Author: Badalian Vardan

AMIC’s Newsletter, Montreal, Canada
AMIC’s Info-Flash
369 Frontenac Drive, D.D.O. Qc., Canada
Web:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 514 620 1900

March, 2013

Article 1: Readers want alternative formats for Info-Flash
Article 2: ACMAO and AAMS collaborate for Stepanakert Women’s Clinic
Article 3: FIDEC Presentation in Los Angeles, October 2012
Article 4; Canadians Uncover Genetic Cause of Rare Children’s Disease
Article 5: YSMU Alumni Association
Article 6: Healthcare in Armenia Plenary Session
Article 7: Early Registration and Abstract Submission deadline March 30

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1. Readers want alternative formats for Info Flash

Thank you to the 43 colleagues who answered our survey, “How do you like
your
Info-Flash?” last month. The respondents, who reported that they read the
Info “Most or all of the time (38), or “Some of the time” (5), indicated
that while they tend to read the Info as a Microsoft Word e-mail attachment,
there is interest in having an online/web version and compatibility with
iPad-like devices. There were several requests that the info be sent as a
PDF format and a few calls for translation into Armenian. One brave
individual even offered to help with translation to Armenian!

This month’s Info-Flash is offered online at

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2. ACMAO and AAMS collaborate for Stepanakert Women’s Clinic

The Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario, which had in 2012
voted to downsize their clinic operations in Nagorno Karabagh, has developed
a partnership with the Armenian American Medical Society (of California) to
provide joint funding for the Women’s Health Clinic in Stepanakert. (See
also the acmao.ca website) The NKR Minister of Health Dr. Zoya Lazarian has
also promised support from the Ministry of Health of Karabagh amounting to
40% of the annual clinic budget.

This joint venture prevents the downsizing of the clinic which is so
necessary to the health of women in Stepanagert. The clinic was started
through the efforts of AMIC’s past President Dr Avedis Bogosyan.

ACMAO President Dr Berdj Artinian adds that the interaction of the various
members of the AMIC group is essential for our ongoing efforts to provide
healthcare services to our Motherland. The partnership we have created
between AMAQ (Montreal), AAMS (Los Angeles) and ACMAO (Toronto) is a good
example.

You may read the formal ACMAO announcement at
(935 KB PDF file)

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3. FIDEC Presentation in Los Angeles October 2012

On Friday October 19th, 2012,FIDEC (Fighting Infectious Diseases in
Emerging Countries) was introduced to the Armenian community of California
at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, detailing the actions taken in
this Eurasian country under the Women of Tavush Health Program.

The event was hosted by Mr. Jorge Rabaso and included presentations by Dr.
Daniel Stamboulian, President of FIDEC, Dr. Sarkis Anac Medical Director of
the program and Dr. Pablo Elmassian, FIDEC’s Armenian Medical Director. They
showed a testimonial video filmed in Tavush describing the current medical
situation of women living in under-served rural areas of that province.

Afterwards, Dr. Stamboulian described the other regions where FIDEC works as
well as the objectives set for 2013. He emphasized that the program is
carried out thanks to the contribution of individuals committed to the
progress of Armenia and improving access to women’s health in that country.
He invited those present to join the project.

A brochure in English from the evening is available at
(1.4 MB PDF
file)

FIDEC is a US-based nonprofit organization that provides resources to
develop programs that control and prevent infectious disease in emerging
countries. Daniel Stamboulian of Buenos Aires, Argentina is FIDEC’s Founder
and President. Please see FIDEC’s website is in
Spanish and English

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4. Canadians Uncover Genetic Cause of Rare Children’s Disease

Please read and savor this accomplishment of a team led by Toronto
Neurologist Berge Minassian from The Globe and Mail, Canada’s main national
newspaper. Briefly, Dr Minassian’s team pinpointed the genetic cause of a
rare disorder causing Parkinsonism in young children. The work was
completed in less than two years, an astonishing feat. Their report was
published in the Feb 7, 2013 New England Journal of Medicine.

