Autism in the Armenian community (Winter 08)

Ani Khachoyan
ani77@ucla.edu

One of the hardest things for a parent to hear is "Your child has autism." Autism is a neurological developmental disorder that affects 1/166 children each day. It has no physical features and is hard to diagnose up until about 18 months.

The disorder is marked by many different behaviors such as not responding to name when being called, staring into open space, poor eye contact, lining up objects and demanding routine. Autistic children also do not do any pretend playing, and develop language skills slowly.

Another important aspect of autism is that individuals have difficulty in social relationships and communication. Sensory issues are very common in autism that include aversiveness to loud noises, heat, some textures, light and other sensory related things.

There are a few treatment options and the best way is through early detection and intervention. However, this relies heavily on the parents and other relatives and friends to detect the symptoms and behaviors. There are a multitude of challenges that face parents and teachers who have a child with autism.

Therefore, the Foothill Autism Alliance, a non-profit, all volunteer organization, has created the Armenian Autism Outreach Project (AAOP) dedicated to teaching the Armenian community about autism, providing information about effective services and treatments available for children with autism, and informing parents and educators about autism.

Dr. Sonia Konialian Aller, Ph.D. is one of the founders of AAOP and wishes to spread the awareness of autism in the Armenian community in various ways. The organization has appeared on the Armenian channel answering questions on autism, held teacher development presentations at Armenian schools like Rose, Alex Pilibos, and Ferahian schools, and has raised over $1,700 for the Cure Autism Now (CAN) research, and has provided parent booths at the CAN walk.

Along with other professionals on the board, AAOP is ready to serve and support families who have children with autism. The best thing a parent can do for their child is care for them. Early identification and intervention are the best ways parents can get treatment for their child.

Soghomon Tehlirian: Murderer or Hero? (Winter 08)

Marine Dermadzhyan
marined@ucla.edu

Soghomon Tehlirian was born on April 2, 1897 in Pakarij, present-day Turkey. At the young age of 18, Tehlirian was one of the few survivors of the Armenian Genocide. The rest of his immediate family was not so lucky. Being witness to the heinous crimes committed against his family caused Tehlirian to have random nervous breakdowns in which he would lose consciousness and have trouble remembering the events shortly before or after. Beginning 1916, Tehlirian began to wander all across Europe, attempting to get medical attention while studying various languages. While he was in Paris, newspapers revealed to him the three people responsible for the Genocide: Talaat, Enver, and Djemal Pasha.

By 1921, Tehlirian arrived in Berlin, Germany. While in Germany, he claimed to have seen many dreams about his mother who informed him that Talaat was also in Berlin and scorned Tehlirian for not yet having taken his revenge. Therefore, on March 15, 1921, Tehlirian followed Talaat on his daily walk and shot him, point blank, on the head in front of many shocked spectators. Soon after, Tehlirian was arrested and put on trial for murder. The case took place in Berlin and after it had been covered, it took the jury just a little over an hour to acquit Tehlirian of all charges on the grounds of temporary insanity.

From the time of the trial until today, the image of Tehlirian is one of controversy. Thousands of Armenians admire him as a national hero because he had taken revenge of the man responsible for killing, not only his family, but all Armenians who suffered in the Genocide. For this reason, a monument dedicated to Soghomon Tehlirian stands tall at the Ararat Cemetery in Fresno, California. Thousands of others, however, condemn him as a cold blooded murderer because, even after taking Talaat’s life, he stated, "I feel a great sense of satisfaction."

So, at the end, do we blame Tehlirian’s mental instability for the act he committed? Do we ignore the fact that his eyes were filled with the blood of his people and mark him as a psychopath? Or, do see him with the same admiration our grandparents did, as a man who feared his enemies, yet had the courage to stand up against them? Murderer or Hero, you decide. My only wish is to leave you with the thoughts of Raphael Lemkin, who found it interesting that it was a crime to kill a man but not an entire people.

Elysium (Winter 08)

Osheen Varouzh Abramian
itsosheen@yahoo.com

We sit amongst ourselves and delve into our own past pains.
Uncontrollable pain hears its requiem too.
But how is there ressurrection in this utilitarian world,
When all we try to utilize is the past.
They do not want to rise, they’ve admitted death is irreversible.
So please let us sit in our own pains,
And never attempt to alleviate.
Relief is too much a burden

*son they say* (Winter 08)

Tigran Avoundjian
avoundjian@ucla.edu

son they say they want you to fight their war
so you’ll kill and kill and kill until their guns are sore
and them a-rabs aint nothing but yer enemy
and if you don’t start killin them, then hell they’re gonna kill you and me

son they say they want me in a hole
buried six feet deep so i can’t protest anymore
and to them i say, what’s war solved anyway
and if it’s peace they want to kill, then peace is what i’ll die for

son they say, your heart’s just a ball of clay
and your head’s full of hand grenades
and your soul is made of shells
and your hands are aks
and your eyes are sniper rifles
and your ears are radar
and your feet are rocket launchers
and i’ll be damned if god didn’t make you to fight our war
son, they say, this is why you were born

son i say you’re a fool to believe them
and their guns aint gonna solve no problems anyway
and if you love your jesus and your mary and your moses
then i know you’ll throw your guns away

(and come back home)

Tango With Varo Boyajyan: A Three-Minute Love Affair (Winter 08)

by Melissa Koc
mkoc@ucla.edu

For those of you who get sick of relationships that last more than say three minutes, I have the solution for you. Argentine tango: a partner dance born in the suburbs of Buenos Aires in the late nineteenth century.

It’s a dance of posture, balance, embrace, and direction, comprised of intertwined patterns of ochos, ganchos, sacadas, and boleos, to name a few. If you don’t have the slightest clue as to what any of that means, it’s quite alright.
In its essence, Argentine tango has little to do with the elements or patterns. The spirit of Argentine tango is about passion, using the elements as instruments to draw out all of the emotions hidden away in the heart.

The heart doctor of UCLA, Varo Boyajyan, teaches intermediate tango at the John Wooden Center from 9:15 to 10:30 every Thursday evening.

As a senior at the UCLA School of Dentistry, Varo can do a lot more with your teeth than just pop a rose in between them. He is an aspiring dentist and a future teacher of dentistry at UCLA. But more importantly, he plans to continue teaching tango.

As a veteran of many a dance class, I expected Varo’s class to be no different from those of other instructors with big heads filled with preconceived notions on how to move everything from your upper body down to the last muscle fiber in your pinky toe. That wasn’t the case with Varo.

Authentic Argentine tango is not about learning steps or memorizing patterns, it’s about connecting with your partner, sharing with them the emotions we often push into a deserted corner of our hearts and are too embarrassed or proud to share with anyone else. The best part is you don’t even have to build up the nerve to actually say anything; you express it with your body language.

Tango is emotion. It’s about that time your lazy coworker got the promotion you were waiting for, the time when that special someone you had been eyeing forever ended up going for someone else, even that time someone stole the parking spot you finally found after making endless rounds around the lot, and especially all those times you knowingly walk through hordes of judgments and bigotry veiled behind a million fake smiles just to sit with your two friends in between classes. It’s intimacy, anger, passion, desire, harmony, romanticism, and sorrow all in a single song. It’s returning to life, even if only for a mere three minutes, after getting carried away by daily hassles and losing ourselves so much in the past and future that we forget to live the present.

Tango is a challenge. Learning to dance tango demands you to grow not only as a dancer, but as a person. We often associate strength with insensitivity. We are reluctant to experience our lives with our hearts because, frankly, that would just be too difficult to deal with, right? Plus we have classes, exams, papers, jobs, gossip, and the like to deal with; there’s just no room for feeling. But in order to truly experience Argentine tango, you must face the real feelings and weaknesses you once buried somewhere within yourself. You must challenge yourself to be honest and open up your heart to yourself and the three-minute stranger in front of you.

Couples swayed across the dance floor in Varo’s class, each with their own emotions and life stories creating their own intimate moments. Finding a few minutes to talk, I asked Varo:

What inspired you to get into dance?
Just being Armenian, part of a culture where when I went to any party people would dance. So I’ve been dancing since I was very young, it’s been in my blood. I came to UCLA, took one class, and got hooked.

Is there anything specific about tango you enjoy more than other dances?
In tango there’s a connection with a partner so it’s more social, where basically people say you’re in love for three minutes. You get to connect. Tango is more than a dance, it’s a lifestyle.

