February 28, 2006
Commemorating Sumgait and blasting Turks
Today thousands of citizens gathered in Republic Square in Yerevan to commemorate the massacres of Armenian civilians in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, located just north of Baku, on February 27-29, 1988. The rally was sponsored by the “Armenian Help Union” as well as by many political parties, most notably the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutiun (ARF), marked by several of its red party flags being waved. As a result of the pogroms, reportedly 370,000 Armenians were displaced from Azerbaijan. About 18,000 of the quarter-million residents of Sumgait were Armenian. Not surprisingly, none are left there today. These attacks were attributed to Armenian calls for Karabagh’s autonomy from Soviet Azerbaijani rule at the time.
From what I saw at the rally and on the streets, the overwhelming majority of the attendees were youth. Apparently universities let out classes early in response to requests from political parties for students to attend the rally. Thousands of people were purportedly bused in from the regions.
A poster campaign launched about 10 days ago sponsored by the ARF called for people to never forget the Sumgait pogroms and to remember that the Armenian presence in Jugha, Nakhichevan is being erased, with the destruction of apparently more than 1,000 stone crosses placed as tombstones in historic Armenian cemeteries there. I was somewhat surprised to see billboards flanking a stage, which singers and political figures took to for conveying their messages, displaying anti-Turk rhetoric. One sign read “No to Turkish Fascism,” while another pointed out “Panturkism And Panturanism—Facist Ideologies! Nothing To Do With Islam.” The ARF has been churning out similar sorts of nationalist propaganda, especially relating to the Armenian Genocide, for decades, but not on Armenian soil until recently. It was and is understandable in the Armenian Diaspora, but not in the homeland, where Turkic peoples can be found just across Armenia’s western and far eastern borders (meaning with Karabagh), waiting for any excuse to pounce.
Although remembering the horrors inflicted against the Armenians in the past must certainly be commemorated, antagonizing Turkey and Azerbaijan is for the most part unjustified. There are about 25 times more Turks in the region than Armenians—Turkey alone has a population of over 60 million people and an army of purportedly 1 million troops. Furthermore, Turkey also has the capability of crippling Armenia economically, as overwhelming amounts of construction materials, domestic goods, and clothing supplies enter Armenia’s markets and stores illegally from Turkey, amounting to millions of unaccounted-for dollars exchanged in business transactions (this issue is hardly ever discussed by anyone, not surprisingly). Turkey at a whim could refuse to sell to Armenian businessmen if provoked hard enough, which would drastically hurt Armenia’s economy.
During a year when both Armenian and Azeri sides are still negotiating a peace settlement over Karabagh, even after talks broke down a couple of weeks ago, the last thing either side needs to deal with is hateful provocation aimed towards the enemy. Armenians cannot afford to suffer from any other losses—economically, socially, militarily, or otherwise. Azerbaijan this year plans to spend $650 million on reinforcing its military, up from over $300 million in 2005. So such protests and declarations, most definitely made to irk the enemy when they watch the news later this evening, are uncalled for, as in the end they do nothing but incite more hatred.
I doubt that nationalist political parties, particularly the ARF, are expecting anything to come out of these protests. Such rhetoric is usually followed by a lack of action by the Armenian people, who at the end of the day could care less about Turks being fascists or whatever else. The Armenian government and its representative political parties have huge issues to overcome, most notably socioeconomic when it comes to the interests of its citizens. Sponsoring anti-Turk protests does nothing to help combat issues regarding increasing homelessness, low pensions, absurdly low minimum wages, and mass unemployment, let alone cracking down on government-wide corruption in Armenia. Instead of holding demonstrations to rally the masses to tackle these issues under the leadership of the leading political parties, the choice is to convey messages of hatred towards Armenia’s neighbors. It doesn’t make sense—nevertheless yet another example of Armenian logic.
From what I saw at the rally and on the streets, the overwhelming majority of the attendees were youth. Apparently universities let out classes early in response to requests from political parties for students to attend the rally. Thousands of people were purportedly bused in from the regions.
A poster campaign launched about 10 days ago sponsored by the ARF called for people to never forget the Sumgait pogroms and to remember that the Armenian presence in Jugha, Nakhichevan is being erased, with the destruction of apparently more than 1,000 stone crosses placed as tombstones in historic Armenian cemeteries there. I was somewhat surprised to see billboards flanking a stage, which singers and political figures took to for conveying their messages, displaying anti-Turk rhetoric. One sign read “No to Turkish Fascism,” while another pointed out “Panturkism And Panturanism—Facist Ideologies! Nothing To Do With Islam.” The ARF has been churning out similar sorts of nationalist propaganda, especially relating to the Armenian Genocide, for decades, but not on Armenian soil until recently. It was and is understandable in the Armenian Diaspora, but not in the homeland, where Turkic peoples can be found just across Armenia’s western and far eastern borders (meaning with Karabagh), waiting for any excuse to pounce.Although remembering the horrors inflicted against the Armenians in the past must certainly be commemorated, antagonizing Turkey and Azerbaijan is for the most part unjustified. There are about 25 times more Turks in the region than Armenians—Turkey alone has a population of over 60 million people and an army of purportedly 1 million troops. Furthermore, Turkey also has the capability of crippling Armenia economically, as overwhelming amounts of construction materials, domestic goods, and clothing supplies enter Armenia’s markets and stores illegally from Turkey, amounting to millions of unaccounted-for dollars exchanged in business transactions (this issue is hardly ever discussed by anyone, not surprisingly). Turkey at a whim could refuse to sell to Armenian businessmen if provoked hard enough, which would drastically hurt Armenia’s economy.
During a year when both Armenian and Azeri sides are still negotiating a peace settlement over Karabagh, even after talks broke down a couple of weeks ago, the last thing either side needs to deal with is hateful provocation aimed towards the enemy. Armenians cannot afford to suffer from any other losses—economically, socially, militarily, or otherwise. Azerbaijan this year plans to spend $650 million on reinforcing its military, up from over $300 million in 2005. So such protests and declarations, most definitely made to irk the enemy when they watch the news later this evening, are uncalled for, as in the end they do nothing but incite more hatred.
