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How high are the chairs in Turkey?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Comments: 1
Comments: 1
The First World War started when a second-rate Archduke was shot dead. Millions ultimately went to an early grave. Precisely what they were fighting about,nobody knows. It is an historical mystery and if any historian can come up with a sensible answer, he/she should be awarded The Noble Prize for History which, as far as I am aware, doesn't currently exist.
I mention this, because I now read that a diplomatic incident has arisen over the height of the Turkish ambassador's chair. When I went to Istanbul, I often sat on extremely low stools, especially when I was being shown a multiplicity of fabulous rugs by charming carpet salesmen, and I never once complained. The endless cups of tea were too good to miss and when I used to leave the bazaar without buying anything, war was never declared.
It has now emerged that according to some new Turkish custom, the height of the ambassador's seat is a major issue and could lead to a major fall-out between two former friends who are having a bit of a sticky patch. It seems that soft furnishings have officially come between Israel and Turkey.
Turkey has demanded a formal apology from Israel."Unless they make up for it by this evening, our ambassador will return on the first plane tomorrow," President Abdullah Gul was quoted as saying by the NTV news channel.
The dispute comes after the deputy minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned the ambassador, Oguz Celikkolits, to rebuke him over a TV series fictional entitled Valley of the Wolves. The TV drama apparently depicts Israeli intelligence operatives kidnapping babies and converting them to Judaism.
It is funny what sort of things can upset a Jew. Of course, amongst themselves they often tell jokes which make fun of fellow Jews, but if another nation has the chutzpah to make a blatantly anti-semitic TV series, then they go totally meshuggah and end-up asking the ambassador to sit on a lower chair than usual.
Now if that results in a Turkish/Israeli war, then it will make the shooting of an inconsequential Archduke look comparatively significant.
I mention this, because I now read that a diplomatic incident has arisen over the height of the Turkish ambassador's chair. When I went to Istanbul, I often sat on extremely low stools, especially when I was being shown a multiplicity of fabulous rugs by charming carpet salesmen, and I never once complained. The endless cups of tea were too good to miss and when I used to leave the bazaar without buying anything, war was never declared.
It has now emerged that according to some new Turkish custom, the height of the ambassador's seat is a major issue and could lead to a major fall-out between two former friends who are having a bit of a sticky patch. It seems that soft furnishings have officially come between Israel and Turkey.
Turkey has demanded a formal apology from Israel."Unless they make up for it by this evening, our ambassador will return on the first plane tomorrow," President Abdullah Gul was quoted as saying by the NTV news channel.
The dispute comes after the deputy minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned the ambassador, Oguz Celikkolits, to rebuke him over a TV series fictional entitled Valley of the Wolves. The TV drama apparently depicts Israeli intelligence operatives kidnapping babies and converting them to Judaism.
It is funny what sort of things can upset a Jew. Of course, amongst themselves they often tell jokes which make fun of fellow Jews, but if another nation has the chutzpah to make a blatantly anti-semitic TV series, then they go totally meshuggah and end-up asking the ambassador to sit on a lower chair than usual.
Now if that results in a Turkish/Israeli war, then it will make the shooting of an inconsequential Archduke look comparatively significant.
5485 Lyndall Beddy
[ Thursday, January 14, 2010 | 2:57:12 PM ]
The death of the Archduke did not cause the war - it was the excuse used by people who wanted to go to war anyhow.
Had he not died, there would have been some other incident used.
Had he not died, there would have been some other incident used.
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