Aida in Ankara Opera House

Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi,

in Ankara Opera House, on 18-January 2020

In the Ankara opera, we had the opportunity to watch Aida opera of Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) on the 18th of January 2020 Saturday evening. Aida was staged for the first time in the first opening of the Cairo Hidiv Opera House in 1871. While Hidiv ordered this work for Verdi, he agreed with Verdi by paying 150 thousand Francs instead of the standard 50 thousand Francs. The work has become more and more popular after Milano LaScala and Paris opera staging. It has been repeatedly staged all over the world every year.

The opera opera is based on an ancient story written thousands of years ago on Egyptian papyrus. Archaeologists and scientists dealing with the history of ancient Egypt translated the historical papyrus writings into modern languages in the early 1900s, which later became novel and theater plays. Giuseppe Verdi liked the story of Aida very much. He first made a little piece of music, then made a overture, when the Hidiv's order came, he reproduced, enlarged, transformed it into a magnificent four-act opera.

Before watching the opera, your writer listened to the music for hours with CDs in the car, at home, at work, he got his mind in practice, and memorized melodies.

In the character of Aida, soprano Feryal Türkoğlu and Amneris MezzoSoprano Ezgi Karakaya performed great voices as if they were competing with each other. Ramades Tenor Koray Damcığlu, Amonasro Eralp Kıyıcı were amazing.

Ramfis Şafak Güç also voiced other chief character. Erdem Baydar, Emre Pekşen and Evren Gökoğlu.

Decor design (Özgür Usta), impressive historical Costumes (Savaş Camgöz- Gürcan Kubilay) were rich and beautiful.

Italian Stage Director Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini showed years of experience on stage. Our orchestra conductor Can Okan directed the orchestra magnificently.

The hall was full, the balcony was full, both sides were full of viewers. When the four-act Opera was over, we all applauded long and long artists standing together. We had a wonderful, amazing night.

Aida opera is in Berlin, Sydney, Brisbane, Beijing, Toronto, Vienna, Minsk, Bolshoi stages this season. In Verona opera festival, Cairo, Astana opera, Aida will also be staged.

This season, after the Ankara opera, it will be on the Ankara Congresium stage. Later, Aida will take part in Istanbul Zorlu PSM and Antalya Aspendos stages. Do not miss the Aida opera this season, it has been a magnificent staging.

Ankara 24 January 2020

---

Hirfanlı HEPP

HİRFANLI HEPP AS CONSTRUCTED 100% LOCAL

32 MW TURBINE - GENERATOR Story, in 1983

After the 1974 Cyprus operation, Western countries imposed an embargo on Turkey. Our country needed more electricity generation. Between years 1953- 1959, when the Hirfanlı Hydroelectric Power Plant was built on Kızılırmak river, four Turbine generators were considered. Four turbine generators were to be built, but our budget at that time was enough to buy three Turbine-generators.

The idea was that we would buy the fourth unit later. Fourth unit space left empty. The fourth turbine water inlet was closed with a blind cover. HEPP worked with three units, the foundation of the fourth unit remained so empty until 1979.

In 1979, Electricity Authority decided to install a new 32 MWe HEPP Turbine generator with available local facilities. The drawings of the three existing units, and the original projects as found in the archives, were brought together in the design departments. Within next four years, local engineering, local purchasing, local site installation were made. The first replica designs were very simple, they were not clearly detailed. There were fatal errors in fabrication and they were renewed. Modern quality control facilities were introduced. The first steel castings were not suitable to the desired quality. The difficulties of the first fabrication were experienced. But in the end, the job was successfully completed, 32 MWe Hydro power plant turbine generator was fabricated, assembled on-site, operated operated.

Within four years, fabrication drawings, technical and administrative specifications of this 32 MW turbine-generator unit and auxiliary equipment were prepared, purchasing, manufacturing, quality controls and transportation to Hirfanlı HEPP site, on-site installation and testing works were completed. In mid-July 1983, the facility was made ready for its trial operation. At the beginning of August 1983, the job was completed.

