Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

The New York Times
October 28, 2012 Sunday
Late Edition – Final

How to Find Opening Lines That Electrify

BYLINE: By ERIC GRODE, JOSHUA HARMON, FRANCINE VOLPE, SIBYL KEMPSON,
COLMAN DOMINGO, LISA D’AMOUR, DAVID WEST READ and THERESA REBECK

CALL me Ishmael. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Throw in Tolstoy’s uniquely unhappy families, Orwell’s 13-striking
clocks and Nabokov’s loin-firing Lolita, and literature is packed with
gangbuster first lines.

Theater doesn’t seem to concern itself with front-loading quite as
much, maybe because it’s a lot easier to put down an unsatisfying book
after Page 2 than it is to leave your seat at 8:03 p.m. Still, that
doesn’t prevent playwrights from laboring long and hard over the first
words we hear. ”I never can get very far until I get the first line
right,” says the prolific A. R. Gurney, who over his career has
written more than 40 such lines. ”Well begun is half-done.”

To get a sense of how and why they begin the way they do, Eric Grode
spoke with several writers of new plays. These excerpts from their
comments (and stage directions) have been edited and condensed, but
the lines from their plays are quoted verbatim.

[Parts omitted]

Red Dog Howls

By Alexander Dinelaris

CLOSED Oct. 14 at New York Theater Workshop

PREMISE A man named Michael Kiriakos stands holding an envelope that
links him and his family to the Armenian genocide of 1915.

MICHAEL There are sins, from which we can never be absolved. Sins, so
terrible, so … unimaginable, that if, or when, we finally
acknowledge the depths of our complicity, we will be changed forever.
We will drift through the rest of our days on earth not as human
beings, but as specters. Soulless and empty, continually muttering a
single prayer. Not for forgiveness, because we know that for us,
forgiveness doesn’t exist. Not to forget, because the memory of our
crime is the only source of genuine emotion we will ever know again.
[A beat.] What we will pray for, very simply, is death. There are —
[A beat.] There are sins, from which we can never be absolved. I know
this … because I have committed one.

MR. DINELARIS ”This play is always straddling Michael’s personal
journey as well as the Armenian genocide, and so I wanted this
particular line to address both. … It’s repeated at the end, when
you look at it through a different lens. We’re always looking for that
surprising inevitability: I can’t believe this is happening, and yet I
always knew this would happen. And so the opening of the play starts
you on that path.”

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From: Baghdasarian

Arto Tunjboyajian wants to leave something after him

tert.am
18:41 – 28.10.12

Famous American-Armenian musician Arto Tunjboyajian, performing in
avant-garde folk style, considers senseless the strives of people who
have nothing to say but sing and spend a lot of money and effort for
them to be `cursed’.

`No matter what my goal is, I put clean soul in my music to leave
something after me so that my grandchild is not `cursed’,’
Tunjboyajyan said, speaking to Tert.am.

Tunjboyajian is not against light and happy living, but at the same
time he urged not to forget about tomorrow.

`You live your life but you should think about tomorrow, about what
you are leaving to your grandchild. It is very important for me,’ he
said.

The singer says he understands that may be not all like his music but
he is sure that no one can reject that he puts revelation in it.

`May be the music I write is being understood in an hour, or in ten
years or is not being understood at all, but I am not doing
unnecessary things, I have one direction and I follow it,’ he
explained.

Tunjboyajan said he cannot say whether he is satisfied with
presentation of his potential or presented results. `It is my
opportunity, I am not waiting for anyone to give me opportunity to do
it better. I just imagine my music, my mind, my work. It allows me to
present myself to the world,’ he said.

From: Baghdasarian

Modern lab for food and drug examination to start operating in Armenia soon

YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. Tonus-Les company’s FDA LAB, a modern
laboratory for food and drug examination, will start operating in
Armenia in the coming two months, Levon Hakobyan, the head of the
company, said on Friday, when Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan,
Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan and Health Minister Derenik Dumanyan
visited the laboratory to see its capacity.

The lab is designed for examining drugs, cigarettes, alcoholic and
soft drinks, water, juices, milk, dairy products and baby food.

`I think we will get a local license this year and will be able to
provide lab services to everyone who wants,’ Hakobyan said.
He said that the lab will also seek ISO17025 license for providing
international services.