Can those people who are more shy and afraid of intimacy be successful tango dancers? What advice can you give them?
This definitely helps with social skills because tango has some unwritten rules. You just don’t walk up to someone and invite them to dance, and a shy person would be too shy to do that. In tango, you look at the lady if you want to invite them and you nod with your head. If they say yes then you walk over and invite them. Tango teaches you a lot of social skills and life skills and definitely people who love to dance should just come out and try it.

For those who want to learn tango, where around LA can they go to take classes and/or just dance?
Basically UCLA has two classes: beginner and intermediate. We have practices and a UCLA tango club. They hold weekly practices from 7-9 on Wednesday nights. Other than that, in Los Angeles, there are a lot of tango clubs. Every night there is a tango dance in Los Angeles where you can go to a class and then dance/practice after. All the information about LA is on tangoafficionado.com.

Is there anything else you want to tell anyone who is interested in tango?
Tango is basically a lifestyle and it will teach you a lot in terms of dancing and interacting with people and it will help you to improve your relationships with everybody. If you want to just have a good time, dance with people, meet new people, enjoy your time, just come out and tango.
So, if you’re sick of being a traveling spectator, only looking at things without being involved in them, I’d recommend paying Varo a visit. When the song begins and the passion unfolds, you’ll find a million reasons to fall in love with tango.

We dance tango because we want to conquer our egos, because we need a resolution to the tension inside, because we have secrets.

We dance tango because we have a million more things flooding through our hearts than running through our minds. We dance tango because an intimate moment, a chance to be honest without having to say a single word, is just too good of a thing to pass up.

We dance tango because arousing the heart and falling in love is just too beautiful of a thing to waste.

And the best part is that we dance tango because when the song ends, we can just drop each other like hot potatoes and move on to the next three-minute love affair.

Zareh Arevshatian: UCLA Media Coordinator (Winter 08)

Lara Kuyumjian
Lara88.Bruin@ucla.edu

"It was the day Elvis Presley died."

On August 16, 1977, Zareh Arevshatian realized his passion of movies for the first time ever.

"It was a rainy day. I was at home [in England], watching TV," Arevshatian remembers. They were showing a film that Arevshatian didn’t fully understand due to the fact that he was not yet fluent in English. "The movie was very captivating and I figured that I would love to be involved in the production of a film like that."

Later on, Arevshatian would learn that the film that fascinated him was Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane.

Arevshatian, now the Media coordinator at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, had a long way to go until his dreams came close to being realized.
Born in beautiful Tehran, Iran on September 28, 1962, Arevshatian grew up in a very traditional Armenian family.

His parents enrolled him in an Armenian school and he was also a member of the Homenetmen Armenian organization of Iran.

Similar to many Iranian-Armenians, Arevshatian’s family was forced to go through many hardships before they were able to reach the shores of America. Arevshatian discloses that he lived in Germany prior to settling in United States.

Arevshatian along with his family officially immigrated to America in 1981. Once here, he decided to continue his education; he began to attend California State University, Northridge.
"It was the summer of 1981 and one of the classes that were being offered at CSUN was the History of Cinema," Arevshatian said. "It was my first college class. And I got bitten by the bug."

Arevshatian received his Bachelor of Arts in film production from CSUN. After graduation, he recalls, that during his undergraduate studies, something had always bothered him. He had always been frustrated that there was absolutely no mention of Armenian cinema in books covering the history of world cinema.

In 1988, while he was watching Martin Scorcese’s The Last Temptation of Christ at the theaters, he was overwhelmed with excitement when he heard the sound of the Armenian instrument, the duduk.

"Peter Gabriel composed the score of Scorcese’s The Last Temptation of Christ, and hearing the sound of the duduk, an Armenian instrument in a major Hollywood movie was so huge for me!" Arevshatian said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "That occurrence just somewhat compelled me to write my thesis on the history of Armenian cinema.

With that, he went on to earn his Master of Arts in Film Studies at CSUN.

Upon entering Arevshatian’s office at UCLA, one is able to see his immense passion for movies as his office has thousands of DVDs! While looking through the shelves stacked with DVDs, you cannot help but notice the DVDs with Armenian writings on them.

Arevshatian has many Armenian movies in his office. At his time working at UCLA, he has done his best to convince the faculty to show their students Armenian films as well. He has had little, yet evident success.

One can also find volumes of information about Armenian cinema and film. He is currently working on a research paper about the Armenian director, Sergei Paradjanov.

The respected Paradjanov is one of Arevshatian’s favorite directors. In fact, Paradjanov is responsible for the movie that made Arevshatian fall in love with Armenian film, the Color of the Pomegranate.

Arevshatian is also a big fan of Armenian directors Henrik Malyan and Rouben Gevorkyantz. He finds these men to be vital to the history of Armenian film in general.

Arevshatian’s accomplishments thus far are countless; however, his devotion to Armenian film foreshadows greater triumphs in his life and in the life of the Armenian cinema.

Lilit Hogtanian (Winter 08)

Alene Tchekmedyian
atchekmedyian@ucla.edu

A dancing prodigy on stage, Lililt Hogtanian is a 15 year-old Armenian girl with a love for ballet at heart.

At age six, when a simple flyer advertising ballet lessons grabbed her attention, Lilit vaguely envisioned her future. Nine years later, the future is clear: ballet competitions, traveling abroad, winning awards and starring in ballets.

Yuri Grigoriev’s School of Ballet, which Lilit discovered through the flyer advertisement, has essentially become her second home.

When she first enrolled, she would dance two-three hours a week. She currently spends over 2-3 hours dancing there, six days a week. Last year, she began home schooling in order to create flexibility in her schedule, which has in turn caused her to become increasingly flexible in her body as well.

Lilit and her mother often spend over two hours a day driving to and from the studio. "I have created a living space in the car," said Mrs. Hogtanian. Luckily, the studio is located in Venice, so when Lilit has a break between classes, she can take a breath by the beach.
With Lilit’s talent, ballet is a rewarding career. In December, she was asked to play Clara, the leading role in Los Angeles Ballet’s The Nutcracker. She was asked to return again next Christmas season.

Ballet fans viewed the traditional ballet at the prestigious venue, Royce hall at UCLA. Among all the venues at which she performed, Lilit said Royce was the most thrilling. She also performed at the Alex Theater in Glendale, and the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Because there is so much acting involved in the part, Lilit never gets bored rehearsing or on stage. "You can do Clara ten million times and it will still be fun," she said. On acting on stage, she said, "It is really nice because you get to show your personality and you can’t hold back. You are not worried about what people are thinking about you."

Lilit has become quite a celebrity within the ballet community, yet she remains humble. "You must focus on yourself and not worry about how other people are dancing because everybody is so different. Dancing is about expressing your self. The movements and technical things you do should actually express your emotions. It works together, the technical movements you do correspond to emotions," she said.

A ritual that she has adopted before going on stage is spraying her pointe shoe ribbons with hairspray to prevent them from untying.

Lilit’s dancing endeavors have led her to travel around the world, becoming globally recognized for her talents. This month, she competed at Prix de Lausanne, the international dance competition in Switzerland, with her classical ballet variation. Last year, she competed in Monaco, and this summer, she will attend a summer intensive program with the American Ballet Theater in New York.

As she is growing older, Lilit plans to receive more formal training, perhaps at a ballet school abroad. "You need to get a higher and more intense training. Ballet schools can be anywhere in New York or Europe, so I am going to try out for them. At the Lausanne competition, a lot of different representatives from schools will be there recruiting," she said.

Through these experiences traveling, Lilit has been forced to grow up fast. "Dorming during summer intensive programs is a lot of fun. I have had good roommates fortunately, so it has been no trouble," she said. "I am not good at doing my own laundry and I can’t really cook anything," she said on the difficulty adapting to the responsibilities of living alone.

Despite the rumors about the strict diets of ballerinas, Lilit said her teacher "doesn’t really put pressure on people to loose weight." She adds, "They expect you to eat healthy food that gives you energy so you can dance. Yuri tells me to eat more."

Ballet is the only genre of dancing Lilit has tried. If her schedule permits, she would be interested in trying Armenian folk dancing in the future. "It would be helpful because they have a lot of hand movements," said Mrs. Hogtanian. She knows however, that she will continue dancing for years to come.

"I wouldn’t want to do anything else," she said.

An Amazing Element: Dr Vartkess Apkarian of UCI (Winter 08)

Arin Torabian
arin_rock@yahoo.com

For some people chemistry is only a subject, but for Doctor Vartkess Ara Apkarian, chemistry is a way of life.

Dr. Apkarian currently teaches and does research at UCI, where he assumed the mantle of the chair of the UCI chemistry department from July 2003 until July 2006. As the chair, he introduced 12 distinguished faculty members to the UCI chemistry department bringing the total number of professors to 40.