In order to realize the fabrication and site installation of the 32 MW turbine-generator unit and auxiliary equipment, which was 100% domestic completed in Hirfanlı HEPP, 40 different workplaces belonging to 27 different local private-public institutions were carried out as follows.

Turkey Electricity Authority Headquarters, Department of Hydraulic Power Plants, were responsible in preparation of technical and commercial specifications and detailed manufacturing drawings. The realization of the tender process and all kinds of control and co-ordination; start-up of the unit was carried out here.

We, Turkish Sugar Company, Ankara plant were responsible for fabrication of Turbine draft tune, turbine spiral casing, turbine cover, turbine guide bearing, turbine adjustment blades and transmission arms, turbine adjustment blades and their servomotor, turbine butterfly valve and its servomotor, turbine rotor, turbine shaft, generator rotor body and generator, stator body, upper bridge, generator housing, pressured and non-pressurized oil tanks and piping equipment, pressure and non-pressurized water circuits pipe equipment such as the main and auxiliary mechanical equipment manufacturing.

Karabük Iron and Steel Factories, Foundry Directorate, were responsible for casting Turbine and generator shafts, butterfly valve shaft and carrier head, generator bearing bed shoes and white metal casting, turbine rotor blades and upper and lower shells.

MKEK. Kırıkkale Directorate: Steel Factory, produced Auxiliary shaft, turbine and generator shafts couplings pouring and forging. They made the forging of the turbine shaft and the generator shaft and the butterfly valve shaft in their factories.

Ereğli Iron and Steel Factories manufactured special sheet metal of generator rotor core and special sheet metal of generator rotor pole.

DSi, State Water Works. General Directorate, Department of Dams and Hydroelectric Power Plants, were responsible for construction projects, reinforced concrete and formwork projects, concrete casting works during the consultancy and supervision tasks.

ESAŞ Transformer Industry Co. has manufactured 40000 kV main power transformer of 10.6 / 154 kV.

KAVEL Kablo Sanayi AS has manufactured cables for protection, control and control circuits.

KALEKALIP Mak.San.A.Ş., manufactured special cutting molds of the generator stator core lamination sheets, special cutting molds of lamination sheets, generator rotor poles of lamination sheets and generator stator core lamination sheets, lamination hair press printing cutting operations.

RABAK Electrolytic Copper Industry Co., has produced the generator rotor poles special copper conductors.

SARKUYSAN Electrolytic Copper Industry Co., Generator stator windings, and special copper conductors.

Emek Elektrik Sanayi A.Ş., were manufacturing 10.6 kV and 154 kV voltage transformers;

ALCE Industry Inc. Manufacture of some 10.6 kV current and voltage transformers;

Boğaziçi Döküm Sanayi A.Ş., Casting and processing of generator rotor poles pressure flanges,

BUKA Tire-Gasket Industry Inc., manufacturing all kinds of rubber-rubber, gasket, seal, sealing elements

Çanakkale Seramik Fabrikaları AS, domestic kits of 154 kV disconnectors and insulators used in the production of current and voltage transformers,

Teknim Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd.Şti., manufactured temperature probes and indicators of generator stator windings and temperature control probes and indicators of turbine and generator bearings;

Marshall Paints, produced of special insulation voltage varnish;

ÇENAM Çekmece Nuclear Research Center, All kinds of non-destructive quality control inspections of casting parts by Gamagraphy method;

TUBITAK Marmara Scientific and Industrial Research Center, Ultrasonic inspection method for all kinds of shafts and steel construction welding seams quality control inspection;

ITU High Voltage Test Laboratory, High voltage insulation tests of 154 kV disconnectors manufactured in Hirfanlı;

METU Electrical Engineering Department Test Laboratory: Determination of stator hair characteristics;

METU, Metallurgical Engineering Laboratory, PMG generator for the production of special permanent magnets;

MSB, Ministry of Defense. R&D Laboratories, Non-destructive material inspections by Gamagraphy method and qualitative and quantitative chemical analyzes;

TSE Turkish Standards Institute Laboratories, special chemical analysis works;

MTA Institute Laboratories, Performing some special chemical analysis works;

Naval Forces Gölcük Shipyard, Dynamic balancing of turbine rotor,

AEG — ETİ. The provision of some special insulating materials was accomplished.

