· July, 2008

Stories about Armenia from July, 2008

Armenia: Agra Hadig

  31 July 2008

Martuni or Bust reports on the tradition of agra hadig which celebrates the appearance of a baby's first tooth. A large collection of objects is also placed in front of the child, and whichever one he or she chooses is said to determine their later profession.

Armenia: NATO Cooperation

Window on Eurasia argues that Armenia's continued involvement in exercises staged under the auspices of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program marks an increasingly evident move towards Western rather than Russia military structures.

Armenia: Hacked Attack Sites?

  31 July 2008

Nazarian reports that two Armenian sites, Policy Forum Armenia and my own The Caucasian Knot, have been flagged as attack sites by Google. 517 Design carries more information on what appears to be the work of hackers.

Caucasus: Cuil Search Engine

  30 July 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus puts new search engine Cuil through a series of tests to evaluate its worth as a research tool in the region. The blog concludes that Google has nothing to worry about.

Armenia: Driving in the Caucasus

  30 July 2008

Having arrived in Armenia for an internship, It's Very European to Stand… comments on driving in the capital, Yerevan, and concludes that crossing the road can be hazardous and sometimes life-threatening.

Armenia: Musical Tourism

  29 July 2008

Unfashionably Late recently visited Armenia and posts an extended entry on the local music scene. The post is accompanied by music videos and analysis.

Armenia: Bloggers Attend Presidential Press Conference

  24 July 2008

On 21 July at a news conference held at the presidential palace to mark the 100th day of the new president's term in office, two bloggers were invited to attend alongside 38 journalists. Although the bloggers involved argue that the event was important and unprecedented, not everyone agrees.

Caucasus: Tolerance

  24 July 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on its own research into the attitude of citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia towards their neighbors.

Armenia: Divided Blogosphere

  24 July 2008

Following news that two bloggers were allowed to attend a presidential press conference, Unzipped comments on the event and says that the unprecedented event was actually a disservice to the local blogging community. The pro-opposition Nazarian accuses the bloggers of serving the government.

Armenia: Bloggers Attend Presidential Press Conference

  22 July 2008

Real Armenia reports that two local bloggers, Akanumatata_Ser [RU] and Pigh [RU], were allowed to attend a presidential press conference to ask questions collected online. The blog says congratulates the two bloggers and says that bloggers might now be considered equal to local journalists.

Armenia: Presidential Election Report

  20 July 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on a report issued by Policy Forum Armenia (PFA) on the 19 February presidential election in the country. The blog notes that while the report does not provide definite proof of electoral fraud, its data and statistical analysis indicates the high likelihood of falsification...

Armenia/Turkey: Reconciliation?

Unzipped says that while the first 100 days of the new Armenian president, Serge Sargsyan, were a missed opportunity to implement major changes in the country, they were notable for what appears to be an unprecedented opportunity for reconciliation with Turkey. Commenting on news reports, the blog says that there...

Armenia: Gay Rights

  18 July 2008

Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on letters published in the Boston-based The Armenian Weekly discussing gay rights and same-sex marriage. The blog says the letters set an important precedent for fighting for gay and human rights issues and hopes that the same will occur in Armenia proper.

Armenia: Cigarettes & National Identity

  18 July 2008

Stuff Armos Like, a new irreverent look at what makes Armenians tick, says that unlike many parts of the world where the anti-smoking lobby has made significant progress, cigarettes are a defining part of the Armenian reality. The blog jokingly says that even if smoking was banned in every other...

Armenia: Relations With Turkey

The Armenian Observer comments on new moves to promote dialogue with Turkey. The two countries have no diplomatic relations and the border remains closed. However, the blog notes that the response inside Armenia to moves to promote reconciliation between the two neighbors is disappointing.

Armenia: Meet The Kardashians

  15 July 2008

Blogian posts the text of an email that laments the fact that many Americans are beginning to associate ethnic Armenians in the U.S. with socialite and sex tape celebrity Kim Kardashian.

Armenia: Diaspora Survey

  14 July 2008

Social Science in the Caucasus comments on its research on difficulties faced by ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora when they relocate to Armenia. The blog notes that there is often competition between local and foreign-born Armenians as well as differences in mentality and values.

Armenia: Indian Students

  13 July 2008

Armenia Higher Education & Sciences comments on a meeting between the country's new president and the Indian Ambassador. The specialist education blog wonders if the two discussed any real issues, especially as the number of Indians studying in Armenia has steadily declined since 2006 when one student died after falling...

Armenia: Junior Eurovision

  13 July 2008

Unzipped comments on Armenia's entry into this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest. The blogger says he is impressed by 12-year-old Monika Manucharova whose family is homeless, but concludes that the song is not the best.

Armenia: Genocide Literature

The Armenian Odar comments on a blog post dealing with literature on Genocide. In a second post, the same blog provides information on a book by a Turkish Human Rights Lawyer who discovered her Grandmother was actually Armenian and a survivor of the 1915 massacres in Ottoman Turkey.