Link to The Globe and Mail:

ver-cause-of-rare-childrens-disease/article8017283/
Link to the NEJM article:

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5. YSMU Alumni Association

YSMU Grads! Please join us Friday evening July 5 at the 11th Armenian
Medical World Congress in Hollywood. Info is available at

Find us on Linkedin (link can be found on the 9amwc.org/ysmu webpage). You
can also register for the Association using the link on the same webpage.

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6. Healthcare in Armenia Plenary Session

Friday morning July 5, the plenary session will focus on Healthcare in
Armenia.The Minister of Health of Armenia will discuss Healthcare Policy in
Armenia, and the other presentations will discuss what Armenia needs, how
much education will play a role, what else is needed, and how the Diaspora
can help.

This session replaces the Saturday morning Strategic sessions that we had in
the San Francisco and New York Congresses. Obviously there is much to
discuss. If you have any strong opinions or ideas of how the session could
proceed, please share them with me at [email protected]
Thanks, –Jerry Manoukian, AMIC President

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7. Early Registration and Abstract Submission deadline March 30

Links to the Congress:
General Congress info:
Hotel registration:
Registration:

AMIC has a Silicon Valley office
In addition to our Montreal office, we also have an office in Mountain View,
California (home of Google, Yahoo, Mozilla and so many dot-com startups).
We have a new phone line, 1-650-961-2013.

The address is

Armenian Medical International Committee
c/o Jerry Manoukian
2500 Hospital Drive, Building 4, Mountain View, CA 94040, USA
In addition to the usual correspondence ([email protected]) you can reach us in
California at [email protected]

Geoscientist left immeasurable legacy

Yale Daily News (New Haven, Connecticut)
Monday, March 25, 2013

Karl Turekian, a giant in the field of geology who brought dynamism
and energy to the Geology and Geophysics Department for over half a
century, died of cancer in Branford, Conn., on March 15. He was 85.

Geologists and geochemists interviewed credited Turekian with
overseeing the coming of age of modern geochemistry – a field that
drew little attention before Turekian began teaching and researching
oceanography at Yale in 1956. During his 57-year career at the
University, Turekian, a Sterling Professor of geology and geophysics,
collected countless accolades and participated in some of the most
significant scientific research of the 20th century, including the
study of the first lunar samples collected during the Apollo space
mission – and colleagues said Turekian’s research brought him to the
pinnacle of achievement in his field.

`The world has lost one of the greatest geoscientists who ever lived,’
said Jay Ague, the current chair of Yale’s Department of Geology &
Geophysics, in an email to the department dated March 15. `His
influence is so large it is impossible to measure.’

Turekian’s research brought him to the frontiers of discovery
regarding the origin of the solar system, the extinction of dinosaurs
and climate change, among other issues. William Graustein GRD ’81, a
former student of Turekian’s, said the professor was never intimidated
by the scope and importance of the problems he confronted, adding that
Turekian guided his lab to approach =80=9Cthe big questions.’ Former
students said Turekian was known for saying that `one good data point’
could change the world.

During his illustrious research career, Turekian edited eight
scientific journals, published hundreds of papers, authored five books
and received awards including the V. M. Goldschmidt Medal of the
Geochemical Society and the Maurice Ewing Medal of the American
Geophysical Union. He chaired the Department of Geology and Geophysics
during the 1980s and also served as president of the Geochemical
Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Raised in an Armenian immigrant family and overcoming financial
hardship, Turekian went on to receive one of the first doctorates in
geochemistry at Columbia University in 1955 and become one of the
first geoscientists to teach at Yale. His intellectual brilliance took
him to academic heights, but he never forgot the humility instilled in
him through his blue-collar upbringing, said his wife Roxanne.

Turekian’s wealth of scientific achievement was paralleled only by his
`larger-than-life charisma,’ said his son Vaughan.

`His science never got in the way of his humanity, and his humanity
never got in the way of his science,’ Graustein said.