Moreover, through his commitment and prudent provisions, Dr. Apkarian expanded the total budget of the chemistry department considerably. As a result of his hard work, Dr. Apkarian has made the chemistry department at UCI one of the world’s most prestigious programs.

"It was a great challenge to run [this department], but it has grown significantly" Dr. Apkarian stated.

Born in Syria, Dr. Apkarian and his family moved to Lebanon, Beirut, where he spent most of his teenage years. While in Beirut, he attended the all-boys Hovagimian Manougian High School. Prior to finishing his last year in the alma mater, he got accepted to the University of Southern California as an engineering major.

Like most Armenian parents, Dr. Apkarian’s parents expected him to become a doctor, lawyer, or a phenomenal engineer of some sort. However, Dr. Apkarian had different plans as he entered USC, namely to play around and have fun.

"I was always good in the sciences, even in Hovagimian Manougian, but I had no idea what I truly liked," the doctor stated.

It was not until Dr. Apkarian’s undergraduate research experience at USC where he discovered his true passion for science and research, which he says was an accident. An assistant professor in physical chemistry needed help in fixing his lab and his initial task was building lasers since they were not commercially available.

The lasers allowed Dr. Apkarian to study the interactions of radiation with matter which became a topic of interest to him. Soon, he was hired as an undergraduate researcher at USC which required him to change his major to chemistry.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from USC, Dr. Apkarian decided to attend Northwestern University to pursue a doctorate degree in chemistry.

"It was almost a guided standard for me since I liked research and discovering science so much" Dr. Apkarian said.

After receiving his professional degree from Northwestern University, Dr. Apkarian worked in a laboratory in Cornell University for nearly two years before he was offered a job at the University of California, Irvine as an assistant professor. He was given his own laboratory to conduct research and has been part of the UCI faculty since 1982.

Dr. Apkarian’s research is primarily concerned with photophysics and the mechanisms of how chemical bonds are created within different molecules.

Dr. Apkarian hopes to leave students with the following inspiration: "All students must take advantage of the learning opportunities that they have now because this opportunity will never come back to them again. It never crossed my mind that I could one day be a scientist when I was in Lebanon. However, by coming to USC opportunities were so many that you could not miss it."

To follow in the footsteps of such an academic pioneer, just follow his advice: Have a true passion for what you are doing and you will always be satisfied.

UCLA Professor Vahe Peroomian: Fun with Physics (Winter 08)

by Asdghig Petrosian
asdghig.petrosian@gmail.com

So, I have this theory about the high school-esque hierarchy of South Campus. The Chemists are the over-achievers, biologists are the nerds, and physicists... well, physicists are obviously the coolest people in high school, or the jocks. Although they seem completely different, physics, chemistry, and biology are all connected.

Together, they can explain things you’ve always wondered about. But of the three, physics is concerned with the more interesting topics. Like, "how do planes fly?" or "which hits the floor fist, a basketball or a tennis ball?" or what about, "why your GPS is sometimes a little ‘off’?" and "why planes sometimes land too early or too late?" This is why, if you haven’t noticed, physics is my favorite science. So, when I heard that UCLA had a cool Armenian physics professor, I couldn’t wait to pick his brain.

If you are ever to walk into a physics class, the last thing you expect to see is a tall, dark, and handsome man who is well-groomed and well-dressed. However, if you’re Professor Peroomian’s student, you wouldn’t expect anything less. With these expectations in mind, walking into 3860 Schlichter Hall, I knew very well which professor was the one I was assigned to interview. I began my interview with the usual...

Asdghig Petrossian: So... Where were you born?
Professor Vahe Peroomian: I was born in Oakland, California. My parents were from Iran, my dad was studying at the University of California, Berkeley and I was about nine months old when we moved back to Iran and we stayed there until ’78. That’s when we came back to LA.

AP: So you first attended school in America/ LA?
VP: Yea, I went well actually I did my undergrad and graduate school at the University of California, Los Angeles.

AP: Were you a part of the Armenian Students’ Association?
VP: Um, mostly yes [laughs]. I didn’t attend too many meetings though, but yes I was.

AP: Were you always interested in physics?
VP: Yes, actually I was. I guess it sort of started in my senior year in high school. I was sort of torn between aerospace engineering and physics, and I had a really good physics teacher. I went to Ferrahian [Private Armenian School], and so, my physics teacher convinced me that that’s the way to go… and I actually went into physics and my brother went into aerospace.

AP: So have you always wanted to teach?
VP: I’ve always loved teaching, but it’s not all of my job description. I’m actually a researcher as well at UCLA. I just have to do research but I teach because I like to.

AP: When did you start teaching?
VP: First class I taught was 1999, and I’ve been teaching on average about one class a year.

AP: At UCLA?
VP: Yes, but I also teach at the University of Phoenix for their online and also their night school. I’ve taught about over a hundred classes.

AP: What is your favorite part of teaching?
VP: There’s always going to be your "A" students and those students you don’t have to worry about as much. I like working with students that don’t necessarily think they’re going to get an "A", but they have it in them to get it, they have the potential and they will work hard for it.

AP: So what is your favorite part of physics?
VP: I’d have to say it’s what I do. Space, weather and looking at how the sun affects the earth. My work is mainly with computers and how it connects to this topic. I can’t see myself as being any other kind of physicist.

AP: Since you’ve been at UCLA for a while and seen it change over time. What is your perspective on the Armenian student population at UCLA?
VP: It’s nice to see so many of them actually. When I was an undergraduate there weren’t that many. We had a close-knit group of people that I came in with but I can say that the number of Armenian students in my classes have gone up considerably. It was rare to see a single Armenian in my classes three years ago and now I have about 10.

AP: If you could choose any profession other than a physics teacher or a researcher?
VP: One of my favorite hobbies has always been photography, and even though it would be too stressful to support a family with that kind of job.

AP: Did you always want to stay in LA?
VP: Yes. This is our community. As Armenians, we want to be close to our parents. I guess I’m not going to be that way with my kids, but for my parents it was important for me to be close to home and it didn’t make that much sense to move out. I basically didn’t have permission to move out [laughs].

AP: So you wish to treat your children differently when it comes to applying to college?
VP: Yes. I think times have changed as much and I don’t think you could limit them that way. And also, my brother actually moved to Armenia to live there, and so that is something that has changed the dynamics of our family. We’re not just centralized in LA anymore. So if my kids want to move out to go to school, that’s fine.

AP: You seem to be very attached to your Armenian life, having lived in Glendale all your life.
VP: Yes, I’m very involved in Glendale, and I don’t know if you know this or not but I’m on the board of trustees for Glendale City College which was an elected position. First I was appointed, that was about three years ago, and this past April I was elected again. So there, forty percent of the population is Armenian and that’s very nice because I get to make sure the future of the Armenian youth is secure.

AP: Getting back to physics, what has the focus of your research been?
VP: We all divided up this project among my colleagues and myself. What we’ve been working on is the following problem. The sun has an eleven-year cycle, and every eleven years it gets very very active and starts putting out solar flares. What its flares do is, they emit radiation, and the radiation from those flares start affecting satellites in the earth’s orbit, and in previous years we’ve had satellites get knocked out of orbit. For example, in May of one year, a satellite that would, back when everyone had beepers, send beeper signals got knocked out and none of the doctor’s beepers were working. In ’91 or ’92 AT&T lost a satellite just before the Superbowl and if they had lost that satellite 3 days later, there would’ve been no superbowl on the air. More recently, since cars have GPS installed in them and planes are using the same sort of technology we use for our cars’ GPS, the scattered radiation can throw off the GPS signal and it can misguide you off your location by about 300 feet. For a car that might not be that big of a problem, you might miss a turn or something, but for a plane that’s very critical. If you’re coming in for a landing and there’s no runway, or your altitude is off by a few hundred feet, even worse. So we’ve been working to predict these sorts of "radiation storms," they’re also called "magnetic storms" and to try how they’re going to affect us, what they’re going to affect, and so on. So my work is basically, a small piece of the whole puzzle.

AP: And once you predict it, what would you do with the prediction? How would you avoid the problems it could potentially cause?
VP: Well, one of my colleagues is working on being able to predict how they’re going to happen, what’s going to happen, and warn the public on what not to rely on. Like GPS for example. Being able to predict which GPS signals are going to be bad. Some will last a couple minutes because the particles are traveling so fast, but others can last for a few hours. So being able to tell when these things are going to happen, or for example, if you’re flying from Seattle to Moscow, and you’re going over the North pole, going over the pole exposes you to more radiation, and during one of these storms you could get a couple of chest x-rays worth of radiation, and already this is bad for the passengers, but imagine how this is for the crew who has to fly back and forth many times. So there this warning system now, the airline systems have this warning system in place now so they don’t fly those routes during the next storms. So prediction is being able to send out those warnings.

