ISS Toolbag.

One of my favorite pastimes during the warm months is to lie down in our backyard at night, watch the skies for passing planes, satellites and falling stars and have a drink or two. Until recently my favorite space object to watch was the International Space Station and the larger satellites. A few days a go a new object was added to my list - the ISS Toolbag. An astronaut lost her toolbag on November 18, 2008 and it has been added to the list of items to watch. It's visible with the help of binoculars. I haven't tried looking at it yet because of the weather and hope it doesn't crash into the Earth atmosphere before the weather improves.

You, too, can track the times and items visible in your skies on SpaceWeather.com.

Black Friday.

This year there was only 1 (update, there are now 3 shopping fatalities) reported Black Friday related fatality. Lots of people either camped outside stores or woke up very early to grab a few discounted items.

For the readers from outside the US. Black Friday is the day after the Thanksgiving Day. It is the traditional beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It is called Black Friday because that's when the retailers go into black. Being in red means making losses. Being in black means being profitable (to see what I mean, look at how the negative and positive numbers are formatted in the 'number' type in Excel). The retailers claim that they operate with negative margins all year long and make profits during the 1 month Christmas shopping season. I'm not sure that it's true as I have not researched their income or cash flow statements. But a lot of them go bankrupt in late January and early February when the financial data are put together so there must be some truth to it...

Given the negative savings of the American households, (we spend more than we earn!) the retail business sounds like an attractive thing to do. Hence there are a lot of sellers which drives the margins down.

Banditocracy and the Gestapo.

The police in Vanadzor have upped their intimidation of the people not openly loyal to the banditocracy. The policement pay visits to the homes of the people with unfavorable views of the authorities and interrogate them in their own homes. The details are available here. This is in the good tradition established in Nazi Germany or Stalinist USSR - these kind of practices were executed by the Gestapo or the NKVD.

Thank God that they do not resort to their usual methods of interrogation - violence and physical assaults.

Gobble, Gobble.

Today is the Thanksgiving Day in the US. Countless turkeys will be consumed. There will be a handful of fires some of which will be caught on camera and be placed on Youtube. There will be thousands of guests who will be tolerated for just one day. Some of them will be uninvited guests.

Overall, it is going to be a fine day.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Banditocracy and the Ruling Party Members.

Pictured is Artak Jagharian, a big shot of the ruling Republican Party in the town of Ijevan. He allegedly organized and executed the murder of Valeri Aghinian whom he allegedly owed a large amount of money. After the murder and the looting of Mr. Aghinian's belognings, he allegedly paid off a few other of his creditors and then went to work.

Valeri Aghinian's body was later discovered near the White Lake in Ijevan by group of people taking a stroll there.

UPDATE: Haykakan Zhamanak has the details of the murder.