This project was not reported in the newspapers, no movies were made about it, even the news were made very limited. Your writer wanted to tell you about this project. In Ankara Sugar Machine Factory, your writer has worked as machine shop manufacturing engineer responsible for this project, he has always been proud to work actively in this project. For Hirfanlı HEPP Hydroelectric Power Plant fourth unit, there were 27 different public and the private sector organizations in 40 different fabrication sites.

With Turkish Electricity Authority's efforts in the workplace, with its leadership, HEPP was constructed between 1979-1983 with 100% indigenous local organization.

The unit manufacturing price was calculated as US $ 80 / KWe based on the currency value of 1983. Trial test work was completed in July 1983. Electricity generation started in August 1983. The fourth turbine-generator unit and its auxiliary plants with a nominal power of 32 MW continue to operate and produce since then.

RESULTS,

Turkish public sector together with privately owned Turkish Industry brought together knowledge- technology- know-how, can now fabricate upto unit capacity of 100 MW at 100% local.

Hirfanli HEPP has nominal power of 32 MW with a water flow as small as 60 meters and a flow rate at 60 m3 per second. When the physical size of the unit 4 is 150 mt, the unit can generate 100 MW.

2— Although it is a trial and single unit, the time taken for the design, purchasing, manufacturing, site installation, commissioning tests of this unit were not much longer than the time taken for foreign orders.

The total amount of money spent on 100% domestic facility of the unit was half of the money to be paid for the manufacturing, assembly and testing of foreign manufacturers.

This project is a repeat story of the "Devrim- Revolutionary Car" in the energy markets. We worked on this project between 1979-1983. We made the necessary projects, new designs were added, detailed, manufacturing was produced better and more precise than the original British HEPP equipment, on-site installation. We finished he job, and the 4th unit was run, since 1983. It continues to run without any major breakdown. The domestic manufacturing experience gained in this project was transferred to other public and private institutions. We have always been proud of working on this project.

Turkish Source. Hidayet Basesme, TEK, EMO Article 1983

http://www.emo.org.tr/ekler/00d7c5998783ff3_ek.pdf?dergi=4

Ankara, 17 January 2020

---

Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

To download in PDF, go to following link,

https://metu.academia.edu/HalukDireskeneli/

How to Negotiate Contracts with Chinese Companies?

This article is covering my professional experience and business contract advice on contract negotiation with Chinese companies. It is said that negotiation tactics are universal, but negotiations with the Chinese companies, signing contracts and project execution are more or less different. We international negotiators work on the win-win principle. We give and take, then we end up tying all up.

That's not how things work with the Chinese. Contract negotiations for Chinese companies are a "War". During the negotiation period and after that, the Chinese apply the rules of "The Art of War" written by Sun-Tzu 2500 years ago at every stage. Do read this best-selling book, then start negotiating with the Chinese.

This book wasn't written only for fighting foot soldiers.

Many Chinese companies in the construction of imported coal or domestic coal power plants receive Chinese exim project financing support and they received overseas jobs at very cheap prices. Our domestic investors are unprepared for these negotiations. They are victims of the Chinese negotiation tactics. Projects are creeping, performance guarantees do not meet, completion times are prolonged, temporary admission, final admission are very cursory. There is no backup equipment, or the backup is too small.

After final completion, the plant is down quickly. Electrofilters worn out, and quickly fail, flue gas desulphurisation systems are disabled. The designs are usually incorrect for the designated fuel.

