Author: Kalantarian Kevo

SINGER ANITA DARIAN REMEMBERED FOR GENRE-SPANNING CAREER

National Public Radio
February 12, 2015 Thursday
SHOW: All Things Considered 08:00 PM EST

GUESTS: Anita Darian, The Tokens, Lynda Wells, Mickey And Sylvia

ROBERT SIEGEL: A moment now to remember a soprano whose voice was
heard by millions of people who never who she was.

(SOUNDBITE OF UNIDENTIFIED SONG)

ANITA DARIAN: (Singing) How I wish we weren’t…

ROBERT SIEGEL: Anita Darian died last week at age 87. This is from
her singing Ned Rorem’s “Four Dialogues.” She sang classical music,
musical comedy and pop music. She was a studio singer with a vocal
range to match her stylistic range.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT”)

THE TOKENS: (Singing) Near the village, the quiet, the lion sleeps
tonight. Hey, hey.

ANITA DARIAN: (Vocalizing).

LYNDA WELLS: And there she is. It is the floating voice of Anita
Darian.

ROBERT SIEGEL: And that’s Lynda Wells, who was friends with Anita
Darian for nearly 50 years.

LYNDA WELLS: Well, let me tell you a funny story about “The Lion Sleeps
Tonight.” The arrangers and producers called Anita in to record with
this new group called The Tokens. And when she got into the session,
they showed her the chart that she was to sing, and they tried it once
through and she said it’s too low. I need to sing it up an octave. And
the producer and the arranger looked at her and said you can’t do
that. And she said, well, let’s try it.

ROBERT SIEGEL: (Laughter) So this is her range. This is her natural
range that we’re hearing her sing at.

LYNDA WELLS: (Laughter) She had four workable octaves without going
to falsetto.

ROBERT SIEGEL: Now, she, in addition to other things, performed in
musical theater. She performed in opera, yes?

LYNDA WELLS: Absolutely. She did everything from Helen the Hellmann’s
hen in commercials to the beginning voices of “Alvin And The Chipmunks”
to imitating a theremin for Burt Bacharach to going onto Broadway.

ROBERT SIEGEL: Wait a minute. Did you say Hellmann’s hen for Hellmann’s
mayonnaise?

LYNDA WELLS: Yes (laughter).

ROBERT SIEGEL: So she did a lot of studio singing.

LYNDA WELLS: She did a lot of studio – and she did voices, so she
did cartoon voices.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LOVE IS STRANGE”)

MICKEY AND SYLVIA: (Singing) Love, love is strange.

ROBERT SIEGEL: This was a famous record by Mickey and Sylvia called
“Love is Strange.”

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LOVE IS STRANGE”)

MICKEY AND SYLVIA: (Singing) You’ll never wanna quit.

ANITA DARIAN: (Singing) No, no.

MICKEY AND SYLVIA: (Singing) After you’ve had it…

ROBERT SIEGEL: Wait a minute. Is she doing the no-no?

LYNDA WELLS: Yes (laughter) yes, yes.

ROBERT SIEGEL: That’s Anita Darian.

LYNDA WELLS: It’s not the same woman that you heard on “The Lion
Sleeps Tonight,” is it?

ROBERT SIEGEL: And she seemed to carve out some kind of niche for
exotic songs.

LYNDA WELLS: She did. When she was recording for Cap Records, they
decided to use the exotica of her Armenian heritage doing an album
based on some Armenian songs and things like “Come On-A My House,”
which had been a hit for Rosie Clooney, but had never been done in
the original Armenian.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “COME ON-A MY HOUSE”)

ANITA DARIAN: (Singing in Armenian) I’m gonna give you candy.

ROBERT SIEGEL: It’s probably better than the English there.

LYNDA WELLS: (Laughter) Well, it was really cute.

ROBERT SIEGEL: Do you ever wonder how it is that someone like Anita
Darian, who had a wonderful voice – yet had all kinds of studio work
singing in all kinds of famous records but not – not what we think
of as a star who was a household name. Why not?

LYNDA WELLS: I think that she was so versatile that she would fall
into niches, so she became the backup singer. You’d either bring in
a string section or you’d bring in Anita Darian.

ROBERT SIEGEL: Well, thank you very much, Lynda Wells, for talking
with us about the remarkable voice and the remarkable career of your
friend the late Anita Darian, who died last week at age 87.

LYNDA WELLS: Thank you so very much.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MISIRLOU”)

ANITA DARIAN: (Singing) Desert shadows creep across purple sands.

Natives kneel in prayer by their caravans.

AZERBAIJAN AT BOTTOM OF INDEX OF FREEDOM

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
February 12, 2015 Thursday

The organization Reporters without Borders published its annual index
level of press freedom in the world.

