Here are some interesting Thanksgiving and Turkey facts:
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. So a belated Happy Thanksgiving to our Northern friends.
The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621. They celebrated at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer.
The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.
The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.
The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.
Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle, whom he felt was "a coward".
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the U.S. at Thanksgiving—that's one sixth of all turkeys sold in the U.S. each year. American per capita consumption of turkeys has soared from 8.3 pounds in 1975 to 18.5 pounds in 1997. Ten years later, the number has dropped slightly in 2007 to 17.5 pounds.
Age is a determining factor in taste. Old, large males are preferable to young toms (males) as tom meat is stringy. The opposite is true for females: old hens are tougher birds.
A turkey under sixteen weeks of age is called a fryer, while a young roaster is five to seven months old.
Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere.
Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult. However, turkeys have a poor sense of smell (what's cooking?), but an excellent sense of taste.
Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys, however, can fly for short distances at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. They can also reach speeds of 25 miles per hour on the ground.
Turkeys sometimes spend the night in trees.
Turkeys can have heart attacks: turkeys in fields near the Air Force test areas over which the sound barrier was broken were known to drop dead from the shock of passing jets
The ballroom dance known as the Turkey Trot was named for the short, jerky steps a turkey makes.
What nation eats the most Turkey?
ISRAEL
According to the National Turkey Federation, in 1998 Israel consumed 27.8 pounds per capita. The United States is in second place, at 18 pounds per capita, followed by France (14.3 pounds), the United Kingdom (11.5), Canada (9.7), Belgium-Luxembourg (7.5), and the Netherlands (3.9).
On this Thanksgiving, before you sit down to your feast, take a moment to Thank G-d for all the blessings in your life. And take a moment to remember the men and women serving in our Armed Forces, many of which are far from home in harms way.
May God bring blessings upon your families this holiday.
Several people on Facebook have told me the Netanyahu apology was 'only' for the loss of life aboard the Gaza Flotilla and Netanyahu didn't really apologize. With that in mind, here's the story: Israel has legal right to inspect all sea and air traffic into Gaza for obvious reasons - the safety of the Israeli people. In mid- 2010 when "peace" flotillas were all the rage and anti-Israel activists were stumbling over each other to hitch a ride on a flotilla to Gaza to show support for Palestine, it wasn't about aid for Gaza. Today we learn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized to Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan for attempting to search it for weapons and jihadists, their legal right according to the Oslo Accord. Apparently Obama insisted Netanyahu apologize and he did. You may remember that Reuters cropped a critical photo of the violence that followed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and "peace activists" holding knives that were perhaps used on the soldier you see here.
PMW reports: On the day before the Gaza flotilla confronted the Israeli navy, Al-Jazeera TV documented the pre-battle atmosphere created by men on board the flotilla, chanting a well known Islamic battle cry invoking the killing and defeat of Jews in battle:
“[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!”
The flotilla’s goal:
Al-Jazeera also interviewed a woman who said that the flotilla participants’ goal was “one of two happy endings: either Martyrdom or reaching Gaza.”
Remember, the Oslo Accords grants Israel the right to blockade, and the right to stop-and-or-search ships for weapons bound for Palestine.
A few days ago, President Obama said the War on Terror is over, and we learned that Syria has 1,000 ballistic missiles pointed at Israel, courtesy of Iran. In the same time span, Hizballah received 1,000 rockets, courtesy of Iran. Israel is the only country that will receive these rockets – intended for launch into Israel. Also a few days ago, Israel was notified that a “six boat flotilla” of ships carrying “aid” to Gaza would pass through their blockade. Israel considered the “flotilla” “an act of provocation,” and notified Turkey the “flotilla” would be searched at their port at Ashdod. In the past, numerous ships carrying supposed aid to Gaza have been stopped and found to be carrying weapons. Apparently the “flotilla” had no plans to be search. See a revealing video below – and remember, Israel had the right to board the ship, even though the ship was in international waters.
Israeli commandos boarded one of the ships and there were deaths on both sides. There is a blockade in place. This incident was not about humanitarian aid, but was about putting Israel in a terrible place in the eyes of the world. How many journalists were aboard that Turkish cruise ship?
The Israeli Navy contacted the ships and warned them they would not allowed to break the blockade, as provided by the Oslo Accords:
International law allows for countries to ask suspicious boats to identify themselves. The vessels’ passengers did not cooperate and called the move “scare tactics” on their streamed broadcasts.
The request was refused. Here’s what happened next:
The IDF searched the boats for arms immediately after the takeover. The soldiers were forced to use tear gas after they were attacked with knives, daggers and cudgels, putting their lives in danger. Unofficial reports that ten persons have been killed and another ten wounded were admitted to Rambam Hospital in Haifa were changed by the Arab television station Al Jazeera, to two killed and four wounded. An Al Jazeera reporter on one of the boats reported hearing gunshots.
Israel was set-up for a peaceful search. There was no way for Israel to discern the truth without boarding the ship.
The preparations included a compound at the Ashdod port consisting of air conditioned tents equipped with computerized stations, metal detectors, and seating for the activists manning the ships. The IDF is preparing for the arrival of some 800 peace activists. The IDF said that they were ready to carry out the government’s decision to prevent the ships from reaching the Gaza shore.
The IDF said Thursday that much thought was put into the preparations for the convoy’s arrival. The plans include trained navy forces boarding the ships, with the aid of dogs, to search for weapons and explosives as well as wanted terrorists. The IDF said that they did not know whether the ships carried these items or people, but that they were preparing for any possible scenario to prevent potential catastrophes.
Nine activistsagitators terrorists are reported dead. Seven IDF are injured, two gravely. An Israeli IDF who boarded the ship said the activists tried to take hostages – Israeli hostages are the pride of Palestinians. This ship knew the search would be peaceful. The terrorists aboard laid-in-waiting and attacked before the Israeli’s feet hit the deck. Israel had the right to search!
He [Netanyahu] says hundreds of people on board that ship beat, clubbed and stabbed soldiers, and there was a report of gunfire. He says that forced soldiers to attack.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty G-d. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High G-d, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State
Thanksgiving has nothing to do with Pilgrims, Indians, or Turkeys. Nor does it have anything to do with Football or Parades. (Sorry Macy's.) It has to do with a feast day, established by the government to thank G-d for the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. And given enough time, the anti-Christian element of the atheist movement will get the idea of Thanksgiving out of the American lexicon.
This used to be a solemn holiday. A day for the gathering of the family, Mother or Grandmother would cook her best foods, serve the meal on her best china, and smile that her family would be enjoying a wonderful feast.
Today it is a day for watching football on the Big Screen TV, attempt to cook a turkey, and stand outside in all kinds of weather to get the best deals at midnight.
But these guys know what the day is about:
(Click here if the video doesn't play.)
Last seem over the skies of Israel. Hundreds of phone calls to Police Hotlines reporting the UFO, no planes were scramble, Iron Dome and other anti-missile defenses did not fire, and no sirens were sounded. What could it be?
A Comet B Meteor C Rocket D Hassan Nasrallah E Aliens from another Planet. (Don't worry, they are Jewish and only want to make Aliyah.) F A Russian Missile Test.