I doubt that nationalist political parties, particularly the ARF, are expecting anything to come out of these protests. Such rhetoric is usually followed by a lack of action by the Armenian people, who at the end of the day could care less about Turks being fascists or whatever else. The Armenian government and its representative political parties have huge issues to overcome, most notably socioeconomic when it comes to the interests of its citizens. Sponsoring anti-Turk protests does nothing to help combat issues regarding increasing homelessness, low pensions, absurdly low minimum wages, and mass unemployment, let alone cracking down on government-wide corruption in Armenia. Instead of holding demonstrations to rally the masses to tackle these issues under the leadership of the leading political parties, the choice is to convey messages of hatred towards Armenia’s neighbors. It doesn’t make sense—nevertheless yet another example of Armenian logic.
Labels: Thoughts and Musings
Housing costs in Yerevan are over inflated
In the last few weeks my wife and I decided to shop around for apartments in Yerevan to basically get an idea of what can be found at what price. Our findings were shocking to say the least.
We started by looking at places in Arabkir city district, which is more commonly known as Gomidas. Our broker, Torkom, who is a fabulous guy and who helped me four years ago find the apartment I still rent, took us to see three two-bedroom apartments selling for the whopping price of $50,000. We entered these flats located in mainly defective, no more than 30-year-old buildings that are already crumbling to realize that the entire apartments would have to be gutted then remodeled. Judging by the current prices for new flooring, plumbing, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, furniture, appliances and so forth, not to mention construction costs, remodeling would cost at least $20,000 to make the apartments modestly livable. Two out of the three apartments in that area had at one point endured water damage—one seemed to have a leak of some kind coming from the main water line in the bathroom. The apartments were reeking from mold, body odor, and other foul, indescribable smells that seemed to have seeped into the walls. The ceilings were pretty low, about ten feet high or lower. Despite their poor condition, these types of apartments nevertheless fetch that high of an amount. And unfortunately I will never be able to afford buying then completely remodeling one of them.
We saw another apartment located off of Tigran Mets Street, a stone’s throw away from the United Nations building and the Erebuni Hotel. The apartment was contained in a historical building dating supposedly as far back as the beginning of the 20th century. It is made from solid blocks of black tufa stone, thus making it extremely sturdy. The apartment itself, located on the second floor, has probably not been renovated in over 50 years. It has lofty ceilings, tall narrow dual-opening doors, and even the original stove heating system intact, but it was a two room apartment—meaning one bedroom. It has a huge balcony about 10 feet wide by 20 feet long or so, but totally unsafe and in complete disrepair. This apartment again would have to be extensively remodeled, but it has significantly more possibilities than the others we saw in Arabkir due to its layout and two water line hookups at opposite ends of the place. It also had once suffered from water damage, but the roof was repaired and there were no signs of mold. But there was no kitchen except for a large porcelain-coated iron sink. Above the tiny bathroom, which is not useable in the condition it is in, is a small reading room accessed by a ladder—the place is a true loft apartment. However, it also fetches $50,000 but is notably smaller than the others we saw. Although Torkom didn’t know for sure about the durability of the foundation, he claimed that the building was not slated for demolition.
But the main problem is how long the building will last. The current trend in central Yerevan is to tear down any building that is more than 60 years old, especially ones that have a significant, historic value. The stones of these buildings are numbered so that they will be reconstructed elsewhere in the future, but that will most likely never happen. Although this building is essentially a landmark and seems to be in excellent condition considering its age, there would be no way of securing any guarantee from the government that it would not be destroyed in the near future. Considering that people are being paid out $5,000 for their homes despite their high market value, I am in no position to loose $45,000 plus any additional money I would spend to renovate the place.
We also decided to look at a place located high up on the fringes of the city limits in an area known as Avan-Aringe, which is fairly close to the Kotayk region border. The area primarily contains high-rise apartment buildings. The apartment we saw was on the ninth floor, and we were told that it had been in excellent repair with two bedrooms. When we entered we realized that it had been maintained very well—all soviet furniture, fixtures, and even the electrical wiring was intact (it is not unusual to see wires hanging out of walls carelessly taped together in an effort to repair them). The small kitchen oven was about 10 years old and was “evro,” a term used to describe any home good supposedly made or designed in Europe. The apartment had two former open balconies, about 3 feet wide and 12 feet long, which were enclosed at one point for some pointless reason since they cannot serve as rooms because they are so narrow, and their walls were infested with mold. Dark curtains blocked all the light from coming in—something that can be noticed in many apartments here. A plus was an outdoor garage, which had electrical and water hookups for car washing. A barbeque was located on the roof, which was also loaded with junk and had a sagging low overhang, also installed for no good reason. A turn off was the building’s design—water drainage from the roof traveled through the middle of the building to the first floor, where it was leaking in the main entrance. The stairwell was also pitch dark as no windows or lighting made it possible to see. Although much of the apartment had indeed been well maintained, the bathroom and toilet—which are almost always divided by a wall in Soviet-era homes or are completely separated from one another—needed to be gutted then remodeled, as had to be done in nearly every apartment I have laid foot in to visit, rent, or buy. They wanted $40,000, but they would come down in price. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t worth it.
Thus there is a current trend in and around Yerevan to over inflate the costs of housing, keeping in mind that the average monthly salary is about $120, the average price for a used car is about $8,000, and the costs of living have significantly increased. (I bought a carton of 10 eggs yesterday which cost nearly $1.50—the same price you would see in supermarkets throughout the Boston area for a dozen. A kilo of lavash bread is just under $1.) And the cost for one square meter of land in central Yerevan is about $1,500.
There are several reasons for the substantial increases in prices for real estate. A few years ago wealthy foreign investors started buying up huge amounts property in Yerevan. Rumors were heard that people associated with the Cafesjian Foundation were supposedly purchasing apartments up to three times higher than their actual market value in the square adjacent to the Cascade steps, for which incidentally the foundation is sponsoring the actual completion of construction after being on hold for 15 or so years after the Soviet Union collapsed. I heard that apartments were being bought for over $80,000, which was a ludicrous amount in 2002. The same ones are now worth well over $100,000 even as high as $250,000. Apartments continue to be purchased at high offers just to secure them by diasporan Armenians, Iranians, and even Turks, which should come as no surprise by now.
