Author: nina hovnanian

The Daily News of Los Angeles
March 9, 2013 Saturday
VALLEY EDITION

MEETING: Zareh Sinanyan to speak to accusations publicly on Tuesday.

A Glendale City Council hopeful may be kicked off a city commission
and is already losing political support after he was accused of
posting racist, homophobic and other offensive comments online.

Zareh Sinanyan is scheduled to speak before the Glendale City Council
on Tuesday to respond to allegations publicly aired by Councilwoman
Laura Friedman on March 5 that point to “extremely disturbing”
comments on the Internet allegedly posted by Sinanyan.

A user under the name “Zareh Sinanyan” has allegedly been posting
vulgar comments on YouTube and other websites, including slurs against
gays, Muslims and ethnic groups that include Georgians, as far back as
five years ago, according to an email sent to at least three members
of the City Council.

“I wouldn’t bring this up if this was not a very long series of posts
around the Internet on blog sites, on YouTube, that are extremely
disturbing, that are racist, homophobic, misogynist, threatening and
really beyond something that we as a city can afford to have
associated with one of our commissioners,” Friedman said during the
council meeting.

The comments were reported by a Glendale blog,
tropicostation.blogspot.com, which showed them as screen shots.

Many of the comments are in response to other YouTube users, while one
September 2012 Facebook comment allegedly left by Sinanyan on the
Armenian National Committee of America includes a racial slur
targeting Mongolians. Most of the original comments have since been
removed from YouTube and Facebook.

Friedman and Councilman Ara Najarian moved to have the council
consider taking Sinanyan off the city Community Development Block
Grant Advisory Committee at Tuesday’s meeting. Both incumbents are
seeking re-election and are among 12 candidates, including Sinanyan,
running for three seats in the April 2 election.

Najarian appointed Sinanyan to the committee in November 2009, and
Sinanyan served as chairman from 2009 to 2011.

“Neither one is saying he did anything, but would like to hear from
him to clear it up,” said Glendale city spokesman Tom Lorenz.

Friedman and Najarian have declined to comment because “they don’t
want to air judgment” before Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Lorenz
said.

“There are people that believe that this may be some cruel hoax,” Lorenz said.

Blogger Scott Lowe reported that it appeared the comments were
originally made anonymously, but when Sinanyan linked his YouTube
account to his Google+ account, the site retroactively connected his
name to his prior comments. He said the comments were later removed
this week as the emails began circulating around the city.

“City staff has not verified and does not – and cannot – represent
that these posts or any other posts were made by Mr. Sinanyan,”
according to the city’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

Sinanyan was not available for comment on Friday.

“Since the City Council has chosen to place this on its agenda, he
will address those concerns on Tuesday,” said Elen Asatryan,
Sinanyan’s campaign director.

Meanwhile, on the “Zareh Sinanyan for Glendale City Council” Facebook
page, supporters have rallied around the Burbank-born lawyer calling
the issue a “smear campaign.”

“Unfortunately it has become a common practice in this town that if
you cannot beat an individual and/or when you feel that you have no
possible chance against a candidate of Zareh’s caliber, start
spreading lies and rumors in order to distract people from the real
issues,” posted Sam Manoukian, a current member of Glendale’s Civil
Service Commission.

“I promise you that we will diligently work to find out who is behind
this smear campaign and hold them responsible for their actions.”

Other prominent local leaders have pulled their support from
Sinanyan’s council campaign including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, Los
Angeles mayoral candidate and Councilman Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles
City Councilman Paul Krekorian.

In a letter to Sinanyan on Friday, Krekorian wrote:

“While I very much hope that the facts will demonstrate that you have
no connection to these vile comments, until such time I cannot even
impliedly lend my support to intolerant viewpoints and language that
are contrary to everything I believe.”

Twelve Armenian citizens still stuck at Rome’s airport

13:07 – 10.03.13

Twelve Armenia’s citizens are still stuck at the airport of Rome.
Armenia’s ambassador and consul to Italy arrived in the airport to
help them solve their issues, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman
Tigran Balayan told Tert.am.

