Hi. Hallo. Hola.. Hej..? Salut..?! γεια..?!! Привет..?!!^?* 您好..?!!^?*''/!! Never mind...... :p

An afro-american professor gives a symposium about education to Red-Indian children. It is a live and funny symposium. But when the symposium ends, the professor says “It was just unsuccessful!”, sadly. A Chinese psychologist who is there to observe the symposium hears that and says “No, quite the contrary, it was a big success. Didn’t you see how much the children like you?”. Professor, still sad, “But there wasn’t any expression on their faces.”.
Chinese psychologist starts to tell. “For the students who are Afro-American, it can be true, but not for Red-Indian children. These children, culturally, negative or positive, educated to hide their feelings. In a result, it is very hard to understand their feelings according to face expressions. Red-Indian people always say hiding feelings is maturity and sagacity.”
Professor still doubts and says, “They didn’t even ask a question although I asked again and again.”.
Chinese psychologist tries to explain. “They didn’t, because they respect you. Many Red-Indians believe not to ask question in community. Because, if he asks a rational question, he can take the attention from you. This isn’t a modest behaviour for them and this can be seen as an effort of showing himself or priggism. If the question is foolish, he can be ridiculous. Also, the question is good or not, it can cause an impression like the tearcher is not clear enough. And it means directly objecting the rule respecting old ones.
As a result, you cannot even expect the desire to ask a question of a Red-Indian person as an American. I think, it can be said that Red-Indians really believe in the quote “Speech is silver, silence is golden”.”
At that time, the Red-Indian school director, who listened the whole conversation, asks Chinese psychologist “Sorry but, how do you know many things like these about us?”.
Chinese psychologist smiles and answers, “You know, Red-Indians migrated from Asia a few thousand years ago. Isn’t it spontaneous that your Asian cousins share some ethnic characteristics with you?”.

(In Thailand, people greet each other by clasping their hands together and bowing. Evil foreign clowns with plucked eyebrows trying to blend in. A sacrilege, I think..)

(And one of the reasons why I don't visit India :p)

You see, in every country, people act different, or think different. This is because of the cultural differences. According to Geert Hofstede, culture is an intellectual coding which separates a group of people from the others. Culture is learned, changeable. It has a historical length and continuous. It is the satisfier of the needs. Language, religion and folks, values, norms, manner and traditions, attitudes, symbols, laws and moral principles form the culture. In 1980, Geert Hofstede made a research about cultural differences which contains 74 countries in the world. According to this research, we can sort cultural dimensions in two: Collectivist cultures and Individualist cultures.

In Collectivist cultures, communication is based on determining the relationship primary, kindness, acting in manner, prefering indirect and implicit expression. And in Individualist cultures, communication is direct and explicit. It stays away implications and anxiety of manner, it doesn’t depend on rules of courtesy.

The other cultural dimensions are;

a) Uncertainty Avoidence: It’s about the level of a community’s nervousness of some environments where knowledge is insufficient or not clear, where complexity exists, and where the change can not be predictable and quick.

b) Power Distance: It is related to the distribution of the power of the individuals and organizations of a society unequally. In societies that the power range is high, social inequality and hierarchy is excessive; also in these societies, egalitarian implementations can cause reactions.

c) Femininity / Masculinity: This cultural trend states the valid values which are dominant are specific to men or women in a society. Standing at the forefront of success, ambition, assertiveness, materialism expresses masculine values, standing at the forefront of relationships, sacrifice and senses expresses feminine values.



PDI --> Power Distance
IDV --> Individualism
MAS --> Masculinity
UAI --> Uncertainty Avoidance

(http://www.geert-hofstede.com/)

Comparison of Turkey and United Kingdom & Comparison of Turkey and United States :

In every culture, in other words, in every country, feelings, acts, behaviours, perspectives, etc. are different. Greetings, symbols, likes... For example, if you greet someone in your country with a hand movement, it can mean a bad thing in another country.

