Author: Chmshkian Vicken

The Gazette (Montreal)
August 8, 2005 Monday
Final Edition

Taking care of business in time of crisis: When Zaven Darakjian, who
has owned the Pitstop garage for 34 years, was diagnosed with
leukemia, his wife Araxy, a broadcaster by training, stepped in to
run the shop

by STEPHANIE WHITTAKER, Freelance

Araxy Darakjian smiles wistfully at the suggestion that she’s
handling a tough situation with grace and courage.

“Do I have any choice?” she asks. “This is our livelihood.”

Darakjian is sitting in the office chair normally occupied by her
husband, Zaven Darakjian, who, for the past 34 years, has run the
Pitstop, a garage on lower Peel St. that specializes in the repair
and maintenance of antique and foreign cars and racing cars. It’s an
eclectic place, the kind of business in which you’ll spot an open
copy of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War on a bookshelf in the bathroom
beside a volume of Armenian poetry and a calendar sporting a 1956
Ford Comet. If you’re a customer, you might sip green tea while your
vintage British sports car is being repaired.

A broadcaster by training, Araxy, 52, stepped in to run the business
a month ago when her husband was diagnosed with leukemia and
hospitalized. It’s the kind of scenario that most owners of small
businesses hope they’ll never have to face. The person who is the
nerve centre of the operation is suddenly not there and family
members must pick up the slack.

“At first, I was calling Zaven while he was in the hospital 12 times
a day to ask him about the running of the business,” Araxy said from
the office that overlooks the service area of the Pitstop. “I would
need his expertise on where to get hard-to-find car parts. His brain
works like a computer.”

The couple’s problems began last winter. “Zaven wasn’t feeling well
throughout the winter,” Araxy said. “But he thought it was the flu.
You have a few flu-like symptoms when you have cancer. Then it got
worse in May. Sometimes, he would fall asleep in his office chair. He
would complain about being tired all the time, but he was still
working and very dedicated to his community work as a basketball
coach. He would push himself.”

In early June, Zaven injured his toe and the wound wouldn’t heal. “He
knew he wasn’t getting better and on June 17, we went to the
emergency department at the Jewish General Hospital,” Araxy said.

Blood tests confirmed that he was in the early stages of acute
myeloid leukemia, a diagnosis that stunned the couple. “I said to the
doctor: ‘Surely, you’re not talking about that dirty word, cancer,’ ”
Araxy said. “But he was. We couldn’t believe it. But I trusted the
doctors. And then the specialists began visiting one by one.”

Zaven was moved into the hospital’s intensive care ward and began
receiving chemotherapy treatments. He also underwent surgery to
reduce the effects of swelling in his neck.

But his concern was what to do about his garage, where he employs one
other mechanic. “The day after I took him to the hospital, I came to
the garage and the phones were ringing,” Araxy said. “Customers
wanted to speak to Zaven. What was worse, I didn’t know how to
retrieve the phone messages from his voice mail. I didn’t know what
had hit me and then I just knew I had to come to my senses, that this
was real life.”

Unable to speak because of the tubes that were keeping his airway
open, Zaven began writing notes to his wife about the operation of
the business whenever she visited the hospital. “I’d bring the notes
to the garage the next day,” Araxy said. “He was worried about his
family (the couple have two teenage children) and the business. He
received excellent care and I told him to have faith in the doctors
so he could take care of getting better and I would take care of the
business.”

Araxy has a degree in English literature and history that led her
into a broadcasting career in Australia. Her experience of her
husband’s business had been limited to helping out with bookkeeping
and office management. She also works part-time at the Montreal
Children’s Hospital as an interpreter of Arabic and Armenian. “I
don’t know much about the technical aspects of cars,” she said. “So I
rely on our mechanic, Jean Tremblay, who does his job so well.
Meanwhile, I deal with the customers’ questions. I order parts and do
the billing. The most overwhelming part of the work was the
paperwork. This is a family-friendly garage. Customers come to have a
cup of coffee and some drop by to say hello even when they’re not
bringing their cars in for repairs. Some of Zaven’s clients who have
moved to Ontario or B.C. have sent us customers.”

Araxy said she has started to organize the office for her husband’s
return to work in two months time.

He’s home now, recuperating, but spends many hours each day sleeping
while his body recovers.

Araxy exudes the air of a woman who sets self pity aside to do what
needs to be done during a crisis. “Sometimes, I’d be sitting here in
the office and my eyes would get wet and I’d tell myself to collect
myself. You have to be tough. If you’re weak, you’ll go under.”

Zaven said he’s been impressed with how his wife has filled his shoes
in his absence. “There was so much information about the work that
she was not familiar with,” he said in a telephone interview from his
home. “I told her to be brave and I would guide her through it.
Sometimes, she’d call me a dozen times during the day with
questions.”

Araxy says she’ll stay on the job to continue helping once her
husband returns to work.

Says Zaven: “We’re a strong team. We have total faith in each other.”

GRAPHIC:
Photo: MARIE-FRANCE COALLIER, THE GAZETTE; At the Pitstop garage,
Araxy Darakjian is running the family business while her husband,
Zaven (on computer screen), recuperates from chemotherapy.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
08/05/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) EU Warns Turkey on Religious Freedom
2) Ankara Postpones Deiss Visit to Turkey
3) Armenia Rejects Azeri Charge of Anti-government Plot
4) US Congressman Submits Resolution Urging Turkey to Recognize Cyprus
5) Critics~R Forum
6) A Successful Connection
7) A RECYCLED RANT FROM AN ANGRY ARMENIAN BOURGEOIS

