Friday, August 29, 2008
Real Changes in RA Tax Office
After too many years of enriching himself with what should have been Armenian tax dollars, Vahram Parseghian has finally been fired from his post at head of the RA Tax Office, which was recently merged with the Customs Office and renamed the "Customs Committee".
Vahram is a guy encountered back in 1999 and documented over the years how he started small and in no time moved to the top by taking big bribes, misappropriating funds, including donation from the Diaspora and who I learned many years ago was sharing them with the former President, Robert Kocharian.
I guess in an attempt to clean things up, our current RA President did the unthinkable and FIRED Vahram. Now my only hope is that they will investigate him and charge him for the crimes that he has committed over the many years he was in power. Of course if they re-hire him in some other post, then that will be an indication that he has dirt on the President and over the years the present President was also on the take (which I would say there is a very good chance of).
You can find past logs I’ve written that talk about Vahram’s wrong doings over the year by clicking here. Also for your further reading pleasure, the following is a recent story that documents his being fired by the RA President and how dissatisfied he was with Vahram’s performance.
CUSTOMS COMMITTEE NEEDED TO BE OPERATED
12:51 22/08/2008
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the working team of the former Customs and Tax Committees to present the new appointed chairman of State Revenues Committee Gagik Khachatryan.
As to Vahram Barseghyan, who has been fired from his position of the head Customs Committee, the President reminded that On August 1, in a meeting with the Customs Committee leaders he has warned that if radical changes are not implemented they should to wait for those aftermath. According to the President no serious changes or improvements have been registers in those twenty days.
Calling on the public the President said that he did not want to create an image that the changes are aimed to join those two committees. He said that Customs Committee has been acting too badly.
Source: Panorama.am
Vahram is a guy encountered back in 1999 and documented over the years how he started small and in no time moved to the top by taking big bribes, misappropriating funds, including donation from the Diaspora and who I learned many years ago was sharing them with the former President, Robert Kocharian.
I guess in an attempt to clean things up, our current RA President did the unthinkable and FIRED Vahram. Now my only hope is that they will investigate him and charge him for the crimes that he has committed over the many years he was in power. Of course if they re-hire him in some other post, then that will be an indication that he has dirt on the President and over the years the present President was also on the take (which I would say there is a very good chance of).
You can find past logs I’ve written that talk about Vahram’s wrong doings over the year by clicking here. Also for your further reading pleasure, the following is a recent story that documents his being fired by the RA President and how dissatisfied he was with Vahram’s performance.
CUSTOMS COMMITTEE NEEDED TO BE OPERATED
12:51 22/08/2008
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the working team of the former Customs and Tax Committees to present the new appointed chairman of State Revenues Committee Gagik Khachatryan.
As to Vahram Barseghyan, who has been fired from his position of the head Customs Committee, the President reminded that On August 1, in a meeting with the Customs Committee leaders he has warned that if radical changes are not implemented they should to wait for those aftermath. According to the President no serious changes or improvements have been registers in those twenty days.
Calling on the public the President said that he did not want to create an image that the changes are aimed to join those two committees. He said that Customs Committee has been acting too badly.
Source: Panorama.am
Putin assails US over Georgia conflict
by Carole Landry
August 28, 2008
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused Washington on Thursday of manufacturing the Georgia conflict as tensions mounted with the United States threatening to scrap a nuclear deal in protest at Moscow's actions.
Russia tested an inter-continental missile before Putin, the powerful former Kremlin leader who now heads the government, said the US administration had a hand in the five-day war between Russian and Georgian forces.
"The fact is that US citizens were indeed in the area in conflict during the hostilities. It should be admitted that they would do so only following direct orders from their leaders," Putin said in an interview with CNN.
He said he suspected that "someone in the US specially created this conflict" to "create an advantage" for a US presidential candidate.
His remarks drew a swift response from the White House which described them as "patently false."
Washington said it was considering scrapping a US-Russia civilian nuclear cooperation pact in response to Moscow's actions in Georgia and its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as separate states. France said the European Union could impose sanctions on Russia.
The missile test in northern Russia came barely a week after the United States completed an accord with Poland on basing an anti-missile shield in central Europe and as Russia accuses NATO of building up its navy vessels in the Black Sea.
