Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Have fun, be safe, eat in moderation, and be kind to one another!

Video: Tony Rock Mocks Armenians

It's all in good fun! Try to catch the first minute and a half...

Oh, Tony is Chris Rock's brother!

Turkey Attacks Kurds, Again

Looks like Turkey is attempting to relive its glory days once again, the days when it attempted to eradicate entire communities for sport.

Fighter planes attacked positions held by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a 35-minute raid, the army said.

Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Levent Bilman told the BBC the United States "supplied actionable intelligence" for that operation.

Besides the healthy dose of bullshit present in the article as well as the entire conflict, the level of patriotism over U.S.-made weapons at the control of barbarians is also laughable. Frankly, I await the day when Turkey is no longer a strategic ally of the United States and is forced to return to its not-so-distant caveman past.

Source: BBC News

Video: Insurance Company Kills Armenian Girl

This is the tragic story of a girl named Nataline Sarkisyan who was denied a liver transplant and allowed to die, even though her insurance company CIGNA had committed to the precedure prior to her developing a lung infection. As a result, the family has now hired Mark Geragos to sue CIGNA for having "maliciously killed her."

If this moves you - and I have no doubt that it does unless you're inhuman or a Turk - then watch the movie Sicko. Nataline's life is just one example of the exploitation of patients by ruthless insurance companies for profit.

It doesn't have to be this way.

More details at ABC News

Armenian Boxers Victorious in December

I've not been paying attention to all the happenings in December but it turns out that at least two famous Armenian boxers have climbed even further up the ranks!

First, on December 8, 2007, German-based Arthur Abraham defeated Wayne Elcock in Switzerland by TKO, attaining a record of 25-0. Perfect! Back home, Vanes Martirosyan defeated Dan Wallace by TKO in the 1st round for a career record of 17-0!

Congratulations to our boxers! May they reach the pinnacles of their sports and make every Armenian proud, not to mention inspire a generation of other athletes!

Further Reading
Arthur Abraham on ArmeniaBlog
Vanes Martirosyan on ArmeniaBlog

HayEli - Black 24

The sometimes-hypocritical HayEli brings us this latest curse-filled song. I must say, I love it.

If you're at work, be warned that there is a lot of appropriate cursing in the video.

Brothers Unite Music Video

Gary Kasparov Beat, Detained

The latest trend in "democratic" Russia:

Riot police beat and detained opposition leader Garry Kasparov Saturday as they took dozens of protesters into custody at a rally against President Vladimir Putin, his assistant said.

He was later taken to a city court, where he was charged with organizing an unsanctioned protest and resisting arrest. The court proceedings were continuing Saturday evening and it was unclear whether Kasparov would be released.

Kasparov has been speaking out against Putin for quite some time.

Source: AP

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

...though I can't help but lament the naming of this beautiful bird! Find out why!

We'll be back after consuming copious amounts of Turkey! Gobble!

Video: History of Armenia!

Check out this well-made video - complete with a dramatic soundtrack - of the history of Armenia and its people!

Jews Spitting on Armenian Crosses in Jerusalem

Jews have always been Anti-Armenian, but they've reached a new low even by their standards.

On Sunday, a fracas developed when a yeshiva student spat at the cross being carried by the Armenian Archbishop during a procession near the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City. The archbishop's 17th-century cross was broken during the brawl and he slapped the yeshiva student.

"When there is an attack against Jews anywhere in the world, the Israeli government is incensed, so why when our religion and pride are hurt, don't they take harsher measures?" asks Archbishop Nourhan Manougian.

The boy's punishment? A promise of a "trial" and a ban of 75 days from the Old City. Let me go to a synagogue and spit on and break a Star of David and then let's see if I will get a 75 day ban.

And by the way, the source is Haaretz, a Jewish news site, not anti-Semitic nonsense.

Sirusho Chosen for Eurovision 2008!

This just made my day!

Armenian pop singer Sirusho is going to represent Armenia during Eurovision-2008 international song contest. The contest will take place in Serbian Belgrade next year.

According to new rules of Eurovision, the song that will be performed during the contest must be decided in a public vote.

Let's hope the public is able to pick a song that doesn't automatically guarantee failure, like last year's. Unfortunately, it is not yet known whether innocent bystanders will be beat, stabbed, or shot, but keep checking back.

Source: Panorama

Armenians as Original People of Britain?