Thus, the real estate market in Yerevan has artificially gone through the roof, literally. Many owners of expensive top-floor apartments have constructed—in many cases illegally—a second floor for their home thereby adding to their worth, despite the stress that may be added to the building’s frame. It is now virtually impossible to purchase a reasonably priced apartment in and around central Yerevan. Be expected to spend at minimum $50,000 for a one bedroom apartment, regardless of where it is located, the condition of the apartment, and how durable the building itself may be. Apartments in dozens of buildings that have not yet been completely constructed—especially the ones that barely have had a foundation laid along the “Northern Boulevard”—have supposedly been sold. This rapid acquisition of property may have to do with the fact that millions of dollars owed by prosperous businessmen floating in the “shadow economy” need to be invested into something solid, most notably real estate. Armenia’s wealthy are taking over the streets of Yerevan. There is no way of stopping government officials and members of parliament who are magically making undisclosed, yet lofty sums of money from doing whatever they want when it comes to business. The real estate mafia (nearly all business sectors in Armenia are controlled by one which is common knowledge) continues to increase housing costs with no government regulation cap on inflation to stop them. People who have the money do not seem to care that they are paying too much for housing. What is important is that they invest their cash in small businesses or housing so as to not expose their actual wealth, and they usually do so under the names of close family members. When obliged they don’t disclose it anyway. Even the Catholicos of All Armenians has gotten into the act, as he supposedly owns a few grocery stores in central Yerevan and is about to convert a playground for children into an undisclosed business venture in Ejmiadzin, where purportedly he owns much real estate.
The apartment in which I live was purchased by my landlord for about $16,000 in 2001. It is worth anywhere between $60,000 and $100,000 or more today, depending on how much someone wants it. In the last two years alone real estate prices have increased two fold—since 2001 about four times. The economy is booming the government and foreign analysts say, yet again the average monthly salary remains at $120. So how is a newly married couple supposed to purchase an apartment? Even in the farthest outskirts of the city, dilapidated apartments can fetch a minimum of $20,000. On paper, considering that Armenia has a long way to go economically speaking as about 40 percent of the population is considered poor, it doesn’t make sense. But I need to keep reminding myself over and over again that I am dealing with Armenian logic. I’m wondering when I will ever resign myself to the fact that I will never understand it.
We started by looking at places in Arabkir city district, which is more commonly known as Gomidas. Our broker, Torkom, who is a fabulous guy and who helped me four years ago find the apartment I still rent, took us to see three two-bedroom apartments selling for the whopping price of $50,000. We entered these flats located in mainly defective, no more than 30-year-old buildings that are already crumbling to realize that the entire apartments would have to be gutted then remodeled. Judging by the current prices for new flooring, plumbing, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, furniture, appliances and so forth, not to mention construction costs, remodeling would cost at least $20,000 to make the apartments modestly livable. Two out of the three apartments in that area had at one point endured water damage—one seemed to have a leak of some kind coming from the main water line in the bathroom. The apartments were reeking from mold, body odor, and other foul, indescribable smells that seemed to have seeped into the walls. The ceilings were pretty low, about ten feet high or lower. Despite their poor condition, these types of apartments nevertheless fetch that high of an amount. And unfortunately I will never be able to afford buying then completely remodeling one of them.
We saw another apartment located off of Tigran Mets Street, a stone’s throw away from the United Nations building and the Erebuni Hotel. The apartment was contained in a historical building dating supposedly as far back as the beginning of the 20th century. It is made from solid blocks of black tufa stone, thus making it extremely sturdy. The apartment itself, located on the second floor, has probably not been renovated in over 50 years. It has lofty ceilings, tall narrow dual-opening doors, and even the original stove heating system intact, but it was a two room apartment—meaning one bedroom. It has a huge balcony about 10 feet wide by 20 feet long or so, but totally unsafe and in complete disrepair. This apartment again would have to be extensively remodeled, but it has significantly more possibilities than the others we saw in Arabkir due to its layout and two water line hookups at opposite ends of the place. It also had once suffered from water damage, but the roof was repaired and there were no signs of mold. But there was no kitchen except for a large porcelain-coated iron sink. Above the tiny bathroom, which is not useable in the condition it is in, is a small reading room accessed by a ladder—the place is a true loft apartment. However, it also fetches $50,000 but is notably smaller than the others we saw. Although Torkom didn’t know for sure about the durability of the foundation, he claimed that the building was not slated for demolition.
But the main problem is how long the building will last. The current trend in central Yerevan is to tear down any building that is more than 60 years old, especially ones that have a significant, historic value. The stones of these buildings are numbered so that they will be reconstructed elsewhere in the future, but that will most likely never happen. Although this building is essentially a landmark and seems to be in excellent condition considering its age, there would be no way of securing any guarantee from the government that it would not be destroyed in the near future. Considering that people are being paid out $5,000 for their homes despite their high market value, I am in no position to loose $45,000 plus any additional money I would spend to renovate the place.
We also decided to look at a place located high up on the fringes of the city limits in an area known as Avan-Aringe, which is fairly close to the Kotayk region border. The area primarily contains high-rise apartment buildings. The apartment we saw was on the ninth floor, and we were told that it had been in excellent repair with two bedrooms. When we entered we realized that it had been maintained very well—all soviet furniture, fixtures, and even the electrical wiring was intact (it is not unusual to see wires hanging out of walls carelessly taped together in an effort to repair them). The small kitchen oven was about 10 years old and was “evro,” a term used to describe any home good supposedly made or designed in Europe. The apartment had two former open balconies, about 3 feet wide and 12 feet long, which were enclosed at one point for some pointless reason since they cannot serve as rooms because they are so narrow, and their walls were infested with mold. Dark curtains blocked all the light from coming in—something that can be noticed in many apartments here. A plus was an outdoor garage, which had electrical and water hookups for car washing. A barbeque was located on the roof, which was also loaded with junk and had a sagging low overhang, also installed for no good reason. A turn off was the building’s design—water drainage from the roof traveled through the middle of the building to the first floor, where it was leaking in the main entrance. The stairwell was also pitch dark as no windows or lighting made it possible to see. Although much of the apartment had indeed been well maintained, the bathroom and toilet—which are almost always divided by a wall in Soviet-era homes or are completely separated from one another—needed to be gutted then remodeled, as had to be done in nearly every apartment I have laid foot in to visit, rent, or buy. They wanted $40,000, but they would come down in price. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t worth it.
Thus there is a current trend in and around Yerevan to over inflate the costs of housing, keeping in mind that the average monthly salary is about $120, the average price for a used car is about $8,000, and the costs of living have significantly increased. (I bought a carton of 10 eggs yesterday which cost nearly $1.50—the same price you would see in supermarkets throughout the Boston area for a dozen. A kilo of lavash bread is just under $1.) And the cost for one square meter of land in central Yerevan is about $1,500.