AP: That’s amazing. It seems there’s much to look forward to with such dedicated researchers like yourself. Thank you for your time, this has been wonderful.
VP: Anytime!

So, have a seat in Professor Vahe Peroomian’s office hours and I guarantee you’ll see physics the way I do. Damn! Now I wish I wasn’t done with physics.

AGSA Holds Discussion Series at UCLA: “Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church” (Winter 08)

Alene Tchekmedyian
atchekmedyian@ucla.edu

In an effort to educate Armenian youth on traditional religious practices, the Armenian Graduate Students Association at UCLA held a multiple part discussion series this month titled, "Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church", informing interested students and community members about the basics of Krapar and the Divine Liturgy.

Spearheaded by James Hagop Tabibian, fourth year UCLA medical school student, the event attracted students from Glendale Community College, neighboring high schools, and graduate and undergraduate students at UCLA.

During the first session on February 5, Tabibian lectured about the history of the Armenian Church, the two main services of the Liturgy, and explained important phrases that are emphasized during the service. During the second lecture, on February 12, Tabibian read through the entire "Soorp Badarak", translating and explaining the significance of the prayers, all the while encouraging questions from his audience.

Tabibian explained that the faith is referred to as "Apostolic" because the Apostles, Thaddeus and Bartholomew, had an instrumental role in converting Armenians to Christianity, as they were the first to preach it in Armenia after the death of Jesus Christ. These Apostles are considered the original founders of our Church.

Armenians refer to the church as "Loosavorchagan", representing the influence of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Saint Gregory was thrown in the deep pit, "Khor Virab", in which he was confined by King Dirtad III, for not worshipping the pagan goddess Anahid. Thirteen years later, the King’s sister requested that Saint Gregory be released from the pit so he could cure the King of his insanity. Since Saint Gregory survived in the pit for 13 years and cured the King, his Christian faith was adopted as the official faith of Armenia in 301 A.D.

Tabibian described the two main services, that both have two parts, of the Liturgy. The first is the Service for the Catechumens, which is for those who are not baptized. In this half, the priest undergoes spiritual preparation, vestment preparation, and altar preparation.

On the priest’s vestment preparation, Tabibian explains, "First he puts on is the crown to protect him. Then he puts on his robe, wristbands, and belt; each one symbolizes something different. One is to protect him from enemies, one is to keep his arms clean, and one is to keep his soul dedicated".

The second half of the service for the Catechumens is called the Synaxis. This includes the procession, during which the priest and his entourage enter the church, the Enarxis, which is the official beginning of the service, and the entrance of the Gospel.

The service for the Faithful begins with the Great Entrance, during which the Chalice, bread and wine are brought to the altar. Directly following is the Epiclesis, or the invocation to the Holy Spirit, after which the Faithful proceed in taking Holy Communion. Holy Communion is distributed as the communicant approaches the priest and confesses his sins by saying "Megha Asdoodzo". After asking for God’s mercy, the priest feeds a small portion of the Lord’s body and blood, bread dipped in wine, to the communicant. After this, the priest gives the final blessings, and the crowd is dismissed.

After summarizing the services, Tabibian discussed the language spoken in the Liturgy, which is called "Krapar". It is a classical Armenian that is an archaic hybrid of eastern and western Armenian.

Tabibian also explained the variations of Sunday services. During Feast days, such as Easter or the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, special prayers and songs are recited and sung during or after the standard Liturgy. On days that a special Requiem service is requested, the final blessing and dismissal is altered, and some additional prayers are recited.

Throughout the Liturgy, many phrases are constantly repeated; Tabibian translated and explained those of high frequency and importance. The blessing, "Khaghaghootyoon amenetzoon" means "peace unto all", and the Priest often blesses the congregation by first touching the Chalice, then turning to give God’s peace to the people. The congregation receives this blessing by making the sign of the cross.

The Deacons commonly chant the phrase, "Asdoodzo yergirbakestzook", which means, "Let us kiss the ground for God". With this being said, everyone in attendance of the service should bow down and make the sign of the cross. Tabibian said of this gesture, "It is a way of saying thank you for having me here and keeping me healthy".

Tabibian then explained more basic, yet ubiquitously stated terms such as, "Der Voghormia" and "Amen". "Der Voghormia" means, "Lord have mercy", and is the most elementary request one can make to God. "Amen" means, "let it be", and asks God to recognize our requests.
Tabibian has noticed an increased lack of effort among the Armenian youth to become accustomed with the Armenian faith.

"It is an intricate part of our culture and our tradition. I thought one way I could approach this was that I could put together a project focusing on the Divine Liturgy, and how to help young Armenians understand better our faith and what it stands for," he said.

"I think it’s okay for there to be separation between church and state, but I do not think there should be separation between the Armenian Graduate Student Association and church, because church is who we are. It is for the church that we have struggled and survived throughout the centuries. To separate us from our church is to strip us of everything we have, of all vitality," he added.

A Year Later: Are We Still All Hrant Dinks? (Winter 08)

Mary Kandaharian
kandaharian88@ucla.edu

On January 25 2008, emotions were stirring as people walked into the hall of the Western Diocese Church where a picture of Hrant Dink’s face gazed down on close to 300 people.

The Western Diocese Church and the Organization of Istanbul Armenians honored the one-year anniversary of the courageous Agos editor-in-chief Hrant Dink’s assassination. The night was filled with profound slideshows, musical interludes and eloquent speeches.

The event started with a somber slideshow portraying the life of Hrant Dink, a dedicated and fearless writer. The images in the slideshow both captured him as an everyday individual and at the same time, a warrior who fought for a cause with his pen rather than a sword.

Following the moment of silence, opening remarks were made by Simon Acilacoglu, President of OIA and Nancy Kolligian, President of NAASR on the same platform that Hrant Dink made his speech a year and a half ago to most of the same people present at his commemoration.

These speakers stressed Hrant Dink’s persistent efforts to bring reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian nations and people.

"He struggled to make the footsteps that we should all follow," noted Kolligian. "He is one of the rare people whose life and death represent his ideas."

Stephen Kurkjian, who is a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter, described how he flew to Istanbul the second he heard of Hrant Dink’s death. He wanted to be present at the funeral; he further described the array of emotions he felt visiting his hometown after ten years.
He was amazed by the changes he witnessed. "People were all chanting, ‘We are all Hrant, we are all Armenian.’ I was amazed because I was there 10 years ago and no one ever pronounced their Armenianness" said Kurkjian.

His speech was followed by a musical interlude where the traditional flute and harp were played by two musicians, Salpi and Sosi Kerkonian. The music emphasized the melancholic mood of the night.

Professor Taner Akcam from the University of Minnesota was a long-time friend of Dink. He talked about his relationship on the personal level with Hrant Dink. "Everyone deals with Hrant’s death in their own way. I feel like I lost my brother," said Akcam.

Akcam recounted the times of Dink’s journalist days, "Agos was his outlet, his frustration, his child."

Hrant Dink was the founder and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Agos in Turkey from its founding in 1996 to his death in 2007.

A short audio visual display was featured entitled "Swallow’s Nest" produced by Bulent Arinli. This video presentation depicted Dink’s youth spent at the Gedikpasa Armenian Orphanage and his summers at the Tuzla Armenian Children’s Camp.

The camp played a significant role in Dink’s life both personally, as he met his future wife there, and professionally, as the government-led closing of the camp in 1984 was one of the factors that raised Dink’s awareness of the issues of the Armenian community and eventually led his becoming an activist.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Richard Hovannisian, AEF professor of Armenian History at UCLA, gave a speech reflecting the accomplishments and motivations behind Dink’s controversial actions.
Hovannisian noted, "His thoughts and actions seemed extreme, but they were genuine. He believed that the traditional Armenian way of addressing the Armenian Genoicide should be modified."

He then concluded, "Martyrs sacrifice themselves knowingly and willingly. Victims die without knowing. Hrant knew. Let us hope we understand the mission of Hrant Dink."

Closing the day of remembrance, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian gave a speech about Hrant Dink’s deeds as a martyr of the Armenian cause and finished the commemoration with a final prayer.

And with this concluded the one-year anniversary of the death of an Armenian martyr.