Now here's something to wrap your head around! On the first page of one of the earliest chronicles of English history, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it is stated - rather explicitly - that Armenians were the first people of Britain. No, the RedBull you just had isn't playing tricks on your mind!

The island Britain is 800 miles long, and 200 miles broad. And there are in the island five nations; English, Welsh (or British), Scottish, Pictish, and Latin. The first inhabitants were the Britons, who came from Armenia, and first peopled Britain southward.

Whoa there! Are you telling me that Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Black Sabbath all have Armenian blood? Forget the deeper historical implications, that's great news! Well, maybe not so. Reading the Chronicle further - and you're free to do so yourself with the link on the bottom - we find that there may be a possible error.

We look at the footnotes and find this:

De tractu Armoricano." --Bede, "Ecclesiastical History" i. I. The word Armenia occurring a few lines above in Bede, it was perhaps inadvertently written by the Saxon compiler of the "Chronicle" instead of Armorica.

In other words, it is very possible - nay, probable - that whoever wrote that particular sentence and included "Armenia" intended to write Armorica.

But what the hell is Armorica?

Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. The toponym is based on the Gaulish phrase are mori "on/at [the] sea", made into the Gaulish place name Aremorica 'Place by the Sea'.

Since my efforts to find reliable maps of Armorica were fruitless, I thus conclude that the history of Armenia & Britain were purposely obscured throughout the ages by opposing forces. Therefore, Armorica never existed and it was indeed Armenians who initially inhabited Britain!

Another mystery solved.

Source: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Armorica on WikiPedia

Bored Armenian Creates "Baby Yoga"

What do you give to the child that has everything? Baby yoga classes, of course!

Itsy Bitsy Yoga is the brainchild of Helen Garabedian, who was born near Boston, has lived in Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, and now resides in Sudbury, Mass...

"It really does help the kids with sleeping, and helps parents with bonding," she says. "It helps you just feel better as a parent, to be able to be present as a parent, teaching you techniques that calm and comfort the child. And the environment is kind of special. It's a great time for like-minded parents to come together and get to know one another."

I feel sorry for these parents who need to rely on baby yoga to bond or otherwise put their kids to sleep. Sounds to me like a lazy way out, really.

Source: OC Register

The Armenia Blog as LOLCats

This post has nearly nothing to do with Armenia, but it's Sunday and you shouldn't expect anything thought provoking, anyway!

bl0g uv all thing armenia!!??!! www.thearmeniabl0g.com
levon ta petrosyan 2 run 4 president
armenian 2 auction adolf hitla personal globe!!??!!...

If that doesn't make any sense to you, then you're not alone.

Click here to see the entire Armenia Blog front page translated to LOLCats!

Welcome to Hell, aka Georgia

Click to enlarge.

Here's what the BBC has to say on the issue, which seems to be winding down:

In an address on state television on Thursday, Mr Saakashvili gave in to opposition demands and brought presidential elections forward to January.

A day earlier, he had imposed a state of emergency after riot police used force to put down opposition protests in the capital, Tbilisi.

Something tells me that we haven't see the last of the Georgian stormtroopers.

Andranik: The Comic!

Click above to enlarge. Note: it will take some time to open up!

Apparently published in 1930 in "NY Journal American," this cool comic-like art speaks highly of the great Andranik. This picture was sent to me anonymously so if you have any more information, let me know.

Read the whole thing!

ArmoBlog is now WWW.TheArmeniaBlog.COM!

I wanted to announce our new domain name: www.TheArmeniaBlog.com! The old http://armoblog.blogspot.com will still work, but go ahead and put the new address in your favorites.

It's easier to remember, too!

Turkey to Change Article 301 Laws

This certainly won't bring Hrant Dink back nor return to Orhan Pamuk the time he lost overseas.

Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said a new bill would be put before the Turkish parliament in the coming days. The law, known as Article 301, bans perceived insults to Turkish identity or the country's institutions.

It has often been invoked by nationalists against those who argue the Ottoman empire committed genocide against Armenians. Earlier on Tuesday the European Commission said restrictions on freedom of expression were blocking Turkey's progress towards EU membership.

No, the Turks haven't decided to be decent: they just want to be a part of the EU really, really badly.

Source: BBC

Azerbaijan Boosts Military Budget...Again

Frankly, reporting on Aliyev's threats and his ever-skyrocketing defense budget is tiresome.