Since his death, Turekian’s family members said they have received an
outpouring of condolences from the generations of geoscientists that
Turekian taught and mentored around the world.

For Turekian’s 70th birthday in 1997, many of his former students
returned to campus to visit him, and each student brought a coffee mug
from his or her respective institution – a reference to Turekian’s
`coffee hours,’ in which he would invite students and faculty of all
levels to gather and discuss cutting-edge research.

`He made you feel that you were the center of the world,’ his daughter
Karla said. `He was like that with the students, believing in you when
you didn’t necessarily believe in yourself.’

Karla said she felt she had `won the lottery’ with Turekian as a
father. Turekian’s wife, Roxanne, said Turekian was a devoted husband
during their 51-year marriage.

Turekian is survived by his wife Roxanne, his children Karla and
Vaughan, and two grandchildren, Aleena and Charles.

Photo Caption: Yale geochemist Karl Turekian, whose groundbreaking
research delved into everything from the extinction of dinosaurs to
the origin of the solar system, died on March 15. Photo by Vaughan
Turekian.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S METHOD OF WORKING WITHIN LAW AND CONSTITUTION IS FULLY ACCEPTABLE – ARMENIAN RULING PARTY MP

NEWS.AM
March 26, 2013 | 14:32

YEREVAN. – The present-day situation in Armenia reflects the normal
processes of the post-election phase. The President’s statement on
Monday, and in connection with the proposals by opposition Heritage
Party Chairman, former FM Raffi Hovannisian-who is declared runner-up
to the winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of
the presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who
claims to be the real winner in the vote and who declared a hunger
strike on March 10 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square-, was
realistic and rational. Ruling Republican Party (RPA) MP Hovhannes
Sahakyan stated this during a press conference on Tuesday.

In his words, all problems need to be resolved together.

“The rationale of Raffi Hovannisian’s demands is incomprehensible.

Perhaps, many do not understand the steps [being taken] by the
authorities, but the authorities operate within the law,” the MP said.

In Sahakyan’s conviction, Hovannisian’s method of working within the
law and the Constitution is fully acceptable.

“We see that a situation is created where mutual contacts and political
discourse have a place,” the RPA MP noted.

SAFARIAN AND OSKANIAN HAVE CONFIDENTIAL MEETING

Tuesday,
March 26

The secretary of Heritage Party Stepan Safarian declared in Liberty
Square yesterday that the only solution is holding snap parliamentary
elections, “Iravunk” paper writes.

According to sources close to Civilitas Foundation, after Heritage
leader Raffi Hovannsian received Serzh Sargsyan’s open letter, Safarian
had a confidential meeting with Civilitas head Vartan Oskanian
who told Safarian to convince Raffi Hovannisian that unless the
Armenian president immediately complies with the demand of holding
snap parliamentary elections, all talks on other issues would be
procrastination and weaken the Hello Revolution.

TODAY, 11:47

Aysor.am

Le Télégramme, France
Lundi 18 Mars 2013

Roman. Marina Dédéyan, « fière d’être Malouine »

C’est en découvrant, dans une rue de Pondichéry, une plaque au nom de
Surcouf qu’elle a eu l’idée d’écrire son quatrième roman 100 % breton.
C’est à Paramé qu’elle a vu le jour. Et c’est sur les secteurs de
Dinan, Dinard, La Richardais que la jeune fille, d’origine russe et
arménienne, passait régulièrement deux mois et demi de son temps.
Depuis son enfance, elle baigne dans la littérature : une
arrière-grand-mère amie de Marcel Pagnol, un grand-oncle qui a
fréquenté les mêmes bars qu’Hemingway à Nice et Cannes, un grand-père
professeur à la Sorbonne et écrivain, un oncle, Roman Petroff,
spécialiste de Marin-Marie… Normal donc de la voir aujourd’hui
sortir son quatrième roman, dans lequel l’histoire (son père est
historien) est très présente. « J’ai écrit mon premier roman à l’ge
de 7 ans, confesse celle qui est aussi consultante en communication.
C’est vrai qu’aujourd’hui, je réalise un rêve d’enfance ».

