Global Chaos, Just for Fun
terra lycos Network
Wired News
02:00 AM Jun. 17, 2004 PT
It was a sultry evening early last summer when 200 or so New Yorkers
marched into Macy’s department store and loudly informed bewildered
onlookers and one blasé sales clerk that they were looking for a
“love rug” for their communal suburban house.
That was the start of the Mob Project. And this Saturday,
at approximately 2 p.m. local time, people in 76 cities in 32
countries will participate in a global flash mob to celebrate the
first anniversary of what is now a worldwide phenomenon.
Since the first mob gathered in force last year on June 19 (there
was a small mob event in Manhattan a few weeks earlier, but it was a
failure due to police interference), flash mobs have been organized
around the world. People are evidently quite taken by the idea of using
e-mail, blogs and the Internet to gather together a group of people
who suddenly materialize in public places, do something absolutely
inane and then vanish.
Some mobs have joined together to sing Christmas carols. Others have
gathered to support then-Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean,
to attempt to link their laptops to form a supercomputer, to taunt
performance artist David Blaine when he was hanging in a box over
the River Thames in London or to protest local politics.
Mobs can do whatever they want; there is no mob boss, no Tony Soprano
running things. But it is worth pointing out that flash mobs were
supposed to be meaningless, silly, utterly pointless endeavors,
according to “Bill,” who conceived the whole Mob Project idea.
“It’s just a mob, for no reason. That’s it, that’s the whole point,”
said Bill, when Manhattan’s Mob Project ended Sept. 10, 2003.
The current political unrest in many areas of the world sparks a
desire to describe the global mob as a warm and fuzzy international
gathering. But in a return to the random roots of the mob as Bill
dreamed of it, organizers have firmly stated that the gathering will
have absolutely no political or social significance.
“The idea of the East greeting the West and the West greeting the East
and everyone coming together has nothing to do with a real flash mob
script. Mobs should be silly,” said one of the event’s main organizers,
who in the spirit of Bill just goes by the name “Dave.”
Dave, who describes himself as “a 36-year-old communications technician
from Moscow, who was born in Armenia, is Chinese by origin and has
been living in New York and Chicago for the past three years,” seems
to be a perfect person to host a global event.
The idea for the global mob was first posted May 21 on the Flash Mob
Association website run by Dave and his collaborator, “Capricorn.”
Twenty-five people from six countries were soon involved in the
planning.
Mobs follow a script that lets participants, many of whom don’t know
each other, synchronize their actions. In Manhattan, the scripts,
printed on slips of paper, were handed out to participants at
designated meeting places immediately before the beginning of each
event. Since then, many people have relied on e-mail or text messages
sent to mobile phones to deliver the scripts.
Participants in the global flash mob will receive their scripts
by e-mail immediately prior to the event. To participate, a local
organizer just needs to register. Once signed up, they will receive
the e-mail containing the script and will also have access to private
planning forums.
Organizers said they worked hard to come up with a script that
would work well for people in different locations. The various mobs
are encouraged to follow the script as closely as possible, but the
organizers also said that participants should feel free to alter the
script to suit cultural differences if needed.
“Planning this has been a lot of fun,” said “Tempest,” an organizer
from Sydney, Australia. “The script is pretty cool, I think. It should
confound a lot of people.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Officers Already Have Entry Visas to Baku, report says
Baku Today
Baku Today 18/06/2004 17:23
Two Armenian military officers have already received entry visas to
Azerbaijan to attend a Baku-hosted NATO conference scheduled for
June 22, Public Television of this country reported on Wednesday,
citing Armenia’s ministry of defense.
However, Armenpress reported on Thursday that the officers are planning
to ask Azerbaijan’s embassy to Georgia on June 21 for the visas.
The report said Colonel Murad Isakhanian and Aram Hovhanesian (the
latter’s rank was missed) from Armenian defense ministry’s department
of foreign relations are to represent their country in the upcoming
planning conference for NATO’s Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises,
which are planned to be held in Azerbaijan in September.
According to the Armenian media, Azerbaijani authorities have promised
NATO leadership that they will not put up obstacles to Armenian
officers’ attending the Baku conference. High-ranking Azeri officials
have also expressed willingness to let officers of the occupational
military in.
Foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his deputy Araz Azimov have
recently told local media that since the conference is organized by
NATO, it would be unwise on the part of Azerbaijan to create obstacles
for the Armenians’ coming.
But some non-governmental organizations in Baku, particularly the
Karabakh Liberation Organization, have warned the officers against
coming to Baku, threatening to go for any radical step to prevent
their arrival.

Garikian University Scholarship Fund
Contact: Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy
[email protected]
Tel: 818-248-7737
Fax: 818-248-7745
C/O Western Prelacy
6252 Honolulu Avenue, #100
La Crescenta, CA 91214
COMMUNIQUE — GARIKIAN UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND 2004-2005 ACADEMIC
YEAR
The Executive Board of the Garikian University Scholarship Fund at
its latest meeting reviewed the By Laws of the Garikian University
Scholarship Fund and changed the requirements of the Scholarship for
the 2004-2005 fiscal year. Based on this, the following decisions
are brought to the attention of Armenian University students, both
former and new applicants, of the GARIKIAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
All candidates:
1. – Should attend one of the accredited Universities of the State
of California.
2. – Should have successfully completed their first academic year at
the respective universities.
3. – Should pursue their higher education in one of the following
fur (4) majors or subjects specified by the revised By-Laws of the
GARIKIAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
a. – Armenian Studies – Armenian Literature
b. – Political Science.
c. – Journalism
d. – Education-Teaching and Counseling
We call on our University students to apply for application forms from
the Western Prelacy and return them completed no later than August 31,
2004 to the following address:
Secretariat, Executive Board

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY, ARMENIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE CHALLENGE CALIFORNIA
GENOCIDE CASE
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America this week, on behalf
of the Armenian National Institute and certain other individuals,
challenged a proposed class action settlement reached in the California
case of Marootian, et al. v. New York Life Ins. Co. (Marootian),
on several grounds, including that it could potentially preclude New
York State from pursuing the abandoned proceeds of Genocide-era life
insurance policies. The Assembly also recently retained a noted class
action litigator with New York-based Kaplan, Fox and Kilsheimer LLP,
to analyze the proposed settlement agreement.
“We are concerned that the language in the California settlement
may be construed as so broad as to preclude the New York State
Abandoned Property Initiative,” said Aram Kaloosdian, Vice President
and Counselor to the Assembly Board of Trustees and Chairman of the
Armenian National Institute.
In 2001, the Armenian Assembly urged the New York Office of State
Comptroller to investigate whether New York Life violated New York
State abandoned property laws by not turning over to the State the
proceeds of abandoned Armenian Genocide-era life insurance policies.
New York law provides that, if no address of the insured or apparent
beneficiary can be “ascertained…such person’s last known address
shall be presumed to be within this state if unclaimed funds are held
or owing by life insurance corporations organized under the laws of
this state.” New York Life is incorporated in the State of New York.
Under the New York law, New York Life may be liable for penalties
and accrued interest.
Recently, one of the Marootian plaintiffs’ attorneys, writing to the
Assembly in response to the Assembly’s inquiry whether the proposed
California settlement precludes New York State Initiative, wrote
that the “matters would seem to have little overlap.” But he added
that they “do not know whether the proposed settlement in the class
action would have any effect.” “If we are advised by the Court that
the California settlement does not preclude our Initiative, then we
will withdraw our challenge,” said Kaloosdian.
On February 19, 2004, Judge Christina A. Snyder preliminarily
approved the settlement agreement reached between the parties in the
Marootian case and set July 30, 2004, for the final fairness hearing.
The settlement, if finally approved, would require New York Life to
pay $20 million dollars, of which $11 million was allocated to pay
the heirs or beneficiaries, $4 million to the plaintiffs’ attorneys,
$3 million to various organizations, and $2 million allocated for
settlement implementation and administration.
In a filing with the Court, the Assembly stated that the settlement
agreement is too broadly defined to include “all other persons having
claims of any nature under life insurance policies.” Such a provision
could affect the New York State Abandoned Property Initiative, and
specifically, whether New York Life complied with state laws and
regulations regarding abandoned life insurance proceeds.
The Assembly letter to the Court also stated that “it is likely that
persons entitled to the proceeds of the life insurance polices at
issue are deceased. Accordingly, such proceeds would be considered
abandoned property and should escheat to the State of New York,
in accordance with the public policy of New York.”
