Update On Krtsats Kukuruz

If you recall I posted an entry about the now-destroyed krtsats kukuruz or corn cob building that was a veritable landmark in Yerevan until recently, when it was sold for a ridiculous amount and destroyed to make way for an expensive new hotel.

All that aside, it turns out the American Krtsats Kukuruz was used in at least one movie. This clip is from 1980's "The Hunter" with the legendary Steve McQueen.



Enjoy!

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. Concerned About Armenia's Ties With Iran

It was only a matter of time until Armenia's relations with Iran, a sworn enemy of the United States, came under scrutiny.

"We are working with the rest of the international community to push Iran to comply with its international obligations [on nuclear non-proliferation]..." We have expressed our concerns to the government of Armenia on all levels."

...the diplomat went on to urge the Kocharian administration to be a "more active partner" in US-led international efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

The Armenian government has avoided any criticism of Tehran’s nuclear program, contenting itself with general calls for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

Iran has always been our neighbor and if the U.S. wants greater support for its actions, perhaps it can only be warranted by further aid to Armenia to help offset the natural losses that would occur by turning against our friend. Then again, should a conflict arise in the future, Russia and Iran are Armenia's two true allies and the United States could not be counted upon, in my opinion, to help matters in our favor.

Source: EurasiaNet

Turkey Signs $1.78 Billion Deal With United States

$1.78 billion is nearly one third of Armenia's 2006 GDP. Three guesses as to what is being bought. Got it? No?

NATO member Turkey signed a $1.78 billion deal on May 11 to buy 30 F-16 fighter jets from U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Corp as part of an ambitious program to modernize its armed forces. Under the agreement, the aircraft will be produced, assembled, tested and delivered by Turkish aerospace firm Tusas in Ankara...

In its biggest ever procurement project, Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding in January to buy 100 F-35 joint strike fighters worth nearly $10.7 billion from 2014 under a program led by Lockheed Martin.

Turkey is obviously on a buying spree. Even though the planes will be assembled in Turkey, the United States will benefit handsomely from this deal. Once more, the military gap between Turkey and Armenia widens.

This is one of the reasons that the United States has not officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. If you were on the supplying end of billions of dollars worth of defense equipment and a friend of an important NATO country in a strategic location, would you do anything to jeapordize that relationship? Forget morality, this is business and politics.

Source: DefenseNews

Video: Adam Schiff Questioning Condoleezza Rice About Armenian Genocide

Congressman Adam Schiff questioning Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding the State Department's efforts to defeat legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations - March 21, 2007

United States Upgrades Armenia's Nuclear Power Plant

Just another act of unconditional generosity from the purveyors of Democracy and great adult films!

...this new system, developed with $3.5 million in technical and financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy, includes upgraded physical access infrastructure, badges and video monitoring.

Strong nuclear security is particularly important given the current threat environment and the risk that terrorists and others will try to use nuclear material against innocents.

Oh, and because the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is rapidly reaching the end of its operational lifespan, Armenia is planning a second nuclear plant. Of course, there are many alternatives and the country benefits from its size - or lack thereof - to utilize these untapped sources of energy, but it would rather continue on a path of nuclear power generation than to explore the said alternatives. Rather sad, really.

Here's a brief history of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant that has been covered before.

Source: PanArmenian

Holocaust Survivor Lobbyist to Block Armenian Genocide Resolution

I don't want to sound racist or generalize, but is there something very wrong with this picture? A person who barely survived the Jewish Holocaust is working against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, arguably a main motivator of Hitler's doings due to lack of attention and recognition at the time.

"We will do our best stop the Armenian Genocide bill," said Tom Lantos, the most powerful person of the Jewish lobby in the U.S. and the chairman of the congressional foreign relations committee after the U.S. visit of Gül and Büyükanit.

The Turkish authorities were lobbying in the U.S. against the passage of the bill and trying to convince the chairman of the congressional foreign relations committee Tom Lantos who has a power in the Congress as he survived the Jewish massacre in the 2nd World War.

I'm a bit speechless, but if you're not, you can visit Tom Lantos's Official Webpage and tell him how you feel.

Update: Reader Helena has provided the lobbyist's phone numbers:

San Mateo: 650-342-0300
San Francisco: 415-566-5257
Washington, DC: 202-225-3531

Call him up!