Second tome en septembre

L’idée de ce livre lui est venue lors d’un voyage en Inde, il y a cinq
ans. Là où elle séjourne un mois et demi chaque année. « Ce pays me
captive. C’est un tel choc. C’est un pays qui vous apprend à voir les
choses autrement ». La Bretagne de la fin du XVIIIe et tout
particulièrement Saint-Malo, celle des grands navigateurs, servent de
décor à ce roman, qui sera suivi d’un second tome en septembre.

Pratique

« De tempête et d’espoir. Saint-Malo » chez Flammarion.

Final proposal of Raffi Hovhannisyan is sent to the presidential residence
Sat, 03/23/2013 – 19:30
News

During the March 22 rally at the Liberty Square Raffi Hovhannisyan
presented, according to his definition, `the last chance of the
authorities’ to go forward to the people and together build a `new
Armenia by holding new presidential elections as soon as possible or
the approval of the comprehensive agreement of separation of power
between the government.

`Time for revolution has come’- Raffi Hovhanniysn said during his
speech, adding `Either the authorities will change their attitude
towards the people, or the nation will stand to replace its government
forever’. In both cases we will have New Armenia on April 9.
Below we present the documents presented by Raffi Hovhannisyan and
sent to the presidential residence.
`A) IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
OR
B) SEPARATION OF POWER WITH THE NATION
Early presidential election – this year. Until that implement Election
code reforms, leaving only proportional system, allow the publication
of the election lists, recover the political-partisan principle for
the Central election and precinct commission, assure the voting for
the people living abroad or their removal from the election lists.
Dismiss minimum 5 heads of the regions from their positions and
appoint the people presented by Raffi Hovhannisyan.
Dismiss all the Mayors and heads of the villages involved in major
violations – using the power of the government. .
Subject all the election violators, the heads of the regions, mayors
and partisan representatives included to the criminal responsibility.
Appoint the heads of the following fields the people presented by
Raffi Hovhannisyan.
a/ RA General Prosecutor’s Office
b/ State revenue and tax service
c/ State Security Service
d/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs
e/ Ministry of Education and Science
f/ Supervisory board of the National Assembly

Author:
Factinfo

Arthur Abraham: Th third fight will be decisive

10:42 24.03.2013

Robert Stieglitz reclaimed his WBO super middleweight title from
fellow German Arthur Abraham on a technical knockout after three
rounds on Saturday night.

Referee Mike Ortega stepped in to end the bout before the fourth after
consulting with the ring doctor.

`My eye is closed. I can’t see anything with my eye. I wanted to let
him punch a bit and then start punching myself from the fourth, fifth
rounds,’ said Abraham, who was born in Armenia but fights out of
Berlin.

`If he won, he won. Now the third fight is the decisive fight,’ added
Abraham, who dropped to 36-4 (28 KOs), TSN reports.

Stieglitz also indicated the likelihood of another bout between the two.

`I’m always happy to fight Arthur Abraham,’ Stieglitz said. `I hope
the managers reach agreement. I’m ready.’

Aronian, Carlsen play a draw

20:05 24.03.2013

GMs Levon Aronian (Armenia) and Magnus Carlsen (Norway) played a draw
in Round 8 of the Candidates Tournament underway in London.

The two will maintain the lead, irrespective of the results of the
other three games.

The London Candidates Tournament will determine the challenger who
will face, later this year, the current title holder World Champion
Viswanathan Anand, who has reigned as World Champion since 2007.

TURQUIE
La Turquie pourrait s’opposer à ce que le gaz renfloue Chypre

La Turquie pourrait contester toute décision que prendrait la
République de Chypre pour accélérer l’exploitation de gisements
gaziers offshore en vue de remédier à sa crise financière, ont déclaré
jeudi de hauts responsables turcs.

