Turkey!Follow

Without the obvious "Meat Thermometer" jokes (Mine is set to 'Hawt'). . .

I never use one for poultry. A skewer through the thickest part of the bird's thigh, into the knee joint is all you need. If the juice runs clear, it's done, the bird is safely cooked. If it has blood, keep cooking.

(If the oven temperature is too high, internal temperature can rise before the all the deeper parts have cooked and killed da bugz).

In the professional kitchens I've managed, worked in or visited, chefs have used both, or just the skewer, but never relied totally on the thermometer.

What are your thoughts on that one, eh, Froggy Boi?

France keeps the state secular by banning the hijab and the turban.

Turkey does it by banning candidates who seem to have a "Back Door Islamisation" agenda.

From what I understand, the Court overruled the election because of a technicality, namely that because of the opposition's boycott, there wasn't the required 2/3 majority of potential legislators. It sounds a tiny bit dodgy, but it might be technically right.

As for France secularism, I think on the whole its a good thing to keep religion private and the state neutral. It only really posed a problem with the headscarf ban, and there are arguments for both side. My personal opinion is that wearing a headscarf is not one of teh "pillars" of Islam, like praying 5 times a day, and many scholars dispute that it is the accurate traduction. So, if its not accepted as abslutely crucial to their religion, I don't see why we should make an exception.

Having said that, if tomorrow France wanted to allow nun uniforms, headscarves, and clown costumes, I'd be happy with that too. But I think if you have long-established working principles, there shouldn't be exceptions.

As for Turkey, I think the army is not playing its cards right. Doing a coup will only strengthen radical Islam, and play into the hands of the more fanfatical ones. Gul has done nothing wrong. His wife wears a headscarf, but she's not the one running for President. And if the "back-door Islamisation" is just a rumour, then its fear-mongering.

I think on the whole, what matters is democracy. So, if Turkey's ruling party want to elect a President who doesn't break any rules, they should be allowed to. That's how democracy works. If it all goes wrong, then that'll be a lesson for the Turks, and they'll learn.

But I think Turkey's population is educated enough to choose its own path without the need for old army guys to interve at the slightest sight of a headscarf.