Cultural Differences... and how they affect our perceptions of each other:

What goes around comes around..

Although its all difficulties, I love to live. Sometimes I think that all the colors we see arond us is a miracle, it's God's miracle. Colorful flowers, all the greens, butterflies, polar bears, parrots, zebras, etc. And I want my children live in this world without any fear of the future nature. It makes me sad.. Global warming maybe will not affect us, we will not see those days, but maybe my children will, otherwise my grandchildren... No, I really don't want this! I speak to you, who don't know anything about it and especially who don't cares. Hey, I DON'T WANT IT !! Can you hear me ?? Can you hear all the people who don't want it ??!!


Firstly for all who doesn't know anything about global warming; global warming is the increase in the avarage temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming). This causes the changes on the climates. And the change on the climates causes dangerous nature events (melting of glaciers, floodings, droughts) , death of animals, poverty, hunger, death of humans.. These things will be in extreme numbers. It's not a joke, global warming is a real thing. Global warming will slowly bring the end of the earth, and unless we don't care it, it will care us badly!


Some people says "how about global warming, snow is on everywhere!". It's nothing other than ignorance. Warming is a thing which means the increase of the avarage temperature. But global warming means spoiling of the balance of nature. So, the balance of the climates changes. In 2008, it snowed in Busara village of Kenya. Normally, they live tropical and desert climate in their country. So, last 2 years ago, Kenyans saw snow the first time in their lives. That is to say, something goes wrong. And this thing’s reason is global warming. Also in our country, don't you feel anything different? We all learned that Turkey's summer months are June, July and August. Bur for nearly 3 years, summer starts on July and lasts on October. Maybe you'll say that it's not a big problem, but it really will be !! It happens slowly, but one day we will face with really bad things, if we resume to not doing anything.


We don’t have much time, but we can obstruct it by doing little things. I wish that I could do much more things about global warming. But believe it or not, I do my responsibilities as an individual and as a family. You, also, do something. For example, save electricity by turning of the lights when you leaving the room and using only as much light as you need. Don't waste water. Don't use air conditioner if it's not very necessary. Don't use your car speedy (actually don't use it more) and prefer cars work with unleaded gasoline. Use glass, not plastic and use recycling bins to separate them. Don't pollute the environment, plant a tree, and TELL THESE TO PEOPLE !! It's serious, global warming is a real thing, and we are all in danger. Or forget it about our danger, it's our responsibility ! We did this, we bringed the earth to these days and we do not have the right of making the animals and flowers die. They are innocent. And if they die, we die !! Think again, it is so easy...

Welcome dear valentines, take a seat..

Valentine’s day is near to come. Of course I don’t prefer to live that day single (I confess that I can feel myself very bad), but all the requirements are silly I think. You don’t love your boyfriend much on this day, or you don’t have heart shaped balloons to live your love perfectly. When I see this red athmosphere, my hairs stand on end and I have a need to escape from there quickly !! Because the scene is always like this: There are two people on each table (or maybe 4 people who are on a double-date), and the restaurant is full of red heart shaped accessories and “red” things, and there is an insincerity on everybody’s face. A thing must not have been done as an obligation. If you really want to celebrate 14th February, give a party and have fun. Why are all these silly things ??

This is my opinion and my riot. Of course there are very few people who thinks like me. People gets crazy for this day. And so, Valentine’s Day provides the demand explosion existance in consumer societies. It is a process that starts one month before 14th February. So that, think about the half of the society buy gifts to their darlings. It is a very big demand. Moreover, this year the news says something like that the economy stake its hopes on 14th February. (http://www.gazeteport.com.tr/EKONOMI/NEWS/GP_631484) Because everyone must spend money in this day, otherwise it means that they don’t love their boy/girlfrieds. I think it is more than material things.