Իջեւան. սպանել է ու գնացել դասի

Իջեւանում կատարված սպանությունը նույնպես բարձրագույն ուսումնական հաստատության աշխատակցի անվան հետ է կապվում: Երեւանի պետական համալսարանի Իջեւանի մասնաճյուղի տնտեսագիտության ֆակուլտետի դեկան, 31-ամյա Արտակ Ճաղարյանը սպանել է 44-ամյա Վալերի Աղինյանին, ով, ինչպես ասում են, փող փոխող էր: Նրանց միջեւ գումարային խնդիրներ են եղել: Ոստիկանության հաղորդած տեղեկությունների համաձայն, ահազանգ ստանալուց եւ օպերատիվ խմբի դեպքի վայր մեկնելուց հետո "Սպիտակ ջուր" կոչվող տարածքում հայտնաբերվել է Աղինյանի դիակը: Արտաքին զննությամբ դիակի կրծքավանդակի եւ որովայնի մասերում հայտնաբերվել են որսորդական հրացանից արձակված գնդակի կոտորակների թողած վնասվածքների հետքեր: Օպերատիվ-հետախուզական միջոցառումների արդյունքում պարզվել է նաեւ, որ Վալերի Աղինյանի մոտ եղել է 8-10 մլն դրամ: Ըստ հաղորդագրության, Արտակ Ճաղարյանը Իջեւանի "Մարմար" ռեստորանի մոտ առավոտյան սպանել է Աղինյանին ու հափշտակել նրա մոտ եղած գումարը: Դրանից հետո Անուշ Բ-ին պատկանող "ՎԱԶ-2121" մակնիշի ավտոմեքենայով դիակը տեղափոխել է "Սպիտակ ջուր": Հափշտակված գումարի մի մասը` 2 մլն դրամը, հայտնաբերվել եւ առգրավվել է: Իսկ ահա մեր ձեռք բերած տեղեկությունների համաձայն, համալսարանի դեկանը, ով Աղինյանին փող է պարտք եղել, զանգահարել է նրան եւ հետաքրքրվել` 20 հազար դոլարի չափ դրամ կունենա՞: Ի դեպ, սպանվածի հեռախոսին ստացված վերջին զանգն էլ հենց Ճաղարյանից է եղել: Վերջինս խոստացել է նաեւ իր պարտքը վերադարձնել: Հետո պայմանավորվել են հանդիպել: Ճաղարյանն Աղինյանին առաջարկել է մեքենա նստել` պատճառաբանելով, թե չի ցանկանում, որ ուրիշները նկատեն իր մոտ եղած մեծ գումարը: Հետո սպանել է նրան ու դիակը թողել "Սպիտակ ջուր" լճում: Իջեւանցիների շրջանում վարկած է շրջում, թե նա միայնակ չի եղել, սակայն որոշել է մեղքն ամբողջությամբ իր վրա վերցնել: Սպանությունից հետո, ասում են, դեկան Ճաղարյանը ներկայացել է կուսակցական ժողովին, քանի որ Հանրապետական կուսակցության Իջեւանի կառույցի ղեկավար անդամներից է: Դրանից հետո էլ աշխատավայր է ներկայացել, որտեղ աչքի է ընկել բարձր տրամադրությամբ: Ու հենց համալսարանում իրավապահները ձերբակալել են նրան: Բայց մինչ այդ Ճաղարյանը հասցրած է եղել ավտոմեքենան լվանալ տալ ավտոլվացման կետում: Այստեղի աշխատակիցները նույնպես հարցաքննության են կանչվել: Ի դեպ, մեր ստացած տեղեկությունների համաձայն Իջեւանում, մասնավորապես դասախոսները, տնտեսագիտականի դեկանի մոտ վերջին շրջանում տարօրինակություններ են նկատել: Իսկ ինչ վերաբերում է նրա կատարած սպանությանը, ապա դրանից հետո նա շատ մարդկանց է պարտքը վերադարձրել: Իսկ պարտքուպահանջ, ասում են, շատերի հետ է ունեցել:

Banditocracy and their Rides.

Pictured is the Volkswagen Phaeton of the Armenian Central Bank director Artur Javadian. It was purchased by the state as his transportation. The car costs around 90,000 Euros (US$ 115,000) in Yerevan. The distributor of Volkswagen cars is none other than the state prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian.

The bandits and their minions waste the state resources to pamper themselves while a large proportion of the population goes to bed hungry every night. Ironically, the state will go on air with a tin can asking for money today. They will hold a telethon for the Armenia Fund asking for donations.

1000-th Post.

This is the 1000-th officially recognized post on 'nazarian - Ազա՛տ, Անկա՛խ Հայաստան'. It's an arbitrary milestone but it's as good of an occasion to reflect on the past as any other.

This blog initially started as a photo site. Its aim was to showcase the Armenia that the other media didn't show, the Armenia you come across when you walk around. Even in the most touristy areas there are things that nobody photographs. So I aimed to show the offbeat part of the everyday reality.

But as life progressed and things in the country got progressively worse, the focus slowly shifted to exposing the offbeat happenings in the country. After the March 1 massacre, this blog, together with Payqar.org, took upon itself the task of distributing the Samizdat since the media was banned from doing their job in the country, and a lot of the blogs went into self-imposed censorship. Unfortunately, things have not gotten better since then and a lot of issues remain unresolved - absence of democracy, criminals at the helm of the country, political prisoners, corruption... The list goes on.