1) EU Warns Turkey on Religious Freedom

BRUSSELS (Reuters)–The European Commission said on Thursday it had written to
Turkey complaining about legislation on religious foundations that did not
meet
EU standards for the rights of non-Muslim communities.
But the European Union’s executive stressed that the mid-June complaint,
which
it said Turkey had promised to address in October, did not threaten a planned
October 3 start for entry talks.
“Today, Turkey is far from fulfilling all the criteria to be a member of the
European Union. Freedom of religion is the highest priority for us and it
would
be an essential point in the negotiations,” Commission spokesman Amadeu
Altafaj
Tardio told a news briefing.
Turkey is working on a new law meant to ease property restrictions on its
non-Muslim minorities, including Orthodox Christians, though EU diplomats have
said the current draft does not go far enough.
Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew, ecumenical head of the Orthodox Church,
has long complained that his church suffers from numerous petty bureaucratic
regulations that prevent it from freely using property it owns.
His calls for the reopening of the church’s Halki seminary on an island near
Istanbul have not brought results, and he is worried there will be no
home-grown clergy left to minister to the declining Greek Orthodox faithful in
a few years’ time.
The EU spokesman said Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn had contacted chief
Turkish negotiator Ali Babacan on Wednesday.
Ankara had already revised the draft bill once, but had not made sufficient
changes in the Commission’s view.
“The Turkish authorities are well aware of the importance of this issue,
which
will be addressed once Turkish parliament resumes its activities in October,”
the spokesman said.
He did not detail the objections, but a partial text of the letter seen by
Reuters spoke of “serious problems in relation to the management of the
religious communities’ foundations, their property rights and the legal
personality of communities.”
In a Reuters interview last year, the Orthodox Patriarch said: “We have the
freedom to perform all our religious services but we have no right to
administer our ecclesiastical foundations–churches, monasteries, cemeteries,
schools etc.”
The German daily Handelsblatt was first to report the recent Commission
letter
amid growing pressure on Turkey to recognize Cyprus before the start of the EU
talks, something Ankara refuses to do.

2) Ankara Postpones Deiss Visit to Turkey

(Swissinfo)–The Turkish authorities have postponed a visit to Turkey next
month by Swiss Economics Minister Joseph Deiss.
They have cited agenda problems of his Turkish counterpart, although it is
widely considered in Switzerland that the real cause for the postponement is
the Armenian genocide issue.
It is the second time that Ankara has made such a delaying move. In September
2003, Turkish authorities cancelled a visit by the Swiss foreign minister,
Micheline Calmy-Rey. She eventually visited the country in March.
The Swiss authorities confirmed reports in Friday’s edition of the Zurich
newspaper Tages Anzeiger and Geneva’s Le Temps that Switzerland’s
ambassador to
Turkey had received an official note canceling Deiss’s trip.
It said that the Turkish economics minister, Kursad Tuzmen, was
unavailable on
the dates that had been scheduled. As a result, the planned trip could not
take
place in September.
The Turkish embassy in Bern, however, said the visit had only been postponed
and denied any link to a criminal investigation into a Turkish party leader in
Switzerland.
“Mr. Deiss’s visit is to be worked out through mutual contacts on both sides
in the period ahead,” said Sibel Gal, press secretary at the Turkish embassy.
The snub is the latest episode in tensions between Ankara and Bern, provoked
indirectly by the commemoration two weeks ago of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne,
which defined the borders of modern Turkey.
Ankara has criticized Swiss authorities for opening an investigation into
Dogu
Perincek, head of the Turkish Workers’ Party, who denied the Armenian genocide
at a news conference in canton Zurich.
Under Swiss law, any act of denying, belittling or justifying genocide is a
violation of the country’s anti-racism laws.
Perincek, who appeared before the public prosecutor of Winterhur, is also the
subject of investigation for the same reason in canton Vaud.
A similar investigation in Winterthur has been opened in the case of Turkish
historian Yusuf Halacoglu.
The Turkish government, which has strongly condemned the Swiss action,
considers that the investigations are contrary to international law and has
demanded they be stopped.

Diplomatic spat

In a diplomatic spat, the ambassador of Switzerland in Turkey was last week
summoned to explain Switzerland’s position, while Turkey’s envoy in Bern
visited the Swiss foreign ministry a day later.
The Swiss economics ministry has expressed regret at Ankara’s decision,
hoping
that the visit could take place at a later date.
The trip was a working visit with a delegation of Swiss business leaders.
Such
trips take place about once every four years with countries that represent an
important market for Switzerland.
The ministry commented that if the real reason for the postponement were due
to the investigations, it would regret that because Switzerland practiced “the
separation of powers which is an essential value of its democracy”.
It said the House of Representatives was the only federal institution that
has
officially recognized genocide against the Armenians.

3) Armenia Rejects Azeri Charge of Anti-government Plot

YEREVAN (AFP)–Armenia rejected Friday accusations from Azerbaijan that its
secret police were involved in an alleged plot to overthrow the government in
Baku.
Azeri prosecutors said Thursday that a youth opposition leader had been
arrested for planning to overthrow the government in a plot allegedly hatched
by a prominent US non-governmental organization, Armenia’s secret police and
local opposition groups.
“It is funny and bears no relation to reality,” said Lieutenant-General Gorik
Akopyan, director of Armenia’s national security service.
He said the charge looked like an effort by security officials in Baku to
solve domestic political problems “with long-forgotten methods used in the
Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s.”
The arrest of Ruslan Bashirli came after a member of the Yeni Fikir youth
movement that he leads informed authorities that Bashirli had received 2,000
dollars (1,600 euros) in a secret meeting with Armenian agents.
The arrest was denounced by opposition leaders as an attempt by Azeri
authorities to smear their groups.
An Azeri youth movement denounced the arrest of its leader as a government
smear campaign ahead of elections.
“The authorities are trying to link the youth movement to Armenian operatives
in order to crush it,” said Fikret Farmazogly, the deputy leader of Yeni
Fikir.
“This is slander.”
The arrest came amid increasing government pressure on opposition political
parties ahead of parliamentary elections in November.
“This is an attempt by the authorities to discredit the youth movement,” said
Ali Kerimli, who leads the National Front party. “They are trying to prevent
the youth from fighting for democratic freedoms.”
Azerbaijan recently relaxed a crackdown on the opposition after heavy Western
pressure, allowing anti-government groups to openly demonstrate this summer
for
the first time since 2003.
The new arrest raises concerns that the oil-rich state will clamp down on
opposition activity again ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for
November.

