Told You So

Some words and concepts are hard to translate between languages. For instance,‘Hoca’ is Turkish and is very hard to translate to English. It means ‘teacher, scientist, or scholar.’ However, there is not a single word in English which exactly corresponds with ‘Hoca’, so they use the same word Hodja to express this concept. What that word exactly mean? Why is it so hard to translate to English?

Prof Michio Kaku talks about Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. And, he says in the USA they wanted to build a bigger one, but congress did not approve the funds so they could not have started the project. He explains that during the cold war it was easy to get funds, we said one word -Russia, politicians said two words -How much? However, things change for worse in the USA after the cold war. When they asked money for Large Hadron Collider one of the Senator asked strange questions -Will we find God with your machine? If so I vote for it. The Senator did not ask whether God exists or not. He believes God exists, and he asks whether that experiment will prove God’s existence. Unfortunately, scientists could not give Senator a positive answer, and they did not get the money. [1]

Nasreddin Hodja is a famous schooler from 13 centuries. A man asks him a strange question. What happens to the old moons? (Turkish)(Eski aylara ne yaparlar?) The question itself is problematic.  When moon cycle started its called New moon. The guy thoughts that new moon is something totally new, then where the old moons have gone? Nasreddin Hodja builds over the man’s understanding. And he replies they trim old moons and make them into stars. (Turkish)(Kırpıp kırpıp yıldız yaparlar) So, instead of trying to explain to him when his question is wrong, he builds something over his own understanding. That is how made Hodja is different from a teacher or a scientist. A hodja is someone who could work on abstract ideas.  

I have a big library in my home, one room full of books. Once my older brother visited us, and he was looking at books, then he said all the books belong to me. His approach was wrong on so many levels. However, instead of arguing with him I decided to go along with his understanding. If books are yours take all of them. He lives in the USA, and there is no way he can carry all the books to the USA. So, he did not accept my proposal. Then I made a second proposal, if books are yours and they are staying here, you should pay a room rent. This idea was not good for him either. So, he stepped back. He came to an understanding that claiming all of the books are belong to him is not actually beneficial to him. So, he made another proposal, he said half of the books should be yours another half is mine. I said I do not want even half of the books. If I move somewhere else I will get less than one-third books from the library with me. Then he made another offer, then this library should be a family library. I said ok. So, it's decided library belongs to the family. We find our solution without confrontation and heated debates.

However, some concepts are strong similar meanings in both Turkish and English. One of those words is ‘Told you so’.

This is a song from Leslie Clio - Told You So

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2aQiun69M4

In that song, she talks about his boyfriend who leaves her for another girl. He saying his new relationship will not end well, and he keeps repeating told you so.

In Turkish too this is a very strong concept, There are news songs old and old songs. One of the classic songs about this concept.

Zara - Güzel Aşık Cevrimizi (Demedim Mi) (Bülbüli Şeyda)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwwpGiI7bzk

That song about God and after world and meaningless of this world. Do not waste your life, do something useful. I told you about this.

This concept has very strong meaning in both languages. It makes expressing ideas throughout languages very easy. I was in English class. Our teacher asked us whether could we live with our boy-girl friend without marriage. Some students were okay, some students were not, and some were undetermined. One girl had a very strong stand on this topic. She said I will not stay with my boyfriend before marriage. Our English teacher asked her again why she thought in that way. She said that he could leave me easily if we live together without marriage. The teacher said that he could still leave you even after marriage. She said, Yes, he could still leave me even after marriage, but he cannot easily leave after marriage, furthermore, if I live with him without marriage, and if he leaves me my mom will tell me “I told you so.”

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[1] ‘Michio Kaku on Politics’ ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdftP9nf3dM&list=PLCA846BDC70F63275&index=3’ ‘Michio Kaku on Why’ ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U96v-JBc-ag&index=4&list=PLCA846BDC70F63275 ’

How to turn on Women

One of the girls in our English class had an unusual dress that day. She wears a short sweater. I came early that day. We talked about random topics and I did not make any comment about her dress. Then our teacher came. Without hesitation, he said that her dress is so sexy. Moreover, he said that it should be a man who invented this dress.

Later that day we were talking in the canteen with that girl about finding a job. She told us that she applied for a salesman job and in the interview, the manager asked her to wear sexy dresses for the job. She got irritated and refused to work there. Besides being a very attractive girl she was also very smart and educated. She knows several languages and graduated from one of the best universities. Later she found a job in a big international company.

The point is she can turn on men easily and she knows that. However, she is not doing that for money she is doing that for fun. We all knew and heard about how women turn men on, but what about the other way round. How can a man turn women on?