“In the Caucasus, Azerbaijan (162nd, down 2) suffered an unprecedented
crackdown on critics and registered the biggest fall in score among
the index’s 25 lowest-ranking countries. With media freedom already
limited by one-sided regulation and control of the advertising market,
the few remaining independent publications were either collapsing
under the impact of astronomic damages awards or were simply closed
by the police. The number of journalists and bloggers who were jailed
turned Azerbaijan into Europe’s biggest prison for news providers,
“the report says.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan is adjacent to the list of Rwanda,
Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Cuba, North Korea and the
biggest violator of freedom, Eritrea.

It is noteworthy that countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Libya,
Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Cambodia are ahead of Azerbaijan.

Neighbors of Azerbaijan in the region, Armenia and Georgia took places
78 and 69 respectively.

The ten freest countries are as follows: Finland, Denmark, the
Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, Austria, Canada, Jamaica and
Estonia. -02D-

Just another social project implemented owing to the personal
investment of VivaCell-MTS employees

by Gayane Isahakyan

Friday, February 13, 19:15

For years the kindergarten of the borderland Verin Chambarak village
has been heated by wood. Last year electricity was tried as an
alternative to heat the place, but it did not prove to be efficient,
either, the press service of VivaCell-MTS has told ArmInfo.

True to VivaCell-MTS management model and its responsible value
system, the staff of the Information Systems Department has made a
personal investment to install a heating system in the vast juniors’
section of the kindergarten building. With the support of the same
group of employees, the kitchen on the ground floor was equipped with
a 500-liter capacity water tank and a pump, which lets provide the
kindergarten with both cold and hot water. Owing to the joint donation
of VivaCell-MTS employees, the heating problem at Verin Chambarak
kindergarten will not depend on nature’s whims anymore; the kids and
the teachers will forget the inconvenience caused by smoke
infiltration and the insufficient heating. The ecological benefits of
the solution are obvious as well.

In all its operations in the Armenian telecommunications market
VivaCell-MTS has been following a civilized model of administration
from the beginning. The system of values adopted in the organization,
which implies putting Corporate Responsibility at the core of its
activities, has already become a lifestyle for VivaCell-MTS employees.
Their desire to help the country and the society is realized through
numerous projects; employees of different departments of the Company
make decisions and collect funds for their implementation.

A number of projects have been realized in various communities of
Armenia throughout 2014 owing to the donation of the employees of
VivaCell-MTS’ various departments. The projects included construction
of a metal-concrete wall in the borderland village of Berkaber to
protect the village school from the bullets of the enemy; a fence
construction on the territory of St. Astvatsatsin Church in Vedi;
creation of a fully equipped computer class including a local area
network with a 4G Wi-Fi router in the boarding school of Byureghavan;
construction of a toilet room in the school of the borderland Vahan
village, etc. All the enlisted projects have stemmed from the will and
commitment to achieve success together, to be useful to the country
and the society.

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is Armenia’s leading telecommunications
operator, having the widest 2G/3.75G/4G network reach and spreading a
wide range of Voice and Data services all across Armenia. Having the
best of the Armenian people interest at heart since its launch on 1st
July 2005 and in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed to
build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base.
VivaCell-MTS drives innovation and aims at always being at the
forefront of any development serving the Armenian mobile
communications market. The company follows the guidance provided by
ISO 26000 (International Standard of Social Responsibility).

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS”) is the leading telecommunications
group in Russia and the CIS, offering mobile and fixed voice,
broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one
of the world’s fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries,
the Group services over 100 million mobile subscribers. The Group has
been awarded GSM licenses in Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Armenia
and Belarus, a region that boasts a total population of more than 200
million. Since June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the
New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT).

Different versions of murder of Armenian in Germany are circulating

14:19, 14 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 14 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. German media are circulating
versions about the circumstances behind the death of 36-year old
member of the cultural council of the Armenian community in Bilifeld,
Grigor Grigoryan. As “Armenpress” reports, citing its own sources, the
German Neue Westfallische newspaper reported that the participants of
the incident were residents of the former Yugoslavia, a 39-year old
Serb and a 36-year old Caucasian, who had escaped from the scene of
the crime right after committal of the crime. Police are working on
clarifying the motives behind the murder and identifying the
criminals.

Die Welt newspaper reports that based on the data provided by the
police, on February 10, three men got into a dispute at a furniture
store on February 10 at 19:35. One of the men shot Grigoryan, who died
a couple of hours after hospitalization.

Public discussion on Avetisyan family murder starts in Gyumri

16:11 14/02/2015 >> SOCIETY

The first public discussion on the recent murder of the seven-member
Avetisyan family kicked off in Armenia’s Gyumri city.