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-059

DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS LITHUANIA
[June 18, 2004, 15:12:28]
Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 18 2004
Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Safar Abiyev
stayed in Vilnius, Lithuania on June 14 – 15 at the invitation of
the country’s Defense Minister Linas Linkyavichus.
At Vilnius International Airport, the Azerbaijan Minister of Defense
was met by Deputy of National Defense of Lithuania, Dr. Povilas
Malakauskas and other officials.
On the 14th of June, a solemn welcoming ceremony was held at the
Lithuanian National Defense Ministry, where a Guard of Honor was
lined up in honor of Colonel General Safar Abiyev.
During the meeting held one-on-one and in a broaden format, the parties
discussed the current military and political situations in the South
Caucasus region and Baltic States, as well as Azerbaijan-Lithuania
military relations, international cooperation and issues related to
military reforms.
Touching upon Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Nagorno-Karabakh, Defense
Minister Abiyev expressed concern about unrecognizing so far of
Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan by the global community and
CIS countries. Although, Presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine would state that Karabakh is Azerbaijani land, besides,
the Council of Europe, the European Union and other international
organizations would also express their stands in the matter, no one,
however, officially recognized Armenia as a country-aggressor, he said.
In conclusion, the parties have signed the Agreement on Participation
in Military Training at Lithuanian Military School between the Ministry
of Defense of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Ministry of national
Defense of the Republic of Lithuania.
On the same day, Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev was
received by acting President of Lithuania Arturas Paulauskas. The
latter updated the Minister on the successes Lithuania achieved
in the sphere of defense and state building, and touching on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict said: I believe
Azerbaijan will fairly solve this conflict.
Colonel General Safar Abiyev told of Azerbaijan-Lithuania military
relations, Azerbaijan-NATO links, large-scale economic reforms
implemented in the country, as well as Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
and the current military situation in the South Caucasian region.
The Minister also met Deputy Chairman of the Lithuanian Seym
/Parliament/Arturas Skarjius and Chairman of the Seym’s National
Security and Defense Committee Evaldas Ignatavichus to exchange views
on integration into European structures, existing socio-political
situation in the regions, economic projects, NATO-Azerbaijan and
NATO-Lithuania relations, join activity in the anti-terror coalition
and other issues.
Sharing his impressions of the Lithuania meetings and touching upon
the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armeniam Colonel General Safar
Abiyev said in particular: violating the international legal norms,
the state of Armenia ignores the United Nations Security Council’s
four resolutions on the problem. Armenia is an aggressor, Azerbaijan’s
patience is not unlimited, and the country is taking very decisive
stance on liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation.
On the 15th of June, the delegation of Azerbaijan lead by the Defense
Minister visited Lithuanian Yonas Zhematis Military Academy and
Adolfas Ramanauskas Military Training Center.
On the same day, the delegation returned to motherland.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 18 2004
AKKAN SUVER: TURKEY WILL NEVER HAVE LINKS WITH ARMENIA UNTIL OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES ARE RELEASED
[June 18, 2004, 17:01:38]
Chairman of the Millis Majlis Murtuz Alasgarov received a delegation
of Turkey led by President of the Vagf of Strategic and Social Studies
of Marmara Group Akkan Suver.
Warmly greeting the guests, the Chairman noted the historical
friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries have
reached the today’s highest level thanks to special contribution of
nationwide leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev. It was
Heydar Aliyev who initiated opening of Ataturk Center in Azerbaijan,
he said. Besides, he continued, due to the efforts by the genial
political figure, leader of the Turkish World, the foundation of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines was
laid. These projects will ensure economic development of our two
countries. Mr. Alasgarov also stressed the importance of the idea
occurred during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Georgia and lying
in the construction of Turkey – Georgia railroad, as it will connect
Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as Central Asia and China. The intention
to realize such projects indicates that Heydar Aliyev’s political
course is being worthily continued. The Milli Majlis Chairman told
of inter-parliamentary links, Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and Turkey’s part in the problem’s resolution.
President of the Vagf of Strategic and Social Studies of Marmara
Group Akkan Suver noted that the visit’s goal is to participate in the
Scientific-practical conference Latin Alphabet in Azerbaijan, Turkey
and Turkish World devoted to the anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev’s
Decree of June 18 2001 On Improvement of Use of State Language. He
emphasized as well that along with his delegation, deputies of the
Great National Assembly of Turkey and other official had been invited
to the event.
Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Mr. Akkan Suver noted
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is that of not only Azerbaijan but the
whole Turkish world. Turkey will never have links with Armenia until
the occupied territories are released. We know that Heydar Aliyev’s
biggest dream was to restore territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
and we believe that Ilham Aliyev will make it come true, he said.
An exchange of views on a number of other issues of mutual interest
took place during the meeting, as well.
Present at the meeting were deputy Chairmen of the Milli Majlis
Ziyafat Asgarov, Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, head of the Milli Majlis
Administration Safa Mirzoyev, deputies and Ambassador of Turkey to
Azerbaijan Unal Chevikez

WATT UNDERSTANDS ABELYAN ‘MIND GAME’
sportinglife.com, UK
June 18 2004
Scots boxing legend Jim Watt claims William Abelyan is trying to put
pressure on the judges by hinting he could suffer from a home-town
decision in his challenge for Scott Harrison’s WBO world featherweight
title.
The former WBC lightweight champion will be commentating at ringside
when Harrison defends his title against the American-based Armenian
in front of 6,000 at the Braehead Arena.
However, Watt pointed to Manuel Medina’s points win over Harrison
a year ago when he took the title from the Cambuslang man – before
losing it in the rematch – as proof that the challenger will get a
fair crack of the whip.
He said: “One of the things the Abelyan camp are worrying about is
not getting the verdict if they win.
“But Medina has proved you can come away from Braehead with a verdict
and the official who voted for Scott that night has virtually been
told he’s not welcome back in the country to officiate again – which
is right because Medina won the fight, no question of that.
“But I think it’s a wee bit of gamesmanship from Abelyan’s camp,
maybe trying to put pressure on the judges.
“I saw Bernard Hopkins doing that a couple of weeks ago and it worked
for him so it may be the same thing from Abelyan.”
Watt insists the fear of another loss in front of his own fans and
the repercussions in terms of Harrison’s career, will be a driving
force for the Glaswegian.
He said: “Defeat would be a total disaster for Scott because Abelyan
is the number one contender and he won’t get a rematch.
“If Abelyan leaves town with the title then he doesn’t have to come
back and Scott is back in the queue.
“He’ll have to start facing people like Injin Chi and Juan Manuel
Marquez, who are tougher routes to a title than Abelyan so Scott will
be aware of that.”
Watt admits the assured looking challenger is unlikely to be unnerved
by taking on Harrison in front of his own fans but the former world
champion expects the Cambuslang man to win through in the end.
He said: “I don’t think he’ll be affected by nerves, he seems to have
a fairly cool head so although boxing at home will be a big advantage
for Scott I don’t think it will trouble Abelyan too much.
“I see it as a tough match, Abelyan can box with different styles,
he’s not one dimensional.
“But Scott has all the physical advantages so I don’t expect Abelyan
to stand and trade punches with him.
“But when all’s said and done, if you look through both their records,
Scott’s the one with experience at the top level so, for me, he is
a comfortable favourite and I expect him to win clearly.
“I think it will go the distance but I expect Scott to win and look
good doing it.”