He said the Armenian citizens are in transit zone and have
document-related issues.

Earlier the Armenian Foreign Ministry said on its Facebook page, that
59 passenger who departed from Yerevan to Rome did not have necessary
documents. As a result of interference of the embassy 46 of them
continued their trip while the issues of other 13 were being solved.
Later one of the passengers was also allowed to continue his trip.

ARMENIE-FRANCE
La chanteuse Rosy Armen décorée de la médaille « Komitas » du
ministère de la Diaspora

Le 9 mars Hranouche Hagopian la ministre de la Diaspora a reçu la
chanteuse arménienne de France, Rosy Armen en présence des membres de
son ministère. « Au début du 20e siècle après le génocide des
Arméniens, la France fut le pays qui reçut chaleureusement un grand
nombre d’Arméniens. C’est en France que s’épanouirent et eurent
beaucoup de succès Charles Aznavour, Michel Legrand, Henri Verneuil et
d’autres. Au milieu du 20e siècle le nom de Rosy Armen vint se joindre
à ces célébrités, avec une voix fine et exceptionnelle qui captiva non
seulement les Arméniens mais également le c`ur des représentants
d’autres peuples » dit Hranouche Hagopian. Rosy Armen a ensuite évoqué
sa carrière, ses rencontres avec les personnalités arméniennes. Vivant
en France, Rosy Armen a affirmé « conserver les valeurs culturelles et
traditionnelles arméniennes » et son désir de présenter la culture
arménienne en France ou à l’étranger. Hranouche Hagopian a ensuite
décoré Rosy Armen de la médaille « Komitas » du ministère de la
Diaspora pour l’ensemble de sa carrière.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 10 mars 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMENIE
Orange Arménie : une entreprise citoyenne

Orange Armenie a remis quinze bourses à des étudiants de l’Université
Française en Arménie (UFAR), dans le cadre d’une cérémonie organisée
dans les locaux de cette université, en présence de l’Ambassadeur de
France.

Se félicitant de ce soutien qu’Orange Arménie apporte au plus beau
fleuron de la coopération entre la France et l’Arménie, l’Ambassadeur
de France a salué le sens aigu de la responsabilité sociale dont
faisait preuve cette « entreprise citoyenne ».

Le Directeur général d’Orange Arménie, M. Francis Gelibter, a remis à
chaque étudiant sélectionné, sa bourse, s’engageant à poursuivre la
coopération entre l’Université Française en Arménie et Orange Arménie.

Rappelons que l’UFAR compte plus de 1 000 étudiants en droit, gestion
et marketing.

Service de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Arménie

dimanche 10 mars 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Trend, Azerbaijan
March 7 2013

Several European airlines stop flying to Yerevan

Three European airlines stopped flights to Yerevan in 2012,
vice-chairman of the Armenian Association of Travel Agents Yeghishe
Tanashyan said today, Armenian Report reported.

In particular, British Airways, Lot Polish Airlines and Latvian Air
Baltic refused to fly there.

He said that thanks to Air Baltic, the flights to northern Europe were
affordable and British Airways served U.S tourists offering expensive,
but comfortable conditions.

The private sector of Armenian tourism had great hopes regarding
Polish Airlines because the standard of living has increased in
Poland, even during the world downturn and the country’s tourism
companies had an interest in Armenia. Negotiations were held in
connection with Armenia’s participation in the largest Polish
exhibition. After the cancellation of flights, all these projects have
been frozen.

Tanashyan said that the reason was the high prices at Zvartnots
airport, as well as non-free air space.

Currently, prices for flights to Eastern Europe increased by 20-25 per
cent compared to previous years.

Billboard
March 7 2013

Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi Writes Eurovision Song

Articles /News By David Greenwald

An Armenian group will play his rock ballad, ‘Lonely Planet.’
Tony Iommi has written a rock ballad for the Eurovision Song Contest.

According to the BBC, the Black Sabbath guitarist contributed the
unlikely song to the Armenian group Dorians after making a connection
with the country years ago. In 1988, he helped produce a fundraising
album in the wake of an earthquake that left half a million people
homeless. He’s since returned to Armenia with Queen’s Brian May to
check in and raise additional funds.