These things have to be exposed and I feel that it is the duty of this blog to keep the issues on the front burner. It's a thankless and depressing task but I hope I can make my little contribution to making things better for Armenia.

Futurama.

Chess Champions.

There is a depressing deficit of good news coming out of Armenia. But fortunately we sometimes come across occasions that should be celebrated.

Yesterday the Armenian male chess team became the world champions. This is their second consecutive victory at the Chess Olympiad. For a tiny nation like Armenia this is an unimaginable result. It makes me happy that we can best the giants of the chess world.

Let me correct it - we ARE the giants of the chess world.

Snipers.

The Armenian government has admitted that there was a sniper amidst the policemen who has shot at the civilians. So far they have admitted of one sniper and one shot - they had been denying this since March 1 bloodbath when they killed at least 8 civilians on the streets of Yerevan.

The photo on the left is of a civilian man shot in the head in Yerevan.

Noisy Bunch.

The Georgian government has accused the Russian government of shooting at a motorcade carrying the Georgian president Saakashvili and Polish president Kaczynski near the South Ossetian buffer zone last night. They accuse the Russians and claim that the Russians fired at the motorcade from a distance of 30 meters. No damages or injuries were reported.

The readers here know that I am not a pro-Russian (or anti-Russian) nut. But this latest Georgian accusation reeks of conspiracy. Here is what I think happened. The Georgians saw that their media efforts are waning and the media was turning away from them after there were accusations that the Georgians committed war crimes last August in South Ossetia. So they planned a night time stroll around the buffer zone with a visiting EU president who, while important, is not important enough to cause much trouble. The Polish president is the right fit to generate noise but not have a significant political impact on Russia. So they sent a bunch of their people who shot a few rounds in the air as the motorcade approached. In the dark it is not possible to know who these people are given the limited equipment the security people carry in these circumstances.

For a third party this squabble between Georgia and Russia is exciting. The downside is that real people suffer in consequence. But that's nothing new. Because of jealousy among family members, the rulers of Europe fought the WW1 where millions perished.

Banditocracy and the bandits.

Aravot has an editorial on the cop behavior in Armenia. They are notoriously corrupt and they openly demand bribes. Almost every driver in the country has encountered them and the vast majority pay up in order to avoid dealing with these creatures (the drivers keep a supply of 1000 Dram notes in the car which are then folded and inserted in the drivers license before being handed to the cops - the banknotes disappear as soon as the cops look at the license).

Even though nothing is new or surprising about these people, Aravot has published a small text accompanied with pictures describing their experience with the traffic cops in the Lori region near Vanadzor.

Two traffic police stopped the taxi carrying journalists near Vanadzor a few days ago. It was done by breaking all the possible rules. First, a police patrol car (number plate 284 ՈՍ 02) overtook three cars which was done in violation of traffic rules by entering the opposite lane on the road (in the first picture). Then it stopped our car without warning through the loudspeaker, which they should do according the law, by shaking the police baton from inside the car without exiting it. Then the policeman threatened to 'write up' the taxi driver for not using the seat belt and take us, the passengers, to the police headquarters. When the taxi driver explained that they are exempt from using the seat belt the policeman shouted that he knew the laws.

The policeman, obviously, did not write up the taxi driver. Instead, he got so excited arguing with us that he stuck his hand into his pocket and when he took it out, a bunch of neatly folded 1000 Dram and other denomination notes fell and droppedon the ground. He then carefully collected the banknotes (see picture 2) and let us go.