Domestic coal cannot operate as 100% base fuel, it is necessary to use large amounts of continuous supplementary liquid fuel. There is almost no serious penalty for all of these, no sanctions are applicable.

Negotiate with Chinese companies first in your own country in your own environment. If not, do it occasionally in a third country. If all these are not possible, then do it in a city you've been to in China before. The worst alternative is to negotiate a contract in a faraway remote Chinese city you don't know.

First unauthorized young Chinese company staff will greet you at the airport and then they ask you when you will return. Don't give them your timetable. Your information is immediately shared on the other side and they will pressure you to the last day, to the last hour. Tell them you didn't purchase your return ticket yet and you will buy after the negotiation,

During the negotiation, the Chinese side constantly raises irrelevant new problems. They have ample time to play. They wait, they want you to accept everything. This tactic is used to wear down the buyer side. All this is very natural for them. Do not eat any meal before signing with the other party. Socializing is very dangerous.

At the end of the negotiation, the Chinese side prepares a high profile signing ceremony, attended by the top officials of both sides. On the day of the signing ceremony, they come up with very important problems before the contract. They say that the contract should be revised on basic issues. Typically, the requirements of a bank on the Chinese side, an insurance company, or a regulatory government agency have been put forward and requests for revision of the contract requested.

The cancellation of the signing ceremony is at issue, and your senior officials have already arrived. They make time pressures before the signing ceremony, and they ask for changes in the key issues of delays, performance penalties, prices, which are problematic for themselves. Do not call the top officials of your company and your institution to the signing ceremony, do resist the conditions you agreed on first, do not step back, insist. Let the signature ceremony be canceled. Let the flight ticket be bought again. You take your contract to the end, don't compromise.

Chinese negotiators bring the main problems to the table over and over again. The agreement is signed, then the project begins, followed by the Chinese people have not talked about until then the legal requirements of their state regulatory institutions put forward. They want contract change.

They make an infinite number of revision requests in the project. There are endless revisions. Naturally, they do this to wear out the other side. Their culture finds this application normal. Each new revision takes time to review, the work is delayed, the responsible party is plays with the contract. The initial agreement means nothing for the Chinese, but it is absolute for you. Do not retrieve, do speak the terms of penalties, do not take any revision, do not accept, because it will not end.

The signing ceremony may be important to you, in fact it does not matter to them at all. Be resistant to any change, do not bend, or accept any revisions. As you resist, you gain the respect of the Chinese side. As you lose, you are despised. Feel free to apply the termination, compensation, penalty clauses of the contract. Don't sacrifice your contract and your project to Chinese negotiation tactics. When you leave the matter, these deceiving tactics do not end, you cannot prevent the Chinese to manage project tactics, concession requests, numerous revision requests and you wear out.

Make take-or-leave agreement with the Chinese. Because the concession requests do not end. The Chinese do not like long-term contracts. They like short staggering contracts that they can play on, change, and leave to drag. They scrutinize every article of the contract you put before them, and they repeatedly ask for clarification. They do this at the lowest level with unauthorized, newly recruited young staff. In the meantime, they make counter-suggestions and insist on making the most compelling hard penalty articles void. With their obviously malicious, full of commercial illogical, crazy nonsense, you struggle with their counter-substances. Press firmly, insist, do not regress, protect your conditions, if they do not agree, leave the deal, do not go back with a bad deal.

Chinese negotiation team attending the meetings is similar to a headless or driverless horse. There is no authority among them. There is no decision maker. They put no technical or commercial binding decisions. They listen, they take notes. They must ask the senior management for approval at home. You can make reciprocal win-win concessions to get the job. Your concessions apply to them, but nothing binds them. They never bind themselves. The most competent Chinese boss finally comes to the meeting and cancels all concessions. You should ask Chinese side of the decision-maker, the last official to come, you ask the final decision maker to participate in negotiations, if not, do not negotiate. Your negotiation is in vain.