So when the call came to help out with the annual contest, he went for
it, passing along the song “Lonely Planet.”

“I first said, ‘oh God, I don’t know’ – it seemed really strange, me
doing a Eurovision song, I don’t usually do that,” he told the BBC.
“But I said, ‘I’ve got a rock ballad, I’ll send it over.”

The contest will run three nights in Sweden, concluding on May 18.

Iommi continues to undergo treatment for lymphoma, an illness he
announced last year. In better news, he’s also been at work on Black
Sabbath’s new album, “13.” The set, recorded in Los Angeles with Rick
Rubin, is expected later this year.

Armenian girl named 2013 Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen

FEBRUARY 20, 15:33

A 15-year-old girl with Armenian roots was announced the winner of the
2013 Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen pageant.

Kristina Ayanian, sophomore at Burlington High School, was named Miss
Massachusetts Outstanding Teen 2013, Wicked Local reported. Ten
contestants competed for the title.

She will have the opportunity to compete in the Miss America’s
Outstanding Teen pageant to be held in August in Orlando, Fla. She
will receive a $2,000 scholarship and various awards and gifts from
pageant sponsors

NEWS.am STYLE

US Official News
March 6, 2013 Wednesday

Washington: SPEECH OF HON. DEVIN NUNES OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

Washington

The Library of Congress, The Government of USA has issued the following Speech:

Mr. NUNES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleague,
Representative DAVID VALADAO, to pay tribute to the people of Nagorno
Karabakh.

Armenians have suffered some of the worst savagery of recent history,
from the massacre of more than a million people in the Armenian
Genocide, to the cruel repression of Soviet rule, to Azerbaijan’s war
against Nagorno Karabakh and the ongoing siege of that region. Through
these trials and tribulations, the Armenian people have paid a steep
price for their freedom. The hero’s welcome Azerbaijan recently
afforded to Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani military officer who
murdered a sleeping Armenian officer during a NATO-sponsored program
in Hungary, is a stark reminder of the unrelenting hostility Armenians
face today.

In this year, which marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of another
anti-Armenian atrocity–the Sumgait pogroms–we pay homage to the
Armenian people and particularly the people of Nagorno Karabakh, who
bravely struggle to maintain their right to self-determination.

For more information please visit:

I live pretty typical Armenian-American life: Interview with producer
Katherine Sarafian

MARCH 7, 20:04

By Anna Ghazaryan

This year `Brave’ of Pixar Studios, produced by Katherine Sarafian,
won Oscar for the Best Animated Feature Film. In an interview with
NEWS.am STYLE Katherine Sarafian shared thoughts about her success,
secrets of animation and her Armenian family.

First of all congratulations on getting the Oscar award. You have
worked on other famous Pixar films such as Toy Story, The Incredibles,
Monsters,Inc. and others. Now it is Brave which won the prize that all
filmmakers are dreaming about. What do you think is the secret of
success? Is it about hard work or work is nothing without luck?

It’s such an honor to have Brave recognized by the Academy, the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and so many of our industry
guilds. But even more rewarding is that Brave has been embraced by
audiences. We spent more than six years making this film, so having
audiences around the world appreciate and enjoy the film is our
greatest reward.

Of course, the film required a tremendous amount of diligence,
patience and hard work. Filmmaking is highly collaborative, and at
Pixar, we feel successful when we work together toward the common goal
of a great film. So I feel successful if the 250 artists and
technicians working on the film had great relationships and made
something exceptional that will stand the test of time. If we are
working hard and staying passionate about our work and respectful of
each other, then we succeed.

Making an animation film is a tough process. You need much time and
need to be patient. Does animation-making affect person’s character?

Animation requires a particular kind of patience and discipline. It
is not for people who need to see quick results. Our work develops
and evolves over many years, so it doesn’t look beautiful until the
very end. We have to truly trust the process, and trust the talents
of our colleagues–we have to hold firm to the belief that everyone on
the crew is invested in making the best film possible. That requires
a level of trust and respect for others. People who cannot trust
others or who cannot remain passionate and invested in an idea will
not enjoy the animated filmmaking process. The animation artist’s
character is all about giving creativity the time and space to
blossom–so that means time and patience and tolerance.