There are several reasons for the substantial increases in prices for real estate. A few years ago wealthy foreign investors started buying up huge amounts property in Yerevan. Rumors were heard that people associated with the Cafesjian Foundation were supposedly purchasing apartments up to three times higher than their actual market value in the square adjacent to the Cascade steps, for which incidentally the foundation is sponsoring the actual completion of construction after being on hold for 15 or so years after the Soviet Union collapsed. I heard that apartments were being bought for over $80,000, which was a ludicrous amount in 2002. The same ones are now worth well over $100,000 even as high as $250,000. Apartments continue to be purchased at high offers just to secure them by diasporan Armenians, Iranians, and even Turks, which should come as no surprise by now.
Thus, the real estate market in Yerevan has artificially gone through the roof, literally. Many owners of expensive top-floor apartments have constructed—in many cases illegally—a second floor for their home thereby adding to their worth, despite the stress that may be added to the building’s frame. It is now virtually impossible to purchase a reasonably priced apartment in and around central Yerevan. Be expected to spend at minimum $50,000 for a one bedroom apartment, regardless of where it is located, the condition of the apartment, and how durable the building itself may be. Apartments in dozens of buildings that have not yet been completely constructed—especially the ones that barely have had a foundation laid along the “Northern Boulevard”—have supposedly been sold. This rapid acquisition of property may have to do with the fact that millions of dollars owed by prosperous businessmen floating in the “shadow economy” need to be invested into something solid, most notably real estate. Armenia’s wealthy are taking over the streets of Yerevan. There is no way of stopping government officials and members of parliament who are magically making undisclosed, yet lofty sums of money from doing whatever they want when it comes to business. The real estate mafia (nearly all business sectors in Armenia are controlled by one which is common knowledge) continues to increase housing costs with no government regulation cap on inflation to stop them. People who have the money do not seem to care that they are paying too much for housing. What is important is that they invest their cash in small businesses or housing so as to not expose their actual wealth, and they usually do so under the names of close family members. When obliged they don’t disclose it anyway. Even the Catholicos of All Armenians has gotten into the act, as he supposedly owns a few grocery stores in central Yerevan and is about to convert a playground for children into an undisclosed business venture in Ejmiadzin, where purportedly he owns much real estate.
The apartment in which I live was purchased by my landlord for about $16,000 in 2001. It is worth anywhere between $60,000 and $100,000 or more today, depending on how much someone wants it. In the last two years alone real estate prices have increased two fold—since 2001 about four times. The economy is booming the government and foreign analysts say, yet again the average monthly salary remains at $120. So how is a newly married couple supposed to purchase an apartment? Even in the farthest outskirts of the city, dilapidated apartments can fetch a minimum of $20,000. On paper, considering that Armenia has a long way to go economically speaking as about 40 percent of the population is considered poor, it doesn’t make sense. But I need to keep reminding myself over and over again that I am dealing with Armenian logic. I’m wondering when I will ever resign myself to the fact that I will never understand it.
Labels: Thoughts and Musings
February 27, 2006
‘Contrabass’
Last night I had the privilege of seeing a play I had been meaning to check out for nearly a year now but never managed to due to schedule conflicts. The name of the play is called “Contrabass,” and is a one-man show performed by Hovhannes Babakhanyan. It played at the Yerevan City Hall’s Young Audience’s State Theater (you have to love the theater and university names here, which are typically long and usually include the phrase “named after” in honor of a literary figure or scholar), located at 3 Moscovyan Street.
The one-act play, which was written by Patrik Zyuskind, tells the story of a musician, who according to his testimony, has been cursed with the desire to play the contrabass, otherwise known as the double bass or upright bass. He complains of his position in the state symphony orchestra, being situated in the rear right corner, unnoticed by anyone in attendance, including the substantially robust mezzo-soprano opera singer who occasionally takes the stage in accompaniment, the woman with whom he is in love. Instead he remains committed to his bass, and laments about his love affair with the gargantuan instrument that had long ago become an albatross around his neck. The musician’s lecture is interrupted frequently by raving rants about his frustrations with life as well as his plight to wield a device capable of emitting such profound beauty, not to mention possessing sex appeal, yet completely awkward when it comes to maneuverability. He rejects making the transition to jazz or rock where the instrument holds significantly more prominence in the orchestra, as he remains committed to the thought that the bass belongs to the classical genre, despite its obscurity as a soloist instrument.
Hovik Babakhanyan never ceases to amaze me on stage or in film. I first noticed him about four years ago in the lead role of the film “Herostratus” directed by Rouben Kochar, which was screened at Moscow Cinema (the film review of which and that I wrote can he found here). I have also seen him in the plays “Julius Caeser,” “Macbeth,” and “The Proud Beggars.” However, judging from the eccentric roles he chooses, notably in the last-mentioned play, the film, and last night’s performance, his element is comedic drama tinged with tragedy. His performance as Macduff in Shakespeare’s notoriously intense “Macbeth” was way over the top, and he did not excel to the levels he had in the other more complex roles he played. Nevertheless, his presence as an excellent actor cannot be overlooked by any means, as all great performers eventually encounter jobs that in the end do not pay off artistically. His voice can also be heard regularly in Armenian-dubbed recently released films broadcasted by Armenia’s public television station, Channel 1.
“Contrabass” is performed a few times a year, usually every three months or so, and as far as I can remember there is usually more than one performance during a single run. Simply put it’s a great play and is definitely worth seeing. Audience members also have the opportunity to hear Hovik perform “Ave Maria” and the jazz standard “When I Fall In Love.” Apparently he is currently studying voice at one of the music conservatories in Yerevan.