He [Aliyev] told a government meeting that the military budget will grow by $300 million to $1.3 billion in 2008.

"The insincere behaviour of Armenian occupation forces, dragging out the negotiation process, forces us to devote greater attention to military issues," Aliyev said. "Azerbaijan must be ready to liberate its lands by any means."

Good ol' Ali hasn't lost his sense of humor, even if he may have lost 20% of "his" country.

Source: Reuters

Youth Palace Doppelganger or: The Rise & Fall of "Krtsats Kukuruz"

Our beloved Kukuruz is gone now for the second year, falling victim to the desires of capitalist pigs! The iconic building was "sold" by the "government" for a mere $740,000 to monopolist Avangard Motors Company, the owner of which hopes to build a modern hotel in its place. Blasphemy!

In all seriousness, the Youth Palace was a familiar symbol of Yerevan in postcards and elsewhere, the Armenian version of the famous Hollywood sign. It was unlike any other building in the Yerevan skyline - one that looked like eaten corn - and it will be missed.

Even though fundraising for the building began in the early 1960s, it took more than a decade to be completed. Before its demise in 2005, it served as a hotel with some 500 beds, a concert hall, a restaurant (spinning, if I recall), and other goodies. Here is a picture of it:



What a beautiful and original look, right? It was designed by a group of young Armenian architects some 40 years ago. But what if it was a copy of a building on the other side of the world?





A ha! The two pictures above show Marina City in Chicago, a pair of residential towers designed in 1959 and built in 1964, well before the Youth Palace was ever committed to paper. Further, both buildings appear to be built around a central backbone of reinforced concrete. Oh, and Marina City is known as "Corn Cob Building" to the local residents!

So what should we do? Bow our heads in shame and never speak of it or proclaim that they copied us? Or further, continue to celebrate our beloved Kukuruz regardless? First and foremost, we must keep in mind that there exists a third possibility of two separate architects designing something similar. The use of concrete and designs reminiscent of futurism were all the rage in those years, and that vision towards tomorrow wasn't limited to just Western countries, either. If it was indeed copied, so what? Walt Disney's architects copied Neuschwanstein Castle for Cinderella's Castle in Disneyland.

And isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? When this was conceived and built, in the 1960s and 1970s, every young person in Communist countries wanted freedom and they all looked to the United States as a beacon of a society without limits and one with opportunities and openness. It could very well be the case that those architects were defying Communist ideals and striving for something greater, hoping that a Corn Cob building in their own country would never cease to amaze and inspire a generation of Armenians to come.

And for that reason we can never cease to respect and remember our Kukuruz!

Further reading:
ArmeniaNow
Marina City on WikiPedia

Levon Ter Petrosyan to Run for President

This is for the 12 people amongst you who haven't yet heard this bit of rather interesting news.

Levon Ter Petrosyan, the former and first president of the Republic of Armenia announced his candidacy to run for becoming the 3rd president of the Republic of Armenia.

This announcement was highly anticipated, but experts doubted that Ter Petrosyan will not run for presidency unless he knows that he can win.

However, his support in Armenia is not widespread because people blame Ter Petrosyan for weak management of the government, the start of wide-spread corruption and for all the misdeeds of today's social life.

I'm one of those people. Down with Petrosyan!

Source: Huliq

Picture: Armenian Soldiers in Iraq

Well, not soldiers per se. If you recall, they are: "...truck drivers, 10 sappers, 3 medics and 2 officers" or some combination thereof.

DIY: Build Your Own Sputnik

If the relevance of this post doesn't blow your mind then its content surely will.

In 1957 the Sputnik 1 satellite was seen as a technological marvel, the result of many years work by some of the Soviet Union's most talented engineers and scientists. But by today's standards, was it really such a big deal? In 2007, how hard would it be to build a fully working Sputnik in the comfort of your own living room?

Armenia spent the greater part of the last century as a part of the mighty Soviet Union, so it's only fitting to pay tribute to Sputnik. I'm certain that many nameless Armenians worked tirelessly to make it a success, so this one's for them!

Here's how to build your own Sputnik

Armenian to Auction Adolf Hitler's Personal Globe!

This is one of those hard to believe stories. Here are the facts:

Barsamian found the globe in May 1945 in the Berghof, Hitler's home in the Bavarian Alps town of Berchtesgaden. He boxed it up with a few other keepsakes, including a pistol and a dagger, and shipped them home.