4) US Congressman Submits Resolution Urging Turkey to Recognize Cyprus

Nicosia (CNA)–New Jersey Democratic Congressman Robert Menendez has submitted
a resolution to the US Congress calling on Turkey to fully recognize all
European Union members, including Cyprus.
The resolution, supported by ten members of Congress both from the Democratic
and the Republican Party, calls for the removal of Turkish occupation forces
from the northern third of Cyprus in accordance with UN Security Council
Resolution 353 and says that Turkey should recognize the fundamental rights of
all Cypriots with respect to the right to own property, the right of free
movement, the right of free settlement and the right of return for refugees.
The resolution expresses the view that the Republic of Turkey should continue
to demonstrate that it was meeting the criteria set forth in the Copenhagen
European Council for accession to the EU and should do so prior to the
start of
accession negotiations.
It calls on Turkey to continue to adhere to all criteria for accession to the
EU and to extend its customs union to all EU members and to fully recognize
all
EU members, including Cyprus.
Furthermore, it calls on Turkey to respect EU laws and demonstrate that it
was
willing to abide by such laws and urged Ankara, in accordance with the UN
Security Council Resolution 353, to abandon all insistence of the right to
intervene in or invade Cyprus.
It urges Turkey to work and cooperate with the UN and Cyprus toward the
discovery of the fate of every missing person and to pledge to uphold and
safeguard human rights without compromise.
The resolution encourages Turkey to continue the advancement of processes and
programs to modernize and democratize its own society.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on International Relations,
which
will decide if it will forward it to the plenary for final adoption.

5) Critics’ Forum

Visual Arts

Good Art, Bad Art: Where Is the Armenian Avant-Garde?

By Adriana Tchalian

Question: What do a pickled shark, a cow’s head, and a golden statue of
Michael Jackson have in common?
Answer: They are all sensationalist examples of the avant-garde.
Take the famous pickled tiger shark in a tank of formaldehyde by contemporary
British artist, Damien Hirst. Entitled “The Physical Impossibility of Death in
the Mind of Someone Living” (1991), the piece is an attempt to bring the
viewer
face to face with the concept of death by allowing him to get up close and
personal with a dead shark.
Another of Hirst’s works, “Rotting Cow Head and Flies in a Pool of Blood”
(1990), said to be worth upwards of a million dollars, has become a classic in
contemporary art parlors.
Jeff Koons, a former Wall Street commodities broker turned artist, is also
known for garnering millions for his shocking renditions. One of his more
infamous contributions to Postmodernism is a porcelain statue of Michael
Jackson and Bubbles, his beloved pet monkey, from his 1988 Banality series.
Koons depicts both ape and the artist in the same flashy attire and gives them
both the same skin tone, as a wry commentary on celebrity life.
But for many Armenian visual artists, Postmodernism constitutes nothing more
than bad art. It seems that for them, Postmodern art offers little more than
pickled sharks and statues of troubled celebrities. Perhaps for this reason,
many Armenian visual artists, particularly in the Diaspora, choose to work
under the rubric of Modernism, in the vein of, say, Arshile Gorky.
So the question begs to be asked: Where is the Armenian avant-garde? Why
is it
that most Armenian visual artists have yet to venture beyond Modernism, a
movement that began in the late nineteenth century?
In attempting to answer this question, we should look briefly at how
Postmodernism challenges certain fundamental assumptions in Modernism.
Postmodernism was born in the counter-culture of the 1960s, as part of larger
challenges to traditional authority, such as the civil rights movement, the
women’s movement, and the gay rights movements.
It is possible to push the beginnings of Postmodernism even further back, to
the work of Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp, a French-American artist, began as early
as 1910 to confront Modernist values by challenging earlier assumptions about
the value and validity of art. His famous “Fountain” (1917) and “Bottle Rack”
(1914), both found objects, shift the emphasis away form the work of art
itself
to the concept it conveys and question the very possibility of creating art.
The “Fountain,” interestingly, is nothing more than a urinal, which brings us
full circle to the work of Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. This is perhaps why
Koons actually hires people to produce works of art in his name, preferring to
be the “idea man” behind them.
But why should Armenians care about Postmodernism? Is it not enough that
Armenian art and culture is undergoing a rebirth of sortswith countless art
exhibits, theater productions, and poetry readings? According to Caroline
Lais-Tufenkian, Armenian diasporan artists possess a “hybrid” identity–an
amalgam of cultures, customs, and practices. I would add that understanding
and
managing this so-called “hybrid” identity is in itself a Postmodern
phenomenon.
Therefore, Armenian artists do not have to look hard to find Postmodernism,
because they are already living it.
There is a catch, however. The Armenian artist, and particularly the male
Armenian artist, will now have to directly confront the difficult issues at
the
heart of Postmodernismcivil rights, feminism, gay-lesbian rights. These topics
have to be addressed in the arts if Armenians are to contribute in the greater
dialogue taking place around them. Otherwise, the arts will become no more
than
another ghetto in the midst of a changing world.
And where are the Armenian diasporan artists? If they do not step forward,
then the next great rebirth in Armenian art will be ushered in by (mostly
female) Armenian college studentsthe only ones who, at the moment, seem
interested in creating postmodern art. These include Nina Katchadourian, Tina
Bastajian, Seta Injeyan, Joanne Julian, Ani Kupelian, Seta Manoukian, Eileen
Shahbazian, among others.
Of course, embracing Postmodernism does not mean embracing profane or
absurdist art, though some artists may choose to express themselves in that
way. It is more important to be inspired by the ideas behind Postmodern
art, as
the movement itself tries to instill in its audiences.
We as Armenians have so much to offer the world by way of avant-garde art. We
would do well to answer the call of our own identity.

Adriana Tchalian holds a Masters in Art History and has managed several art
galleries in Los Angeles. You can reach her or any of the other
contributors to
Critics’ Forum at [email protected].

