European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday june 10, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 17 it really pays to shop around for turkish Liras when air Force sgt. Cecilia Ortiz feels the urge to go shopping she can Start by adding local currency to her list of items that invite comparison before Purchase. Ortiz a military Airlift come passenger service representative assigned to Izmir Turkey is one of thousands of americans stationed in a country where local currency rates depend As much on individual Sellers As they do on the daily official rate. Ortiz has no local american Bank such As merchants at which to Trade her dollars for turkish Liras which locals refer to Astl. But her local finance and accounting office will Exchange her dollars and so will the local cafes outlet the american run Kordon hotel local Banks and dozens of turkish merchants All of whom offer varying amounts of to in Exchange for greenbacks. A if you re a smart lira shopper a says maj. Jim Price the air Force comptroller at Ankara Turkey a you can Check with the by and you can Check with us and you can Check with the Banks downtown. Then  Mustafa Kendircl in charge of a fest a turkish lira sales for Turkey insisted that americans a a can to get a better rate than that offered by the Exchange serv ice but a comparison showed otherwise. For example one Day last month Ortiz could Trade one Dollar for 2,507.04 to at the Izmir finance office 2,531 to at an cafes outlet or 2,534 to at a storefront currency dealer a Block away. The official Exchange rate that Day was 2,546 to to the Dollar. Had she taken a half hour walk to the main Bazaar area of the City she would have found two Gold merchants who would part with 2,550 to for one of her dollars. Inflation estimated at about 70 percent last year and a evaluating currency Are the main reasons for varying currency Exchange rates in Turkey. An air Force Captain at in Ciurlik a said that the Dollar he traded at about 2,500 to last month bought about 700 to when he began his overseas tour in Turkey about 2 i years ago. A bottle of Beer costs about 2,500 to. Candy bars Range from 500 to 1,500 to while a loaf of bread Sells for As Little As 300 Liras. Local merchants have become savvy to the ways of Exchange rates which helps explain Why americans might look to them to get the most to for the Buck. A a it a Good for them a says capt. Ferg a a Bucko Alleman the accounting and finance officer at in Ciurlik a a because they can hold those dollars and there san automatic increase in their income due to the inflation of the Exchange  Mehmet Birbari a Turk who has served As incur like a Community relations adviser since 1985, said Many turks a Are keeping . Currency for a while. That a Why they like to have american dollars. A now their motto is a Money is Money and some Money is Worth More than others a Alleman said. A anyone in the business of making Money. Is going to look at to conversion As a source of investment  that Wasny to always the Case. Possession of foreign currency was illegal in Turkey before 1983. Back then Birbari said a i could sit in jail for having a $ 1 Bill in my  Many turkish merchants prefer to Deal m greenbacks. Some landlords in Izmir for example have signed rental contracts with americans that demand payment in dollars As a hedge against inflation. A shoe Salesman in Ankara whose business consisted of a wooden stall no larger than a clothes closet quoted All his prices in dollars. Still today a variances in Exchange rates combined with the centuries old custom of bargaining offer americans like Ortiz a Chance to Cash in. Most merchants especially those offer Long big ticket items such As rugs will bargain the Price in Liras. And most will allow customers even those they be met for the first time to agree on a Price then return later with the Money in hand a at whatever rate customers can find it. The stars and stripes Dollar watch by Dave Walczak business news English daily in Turkey adheres to principles Kanji by Dave w Walczak staff writer Ankara Turkey a in one of his first acts As owner and publisher Ilhan Cevik Laid Down his newspapers Basic goals in a front Page editorial a to bring you the latest International and local news promptly and accurately and  those words appeared in the inaugural edition of the turkish daily news on March 15. 1961. And editor Yusuf Kanji said they Are still the Bedrock upon which the English language daily approaches every edition. The newspaper which Sells for 1,000 turkish Liras about 40 cents has expanded since Cevik launched the Enterprise. Today a readers can count on a minimum of 16 Broadsheet pages per Day eight More than the first tabloid edition. The turkish daily news switched to a Broadsheet format in 1976. The editorial operation has also changed. Computers have Long since replaced typewriters at the newspapers Hub in the nations capital. A French language edition was abandoned four years ago because of declining sales. The staff now features a foreign contingent one citizen each from Nigeria England Australia and the United states. A we Are like the United nations a