"Literally, the place is all bombed out and here this globe is sitting there on the desk," said John Barsamian, now 91.

If you have some money burning in your pocket, the globe will be auction in November with estimates ranging up to $20,000.

Source: Yahoo! News

The Top Secret Armenian Google!

This is not a joke! It turns out Google has a version for just about every language and country, including Armenia. See it for yourself: google.am.

"Google Hayastan" is the official name. Neat, eh?

Soviet-era Arcade in Yerevan

This photo brings back a lot of good memories! Before Nintendos, Ataris, and Colecovisions made their way into private arcades, these were the games that we'd play.

Original and higher resolution version can be found on Flickr

Miss Armenia 2007 Crowned!

Who cares about passing the genocide bill? Honestly, there are far more important things in life, like Miss Armenia.

Margarita Sarukhanyan, the “Miss Armenia 2007,” was handed the crown by Marina Vardanyan who was announced the best during Miss Armenia – 2006 contest. The crown costs $7,000. It has 425 diamond stones, 14 ruby and carbuncle. It is made of white gold.

Thus, Margarita Sarukhanyan was awarded the right to represent Armenia during "Miss Europe."

I hope they missed a zero in the crown cost or I'm going to hide my head in shame. Oh, and pictured is last year's winner, Marina Vardanyan.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenia Blog: What's Happening?

Oh no, what's happening? Quite a bit! As Armenia Blog nears its 1st birthday, it's only fair to make it even better. So if things look a little funky over the next few days, please bear with me. As the previous design only made use of a tiny bit of space in the center, the new design will hope to cover your entire screen in Armenian goodness.

Now, doesn't that sound great?

3rd Annual Armenian Festival Today & Tomorrow in Laguna Hills!

Here's an event that you probably shouldn't miss: an Armenian Festival in the OC! The festival, now in its third year, features food, dancing, arts and crafts, merchants, and other fun stuff!

Have a look at their photo gallery to get an idea of what to expect.

I'm no way affiliated with the festival, but it sounds like a fun way to spend one's weekend.

Here are the essentials:
Date & Time: October 13, 12PM to 10PM and October 14, 12PM to 8PM.
Address: 25555 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills
Phone: 949-309-2900
Admission: $3, 12 and under free.

For more information, check out the website: ArmenianFestival.org

Brief History of Armenians and Astronomy

ArmeniaNow has a really interesting article that briefly looks at some of the many accomplishments of Armenians in the field of astronomy and space sciences. Here's an excerpt:

...long before – IV-III millennium BC -- some 30 kilometers east of Yerevan, one of the world’s oldest observatories looked to the sky perhaps for the same reasons the Russians and Americans would later fight to dominate it.

Though sadly deteriorating, patterns of night skies carved into rocks that became celestial maps for early astronomers can still be seen on a Metsamor hill. Fifty years? Hardly a flash compared to the centuries Armenians have been interested in the heavens.

I found this article very informative and interesting, to say the least. Check it out here.

Video: Stepan Partamian - Genius or Idiot?

You either love him or hate him. Personally, I don't understand how people can respect this guy. See for yourself.

Armenian Boy Raises Money for Charity

Check out this Armenian kid and his fund raising efforts for his community. What a great model for everyone!

You can see the video story on CBS4. Be patient, because it takes a while to load.

Victory for Armenians: Genocide Bill Passes First Step!

Earlier Bush had this to say, but it seems his even his superior persuasive skills could not prevent the bill from moving forward!

It passed through the House Foreign Affairs Committee by 27 votes to 21 - the first step towards holding a vote in the House of Representatives.

After the vote, the US Undersecretary of State, Nicholas Burns, told the BBC that the Bush administration was "deeply disappointed".

Of course, there was predictable opposition from some, especially the anti-Armenian Jewish members of Congress:

"We have to weigh the desire to express our solidarity with the Armenian people... against the risk that it could cause young men and women in the uniform of the United States armed services to pay an even heavier price than they are currently paying," he said.

That was said by Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Source: BBC News

Bush Urges Against Armenian Genocide Resolution

I haven't blogged for a while, but what better time to restart than now?

"This resolution is not the right response to these historic mass killings," he said hours before a vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It is highly unusual for the White House to make such a dramatic last-minute intervention in Congressional business...