The head of the laboratory said that this will give a gateway to
Europe to Armenian exporters who need European quality certificates
for their exports.

`We will provide them an opportunity to examine products in our
country saving time and money,’ he said adding that after getting this
international license, the laboratory will be unique in the region.

Hakobyan said that the process of obtaining international licenses is
very complicated, but the laboratory was designed and constructed with
taking into account all international standards. It means there will
be no problems.

`Out team has promised to make every effort to obtain this license
this year, but this is a very complicated task,’ he said.
Tigran Sargsyayn, on his side, said that the government wants a
network of such laboratories to be created in the country.
Tonus-Les has already spent over AMD 470 million on purchasing
up-to-date equipment for the lab.

The company’s investments in construction and equipment total AMD 1.3 billion.

Tonus-Les was established in 2000. The company is one of the largest
importers of medicaments and medical supplies in Armenia. The process
of ISO 9001-2008 international-standard licensing is under way now.
($1 – AMD 405.25). -0-

From: Baghdasarian

IRAN-AZERBAÏDJAN
Les gardes-frontière azéris auraient repoussé un groupe d’iraniens qui
tentaient de s’infiltrer en Azerbaïdjan

Un incident relativement rare vient de se dérouler en Azerbaïdjan.
Hier, selon l’agence azérie Trend, un groupe d’Iraniens ont tenté de
franchir la frontière entre l’Iran et l’Azerbaïdjan en faisant feu en
direction des garde-frontières azéris. Ces derniers auraient répliqué
sur ce groupe d’Iraniens qui ont été refoulés en Iran avec un blessé
dans leurs rangs. Quel était l’objet de cette tentative de
franchissement de la frontière ? Nous n’avons pas d’informations
complémentaires.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 28 octobre 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

CRITICAS EN MEXICO POR ESTATUA A EX JEFE DEL KGB

Marti Noticias
26 octubre 2012
Cuba

Una estatua a Heydar Aliev, ex presidente de Azerbaiyan y ex jefe
del KGB en ese república de la URSS ha desatado críticas en Mexico.

Rodeada por flores y arboles del Bosque de Chapultepec, el mayor
pulmon de la contaminada capital mexicana, la estatua del fallecido
líder de Azerbaiyan Heydar Aliyev luce tranquila, ajena a la polemica
desatada por su colocacion, informa la agencia AFP.

Organizaciones de derechos humanos encabezan una campaña contra la
colocacion de la efigie de Aliyev, exagente de la KGB, la temida
agencia de espionaje sovietica, en una de las zonas mas emblematicas
de la capital mexicana, junto a numerosas estatuas de Gandhi, Winston
Churchill o Martin Luther King.

La estatua muestra a Aliyev sentado placidamente, de elegante traje,
con la pierna cruzada y mirando el panorama. Una placa lo describe
como “un gran político y estadista” y “un brillante ejemplo de la
devocion infinita a la patria y fidelidad a los ideales universales
de paz mundial”.

Sus partidarios lo recuerdan como padre de la independencia
de Azerbaiyan de la Union Sovietica, pero sus críticos lo tachan
de hombre duro que aplasto a la disidencia, encarcelo opositores y
reprimio a la prensa durante su gobierno (1993-2003). El sucesor de
Aliyev es su hijo, Ilhman.

“Que la estatua de un dictador, de una persona que violo los derechos,
este colocada en nuestra avenida principal es una ofensa para nosotros,
para el pueblo de Armenia y el pueblo de Azerbaiyan”, comento a la
AFP el defensor de derechos humanos Jesús Robles Maloof.

Este activista, uno de los primeros que abordo el tema a traves de la
red de Twitter, exigio al alcalde de la ciudad, el izquierdista Marcelo
Ebrard, retirar la estatua y reemplazarla por un monumento en honor
del pueblo de Azerbaiyan. Isabel Aguilar, otra tuitera y diseñadora
grafica, cuestiona: “Si ya pusieron una estatua de Aliyev en Reforma,
yo propongo que pongan una de Kim Jong-Il o de Vladimir Putin, ¿no?”.

El gobierno de Azerbaiyan financio con cinco millones de dolares la
reforestacion del rincon de Chapultepec donde se encuentra la estatua,
rebautizado como Parque de la Amistad Mexico-Azerbaiyan, y la de otro
espacio verde de la megaurbe.