A spokesman for Russia's strategic nuclear forces said the 6,000 kilometre (3,700 mile) test of the Topol RS-12M was successful. Russia has been developing the missile in response to US plans to develop its shield.
The announcement came as Russia complained about the number of NATO ships in the Black Sea and said it was taking "measures of precaution."
Russian television broadcast excerpts of the Putin interview to CNN.
"If my guess is right, then it raises the suspicion that someone in the US specially created this conflict to worsen the situation and create an advantage in the competitive struggle for one of the candidates for the post of president of the United States," he said.
The tight race to the November 4 vote in the United States pits Democrat Barack Obama against Republican John McCain, who has been hawkish in his public response to the Georgia conflict.
A White House spokeswoman said "those claims first and foremost are patently false, but it also sounds like his defense officials who said they believed this to be true are giving him really bad advice."
Asked whether Washington planned to go through with a recent accord allowing US and Russian companies to form joint ventures in the nuclear sector, the spokeswoman said: "I don't think there's anything to announce yet, but I know that that is under discussion."
The stand-off with the West has deepened since President Dmitry Medvedev's announcement that Russia recognised South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia, as independent states.
Georgia's parliament called for the government to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow over Russia's "occupation of Georgian territory" in a resolution adopted unanimously in Tbilisi.
Later Thursday, Georgia called for an international investigation into the events that led to its conflict with Russia and allegations of widespread human rights abuses.
"It is time to establish the truth about the crimes committed before and during Russia's invasion of Georgia," the foreign ministry in Tbilisi said in a statement.
EU states are considering imposing sanctions on Russia at an emergency summit on the Georgian crisis on Monday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.
"Sanctions are being considered, and many other means," said Kouchner, whose country holds the European Union presidency.
Russia claimed it had secured support from China and four other nations at a summit in Dushanbe, the Tajikistan capital.
A statement released by the six nations at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit voiced support for Russia's "active role" in "assisting in peace and cooperation in the region".
However, the declaration also called for respect for "territorial integrity" without specifically naming Georgia.
A senior Russian general accused Georgia of redeploying forces near South Ossetia and said foreign powers were helping to rebuild the country's military capability.
"Georgia continues the redeployment of its forces in the direction of South Ossetia and the restoration of the combat capability of its troops," the deputy head of Russia's general staff, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said in a briefing.
The UN Security Council was to hold a formal meeting to discuss the conflict in Georgia on Thursday afternoon, though diplomats said there would be no decision made.
Moscow argues that it recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia to protect the local inhabitants after Russian forces poured into Georgia earlier this month to repel a Georgian attack on the latter region.
August 28, 2008
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused Washington on Thursday of manufacturing the Georgia conflict as tensions mounted with the United States threatening to scrap a nuclear deal in protest at Moscow's actions.
Russia tested an inter-continental missile before Putin, the powerful former Kremlin leader who now heads the government, said the US administration had a hand in the five-day war between Russian and Georgian forces.
"The fact is that US citizens were indeed in the area in conflict during the hostilities. It should be admitted that they would do so only following direct orders from their leaders," Putin said in an interview with CNN.
He said he suspected that "someone in the US specially created this conflict" to "create an advantage" for a US presidential candidate.
His remarks drew a swift response from the White House which described them as "patently false."
Washington said it was considering scrapping a US-Russia civilian nuclear cooperation pact in response to Moscow's actions in Georgia and its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as separate states. France said the European Union could impose sanctions on Russia.
The missile test in northern Russia came barely a week after the United States completed an accord with Poland on basing an anti-missile shield in central Europe and as Russia accuses NATO of building up its navy vessels in the Black Sea.
A spokesman for Russia's strategic nuclear forces said the 6,000 kilometre (3,700 mile) test of the Topol RS-12M was successful. Russia has been developing the missile in response to US plans to develop its shield.
The announcement came as Russia complained about the number of NATO ships in the Black Sea and said it was taking "measures of precaution."
Russian television broadcast excerpts of the Putin interview to CNN.
"If my guess is right, then it raises the suspicion that someone in the US specially created this conflict to worsen the situation and create an advantage in the competitive struggle for one of the candidates for the post of president of the United States," he said.
The tight race to the November 4 vote in the United States pits Democrat Barack Obama against Republican John McCain, who has been hawkish in his public response to the Georgia conflict.
A White House spokeswoman said "those claims first and foremost are patently false, but it also sounds like his defense officials who said they believed this to be true are giving him really bad advice."