With the opposition Democrats now in charge in Congress, they could force a vote, dealing a potentially grave blow to the Bush administration's efforts to keep Turkey on side...

By the way, this story is the top story on BBC right now. Obviously Bush knows how close it is to getting passed and is doing everything he can to prevent that from happening.

Source: BBC News

Video: VIP Draxt

This is a bit old, but who cares? It's extremely funny, especially if you "get" the jokes and other references.

Video: Serj Tankian Interviews Himself

This is Serj Tankian, the lead singer of System of a Down, conducting an interview about his upcoming solo album. Notice anything strange?

Video: Brow Down

True, true, and true. Enjoy!

September 13, 2007 Update: A live version of this song may be performed somewhere in Glendale, according to a live interview on KROQ. Should you be excited, scared, or should you get your Deagle ready?

Dikran Izmirlian: The Armenian Peanut Tycoon

It is always fun to find out about wealthy and influential Armenian figures around the world, though admittedly more so when their source of wealth stems from a near-monopoly of the peanut!

The firm's principal shareholder has been identified as Dikran Izmirlian, 77, who made his fortune by creating a near-monopoly on the world's peanut market. Izmirlian, who is of Armenian descent, is chairman and chief executive of Alimenta, a company that has built up a big interest in the Gambian peanut, or groundnut, market.

Despite holding a Swiss passport, Dikran Izmirlian has roots in Armenia. In 1994 he established the Izmirlian Foundation in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, to support education and business in the country. Other philanthropic work involves funding construction work at the city's university library, military academy and religious institutions.

I can't promise that my hatred for peanuts will disappear, but at least we have identified another Armenian who has made a mark on the world!

Source: The Sunday Times, May 23, 2004

Zhesht: Armenian Metal

And now for something completely different!

It turns out there is a community of Armenian musicians who have dedicated themselves to metal. System of a Down by comparison is a New Age act! With names like Medagh, pictured, to Vahagn, these guys are truly re-defining our notions of what Armenian music is in Armenia and elsewhere.

If you like metal, heavy metal, black metal, death metal, and so on, visit the Zhesht MySpace page. They also have sound samples there!

Fighting for Animal Rights in Armenia

Yours truly loves animals and so you can imagine my surprise and delight when I ran across a mention of an Armenian organization that aims to, in their words, "Protect animals from the cruelty of human society." In a country where animals are treated poorly, it's great to see someone doing something to change things for the better. The story behind it is inspiring, too:

Yervand [Shlepchyan], a thirty-nine year old civil engineer, began to seek out, among his friends and acquaintances, others who cared deeply about animals. He found a lawyer, a PR specialist and designer, a zoologist, and a program developer. With Yervand as the manager of the team, they formed their new organization: "Animals’ Rights in the Armenian Highlands" or ARIAH for short.

Learn more about ARIAH on their home page. Maybe you'll even find a way to help them out in fulfilling their mission!

Source: BestFriends.org.
Thanks to Onnik Krikorian for picture and original source.

VIDEO: Vic Darchinyan Knocked Out!

This is something I think would happen!

Vic Darchinyan was beaten for the first time in his career on Saturday to lose his grip on his IBF flyweight title.

"I'm very disappointed," he said. "He caught me with a very good shot. I'll be back. I definitely want a rematch."

It should be noted that Vic defeated Nonito Donaire's brother Glenn Donaire last year, so Nonito was hungry for blood. Regardless, I believe that Vic will come back stronger and re-take the title!



Source: BBC

Alvin and the Armenian Chipmunks

Click to enlarge.

You must be thinking that I've lost my mind, right? Well, not quite! If you watched Alvin and the Chipmunks growing up, then maybe you realized one of the names in the closing credits as being distinctly Armenian: Ross Bagdasarian. Well, as it turns out, Ross was the cousin of William Saroyan and his stage name was David Seville! David Seville, if you recall, was the man who took care of the Chipmunks in the shows!

Well, all of this is great, but I really wrote this entry to announce that there will be a Chipmunks movie this Christmas produced by none other than Ross Bagdasarian, Junior, the son of the late Ross Bagdasarian.

Don't miss it!

