Once in a while we hear about Armenians and their involvement in shady endeavors, no doubt obvious propaganda by the Turkish government. Surely we are incapable of fraud, crime, and dishonesty in general! Other times, we realize it's all too true.
[Software] Piracy was most prevalent in Armenia, Bangladesh and Azerbaijan, where more than 90 percent of PCs had unlicensed software.
Software piracy not only hurts software developers, it also harms local resellers, reduces government tax revenues and increases the risk of computer security problems and crime...
Weighed against the fact that it's free? I think this is one time we are agreed with our evil neighbors to the East.
Keep this little tidbit in mind the next time you're in Armenia: when the police or the parking people or whoever decide that you've parked in the wrong place, they take your license plate to the police station. That means you have to go to the station, pay your fine, and then get your plate back.
Here's a video, provided by A1+, of cars and trucks using a public park as a street because city services was incompetent enough to provide a proper detour: for me, this video highlights everything that is wrong with Armenia.
First off, we have the city or whoever is in charge of maintaining roads. Not only are they apparently poorly run, but they are unwilling or stupid enough to direct cars and trucks to drive through and damage a public park, while at the same time endangering civilians.
Second you have the drivers themselves, who care only that they get from point A to point B, without at all considering the damage that they are doing to a park. Since they are probably evading taxes anyway, their hearts don't hurt when they destroy the work of others before them, because it is not theirs.
And lastly you have the people in the park themselves or those who use it often, sitting idly by and doing nothing to prevent the traffic from raping everything in its path. Granted, that would be more of an activist role and that's too much to expect. Right, those people only come out during elections, when they have personal bones to pick with certain politicians, and not when material harm is being done here and now. Irreverent cowards.
What you have is a system where the average person does not care about their own country. Who cares if they drive through a park? Who cares if we destroy something that our fathers built? It's not mine, it doesn't cost me anything, and I have zero regard for it!
What can an international candy company possibly do to upset Azerbaijan? This one is sweet in more ways than one:
The CD-ROM [attached to a breakfast ceral as a gift] featured information about countries around the world but the data on Azerbaijan caused outrage there.
It said that Azerbaijan had started a war against neighbouring Armenia and that the hotly disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh belonged to Armenia.
Nestle has now issued a formal apology but some Azeris are still not happy. They accuse Nestle of playing Armenia's hand, and are demanding more than just an apology to chew on.
It looks like my choice of snack on those long days prank-calling the Azeri embassy is firmly and deliciously decided.
A free t-shirt to anyone who can produce an original CD from Azerbaijan for publication on TheArmeniaBlog.com and elsewhere!
I just love Kim. Who doesn't? One moment she's getting her brains tucked out in a video intentionally released everywhere for popularity and in another she's declaring her love for Armenia and its culture, despite knowing nothing about anything, and announcing a visit to Armenia. Joy!
That night at dinner my sisters, brother and I decided it is mandatory that we go to Armenia. None of us have ever been, neither had my dad and neither have my grandparents!
I am also going to be honest, I don't speak Armenian (I know, a lot of you have asked). And I don't know all of the historical details -- so if you have some stories to share with me, I would love that!
What does the Armenian genocide mean to you? Let me know!
OMG, I'm so excited! I always get this excited when telling whores what the genocide means to me!!
Update: A lot of people are telling me that some of the bullets used in these videos are rubber, meaning they would hurt but not injure or kill the person. Whether or not that is the case clearly cannot be determined.
Way to outdo yourselves, guys. It wasn't enough that you protested after a relatively fair election, and you continued still even after the police moved in to move you out. And now this:
A police spokesman said that eight people were killed and 33 police officers injured in the clashes. He said several officers had been injured by gunfire.
Demonstrators hurled stones and petrol bombs, setting vehicles on fire, and police and troops responded with truncheons, tear gas and by firing bullets in the air.
TV pictures showed burnt-out cars and smashed shop windows in the city.
This is why foreigners are afraid of Armenia, whether visiting or investing. We mock some of the destabilized countries in Africa and Latin America, but what do we do when it happens on our own turf by our own people? Do we point fingers and blame the other guy? Do we kill people and destroy property to show dissatisfaction?
The dream is over, but not like the girls in the picture care. They're out protesting because their friends are there, happy with any outcome.
Scuffles broke out as police began forcing the demonstrators on to buses after 10 days of protests against the alleged rigging of the election.
Hundreds of police moved against the opposition camp on Freedom Square early on Saturday, dispersing the few hundred protesters still there. Media were kept away from the square as army lorries took away the protesters' tents.
But I thought Armenia was a democracy! That protesting would have an effect! That kindess would win over evil! What happened??