Ante la tormenta de críticas, Ebrard, que el 5 de diciembre entrega
la alcadía al tambien izquierdista Miguel Ángel Mancera, creo un
panel de expertos para analizar las quejas y proponer que hacer con
la estatua inaugurada en agosto.

El panel tambien revisara el contenido de la placa del segundo
parque reforestado por Azerbaiyan y en la que se utiliza la palabra
“genocidio”, políticamente sensible, para describir la masacre de
azerbaiyanos en la aldea de Khojaly durante el conflicto de Nagorny
Karabaj con el vecino Armenia en los años noventa.

“Es mejor ponerlo en manos de especialistas en relaciones
internacionales”, comento a la AFP Felipe Leal, secretario de
Desarrollo Urbano de la capital. El embajador de Azerbaiyan, Ilgar
Mukhtarov, ha salido a defender su colocacion. “Es el padre de nuestra
nacion, un símbolo de Azerbaiyan y de nuestra independencia. No era
un dictador”, comento a la AFP.

Las semillas de la amistad entre ambos países, relata, fueron plantadas
cuando Aliyev, entonces funcionario sovietico, encabezo una delegacion
de la URSS que visito Mexico en 1982, añade el diplomatico.

Este país fue de los primeros en reconocer la independencia de
Azerbaiyan.

Mukhtarov señala como responsable de la polemica a la “diaspora
armenia” –Azerbaiyan combatio a los separatistas armenios en Nagorny
Karabaj– y a “gente de aquí que trata de dañar las relaciones entre
Azerbaiyan y Mexico”. Los escasos capitalinos que una mañana estaban
sentados en las bancas colocadas enfrente de la estatua reconocieron
que saben poco o nada acerca de ese país exsovietico o su historia.

“Me gusta, pero la verdad no lo conozco. No es tan conocido como
Gandhi”, comento Armando Monroy, un mensajero de 45 años.

From: Baghdasarian

‘EVOCATIONS OF ARMENIA’ TO BE PERFORMED AT PUFFIN

Teaneck Suburbanite (Bergen, North Jersey)
October 25, 2012

With solo cello and spoken word, “Evocations of Armenia” weaves
together music and poetry to form a rich tapestry of Armenian life
and culture. It will be performed Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. at The
Puffin Cultural Forum, 20 Puffin Way (off Teaneck Road) in Teaneck.

Actor Nora Armani brings alive Armenian poetry from pagan times to the
modern era, including the gripping “Birth of Vahakn,” Armenia’s God
of Fire and conqueror of dragons; the ancient legend of the doomed
lovers at Akhtamar; and the story of the enchanted Dove Abbey, by
national poet Hovhannes Toumanyan. Cellist David Bakamjian performs
poignant folk songs collected by Komitas, beautiful sacred chants
from the Middle Ages and evocative music by 20th century composer
Alan Hovhaness.

There is a $10 suggested donation. Reservations are recommended and
must be made before 5 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the performance
by emailing [email protected] For more information, call
201-836-3499 or visit puffinculturalforum.org.

From: Baghdasarian

“WHAT IT IS TO BE A HUMAN BEING’

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Oct 25 2012

Connectedness was a theme for some of the 2012 International
Peacemakers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)s Peacemaking Program,
and it certainly characterized much of Arda Aghazarians visit to the
United States.

The East Jerusalem resident felt a special kinship while spending
time in community with others, especially Armenians in California
because her own roots are in Armenia.

Some of the most meaningful moments were being part of communities,
she said. It was something unexpected.

Aghazarian is media and advocacy coordinator for the YWCA and
supervisor of a project that encourages the implementation of United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. The resolution deals
with respecting womens rights during conflicts and supporting their
participation in peace negotiations in the aftermath of conflict.

She arrived in the States Sept. 25 and spent time in California,
Tennessee and Missouri. Along with talks she gave at various churches
and with members of the PC(USA), Aghazarian visited high schools,
colleges and retirement homes.

At Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., Aghazarian was a leader in
residence and got an opportunity to be part of that community in a
close way.

As international peacemakers, Id like to think that we emphasized
how connected we are, she said. Although the peacemakers hail from
different parts of the world, we have the same mission and the
same vision.