Asked whether Washington planned to go through with a recent accord allowing US and Russian companies to form joint ventures in the nuclear sector, the spokeswoman said: "I don't think there's anything to announce yet, but I know that that is under discussion."
The stand-off with the West has deepened since President Dmitry Medvedev's announcement that Russia recognised South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia, as independent states.
Georgia's parliament called for the government to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow over Russia's "occupation of Georgian territory" in a resolution adopted unanimously in Tbilisi.
Later Thursday, Georgia called for an international investigation into the events that led to its conflict with Russia and allegations of widespread human rights abuses.
"It is time to establish the truth about the crimes committed before and during Russia's invasion of Georgia," the foreign ministry in Tbilisi said in a statement.
EU states are considering imposing sanctions on Russia at an emergency summit on the Georgian crisis on Monday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.
"Sanctions are being considered, and many other means," said Kouchner, whose country holds the European Union presidency.
Russia claimed it had secured support from China and four other nations at a summit in Dushanbe, the Tajikistan capital.
A statement released by the six nations at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit voiced support for Russia's "active role" in "assisting in peace and cooperation in the region".
However, the declaration also called for respect for "territorial integrity" without specifically naming Georgia.
A senior Russian general accused Georgia of redeploying forces near South Ossetia and said foreign powers were helping to rebuild the country's military capability.
"Georgia continues the redeployment of its forces in the direction of South Ossetia and the restoration of the combat capability of its troops," the deputy head of Russia's general staff, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said in a briefing.
The UN Security Council was to hold a formal meeting to discuss the conflict in Georgia on Thursday afternoon, though diplomats said there would be no decision made.
Moscow argues that it recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia to protect the local inhabitants after Russian forces poured into Georgia earlier this month to repel a Georgian attack on the latter region.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Territorial Integrity?
I’ve been following the developments in Georgia over the last 20 days quite closely.
I have to say that I am leaning towards the Russian point of view and have been since August 7th. With that said, I don’ t think it is necessary to further elaborate on what we have seen other than the “territorial integrity” BS that the West and Europe is pushing. The same territorial integrity drum is being beaten when talking about Artsakh and the Azeri claims.
Let me tell you that in the true sense of the meaning, both Georgia and Azerbaijan have no territorial claims to what was not under their control when they declared independence. Their claim is the same as let’s say Mexico claiming California as being part of their territory, thus threatening the integrity of their boarders.
Bottom line is that we were not a part of or being controlled by Azerbaijan when they declared independence, just like Abkhazia and South Ossetia were not a part of Georgia.
Russia did the right thing when they recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence. It sent a message to Georgia that the game is over and if they try another attempt to take over a Russian friendly country, they will not get away with. Let them do the same with Artsakh and that will put the brakes on the Azeri's even thinking about attacking us in the future.
You may ask when and how this will all end? It’s hard to tell, but my guess is that in the end as long as Russia does not back down and leave Poti (which I hope they don’t), the Georgian President (who happens to be part Armenia, but I’m told hates Armenians), will loose credibility among his own people and eventually have to answer for sparking this conflict. And I bet that years from now we will learn that just like Saddam invading Kuwait back in 1990 on the advice of the U.S., we will learn that the U.S. advised Georgia to do what it did. I would guess this is why the Georgian President was and is so mad at the U.S. for leaving him hanging out to dry.
And for your reading pleasure, the following is a news article from Azbarez.com that read as if some poor misguided reporter does recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as part of Georgia’s territory [in the sixth paragraph of the story].
Armenia Must Respond Cautiously to Abkhazia, South Ossetia Independence, Says Rustamian
www.azbarez.com
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Armenia should not hastily react to Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia with its own recognition of the break away republics' independence, ARF Supreme Council of Armenia Representative Armen Rustamian said during a press conference on Monday.
"In these conditions, the ARF believes that the Republic of Armenia should not act hastily as it did in the case of Kosovo,” Rustamian stated. “Armenia has not even recognized the independence of Karabakh, because it doesn't consider that the international community's ability to resolve the issue peacefully has been exhausted.”
According to Rustamian, who also chairs the Armenian National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs, the possibilities to peacefully resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict have similarly not been exhausted.