Chinese always say, "China is different." In fact, all countries are different. Their expressions reveal the difference of negotiation. In fact, contract law is not very different from Western European or North American law, which we all agree. Chinese trade laws have already been modeled on the local environment with translation from these foreign sources over the years. The World Trade organization has the signatures of Chinese executives on the rules, international intellectual property rights, international sales contracts. There are few unusual absurdities in Chinese law.

Ask examples from the Chinese saying "China is different" sentence, law regulations and statutes. Where is it different? Do not accept private law, let everything comply with the rules of international law. Make sure your agreement is in English, and whether the English deal is valid, making a deal in Chinese is ridiculous. Technical drawings and calculations should come to your approval, be sure to be in English, their nose curls, but if they want and you do. They want to apply Chinese norms, their standards. There is no way you know Chinese norms. Ask for international norms, German or US norms. According to unfamiliar norms, goods-products-services are not to be purchased. German buys goods, services and products in accordance with German norms, American in accordance with US norms, French in French norms.

Be sure to check their drawings, and do have experienced engineers in your staff who can control them. Don't get into the idea that "they guarantee a turnkey anyway, no need to check drawings."

You feel that your contract is binding if the agreement is signed, everything ends there and the project starts. For the Chinese side, after the contract signing, negotiation does not end, everything has just started. The Chinese demand constant changes in project design, contractual terms and financing conditions. Stand firm, prevent change, do not accept any deviation. There will always be tension during the project, be prepared for it. It is important for us to find common ground and think "win-win". There is no such situation on the Chinese side. Their corporate culture works on every point to win and maintain best for their side. During the negotiation, the Chinese side does not want to look negative, so at first they give a very harmonious silent appearance, don't be fooled.

In order to proceed to the provisional acceptance period, make sure that the contractual provisions require a 60-day continuous operation test at 100% maximum continuous load with 100% base fuel. If they are sure of their design, let them accept it. The counter conditions, objections, footsteps, and other information they provide will give you serious information about the reliability of their design. This condition is the old TEK new EÜAŞ contract condition, you can take the thermal power plant passing the difficult test to the scope of temporary acceptance. Also pay attention to the scope of the backup.

Before the privatization, our public institutions did not see any Chinese power plants suitable for the purchase. Because they did not comply with international norms and standards. After reading "the 60-day non-stop rule before the temporary admission", the Chinese dealer was already on the run.

Your writer is waiting response from my valuable readers who have worked with Chinese people to share their experience.

After the cancelation of our missile tender, relations became sluggish, it became difficult to obtain entry visa, and Turkish exporters were subjected to unnecessary interrogations as they entered China. Chinese thermal power plant construction firms are in financial difficulties, there are high risks posed by imported coal power plants because of imported coal offshore prices getting high.

Bank of China has the credibility rating of concern for Turkey, which always come to their agenda in bilateral talks.

The biggest scope of exports made by China to Turkey is thermal power plant equipment. Currently, with the exception of Tufanbeyli (SK Korea), the majority of the other domestic-imported coal-fired power plants in our country are being built by Chinese suppliers at very cheap prices.

According to international trade experts, there is a great imbalance in our trade with China. In 2019, we exported US $ 2 billion and imported US $ 25 billion in goods, equipment and services. This is unfair unbalanced situation, and should be rectified by our side.

Chinese people are nice people, but their negotiation tactics are hard and ruthless, do not fall into their bitter play.

---

Haluk Direskeneli, is a graduate of METU Mechanical Engineering department (1973). He worked in public, private enterprises, USA Turkish JV companies (B&W, CSWI, AEP), in fabrication, basic and detail design, marketing, sales and project management of thermal power plants. He is currently working as freelance consultant/ energy analyst with thermal power plants basic/ detail design software expertise for private engineering companies, investors, universities and research institutions. He is a member of ODTÜ Alumni and Chamber of Turkish Mechanical Engineers Energy Working Group.

Ankara, 15 January 2020

ElizabethWarren

Elizabeth Warren, #DemDebate 2020

Can #ElizabethWarren become the US President?