I don’t say anything like “no gifts, no celebration, no love!”. It is also silly and a little obbsessive. Eventually, it is not only a day which is between 13th and 15th February. I only decline the routine. Of course, be with your valentine, spend time with her/him, because it’s a special day, but don’t go to a mannered dinner, make something different ! Be creative. Forasmuch as you want to show how much you love your valentine especially in this day, make something that you don’t do in your daily life, and don’t forget that you don’t love him/her ONLY in that day. Don’t be ridiculous, please…

A new exciting phase with Xbox ?? (Milo will like me.. :)

To tell the truth, I don’t remember Commodore64, but I heard much about it. It’s a legend for many people. Legend.. Because everything is different now. Different and maybe extraordinary. We are all familiar to some video game consoles like Sony’s Playstation which are called “Sixth-generation”. But now we are in “Seventh-generation” and things go very suprisingly. We are again familiar to Playstation 3, we all know it. Nintendo’s Wii is another world that you can act and play games with wireless controller Wii Remote which detects movement in three dimensions. And Microsoft’s Xbox.. It is also a Seventh-generation video console but, it makes me, and probably everyone surprised.

Very soon a new technological era will start by the Microsoft company. It is called Natal Project, which is a type of work that a console and game control devices aren’t in use on it. In fact, X-Box game console will be used again; full body and facial movements of the players will be reflected in the game with an apparatus that is installed to the console. What are you doing on-screen, characters will be in action-one will copy your movements. The sensors on the device makes a three-dimensional model of users. In fact, even increased the number of people with high processing power Xbox can adapt to this situation, and even in multi-player games you can use the console without problems. In summary, Xbox game console detects your body movement as a command by a pricing model plug-in called Natal. Thus, to play any games you don’t have any wireless controller (as in the other video consoles). Controller becomes you in person. You think that Playstation Eye gives people the freedom of movement? Meet the Natal Project..

Let's bring it to the most important issues; how Natal Project will affect us? We know that such a system like this will come with an artificial intelligence which is close to perfect. The renewed Xbox which is sensitive towards sound, will allow to control the whole house with voice commands. If nobody is in the room, it will put out the lights and every evening when you come home, it will meet you and chat. Thanks to the softwares which control all the security cameras, you will be able to manage your smart home from a central system. The fantasy that machines take over the world will be beginning to realize in a sense. This is a simple step maybe, but along with the next next-generation technologies, artificial intelligence and machine connected to it will implement all the work we do in our daily life. If the seized world by the machines is a cold sore dream for you, think about that: Already mobile phones don’t take your times during the day? Don’t you spend time by watching the meaningless programs on television? How many days can you wait without entering Internet and without controlling your e-mails? In short, the siege had already started. Now the next phase begins with the Natal Project: Invasion... And personally, I loved the Xbox invasion, I still can’t believe. I am excited to meet Milo* :))

*Milo and Kate– a full game in which the player interacts with a young child (Milo or Milly, selected by the user at the start) and his/her dog Kate by performing real-life actions. Interaction was demonstrated only with Milo at this event.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Natal)

Here I gO..

Hello, I'm Hilal. I'm new in here, so I have to introduce myself. I am a senior student in Bilkent University Communication and Design department. It was a very hard school life for me. I studied 1.5 year in Management but I decided that I don't want to do that job whole my life, so I changed my department and it was the truest decision in my life. It is enjoyable. I made many posters, wrote some scenarios, worked in some short films and made my own individual film. I am also self-confident in making designs. And also I am interested in movies and fashion. Because of this, I love the movies which are full of good clothes and accessories. I am very sensitive and I trust my feelings (for everything). Maybe one day, Patricia Field expresses her creativitiy in fashion to me, doesn't her? One day, does David LaChapelle take my photo? Or, do I act in a movie with George Clooney? Does Christian Louboutin design a shoe for me? While I am walking on the street, does Vanilla Twilight play? Do I meet with Sarah Jessica Parker in 11 Madison? Does Kylie Minogue tell the secret of her hair? Do I travel the world with my Oculus 250ft motoryacht? Do I ever have an Avatar? If it also doesn't happens, when I go near Michael Jackson, does he like me? Think a little... Have fun! ;)