AGSA Unprecedented Networking Forum a Success (Winter 08)

Arpine Hovasapian
ahovasap@ucla.edu

The Armenian Graduate Student Association at UCLA held its first Graduate Professional Networking Forum at Kerckhoff Grand Salon on Thursday, February 28. This unprecedented event provided graduate and undergraduate students an opportunity to meet young Armenian-American professionals from a variety of different companies and career fields.

With a turnout of over 200 young professionals from both inside and outside of UCLA, the evening was a great success. The event allowed students to learn from and network with accomplished Armenian-Americans who had successfully transitioned from the academic world into the professional world of career development. The forum was hosted by former and current AGSA members.

"It is great seeing so many young Armenian professionals in one place," stated attendee Levon Simonian. "Being able to network with so many accomplished Armenians is a great opportunity."
Armenian-American professionals representing such companies as ABC, Boeing, Disney, MySpace, Citigroup Investment Banking, and Pepsi Bottle Groups came to speak with students about post-graduate life and career opportunities.

Some of these professionals included ULCA graduates such as Erica Sardarian, who had entered the world of entertainment working at E! post-UCLA and has since worked as Associate Producer for a documentary program on the History channel.

Sharis Minassian, who also attended UCLA as an undergraduate, spoke with aspiring law students about her experiences at Pepperdine Law School and her practice at Ernst & Young law firm.

The forum also included representatives from various Armenian-American professional organizations that students can get involved in after graduation.

Groups such as the Armenian Bar Association, Armenian Engineers & Scientists of America, and USC Armenian Graduate Student Association introduced attendees to their organizations’ projects and events. The Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art, an organization that promotes the arts and the cultural environment of the community, informed students about their upcoming events and the ways that students can get more involved in the Armenian-American art scene.

The AGSA at UCLA, established in 2002, aims to promote Armenian graduate life. Members of AGSA come from various graduate programs and organize and contribute to various social, academic, and cultural programs throughout the school year.
Events from this year included the Mentorship Panel, the Yacht Gala, and the Graduate Student Colloquium in Armenian studies.

"We wanted to bridge the gap between the academic world and the professional world for graduates and current students. This was one of the organization’s most important goals and tonight it became a reality," stated Raffi Kassabian, AGSA Executive Officer and UCLA law student.

Panel Held at UCLA: "Facing Denial: The Last Stage of Genocide" (Winter 08)

by Alene Tchekmedyian

The Armenian Graduate Students Association at UCLA and ARF Shant Student Association hosted a panel discussion titled, "Facing Denial: the Last Stage of Genocide" on March 6 to examine past genocide denial attempts among nations that share a common history at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"The main purpose was to examine the denial of genocide as being the final stage of genocide," said Levon Baronian, Chairman of the Shant Student Association.

"We wanted to draw similarities and differences between the denial of the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust and also examine why the repercussions or response to these denials have been different," he added.

Speakers from both the Armenian and Jewish communities served on the panel: Doctor Richard Hovannisian, Director of UCLA’s Chair Modern Armenian History, Dr. David Meyers, Director of UCLA’s Center for Jewish studies, Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America, and Joey Kurtzman, exective editor of website, jewcy.com.
The event catered to a younger demographic with the hope of drawing attention to the importance of persistence and consistency of activism against genocide denial.

"This event is immensely important because not only will it further our education about current and historical genocides, but it also serves as a good reminder about our community and our efforts to continue to proactively advocate our issues," said Raffi Kassabian, President of the AGSA at UCLA.

Moderated by Ardashes Kassakhian, Glendale City Clerk, the panel addressed a wide variety of issues including the importance of the campaign against the current genocide in Darfur as a catalyst for recognition of historical genocide Hamparian believes the attention being placed on Darfur is healthy because a candidate’s stance on Darfur has the ability to sway votes in the upcoming presidential elections.

"It is part of what Samantha Power described as the growth of an anti genocide constituency in America, which is very important because historically the opposition to genocide is a moral opposition, but now we have force of politics and force of voters," he said.

Along with drawing parallels between historical and modern genocides, panelists also delved into reasons for denial and why it is crucial that activists continue the fight for recognition. Hamparian listed why Armenians should invest energy into the campaign, namely morality, prevention, deterrence and rehabilitation.

"Genocide followed up by a powerful campaign of denial a genocide committed with impunity makes the world a more dangerous place," he said.

Meyers pointed out that the ongoing denial prevents wounded nations from moving forward to constructive activities. "If we don’t name criminal acts, we are somehow paralyzed from preventing it…it is not just international law that’s important it’s our own sense of moral responsibility" he said.

Hovannisian discussed the strategic forms of Turkish denial that has made their arguments more credible, as they no longer practice absolute denial. "They use what is much more effective…we have professors in main universities in the United States who are central to the denier thesis and they do not absolutely deny," he said. "These scholars admit the deaths occurred," he continued, "but claim there were reasons for the deaths as a way to rationalize their actions."

Hovannisian also urged the audience to remain optimistic. "There is hope because on the other hand, we have the Turkish scholars who are challenging the state narrative and are much more effective in combating Turkish denial," he said.

The collaboration with leaders of the Jewish community for this event reflects the importance of partnership to achieve justice. "Without our Jewish scholars or Jewish colleagues…we would be way back in the dark ages. They opened the doors for us; they have brought us forward," said Hovannisian.

Hovannisian also noted that Armenian Genocide denial stems from one overbearing source in Turkey. "If you are able to shut down the denial from Ankara, all of the other fires that have been lit will immediately extinguish themselves," he said.

Magnetism (Fall 07)

by Tigran Avoundjian

My Muse no longer laughs with me
Does not sing of blazing suns,
Tempestuous seas.
My Muse no longer sings to me
No longer churns the mill of ingenuity.

My thoughts bend with her to the North
To lands of infinite fields - where sparkling
Emerald greens absorb blazing
Ruby rays of sunlight dazzlight through
Sapphire skies that kiss the sea -
And like lovers in the night,
Ignited by desire’s eternal light,
The two combine bodies into one
And set their souls free.

But my heart remains South with electrical masks,
Mechanical metronome arms pounding out
Perpetual pain, spinning oil stained gears of war
And exhaling out of smoking stacks of narcotic nightmares
Tinged with nicotine terrors of midnight tremors,
Industrial screams of earthquakes in the dark and
Bad dreams.
And within the depths of the concatenate
Web of metropolitan chaos
A single light draws my heart
And in my enamored stupor
With shimmering eyes glazed over
In mesmerized delirium
I exile my Muse to the meadows of Paradise
In favor of the guiding light of temptation
The tree that bears the fruit of love,
The knowledge of companionship
The wisdom of unity.

And though my Muse no longer laughs with me
Does not sing her melodious songs
Of picturesque scenes,
My love fuels the fire of creativity
And inspires my heart eternally.

TV: "Hamazgayin Astgh"

by Shahane Martirosyan

Once upon a time, Tata Simonyan visited America and witnessed the American Idol and he thought to himself, “Es Amerikaciner inchov en mer Hayeric lav?”

He decided to come up with a similar television program for Armenians. He, however, decided to make it grander by making it internationally Armenian, hence producing a show called the Hamazgayin Astgh (National Star).

There is a good chance this is not how Simonyan decided to come up with the program, but one can assume so.

Either way, the Hamazgayin Astgh became the most watched Armenian produced show around the world. The program, similar to the Idol, had numerous Armenians auditioning all over the world to compete in hopes of becoming the first Hamazgayin Astgh.

From the pool of 700 aspiring national stars, the producers, with great assistance from the viewers, narrowed the list down to 15 incredibly talented performers from all over the world. The audience at home played an integral role in choosing the Hamazgayin Astgh by texting in their choices.

The show was produced by Grigor Nazaryan with assistance from music editor Armen Toroyan and music producer Ara Torosyan. Lilit Margaryan was the personal stylist for the finalists.

The 15 finalists were: Nick Egibyan from Yerevan, Ruzanna Andriasyan from Hrazdan, Arbi Gharibian from Tehran, Lilit Safarian from Yerevan, Gregory Yesayan from Barnaul, Johnny Karapetyan from Aparan, Ognessa Sarkissova from Tbilisi, Armen Sargsyan from Abovyan, Ishkhan Khachatryan from Echmiadzin, Emma Aznavouryan from Yerevan, Apeh Jan from Los Angeles, Vardan Badalyan from Martakert, Lilit Hakobyan from Kajaran, Arthur Best from Moscow and Anna Azatyan from Gyumri.

The contestants were not only diverse regionally, but they were varied in their musical background and musical styles, ranging from Rabiz, to ballads, to hip-hop.