Tourist's Guide to Yerevan

Thinking about visiting Armenia this summer? Well, even if you're already there, ArmeniaNow has put together a really neat guide with a lot of information for any tourist. Cafes, parks, the Vernissage, walking tours, and much more can be found on their website. Also available in a PDF file.

David Nalbandian: Armenian-Argentinian Tennis Pro

Sound familiar? David Nalbandian is of Armenian descent and was born in Argentina in 1982. As of May 2007, he ranks 18th among all male tennis players in the world. In fact, he won the 2005 Tennis Masters Cup!

Is tennis the fourth sport that we're slowly coming to dominate? Boxing, wrestling, weight lifting, and now, tennis!

Source: WikiPedia

Smart People Earn Very Little

Who do you think earns the least amount of money in Armenia? Street cleaners? Garbage collectors? You'd be surprised:

The lowest wage earners in Armenia are physicists, mathematicians, educators and critics.

...in recent years there has been an increase in jobs, but the role of employment agencies remains small. Jobs are still acquired mainly through friends and acquaintances.

On a personal note, I know quite a few people through people through people in Armenia who are sitting at home with college degrees unable to fill jobs, as there are none.

Source: Yerevan.ru (translated)

Dr. Kevorkian Released from Prison

I realize I'm posting this about 3 weeks too late, but it's news to me!

...he will live with friends and resume the artistic and musical hobbies he missed while in prison. His lawyer and friends have said he plans to live on a small pension and Social Security while doing some writing and make some speeches...

...and euthanize some more people!

Source: The Seattle Times

Drilling for Oil in Armenia

I think it is fair to say that Armenians have been jealous of the vast oil resources of its neighbors for quite some time. Perhaps envious no more!

...the agreement allows prospecting on half of Armenia's territory adjacent to Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia, the states rich in oil and gas. "We suppose the south of Armenia has similar potential."

Then again, a lot of oil-rich countries have become lazy vis-a-vis business development. Too much reliance on any one resource will do that to a country.

Here's hoping some oil is found, if for nothing else other than bragging rights!

Source: Pan Armenian via Gibrahayer

Expensive Armenian License Plates

Click to enlarge.

Here are some pictures of unusual license plates. These plates are different and their owners had to pay big sums for the privilege. Of course, plates with repeating digits signify someone with significantly more connections, whether in the criminal underworld or some other place of high power.

And back in the United States, our idea of individuality is to write Armenian words in English, such as HAMOVIK.

Picture by Arthur Papyan

Bicycle Races Are Coming Your Way!

So forget all your duties oh yeah!

Between June 21st through the 27th, a bicycle race sponsored by the Armenian Technology Group will be held from Yerevan to Stepanakert and back to Yerevan again, covering a total distance of 1,200-1,300 km. Twenty cyclists will be involved in this annual competition, nine of them from the United States of America.

That's more than 750 miles without the comfort of your cushy SUV or German Import! No es impossible!

Source: Yerevan.ru (translated)

Armenia-Azerbaijan Soccer Games Cancelled

What a match it would have been!

"As no suitable compromise could be found between the two associations it was decided to cancel the two matches, namely Azerbaijan-Armenia scheduled for Sept. 8 and Armenia-Azerbaijan scheduled for Sept. 12," UEFA said in a statement.

Armenia wanted the games played on a normal home and away basis but Azerbaijan refused to host the Armenians and proposed a neutral ground for both matches.

Sadly, both teams were awarded zero points.

Source: PanArmenian

Video: Turkish Children Circumcised by Butchers

I don't normally post things of this nature, but this video shocked me so much that I decided to publish it anyway. Here is the caption:

50 Turkish children from poor families were circumcised in a butchers in Geyve, north western Turkey on Monday, an event organised and paid for by Geyve Municipality. The children were lain down on a bench in the butcher's and circumcised one by one.

If you doubt the butcher claim, have a look at the surroundings: it's a market and the signs and writings in the video prove it.

I must warn you, this video is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and contains mature content. If you feel you may be offended by barbaric violence, some nudity, and other reprehensible content, please DO NOT watch.



Please leave your reactions in the comments area.

The Funny & Pathetic Turks

Click to enlarge.

It seems every month there is a funny Turk story taking place and this one is no exception. Sure, it may be over two years old, but the sheer stupidity portrayed deserves an audience. In case you are wondering, here are the details:

Turkish demonstration in Washington on April 24, the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. You can see from the picture the outrageously ahistorical character of their claims: 3 million Turks were killed by Armenians and Greeks? This is the inversion of history. I suppose soon we will advance from Holocaust denial to the claim that Jews killed six million Germans.