6) A Successful Connection

By Alidz Oshagan

“It’s a great way to meet people, whether it’s friends or something else.”
Garo Bargamian is talking about ArmenianDatingService.com (ADS), an online
dating service through which Armenians, or anyone interested in getting to
know
Armenians, can post a profile describing him or herself and be able to access
anyone else’s profile. If the profile seems interesting, the user can send a
message to the other person’s profile. Users can then send messages to each
other and a friendship or, as Bargamian put it, “something else,” can form.
All
this, but at no cost to the user.
For him, the “something else” formed with Larissa Balakdjian, whom he met
through ADS. Bargamian says he was attracted to Balakdjian because she had
written that “being Armenian is an honor and staying Armenian is a
responsibility” as a part of her profile. Before long, the two were sending
messages to one another and talking online. The relationship advanced when the
pair began visiting each other–internationally. Larissa is originally from
Sao
Paolo, Brazil, while Bargamian has lived in North Providence, RI, his entire
life. Bargamian and Balakdjian were married in a civil service on February 27,
2004, and held their church ceremony on June 27, 2004. They are now happily
married and live in North Providence, RI.
The profiles that are on ADS can show a lot about a user. At the top of the
profile there is a space for pictures, which can be of the user or whatever
the
user desires to include. In the middle, a general information section
describes
the user’s height, hair color, and level of education, among others. Near the
bottom of the profile exists a section for habits, indicating whether or not
the user smokes or drinks. A favorites section is near the bottom, which lists
the user’s favorite books, movies, and foods. At the very bottom is a comment
box, with which the user can describe oneself in 200 words or less.
When someone reads an interesting ADS profile, he or she can send either a
comment or a message to the other person.
If a person is having trouble surfing the site or is a first-time user
uncomfortable about using the dating site, he or she can go to the “advice”
page. On this page, different tips are included, such as not to give out your
telephone number in an early message and to relax on the first date.
People use dating sites for different reasons. In Bargamian’s case, he
said he
logged on to ADS because it allowed him to meet many different people from
around the country and the world. Bargamian, 36, said that it was difficult to
meet people at Armenian events, where the sea of teenagers and young adults
can
make it difficult for older adults to get to know each other and interact.
Using the ADS made it easier to meet people, he said.
But, unlike meeting someone at church or at events, talking to someone
through
an online dating service site poses the risk of embarrassment–what might
other
people think? Not so for Bargamian. “It’s a little embarrassing telling people
because online dating isn’t very wide-spread,” said Bargamian. “But I knew in
my heart I wanted to meet an Armenian and, for me, this was the best way to do
that.”
Sometimes, after sending messages by computer, Bargamian would meet with
people around the country in person, only to find out that they were not
compatible. Other times, he would be interested in someone who lived across
the country, but they were not willing to make the journey to see him. “With
the Internet, you have to be an optimist, or else it won’t work,” he said.
Bargamian did not lose hope. “I took the opportunity and forgot about distance
for Larissa,” he said.
With an estimated one million Armenians living in the United States, and more
than seven million in the diaspora, the sheer size of the communities is
fueling much of the rapid response to online dating service sites.
“These services allow people restrained by religious or familial
responsibilities to find more people with their backgrounds,” said Judith
Meskill, editorial director of Weblogs Inc., the largest online publisher of
weblogs, or blogs, which are online journals.
Julie Albright, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the
University of
Southern California (USC), said the sites also help those facing the same
issues as larger society–including busy schedules and few places to
gather–to
meet in an easy and relatively inexpensive way.
“It opens a wide pool of availables to you while dating. You can walk to the
local Armenian cafe and meet one person, but online you can meet 30. It
increases your odds for a love match,” said Albright, who researched
attraction
online and is studying attraction and deception on the Internet.
“What’s beautiful about the Internet for these ethnic communities is it
enables people to sort through a lot of people and focus in on those types of
qualities they desire,” she said.
That’s the philosophy of Said Amin, CEO and founder of World Singles, the
leading online dating company for ethnic communities that runs
IranianPersonals.com, HyeSingles.com, and ArabLounge.com.
Since its founding four years ago, the company has expanded to include 14
niche sites. And membership is growing.
IranianPersonals now has more than 120,000 members, nearly a quarter of them
from the Los Angeles area; HyeSingles has 16,000 members, nearly two-thirds of
them from the Los Angeles area.
“Birds of a feather flock together. As the database grows, it will draw more
people,” said the 32-year-old Amin.
One 24-year-old Armenian woman who used HyeSingles.com said that the site
appealed to her because she was able to discern more specific traits about a
potential match. She said the site’s open-ended questions like “When raising a
family, how important is it that your kids learn how to speak Armenian?” gave
her a glimpse into her potential partner’s character and outlook on life.
HyeSingles.com, unlike ADS, incorporates a paid membership. Those using the
site’s free service can build a profile and send pre-fabricated messages
called
“flirts,” but only paid members can send original messages, see who has viewed
their profile, and send video, voice and text messages. Unpaid members are
able
to send one reply to each message they receive, and can use the chatting
services if they are contacted by a paid member. The initial price of a 30-day
membership is $29.95, and 24.95 per month thereafter; a 90-day membership is
$59.95, and 14.95 per month thereafter. The site touts the 360-day membership
as the “best value,” for an initial cost of $119.95, and 7.95 thereafter.
Using ADS or HyeSingles.com may not be for everyone, but Bargamian insists
it’s worth a try. “I encourage any Armenian who is single to use ADS. It’s
worth trying the system. I’m living proof, here I am, married to Larissa, it’s
not like it can’t happen,” he says. “Whoever invented that Web site is a
godsend for all Armenians. I have a lot of gratitude towards them, whoever
they
may be.”
Apparently, the couple should direct their thank you letters to Arthur
Chaparyan and Ara Mahdessian of BlueMediaSolutions.com, who wrote the program
for the original version of ADS, according to information on the Web site.
Most
of the revisions were completed by Chaparyan who, the website says, left
ADS in
March 2004.
Naush Boghossian contributed to this report.

7) A RECYCLED RANT FROM AN ANGRY ARMENIAN BOURGEOIS

BY SKEPTIK SINIKIAN

Note: This column was supposed to appear last week but was delayed for
reasons
that were out of the Skepster’s control. Next week, I’ll be addressing this
Atomic Bomb of a story that appeared in Vanity Fair this month. If you haven’t
read about it yet, do so right now. Put my column down, go get the September
Vanity Fair and read it. I won’t be mad at you. And like a clingy emotionally
depraved ex-girlfriend or boyfriend, I’ll still be here when you get back.
We’ll talk about Vanity Fair next week children. Now on to the show!