For the show, all of the contestants lived in a house together and their lives were documented for four months as they worked to produce and perform songs in front of live audiences.

In one episode, they were assigned to perform a Tata Simonyan song. Considering the fact that some of the performers had already performed a few of Simonyan’s songs, the task did not seem to be too out of the ordinary.

However, there were a couple of contestants whose musical styles clashed with Tata’s style. These contestants were Apeh Jan and Arthur Best.

Surprisingly, the rendition of Tata’s songs by these two artists turned out to be highlights of the show. In addition, both of the artists went on to take the top spots.

As they worked and lived together, the contestants became close friends all at the same time. Apeh Jan, who represented Los Angeles in the program, was one of the performers who did not live at home with everyone else, however, he confirms that he made many good friends during the whole process.

“Once you talk to them, they’re all Armenian,” Apeh Jan said of the welcoming attitude of the contestants. Hamazgayin Astgh was a success on many levels. Aside from the fact that the show had the most talented Armenians from around the globe participating in it, it brought Armenians together. First, the contestants gathered in Armenia, the homeland. Second, every other Armenian anywhere in the world was able to watch them shine.

Apeh Jan said that although it was different for him to live in Armenia for four months, he found it easy to adapt: “You feel like you’re at home, but you’re not home.” The show began in August and ended in November. In four months, the producers of the show were able to find the national star they were looking for.

Arthur Best from Moscow received the Grand Prize as he became the first Hamazgayin Astgh. Three of the contestants - Johnny Karapetyan from Abovyan, Anna Baztyan from Gyumry, and Apeh Jan from Los Angeles - were given gold medals.

Chameleon Conductor: A Unique Experience (Fall 07)

by Armen Rostamian

They just play whatever’s good. They don’t really care about what’s already been good, or about what music people are currently into. They want to do something different, something totally singular, something that is all their own. Six Armenian guys from L.A. have slowly but surely been changing the face of what the average musical consumer would consider “good music”.

Their name: Chameleon Conductor. Their objective: play music for the love of music. Bringing together the styles and sounds of more bands and artists than can be counted, Chameleon Conductor manages to shape and mold an unfathomable amount of musical ideas from completely diverse backgrounds into completely coherent and absolutely beautiful songs.

No two songs sound the same, and it never gets boring, which is hard to say about anybody’s music these days.

Their lineup includes two technically and creatively genius guitarists, an undeniably versatile and talented bassist, a monster of a drummer with chops like you won’t believe, a keyboardist with more personality than can fit on the stage, and an energetic hand percussion expert; all of them good friends, all of them experienced and veteran musicians.

With influences that range from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Beatles, and even Bulgarian folk chants, to the integration of all kinds of groovy and melodic Middle Eastern and Armenian elements, these guys have truly stumbled onto something great, something new.

Their music is, at times, hard hitting and in your face; the kind of music you can just cut loose and head-bang to. Within the same song, however, you can jam out to groovy, almost jazzy, Armenian and Middle Eastern melodies that soar into beautiful solos. There is no lack of variety or theoretical intelligence in what they do.

These guys are definitely worth checking out at LEAST once. No matter what you listen to, how you dress, where you come from, or what you think, their show will leave you saying “damn, that was pretty crazy.”

These guys always keep it humble, and almost always treat their crowd to an improvised 5-7 minute musical free-for all which includes covers of Mortal Kombat, various 90’s pop songs, and even covers of progressive musical genius like King Crimson (for any of you at home who know who that is).

Their next show is on December 14, at the Whiskey-A-Go Go in Hollywood. They will be performing with famous Armenian rock group, The Apex Theory, as well as esteemed musical guru and avant-garde folk music genius, Arto Tuncboyaciyan.

Tickets cost about 12 dollars, and you’ll get to see three of the greatest independent, Armenian musical projects in the world.

Check out something new, something different, have a few drinks, and go home with an earful of the greatest music you’ve ever heard.

For more information on Chameleon Conductor can be found on their MySpace Webpage: www.myspace.com/chameleonconductor.

They are gearing up to record a demo, to be released soon, but go ahead and check out the live videos on the page which will blow you away. Keep an eye out for these guys, you might be hearing about them in the media sooner than you think!

Jebel: An Interview with ROB

by Alene Tchekmedjyian

Inspired by his older brother at the age of nine, Robert Petrossian began his musical career as a guitarist. It has been eleven years since Robert first set hand on a guitar, and has been a member of three bands and performed in front of numerous crowds since.

Having only taken two years of professional instruction, Petrossian learned the majority of his skills through experience. His first practice with musicians was as a high school junior, where he teamed up with a member on his high school volleyball team, a guitarist, and a drummer in La Canada.

“It was a really fun experience because the drummer really brings out the animal in the bassist,” Petrossian said. The group, two guitarists, drummer, and bassist, had a more informal and experimental feel. “It was a short thing for three months just for fun. We didn’t have a name, we just jammed,” he said.

During his senior year, Petrossian teamed up with his peer, Josh Khankhanian, who was in the school choir and had just begun learning how to play the guitar. A lot of their songs were covers of Coldplay and Dave Matthews Band, but they produced their own lyrics and music as well.

During this time, his skills improved significantly because of the talent surrounding him. “Working with these musicians made me better because when you play with better musicians you also improve,” Petrossian said.

With this group, Petrossian performed for La Canada’s annual Battle of the Bands, which was his first major performance. That year, he also gained experience through performances at coffee houses and churches. This helped Petrossian refine his stage presence and taught him how to handle different crowds.

Petrossian uses his Armenian heritage to channel his musical energy. He grew up attending Armenian Church camp every summer, which has inspired him to introduce an Armenian vibe to his music.

Through folk dancing and other celebrations of culture, Petrossian is fully in touch with his cultural identity. He also uses the Armenian camp attendees as an audience for his music during camp fires and talent shows. “It made me feel great that I could share my musical talents with my Armenian friends,” Petrossian stated.

After this experience, bassist Petrossian, vocalist Khankhanian, guitarist Kevin Corti, and guitarist Shane Bilowitz melded their musical talents and formed the band, Jebél. At first, the members’ different influences and styles made it difficult to create music.

“Shane was into Dream Theater and metal and Kevin was into Pink Floyd, and Josh and I like contemporary music,” Petrossian recalls. Nevertheless, the group put together their first EP album titled, ‘I mean you no harm.’

Since their first recording experiment, the band (together for almost two years) added Curtis Marrero to their lineup. He brings a “smooth jazzy groove” says Petrossian.

Their album, with working title, “Fearless Son, Rise” is expected to have about twelve tracks. “It is well recorded. We are taking our time, things come up when you record that always postpone your deadline. We are doing the vocals now, which come last. After that we are going to add more percussion, then fine tune it, get it mixed, mastered, printed, then start selling and distributing.”

The upcoming album is a juxtaposition of many elements. “It has a Middle Eastern feel to it, especially the way Josh sings. It also has a lot of other elements,” says Petrossian. In a more complex analogy, the band describes it as, “the Mars Volta and Pink Floyd had a child and then it was adopted by Tool and the Dave Matthews Band... Then it grew up and married Dream Theater.”

All band members except Shane Bilowitz, who attends OCC, and Kevin Corti, who attends USC, are fourthyear students at UC Irvine. Petrossian is studying mathematics with a concentration in economics.

Also involved in the recording process, is Manager Marc Missirlian, Petrossian’s long time friend and roommate. Petrossian expresses gratitude about being managed musically by a friend..

Petrossian’s family enjoys watching him progress as a musician. “They are supportive but say school is first, like any Armenian parent would say,” Petrossian says laughingly

Ready, Set, Eat!

by Sevada Begijanyan

Although Los Angeles may be the food capital of the United States, it is often very hard to find a decent meal at a low cost amongst the many different varieties of food that the LA scene has to offer. Many students find themselves in constant search of delicious and affordable food.

The search is finally over! A scent of Italy in the heart of Westwood; these are the exact words used to describe the Armenian-owned, hole in the wall called, “Angelino’s café.”

The café has been an old time favorite for some of Hollywood’s top actors and actresses. Now, the restaurant is finding its dining area filled with hungry students.

Coming in through the door of the restaurant, you find yourself surrounded by the aroma of garlic that is used in all Italian kitchens.

The small, yet elegant kitchen in the restaurant is run by three people: the waiter, the busboy, and the owner himself, who also plays the role of chef as he creates amazing dishes. This small diner offers a great variety of Italian food at a low cost. The menu is very simple and delicious; composed of basic Italian sandwiches, pastas and salads.