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program invites leaders from the
denominations partner churches around the world to share their
experiences as peacemakers in their own lands. This year, 15
International Peacemakers were available to mid-councils, Presbyterian
colleges and seminaries for itineration Sept. 21-Oct. 15.

Someone remarked that you are consciousness-raising, Aghazarian said.
It is important for us to emphasize the work that we are doing.

Included among the issues she stressed was awareness of the Kairos
Palestine Document, a view on the Israel-Palestine struggle through
the lens of Christian Palestinians. People need to know about this
document which comes directly from Christians in Palestine, the Holy
Land, Aghazarian said.

Since the documents release, the Kairos Palestine Document Study
Guide also was prepared by the Middle East Monitoring Group that was
mandated by the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the PC(USA).

My message (while in the States) was that we think of identity as
something that is simple, but its not, Aghazarian said. We must talk
about what it is to be a human being. It should not be limited to
our citizenship but rather the basics of what it means to be a human.

Toya Richards, a student at Louisville Presbyterian Theological
Seminary, writes frequently for Presbyterian News Service.

From: Baghdasarian

DOLLAR SHOWS SIGNS OF GAINING VALUE IN ARMENIA

news.am
October 26, 2012 | 16:47

YEREVAN. – The NASDAQ OMX Armenia stock exchange saw no foreign
currency trading on Friday, and the reason is the rise in the US
national currency’s exchange rate against the Armenian dram (AMD).

The dollar enjoyed an asking rate of AMD 406/$1, but the minimum offer
was AMD 406.20/$1. As a result, the US currency has growth trends,
and Thursday’s average exchange rate was AMD 405.13/$1 at NASDAQ
OMX Armenia.

Some exchange offices have raised the American currency’s buying
rate all the way to AMD 405/$1, in Armenia’s cash foreign currency
market, and the more prevalent selling exchange rate is AMD 408/$1,
as compared with AMD 407/$1 of the previous days.

From: Baghdasarian

THE DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS OF AZERBAIJAN CAN BE FOLLOWED BY NEW DECISIONS OF NKR RECOGNITION. EDWARD NALBANDIAN

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 26, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, ARMENPRESS: As more Azerbaijan tries to prevent
the OSCE Minsk group’s efforts aimed to NKR settlement solution the
more new decisions will be reached concerning NKR recognition. This
was declared by Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian
during the meeting with Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Costa
Rica Victor Emilio Granados Calvo.

“As more Azerbaijan will prevent the effort of the solution of
NKR settlement by keeping the status quo the more resolutions on
NKR recognition will follow the resolution made by the Legislative
Council of Australian state of New South Wales on Thursday” noted
Edward Nalbandian.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs presented the process of NKR
settlement to the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Costa
Rica highlighting that Armenian viewpoint matched with the one of
international community presented by OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs,
therefore Azerbaijan continually refused the suggestions made.

From: Baghdasarian

EU PEACE-BUILDING EFFORTS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH: SECOND PHASE OF CIVIL SOCIETY PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 26, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, ARMENPRESS: The second phase of EU-funded
civil society programme, aimed at supporting the peace-building
efforts around the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has been launched,
reports Armenpress citing EU Neighbourhood Info Center. The European
Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh (EPNK) is a continuation of a programme launched in
2009 under the Instrument for Stability, promoting a dynamic dialogue
between a broad range of policymakers, media and civil society from
all sides of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It also
supports a wider participation of conflict-affected people in the
peace process, including women, youth, internally displaced persons
and refugees. EPNK is a consortium of five European NGOs, which seeks
to work with local partners in the South Caucasus on a wide range of
peace-building projects to improve framework conditions conducive to
positively impacting the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

The activities will run for three years and are arranged around three
main themes: media, public policy and conflict-affected groups. They
aim to broaden the base of participation in peace-building initiatives,
with special attention given to marginalised groups, build confidence
between all sides of the conflict through increased people-to-people
contact, promote fresh analysis and new ideas that challenge
existing discourses on the conflict with peace-oriented visions of
the future and actively engage civil society in dialogue with policy
makers at national and international levels on the transformation
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The European Union’s Instrument
for Stability is a special financial instrument created to support
the peaceful settlement of conflicts, de-escalation of tensions and
post-conflict rehabilitation world-wide.

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From: Baghdasarian