Rustamian's comments came in response to a reporter's question regarding Armenia's position on Russia's recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed on Tuesday two decrees granting formal recognition to the Georgian breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after both houses of the Russian Parliament on Monday unanimously voted to back their independence.
The move is a response to the West's approval of Kosovo's independence earlier in 2008 and effectively shatters Georgia's territorial integrity, escalating tension in the volatile Caucasus and putting Moscow on a collision course with the West.
Russia's military defeat of Georgia has made the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict more complicated, according to Rustamian.
“The Republic of Armenia cannot discuss the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia outside the context of the Karabakh issue," he said.
"It is a complicated situation for us,” he said. “We respect the right to self-determination; we have and will continue to defend the right of the people of Karabakh to determine their own destiny.
“The independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been recognized by the Russian Federation, one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and our strategic partner, while the other two co-chairs [The United States and France] have recognized the independence of Kosovo,” Rustamian said.
But the issue ultimately concerns Georgia, with whom normal relations are of vital interest for Armenia, he noted.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday echoed Rustamian's sentiments regarding Armenia's position in the Russian Georgian conflict. According to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tigran Balayan, Armenia has and will continue to support a peaceful resolution to the conflicts in the South Caucasus. Such conflicts “should be solved through the free expression of will,” he said during a press conference.
Meanwhle, the conflict in Georgia has also put Azerbaijan in a predicament. With its export routes to the West having been blocked by the Russian presence in Georgia, Baku has been carefully considering its options.
“Initially, Baku was excited by the conflict in Georgia's South Ossetia region because it provided a possible blueprint for dealing with Azerbaijan's own restive separatist enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh--and for potentially imposing a new military reality on Baku's regional rival, Armenia,” according to Stratfor, a leading online publisher of geopolitical intelligence.
Following the Georgian military's Aug. 8 invasion of South Ossetia, Azerbaijan's leadership convened an emergency meeting at which they reportedly gave serious consideration to invading Nagorno-Karabakh, contingent on the eventual success of the Georgian operation, Stratfor reported, citing anonymous sources in Azerbaijan's government.
I have to say that I am leaning towards the Russian point of view and have been since August 7th. With that said, I don’ t think it is necessary to further elaborate on what we have seen other than the “territorial integrity” BS that the West and Europe is pushing. The same territorial integrity drum is being beaten when talking about Artsakh and the Azeri claims.
Let me tell you that in the true sense of the meaning, both Georgia and Azerbaijan have no territorial claims to what was not under their control when they declared independence. Their claim is the same as let’s say Mexico claiming California as being part of their territory, thus threatening the integrity of their boarders.
Bottom line is that we were not a part of or being controlled by Azerbaijan when they declared independence, just like Abkhazia and South Ossetia were not a part of Georgia.
Russia did the right thing when they recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia’s independence. It sent a message to Georgia that the game is over and if they try another attempt to take over a Russian friendly country, they will not get away with. Let them do the same with Artsakh and that will put the brakes on the Azeri's even thinking about attacking us in the future.
You may ask when and how this will all end? It’s hard to tell, but my guess is that in the end as long as Russia does not back down and leave Poti (which I hope they don’t), the Georgian President (who happens to be part Armenia, but I’m told hates Armenians), will loose credibility among his own people and eventually have to answer for sparking this conflict. And I bet that years from now we will learn that just like Saddam invading Kuwait back in 1990 on the advice of the U.S., we will learn that the U.S. advised Georgia to do what it did. I would guess this is why the Georgian President was and is so mad at the U.S. for leaving him hanging out to dry.
And for your reading pleasure, the following is a news article from Azbarez.com that read as if some poor misguided reporter does recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as part of Georgia’s territory [in the sixth paragraph of the story].
Armenia Must Respond Cautiously to Abkhazia, South Ossetia Independence, Says Rustamian
www.azbarez.com
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Armenia should not hastily react to Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia with its own recognition of the break away republics' independence, ARF Supreme Council of Armenia Representative Armen Rustamian said during a press conference on Monday.
"In these conditions, the ARF believes that the Republic of Armenia should not act hastily as it did in the case of Kosovo,” Rustamian stated. “Armenia has not even recognized the independence of Karabakh, because it doesn't consider that the international community's ability to resolve the issue peacefully has been exhausted.”
According to Rustamian, who also chairs the Armenian National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs, the possibilities to peacefully resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict have similarly not been exhausted.