L’Union européenne a donné à la République de Chypre (partie grecque)
jusqu’à lundi pour réunir les 5,8 milliards d’euros nécessaires pour
obtenir un plan de sauvetage, faute de quoi son système financier
serait menacé de faillite et le pays risque fort de sortir de la zone
euro.

Chypre est en pourparlers avec Moscou concernant d’éventuels
investissements russes. Le ministre chypriote des Finances, Michael
Sarris, a déclaré que les réserves gazières en mer étaient l’un des
domaines dans lesquels les Russes pourraient investir.

`Ces ressources appartiennent aux deux communautés, et l’avenir de ces
gisements ne peut être le seul fait de la volonté de la partie sud de
Chypre. Nous pourrions si nécessaire prendre des mesures pour contrer
de telles initiatives`, a dit à Reuters l’un des responsables turcs.

`L’exploitation exclusive de ces ressources par la partie sud de
Chypre est hors de question(…) et inacceptable`, a-t-il ajouté.

L’île de Chypre est divisée entre le sud `grec` et la partie nord
`turque` depuis un coup d’Etat grec suivi d’une invasion de l’armée
turque en 1974. Les efforts pour réunifier les deux parties ont échoué
à plusieurs reprises et la Turquie est le seul pays à reconnaître la
`République turque du nord de Chypre`.

`Nous envisageons tous les moyens juridiques(…). Nous pourrions
porter l’affaire devant l’Union européenne mais nous recourrons à tous
les canaux politiques et juridiques`, a dit ce responsable sans donner
davantage de précisions.

dimanche 24 mars 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Poésie
ÕÕ«Ö?Õ²Õ¨ (La Hutte), de M. Medzarentz par P. Habeckian

Missak Metzarents (Missak Metzadourian), est né en janvier 1886 dans
le village de Pingian (vilayet de Kharpert), près de Agn, en Arménie
Occidentale. En 1894, il déménage avec sa famille à Sebaste, où il
fréquente l’école Aramian. De 1902-1905, alors que la tuberculose
commence à se manifester, il fréquentera l’école centrale de
Constantinople. Cependant, la maladie l’oblige à quitter ses études
sur le conseil des médecins.

En dépit de son triste sort, Missak Metzarents réussit à publier de
son vivant deux volumes de poésie : `Dziadzan` (Rainbow – Arc en ciel)
(1907) et `Nor Dagher`. Il aura très jeune enrichi la poésie
arménienne avec ses chefs-d’Å`uvre lyriques.

Son héritage littéraire est constitué de plus de 130 poèmes, une
douzaine de poèmes en prose et d’histoires, et de plusieurs articles
littéraires et de critiques. Il a écrit son premier poème (La Plaie au
coeur) Ã l’ge de 15 ans. Un an après la publication de l’Arc en ciel,
il rendait l’me à l’ge de 22 ans, le 4 juillet 1908 . Il repose Ã
Istanbul.

Mon père, grand patriote, féru de poésie et artiste dramatique, auteur
du livre Les Fleurs déracinées (Elekian, 1980), a enregistré dans les
années 1960-70 plusieurs textes de nos grands poètes. Ici, il nous
propose « La Hutte », de Missak Medzarentz.

Parsegh Habeckian, est comme les descendants de la barbarie de la
Turquie ottomane, un survivant du Génocide de 1915. Il a failli mourir
sur place à l’ge de 6 ans dans un village près de Yozgat, quand après
48 heures passées sous le cadavre de sa mère, ses sauveteurs
s’aperçurent qu’il avait une entaille à la nuque provoquée par un coup
de hache. Il avait été laissé pour mort après que les sauvages (il n’y
a pas d’autre terme) eurent massacrés les villageois. Pour le protéger
sa mère s’était précipitée sur lui. La hache traversa le corps de
celle qui aurait dû être ma grand-mère. Il est décédé le 24 Avril
1989…

Jean Eckian

Autres poèmes en Arménien sur Youtube :

Complaints (Bedros Tourian) – My old companions (Sarmen)
…