If you answered F-A Russian Missile Test. You win the prize.
The glowing light reported in Israel's skies around 8:45 pm Thursday apparently resulted from of a failed intercontinental ballistic missile test by the Russian military, according to estimates.
Hundreds of Israelis nationwide flooded police hotlines Thursday evening with reports of an unidentified flying object in the nation's skies.
Glowing light in Israel's skies (Video: Hitham Abu Saada)
Later Thursday, Russian news agency Novosti quoted the Defense Ministry in Moscow, which confirmed that a missile was test-fired from the Astrakhan region in central Russia. The trail of light seen in Israel was also reported in Armenia, Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan and other countries in the region.
According to a statement issued by Russia's Defense Ministry, crews belonging to the army's strategic missile division successfully test-fired a ballistic missile at 9:39 pm, Moscow time. A video shot in the area the missile was fired from showed parts of the missile falling. However, the clip was removed a few minutes after being posted.
Missile as seen in Russia
Israeli Astronomical Association Chairman Dr. Yigal Pat-El said that it is quite possible that the unidentified flying object reported by residents nationwide was a ballistic missile test.
"It most likely spun out of control and its remnants and the fuel was what people saw. It reached a height of 200-300 kilometers and that's why it was seen from so many locations," he told Ynet.
"We saw a large trail of light traveling from a distant spot in the sky," Dorit from northern Israel reported earlier. "We could not see the source of the light. The trail was massive. It was an unusual sight. Moments later we saw swirling movement where the light was coming from."
Concerned citizens in Armenia and Lebanon also called their local police stations after seeing the unusual glowing light. One Lebanese citizen reported seeing the light in the sky and in response an American web-surfer said it might be a military test. The Lebanese woman laughingly responded with: "A military test? Here?"
Notably, similar reports were received in Norway in 2009, following a failed Russian missile test. At the time, residents offered various explanations, ranging from a meteor to a UFO.
This missile was seen not only in Russia, but Turkey, Armenia and Lebanon. And the Lebanese are very lucky that the Israelis didn't believe that this was a actual attack. What a shame. It would have been nice to discover that this was Hassan Nasrallah finally emerging from his bunker after hiding there for the last 6 years.
That is taught to every IDF soldier. Whether dead or alive, your buddy, your friend, your fellow soldier will be brought back. Thus when climbing Mount Everest Nadav Ben-Yehuda saw his friend Aydin Irmak, and American of Turkish origin dying he didn't think twice and turned around just 300 meters (1,000 feet) from the summit and saved Irmak's life. Thus fulfilling the mitzvah of hatzoloh nefashot – saving a life.
An Israeli who rescued a distressed climber on Mount Everest instead of pushing onward to the summit said Friday that the man he helped, an American of Turkish origin, is like a brother to him.
Nadav Ben-Yehuda, who was climbing with a Sherpa guide, came across Aydin Irmak near the summit last weekend. In that chaotic period, four climbers died on their way down from the summit amid a traffic jam of more than 200 people who were rushing to reach the world's highest peak as the weather deteriorated.
In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, Ben-Yehuda, 24, appeared proud that Irmak, 46, had made it to the summit, noting that he is one of a small number of "Turkish" climbers to reach the top. Irmak left Turkey for New York more than two decades ago, but remains proud of his Turkish heritage. The friendship stands in contrast to the political tension between Turkey and Israel, which were once firm allies.
"Aydin, wake up! Wake up!" Ben-Yehuda recalled saying when he found his friend in the darkness. The American, he said, had been returning from the summit but collapsed in the extreme conditions, without an oxygen supply, a flashlight and a rucksack. Ben-Yehuda, who developed a friendship with Irmak before the climb, had delayed his own ascent by a day in hopes of avoiding the bottleneck of climbers heading for the top.
There have been periodic tales of people bypassing stricken climbers as they seek to fulfill a lifelong dream and reach the summit of Everest, but Ben-Yehuda said his decision to abandon his goal of reaching the top and help Irmak was "automatic," even though it took him several minutes to recognize his pale, gaunt friend.
"I just told myself, `This is crazy.' It just blew my mind," Ben-Yehuda said. "I didn't realize he was up there the whole time. Everybody thought he had already descended."
The Israeli carried Irmak for hours to a camp at lower elevation. Both suffered frostbite and some of their fingers were at risk of amputation. Ben-Yehuda lost 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in his time on the mountain, and Irmak lost 12 kilograms (26 pounds), said Hanan Goder, Israel's ambassador in Nepal. Goder had dinner with the pair after their ordeal.
"They really have to recover mentally and physically," Goder said. "They call each other, `my brother.' After the event that they had together, their souls are really linked together now."
The ambassador said the rescue was a "humanitarian" tale that highlighted the friendship between Israelis and Turks at a personal level, despite the deteriorating relationship between their governments. One of the key events in that downward, diplomatic spiral was an Israeli raid in 2010 on a Turkish aid ship that was trying to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of eight Turkish activists and a Turkish-American.
The Jerusalem Post, which reported that Ben-Yehuda would have been the youngest Israeli to reach Everest's summit, spoke to Irmak by telephone during the dinner that Goder hosted.
"I don't know what the hell is going on between the two countries," the newspaper quoted Irmak as saying. "I don't care about that. I talked to his (Ben-Yehuda's) family today and I told them you have another family in Turkey and America."
Ben-Yehuda, who spoke to the AP just before leaving Nepal for urgent medical treatment in Israel, said he could not say with certainty how he would have reacted if he had come across a stricken climber he did not know. Oxygen is in such short supply and the conditions are so harsh, he said, that people on the mountain develop a kind of tunnel vision.
"You just think about breathing, about walking, about climbing," he said. According to Ben-Yehuda, the fundamental questions going through the mind of a climber heading for the peak are: "Are you going to make it?" and "When is the right time to turn back?"
And once a climber begins the descent, the all-embracing question becomes: "How fast can I go down?"
Ben-Yehuda said his military training in Israel helped shape his reflexive decision to rescue Irmak. "You never leave a friend in the field," he said.
It is fitting that this story happened this week. For tonight starts the Jewish Holiday of Shavuot. Now Shavuot celebrates G-d giving the People of Israel (and the world through them) the Torah.
The Torah was given by G‑d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai more than 3300 years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah.
The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot.
The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G‑d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him.
The holiday of Shavuot is a two-day holiday, beginning at sundown of the 5th of Sivan and lasting until nightfall of the 7th of Sivan. (In Israel it is a one-day holiday, ending at nightfall of the 6th of Sivan.)
Women and girls light holiday candles to usher in the holiday, on both the first and second evenings of the holidays.
It is customary to stay up all night learning Torah on the first night of Shavuot.
All men, women and children should go to the synagogue on the first day of Shavuot to hear the reading of the Ten Commandments.
As on other holidays, special meals are eaten, and no “work” may be performed.
It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot. Among other reasons, this commemorates the fact that upon receiving the Torah, including the kosher laws, the Jewish people could not cook meat in their pots, which had yet to be rendered kosher.