Science and technology in Russia
PRAVDA< Russia June 18 2004 15:48 2004-06-18 Scientists from the Blagonravov machine-science institute have come up with an extremely effective metal-rolling and metal-drawing process. It's an open secret that metal must be heated prior to processing because this makes it softer and more pliable. In a nutshell, this unique method heats up only those small metal sections, whose shape must be altered. These sections, which measure only several millimeters in size, are subjected to strong electric currents; this causes an unusual phenomenon known as "electronic wind" inside the metal crystal lattice. Metal becomes more pliable as a result. Meanwhile this waste-free production process, which doesn't cause any cracks or scale whatsoever, saves energy. Besides, electric resistance is reduced during the wire-drawing process, thus making it possible to turn out thinner wire; substantial materials, i.e. copper, aluminium (for electric wires and cables), as well as tungsten (for incandescent-filament lamps) are saved as a result. Up to 30 percent of metal is saved during the stainless-steel strip rolling process; such strips are, among other things, used to make razor blades. One such metal-rolling mill, which is currently being assembled for South Korea, will apparently produce an annual economic effect to the tune of $1 million. Experts working for the Tomsk agriculture institute have developed a contraption, which converts organic waste into petroleum. This project was financed by a group of local companies. Such equipment has already been tested, and the Kuzbassrazrezugol public company has bought its experimental version. Leonid Chumazov, a graduate of the Tomsk university of automated control systems and radio-electronics, authored this project. According to Chumazov, available foreign equivalents don't process all kinds of organic waste; for their own part, Siberian scientists have patented a gasolene-production process. This 10-square-meter unit can process up to 50 tons of organic feedstock every 24 hours. Methane, gasolene or diesel fuel can be obtained in line with preset parameters. Vladimir Nezamutdinov, director of the Tomsk agriculture institute's center for processing plant-and-animal waste, says this new thermal-electric-chemical complex is intended to process dung, manure, peat, sawdust and even garbage. A ton of dry organic waste yields up to 700 kg of petroleum. Several regional enterprises all over Siberia have already ordered this unusual invention. The Tomsk agriculture institute will master its batch production before the year is out. Omsk has already hosted the fifth international scientific conference dealing with the history of the Siberian countryside, its modern state and development prospects. Rural-development problems are seen as highly important, because the subsequent development of this vast Russian territory, which has an area of 10 million sq. km., is largely linked with farmers. (for comparison, Russia covers an area of 17 million sq. km. - Ed.) The conference involved about 300 scientists from 21 Russian cities, as well as those from Armenia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Poland, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Germany. All in all, 120 reports have been heard at the conference. The delegates examined problems of the Siberian countryside's demographic, socio-economic, public-political and cultural development, as well as land-reclamation, land-cadaster and land-monitoring aspects, the history of rural populated localities, the history of local ethnic groups, etc. A round-table discussion was organized within this conference's framework, with its participants discussing national agrarian policies during Russia's admission into the World Trade Organization. The next international conference to examine topical problems of the Siberian countryside will also be organized in Omsk in 2006.

Tajik president calls for common Eurasian energy market
Interfax
June 18 2004
Astana. (Interfax-Kazakhstan) – The countries in the Eurasian Economic
Community need a common energy market, President Emomali Rakhmonov
told an international forum on Eurasian integration held in Astana
on Friday.
“Our countries are among the richest in energy resources. In
particular, Tajikistan’s rivers alone can provide 520 billion kW
hours per year, of which only 3% is used. This is why an energy
infrastructure needs to be built and various energy, transport and
communication networks commissioned in order to join efforts in
stepping up exports,” he said.
Rakhmonov also called for joint efforts in developing the region’s
farming, not only to ensure food stores for Central Asian countries
but also to improve the Eurasian Economic Community’s positions on
the world market.
The community includes Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan, while Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have observer status
in it.

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 18 2004
UKRAINIAN TELECHANNEL ON POSITION OF THE COUNTRY ON
ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN, NAGORNY KARABAKH CONFLICT
[June 18, 2004, 17:35:49]
In the analytical program “Hour”, prepared by 5th TV-channel of
Ukraine, commented was the objective approach of leadership of the
country to the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, which corresponds to the
interests of Azerbaijan.
The commentator of the program “Hour”, popular program in Kiev, has
reminded, that during the state visit of the head of the Azerbaijan
state Ilham Aliyev to Ukraine, President Leonid Kuchma directly
and openly expressed the ideas about occupation by Armenia of the
territories of Azerbaijan, about condition of thousands refugees.
Further, in the program, the historical roots and consequences of
this conflict have been stated. The attention of tele-viewers has
been involved to the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group, noting that
such authoritative international organization has failed to achieve
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict
proceeding already more of 15 years. It has been underlined, that owing
to destructive position of the Armenian side, the mediation efforts of
some of the states, including Ukraine, have remained ineffectual at
settlement of the problem. It is also marked that the statement made
by President Leonid Kuchma during official meetings with the President
of Azerbaijan by Ilham Aliyev in Kiev has caused a wide resonance.
The commentator of the program, who has stated then the relations of
the Ukrainian politicians and local press to the given statement,
has presented spectators the objective attitude to problems of
Azerbaijan. Necessity of achievement, at last, practical results has
been marked during negotiations within the framework of the CIS,
and also with assistance of Ukraine. It is underlined, that the
time has come that the international community has adopted strict
measures concerning the Armenia -aggressor and separatists of the
Nagorny Karabakh.