I don’t know if there’s a Heaven or a Hell. But I do know that if Hell is any
hotter than LA has been all week, then that’s enough of a reason for me to
lead
a better life and renounce my sinful ways. We’ve had record heat,
hurricanes up
the wazoo, and apparently the glaciers in the far north are melting away
faster
Paris Hilton’s 15 minutes of fame and no one seems to care or worry. Global
warming? What’s that? In fact, during the course of writing this paragraph, I
witnessed no less than nine Sports Utility Vehicles drive by the coffee shop,
at least three of them driven by Armenian fake-blonde trophy wives on their
way, no doubt, to the Galleria. Last month, Americans spent 4 billion dollars
more on gas than they normally do. FOUR BILLION!! This all goes to show you
that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Our economy is suffering but you’d never believe me because the White House
and its spin doctors keep telling the public that everything is “OK.” The
price
of gas keeps rising in spite of the fact that we have successfully
invaded/liberated and occupied the most oil rich nation in the world (hint
hint
for the slow readers, it rhymes with Chirac). Yet folks are still driving
around in SUVs, spending money on unnecessary material possessions and seeking
new ways to impress their friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers. God
forbid they don’t sport the latest fashion or trend, and then what will other
people think? (If you missed my article from a few weeks back on the “What
will other people think” mentality of Armenians, then I suggest you go back
and
read it in the Asbarez archives). We have become a generation of obese,
gluttonous, wasteful wastes of space. Why are our lives driven by what we
watch
on TV while eating mass quantities of processed junk food. In contrast, I look
at my grandmother who is the last person in the world who would litter or
waste
food, or take an elevator instead of the stairs and wonder where the
subsequent
generations of Armenian Americans lost their way?
My grandparents are the most frugal people you’ll ever meet. They’re also the
most unintentionally environmentally conscious folks I know. They aren’t cheap
or stingy but they know how to survive on just the basics, as well as know the
appropriate time or occasion to splurge. When I was younger, I always found it
embarrassing when my grandmother would bring over a jar of her famous homemade
eggplant dip (ikrah) stored in an old Jiffy peanut butter jar. I feel guilty
when I remember my disappointment at opening the colorful jars of mass
produced
crap food only to find a mysterious odd colored paste wafting with the smells
of spices and ingredients from a land forgotten that reminded me of grandma’s
house. As I’ve grown older and my tastes are more refined, I can’t wait until
the next delivery of Armenian delicacies to be delivered. Will it be roasted
red peppers or ikrah or will it be something sweet like pumpkin preserves? Now
my disappointment is greater when I hastily open the jar of Jiffy peanut paste
in the fridge only to find that it is actually peanut paste. Yuck! I don’t
know if it’s age as much as it’s maturity that has changed my perceptions.
Today, I find even her recycling habits very endearing and admirable.
If either of my grandparents ever saw me throw even a scrap of paper or a
sunflower seed shell on the ground outdoors, they would give me a long lecture
about the merits of being civilized and not “vayreni” (wild like an animal).
On the same note, if they ever saw me waste food, it would be followed by a
similar lecture about how I shouldn’t waste food and be grateful for what I do
have. Theirs was a different generation. A generation whose parents had
witnessed unspeakable horrors during the Genocide, World War II, Stalinism,
the
Great Depression, and they had learned a few things along the way.
Last week, I went over to my grandma’s and slumped into the couch as I bit
into a fresh summer peach from the bowl on the coffee table. As the juices
dribbled down my chin, she looked at me with a motherly admiration and
asked me
about my day. I automatically went into my rehearsed rant as I told her that
the weather was unbearable and how tired I was from work. Grandma sighed and
nodded her head in agreement. She then went on to tell me about how when she
was younger, the family had lost everything to the Turks after the Genocide,
she went to work in the fields picking everything from eggplants to
tomatoes in
scorching heat. She smiled as she told me about the days when they would
search
the field workers on their way home to make sure nobody was stealing a tomato
or two to take to their hungry families. She spoke of waiting in line for
hours
for bread that had the consistency of mud. She told the story not to make me
feel like a lazy bum in comparison to her but in order to empathize with my
“fatigue.” As she continued to describe the blisters and scars her hands and
arms would receive for hours on hours of work in a scorching hot field, I
began
to realize that here was a woman who represented a generation like which we
will never see again in our lifetime.
Today’s parents teach their children that if someone is cheating to get
ahead,
you better cheat also just to keep up. I’ve heard it with my own ears and seen
it with my own eyes.
They teach their children that it’s ok to throw trash out of the window of
their SUV while speeding down Glenoaks Blvd. (I saw that last one with my own
eyes as well).
They don’t teach their children an ounce of respect towards adults and they
spoil their children with ridiculous amounts of jewelry, plastic surgery, SUV,
or whatever car of luxury.
Then we sit back and wonder why the next generation is so spoiled and so
uneducated. Our organizations wonder how they will survive when their average
membership is comprised of silver and white haired dadigs and babigs. On any
given Sunday, drive to church and look at who is filling the pews and then
drive down the street to the Glendale Galleria and count how many young
Armenians are just walking around aimlessly and spending their parents’
hard-earned money.
The bottom line is that our youth is delusional, lost, misguided, spoiled and
if we rely on them to keep alive the essence of our culture and heritage, then
we’re all pretty much up the creek without a paddle.
Maybe it’s all this unbearable heat that’s getting to me. Maybe my readers
are
right and I’m just at total jerk with no compassion left in my heart or the
ability to understand today’s modern Armenian. Maybe I’m just hungry and need
some more ikrah. I’m going to see if there’s any left in the Cool Whip
container in the refrigerator and after I’m done eating, I’ll stick my head in
the freezer to cool off.

Skeptik Sinikian is the founding president of the Anti-Modern Armenian
Society
(a.k.a. AMAN Society) which meets once a week at Maple Park in Glendale,
California to play backgammon, sort various plastic grocery bags into color
coded piles, and wash out jars of jam and peanut butter for reuse. You can
join
by emailing him at [email protected] or visit his ridiculously outdated
blog at

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Armenian president urges tax service to intensify fight against shadow
economy

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
29 Jul 05

[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today held a working
meeting with the leadership of the State Tax Service. The Armenian
president pointed out that the tax service has achieved significant
results in the implementation of the state budget.