On the second day of Shavuot, the Yizkor memorial service is recited.
Some communities read the Book of Ruth publicly, as King David—whose passing occurred on this day—was a descendant of Ruth the Moabite.
What Judaism gave to the world is a conscience. The knowledge of right from wrong. The Golden Rule. And the world has hated Judaism and Jews for it ever since. It was the teaching of Judaism and Jewish Law that made Nadav Ben-Yehuda turn away from a lifetime goal and save his friend.
No not the demand by Turkey that Israel apologize for defending itself during the Gaza flotilla, but the one being demanded of Turkey by the Armenian community.
US Armenians, pressing for a court decision against Turkey for violating the property rights of Ottoman Armenians during World War I, have complained that the Turkish government has ignored a lawsuit brought against Turkey in a Los Angeles court.
Plaintiffs argue that Turkey seized land belonging to their relatives when its owners fled Anatolia during what Armenians call a genocide campaign. The land in the southern province of Adana, which is now occupied by the İncirlik Air Base used by the US military, was then sold without the permission of the Armenian owners, according to the lawyers of the plaintiffs. The complaints target Turkey and two Turkish banks, the Central Bank of Turkey and Ziraat Bank.
Turkey had 60 day to answer the complaint, which expired on Aug. 19, 2011, but it has so far refused to answer. Lawyers for the plaintiffs announced that on Sept. 6 the Turkish government is in default for ignoring the lawsuit.
The default notice was entered on Sept. 1, 2011. The Central Bank of Turkey and Ziraat Bank, on the other hand, requested and were given an extension to respond to the complaints by Sept. 19.
“The US Department of State had sent a diplomatic note to Ankara warning that the country is bound by law to defend itself against the lawsuit,” said Vartkes Yeghiayan of the Yeghiayan Law Firm, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
Lawyers claim by refusing to respond Turkey risks having the court rule against it in absentia and add that damages could be as high as $100 million. Lawyer Günay Evinch, who is representing the two banks in the case, said on Friday that Turkey's refusal to respond to the Armenian complaints indicates that Turkey sees it as a matter of sovereignty.
“Apparently, Turkey is refusing to appear before the court to prevent another country from judging its history, in protection of its sovereignty,” lawyer Evinch was quoted by the Anatolia news agency. Evinch also noted that the handling of such a fragile case by a state court is controversial because this indicates that Washington has given up its rights to shape foreign policy to a state court.
The Armenian Genocide refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was implemented through wholesale massacres and deportations, with the deportations consisting of forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees. The total number of resulting Armenian deaths is generally held to have been between 1 million and 1.5 million. Other ethnic groups were similarly attacked by the Ottoman Empire during this period, including Assyrians and Greeks, and some scholars consider those events to be part of the same policy of extermination.
This was the first modern genocide and the first genocide of the 20th Century. Hitler used it as a justification of the Holocaust:
Unsere Stärke ist unsere Schnelligkeit und unsere Brutalität. Dschingis Khan hat Millionen Frauen und Kinder in den Tod gejagt, bewußt und fröhlichen Herzens. Die Geschichte sieht in ihm nur den großen Staatengründer. Was die schwache westeuropäische Zivilisation über mich behauptet, ist gleichgültig. Ich habe den Befehl gegeben — und ich lasse jeden füsilieren, der auch nur ein Wort der Kritik äußert — daß das Kriegsziel nicht im Erreichen von bestimmten Linien, sondern in der physischen Vernichtung des Gegners besteht. So habe ich, einstweilen nur im Osten, meine Totenkopfverbände bereitgestellt mit dem Befehl, unbarmherzig und mitleidslos Mann, Weib und Kind polnischer Abstammung und Sprache in den Tod zu schicken. Nur so gewinnen wir den Lebensraum, den wir brauchen. Wer redet heute noch von der Vernichtung der Armenier?
Translation into English:
Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter—with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It’s a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me. I have issued the command—and I’ll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad—that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness—for the present only in the East—with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space (Lebensraum) which we need. Who, after all, speaks to-day of the annihilation of the Armenians?
It is time for the world to acknowledge and remember the Armenians.
Here are some interesting Thanksgiving and Turkey facts:
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. So a belated Happy Thanksgiving to our Northern friends.
The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621. They celebrated at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer.
The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.
The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.
The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.
Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle, whom he felt was "a coward".
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the U.S. at Thanksgiving—that's one sixth of all turkeys sold in the U.S. each year. American per capita consumption of turkeys has soared from 8.3 pounds in 1975 to 18.5 pounds in 1997. Ten years later, the number has dropped slightly in 2007 to 17.5 pounds.
Age is a determining factor in taste. Old, large males are preferable to young toms (males) as tom meat is stringy. The opposite is true for females: old hens are tougher birds.
A turkey under sixteen weeks of age is called a fryer, while a young roaster is five to seven months old.
Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere.
Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult. However, turkeys have a poor sense of smell (what's cooking?), but an excellent sense of taste.
Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys, however, can fly for short distances at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. They can also reach speeds of 25 miles per hour on the ground.
Turkeys sometimes spend the night in trees.
Turkeys can have heart attacks: turkeys in fields near the Air Force test areas over which the sound barrier was broken were known to drop dead from the shock of passing jets
The ballroom dance known as the Turkey Trot was named for the short, jerky steps a turkey makes.
What nation eats the most Turkey?
ISRAEL
According to the National Turkey Federation, in 1998 Israel consumed 27.8 pounds per capita. The United States is in second place, at 18 pounds per capita, followed by France (14.3 pounds), the United Kingdom (11.5), Canada (9.7), Belgium-Luxembourg (7.5), and the Netherlands (3.9).
On this Thanksgiving, before you sit down to your feast, take a moment to Thank G-d for all the blessings in your life. And take a moment to remember the men and women serving in our Armed Forces, many of which are far from home in harms way.
May G-d bring blessings upon your families this holiday.
Brazil and Turkey tried to negotiate an agreement to let Iran build nukes to monitor Iran's nuclear program. The civilized world says no. Turkey sets up a phony flotilla and attacks Israeli Seals. The world condemns Israel, will impose sanctions not on Iran but on Israel.
Does anyone else think that this has been planned this way from the start by Iran?
Were just some of the weapons used upon The Leaky Bucket The Free Gaza Flotilla.
Demonstrators Use Violence Against Israeli Navy Soldiers Attempting to Board Ship
Thus proving that this was NOT a peaceful protest but well-planned attack sponsored by the Turkish government who is now planning to escort all ships to Gaza.
Yet there is a truth that the members of the MSM will not tell you.
Gaza Freedom Flotilla Organizers Linked To Worldwide Terrorism
Jerusalem ---- May 29, 2010 …. The "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", a group of ships carrying up to 800 people and 10,000 tons of supplies destined for the Gaza Strip has the alledged aim of stirring international debate regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, questions have been raised as to their motives especially given evidence of the organizer's direct ties to international terrorist organizations including al Qaida and Hamas.
Israel security sources have told the Israel News Agency that the main organization behind the "freedom" flotilla that is now sailing towards the Gaza Strip is called The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), a so-called "relief" organization from Turkey.