Վերջերս Վանաձոր քաղաքի մատույցներում ճանապարհային ոստիկանության երկու աշխատակիցներ կանգնեցրին լրագրողներին տեղափոխող տաքսի մեքենան՝ օրենքի բոլոր հնարավոր նորմերի խախտումներով: Նախ, 284 ՈՍ 02 համարանիշով ոստիկանության այս մեքենան երեք մեքենայի վազանցեց երթեւեկության կանոնների խախտմամբ՝ երթեւեկության հանդիպակաց գիծ մտնելով (տես՝ առաջին լուսանկարում), մեր մեքենան կանգնեցրեց առանց բարձրախոսով զգուշացնելու, ինչն, ըստ օրենքի, պարտավոր էր անել, եւ առանց մեքենայից դուրս գալու՝ հենց մեքենայի միջից իր փայտիկը թափահարելով: Ոստիկանը տաքսու վարորդին սպառնաց «ակտ գրել» այն բանի համար, որ նա անվտանգության գոտին չէր ամրացրել, իսկ մեզ՝ «բաժին» տանել: Երբ վարորդը պարզաբանեց, որ տաքսու վարորդները կարող են իրենց անվտանգության նկատառումներով այդ գոտին չամրացնել, ոստիկանը բացականչեց, թե ինքն օրենքները լավ գիտի: Ակտ, իհարկե, այս ոստիկանը չկազմեց, փոխարենը մեզ հետ բանավիճելիս այնքան ոգեւորվեց, որ ձեռքը գրպանը տանելն ու գրպանից առանձին-առանձին դարսած հազարանոցներն ու այլ արժողությամբ թղթադրամների գետնին թափվելը մեկ եղավ (տես՝ երկրորդ լուսանկարը): Դրանք խնամքով հավաքելուց հետո ոստիկանը մեզ «ազատ արձակեց»:

Armenians everywhere.

[...] Romanian Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said the project would take nearly seven years to complete.

"This is a very great step to increase Romania's energy security," Mr Vosganian was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. [...]

Not only there are Armenians in ROmania but one of them is the Finance Minister there.

Go figure.

Banditocracy and Hetq.am

The editor of Hetq.am, a prominent independent e-paper in Armenia, Edik Baghdasaryan, has been attacked by unknown people in Yerevan as he exited his office building. His life, fortunately, is not in danger at this point. Currently he is in a Yerevan hospital recovering from his injuries.



The last Armenian journalist to be attacked while exiting his office was not lucky - Hrant Dinq was murdered by a lone murderer in Constantinopolis in Turkey.

Banditocracy and HayPost

A day or so ago Haykakan Zhamanak published a news item about HayPost (see the text below).

Almost two years ago I had reflected on the purchase of the HayPost, the postal services of Armenia, to Dutch company. At the time I wondered whether it was reasonable for a Dutch company to invest in HayPost. When an investor acquires a distressed and run down organization like HayPost, there are large upfront monetary expenditures like capital investments. But an even greater challenge is to change the culture of that organization. Usually, if the company is distressed, it is because of incompetent management and the ensuing business-unfriendly practices in the company: HayPost is/was a corrupt organization. For example, one of the more unsavory characters in the town of Vanadzor is the director of the HayPost branch there.

But it seems the Dutch were determined to improve the situation so they invested a lot of effort into making HayPost a viable entity. And because the Armenian government kicked Western Union out, the only avenue for HayPost to make money became realistic as they could gain market share in the lucrative business of money transfers from abroad; it is not a secret that a major chunk of the Armenian GDP is sustained by the transfers from the expats in Russia, EU or the USA together with the grants and other foreign aid by the EU and US governments.

But as it goes in banditocracies, as soon as you start making money, or there is a hope of making money, somebody from the banditocracy will attempt to take it away from you. In Armenia it is done through violence. The Dutch director of HayPost was violently assaulted twice. Apparently, the first message was not clear enough so he was beaten up a second time just recently. A few days ago he resigned.

Having lost trust in Armenia, the Dutch will divest HayPost. The next owner of HayPost will most probably be Ernekian, an Argentinian businessman with close ties with the banditocracy and large business interests in the country such as the Zvartnots airport.

It is even possible that all this was planned before hand - the Western Union ban, the subsequent violence towards the Dutch, the Ernekian acquisition. But one thing is clear for me - if you have money to invest, keep it as far away as possible from Armenia.