In one of your interview you said that while working on the film, you
understood that you had much in common with your father “who was not
great at managing people.’ You are a producer and managing others is
one of the elements of your job. What do you think is the most
difficult in your job? What person must do to manage people well?

My father’s strength was in understanding people and empathizing with
them, and I find that animation filmmaking requires a lot of skill in
that area. My father was a priest, and he valued presence and being
trusted by the parish. As a manager, I’ve found that my father’s
values are so much more helpful and meaningful to maintain than simple
management. So while managing is a huge part of the job, it’s not
what really matters at the end of the day. It’s the people and how
trusted and valued they feel, and how much they believe I have their
back and will help them with the going gets tough.

Brave tells a story of princess Merida who lives in Scottish kingdom.
You recreated Scotland and the costumes of the Middle Ages in detail.
Nowadays, producers of movies are not paying much attention to the
details. Why do you think it happens?

I think filmmakers do pay attention to details, but it varies among
films. At Pixar, we believe that research is important, so we put a
lot of thought and effort into getting the details right. We wanted to
create a believable, authentic world, something that would be
immersive for our audiences.

It’s easier to take short cuts when making films, but on Brave, we
felt it was important to go deep into research, because we did not
want to create a stereotypical Scotland. We wanted a film that would
be a new classic and withstand the test of time. That meant it had to
feel ageless, and we were not going to take short cuts. Every
filmmaker is different, but the decisions made on Brave were all about
what our story required: a believable, immersive, rugged Scottish
world with rich characters and costumes. The land had to feel epic
and adventurous for our adventure story; the forests had to be dark
for the more intense moments in the story; and the landscape had to be
lush and inviting so that we would understand why Merida craved her
freedom, riding her horse through the Highlands.

Armenians were very proud to hear that you are a producer of Oscar
winning film. We would like to know have you ever thought about making
an animation film based on Armenia’s history or with Armenia’s
mountainous landscape.

I adore Armenia’s mountainous landscape, and I saw many areas of
Scotland that made me think of Armenia. I even learned that Armenia
has standing stones, ancient relics like those depicted in Brave! I
can’t comment on specific film ideas I’ve considered, but I can say
that I’ve heard wonderful ideas from fellow artists and friends about
animation and live-action films that could do great justice to our
country. I hope that these projects move forward, though they all
require financial and community support.

You once said that your father was a priest in the Armenian church.
Have you preserved any Armenian traditions in your family? Do you
celebrate Armenian holidays or cook Armenian dishes?

We live a pretty typical Armenian-American life; I, along with my
husband and children, all full-Armenian, are active in our Bay Area
Armenian community. And of course, we eat every bite of shish-kebab
and pilaf we can! We celebrate Armenian holidays and attend the local
Armenian church in which I was baptized, raised and married.

NEWS.am STYLE

Raffi Hovannisian is expected to present a roadmap – Levon Barseghyan

TERT.AM
13:53 – 08.03.13

Member of Gyumri Council of Elders Levon Barseghyan is expecting a
roadmap from the Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian, claiming
that both the public and people of Gyumri, in particular, are waiting
for it.

`I personally would like to see creation of a council with a
decision-making colleague body in the center of which, naturally, will
be Raffi Hovannisian,’ he said speaking to Tert.am.

Referring to Raffi Hovannisian’s yesterday’s rally in Gyumri and the
circumstance of lesser people having gathered unlike the previous
time, Barseghyan said he does not agree that it lacked previous energy
and gathered less people.

`It had the same energy of February 23, as to fewer people, I explain
it with the circumstance that they learnt about the rally late,’ he
said.

`In general, I feel categorical difference in Gyumri as compared with
the other communities, The young people are absolutely liberated, you
will meet only few indifferent or not wishing to participate in the
events for being afraid of some people,’ Barseghyan said.