This is an organization unabashedly proud of its close ties to Hamas, a terror organization as recognized by the United States, Israel and the European Union (EU).
The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation is openly supportive of Hamas, an organization that is widely seen as the one of the largest perpetrators of human rights violations, having violently seized control of the Gaza Strip, and committed immeasurable human rights violations against its own people, not to mention hundreds of terror attacks initiated targeting the citizens of Israel.
These aren't the only roles the IHH has played to support Islamic terror, as if this wasn't enough. In fact, not only is IHH linked to global Islamic terror organizations, but it is the direct supporter of not only terrorism against Israel, but a primary backer of world-wide terrorism against nations which practice democracy.
At the heart of many terrorist networks are so-called Islamic "relief" organizations have proven invaluable as sources of cash, weapons, and recruitment of terror operatives. So effective is their role in covering up terrorist activity from the international intelligence community under the guise of promoting humanitarian aid, that Osama bin Laden has admitted that these NGO "charities" have been al-Qaida primary source of funding and have enabled the build-up of his organization to fly under the radar.
Examples of Islamic organizations funneling funds to terror organizations masked as NGOs include: the Benevolence International Foundation, Global Relief Foundation, Taibah International Aid Association, all of whom and countless other have been shut down, banned and its leaders arrested by the US government.
The IHH is one of such organizations, a primary example of an NGO that functions as a "charitable" organization in order to divert resources to terror activity.
In a working paper for The Danish Institute for International Studies, an independent international affairs research institution of Denmark, terrorism analyst and expert witness for the prosecution in U.S. terrorism trials, Evan Kohlmann details IHH's extensive affiliation with the Islamic terror network, including: explicit ties to Hamas, al-Qaida, as well other militant Islamic organizations based in Algeria, Libya, Turkey.
Even in Turkey there have been hostile exchanges between the IHH and the Turkish government, who had previously made efforts to combat home-grown terrorism. In December 1997, Turkey authorities began a criminal investigation into IHH when sources revealed to them that the IHH had purchased semi-automatic weapons from Islamic terror groups. Their Istanbul bureau was thoroughly searched and the local leaders arrested. Inside the bureau an array of items were found: "firearms, explosives, bomb-making instructions and a jihadi flag." After analyzing seized IHH documents, the Turkish authorities determined that the arrested leaders had been on their way to fight in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Chechnya.
During the 1999 earthquake in Turkey, the IHH was banned from providing relief aid efforts because the organization was deemed by the government as a fundamentalist organization and would not provide transparency of their bank accounts to Turkish officials.
It is odd that today Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan supports the IHH in their attempt to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip, and ranks the IHH's efforts as his "top priority" for the country.
The IHH has also provided aid to insurgents seeking to kill American troops in Iraq. In his working paper, Kohlmann notes that the IHH played a large role in providing "charitable donations" to insurgent rich areas in central Iraq such as Fallujah and that the current president of IHH and organizer of the "Freedom Flotilla", Bulent Yildrim, had galvanized anti-America sentiment and incitement in these areas against U.S. troops during the Iraqi War.
Not only have the IHH stirred trouble in Turkey for supporting terror, but their aims to promote terror activity have reached a worldwide level.
In 1996, phone records of the IHH showed calls to an Al Qaida guesthouse in Milan and to Algerian terror cells throughout Europe.
Kohlmann also cited that famed counter-terrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere found that in the mid 1990's Bulent Yildrim also conspired to recruit members in anticipation for a coming jihad, and sent IHH members to war zones in Muslim countries in order for them to gain combatant experience. He sought to obtain support by these Muslim countries for the IHH by transferring weapon and explosives caches to these countries.
Jean-Louis Bruguiere has also testified to a U.S. Court in 2003 that the IHH played a "central role" in the attempted al-Qaida Millenium bomb plot targeting Los Angeles International Airport, among other areas of the world. Bruguiere added that the IHH is a "cover-up" NGO which had served to recruit, forge documents and traffic weapons for the terrorists involved in the terror attack attempt.
Turkey is a member of NATO, and is openly asking NATO to help them liberate Gaza destroy Israel. Funny how Muslims who profess to be the World's Greatest Warriors can't defeat in war a nation of Jews. Now they are asking demanding that the US attack Israel for them. Knowing the CiC we have, it will be done within a month.
Funny thing about the friends of Barack Hussein Obama and the friends he keeps. You should really know what they have been up to.
Obama pals, flotilla backers: William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn
The group behind the Gaza flotilla that engaged in deadly clashes with Israeli commandos today counts among its top supporters the friends and associates of President Barack Obama, namely the founders of the Weather Underground terrorist organization, William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, as well as Jodie Evans, the leader of the radical activist organization Code Pink.
Earlier today, Israeli navy commandos raided the six-ship flotilla, encountering heavy resistance and live fire from the activists. Several activists were killed and dozens of others were reportedly injured, as were several of the Israeli commandos.
The flotilla was organized by the Free Gaza Movement, a coalition of leftist human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups engaged in attempts to break a blockade imposed by Israel on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Ayers, Dohrn and Evans' Code Pink have led several recent Free Gaza Movement initiatives, including attempted marches into the Gaza Strip. Dorhn was in the Middle East just last month on behalf of the movement.
Ayers and Dohrn were close associates for years with President Obama, while Evans was a fundraiser and financial bundler for Obama's presidential campaign.
In January, WND reported Ayers, Dohrn and Evans were involved in provoking chaos on the streets of Egypt in an attempt to enter Gaza with the Free Gaza Movement to join in solidarity with the territory's population and leadership.
The three helped to stir riots after the Egyptian government refused to allow a large number of protesters to enter neighboring Gaza. Eventually, the protesters accepted an Egyptian offer of allowing about 100 marchers into Gaza. Once in the territory, those marchers were reportedly met on the Gaza side by Hamas' former Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
At the time of the march, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., wrote a letter in support of a "humanitarian delegation from Massachusetts" to Gaza. Members of Ayers', Dohrn and Evans' group documented on their blogs how Kerry's letter was used at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo while attempting to pressure Egypt to let their group into Gaza.
Images of the letter were also posted on the Electronic Intifada website run by Ali Abunimah, who was with Evans' group in Egypt and who, WND previously reported, spoke at pro-Palestinian events in the 1990s alongside Obama. In one such event, a 1999 fundraiser for Palestinian "refugees," Abunimah recalled introducing Obama on stage.
Kerry's office previously met with Code Pink members, WND has learned. Sarah Roche-Mahdi of Code Pink also is a member of the United for Peace and Justice Palestine Task Force, which met with Kerry's staffers.
Kerry last year became the most senior U.S. politician to visit the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, although at the time he did not meet with Hamas leaders.
Dohrn later wrote on a blog that she was briefly detained at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo following the January protests there by her group: "Bill and I went to the American Embassy at 10 a.m. and asked to see the ambassador. We were ushered into a holding pen a block away from the embassy building where we joined 35 people already there, surrounded by Egyptian soldiers," she wrote.