US Democratic Party presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren (70), is former Harvard University Professor of Law specialized in Debt Law and in particular Bankruptcy law. She was born in in 1949 in Oklahoma City to a middle class family. She is author of five academic books, contributing to the content of more six books. She is the Massachusetts Senator in the US Senate since 2013. She has close ratings with Donald Trump in public opinion polls. For now, she looks a little behind two Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.

Other Democrat contender Joe Biden, President Obama's two-term deputy, does not have much serious public promise.

If Bernie Sanders could have passed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 elections, he could have been president, now he's too old, it is too hard for him to be president.

Elizabeth Warren is a well-known law professor at Harvard University. Her Youtube speeches are very impressive for voters. She had two marriages, one daughter and one boy from her first marriage. She had a solid academic career. She was elected first to the House of Representatives and then she entered the Senate with high votes.

She knows the difficulties of the middle class from her own childhood. When her father, who had a good job, had an heart attack, he was unable to work, family had difficult times and then his mother started a minimum wage job in Sears the catalog company, so that the family was able to pay the daily expenses.

She is the only girl born after three brothers. It's been said in the family that there was a blood of an Native American in their family ancestry. On entering the university, she declared his ethnicity as "Native American." That declaration didn't help, it didn't make a positive discrimination. But Donald Trump referred to Elizabeth Warren's past in the 2016 pre-election debates, cynically referring to her as "Pocahontas". Pocahontas was the beautiful daughter of an Indian chieftain who lived in the 16th century. Pocahontas traveled to Europe in her time, learned English, married there. The Disney company has made a fun cartoon movie about herself.

After being exposed to the "Pocahontas" cynical labeling, Elizabeth Warren had a DNA gene test for herself. The DNA test results showed that although there is a large amount of European gene history, but there were also some Native American gene traces of 6-10 generations ago.

Donald Trump denied his commitment to deposit the $ 1 million claim into the welfare organization Elizabeth Warren would propose.

Native Americans meanwhile criticized Elizabeth Warren hard. A person with a small amount of Native American traces in her genes cannot have Native American culture that easily. She must born and live in the tribe and have a native culture. Elizabeth Warren gave them the right to apologize to them.

Elizabeth Warren accept electoral donations from environmentalist, but she refuses donations from fossil-fueled power plants and large commercial banks. She promises fairer taxes to homes of the middle income generation. She supports renewable energy investments.

TV debates continue among US Democratic presidential candidates. Candidates whose public support is less, leave the race. The debate among the prominent candidates is getting harder.

Donald Trump is the only candidate for the Republican party. The US House of Representatives with Democrat majority decided to impeach him for obstructing investigation in the Ukrainian scandal, but Impeachment will not pass through the Republican-dominated US Senate. Although Donald Trump is criticized for his outrageous social media attitudes, he makes more radical decisions for the US average voter. These are very attractive decisions for the US electorate, even if it contradicts us at our geography. The return of foreign refugees to their homeland, the operation of coal mines in the US central region, less environmental regulations, provided more jobs for the US middle class. Over the last four years, US unemployment has declined, inflation has fallen, and the US foreign trade balance has improved.

Donald Trump promised a foreign policy that would more isolate the country further away from the outside world, turn into itself, and not to seek adventure in foreign lands. However, although he plans to withdraw troops, the wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are still going on. Other nasty events triggered by the assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Souleimani, downing of Ukrainian passenger plane PS752, all will be billed to him. On the other hand, Republican party supporter American arms manufacturers sell plenty of conventional arms to our geography.

We at this end of the world, are alone with the war on our southern border. Libya comes after Syria war. Eastern Mediterranean offshore gas fields dispute exclusive economic area zone restitution continues.

Entry into the US became difficult. Getting a US visa became difficult, doing business with the US became difficult. There is no problem in power plant equipment sales. If you have money, if you can find proper finance, US manufacturers always sell you gas turbines, steam turbines, steam boilers, software, design. However, it is difficult for you to conduct contract negotiations within the United States.