Rustamian's comments came in response to a reporter's question regarding Armenia's position on Russia's recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed on Tuesday two decrees granting formal recognition to the Georgian breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after both houses of the Russian Parliament on Monday unanimously voted to back their independence.
The move is a response to the West's approval of Kosovo's independence earlier in 2008 and effectively shatters Georgia's territorial integrity, escalating tension in the volatile Caucasus and putting Moscow on a collision course with the West.
Russia's military defeat of Georgia has made the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict more complicated, according to Rustamian.
“The Republic of Armenia cannot discuss the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia outside the context of the Karabakh issue," he said.
"It is a complicated situation for us,” he said. “We respect the right to self-determination; we have and will continue to defend the right of the people of Karabakh to determine their own destiny.
“The independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been recognized by the Russian Federation, one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and our strategic partner, while the other two co-chairs [The United States and France] have recognized the independence of Kosovo,” Rustamian said.
But the issue ultimately concerns Georgia, with whom normal relations are of vital interest for Armenia, he noted.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday echoed Rustamian's sentiments regarding Armenia's position in the Russian Georgian conflict. According to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tigran Balayan, Armenia has and will continue to support a peaceful resolution to the conflicts in the South Caucasus. Such conflicts “should be solved through the free expression of will,” he said during a press conference.
Meanwhle, the conflict in Georgia has also put Azerbaijan in a predicament. With its export routes to the West having been blocked by the Russian presence in Georgia, Baku has been carefully considering its options.
“Initially, Baku was excited by the conflict in Georgia's South Ossetia region because it provided a possible blueprint for dealing with Azerbaijan's own restive separatist enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh--and for potentially imposing a new military reality on Baku's regional rival, Armenia,” according to Stratfor, a leading online publisher of geopolitical intelligence.
Following the Georgian military's Aug. 8 invasion of South Ossetia, Azerbaijan's leadership convened an emergency meeting at which they reportedly gave serious consideration to invading Nagorno-Karabakh, contingent on the eventual success of the Georgian operation, Stratfor reported, citing anonymous sources in Azerbaijan's government.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
World Governments Target YouTube
www.redorbit.com
Posted on: Tuesday, 11 March 2008, 12:00 CDT
Since its launch in February 2005, YouTube has been blocked or banned by a number of countries, among others China, Iran (and several other Middle East countries), Pakistan, Turkey, Burma and Brazil. The issue was highlighted in late February when Pakistan caused an international four-day outage in its most recent attempt to block the site. As can be expected, the reasons for banning the Google-owned video-sharing site vary from country to country.
[...]
Censorship for all reasons
The wide range of reasons advanced for blocking YouTube around the globe reveals how exposed it is to many agendas and vested interests.
Turkey has banned YouTube several times over insults to their founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, or "insulting Turkishness" - a serious crime under the controversial Article 301 of the penal code. The Turkish Telecommunications Board is ordered by court order to block any site falling foul of this law. Turkish authorities claim it is not government censorship, but legal process. However, critics say the law is used to silence government critics.
In the United Arab Emirates, YouTube was blocked because it presented a seven-part documentary "Desert Nights", on the trafficking of Armenian women for the prostitution industry in Dubai. Ara Manoogian, the Armenian journalist who made the documentary (along with Edik Baghdasaryan), claimed in a blog (aramanoogian.blogspot) on 19 June 2006 that police and migration service officials in Dubai were involved in the prostitution racket. News site Hetq Online, which reported the claims, was also blocked.
[...]
Moral justification for censorship
University of Toronto-based Nart Villeneuve (www.nartv.org), who monitors internet censorship, points out that, "It is often under the rubric of morality and public order and/or national security that internet censorship is framed by those who seek its implementation or seek to justify its ongoing practice. The practice of filtering ... is growing. Increasingly, it is not the practice of filtering that is being challenged, the debate is about what content is being filtered. In other words, how the practice of filtering is being framed is the location where ideas about censorship are being contested. China, for example, justifies its extensive internet filtering and surveillance systems by 'stressing repeatedly that Chinese internet minders abide strictly by laws and regulations that in some cases have been modelled on American and European statutes', Chinese official Liu Zhengrong told the New York Times."