Israeli Naval Forces intercepted the flotilla today attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told WND commandos boarded the ships after numerous warnings from Israel requesting the ships redirect toward the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they would be able to unload their aid supplies, which could then be transferred to the Gaza Strip after undergoing security inspections.
During the boarding of one of the ships, the Marmara, activists onboard attacked IDF naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs, the IDF spokesperson said.
"The demonstrators had clearly prepared their weapons in advance for this specific purpose," said the spokesperson. "As a result of this life-threatening and violent activity, naval forces first employed riot dispersal means, followed by live fire.
"IDF naval personnel encountered severe violence, including use of weaponry prepared in advance in order to attack them," said the spokesperson.
The IDF released a YouTube video clearly showing activists attacking Israeli commandos, including attacks with live fire. Close Obama associates
Evans formed Code Pink, a far-left activist organization, in 2002 to protest America's war in Iraq. The group previously met with Hamas and with leaders of the Taliban. Evans was a fundraiser and financial bundler for Obama's presidential campaign.
Abunimah traveled in some of the same political circles as Obama in the 1990s. Abunimah previously described meeting with Obama at a fundraiser at the home of Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi, reportedly a former PLO activist. Khalidi was also a close associate of Obama.
"[Obama] came with his wife. That's where I had a chance to really talk to him," Abunimah recalled. "It was an intimate setting. He convinced me he was very aware of the issues [and] critical of U.S. bias toward Israel and lack of sensitivity to Arabs. ... He was very supportive of U.S. pressure on Israel."
According to quotes obtained by Gulf News, Abunimah recalled a 2004 meeting in a Chicago neighborhood while Obama was running for his Senate seat. Abunimah quoted Obama telling him "warmly" he was sorry that "I haven't said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race.""I'm hoping when things calm down, I can be more up front," Abunimah
reportedly quoted the senator as saying.
Abunimah said Obama urged him to "keep up the good work" at the Chicago Tribune, where Abunimah contributed guest columns that were highly critical of Israel.
Ayers, meanwhile, became a name in last year's presidential campaign when it was disclosed the radical worked closely with Obama for years.
Ayers helped launch Obama's political career with a fundraiser in his home. Obama served on the board of a Chicago nonprofit alongside Ayers. The terrorist later hired Obama to serve as chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a job Obama later cited as experience that helped qualify him to run for public office.
While at the CAC, Obama and Ayers both granted funds to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN.
WND columnist Jack Cashill has produced a series of persuasive arguments that it was Ayers who ghostwrote Obama's award-winning autobiography, "Dreams from My Father."
Ayers and Dohrn were two of the main founders of the Weather Underground, which bombed the New York City Police headquarters in 1970, the Capitol in 1971 and the Pentagon in 1972. The group was responsible for some 30 bombings aimed at destroying the defense and security infrastructures of the U.S.
Characterizing the Weather Underground as "an American Red Army," Ayers summed up the organization's ideology: "Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home. Kill your parents."
"Everything was absolutely ideal on the day I bombed the Pentagon," Ayers recalled in his 2001 memoir, "Fugitive Days." "The sky was blue. The birds were singing. And the bastards were finally going to get what was coming to them."
Ayers brandished his unrepentant radicalism for years later, as evidenced by his now notorious 2001 interview with the New York Times, published one day after the 9/11 attacks, in which he stated, "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."
Ayers posed for a photograph accompanying the New York Times piece that showed him stepping on an American flag. He said of the U.S.: "What a country. It makes me want to puke."
With additional research by Brenda J. Elliott
Is it any wonder why Jews are beginning to worry. Once more the world is taking aim and preparing for the New Final Solution. A final genocide of the Jewish "Problem" with this time no survivors (Won't the Germans' hearts swell with pride when they realize they have completed the mission their Grandfathers started!). I wonder how fast Barack Hussein Obama will implement this European idea?
Here are some interesting facts about Thanksgiving:
1. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
2. By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
3. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. So a belated Happy Thanksgiving to our Northern friends.
4. The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.
5. The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621. They celebrated at Plymouth, Massachusetts.
6. The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was the beer.
7. The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
8. The Pilgrim leader, Governor William Bradford, had organized the first Thanksgiving feast in the year 1621 and invited the neighboring Wampanoag Indians also to the feast.
9. The first Thanksgiving feast was held in the presence of around ninety Wampanoag Indians and the Wampanoag chief, Massasoit, was also invited there.
10. The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.
11. President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in the year 1789 and again in 1795.
12. The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving Day an annual custom in 1817.
13. Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor with a magazine, started a Thanksgiving campaign in 1827 and it was result of her efforts that in 1863 Thanksgiving was observed as a day for national thanksgiving and prayer.
14. Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held. This was his proclamation:
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the everwatchful providence of almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION, OCTOBER 3, 1863.
15. President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and hus stimulate the economy of the state.
16. Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
90% of all American households will serve turkey on Thanksgiving. If you':re going to eat the bird, you should know something about them.
Interesting Turkey Facts:
At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle, whom he felt was "a coward".
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the U.S. at Thanksgiving—that's one sixth of all turkeys sold in the U.S. each year. American per capita consumption of turkeys has soared from 8.3 pounds in 1975 to 18.5 pounds in 1997. Ten years later, the number has dropped slightly in 2007 to 17.5 pounds.
In 2008, more than 250 million turkeys were raised with an average liveweight per bird of 28 pounds with nearly 6 billion pounds of turkey processed. By contrast, in 1970, only 105 million birds were raised with an average liveweight of 17 pounds and 1.5 billion pounds processed. The turkeys produced in 2008 together weighed 7.9 billion pounds and were valued at $4.5 billion.
In 2002, retail sales of turkey was approximately $3.6 billion. Forecasts for 2009 expect sales to reach $3.8 billion.
Age is a determining factor in taste. Old, large males are preferable to young toms (males) as tom meat is stringy. The opposite is true for females: old hens are tougher birds.
A turkey under sixteen weeks of age is called a fryer, while a young roaster is five to seven months old.
Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere.
Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult. However, turkeys have a poor sense of smell (what's cooking?), but an excellent sense of taste.
Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys, however, can fly for short distances at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. They can also reach speeds of 25 miles per hour on the ground.
Turkeys sometimes spend the night in trees.
Turkeys can have heart attacks: turkeys in fields near the Air Force test areas over which the sound barrier was broken were known to drop dead from the shock of passing jets
The ballroom dance known as the Turkey Trot was named for the short, jerky steps a turkey makes.
What nation eats the most Turkey?
ISRAEL
According to the National Turkey Federation, in 1998 Israel consumed 27.8 pounds per capita. The United States is in second place, at 18 pounds per capita, followed by France (14.3 pounds), the United Kingdom (11.5), Canada (9.7), Belgium-Luxembourg (7.5), and the Netherlands (3.9).
On this Thanksgiving, before you sit down to your feast, take a moment to Thank G-d for all the blessings in your life. And take a moment to remember the men and women serving in our Armed Forces, many of which are far from home in harms way.
May G-d bring blessings upon your families this holiday.