Angelino’s café not only has a cozy atmosphere but fast and meticulous service as well. The wonderful staff creates a friendly environment where a student can eat great food while studying.

I highly suggest the pesto chicken sandwich consisting of a mouthwatering grilled piece of chicken, lettuce, and homemade pesto sauce served on a sourdough bun.

It is truly a scent of Italy!
www.angelinocafe.com

My Private Armenian School (Fall 07)

by Mary Etmekjian

Where will you send your kids to school? The pros and cons of Armenian Private School are important to consider when it comes to preparing for a career in a higher institute of learning.

Regardless of where an Armenian child receives their education, they will flourish as an Armenian-American if determination, persistence, and the Armenian spirit have been properly instilled within that individual by their parents.

My name is Mary Etmekjian and I have attended a private Armenian School since I learned how to walk.

As a resident of Hollywood, Rose and Alex Pilibos was a convenient, safe, and proper place for me to receive my education.

There, in addition, to receiving the proper curriculum appropriate for my age, I learned how to read, write and speak Armenian fluently. More importantly, I experienced the Armenian American culture in ways that were supplementary to my experiences at home.

As great as this may seem, the flip side must also be considered. Sometimes I felt as though I was receiving a second class education at a hefty private school price.

Unfortunately private Armenian schools do not always have the luxury to pick and choose qualified teachers from a large pool of candidates.

Some teachers were outstanding, while others were under-qualified. Some teachers stuck around for decades, leaving a legacy, while others came and went with the seasons.

A common argument against private school is that students are sheltered in a bubble that does not prepare the student to the outside world. When that bubble pops, the student falls on his or her face and needs a crash course on life.

This is not entirely true. In a sense, the small size of a private Armenian school is one of its greatest features. Allow me to elaborate.

The size of my graduating class was 63. Yes, I know what you are thinking since most of you had graduating classes closer to 10 times larger than mine.

However, the 63 people I graduated with were not only my classmates, or my friends, but rather, most were family. Many of us had seen each other every day for at least 6 years.

This close knit family we belonged to served as a support system. It allowed me to learn how to voice my opinions, taught me how to become a leader, and how to care for others and to be cared for.

It is true that this was not representative of the world outside of Rose and Alex Pilibos, however, the experiences at my second home was a stepping stone to the real world.

Learning how to be social, how to lead, and how to speak my mind in a small group of people that cared for me was like learning how to ride a bike with training wheels.

Without the training wheels I could have fallen and decided to never ride a bike again.

What people consider the biggest flaw of Armenian Private Schools should be considered one of the greatest strengths.

The Transfer Option: A Smart, Economic Alternative (Fall 07)

Transfer or Not?
Students in high school are faced with the decision of either entering straight to
a four-year university, or attending community college for one to two years and
transferring. Read first-hand accounts of the impact of each option.

by Rafayel Mgdesyan

All undergraduates at UCLA have gone through the rigorous college application and admission process in order to attend this institute of higher education. It is safe to say that this college application process is neither easy nor enjoyable.

But look at the bright side: you survived, and for that I commend you, my fellow Bruin.

Now, the question remains—did you apply as a transfer? If so, then you already know some of the perks associated with being a transfer student to a four-year university from a community/junior college.

There are indeed several factors and benefits which generally fall into the realm of the transfer world. One commonly overlooked qualitative benefit is that transfer students, after having spent a few years at the community college level, tend to develop that ever so crucial personal growth and maturity which allows for a relatively smooth transition in to the four-year university system.

The fact of the matter is, students transferring from the community colleges, where they are almost in a sort of microcosm of a four-year university, are coming out of a setting in which they generally have established a solid academic and personal foundation.

Considering that a substantial amount of students begin to move out of their parent’s house upon their graduation from high school (unless, of course, you happen to be Armenian), starting off at a junior college can be a very economically savvy way to save up for the multitude of expenses certain to come your way once you say “adios” to good ol’ mom and pop.

Why not save yourself thousands of dollars in tuition by embarking on the very affordable junior college experience? These days it costs about $20 per unit, and still offers the opportunity to earn a bachelors degree from your dream four-year university (hint: UCLA).

If anyone buys into the various myths about transfer students not being able to compete or keeping up on the same level with the so-called “regularly” admitted classes of students directly from high school, they are simply misinformed.

At UCLA, transfer students have proven to have as much potential to excel academically, if not more, than freshman admitted students. So for someone to make the argument that transfer students cannot compete academically on the university level is a completely ludicrous notion.

As a transfer student to UCLA from one of the best junior colleges in California, Santa Monica College, I knew that I had received the preparation needed to succeed as a member within the thriving and competitive confines of UCLA. With my senior year still ahead of me, I have as a transfer student excelled academically due to persistence and hard-work and there is virtually no realistic reason why any other student, given that he/she is hard working and persistent, cannot achieve likewise. The point here, is that taking the transfer route to your dream four year university is perfectly legitimate—if not a smart alternative. Trust me, I know

Never too Much of a Good Thing (Fall 07)

by Lilit Azarian

College is all about the four year experience.

Only one year has gone by and I already find myself trying to plan out all the things I want to do in the course of the next three years. From social gatherings, to programs, activities, clubs, student groups, study groups, sporting events, concerts, movie screenings, premiers, and of course study abroad programs, it is a challenge trying to fit everything into an already hectic academic schedule.

It takes quite some time to adjust to the UCLA lifestyle, and by the time a transfer student becomes accustomed to everything, it is nearly time to leave.

Having all four years at UCLA has its perks. It allows the opportunity to network and meet new people and establish solid relationships with students and professors alike, forming life long friendships and providing research opportunities and recommendation letters. Incoming freshmen also have a variety of opportunities to explore which major truly interests them, and possibly even double major.

Furthermore, most transfer students opt out of moving close to campus, especially into the dorms. It is difficult enough to adjust to a campus with this large, and made even more difficult for commuters who are deprived of many opportunities to ease these tensions.

As a second year resident, I have had the possibly once in a lifetime opportunity of living with non-Armenians: one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Moreover, a student living on campus has all the things conducive to a positive learning environment. Each floor serves as friendly community and offers the support of a Residential Assistant, study lounges, workshops, programs, and a built-in opportunity to make new friends.

Is it expensive to come in as a freshman? Not when you consider that it is equivalent to transferring to a private school. Financial problems should never hinder a student from coming here as there are a number of resources available to ease the financial burden.

If all else fails, loans are always an option. Yes, I am a 19-year-old in debt, and I’m proud of it because UCLA is one of the best schools in the nation, and there really can’t be too much of a good thing.

In life, the greatest lessons are learned outside the classroom. If we’re going to talk about maturity and independence, nothing compares to the experience of living on your own. Yes, there will always be those individuals who are truly unprepared for the transition, but for the rest of the world, moving out and on with your life is the best way to grow up and best of all, learn about yourself.

Indeed, community colleges serve as little more than a stepping stone from high school to college. Although not all community college classes are easy, having taken courses at GCC, I can easily say that many of the classes I took in high school were more challenging.

Thus, it is ludicrous to suggest that freshmen applicants are unprepared for UCLA. In fact, we have all been selected based on our abilities to not only survive, but thrive in this environment. If you have what it takes to be admitted, you have what it takes to succeed, either as a freshman or a transfer.

The issue is not whether an individual will choose the freshmen or transfer route, as that decision is made during freshman year of high school, but rather, the question is, will you get in? We all know that the admissions process is tough, particularly for the freshman applicant.

Our very presence here at UCLA is indicative of our determination, persistence, and work ethic - the difference lies in when we chose to apply these traits to our academic careers.

While the transfer route is indeed a viable, if not smart, option for those who may, for whatever reason, have taken their high school careers more lightly, those of us who have entered as freshmen have what it takes to be successful at UCLA.

So if you have the grade point average, the SAT scores, and the plethora of extra curricular activities to make you a viable candidate for freshman admission, why not apply? If you get in, congratulations, and if not, we’ll see you in a couple of years.

Atrophy (Fall 07)

by The Wise Man

Those Armenians smoke too much, but I respectfully disagree.

I know it’s an inflated price, but nothing matches the feeling of buying a pack of cigarettes. “Parliament Lights...”

Because at the gas station they got those holders, those sci-fi cigarette chute machines; it makes a pack look like a military ration. I don’t normally smoke the first one when I buy it though, I drive down Glenoaks, let myself think about savoring it. A great cigarette needs a complement; so normally I’ll buy one of those Russian ice cream cones and sit outside a cafe. Sure it’s a vice, it’ll probably kill me, but I think it’s worth it. That’s why I savor each guiltless puff; I let the warm smoke comfort my heart. I like to let the tar coat my lungs, and feel the warm air traveling down through my soul.