The one-act play, which was written by Patrik Zyuskind, tells the story of a musician, who according to his testimony, has been cursed with the desire to play the contrabass, otherwise known as the double bass or upright bass. He complains of his position in the state symphony orchestra, being situated in the rear right corner, unnoticed by anyone in attendance, including the substantially robust mezzo-soprano opera singer who occasionally takes the stage in accompaniment, the woman with whom he is in love. Instead he remains committed to his bass, and laments about his love affair with the gargantuan instrument that had long ago become an albatross around his neck. The musician’s lecture is interrupted frequently by raving rants about his frustrations with life as well as his plight to wield a device capable of emitting such profound beauty, not to mention possessing sex appeal, yet completely awkward when it comes to maneuverability. He rejects making the transition to jazz or rock where the instrument holds significantly more prominence in the orchestra, as he remains committed to the thought that the bass belongs to the classical genre, despite its obscurity as a soloist instrument. Hovik Babakhanyan never ceases to amaze me on stage or in film. I first noticed him about four years ago in the lead role of the film “Herostratus” directed by Rouben Kochar, which was screened at Moscow Cinema (the film review of which and that I wrote can he found here). I have also seen him in the plays “Julius Caeser,” “Macbeth,” and “The Proud Beggars.” However, judging from the eccentric roles he chooses, notably in the last-mentioned play, the film, and last night’s performance, his element is comedic drama tinged with tragedy. His performance as Macduff in Shakespeare’s notoriously intense “Macbeth” was way over the top, and he did not excel to the levels he had in the other more complex roles he played. Nevertheless, his presence as an excellent actor cannot be overlooked by any means, as all great performers eventually encounter jobs that in the end do not pay off artistically. His voice can also be heard regularly in Armenian-dubbed recently released films broadcasted by Armenia’s public television station, Channel 1.
“Contrabass” is performed a few times a year, usually every three months or so, and as far as I can remember there is usually more than one performance during a single run. Simply put it’s a great play and is definitely worth seeing. Audience members also have the opportunity to hear Hovik perform “Ave Maria” and the jazz standard “When I Fall In Love.” Apparently he is currently studying voice at one of the music conservatories in Yerevan.
Labels: Arts and Entertainment, Film and Art
February 22, 2006
More about evicting people for the sake of ‘progress’
I want to point out yet another article regarding the plight of Armenians living in neighborhoods in a vaguely defined area known as “Old Yerevan” located in the capital’s center. Eviction has become a huge problem in Yerevan, with people either being paid insignificant sums of money for their homes or simply kicked out, depending on whether they protest by standing up for their rights and so forth. Now the courts will not hear their case against government-sponsored evictions, and the destruction of hundreds of homes continues. As a result there are homeless people roaming the streets—some of them entire families with small children—I’ve seen them with my own eyes. Some families managed to relocate, but for certain they no longer live in the area they’ve lived in for decades.
This forced eviction with little to no financial compensation needs to stop immediately, but no one seems to care. Only an opposition movement by Artarutyun surfaced to combat this problem, but it was quickly suppressed when members of pro-government political parties—including the ARF-Dashnaktsutiun, which ironically enough is a member of the Socialist International and whose party member Aghvan Vartanian is the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—withdrew their signatures from the opposition-sponsored petition that was forwarded to them as a measure to at least temporarily put a hold on more evictions as well as “illegal” construction.
Although unrelated to the topic but pertinent, this is not the first time the ARF failed to deliver on social issues pertaining to common Armenian citizens so as to not contradict government policies. However, it continues to betray its own socialism-based ideology, which is why its support in Armenia is ever dwindling, despite its current propaganda campaign in Armenia that it is 115 years old (I have yet to meet someone who actually cares how old it is). The ARF was also notably silent about the recent Karabagh peace talks, although for some bizarre reason its press secretary a few weeks ago brought up the issue of discussing the return of the Western Armenian lands which are now part of Turkey, at a time when Armenia is at its weakest geopolitically and strategically.
Although the gesture by the opposition is indeed impressive, it is definitely time for the youth to mobilize now and form fresh, practical political movements to combat increased oppression of human rights in this country. Despite what international organizations working here may be declaring, civil society is not being built in this country. Maybe on the surface it is with the formation of NGOs that have goals of strengthening their society, but in practice it is not happening, as there’s little or more likely nothing to show for it, particularly when citizens’ civil rights continue to be violated at an alarming rate.
You can read the article here.
This forced eviction with little to no financial compensation needs to stop immediately, but no one seems to care. Only an opposition movement by Artarutyun surfaced to combat this problem, but it was quickly suppressed when members of pro-government political parties—including the ARF-Dashnaktsutiun, which ironically enough is a member of the Socialist International and whose party member Aghvan Vartanian is the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs—withdrew their signatures from the opposition-sponsored petition that was forwarded to them as a measure to at least temporarily put a hold on more evictions as well as “illegal” construction.
Although unrelated to the topic but pertinent, this is not the first time the ARF failed to deliver on social issues pertaining to common Armenian citizens so as to not contradict government policies. However, it continues to betray its own socialism-based ideology, which is why its support in Armenia is ever dwindling, despite its current propaganda campaign in Armenia that it is 115 years old (I have yet to meet someone who actually cares how old it is). The ARF was also notably silent about the recent Karabagh peace talks, although for some bizarre reason its press secretary a few weeks ago brought up the issue of discussing the return of the Western Armenian lands which are now part of Turkey, at a time when Armenia is at its weakest geopolitically and strategically.
Although the gesture by the opposition is indeed impressive, it is definitely time for the youth to mobilize now and form fresh, practical political movements to combat increased oppression of human rights in this country. Despite what international organizations working here may be declaring, civil society is not being built in this country. Maybe on the surface it is with the formation of NGOs that have goals of strengthening their society, but in practice it is not happening, as there’s little or more likely nothing to show for it, particularly when citizens’ civil rights continue to be violated at an alarming rate.
You can read the article here.
Labels: Politics, Social and Cultural, Thoughts and Musings
February 21, 2006
A brief look at Armenian logic
I as well as some others I know who have made the decision to leave their native countries and move to Armenia have had problems coping with the system of Armenian logic. Simply put, Armenian logic almost completely contradicts the logic that has been instilled upon me to understand as being comprised of just and reasonable ways of thinking, the same which could be considered as being widely accepted at least in the Western world, where I am from.
To explain myself better with examples, consider the following scenario. I decide with a friend to go to a café for coffee. Let us say that the friend is a female. After we receive the bill I realize that I do not have enough money to pay. My friend, however, has enough to pay for us both and does so willingly. Although I am slightly embarrassed, I am thankful to her for paying, since there is no alternative anyway. I tell her that next time, the coffee is on me, and she smiles in agreement. Thus, since she paid the bill because I didn’t have enough money, this conclusion would appear to be logical.