Iranian President Ahmadinejad to Turkish TV In Advance of Turkey Visit: Our Attitude Toward Israel is Shared By Turks And By 'Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine – Because These Are the True Words [Of Allah]'; 'I Wish They Had Free Elections in America... Whatever Government Comes, It Must Leave the Middle East'
CNNTurk and NTV television interviewed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in advance of his visit to Turkey. The following is the transcript of the interview: [1]
"The Two Countries [Turkey and Iran] are Culturally Close and the Two Peoples Share Many Similarities"
NTV: "You will be meeting with [Turkish] President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan tomorrow in Istanbul. What are your expectations, and with what files are you going to Turkey?"
Ahmadinejad: "Salutations to you and to the great, believing, and patriotic people of Turkey. There are historical and cultural ties between the great, faithful, and patriotic Turkish and Iranian people. You can find Turkish and Iranian relations in the depth of their history and in their sacred ties. The two countries are culturally close and the two peoples share many similarities. The two counties have good and friendly and further developing relations. We have trade relations, cultural relations and I am happy to say that we also have growing political relations.
"At the invitation of my dear friend and brother Abdullah Gul, I will be visiting Turkey - our sister - and we will have discussions on many issues, [such as] bilateral matters, the cooperation between our two countries, agreements - the old ones that we signed and new ones that we will sign - and on developing our relations. Also there are regional issues; we will exchange views on those.
"[We will discuss] terrorism and our joint effort to fight it. We will talk about cooperation between Iran and Turkey, as well as cooperation between us, Iraq and Syria. We are talking about global issues and we have dialogue, as two influential countries. We will have intense work to do with our brothers the [Turkish] president and prime minister."
"[Iran's] Nuclear Work is Legal and Legitimate; There Has Been No Deviation from Legitimacy"
CNNTurk: "Both Turkey and Iran have a problem with terrorist organizations such as PKK and PJAK, and there is cooperation against terrorism. Will this visit lead to a military cooperation and possibly to an agreement, between the two countries?"
Ahmadinejad: "Unfortunately, groups in all sorts of places in the world create security problems. In our region too there are groups that want to advance their own goals. We have for a long time successfully cooperated against those. And as Iran, Turkey and Iraq, we will have trilateral cooperation on these issues and we will make efforts to establish peace and stability in our region."
NTV: "There is a crisis on nuclear issues. You are saying that you are enriching uranium for peaceful purposes and the U.S. and others have concerns that this might turn into a program for nuclear weapons. In this crisis Turkey attempted to facilitate a dialogue between Iran and the U.S. and the West. How do you see Turkey's role in this matter? Turkey wants dialogue and peace [yet] does not want nuclear weapons. How do you see that?"
Ahmadinejad: "Our nuclear work is legal and legitimate and there has been no deviation from its legitimacy. This is our lawful right and our peoples are convinced of that. Iran maintains that her rights should be respected. In our talks this is clear. Those who oppose our program are the very ones that did horrible things in the recent past. It is they who should have limitations. Iran has never attacked anyone.
"I am pleased to say that the negotiations are going in a constructive manner. Therefore we don't have a nuclear problem right now. But naturally Turkey, the Turkish people and government, our brothers, are acting with sensitivity to Iran and they have rightfully emphasized Iran's legitimate right to nuclear technology, and this attitude stems from the friendship and brotherhood between our two peoples. It is not that Turkey is a mediator - this would be a legal process - but her efforts and recognition of Iranian people's rights, as well as other peoples' and Turkey's rights to nuclear energy are important. Turkey's efforts to reduce tensions, [and] for dialogue and for the dialogue to be constructive are something that we value, of course."
"The Best Way is For [The Israelis] to Free and Return All the Palestinian Lands - And Go Away"
CNNTurk: "Another field or area where Turkey is mediating, or rather facilitating, is between Israel and Syria. What are your thoughts about this? And if peace can be achieved between Israel and Syria, would Iran support such a peace?"
Ahmadinejad: "Now, look. We have to divide this subject into two. One arm becomes the issue of the existence of the Zionist regime. Of course this regime for us is an illegitimate regime. That is, it has no legitimacy. In essence it is illegitimate and its frame is occupation. They left a few million Palestinians homeless and brought people from all kinds of places, brought them with all sorts of slogans and lies and they created a fake country. Our stand against this regime is known and clear. There must be a referendum there and the Muslims, Christians and Jews should determine their political destiny.
"We are against all aggressors and occupiers. We are against what these occupiers do in these lands, in Gaza and against all their aims. But if they leave the lands that they occupy - and of course we want it to leave all the lands - but whatever parts they leave is a good step forward. Of course we do not think that this regime will free the Golan Heights. Because if it returns the Golan, then it must leave the region completely. If it decides to return the Golan, to return the Palestinian lands, if it stops occupation, we would have a more positive opinion. The best way is for them [the Israelis] to free and return all the Palestinian lands and go away.
"With Syria, we have good relations. Mr. Assad came to Tehran and provided clarifications and information to us. There are no conflict in the views between Iran, Turkey, and Syria."
Ahmadinejad Refuses to Visit Ataturk's Tomb
NTV: "It is tradition that heads of states who visit Turkey visit Ankara the capital and Anitkabir [Ataturk's mausoleum]. You will come to Istanbul and Anitkabir is not in your program. Is there any special reason why you would not visit Anitkabir? The Turkish public is waiting to hear your reply on this matter."
Ahmadinejad: "This visit is a working visit and Istanbul is designated for it. Turkish authorities at this time are in Istanbul and the timing was done with that in mind. We, the Iranian people, love the Turkish people, and I am certain that the Turkish people love the Iranian people very much."
CNNTurk: "I want to stay on this subject a little more. You are talking about the warmth and love between Iranian and Turkish peoples. Why is it that you would not make a short, a half-day visit [in Ankara] and become the first [Iranian] leader to visit Anitkabir, to show respect to Ataturk's resting place? Wouldn't this draw the two countries even closer? And also I am curious to learn. What does Mustafa Kemal Ataturk mean for you?"
Ahmadinejad: "We have programmed this earlier. Turkey is a big country and it has a great people. There are many places a president should go to and visit. But our visit is a working visit, we will have intense work to do, and Istanbul was offered. We are coming to you as guests."
CNNTurk: "So are you saying that had this been not a working visit and you had come to Ankara, you would visit Anitkabir?"
Ahmadinejad: "You keep insisting on this, but these are side issues and not important ones. Do not forget that the main purpose of this visit is talks, analyses, and the pursuit for the rights of our two peoples. We will spend all our time on this."
"Iranian Culture [and] Turkish Culture is the Culture of Friendship and Justice, Love of Allah, Peace, and Brotherhood"
NTV: "Mr. President, you said that Turkey is a facilitating country, even if not a true mediator. Both Iran and Turkey are important countries in the region. In such crisis situations, do you expect Turkey to play more of a role like this? And secondly, before tomorrow's visit, what message would you like to convey to Turkish people?"
Ahmadinejad: "I think I answered this question already. Whatever Turkey does to ease the tensions and to make the dialogues more constructive is regarded positively by us. And we are thinking that Turkish-Iranian friendship is the reason of these efforts. We are communicating and consulting each other on many issues; this is one of them.
