Latest posts by Onnik Krikorian from November, 2008
Armenia: Gyumri
jack'sVolunteerWorkInArmenia details his weekend trip to Armenia's second largest city of Gyumri. Situated close to the (closed) border with Turkey, the city will next month commemorate the 1988 earthquake which devastated much of its infrastructure and left tens of thousands dead or homeless. The blog says that twenty years on,...
U.S.: Proposition 8 Silence
Unzipped: Gay Armenia expresses its disappointment that Armenian-American LGBT groups remain silent in light of the recent vote to ban same-sex marriages in California which accompanied Barack Obama's victory in last week's presidential election. The blog wonders why there have been no statements issued by at least four ethnic Armenian...
Jerusalem: Armenian, Greek Monks Brawl
Friction between various religious denominations is not new, but an incident that occurred between Armenian and Greek monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has drawn the attention of many bloggers to such rivalry.
North Ossetia: Minivan Bombing
Des Balkans au Caucase, regards sur l'Est [FR] comments on the bombing of a minivan in the capital of North Ossetia in which 11 people died and 40 others were wounded.
Armenia: Obama Endorsement
Bekaisa [AM/EN/RU] posted a photograph of a sign outside an Armenian church in the U.S. on the eve of last week's presidential election. It reads “vote for the black. The other one's an ass (donkey).”
Armenia: Bloggers Reaction to Obama Victory
Voices Without Votes posts a roundup of reactions to Barrack Obama's victory in the U.S. presidential election. West of Igdir also posts its impressions and says that expectations are high. The blog comments on the prejudices and stereotypes associated with the president-elect's origins and name.
Caucasus: Geocaching
West of Igdir introduces its readers to geocaching — an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to find hidden containers — in the South Caucasus. The blog comments on geocaching in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, but says that the former is the...
Armenia: Rahm Emanuel Concerns
And Nothing Else Matters [RU] voices its concern with Barrack Obama's choice of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. The blog reminds its readers that Emanuel was one of those opposing a bill recognizing the Armenian Genocide which was to be presented to the U.S. Congress last year.
Armenia: Inlandish
Anush Babajanyan's Photoblog posts photographs of women who stand out from the crowd in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. The blog says that while society treats them as something different, she had only respect for their individuality.
Armenia: Inclusive Education
My The Caucasian Knot posts two entries accompanied by photographs on inclusive education in Armenia. Part of a voluntary project on child protection and disabilities, the first post details a return visit to the World Vision Child Development Center in Yerevan while the second takes a closer look and accompanies...
Azerbaijan: Good Morning, Mr. President
The View From Baku posts an account and video from the Hyatt Regency where the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan invited American citizens to watch the election returns from yesterday's presidential vote. The bloggers says the emotion was surprising and that many Azerbaijanis congratulated him on Barrack Obama's victory.
Armenia: I am American
Unzipped celebrates the victory of Barack Obama in yesterday's U.S. presidential election. The blogger says that this November is a historic month, but notes that as much as expectations are high of the president-elect, the possibility for disappointment is high as well.
Azerbaijan: New, Traditional Media Concerns
Caucasus New Media says that while the world is focused on today's U.S. elections, Azerbaijani bloggers are more concerned with moves to prohibit foreign media outlets from broadcasting on local frequencies. However, the blog says that the decision might be delayed by a year and isn't yet concerned that the...
North Caucasus: Circassian girls
The Tbilisi Blues pays homage to Circassian girls, apparently among the world's most beautiful women. The blog posts some early photographs of what it calls Moss-haired Girls and says that many were to be found in the harems of Turkish sultans.
Nagorno Karabakh: Armenian Bloggers on Moscow Declaration
Following Sunday's meeting between Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, the upbeat tone of the mainstream international media in reporting a declaration on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict signed by the three has not been echoed by Armenian bloggers. Indeed, if anything, most appear to consider the declaration, which reiterates existing verbal agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the 1994 ceasefire, to be simply for show.
Armenia: Obama Supporters
Although not a U.S. citizen, Blogian says that his mother has donated to Barack Obama's campaign. The blog also says that there are 3,000 registered ethnic Armenian voters in Colorado.
Georgia: Tbilisi favors McCain
Cult of the Dead Fish says that Georgia's interest in a McCain victory in next week's U.S. presidential election is based on self-interest. The blog says that following the recent war with Russia, a Republican victory is more likely to increase U.S. support for the country.
Armenia: Defense Spending
The Armenian Economist comments on the size of the Armenian military budget and notes that it pales into insignificance compared to that of Azerbaijan and Turkey, the country's traditional foes in the region. The blog wonders if it wouldn't be better to spend more on education and health care instead.
Armenia: Blogger Nominated
London-based Armenian blogger Mark Grigorian [RU] has been nominated for Reporters Without Borders’ award in this year's Deutsche Welle Best of Blogs (BoBs).
Nagorno Karabakh: Peace in Sight?
My The Caucasian Knot examines the prospects for a framework peace agreement ahead of tomorrow's meeting between the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow. Although there is some optimism that the talks might yield such an agreement over the status of the disputed mainly Armenian populated territory of Nagorno...
Armenia: Shootings
Unidiana [RU] posts an eyewitness account of a shooting in a back yard that left at least one dead. The blogger notes the inaction of the police despite the presence of children. Kornelij Glas [RU] also comments on the incident.