In Armenia, this same scenario meets the following train of acceptance. A couple—male and female for purposes of comparison—decides to go to a café for coffee. Then man realizes that he has no money whatsoever, but his girlfriend tells him that it’s no problem as she has enough to cover the expense. He then demands that she give him the money before they enter the café. Later when the bill comes, he reaches into his pocket to pull out the cash and pays for the bill, just in case anyone happens to be looking. You see, for a woman to pay for a bill is unacceptable, mostly because it is considered shameful for a man that he should not pay. This way of thinking is considered logical in Armenia and is perfectly understandable to most if not all men here (perhaps many women as well).
Here’s another example. Snow falls heavily in Yerevan for an entire week, with flurries the following week. The snow builds and builds, pedestrians pack the snow down while walking, and the compacted snow freezes at night producing a sheet of ice. Over the course of two weeks the ice on the sidewalk reaches a height of at least six inches. It is only then that someone bothers to clean the sidewalk by constantly chiseling away at the ice, cigarette in mouth of course, rather than remove the snow after each snowfall. This is the logical thing to do—why clean every day when you can wait until it stops snowing completely with the sun shining to help melt the ice?
And yet another—a person goes into a grocery store to buy some cheese. He approaches the counter to find the clerk having a bite to eat. She drops her sandwich and asks what the person wants while simultaneously chewing. When he inquires as to whether she will bother to wash her hands before serving him, she mentions that her hands are clean. When he insists that she do so as she was just munching a moment before, she states proudly that her hands are free of germs, then holds her palms out for him to inspect. He walks away in disbelief that she could not understand what he was talking about.
And one tidbit—supposedly it is acceptable for men in Armenia to refrain from bathing, the thought being that men should exude an odor as being a masculine trait. Men who use cologne for example can be considered to have feminine tendencies, which is the reason why many men you might encounter most often smell badly.
Okay, perhaps these situations exist everywhere. Perhaps you can encounter this same incident with the clerk and the cheese wherever you go. It may be considered a cultural phenomenon shared by other countries in the region. But I have nevertheless seen this happen on several occasions here. I have seen people prepare food, such as the relished kebab sandwiches served as fast food that can be found at kiosks in most metro stations, with a cigarette dangling from their mouths. It may be a hygiene issue and not one pertaining to logic. Yet I can’t help thinking that smoking and food preparation do not go hand in hand. In turn, given the explanation I still can’t see the logic for refraining from bathing frequently.
This logic carries over to other spheres as well. In politics, an overwhelming number of citizens are dissatisfied with their public servants. Rather than assembling to protest or form political movements with the aim to bring about necessary changes in their societies, they sit at home, complaining to one another that the government should do more and is simply corrupt, impotent from providing the programs and services that taxpaying, law-abiding citizens expect. The logic in this case is that nothing can be done to enact change, because no matter who serves in the government, they will manage to abuse their power, and that the status quo will remain. Therefore, it is pointless to do anything, since nothing beneficial will come out of it. (This can also be interpreted as being part of the “vochinch” mentality, which transcends the common sense elements that compose the widely accepted standard of logic.)
I will continue touching upon this subject, provided with additional examples, as this entry is indeed the first part of an ongoing series.
To explain myself better with examples, consider the following scenario. I decide with a friend to go to a café for coffee. Let us say that the friend is a female. After we receive the bill I realize that I do not have enough money to pay. My friend, however, has enough to pay for us both and does so willingly. Although I am slightly embarrassed, I am thankful to her for paying, since there is no alternative anyway. I tell her that next time, the coffee is on me, and she smiles in agreement. Thus, since she paid the bill because I didn’t have enough money, this conclusion would appear to be logical.
In Armenia, this same scenario meets the following train of acceptance. A couple—male and female for purposes of comparison—decides to go to a café for coffee. Then man realizes that he has no money whatsoever, but his girlfriend tells him that it’s no problem as she has enough to cover the expense. He then demands that she give him the money before they enter the café. Later when the bill comes, he reaches into his pocket to pull out the cash and pays for the bill, just in case anyone happens to be looking. You see, for a woman to pay for a bill is unacceptable, mostly because it is considered shameful for a man that he should not pay. This way of thinking is considered logical in Armenia and is perfectly understandable to most if not all men here (perhaps many women as well).
Here’s another example. Snow falls heavily in Yerevan for an entire week, with flurries the following week. The snow builds and builds, pedestrians pack the snow down while walking, and the compacted snow freezes at night producing a sheet of ice. Over the course of two weeks the ice on the sidewalk reaches a height of at least six inches. It is only then that someone bothers to clean the sidewalk by constantly chiseling away at the ice, cigarette in mouth of course, rather than remove the snow after each snowfall. This is the logical thing to do—why clean every day when you can wait until it stops snowing completely with the sun shining to help melt the ice?
And yet another—a person goes into a grocery store to buy some cheese. He approaches the counter to find the clerk having a bite to eat. She drops her sandwich and asks what the person wants while simultaneously chewing. When he inquires as to whether she will bother to wash her hands before serving him, she mentions that her hands are clean. When he insists that she do so as she was just munching a moment before, she states proudly that her hands are free of germs, then holds her palms out for him to inspect. He walks away in disbelief that she could not understand what he was talking about.
And one tidbit—supposedly it is acceptable for men in Armenia to refrain from bathing, the thought being that men should exude an odor as being a masculine trait. Men who use cologne for example can be considered to have feminine tendencies, which is the reason why many men you might encounter most often smell badly.
Okay, perhaps these situations exist everywhere. Perhaps you can encounter this same incident with the clerk and the cheese wherever you go. It may be considered a cultural phenomenon shared by other countries in the region. But I have nevertheless seen this happen on several occasions here. I have seen people prepare food, such as the relished kebab sandwiches served as fast food that can be found at kiosks in most metro stations, with a cigarette dangling from their mouths. It may be a hygiene issue and not one pertaining to logic. Yet I can’t help thinking that smoking and food preparation do not go hand in hand. In turn, given the explanation I still can’t see the logic for refraining from bathing frequently.
This logic carries over to other spheres as well. In politics, an overwhelming number of citizens are dissatisfied with their public servants. Rather than assembling to protest or form political movements with the aim to bring about necessary changes in their societies, they sit at home, complaining to one another that the government should do more and is simply corrupt, impotent from providing the programs and services that taxpaying, law-abiding citizens expect. The logic in this case is that nothing can be done to enact change, because no matter who serves in the government, they will manage to abuse their power, and that the status quo will remain. Therefore, it is pointless to do anything, since nothing beneficial will come out of it. (This can also be interpreted as being part of the “vochinch” mentality, which transcends the common sense elements that compose the widely accepted standard of logic.)