The Armenian president also said that the main tasks of the tax
service are to solve current problems, improve tax administration and
fight the shadow economy. Kocharyan pointed out that progress has been
made in the process of improving tax administration, but the shadow
economy still exists.

The Armenian president instructed them to strengthen the struggle
against the shadow economy in order to ensure equal tax conditions for
everyone. The chief of the State Tax Service, Feliks Tsolagyan,
pointed out that the tax service has started fighting the shadow
economy and favouritism within its ranks.

[Correspondent] The Armenian tax service presented the Armenian
president with its six-month report on ensuring budget revenues,
improving tax administration and fighting the shadow economy.

[Kocharyan] First, the revenue part of the budget should be completely
implemented. We cannot say to the people – wait because we cannot pay
your wages for the time being since the tax service is carrying out
reforms at the moment. These are the main problems and you have to
solve them.

[Correspondent] The Armenian president considers that the second task
of the tax service is to improve tax administration. It is possible to
introduce in the tax service modern methods used by the foreign
counties and carry out civilized administration.

[Kocharyan] I think there is certain progress in this direction, but
it is not at the appropriate level and does not meet the current
requirements of the Armenian economy. And the third task is to fight
the shadow economy and favouritism. I think this issue is more
complicated than other issues and is related to the second issue, and
all these issues are the main tasks of the tax service.

[Correspondent] Kocharyan believes that macroeconomic indices testify
that there is some progress on improving tax administration, but a
survey carried out by the presidential supervisory service shows that
there is still a lot of work to do.

[Kocharyan] If we take macroeconomic indices as a basis, then you can
say that you have achieved something. We had a 10-per-cent economic
growth in the first six month and tax revenues increased by 24 per
cent. This means that this difference of 14 per cent is due to the
shadow economy. But when my supervisory service starts monitoring
various spheres, it finds out that there are more reserves, and the
measures you are taking in this direction do not meet current
requirements. These measures could ensure higher budget revenues.

[Correspondent] Kocharyan pointed out that monitoring carried out in
the transport sphere has found out that there is a shadow economy in
this sphere as well. Although a 40-per-cent growth has been registered
in the construction sphere, incomes have risen only by 12-13 per cent.

[Kocharyan] The survey showed that there is not a single sphere where
my supervisory service did not discover a shadow economy after
carrying out inspections with your participation. The shadow economy
and favouritism are our main enemies.

[Correspondent] Kocharyan instructed them to strengthen the fight
against the shadow economy and ensure equal tax conditions for
everyone.

The chief of the State Tax Service, Feliks Tsolagyan, presented the
Armenian president with a report on the first six months and with a
list of measures that were taken to solve the service’s problems.

[Passage omitted: repeating the same details]

Tsolagyan pointed out that the survey carried out by the presidential
supervisory service and employees of the tax service found out that
200 employees of the tax system have links with business. The head of
the tax service said that similar monitoring will be held in the
future as well.

[Video showed the meeting]

RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, Czech Republic
July 30 2005

Iran: Tehran Struggles To Push Ahead With India Pipeline
By Bill Samii

Officials in Iran are eager to get under way with a proposed gas
pipeline to Pakistan and India that has been the subject of talks for
more than a decade. Initial discussions among the participating
countries concerning a 2,600-kilometer, overland natural-gas pipeline
from Iran through Pakistan to India began in the early 1990s.

Iran sits on the world’s second-largest natural-gas reserves — an
estimated 26.6 trillion cubic meters, according to the U.S. Energy
Information Administration.

Work on the project has yet to commence, however, and mid-July
statements from Indian officials cast doubt on the deal, particularly
in light of Washington’s recent agreement to cooperate with the
Indian nuclear program.

New Delhi Expresses Doubts

India is a huge and growing natural-gas market, with consumption
nearly 25 billion cubic meters in 2002 and projected to reach 34
billion cubic meters in 2010 and 45.3 billion cubic meters in 2015.
With its increasing energy requirements, India has entered
discussions about pipeline construction with Bangladesh, Iran,
Myanmar (Burma), and Qatar. Recent meetings among officials from
India, Iran, and Pakistan suggested that the pipeline project
connecting the three countries would get under way in the near future
despite pricing disagreements (see “RFE/RL Iran Report,” 7 March and
23 March 2005).

Indian officials recently stressed their eagerness to go ahead with
the Iranian pipeline project. Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar
Aiyar said in Lahore on 4 June that India would not give in to U.S.
pressure to abandon the project because of concerns that Iran might
use the revenues to develop nuclear or other banned weapons, Press
Trust of India (PTI) reported. The next day, Aiyar was in Pakistan
for talks with his counterpart, Amanullah Khan Jadoon.

The two sides created a Joint Working Group to accelerate work on the
pipeline. Diplomats in the Indian capital noted that Iran is absent
from the Joint Working Group, the Hindi “Navbharat Times” reported on
8 June, and they suggested that this was a conscious decision in
order to allay U.S. concerns.

In mid-June, India agreed to purchase $22 billion worth of natural
gas from Iran. Starting in 2009-10, an Indian consortium will
purchase 5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually over
a 25-year period. This was less than the initial agreement, reached
in January, for the purchase of 7.5 million tons.The pipeline project
directly involves Iran, Pakistan, and India, and it has the potential
to improve troubled Islamabad-New Delhi relations. Washington would
welcome such a development, but it is reluctant to see the project go
ahead.

The next month, Pakistani officials were in New Delhi to discuss the
pipeline. Indian Petroleum Minister Aiyar told reporters that the
discussions would address commercial, financial, legal, and technical
issues. According to AFP on 12 July, when asked about Washington’s
opposition to the project, Pakistani Oil Secretary Ahmad Waqar said,
“Our president and prime minister have stated on a number of
occasions that we will proceed with this project based on our
national interests.”