Kanji said. The fact that English is often the second language of reporters creates problems. Three full time translators help writers make the transition from turkish to English but Kanji said he is often asked to help writers get their stories across in the English language. A it is hard to find qualified writers a said Kanji who Speaks excellent English. A even i have a problem understanding what they Are writing. Sometimes i say a Tell me in turkish  a the editorial staff of 43 includes reporters permanently assigned to Istanbul Izmir and Ankara. Americans stationed in Turkey or travelling in the nation that Bridges Europe and Asia can buy the turkish daily news at most Newsstands. The newspaper is also sold at stars and stripes bookstores. Readers will find mainly a blend of International news with an emphasis on turkish politics and economics. The newspaper relies heavily on wire service reports including those of the associated press Reuters and Anatolia the sem official news Agency of Turkey. The newspapers average daily circulation hovers Between 31,000 and 35,000. Kanji said the newspaper Hopes to boost sales by including More feature stones especially in its sunday supplement. Carol Stevens the supplements editor pointed to stories about bulgarian Street vendors barbecues in Eastern Turkey and children in the work Force As evidence that the news of Al Bush minutes trial adjourned a a melt a it Milt Gorin rat Var it v out  i Kashmir tension i mounts. Kohls i n All German election i in of Tinz  Angr it with Turkey. Greece Tad Lulu on super gun seizures newspaper is trying to show a More human  the primary focus Here is the government and foreign relations a said Stevens the Lone american on the staff. The paper also offers a Small sports Section that includes daily wire service recaps of major league baseball games. The newspaper which is still owned and operated by the Cevik family strives to maintain a 70 to 30 ratio in terms of editorial to advertising Content. Kanji said the staff recently conducted what he described As a a detailed Survey Quot to determine who reads it. The Survey indicated that about 30 percent of its readers Are t urls. He attributed that in part to the newspapers adherence to objectivity. A we Are not biased. We done to support anyone. We Are  Kanji pointed to a Legal Battle with the turkish government As an example of the turkish daily news adherence to pro democracy principles another of the Cevik family a journalistic tenets. The government ruled by the military from 1980 to 1984, accused the turkish daily news of being partial toward Suleyman Demirel the politician who was ousted in the coup that brought the military to Power. Military leaders brought the newspaper to court and Kanji was convinced that the newspaper would have to pay a substantial Fine. But a few Days before the verdict was due civilian Rule returned to Turkey and the newly installed government dropped the Case. To defense group to Lay off 1,000 Dallas up a Texas instruments defense systems amp electronics group faced with a shrinking defense budget Friday said it will Lay off about 1,000 employees in the next 12 months. The cuts will come mostly in the Dallas area where the defense group has Many of its Sites but will also include other Texas Sites in Austin Abilene and Sherman As Well As in Colorado Springs colo., and Ridgecrest calif., the company said. The defense and electronics segment which accounts for about 33 percent of tips revenues and 40 percent of its profits has been feeling the Pinch of reduced defense spending by the government. The latest round of layoffs will affect less than 5 percent of the groups 22,000 employees. Last year 230 employees were Given voluntary retirement. In March and april of this year 240 More employees were let go. At the annual stockholders meeting of the company in april to chairman Jerry Junkins said the company expects markets for defense electronics to decline for at least the first half of this decade. However he said even in this situation to should Benefit because of its focus on the tactical Market. In fridays announcement to said the Cost and staff reduction measures Are not expected to have a material effect on its financial results in the second Quarter of this year. To spokeswoman Terri West said the affected employees who will include both salaried and hourly workers will receive Severance pay extended insurance Protection and outplacement assistance. Although the Force reduction is expected to be completed in the next 12 months officials said the action will begin this month. A was we told stockholders at our annual meeting in april we expect defense markets to decline for at least the first half of the 1990s As the . Department of defense adjusts to the changing world political environment a said William b. Mitchell president of the defense group. A we anticipate some delays and reductions in production programs As Well As changes in the mix of ramp a and production  he said to has a Strong technology base and a Good mix of programs which will help the company remain a Strong competitor in the defense Market in the future