Donald Trump was so popular, social media worked for cartoons, painting, sculpture of Donald Trump. Good use of TV and social media, Donald Trump can still win the upcoming 3-November 2020 US Presidential elections.

In our opinion, Donald Trump's most powerful rival will be Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren. She can be the first women US President.

Ankara, 15 January 2020

---

Bernie Sanders, #DemDebate 2020

-->

Is America ready for a Jewish President?

The United States may have a new president of a Jewish decent senator. Is the world ready for this? Is our geography ready? USA had twice Jewish presidential candidate in the past. Your author, who has been pondering on matters that no one has ever wondered, is now thinking about the presidency of the US presidential candidate, Democrat Bernie Sanders. In recent years, the US election debate on CNN, NBC, ABC and BBC TV channels over cable and internet were as exciting as watching the football match live in the morning.

I'm looking at the latest US polls. He was born in New York, 1941, University of Chicago with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, former mayor, former member of the House of Representatives, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (79). Compared to the latest polls, he is better than Donald Trump. Donations to Bernie Sanders' election campaign came from employees, their unions and individual voters. Donations for Donald Trump were made from large corporations, banks, financial institutions (SuperPac).

Bernie Sanders declared himself a "conscientious objector" during the Vietnam war and hence he did not participate in the Vietnam war. We know he is against war. He voted against Afghanistan, Iraq and Syrian wars. On the other hand, it is not clear what he says about personal arming. He does not interfere with the use of small hand weapons. It's very normal for people in the woods of Vermont to use small weapons for self defense.

He aims to expand general health insurance and to facilitate access to insurance. He promises to raise the minimum wage to $ 15, which is currently $ 7.30 an hour in the USA. He wants to introduce health insurance, free education for students in public universities. He calls himself as self-socialist, or social-democrat. He is opposed to Israel war policies. He does not have much experience in world politics so his career has focused on domestic politics. If Bernie Sanders becomes president of the United States, his Democratic rivals will probably be his secretaries (of state, energy etc).

He will give importance to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA norms) and hence the new investments of thermal power plant environmental equipment will increase. Incentives for renewable energy investments will also increase, escape from coal and fossil fuels will begin, and investments in shale-gas rock fracturing will be put under control. Environmental-water-air soil pollution will be prevented. New pipeline construction will stop.

His parents are Ashkenaz Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. His close relatives of the patriarchs who remained in Europe disappeared in the holocaust during World War II. He states that he believes in God but not very religious to follow the rituals. Bernie married twice. Between her two marriages, he has an adult son from his short term lover, and three spiritual children from his third wife. In recent years he had suffered from cardio health problems, and he had recently stent in his heart, now his health under control. His old age is his disadvantage.

His attitude is not very clear about nuclear. For the Vermont nuclear power plant in his constituency, he supported the transfer of nuclear waste to the Latin community of Sierra Blanca, Texas.

New immigrant American citizens, Turkish Americans, minorities, women, the elderly, the retirees, blacks often vote for Democrats. Arms, weapon manufacturers, white rich Christians vote for Republicans. Democrats generally stay distant to Turkey. Republicans are closer to Turkey. If Trump wins, he's not going to propose anything new, so he will continue his own maverick policies.

What do you call all this? We've always been bored with the same names. After close but uneasy relations with our northern neighbor, perhaps there will be more opportunities to warm up our relations with Israel, Egypt and other neighboring countries. Can USA capitalism be ruled by a socialist / social democratic / Jewish president?

Can Bernie Sanders be chosen? Will big companies, rich banks, owners of powerful fossil power plants allow this? How will the US be governed by a socialist president as the Soviets dissolve and move into the market economy?

Maybe we could even hold an Alumni panel, invite foreign academics, even call the ambassador of the United States to speak.

Ankara, 12 January 2020

---