Երեկ հայտնի դարձավ, որ «Հայփոստ» ընկերության գլխավոր գործադիր տնօրեն Հանս Բոոնը նախորդ օրը հրաժարական է ներկայացրել: Ընդ որում նա հրաժարական է ներկայացրել հեռակա կարգով: Նա մի քանի շաբաթ առաջ մեկնել է հայրենիք` Հոլանդիա եւ փոստով ներկայացրել հրաժարականի իր դիմումը: Ամենահետաքրքիրն այն է, թե որն է Բոոնի հրաժարականի պատճառը: Խնդիրն այն է, որ վերջին կես տարվա ընթացքում, օտարերկրացի Բոոնը Երեւանի կենտրոնում երկու անգամ դաժան ծեծի է ենթարկվել: Առաջին անգամ հունիսին Կարապի լճի մերձակայքում, իսկ երկրորդ անգամ` հոկտեմբերի սկզբին` Պուշկինի փողոցում: Առայժմ անհայտ է, թե ինչու է Բոոնը խուսափել է այս փաստերին հրապարակայնություն հաղորդել: Հայտնի է միայն, որ բժիշկների ասելով վերջին հարձակումը եղել է առանձնապես դաժան եւ նրան հասցված մարմնական վնասվածքները կարող էին մահացու լինել: Ըստ մեր ունեցած տեղեկությունների հենց այս հարձակումներն են դարձել Բոոնի հրաժարականի պատճառ` օտարերկրացին, Հոլանդական “Haypost Trust Management” ընկերության կառավարման ներքո գտնվող Հայաստանի խոշորագույն ընկերություններից մեկի` «Հայփոստի» եվրոպացի գլխավոր գործադիր տնօրենը իրեն անվտանգ չի զգում ոստիկանապետության վերածված Հայաստանի Հանրապետության մայրաքաղաքի կենտրոնում: Սա շատ լավ գովազդ է մեր երկրի համար: Սրանից հետո, թերեւս, Տիգրան Սարգսյանը հիմքեր կունենա խոսելու Հայաստանը օտարերկրյա ներդրողների համար դրախտ դարձնելու եւ Հայաստանը միջազգային ֆինանսական, տեխնոլոգիական, մշակութային ու էլի եսիմինչ կենտրոնի վերածելու մասին:

Հ.Գ. Ի դեպ, «Հայփոստ» ըկերության կառավարումը շուտով կստանձնի արգենտինահայ գործարար Էդուրադո Էռնեկյանին պատկանող ընկերություններին: Սպասվում է, որ փոխանցման գործընթացը կավարտվի առաջիկա մեկ երկու ամիսների ընթացքում:

Degradation.

Sometimes I truly don't know where the Armenian nation is going. Here is the latest fight involving the Armenian Apostolic Church with the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem. I can't say much about the Greek side but the Armenian side resemble the youth that usually litter the street corners of neighborhoods like Yerrord Mas in any town where there is a Yerrord Mas. What are they doing in the ranks of the church I don't know. Why are they in Jerusalem is even a bigger puzzle for me.

By the way, pay attention to the thuggery at 1:40 with a sucker punch on the Greek priest.

Hatspanian Arrested.

The bizarre law enforcement traditions of Armenia continue. As you remember, a few days ago I wrote about the interview Sargis Hatspanian had given to Haykakan Zhamanak about the plans about the impending assassination of S.S.

Now Mr. Hatspanian has been arrested. It looks like the Armenian law enforcement is taking the interview seriously. I cannot understand the logic of Mr. Hatspanian's arrest but as in the majority of the things the Armenian officials do, their actions do not fit in the realm of logic or reason.

Gor Mkhitarian

A few weeks ago I met Gor Mkhitarian. We are both fromthe same town so there was a lot to talk about. Of course, we also talked about the earthquake and the 'cold and dark days' during the Karabakh war. The most vivid memory is the bread situation during that time. I had not realized one thing that Gor mentioned - the psychological condition of the parents who are unable to provide food for their kids and often go hungry themselves in order to feed the children. For a man to realize this requires emotional intelligence which apparently I lack. That's probably why Gor is an artist and I am not.