There is a serious side to this, of course: that of misinformation, revision of history, and so on. Regardless, I ask all of you to look at the other side, the side which shows every single pathetically uneducated Turk making a fool of himself and herself in Washington D.C. under the guise of patriotic duty. One thing's for sure, it's utterly funny and pathetic!

Source: JihadWatch.org

Armenia's Economy Grew in First Half of 2007

Armenia's economy is on the rise yet again!

The growth of Armenia’s GDP in January-May of 2007 totaled 10.2%, as compared to the same period of 2006.

The average monthly salary in Armenia in January-May of 2007 increased by 18.0%, as compared to the same period of 2006, thus making 71016 drams.

That's almost $207 dollars a month, which compares favorably with the $186 a month in 2006, converted with today's currency exchange rates. Of course, this is assuming zero inflation and zero numbers fudging, both of which have to be taken into account with all purposely incomplete government statistics.

Source: Banks.am

The Armenian Viper Snake

The Armenian Viper is a venomous snake and is found in Armenia, Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Here's some more information:

Armenian vipers are rather short, stout venomous snakes with a total length of 60-80 cm, which includes a short tail. Their head is broad and flat, and covered with small scales, except for the large scales above the eyes.

Did you also know that in 2002 the Armenian Viper was honored on Armenian stamps?

You can learn more about the Armenian Viper by clicking on the link below.

Source: Waza

Picture: Hate Graffiti in Armenia

Click to enlarge.

You may know by now that I am not one to shy away from controversial issues, whether it be exposing unpleasant events in the past or exploring current issues which are a lot less impactful. So you can imagine my reaction when I came across the picture above: it shows a graffiti in Armenia that reads "no arabs" adorned with a swastika.

As victims of nationalism and xenophobia in Russia, Turkey, and other regions, we should know better than to perpetuate the same sort of hate, whether against Turks, Arabs, Azeris, or others. What will such an expression accomplish other than agreement amongst like-minded people and even greater anger against our neighbors? And what of the swastika? Have we forgotten that our own people were massacred in a bloody genocide from which Hitler was compelled to carry out his own? Is this graffiti then saying that we should also hate Arabs or other groups and eliminate them in a similar manner?

I doubt the person who took ten seconds out of his life to write that message ever considered what he or she was doing and what deeper meaning it may have. Perhaps it is the work of a kid with too much time on his hands and a determination to practice defacing one wall of our small country in his quest to get his skewed views across. Or maybe it is something much more sinister lurking beneath the surface of our society.

Source: Amhoov on Flickr

Nina Katchadourian's Sorted Books Project

Read the titles of the books from top to bottom. Fun, isn't it?

The process is the same in every case: culling through a collection of books, pulling particular titles, and eventually grouping the books into clusters so that the titles can be read in sequence, from top to bottom.

Nina has a lot of other projects on her website, including maps as seen on moss, crossdressing animals, renovated mushrooms, and much more.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, she is of Swedish-Finnish and Turkish-Armenian-Lebanese descent.

Here are the links: Sorted Books Project and Nina Katchadourian's Home Page

Armenia's Diamond Trade in Decline

The stone itself may last forever, but its trade certainly doesn't!

Armenia's diamond trade overall however has hit a rough patch in the past two years. Armenia reported a 35 percent decline in rough imports from all nations for the first couple of months in 2007, following an overall diamond export drop of 20 percent in 2006 to $212 million.

The article does not mention the reasons for this decline, but I suppose it has to do with cheaper labor in places like India and globalization. Anything can be blamed on globalization!

Source: Rapaport News

Possible Imprisonment for Hrant Dink's Son

Will the madness ever stop?

The Istanbul prosecutor office urges up to 3 years of imprisonment for Arat Dink, the son of Hrant Dink. An action against Agos editor Arat Dink and his fellow Sargis Serobyan was brought for a repeated publication of Hrant Dink’s interview where he recognized the Armenian Genocide.

"The most absurd and dangerous is the fact that describing a historical event as 'genocide' is perceived as insulting Turkishness," Arat Dink said.

Absurd isn't quite the word I'd use to describe the laws and lack of freedoms in Turkey!

Source: PanArmenian