Source: BBC Monitoring Media
Posted on: Tuesday, 11 March 2008, 12:00 CDT
Since its launch in February 2005, YouTube has been blocked or banned by a number of countries, among others China, Iran (and several other Middle East countries), Pakistan, Turkey, Burma and Brazil. The issue was highlighted in late February when Pakistan caused an international four-day outage in its most recent attempt to block the site. As can be expected, the reasons for banning the Google-owned video-sharing site vary from country to country.
[...]
Censorship for all reasons
The wide range of reasons advanced for blocking YouTube around the globe reveals how exposed it is to many agendas and vested interests.
Turkey has banned YouTube several times over insults to their founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, or "insulting Turkishness" - a serious crime under the controversial Article 301 of the penal code. The Turkish Telecommunications Board is ordered by court order to block any site falling foul of this law. Turkish authorities claim it is not government censorship, but legal process. However, critics say the law is used to silence government critics.
In the United Arab Emirates, YouTube was blocked because it presented a seven-part documentary "Desert Nights", on the trafficking of Armenian women for the prostitution industry in Dubai. Ara Manoogian, the Armenian journalist who made the documentary (along with Edik Baghdasaryan), claimed in a blog (aramanoogian.blogspot) on 19 June 2006 that police and migration service officials in Dubai were involved in the prostitution racket. News site Hetq Online, which reported the claims, was also blocked.
[...]
Moral justification for censorship
University of Toronto-based Nart Villeneuve (www.nartv.org), who monitors internet censorship, points out that, "It is often under the rubric of morality and public order and/or national security that internet censorship is framed by those who seek its implementation or seek to justify its ongoing practice. The practice of filtering ... is growing. Increasingly, it is not the practice of filtering that is being challenged, the debate is about what content is being filtered. In other words, how the practice of filtering is being framed is the location where ideas about censorship are being contested. China, for example, justifies its extensive internet filtering and surveillance systems by 'stressing repeatedly that Chinese internet minders abide strictly by laws and regulations that in some cases have been modelled on American and European statutes', Chinese official Liu Zhengrong told the New York Times."
Source: BBC Monitoring Media
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Alex's Agra Hadig Party
The centuries-old Armenian tradition agra hadig was celebrated today in Martuni.
Agra means "tooth," and hadig refers to a traditionally cooked wheat dish eaten on this occasion. The agra hadig celebrates the appearance of the baby's first tooth. In this case our son Alex broke his first tooth last week.
Yesterday we made a special trip to Stepanagert to shop for todays party. We purchased different grains, lots of fruit, candy and drinks. On the way back to Martuni we stopped in Agdam for the Watermellon, which is at the hight of the season now.
My wife invited her close friends and the neighborhood women and children to join us.
We placed Alex on the floor and places objects in front of him. The tradition says that the first object the he selects predicts his future occupation. Before he made the selection, his head was covered with a piece of plastic, onto which some hadig was sprinkled. This process is said to signify a wish for fruitfulness.
They say that if the child picks up a book or a Bible, s/he will be a scholar, teacher, or clergyperson; if the child chooses money, s/he will become a banker, financier or wealthy person; if the baby selects a hammer, s/he will be in the building trades; a knife symbolizes a doctor or surgeon; and scissors foretell a life as a seamstress or tailor. Well of all the objects we offered Alex, he dug out a pen that was covered in hadig. Great, that's all we need, another writer in the family.
Anyway, I wish the very best for our son Alex. May he be the best writer he can be and if things work as his great-grandmother said they will, the pain of cutting teeth will now end, which will make us all very happy.
Agra means "tooth," and hadig refers to a traditionally cooked wheat dish eaten on this occasion. The agra hadig celebrates the appearance of the baby's first tooth. In this case our son Alex broke his first tooth last week.
Yesterday we made a special trip to Stepanagert to shop for todays party. We purchased different grains, lots of fruit, candy and drinks. On the way back to Martuni we stopped in Agdam for the Watermellon, which is at the hight of the season now.
My wife invited her close friends and the neighborhood women and children to join us.
We placed Alex on the floor and places objects in front of him. The tradition says that the first object the he selects predicts his future occupation. Before he made the selection, his head was covered with a piece of plastic, onto which some hadig was sprinkled. This process is said to signify a wish for fruitfulness.They say that if the child picks up a book or a Bible, s/he will be a scholar, teacher, or clergyperson; if the child chooses money, s/he will become a banker, financier or wealthy person; if the baby selects a hammer, s/he will be in the building trades; a knife symbolizes a doctor or surgeon; and scissors foretell a life as a seamstress or tailor. Well of all the objects we offered Alex, he dug out a pen that was covered in hadig. Great, that's all we need, another writer in the family.
