 months. My father served in Cyprus (yes, the Turkish half) in 1978 for 18 months. While it would be more proper to call my father’s service a

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1156747313586732982006-08-28T02:13:00.000-04:002006-08-28T02:41:54.450-04:00

I have been a huge fan of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 ever since I succumbed to my father’s urging and read the novel. Since April my appreciation for Catch-22 has increased significantly. On April Fool’s Day 2006 I reported to the Turkish Army base in Burdur to serve my brief mandatory military service. It was a very interesting experience in many aspects and I hope to relate them over a number

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1156647740621805392006-08-26T22:58:00.000-04:002006-08-26T23:02:20.663-04:00

I hear this phrase over and over again. I don’t do much in the way of exercise. My daily exercise consists of lifting my arm to smoke cigarettes and drink beers. I’ve got great biceps and an awesome six-pack (others call it beer belly). If you count drunken dancing as an exercise (my moves look like a retarded capoeira dancer’s) I do that, too. Other than that, I play soccer once every blue

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32675705.post-1156485072922251812006-08-25T01:36:00.000-04:002006-08-25T01:51:12.966-04:00

I think this will be a sensible follow up to yesterday’s rant about Big Brother watching me. I woke up early today and after a futile and short-lived attempt to find me an apartment decided to step outside for a cigarette. I ended up locking myself out of the apartment and had two hours to kill before my friend came back. After walking around aimlessly and trying to decide what to do, I found

Emre Pekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973294659887801197noreply@blogger.com1