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Monday 31 October 2011

Halloween: Picture of the Day

Among the all Halloween-themed pictures I've seen today, this one strikes me the most.


*Sex workers wearing skeleton masks gather in Mexico city for a procession to remember their deceased colleagues, in particular those violently murdered in the past few years, two days before the Day of the Dead festival when Mexicans pay homage to family and friends who have died. Photograph: Carlos Jasso/Reuters (source: The Guardian)

Thursday 27 October 2011

Member of "Army in Reality" group Lala Aslikyan is detained

UPDATED: Lala Aslikyan has been released (see comments section for reports in English)

Breaking news (AM only):

 
ՀԱՂՈՐԴՈՒՄ

2011թ. հոկտեմբերի 27-ին ՀՀ կառավարության շենքի մոտ պետք է տեղի ունենար Հայաստանի զինված ուժերում մահացած զինծառայողների ծնողների և “Բանակն իրականում” նախաձեռնող խմբի հերթական ակցիան` զինծառայողների սպանությունները բացահայտելու և գործերի քննությունը պատշաճ կերպով
վարելու պահանջով: Ոստիկանները թույլ չեն տվել, որպեսզի ակցիան կայանա նախատեսված վայրում և բռնություն են կիրառել զինծառայողների ծնողների նկատմամբ` հրմշտելով նրանց և խոչընդոտելով խաղաղ հավաքի անցկացումը: Ակցիայի մասնակիցներն արձագանքել են` արտահայտելով իրենց վերաբերմունքը ոստիկանների բռնությունների նկատմամբ:

Ոստիկանները, բռնի ուժ կիրառելով ցուցարարներից մեկի` “Բանակն իրականում” քաղաքացիական նախաձեռնության անդամ Լալա Ասլիկյանի նկատմամբ, նրան տեղափոխել են ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժին:

ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի մոտ, որտեղ հավաքվել են մի խումբ քաղաքացիներ` պահանջելու ազատել Լալա Ասլիկյանին, կրկին տեղի է ունեցել միջադեպ. ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի փոխոստիկանապետ Արայիկ Պետրոսյանը փորձ է արել մեքենայով վրաերթ կատարել ցուցարարների ուղղությամբ և հարվածել ԱԺ պատգամավոր Զարուհի Փոստանջյանին:

Արդեն կես ժամից ավել է Լալա Ասլիկյանի փաստաբան Ռոբերտ Ռևազյանը կանգնած է ՀՀ ոստիկանության Երևան քաղաքի վարչության կենտրոնական բաժնի մուտքի մոտ և նրան թույլ չեն տալիս մուտք գործել ոստիկանության բաժին: Մոտ 20 ոստիկան կանգնած են ոստիկանության բաժնի մուտքի մոտ, իսկ 30-ը ավելի հեռու` խոչընդոտելով ցուցարարներին մոտենալ ոստիականության բաժնի շենքին:

Friday 21 October 2011

Open letter to Orange Armenia re: homophobic short story shortlisted for their annual book prize

For Armenian version, see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

For more background info, read: #Fail: Homophobe writer shortlisted for Orange Armenia book prize 2011

***
Dear Orange Armenia,

We wish to express our concern with one of the entries of the Orange Book Prize.

For the 2011 Orange Book Prize, as noted on Orange Armenia's official website, 130 creative works were submitted to the contest, 79 of which were in the short story category. The jury of "professional readers," according to Orange Armenia's description, selected 11 out of the 130 entries submitted, one of which — Paruyr Santrosyan's "Hours Before [Being Given] the Death Penalty" — contains hatred toward homosexual people. The author in his work, in particular, complains that the Republic of Armenia guarantees equality for all, including homosexual people, adding that if he were talk about homosexual people, he would be forced to do so using profanities.

We would like to express our concern to the aforementioned. Orange Armenia is one of those reputable companies in Armenia that embraces Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), acknowledging that it has a responsibility to the public, and always tries to uphold its reputation at the pan-Armenian and international level, which France Telecom also attempts to do on local, national and international platforms. Expressing a malevolent attitude toward marginalized groups and minorities through Orange Armenia, we believe, is first and foremost detrimental to the company itself. Apart from the fact that Orange Armenia might lose the trust of many of its customers and sustain losses on a PR level, this is also dangerous for Orange Armenia's LGBT customers and employees, because the author of this work affronts LGBT people and tramples their dignity. According to its website, France Telecom–Orange is "committed to ensuring transparency, quality and security for all its customers," while promoting diversity and equal opportunity for its employees: "France Telecom-Orange has a duty to set an example by promoting equal opportunity and combating all forms of discrimination."