Anyway, I wish the very best for our son Alex. May he be the best writer he can be and if things work as his great-grandmother said they will, the pain of cutting teeth will now end, which will make us all very happy.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Claremont Genocide University
The following video is a must see for those of you who think that Turkey is ready to settle the Genocide issue with the Armenian Nation.
It seems that Claremount Graduate University sides with the lies that the Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles, Hakan Tekin is spreading.
I'm not sure what the Armenian community is doing to counter this other than standing by Peter Musurlian of Globalist Films.
I would think a strong outcry from the community at large, demanding a venue to discuss this issue and being allowed to present facts to counter what Hakan Tekin has stated is in order.
The following video should give you a better idea of the lies the Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles is spreading.
It seems that Claremount Graduate University sides with the lies that the Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles, Hakan Tekin is spreading.
I'm not sure what the Armenian community is doing to counter this other than standing by Peter Musurlian of Globalist Films.
I would think a strong outcry from the community at large, demanding a venue to discuss this issue and being allowed to present facts to counter what Hakan Tekin has stated is in order.
The following video should give you a better idea of the lies the Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles is spreading.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Populating Shushi
Today while in Shushi, I learned that there could be a plan to move the old age homes from Stepanagert there. I don't know if this plan is final, but would hope that the whole thing was well thought out.
In America, when you get old, you move to a place that is hot and dry. Shushi is not that place I can tell you. When I have to go there in the winter, I can't wait to get out of there. It is very cold, depressing and winter lasts so long.
If you ask me, the old age homes should be moved in Martuni (if moved at all), where for the most part it is hot and dry.
I would highly recommend to the government to do a study as to where is the best place to take the elderly so they will live the longest possible life and be at the least risk of getting sick.
It also seems that they will be moving to Shushi some government agencies and educational institutions. I think this is a better idea, since people getting an education would only have to deal with the cold weather for a few years and government workers who don't like to work there can be transfered, where the old folk would have to deal weather that may not be cohesive with their condition until their death (which could come much sooner if they have to live in Shushi).
Shushi is known for having a prison. Of course if you did something bad and need to be punished, what better place to be put than in a cold depressing place like Shushi where not many people will go out of there way to visit you.
I again will say that this plan needs to be well thought out and experts who are educated in the health field need to be involved (not people who have purchased their diploma and act as if they know something about health, which sadly today we have many such people). We have to think of what is best for our elderly, who have done their part to build our nation and deserve for their final years to be dignified ones and not just shoved off to one side, left to die.
In America, when you get old, you move to a place that is hot and dry. Shushi is not that place I can tell you. When I have to go there in the winter, I can't wait to get out of there. It is very cold, depressing and winter lasts so long.
If you ask me, the old age homes should be moved in Martuni (if moved at all), where for the most part it is hot and dry.
I would highly recommend to the government to do a study as to where is the best place to take the elderly so they will live the longest possible life and be at the least risk of getting sick.
It also seems that they will be moving to Shushi some government agencies and educational institutions. I think this is a better idea, since people getting an education would only have to deal with the cold weather for a few years and government workers who don't like to work there can be transfered, where the old folk would have to deal weather that may not be cohesive with their condition until their death (which could come much sooner if they have to live in Shushi).
Shushi is known for having a prison. Of course if you did something bad and need to be punished, what better place to be put than in a cold depressing place like Shushi where not many people will go out of there way to visit you.
I again will say that this plan needs to be well thought out and experts who are educated in the health field need to be involved (not people who have purchased their diploma and act as if they know something about health, which sadly today we have many such people). We have to think of what is best for our elderly, who have done their part to build our nation and deserve for their final years to be dignified ones and not just shoved off to one side, left to die.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
MUST READ - Election Report
This is a must read for all that are interested in what had really happened during the February 19th election in Armenia (click here). The report also touches on all other elections that have taken place in Armenia since independence.
The report was a collective effort of the members of Policy Forum Armenia, which I am a member of.
The report was a collective effort of the members of Policy Forum Armenia, which I am a member of.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)