I will continue touching upon this subject, provided with additional examples, as this entry is indeed the first part of an ongoing series.
Labels: Personal Experiences, Social and Cultural, Thoughts and Musings
February 14, 2006
More about tearing down Old Yerevan
I wrote a more in-depth article for Hetq Online about the razing of the neighborhood located just behind my apartment building on 3 Nalbandyan Street. Although construction on the site has momentarily been haulted and a few families still remain, the existing homes are slated to be demolished by mid-March. The family I am friendly with is still hoping they won't have to go elsewhere, assuming they will even be able to find a place affordable enough to live in somewhere in Yerevan. But they know that eventually it will be time to move on, even after being there for over 50 years.
I consider Hetq Online to be one of the most valuable as well as dependable news services based in Armenia, apart from ArmeniaLiberty.org. The online publication came into existence in 2001 and started publishing articles in English the following year. It is known for its investigative pieces, more recently focusing on traffiking of Armenian woman, the coverage of which has been ongoing for over a year. Edik Baghdasaryan, who is the editor-and-chief, is known as one of, if not the leading, investigative documentary filmmakers in Armenia, having covered issues ranging from widespread government corruption to the grim plight of earthquake survivors in Gyumri. He is one of the chiefs of the Association of Investigative Journalists NGO, which publishes Hetq Online.
My article may be translated into Armenian to be published in the near future.
You can read the article here.
Photo Caption: Me talking with Albert, who owns the home directly behind my building.
Labels: Social and Cultural
Armenia’s day of fire worship
In Armenia, February 13 is traditionally the day when thousands of people take part in worshipping fire. The day is known as Terendes and is usually observed by newlywed couples or couples waiting to be wed as well as friends and family members. Basically people light a bonfire using grapevine branches or whatever they can get their hands on, then the spectators in awe of the fire join hands, usually holding lit candles in hand, and parade around the fire for several minutes. Then the chain is broken and couples holding hands jump over the fire about three times for good luck and prosperity, as well as to scare off the evil spirits and so forth. The others also join in by jumping through the fire. I doubt anyone ever gets hurt in this process, since it’s in a way a holy act of appeasing the greater forces that be to grant fortune. I participated in a Terendes festivity last year when my friend Karen’s family organized an event just in front of their apartment building. My then fiancée and I jumped over the fire a few times and now we are married, so something good came out of it you could say. I was hoping to see a festival at the Garni temple but did not hear of anything happening there.
Read more about Terendes and see additional photos here.
Photo courtesy of Onnik Krikorian
Labels: Personal Experiences, Social and Cultural
February 13, 2006
No more talking for now
Apparently the talks between Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev about approaching a peace deal regarding the dispute over Karabagh have resulted in failure. They could not come to agreement, mainly on the status of Karabagh and whether Armenia would be willing to pull out its troops from Kelbajar, the region that was fought over and won by the Armenians. Incidentally most of the territories around Karabagh were occupied/liberated without any force, since the Turks fled their own homes and Armenian troops just walked in--Aghdam as one example. I have previously voiced my opinion about Kelbajar on this blog, that it is for strategic reasons a region Armenia should not immediately relinquish control over, if not ever. It seems that in the end President Kocharian realized this as well.
There is more information in an Associated Press article that can be read here.
Onnik has also been discussing what's been going on regarding the peace deal. He has been covering the situation in Karabagh in his photostories off and on since 1994 and thus has plenty to say. Read his take on all this here and here.
There is more information in an Associated Press article that can be read here.
Onnik has also been discussing what's been going on regarding the peace deal. He has been covering the situation in Karabagh in his photostories off and on since 1994 and thus has plenty to say. Read his take on all this here and here.
Labels: Nagorno-Karabagh, Politics
February 9, 2006
A moment of truth or fiction?
There's been some vague discussion regarding the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which will take place on Friday and Saturday. Mediators are for the most part saying nothing other than ambiguous phrases. The Armenian site, mainly represented by President Kocharian and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, says it is being cautious, and the Azeri side, mainly represented by President Aliev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, insist that Karabagh be returned to Azeri control almost immediately. The two parties are to meet with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris, then drive down to a chateau about 25 miles or 40 kilometers away. No one knows yet if Presidents Kocharian and Aliev will meet alone face to face or only with mediators/referees as well as with President Chirac. And no one can speculate about the outcome, even though everyone is trying to be as optimistic as possible, although that's difficult given Azerbaijan's hard line approach.
Basically, as Armenia still holds the upper hand, it should not fold all its cards unless some details make logical sense. But then again, we are dealing with Armenians who seem to have a unique system of logic and who have historically succumbed under pressure. At the end of the day, the Armenian side must still take into account the last 15 or so years and not forget what it essentially won, although the world nations never acknowledged Karabagh's independence.
When you speak to Armenians, one thing remains clear--Karabagh and the buffer zone surrounding it were won with much spilled blood, and Karabagh especially cannot be returned at any cost. People I have spoken to regard this thought as a given, which is not to be negotiated upon, and furthermore, Karabagh must be reunited with Armenia in a peace deal, if one ever comes to light--something no one really believes.
So what do Armenians want? Will "vochinch" finally win over the hearts and souls of the Armenian people over the Karabagh issue, or will the people wake up when more details are revealed in the event that the Armenian side is willing to concede? It's still early to tell what will happen domestically regarding this issue, but "vochinch" has never won over, at least not when it comes to Karabagh.
As I have discussed in previously posts, the proposed "deal" would be the return of all buffer zones, otherwise known as liberated lands or occupied territories, depending on who you talk to, with the exception of Lachin and maybe Kelbajar, the wide region north of the former that shares borders with Armenia and Karabagh and holds historic importance to Armenia. International peacekeeping forces, whatever that means, would guarantee the safety and integrity of the Armenian side, the meaning of which again is not clear. Finally, Karabagh would be given a vague autonomous status, presumably under Armenian control, and the people of Karabagh would in a referendum to be held in 10-15 years--the timing of which is totally not understandable--decide what they want to do--whether or not to unite with Armenia. Oh, and one other thing--Azeris would be allowed to return to their native homes if they so desired, the reason why they would consider doing so is also unthinkable since it's hard to believe that Armenians and Azeris could once again live somewhat peacefully together. From the recent reports I have been reading, the Azeri side is still not willing to give up on the idea that Karabagh be returned to Azeri control. So what's to come of all this?