Source: PanArmenian

Bill Gates, Warren Buffett Don't Want Genocide Recognition

NOTE: I can't find the original source to this story. Most places link to an Azeri website, thus I am starting to doubt whether it is real. If you can find a reputable news source with more information on this, such as the names of the 98 other people, please let me know.

Warren Buffett is perhaps my most favorite investor, but when he comes out against what is right and just, I realize that all he cares about is his personal fortune and that of his rich friends.

100 business leaders from the United States of America sent a letter to President George Bush of the United States to refuse to recognize the genocide of Armenians. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, among the signers, stress that the genocide could become a disaster for the United States.

"In the event of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, trade relations between the United States and Turkey would be severely affected."

You can do something about this:

1) Boycott all Microsoft products. Either use alternatives or pirate. Yes, I said it.
2) If you have Geico for your insurance, change it. If you have an American Express card, cancel it. Don't go to Dairy Queen, don't buy from See's Candies, throw away your Fruit of the Loom underwear and go commando, crumple the Washington Post newspaper, and when it comes time to get married, don't go to Ben Bridge, Borsheim's, or Helzberg.

Of course, you're not going to do any of that. In fact, I doubt that you even read the whole list. In case you did, the companies listed in the second section are all owned - partially or otherwise - by Berkshire Hathaway, which is the source of Buffett's fortune.

Source: Yerevan.ru (translated)

Yerevan & Los Angeles Become Sister Cities!

Also known as twin cities, this link provides mutually beneficial interactions.

The twin cities agreement between Yerevan and Los Angeles will give an impetus to further bilateral cooperation, Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa stated...

In his speech, Villaraigosa stressed Armenia's valuable contribution to the development of Losd Angeles as a city of many nations and cultures. In his turn, Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan pointed out that the agreement envisages closer cooperation in high technologies, public management, economic, cultural and educational relations.

I only wish this meant that we could exchange food simultaneously between the two cities. Nothing beats Armenian food!

Source: Arka

Hrant Dink Legislation in Senate in March

Here's some more information:

The resolution, S.Res.65, specifically mentions that Hrant Dink "was prosecuted under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for speaking about the Armenian Genocide," and urges the Turkish government to repeal this anti-free speech law. It will be "marked up" by the Committee on Tuesday, March 6th at 2:15 p.m.

Given the government's pro-Turkey stance, what do you think will be the outcome of this attempt?

Source: PanArmenian

Armenia's Role in Possible U.S. - Iran War

The possibility of war between the United States and Iran seems more likely by the day, and I covered it back when serious rumors were flying around.

U.S. attack on Iran will have a negative influence on Armenia, which will occur between two flames, specialist in Persian philology Tadevos Charchyan.

And Armenia cannot remain neutral, since a lot of things connect us with the international community. I think, we must believe and hope, proceeding from the situation, that there will not be any conflicts.

This will also affect Armenians living in the United States and I hope that no such conflict takes place.

Source: Yerkir

North Park University in Chicago to Hold Genocide Lectures

While North Park University cannot be compared to Harvard, Yale, or other such schools of note, the very fact that the Armenian Genocide will receive even more attention makes it worthwhile.

On February 24, a number of lectures will be held at the North Park University in Chicago titled "Genocides of XX and XXI centuries."

At the lectures experts will discuss the "The Concept of Genocide" based on Holocaust the Armenian Genocide, genocide of Assyrians, as well as genocides in Rwanda and Darfur (Sudan)...

I welcome any reviews of this event if any of our readers choose to attend.

Source: Yerkir

U.S. to Reassure Turkey of Blocking Genocide Resolution

So tell me: do you believe in this or that? This is the same administration we're talking about here! One side of it wants to block the Armenian Genocide Resolution, while the other side wants Turkey to be friends with Armenia.

U.S. officials will reassure the Turkish foreign minister, currently visiting Washington, that they will try to quash a proposed resolution in Congress condemning as genocide the early 20th century killings of Armenians.

George W. Bush's administration is alarmed that the suggested congressional resolution could disrupt efforts to repair strains stemming from perceptions in Ankara that regional instability caused by the U.S.-led war in Iraq have harmed Turkish interests.

Ah, so it's clear now: U.S. wants to heal the wounds - literally speaking and otherwise - of Turks who oppose the Iraq war. How does it do this? He promises to block the resolution and address other issues, such as Kurdish rebels in Northern Iraq.

Tit for that. Quid pro quo. If this isn't politics, I don't know what is.

Source: ArmeniaLiberty