Given these developments, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s
announcement on 21 July in Washington that he was unsure whether the
pipeline would get funding might have come as an unpleasant surprise
to observers in Tehran and Islamabad.

“I am realistic enough to realize that there are many risks, because
considering all the uncertainties of the situation there in Iran, I
don’t know if any international consortium of bankers would
underwrite this,” Singh said, according to the PTI news agency.

Islamabad Is Eager

Talks between Pakistan and Iran in early July also suggested that all
was well.

Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh visited Islamabad
and met with Pakistani Petroleum Minister Jadoon in the first week of
July. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding that called
for continued discussions, and Namdar-Zanganeh said he hoped a final
agreement would be signed by April. He noted that after 10 years of
talks, this was the first “written document.” Namdar-Zanganeh also
met with Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat
Aziz, according to media reports.

Jadoon emphasized that his country would need natural gas for
consumer and industrial consumption by 2010. The country’s demand for
natural gas is expected to rise approximately 50 percent by 2006,
according to the EIA. Moreover, gas is expected to become the “fuel
of choice” for electricity-generation projects in the future.

In light of such requirements, and possibly because of the
approximately $600 million in transit fees Pakistan stands to earn,
Islamabad tried to allay concerns prompted by Singh’s late-July
comments. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Naim Khan
announced on 25 July that even if India gave in to U.S. pressure,
Islamabad would build a natural-gas pipeline from Iran, AFP reported.
“We would welcome Indian association with this project but if it is
not feasible with India, we are going to go ahead with the project in
any case,” Khan said in the Pakistani capital. He said Pakistan
needed the gas.

Pakistani Petroleum Minister Jadoon said in Islamabad on 23 July that
his country could handle all the pipeline security requirements, IRNA
reported. “We, like India, are in need of gas and we know how to take
care of the interstate projects and we are committed to its
security,” he said.

“Business Recorder,” a Pakistani financial daily, reported on 28 July
that Islamabad had begun a search for investment banks that could
serve as “financial adviser/consultant” for the pipeline. Pakistan
wants to hasten completion of the paperwork for the project, and it
is aiming for a December 2005 deadline. Despite recent cautionary
statements from Indian officials, the Pakistanis believe India’s
energy requirements will force the issue. Pakistan is also willing to
pursue the issue bilaterally.

The Nuclear Alternative

The pipeline project directly involves Iran, Pakistan, and India, and
it has the potential to improve troubled Islamabad-New Delhi
relations. Washington would welcome such a development, but it is
reluctant to see the project go ahead. U.S. State Department official
Stephen Rademaker warned that Iran could fund terrorism and weapons
of mass destruction with the money it made from natural-gas sales,
the international edition of “The Wall Street Journal” reported on 24
June. U.S. officials have warned the Indians and Pakistanis that
their companies could be sanctioned if they go ahead with the
project.

If India forsakes natural gas from Iran, then it might have to turn
to nuclear power as an alternative. U.S. President George W. Bush
announced on 18 July that India is “a responsible state” that “should
acquire the same benefits and advantages as other such states,”
ft.com reported. Bush went on to say that he would encourage Congress
to make the legal adjustments necessary for such cooperation with the
Indian nuclear program to take place. In exchange for such
cooperation, India agreed to allow international agencies to oversee
its nuclear program.

Potential Blow To Iran

The collapse of the Indian natural-gas deal would be a sharp blow to
Iran. Such a development could have an impact in three areas. One
possibility is that Iran could try to salvage the deal by offering
India a lower price for its gas. Pricing disagreements were one of
the main sticking points in March.

Another possibility is that Iran’s efforts to diversify beyond oil
might collapse. That being said, Armenia and Turkey are already
customers for Iranian gas; Tehran has signed agreements with Oman and
Kuwait; and it has signed gas-related memorandums — or at least
discussed the topic — with Austria, Bulgaria, China, Greece, Italy,
South Korea, and Taiwan.

The third possibility, probably much more remote, is that Iran would
renounce activities that concern the international community,
including support for terrorism, interference in neighboring states’
affairs, and the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

Failing that, Iran would find it very difficult to compete with the
United States in terms of bargaining power. If the Indian model —
even without nuclear concessions — were applied successfully in more
cases where Iran was trying to do business with other countries, then
Iran would find itself increasingly isolated.

Armenia has over 20,000 registered drug addicts

Noyan Tapan news agency
28 Jul 05

YEREVAN

According to official information, there are 20-25,000 drug addicts in
Armenia, 95 per cent of them are using hemp and five per cent
intravenous drugs.

Most of the drug addicts are men between 25 and 40 years old. Grigor
Malinyants, co-chairman on the Armenian side of the anti-drug
programme, implemented in the region under the auspices of the United
Nations Development Programme and financed by the European Union, said
this at the opening of a workshop on auricular acupuncture on 28 July.

Malinyants said that specialists invited from abroad will conduct the
training within the framework of the programme. The practical part of
the course will be held at the narcological clinic and a closed-type
joint stock company Psychiatric medical centre of the Armenian Health
Ministry, between 28 July and 2 August.

It was noted that the aim of the programme, which has been underway
since 2000, is to coordinate the activities of the programme’s
participant countries, as well as Armenian, Georgian and Azerbaijani
law-enforcement bodies, and to prevent the spread of drug abuse and
illegal drug trafficking from the South Caucasus to EU member states.

CRAFTSMEN WILLING TO ENTER LEGAL FIELD

Azg/arm
29 July 05

The State Promises to Support

In case of developed workmanship it will be possible to export
additional goods of $300 million as hand-made goods are highly valued
in developed countries in particular, deputy trade and economy
minister, Gagik Vardanian, said yesterday, presenting the agenda of
workmanship development in Armenia.

The agenda will be realized in two stages. Firstly, legal field has to
be created and only then infrastructures in the second stage. An
authorized state organ will support development of craftsmanship, will
systemize all arrangements and information and will create favorable
conditions to export Armenian production. The deputy trade minister
thinks that developed craftsmanship will add more goods in the home
market, will provide employment, thus settling socio-economic issues.