Let's be honest--in a peace deal, assuming one would finally be agreed upon, some regions will need to be returned, such as Aghdam and Fizuli, since they were taken over to be used as bargaining chips anyway. Lachin as a given and especially Kelbajar must not be returned as they help solidify Armenia's geopolitical integrity. A referendum determining Karabagh's status should be held immediately, as waiting 10-15 years makes no logical sense, and the mentality behind which is also not understandable. The deployment of peacekeeping forces in any form would obviously be beneficial. Apparently, there is discussion that Armenian officials such as Serge Sargsyan, the Armenian defense minister and business tycoon, is behind the scenes working towards these goals, but that is unconfirmed as well.
We'll see what happens when more information is revealed over the weekend and the beginning of next week. Armenians should definitely be cautiously optimistic, but should not throw in the towel, no matter how wet and heavy it may be.
For more information recently posted on the Internet, click here and here.
Armenian-Azerbaijani border © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 1994
Labels: Thoughts and Musings
February 8, 2006
Jermaine Jackson to rock Armenia
Here is some interesting news, from the Associated Press:
This obviously sounds a bit crazy and random, but if it's in fact true I welcome it. It will be fantastic for sure. If anyone knows more information about these findings please leave a comment.
Jermaine Jackson of the legendary Jackson 5 revealed plans Monday to build an entertainment complex in Armenia and said he hoped that his brother Michael Jackson would join in a reunion concert marking its opening.
Jackson, a singer and bass guitar player who has pursued a solo career, is on a 12-day visit to this impoverished landlocked Caucasus Mountain nation. He said the complex could include a hotel, a restaurant as well as a television company.
This obviously sounds a bit crazy and random, but if it's in fact true I welcome it. It will be fantastic for sure. If anyone knows more information about these findings please leave a comment.
Labels: Music, Social and Cultural
Watch your back
Yesterday when leaving the office to go on an errand I wiped out and fell hard on my lower back. There are three steps leading to the entrance of our office that seem to be made of slate, and I didn’t realize that they were completely covered in ice caused by water dripping from the slanted roof and freezing on the stairs. Luckily I didn’t hit my head and receive a concussion to boot.
Generally because of the unusual amount of snowfall in Yerevan this winter season the streets are covered in snow and ice. Most of the streets are usually black the day after a storm by the time the plows drive down them a few times, but the left and right sides of the streets including the sidewalks are usually not cleaned at all. Now there is about 8-10 inches of snow on the ground in central Yerevan, depending where you walk.
Usually the owners of shops and restaurants take the initiative to keep their parts of the sidewalk clean but this is not always the case, as some just don’t care whether people slip or not. In areas where the sidewalk is not cleaned anywhere from 4-8 inches of snow can be tracked through, and if you are unfortunate the snow has been mixed with salt and sand, which can make the passage treacherous. Most sidewalks are made of square or diamond-shaped cut stone, arranged in various patterns, and some surfaces are more slippery than others.
There is a regular pattern of danger in relation to snow-covered sidewalks. The snow arrives, lately amounting to at least three inches per snowfall. The snow goes uncleaned on most sidewalks throughout the city. Depending on the amount of pedestrians along a given street, the snow becomes compacted and slick. Dripping water from thawing icicles and ice buildups hanging from clogged or broken drain pipes and balconies cover the sidewalks with a slick layer of ice. The warmer the weather, the more apt you are to see blocks of ice falling, which means you must walk along the edges of the street usually covered in thick snow until the sidewalk becomes somewhat safe. Snow falls again and covers the sidewalks’ ice, thus providing some traction for pedestrians who are then less apt to slip and fall. The snow becomes compacted again forming a second layer of ice, and so on and so forth. I have seen ice as thick as six inches, judging from the difference in height between the surface and the newly cleaned sidewalk cleared of ice that someone with a sharp-tipped shovel managed to chip away in clumps.
After I ran my errands, my wife Ariga and supervisor Tigran convinced me to go to the hospital to have an x-ray performed, as my back was in excruciating pain. Tigran advised us to go to the Nairi Medical Center located on Proshian Street. This hospital has recently been renovated and meets modern European standards of healthcare. Apparently, much of the funding to renovate the hospital came from various sources based in Europe as the doctor that I saw told me. I’ll have to say that the treatment I received was excellent, the service prompt and the staff extremely friendly. I was x-rayed using a sophisticated machine that tilted 90 degrees, so they took shots of me from both horizontal and vertical positions. The x-rays showed no damage to my spine whatsoever, and the doctor we saw just told me to take it easy and swallow some pain relief medication.
When I went home I took some Aleve, ate a good dinner delivered by our buddy Sanjiv from the fabulous New Delhi restaurant located on Tumanyan Street, and had plenty of rest. Today I have mild pain and am able to tackle the icy sidewalks of Yerevan once again.
Photo courtesy of Onnik Krikorian
Labels: Healthcare, Personal Experiences, Social and Cultural
February 2, 2006
Some guy writing about democracy in Armenia
Yesterday my attention was called to a blog named Democracy Guy. The author, Tim Russo, writes about his experiences in Armenia during the late 1990s and the tumultuous events surrounding President Levon Ter-Pertrossian's resignation. About his blog he explains that:
His writings are intriguing to say the least and give great insight into the problems with struggling-to-develop democracy in a country where its residents by their stubborn nature are resistant to change. He discusses his frustrations with the political climate of Armenia as well as with the bozos who are leading the parties vying for power. Although he has an accute fondness for the F-word and other colorful adjectives, Democracy Guy is worth checking out.
Democracy Guy is the title of my long suffering manuscript about my adventures. No one wanted to buy it. So I'm publishing it here....along with some blogging.
His writings are intriguing to say the least and give great insight into the problems with struggling-to-develop democracy in a country where its residents by their stubborn nature are resistant to change. He discusses his frustrations with the political climate of Armenia as well as with the bozos who are leading the parties vying for power. Although he has an accute fondness for the F-word and other colorful adjectives, Democracy Guy is worth checking out.
Labels: Politics
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