In south park TV series, they considered this question. Boys were assigned to write a report on thanksgiving. They were looking for books. Then Eric offers that they should watch history channel instead. Eric is right. History channel is airing thanksgiving special. In the documentary, they ask whether Thanksgiving Day visited by aliens which seem silly to Kyle. However, Eric, Kenny, and Stan think that it’s a good idea, so they decide to write a report on it.

Next day a group of guys with a suit from History Channel visited them. They asked them how they come up with this idea. Kyle tries to explain to them that this is not a big deal. They only saw that on History Channel. Then they asked them are they willing to tell those ideas on TV. They accept. Kyle comes up with a totally crazier idea. He suggests that pilgrims and Indians themselves might be aliens, and they come to the world to make an intergalactic treaty.

On History Channel when they introduce Kyle they do not mention that he is a student in primary school. Instead, they say Professor Kyle has a different approach to this topic. When they watch, Kyle outraged. However, weird events happen. It turns out Kyle is right after all. Both Pilgrims and Indians are aliens and they came to our world to sign an intergalactic treaty. A pilgrim comes to the world. He picked up by Natalie Portman with a car. They found Kyle and his friends. The pilgrim needs to turn back to his own planet. Altogether, Kyle and his friends, History Channel team, Natalie Portman and the pilgrim go to historical thanksgiving site. It turns out to open the portal.  Natalie Portman needs to open her wormhole.

The pilgrim asked her to open her wormhole. She says no. They asked her again there is no more time, intergalactic peace depends on it, she needs to open her wormhole to open the portal. No avail, she says no again. The manager of history channel asks Kyle.

Manager-Professor Kyle, what should we do?

Kyle- I am not a professor.

Manager- History Channel said you are a professor.

Kyle- You are the f…. History Channel.

The pilgrim- You know all of this somehow, you should know how to persuade Natalie Portman to open her wormhole.

Kyle agrees at last. Next scene he has a nice suit. They are having dinner with Natalia Portman in a luxury restaurant. Kyle having small talk with her asks her whether she has a brother or sister. After dinner, they walk under the moon. Later Kyle asks again.

Kyle- Will you open your wormhole?

Natalia Portman- No.

Kyle – Come on.

Natalia Portman- Maybe.

Finally, Natalia Portman opens her wormhole and the pilgrim can return to her own planet and intergalactic peace can be protected. In a sarcastic way, South Park shows how men could turn women on. First, he should have a nice suit. Then he should take his girlfriend to a nice restaurant and he should make some small talks. Those are required steps for men to turn women on.

Chocolate

I was studying Mathematic when my five-year-old niece visited us. After a while, I continued studying then I found out her name in the middle of my notebook with big alphabets, and pictures around it. I asked my niece whether she drew those pictures. She denied. She was number one suspect. I asked her mom and her grandmother whether they drew it or not. No one accepted that. Moreover, her mother defended her child by saying she do not know writing she cannot possibly write her name on my notebook. I knew my niece went to kindergarten. I thought it might be possible that she learned to write her name.

It seems like I was stuck. There was a number one suspect, but she denied the accusation. Then I thought I should try something else. I told my niece that I like the paintings on my mathematics books, and I will give chocolate to the person who drew those paintings. To convince her I am serious I showed her a quality chocolate. Immediately she accepted that she drew those paintings. I gave her a chocolate like I promised. Then she went to her mom and told her story. My uncle was going to give a chocolate that is why he was asking who drew that painting, and she asked her mom to hide the chocolate.

She played at home for an hour, then she wanted the chocolate back from her mom, but there was a problem. Her mom ate the chocolate. My niece cried. Her mom tried to defend herself. She was pregnant so she used that as an excuse. She said your sister wanted the chocolate too. That is why I ate the chocolate. My niece was not convinced. She kept crying. That was not an ordinary chocolate. She earned that chocolate. She drew pictures on her uncle`s mathematic notebooks to earn that chocolate.

Then her grandfather got involved. He said, I will give you money to buy new chocolate, just do not cry. Then my niece and I went shopping to buy a chocolate. We bought two packets quality chocolate. When we came back to home, I encouraged her to give everyone a chocolate. She accepted with one exception. She said, I will give everyone in the home a chocolate, but my mom because she ate my chocolate. However, a moment later she forgave her mom too. She gave her a chocolate. But, that was not enough. Her mom said; you should give me one more chocolate for your sister. My niece gave her mom one more chocolate too.

The point of the story is you should keep writing and drawing. One day you can make money from your writings, or better chocolate.