One of the organizers of the event, chairman of Asparez Journalists’
Club Levon Barseghyan, said that more than 200 people – human rights
activists, lawyers and concerned individuals – expressed a wish to
participate in the debate.

The participants will sum up the information on the tragic murder,
provided by journalists, lawyers and human rights activists, as well
as will develop and coordinate the actions aimed at solving the crime
and preventing similar crimes.

Six members of one family, including a two-year-old child, were shot
dead in their house in Gyumri on January 12. A six-month-old baby was
hospitalized with stab wounds. He died in hospital on January 12.
Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian military base
stationed in Gyumri, the main suspect in the murder, was detained by
Russian border guards while attempting to cross the Armenian-Turkish
border near Yerazgavors village in Armenia’s Shirak province.
Permyakov is held in custody at the Russian military base. He was
questioned and confessed to the crime. Permyakov is charged under
Article 105.2 and 338.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (murder and
desertion). Also, Armenian Investigative Committee brought a charge
against Permyakov under Article 104 part 2 point 1 (murder of two or
more persons) of the Armenian Criminal Code.

Opposition leader: Armenia regime must be ousted immediately

15:53, 13.02.2015

YEREVAN. – The Armenian regime must be ousted immediately in order to
close an infamous and shameless chapter in Armenia’s history,
Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan said during an extended
meeting of the his party’s political council.

His response came to a harsh statement by President Sargsyan that
called Tsarukyan “an evil for our country”.

In his strong-worded statement, Tsarukyan informed about his meeting
with the leaders of Armenian National Council and Heritage party to
discuss joint actions. He rejected all accusations against him and
blamed the Armenian leadership of economic setback, decrease in
investments, emigration and financial instability.

The leader of Prosperous Armenia pointed to Armenian leaders’ mistakes
in every field from economy up to inability to defend his country
“when Nazarbayev humiliated him”.

“He did not speak out during the August tension on the border and did
not come back to Armenia from Baden-Baden. He was silent when people
were in a state of panic because of sharp depreciation of the Armenian
dram. He said nothing when Gyumri and the Armenian people mourned
brutal killing and took to the streets,” Tsarukyan said.

Tsarukyan said he had received many offers, including offer on
personal cooperation, post of a president after constitutional
changes. All were rejected, he said, adding that he “would not stoop
to his level” to respond to personal insult.

“I believe the only option is full change of power through special
presidential elections,” Tsarukyan said.

The politician called for a nation-wide mobilization aiming to achieve
resignation of Serzh Sargsyan “to free ourselves of the evil of this
power” through all political legal methods: rallies, marches,
demonstrations and civil disobedience.

“Dear compatriots, get ready for struggle,” he emphasized.

LEADERS OF PROSPEROUS ARMENIA AND ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS MEET

16:29 13/02/2015 >> POLITICS

Prosperous Armenia Party chairman Gagik Tsarukyan and Armenia’s first
President, Armenian National Congress leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan met
today at the head office of Prosperous Armenia. Prosperous Armenia
MPs Naira Zohrabyan, Vartan Oskanian and Stepan Margaryan and ANC
MPs Aram Manukyan and Levon Zurabyan participated in the meeting,
the press service of Prosperous Armenia reports.

According to the press service, bilateral meetings take place within
the framework of the parliamentary trio to discuss the political
situation in the country following the recent statement of President
Serzh Sargsyan.

Gagik Tsarukyan will meet with Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian
and party’s representatives today. Discussions in this format will
continue for a couple of days and subsequently the trio will announce
its future plans.

Related: Tsarukyan not concerned about upcoming tax checks – spokesman

Armenian President to hold meeting with National Security Council

RUSSIAN COMPANIES TOLD ARMENIAN COMPANIES TO WAIT

Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Business – 13 February 2015, 12:45

The minister of economy Karen Chshmarityan told Lragir.am after the
meeting of government that problems have occurred within the Eurasian
Economic Union which are being attended to at this stage.

Commenting on complaints of companies, Chshmarityan said: “Introduction
of a new system or changes in any system… We informed companies,
almost every day but after the roadmap available there are activities
to carry out, which are now going on.. If we compare in terms of
change of regulations, their simplification and introduction of new
regulations, I think we are not in a bad but in a very good situation
because the impression was that problems would have been many more
but they are not as many as we had expected,” the minister said.

He noted that as part of the EEU Armenia is facing problems with
regulations which are objective problems.

“But I think that they will be resolved shortly. Problems are addressed
with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on a daily basis, they are mostly
technical issues,” he said.