"My trip to Turkey is a message of friendship to the Turkish people. I have great respect for the Turkish people. The Turkish people had an unequalled role in the creation of a world civilization. Turks are advancing today in many fields. You have great potential [to do good] for the region and for mankind. We must go hand in hand and demonstrate again our peoples' greatness and honor.
"The progress and the dignity of Turkish people, as well as the progress and dignity of the Iranian people is not a threat to anyone; it is in the interest of everyone. It means peace and security for the region. Iranian culture [and] Turkish culture is the culture of friendship and justice, love of Allah, peace and brotherhood and it is good of everyone."
"Our Attitude [Toward Israel] Is Not Only Ahmadinejad's Attitude... The Turkish People Will Say the Same... [As Will] the People of Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine - Because These Are the True Words [of Allah]"
CNNTurk: "[…] Again on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, we know your stand very well. Today I researched a little your statements related to Israel. Two things stand out: To wipe Israel out of the map, and your repeated mention of pushing the Jews into the sea. You have a very harsh attitude. I'm curious to know, how will the peace come to the region? With this harsh attitude, or through some other initiatives? What do you think? What is the solution for the region?"
Ahmadinejad: "Our attitude is not only Ahmadinejad's attitude. It is the region's attitude. It is the attitude of the peoples of the region. You can also ask the Turkish people. The Turkish people will say the same things that I say, the people of Iraq will say the same, the people of Syria will say the same. Also in Saudi Arabia, in Egypt, Jordan, in Lebanon and in Palestine. Because these are the true words [of Allah]. We are speaking words of truth.
"As I said earlier, the Zionist regime is based on lies. There was no regime like this in our region. The people of this regime are brought to this region. And the people of this region have been exported out of there. This is a great cruelty.
"If in Europe some wrong has been done against the Jews it does not mean that Muslim Palestinians or Christians should be made to pay. This was exploitation, a way of putting pressure on the people of this region."
"Our Solution is a Referendum [on Israel]... Let the Palestinian People Make Its Choices; Whoever Is Palestinian Should Have a Say"
"Since this [Israeli] regime came here, it is killing, murdering people. Look at it - there are daily bombings, arrests, massacres, or blockades. There are wars. This regime made three wars against its neighbors. It continuously attacks the Palestinian people with tanks, bombs and helicopters. These people [the Israelis] don't belong to this region. They must go!
"But what we offer is a humane solution. Our solution is a referendum. We say, let the Palestinian people make its choices. Whoever is Palestinian should have a say. What we say is in line with U.N. rules, in line with international laws. This is a humane offer. If there is such a referendum, this regime [Israel] will automatically be eliminated. And a regime based on its people will be erected. Then the meaning of what we are saying will become clear.
"As you know the Soviet regime was eliminated from the map. How was it eliminated? Because the people wanted this. With the vote of the people. And it must be accepted that the vote of the people votes should rule.
"I am really amazed that the big powers, that always talk about human rights, and democracy, when it comes to Palestine they side with dictatorship, they side with murder. Palestinians are a people, of course, and they have been under oppression for 60 years. Hold a free referendum, let Palestinians express their views. Whatever the results are, everyone respects. Let's allow the Palestinians to choose their way. This is in the interest of everyone. It is in the interest of the European countries, even the U.S.
"Because this regime is dishonorable. And every day that this regime lives it increases the weight of the files of the big powers. Naturally the murders of this regime are being added on the accounts of the [Western] nations."
"Therefore These [Western] Nations Must Separate... From This [Zionist] Regime; They Have Nothing to Gain, Nothing to Benefit... The Expense Is More Than It's Worth"
"Therefore these [Western] nations must separate their accounts from this [Zionist] regime. There is nothing they have to gain, nothing to benefit from this regime. It's all losses. As in the case of an old car, the expense is more than it's worth. Like an old car that has stopped running; all you spend on it is wasted. This is loss for everyone. For Palestine, for Middle East, for Europe and for America.
"They have to resolve this problem. And the way to do it to ask for the free opinion of the people. Let them prepare a referendum. This is not a difficult task. We can help the U.N. Let them prepare a referendum. Everybody will be happy. And this situation, wars and oppression will be eliminated. Our method for resolution is very clear."
"In Turkey People Love [Nasrallah]... Everybody Loves Him, People Who Love Freedom Love Him... He Destroyed the Myth of the Zionist Regime"
NTV: "There is talk recently about the rise of Iran in the Middle East, and some countries in the region are concerned about this rise, about this power. It is said that you have influence over Hizbullah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine. Some countries consider these terrorist organizations. Posters of Nasrallah posters are seen in the streets of Tehran. How do you view these two organizations, what do they mean to you, and are you really supporting them?"
Ahmadinejad: "[Hizbullah leader] Hassan Nasrallah is a well-liked figure. In Turkey people love him. You love him too. Everybody loves him. People who love freedom love him. Hassan Nasrallah stood against the Zionists' aggression and defended his land. He defended his people. This is the right of all the peoples. It is the right of every person. It is the duty of every person - just as every Turk would stand against those who would attack Turkey.
"Seyyid Hassan is a hero today, for he destroyed the myth of the Zionist regime. Of course we know that the Zionists don't like Hassan [Nasrallah], and those who support them do not like him. They are disturbed by him.
"But we, and all the countries in the region support the territorial integrity of Lebanon. We are in contact with all the Lebanese groups. We encourage them all to unity and to cooperation. Iran had an input in their reaching an agreement. Any fragmentation in the countries of the region benefits only the enemy. We are making every effort to maintain unity."
"Iran Is A Big Power, So Is Turkey - But Our Power Is For Peace And Friendship... We Never Want To Attack Others Or Occupy Lands Of Others... We Respect All Peoples"
"Of course Iran is a big country. Always has been. Turkey too is a big country. Iran is a big power. So is Turkey. But our power is for peace and friendship. We have cultural power. Not in order to attack others. Our strength is different than that of those super powers. We never want to attack others or occupy lands of others. We do not want to take away the rights of other peoples. We respect all peoples. […]
"Their security makes us happy. Our strength gives a message of peace and friendship and justice. Iran is historically a great country; so is Turkey. Iran's and Turkey's power is for the good of everyone. Of course, the Zionists do not want that. But this is not important."
"The Zionist Regime... Cannot Challenge Iran Even In Their Wildest Imagination... The Sooner They Leave [the Region], the Better It Is For Them - The Longer They Stay, The Worse It Is For Their Supporters"
CNNTurk: "I would like to expand to the global perspective. Iran's nuclear program created problems with the U.S. Things are tense and we saw that the Geneva talks did not bear fruit. At that time Israel conducted an exercise with 100 fighter planes. Following that you conducted an exercise in Iran with Shahab-3s. What does this mean? Are tensions rising? Is diplomacy failing, and you are showing each other your muscles? How should we read all this?"
Ahmadinejad: "Your question has several parts. One is the nuclear issue. We think that the nuclear issue is on the right path. The talks were good and they will continue. We think of them as a good beginning. And now it is being followed up. We are not thinking that it was a failure. Nobody thinks that.
