Some unhappy customers:)

Have a look at the comments section of my latest Forbes article; there are quite a bit of unsatisfied customers. As I have mentioned countless times, I really appreciate all feedback, + or -, and if someone has gone to the trouble of writing a comment, I will make it my top priority to answer them in detail, even if I don't agree with their view. So, I would enjoy exchanging emails on why the US is AAA-rated and Turkey isn't, or whether Turkish debt policy is sensible or not.

And I am not too stubborn: I have changed my opinion on at least one occasion due to reader feedback. I mean, this is Economics, there are no hardly-defined facts, so if I am not shy about admitting I am wrong at all.

But if it becomes down and dirty, i.e. questioning my motives (none other than providing objective economic analysis) and integrity, then I bow and leave... I guess I had to face the ugly side of being a blogger/columnist one day...

Speaking of - comments, my burqa piece got its share as well. Well not the burqa piece per se, but my addendum. Here's what one reader has to say:

Dear Mr Deliveli,

I read your blog with great interest. There is a need for tight macroeconomic commentary on Turkey that gets out of the rut in which most other commentators laze and tries to do for Turkey what serious bloggers do in other countries.

But such a blog has to keep a sharp focus and not be drawn into autobiography, social life, etc. Can you imagine Nouriel Roubini's personality spilling over into his analysis?

I was in particular a little disturbed by your comment on the Burka or burqa. Your message seemed to be that the two critics of the burqa were superficial and used weak arguments while the programme host used good ones. I watched a little of it until I could stand no more. The programme host seemed to be a standard lefty/relativist/postmodernist who had accepted the right of Islamists to regard their views as having social primacy. Why should any religion have a privileged position over other belief systems or strongly held convictions? He ignored arguments about security, gender equality, and the global role of radical Islam. He also seemed to find most of the present-day Muslim world acceptable in terms of its democratic, social, and political standards. You may disagree with me if I raise my eyebrows at this, but surely you do not deny that there are some question marks, including perhaps ones about what motivated him to speak in this way.
The two interviewees were tyros and poor at their job, but some of their points -- particularly the one about the implicit view of female sexuality taken by those who regard the Burqa as acceptable -- seem to me strong ones.

Upppsss..... No not upps, really. Actually, I am really grateful to this reader. She makes her point, tells me why I am wrong and does not tell me I am agasint the burqa ban because I am trying to please the AKP... I guess you get my point...