In answer to our question that aside from technical issues the Armenian
companies are facing serious problems with exports, in fact exports
have been brought to a halt, Karen Chshmarityan said it was expected
until Russia finalizes adjustments.

“It is not so that the Russian companies told our companies to stop
exports. If deals were made in dollars, and our deals were made mainly
in dollars, it was not profitable for them. They had not adjusted
prices, if they bought in dollars, they would suffer losses. Deals
in Russian rubles were not profitable for our companies. Now this
adjustment is underway. They say wait, they don’t say we don’t want
your products because our products are competitive by their kind,
uniqueness. There will be demand, and if we can, we will support,”
he said.

The minister could not estimate losses the Armenian economy will bear
until these problems are overcome. He noted that nobody can provide
exact numbers.

In answer to the observation that the Armenian government used
to hail the huge market and opportunities that would open up in
the EEU but apparently the picture is opposite, Karen Chshmarityan
said simplification of any trade relations will definitely produce
a positive impact. “Whether the EEU or the European Union. The real
picture of that impact will be visible when the situation stabilizes,
and the signals are already in place in our partner countries. It is
too early to make a forecast today,” he said.

In answer to our question why they hurried to join the EEU in such
uncertainty, he said we are already a member.

The minister denies there is economic crisis. “One cannot say that
there is an economic crisis as such. I can justify. The factors that
you are mainly trumpeting, I mean the impact of the Russian economy,
it tends to stabilize already. Prices are up, of course, but over
the past 1-2 months there were no big fluctuations, there are no bug
fluctuations of currency rates, the oil price, if you have noticed,
does not have big fluctuations, it is even rising,” he noted.

As to problems in the Armenian banking sector, and rumors that
banks refuse loan applications, the minister said: “It is not true
that banks refuse everyone. I am saying this as a representative of
economic entities, not banks. With some limited quantity… you know
when the rate of refinancing rises, when collateral loan rate rises,
or reserve ratio rises, loans grow expensive, this is a process which
will undergo adjustments. Along with stabilization demand and supply
will get closer.”

The minister economy says the Economic Activity Index in 2014 is not
low, considering the external negative factors. “Where did you learn
that the economic activity was low, it was 3.9% despite such external
impact, fluctuations. You are saying low. First remove that impact
and see what it would be like,” he said.

Karen Chshmarityan said gas supply to Armenia was not discussed in
the latest EEU conference.

COMMENT FORCER LES ALEVIS A RENONCER A LEUR FOI ET LEUR CULTURE

Turquie

Le quotidien turc Hurriyet Daily News du 11 fevrier 2015 rapporte
qu’une directive du Directoire charge de l’education religieuse
du ministère turc de l’Education precise que seuls les elèves de
confession chretienne ou juive seront dispenses des cours obligatoires
sur l’islam sunnite.

Cette directive est essentiellement dirigee contre la communaute
alevie de Turquie. Rappelons que l’alevisme regroupe des membres
de l’islam dits heterodoxes et revendique la tradition universelle
et originelle de l’islam et plus largement de toutes les religions
monotheistes. Il s’agit d’un large syncretisme qui donne une approche
très liberale de la religion. Les alevis sont musulmans mais n’ont
pas l’obligation des cinq prières quotidiennes ni du pèlerinage a La
Mecque, ils boivent de l’alcool et les femmes ne sont pas voilees.

Leur lieu de culte n’est pas la mosquee mais le cemevi, (cem evi) qui
signifie, en turc, maison ou lieu du rassemblement. Pour les alevis,
les textes relatifs au foulard des femmes n’ont aucun caractère
universel et ces textes sont, selon les conditions sociales et de
vie d’aujourd’hui, caduques.

L’alevisme constitue la seconde religion en Turquie après le sunnisme.

Si officiellement ils constituent les 10 et 15 % de la population
turque, les sources alevies estiment qu’ils sont entre 20 a 25 %
de la population.

lire la suite, voir lien plus bas

vendredi 13 fevrier 2015, Jean Eckian (c)armenews.com

TSARUKYAN NOT CONCERNED ABOUT UPCOMING TAX CHECKS – SPOKESMAN

14:39 13/02/2015 >> POLITICS

Soon you will briefly familiarize with comprehensive and weighty
political statement of Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan,
which will give answers to all questions and offer solutions to the
existing problems, Prosperous Armenia spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
said after the meeting of the party’s political council.

Asked whether Gagik Tsarukyan is concerned about the upcoming tax
checks as well as the process of stripping him of his parliament seat,
Urikhanyan said, “No, to put it mildly.”

In his words, Prosperous Armenia is rather concerned about the problems
of starving people.

Source: Panorama.am