First let's identify the photo: it shows an Armenian Special Forces soldier with a Russian-designed Dragunov sniper rifle, a fearsome semi-automatic weapon that is effective to a range of one kilometers. Think about that for a second, which coincidentally is also the length of time it will take the bullet to get to its farthest target.
What does this have anything to do with Armenia? Besides a glimpse into one of the weapons used by our countrymen, quite a bit. You see, when a given government grows too powerful and too corrupt, it begins to act in a way which is not in harmony with the will of the people and it can get away with that because of its power and the fear that it inspires in people. But what if the government was to be held accountable for its actions, afraid of the very people who created it and who continue to support it, at least for as long as they choose? What if everyone had a Dragunov sniper rifle and the knowledge that anyone in power caught abusing it would be destroyed without questions asked?
Of course, this is all metaphor. Until such power is exercised by the people Armenian, we will continue to see a government acting in its own interest only.
Then again, maybe it's not a metaphor at all; after all, revolutionaries need to be well armed!
It seems tens of thousands of people unhappy with the results of the election have decided to take to the streets in protest. It appears that this minority isn't happy with the fact that Serge Sarkisian received the majority of the votes in a landslide election or that Russia and the OSCE have approved of the election and its results. Nope, they demand new elections!
Election officials said a final count showed Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian with nearly 53 percent of the vote — enough to win outright and avoid a runoff. His main opponent, Levon Ter-Petrosian, had 21.5 percent.
Monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said there were concerns about the vote count, but issued a generally positive assessment of the election. And Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country enjoys close ties with Armenia, congratulated Sarkisian on his victory.
"I would like to assure you that no one will be able to stop us from making sure that the rule of law is observed," Ter-Petrosian told cheering supporters.
Enough. Stop wasting your time. Serge had definite advantages going in, the election was relatively fair, and Levon lost. Advice to future candidates: don't make a surprise entry and expect the vast majority to take your side instantly.
You can almost hear the kid in the picture saying, "Mom, why are we out here wasting our time in the cold? I thought Mr. Sarkisian had won?"
Yes, my fellow Armenians, these results are not final, but you'd have to be insane to think that the final results would be significantly different so as to throw off the race. You'd also have to be instane to think that Levon wasn't drawing up the plans for a rally even before a single vote had been cast. The BBC had this to say:
Mr Sarkisian had gained 52.7% of the vote, with his nearest rival Levon Ter-Petrosian lagging on 21.5%. By early Wednesday, 97.5% of votes had been counted, according to official results given on Armenian public TV. Turnout was estimated at nearly 70% of 2.3m eligible voters.
But Mr Ter-Petrosian alleges widespread vote-rigging, and has called a rally in the capital, Yerevan. But Mr Ter-Petrosian - a former president - surprised onlookers with a lively and outspoken campaign, and now insists he is the real winner.
How do you say "bullshit" in Armenian?
As I said previously, there wouldn't be a drastic difference for the people of Armenia one way or the other. On the plus side, though, Armenia will not compromise on Karabakh and on the Genocide issue with Turkey. Oh, and a certain other person will not be returning.
Edit: It seems a few of you who are either still shook up or otherwise incapable of comprehending sarcasm believe that I support Sarkisian. That's simply not true: I only wanted Levon to lose. It seems the Armenian people wanted the very same thing.
Ah yes, today is the day where corruption, blind nationalism, and fraud all come together in the form of Armenia's Presidential Election! Who will win? Who will lose? One thing's for certain, this is not going to be a demonstration of democracy and whoever is elected will first and foremost get himself rich, then those near him, and whatever is left will be spread among the lower individuals in power.
Edit: It seems that BBC News went around and asked a dozen Armenians the things that they want with the new president. Recurring themes? Job creation and end to corruption.
Not the kind of news you expect to see on a day as innocent as Valentine's Day.
A plane carrying 21 people has crashed on takeoff from Armenia's capital, but there were no deaths reported...
The plane, a Canadair CRJ-100, was heading for Minsk, Belarus, when it flipped over on the runway at Zvartnots Airport and burst into flames...
What a miracle that no one was injured, but it seems suspicious that they have not yet identified the airline to which the plane belonged. Armavia was at the tip of my tongue, to be honest.
Update: Thanks to reader AB, it seems that the airline was Belavia, the national airline of Belarus. It is also revealed that the airplane's wing clipped the runway on takeoff, causing it to crash. On board were 4 citizens of Belarus, 1 of Russia, 1 of Ukraine, 5 of Georgia, and the rest of Armenia.
Here's a neat little video that documents the Mig 29 airplanes in Russia's 102nd airbase. Not only are they considered by many to be among the best ever, but these airplanes help to safeguard Armenia day in and day out!
Oh yeah, it's in Russian - but you don't have to hear the guy to enjoy the video!