Gagik Vardanian noted that most of the craftsmen are not registered
that’s why their real number is unknown. Deputy minister stated that
the aim to bring the craftsmen into legal field is to give them state
support in order to unite them and find easier ways to the
market. Mr. Vardanian said that except the income tax no other tax
will be levied on the craftsmen.

By Ara Martirosian

RUSSIAN TROOPS IN GEORGIA NO LONGER FACTOR OF STABILITY:
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY VICE SPEAKER

YEREVAN, JULY 26. ARMINFO. “Foreign troops can be guarantor of
security and factor of stability in Georgia and anywhere only in case
of legal presence,” said Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament
Vahan Hovhannissyan in response to the questions of the participants
of the 3rd All Armenian Youth Forum today.

He said that the Armenian community in Georgia, and in particular, the
region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, must not become an instrument of
pressure on Georgia in the hands of foreign forces. Hovhannissyan
thinks withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia is a solved issue
and non-fulfillment of the schedule of withdrawal may just aggravate
the domestic political situation in the neighboring state. Signing of
the Convention of the Council of Europe for National Minorities must
become a guarantor of security for the Armenians of Javakhk and a
factor of stability in the region, the vice speaker thinks. He
assured that Armenia would not go on any steps threatening the
sovereignty of Georgia, it would protect the rights of its
compatriots through a dialogue with the Georgian authorities in
accordance with the Law. The financial support of Armenia must
contribute to maintaining the Armenian ethnics and monuments of the
Armenian culture in Georgia, Hovhannissyan thinks.

The vice speaker expressed confidence that all the problems of the
two states would get their resolution as soon as Armenia and Georgia
integrated into European structures.

Head of IAEA arrives in Armenia

Regnum, Moscow
27 Jul 05

The director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA],
Muhammad al-Baradi’i, has arrived in Armenia, the Armenian Foreign
Ministry press service told Regnum news agency.

IAEA head is to meet the Armenian president, prime minister, foreign
and energy ministers. He will also visit the Armenian nuclear power
station.

Albany Times Union
July 26 2005

Dr. Murat Acemoglu

NEWTONVILLE Dr. Murat Acemoglu died suddenly July 24, 2005 at Albany
Medical Center. Medical physician, born in Istanbul, Turkey, Murat
was a loving and devoted husband to Nancy Ann Acemoglu and a perfect
father and hero to his sons, Thomas John Oksen Acemoglu, Nicholas
Vartan Acemoglu and baby Murat Acemoglu (deceased). He was
valedictorian of his graduating class in medical school, Faculty of
Medicine at the University of Istanbul. He was a trained surgeon. His
appointments included the Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto,
Ontario. He was a fellow in emergency Room and critical Care. He was
a captain in the U.S. Army. He was the son of Repika Kurkjian
Acemoglu and Vartan Acemoglu. He is survived by Alis Acemoglu
(sister) and family, Angel Agopyan (sister) and family, and the
children of his late brother Dr. Armenak Ajamian. He was also the
brother of the late Dr. Oksen Acemoglu. Beloved son-in-law to Mr.
Louis Malizia and the late Doris Malizia. He will be remembered for
his vast achievements in medicine with a true care for his patients.
His practice encompassed so many facets. He served on the medical
staff at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, Samaritan Hospital, Bellevue
Hospital, Albany Memorial Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital, Leonard
Hospital, Cohoes Hospital, Eddy Ford Nursing Home, and Our Lady of
Hope. He served as the chairman of the Patient Care Committee and
served on the Medical Executive Committee at St. Mary’s Hospital. He
was the current chairman of the Department of Family Practice at St.
Mary’s Hospital. He had a deep concern for humanity and a special
heart for the elderly. He was a member of the national board of
directors for the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington, DC. He
was a prolific writer, columnist, and political analyst. He had a
gentile way of communicating with everyone, but especially his own
family, whom he loved deeply. He was instrumental in establishing the
international program to train Armenian physicians at Albany Medical
Center. He also helped established a cardiac program for Armenian
children at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and he hosted
several Armenian children in his home before and after surgery with
follow up for the last 14 years in Armenia. For those who would like
to contribute to the Children’s Cardiac Center in Armenia can do so
c/o Dr. Harir Hovegamian. He loved being Armenian and was an advocate
and supporter of the Armenian cause, especially for the official
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. His greatest pride and joy were
his boys, who in turn loved him with their whole hearts. Funeral
services will be Thursday July 28, 2005 at 12:00 noon in St. Peter’s
Armenian Apostolic Church, 100 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Watervliet, NY.
Relatives and friends are invited and may call at St. Peter’s Church
on Thursday morning from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Interment will
be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Colonie. Arrangements are under the
direction of the Dufresne & Cavanaugh Funeral Home, 149 Old Loudon
Road, Latham.

Associated Press Worldstream – German
Sonntag, 24. Juli 2005

Strafverfahren wegen Verleugnung der Massaker an Armeniern;
Schweizer Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt gegen Türken

Winterthur

Wegen Verleugnung der Massaker an den Armeniern im Osmanischen Reich
haben die Schweizer Behörden ein Strafverfahren gegen einen
türkischen Staatsbürger eingeleitet. Das Mitglied einer hochrangigen
türkischen Delegation hatte bei einer Pressekonferenz in der Schweiz
die Verfolgung und Tötung von rund 1,5 Millionen Armeniern in den
Jahren 1915 und 1916 als Erfindung von »Imperialisten« bezeichnet.

Nach schweizerischer Rechtsauffassung stellt dies die Verleugnung
eines Völkermords und damit einen Straftatbestand dar.

In Deutschland – wie in vielen anderen Staaten – werden die Massaker
an den Armeniern dagegen offiziell nicht als Völkermord gewertet. Der
Bundestag forderte die Türkei im Juni auf, sich zu der historischen
Verantwortung für die Massaker vor 90 Jahren zu bekennen, der Begriff
Völkermord tauchte in der Entschließung jedoch nicht auf. Das Land
Brandenburg strich das Thema auf Druck der Türkei sogar aus dem
Rahmenlehrplan für Geschichte, was bundesweit Proteste auslöste. In
den ab August gültigen Lehrplan wurden die Massaker nun wieder
aufgenommen.