"Naturally the negotiations were intense. They have been trying to solve this for the past 30 years. It can't be resolved in one session. Everybody knows that this nuclear issue is an excuse. The real issue is that these big powers do not want our people to advance. This is the real matter.
"But now negotiations have begun and it is good. We are not going towards a worse situation. This was one part of your question.
"As for the Zionists: If they have carried out exercises it is their business. It concerns them alone. But everyone knows that the Zionist regime cannot measure up to Iran. They cannot challenge Iran even in their wildest imagination. Everyone knows and they know. They don't even have it in their program. That is, they may have such thoughts in their makeup, in their wishes, but they will carry away these wishes [when they go]. They are tiny. They say it themselves.
"As you also know, the Zionist regime is breaking apart. They live only if they attack. Let me tell you about an interesting point. When they [Israelis] came into being, they had a slogan that said 'from the Nile to the Euphrates.' That is, all of Iran, Turkey, Egypt, the Gulf, Iraq and Sudan. All of the Islamic world.
"Had they realized their dream their existence could have been of value. Then, great powers would have supported them. But in what shape is this regime now? It is building a wall around itself in order to survive. This means their devastation, this means their annihilation.
"It [Israel] has no existence. Their existence is about frightening, attacking, occupation and exploitation. Now they cannot do this, they must examine themselves. They do not exist.
"The sooner they leave [the region], the better it is for them. The longer they stay, the worse it is for their supporters. The Western countries should not support them [Israel] that much.
"The life of this regime has come to an end. They brought some pitiful people, wanderers, to there and gave them the Palestinians' homes and these people are now hostages of that regime. Open the doors and they will all run away. They [the Zionists] shut the doors."
The U.S. "Should Not Damage the... Character of the Great American People [By Supporting] a Murderous Regime [Israel]; "I Wish They Had Free Elections In America";
"Whatever Government Comes, It Must Leave The Middle East"
CNNTurk: "What about American support? When it is about Israel, America gets involved. What do you think about that?"
Ahmadinejad: "America gives support and will continue to do so. America does all sorts of things that are not honest. Generally it does not get any results from what it does. We advise them not to do this. It is against the good of the American people. They should not damage the personality and character of the great American people for a murderous regime. Our advice to them is not to support them [Israel] for the good of everybody - America, Europe, and the Middle East of course. This way, friendships will be built."
NTV: "Elections in the U.S. are near. Do you think America's attitude will change with a new president? Do you prefer Obama or McCain?"
Ahmadinejad: "For me it doesn't matter. It is the Americans' right. It is their elections. I wish they had free elections in America. Then many different people would come forth and Americans would have choices other than the two parties.
"What is important is what kind of attitude the new administration will demonstrate. The policies are important. I think no matter what government comes to power, America must change its policies. It is very difficult for America to continue with the current situation. With its present methods America's economy will collapse for sure. American politics will be chaotic. This will definitely happen.
"I think that wise persons in America are well aware of this [need for change]. And American decision makers are making the right decisions. Instead of meddling with other countries' domestic matters, the American government must think about its own people. It must solve the problems of its own people. Tens of millions of Americans are facing economic problems. The American economy is about to collapse.
"Whatever government comes, it must leave the Middle East, China, Asia or Africa, and look to its own states, if it takes pity on the American people, if it really wants to work for the American people. Wise people in America have already come to this conclusion. It does not matter who will come but what he will do."
Following the interview, Yuksel Taskin of Marmara University, a guest on the NTV program, gave his evaluation and analysis of Ahmadinejad's statements following the live broadcast of the interview. He called Ahmadinejad "very diplomatic" and likened his language to that of "some neo-cons in the U.S." He added, "I once again realized that in essence there is not much difference between Ahmadinejad, [former Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Natanyahu, and [U.S. President George] Bush. It seems as if all the hawks in the world have united."
I don't know why we still listen to this master of lies? Is it because we are fearful of him, or is it that if we don't and ignore him worse will come to this world.
The West ignored Adolf Hitler and the lies he told. And the West had to fight a bitter war for 5 years to destroy Hitler and his regime. If we ignore the liars now they will not go away. They will keep on lying and scheming until they have gotten their way.
"The best way is for them [the Israelis] to free and return all the Palestinian lands and go away."
There have always been Jews in Israel. For 3500 years there has been Jews in Israel. It is the Palestinian people who are the interlopers, the invaders. Palestine was never a nation, nor a real place until the Romans renamed the area after the Revolt of 68 CE. There was never a Palestinian peoples either. They were either Christian, Jewish, Druse or Arab. So it is a myth that there was a Palestinian people or nation at any time.
"[Iran's] Nuclear Work is Legal and Legitimate; There Has Been No Deviation from Legitimacy"
Then why all the centrifuges? And why all the secrecy? No. Iran is building a nuclear weapon. And Iran will use any nuclear weapons that they build. In that way the 12th Iman (the Mahdi) will return and usher in a golden age for Islam (Shiite Islam of course). Ahmadinejad Refuses to Visit Ataturk's Tomb
Of course he wouldn't want to visit Ataturk's Tomb. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the founder of modern Turkey. He was instrumental in bringing Turkey out of the dark ages of Islamic Law and into the light of a secular nation. Ahmadinejad would love to see Turkey (and the rest of the world) return to the dark ages via Islamic Law. "As I said earlier, the Zionist regime is based on lies."
I would like to know what lies that would be? Is it the lie that there have always been Jews in the land? Or that there have never been a Palestinian people? What Ahmadinejad fears as does the rest of the Muslim world is a nation that once was a part of the Ottoman Empire now is a free, independent, Jewish nation. That's what they fear and hate. The Jewish part.
"Our Solution is a Referendum [on Israel]... Let the Palestinian People Make Its Choices; Whoever Is Palestinian Should Have a Say"
In other words, reject UN Resolution 181 and propose another resolution. One that denies the Jewish people their homeland. The Muslims rejected 181 in 1948 and in every year since then. So why should they be given any consideration now?
There will be no referendum on Israel. The so-called Palestinians (aka the World's Welfare Queens) will get nothing of the sort. My advice to them is to get off the Jewish lands they are occupying before we kick them off.
The U.S. "Should Not Damage the... Character of the Great American People [By Supporting] a Murderous Regime [Israel]; "I Wish They Had Free Elections In America";
Iran shouldn't talk about free elections. They don't have any. For elections to be free all parties must be on the ballot. In Iran only those parties who favor the Mullahs are allowed on the ballot. When Iran actually does have free and open election, then they can say the US doesn't. Until then they are just blowing smoke.
"Whatever Government Comes, It Must Leave The Middle East"
We will leave when the job is finished and not before. Iran is scared that we might go after them next, and maybe we should. We have been itching for a fight with them since they broke into our embassy in Tehran in 1979 and took 51 Americans hostage for 444 days. They might not like to feel the full force of American might upon them.
Iran has a big problem. Its name is Ahmadinejad. He is either bragging to make himself and nation look bigger and more powerful than it is or he is just a windbag blowing out steam. Either way his words and actions could make his nation end up looking like a disaster zone.