It is incomprehensible how Orange Armenia allowed a story to participate in the contest and to be selected out of 79 entries in this category by a jury of "professional readers" which spreads hate toward a marginalized group — in this case, homosexual people. Would it be permissible, perhaps, for a story to be included in the contest that spread the same message of hate towards, for example, Jewish people or people of a different skin color or any number of other marginalized communities?

Considering the aforementioned, we would like to suggest that Orange Armenia issue a statement reaffirming its unbiased and impartial approach toward its LGBT customers (also potential LGBT customers, which it might lose due to homophobia) and toward marginalized groups, in line with the company's own policies and Article 14.1 of Armenia's Constitution which guarantees equality for all, irrespective of personal or social circumstances (in this case, irrespective of an individual's sexual orientation). In particular, we ask that the aforementioned short story entry be removed from the competition.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Respectfully Yours,

Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO (PINK Armenia)
Mika, author of the blog "Unzipped: Gay Armenia"
Women's Resource Center of Armenia
Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Yerevan
New Generation NGO
Guarantee Center for Civil Society NGO
World Independent Youth Union NGO
Society Without Violence NGO
Haykuhi Margaryan
Hamo Sargsyan
Narek Harutyunyan
Anna Grigorian
Armen Ohanyan
Tufenkian Foundation Women's Support Center
Diana Muradova
"Young Professionals Caucasus"
Ginosi.com LLC
____
originally published here

Sunday 16 October 2011

PR and propaganda fail in the face of reality in Armenia army

Yes, tragic incidents in the army happened in the past too. Yes, we may not have realised their full extend in the past due to lack of publicity. There might be some truth in such statements, but they cannot be used to justify the appalling reality of violence and abuse in the Armenian army that tend to turn into routine statistics of non-combat deaths as part of daily news headlines.

3 deaths + “incidents” in 5 days... Plus all those soldiers who were killed or ‘suicided’ over the past year or so... This is an indication of endemic problems of violence and bullying in our army and lawlessness on all the levels of military management and beyond that, without addressing properly and comprehensively, unsurprisingly getting worse and worse... And a reflection of complacency towards violence in our society where machismo still rules.

Ironically, even now state propaganda machine tries blaming “foreign sponsored NGOs” and human rights activists for damaging army’s reputation and its military and psychological capabilities with their criticism, publicity and demands. So it’s not murders or ‘suicides’ of soldiers but publicity surrounding those incidents and demand for answers and responsibilities that damage Armenia’s security and defense?!

We may do the most impressive breathtaking military parades for propaganda purposes. But any propaganda or PR exercise fail spectacularly when facing such realities.

Friday 7 October 2011

Armenia crushed Macedonia 4:1 in a perfect display of team spirit at Euro 2012 qualifier




*pictures - by PanARMENIAN Photo

After a decade of post-Soviet malaise, Armenia national team started showing up a type of professional and exciting football that I love.

Below are pictures of 5 players of the day. But the real heroes of the day - Armenia national team as a whole. See their faces here.

And if there was a contest for 'comment of the day', the prize would go to a friend of mine Sylvie K. who commented under my Facebook status:
“this makes me believe in miracles - that we CAN succeed in a TEAM sport...not just in CHESS”.
And perhaps the most hilarious tweet of the day (AM) ;))
Աղջիկ լինեի, կամ գեյ, էսօր մեր սաղ թիմին կտայի
@8731





Thursday 6 October 2011

Steve Jobs...

I surrendered to Apple. I did it voluntarily, and have not regretted since.

I use Mac. I use iPad. I use iPhone. You inspired me.

Your vision changed the world on so many levels. It changed my world too. The way I use technology. The way I interact with others and myself.

THANK YOU!

Rest in peace...

In front of the Apple store, Regents street, London

***
Steve Jobs

1955 - 2011

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs

Saturday 1 October 2011

‘Sex bombs’ as new ‘weapons of mass distraction’ in Armenia?

This erotic show, or whatever it was, reportedly was staged at the Northern avenue to ‘coincide’ with the opposition rally at the nearby Liberty sq. in Yerevan. Some claim that the authorities started using sex as a ‘weapon of mass distraction’ :))
Not surprising that regime used sex (half naked women in black/red lingerie) to try to distract from Liberty Square
@tzitzernak
Whether this is the case or not, the coincidence is hilarious.