He didn't mind me posting his songs online. But looking at a blank screen is not interesting so I decided to make my first video. It's not a good quality as I lack both the skills and equipment for a good production but is tolerable. You can listen to his stuff on his website.

Obama waiting for the news.

Here are a few pictures taken right before and after the poll results started to emerge. I think Obama was in a Marriott hotel downtown Chicago hence the drab furnishings.

© David Katz/Obama for America

Endangered Species.

A few days ago there was an article in Haykakan Zhamanak (see the English translation here) where Sargis Hatspanian revealed that there are plans to assassinate the self-declared president of Armenia Serj Sargsian. He mentioned a few possibilities - an airplane 'malfunction', a group of 'former' Dashnaktsakans like the assassinations of October 27, or a patriot from Nagorno Karabakh. Shortly after that the National Security officers arrived at the Haykakan Zhamanak offices and made a few attempts to take the interviewer downtown for an interview. The few attempts were made because each time they were missing documents - according to Armenian law, law enforcement agencies need to have a warrant to take people to their offices for an interview. Since it's a banditocracy, the law enforcement officers are not aware of such things so it took them a few attempts to figure out how to get a valid warrant...

But the issue still remains. Will S.S. be whacked? If he does, I will not shed a tear. The danger is that just like October 27, the planner of the assassination is reportedly Kocharian. He is a far worse butcher than what I think S.S. is.

Puppies.

Now that we have resolved all the problems facing the country, the entertainment media have focused their attention to the next dog in the White House.

It is an unofficial tradition for the President and the first family to get a dog as a pet. The dog then becomes a fixture on TV screens for a few days after arriving at the White House. The Clintons had a cat named Socks in addition to a dog. Socks (pictured here), currently lives in California. Buddy, the First Dog, unfortunately, was run over by a car.

So, what is going to be the next First Pet? If it was me, I would get a raccoon as a pet. But since it's a highly visible post, I think the Obamas will get a dog. They will probably rescue a puppy from a Humane Society shelter and the puppy will be chosen by their little girls.

As an animal lover, I couldn't resist to write this post.

WE WIN!

WE WIN!

Events around Nagorno Karabakh.

Yesterday the Bandit Number One signed a protocol with the Russian and Azeri presidents about a framework of Nagorno Karabakh issue resolution. While the text of the agreement is fluff and does not contain anything significant, I wonder about the general direction that the latest activities point to.

Basically, Bandit Number One does not represent the Armenian people and thus does not have a mandate to decide on solutions to issues very dear to the future of the country and the Armenian nation itself.

As Payqar.org said:Ոչ մի թիզ հող

Did my small part today.

The polls opened at 7 am. There were people who had been in line since around 6 am. Some of the poll workers said that people came over at 5 am. I was there at quarter past seven and the whole thing took less than an hour with half an hour of wait outside. There were volunteers for the Republican candidates distributing leaflets. As far as I saw, not one of the voters took any. They all seemed educated about the issues and the candidates. There was a little bit of complaining that the county had not sent out information leaflets on the issues on ballot and also the people. They probably are trying to cope with shortage of funds.

In our county it's a low tech affair. The ID-s are checked against a binder containing the registered voter list for the neighborhood where then you sign your name. Then a poll worker makes a mark in a writing pad to keep count. When you approach the poll booth, a poll booth worker adds to the count in his own pad. My guess is that at the end of the day they will try to reconcile these numbers together and compare to the tally in the polling machines.

The polling machine was an old electronic device with a BW LCD screen from the late 90-s. But it was fairly well designed and calibrated; you have to design your IT products to the needs of your users. Since anybody can vote, you have to make the process very simple. I think the best testers in this case would be a group of 5 year olds and 70+ year olds.

So now it's time to sit back and wait for the results. Hopefully by the end of day today we will have a clear winner.

Sarkozi and Palin.

Hopefully tomorrow this will just be a bad dream.