I fit into this Armenian caricature, but I won’t hold my breath for American approval anyway. I mean most folks I work with these days pound through twelve cups of coffee so they can slog through their day; hoping...no, praying they have time to go home and masturbate. Just because they got every inch of their 500 Friends episodes assimilated into their brains doesn’t make it attractive; I’ll be the iconoclast.

But I prefer America....

I’m not one for the post-Soviet nostalgic types; Lenin can get sodomized by hoe from communal farms for all I care. Save your Engels for the pulsing proletarians; the chain-breaking, bourgeois-bilking, CCCP shirt wearing nostalgic. I just read Animal Farm and let the whole thing go. The few trickling hammer-and-sickle celled tend to make me nauseous. However, those are few and far apart these days anyways. There aren’t many manifesto thumpers among these Armani silk shirt sporting Barskahyes; running 250 dollar hookah bills isn’t exactly “collectivizing the farm”. Not to mention the Hayastancis, whose unquenchable car fetish doesn’t exactly make Brand Boulevard look a like a bread line.

Then there is nationalism....

Now I never had an issue with the whole Armenian cause; baikar baikar and all that is great, I’m an Armenian after all. See the only problem is they got these yuppies graduating with 6-year political science/history/Armenian triple majors looking for their piece of political prominence; and now everyone has to give their genocide speech. It’s come to the point where I blush every time I hear that same Hitler quote read back, and each time with some awkwardly dramatic pause as if nobody ever heard it before; as if this speaker is the only one who typed in “Armenian Genocide Quotes” on Google. As if Hitler’s grotesque weight is somehow our strongest corroborating source. Forget it though; you have to admire the effort, the poor people pumping furious breaths into a cause that seems hauntingly palsied. Such furious breaths for a cause others deem so unworthy that the constant repetition ventures further into self-parody than inciting conviction. Our cause that hasn’t collapsed merely because its weightlessness; no one has deemed us worthy enough to ameliorate our concerns, no one has deemed us threatening enough to crush our discontent.

But I believe in America…

This is the land of Wilsonian reforms and still-birthed house resolutions. I just feel the judge and the jury shouldn’t be the land with Andrew Jackson on twenty dollars bills. I don’t really see the need for reconciliation anyway. Let’s line up the great collaborators themselves, Turks and Kurds, and shoot out until the sky turns black. That would provide something no house resolution could provide, continuity. Finally, we will have our solution. Our tragedy so enveloped in massacres, war and apartheid; we will be robbed of our aberration.

I better stop now before I hit weak, banal “murder is bad”-type conclusions...

So I let the cigarettes numb down my nerve endings. I let the smoke warm my heart, I let it all existential flame burn out like a brief candle. I learn to live with atrophy; and learn to love the breaths of cancer.

Defining Social Assimilation (Fall 07)

by Osheen Abramian

I was at the corner of Olive and San Fernando recently when across the intersection was an S-class Mercedes with an Armenian woman in the driver’s seat sporting a Twisted Sister haircut.

She rolled down her window and nonchalantly tossed an In-n-Out bag onto the street.

Earlier today I heard some of my Armenian friends talk about getting fake tax returns in order to receive financial aid to cover the cost of new rims.

An Armenian youngster once pulled me aside on the street threatening to hurt me because I laughed at his medieval jester clown shoes, as if it’s my fault he gets his clothes from Party World.

And yet sometimes we wonder why so many non-Armenians loathe us.

You’re not Raskolnikov, Bill O’Reilly, nor The Second Coming. We need to get over ourselves and trash those annoying God-complexes Armenians carry on our sleeves so vehemently.

When you move to the United States, not only do you agree to abide by the laws on all levels of government, you have to socially assimilate enough American culture to be a good citizen.

So on behalf of all Americans, they’re not consciously trying to offend you if they don’t shake the hands of all eightyfour guys seated against the wall.

Just because Jeff said hello to your sister across the street last week doesn’t mean he’s planning to gift your family with eighteen cows for the dowry anytime soon.

Finally, don’t criticize governmental taxing policy while cashing a welfare check and a paycheck at the same time.

It’s bad enough that many of us can’t speak fluent Armenian, but it’s even worse that some individuals can’t even scrap together enough English to ask how much the checkout total was at Jons’ Supermarket.

There’s social rules the Diaspora has to adapt to, and as a native-born citizen of the United States, I see that many of us have some very objectionable sensibilities relative to non-Armenians.

From simple things like littering with blatant disregard to the law, to a tad more crucial things like car insurance fraud and hitand- runs, there are more than a few kinks we can fix in our image.

We are not exempt to the civic duties and virtues brought upon in this country. To say that non-Armenians ‘do it too’ is a pathetic excuse. I’m concerned with the image of Diasporan Armenians and we traditionally retain a strong moral fiber, so let’s not stoop to the level of others.

I remember the days in which if I had a conflict with someone, I could flip them the bird and that was that. The days in which you could sleep with a Jenny or Kelsey and comfortably sit next to her the next day in lecture.

But for some reason, if my shoe lace unties and lands on an Armenian, it becomes a Sopranos nail-biter.

He calls me, he calls my friends, he calls his mom, borrows his grandfather’s Bolshevik revolver, and calls up the rest of the GCC student body.

Oh, I understand. The fedayis who died in Karabakh we’re fighting for the right for us to pummel each other to death. Don’t we have anything better to do?

We have to ‘meet up’ to talk and solve the problem like men of honor. Not at Starbucks, Coffee Bean, nor the local 7-11. No, not the typical stomping grounds, but onto a battlefield, or Fremont Park. Sun Tzu would be speechless.

Here’s a simple fact. If you are new to a country and unfamiliar with its customs and laws, there are social rules we have to play by.

This can only be achieved through an open mindedness and a willingness to constantly interact and genuinely cohabitate with non-Armenians.

That way, we’ll understand how our own image is being conveyed towards others, improve upon them, and live more comfortable and positive social lives.

It’s good to get perspective and criticism from others. For the betterment of ourselves as individuals and as Armenians, we need to constantly be aware of what aspects of our people we can improve upon.

Cultural assimilation is another story, but socially, we need to pluck a few eyebrows.

To a Turkish Girl (Fall 07)

by Garin Hovannisian

No crop more foul, no fruit more strange,
(But I’m being kind again and hate myself);
No fruit more forbidden, I should’ve said,
Than an apricot picked from our Western range.

You were not to be the lamp-like girl
And when you spoke, blood poured from your mouth.
And in every bedroom breath I felt
The breath you sucked from that ever-marching child.

Oh, how weak I am, or vain for thinking I am weak!
When you smile, institutions crumble
And I’m at home again, and really home
(Where the pomegranate glows, though the River Arax roars).

I hate myself again. I curse those peaks again.
And love you more

Artsakh Conflict: The Threat of War with Azerbaijan (Fall 07)

by Alex Yerevanian

Although I had read and heard much about the Nagorno-Karabakh War in the classroom and in newspapers, I never fully understood its effect on the cities of Artsakh until I visited Shushi on a class trip in 2005. The bullet-ridden buildings, roads left in disrepair, and the abundance of expended ammunition easily available on the ground for children to collect all served as a poignant reminder of the 6 year struggle with Azerbaijan that took place more than a decade ago. Since 1994, Artsakh’s infrastructure has slightly recovered and a cease fire has been called, but the situation has been in recent times more volatile than ever. Recent political developments pose an unavoidable question: is it possible for war to break out again?

The OSCE Minsk group, created in 1992 and consisting of Russia, United States, and France, has as its objective promoting the negotiation of a peaceful resolution between Armenia and Azerbaijan. With Armenia and Azerbaijan still formally at war, that objective is far from being realized. Even though Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev have met multiple times over the course of more than a decade, little has changed on the diplomatic front since the cease fire was signed in 1994.

From the military and economic perspective, the size and growth of Azerbaijan’s military budget has especially been an area of concern. Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev released a statement in 2005 that Azerbaijan’s military budget would double to $600 million in 2006, and that if necessary their “army is always able to regain [Artsakh] by military force.” With the Azeri budget closing at approximately $900 million in October 2006, the 2005 estimate of $100 million for Armenia’s military budget pales in comparison.

Azerbaijan officially maintains that at least 10% of its land is occupied by Armenians. Given their retreat and the thousands of Azeri refugees from Armenia and Artsakh, any dissent towards this war in Azerbaijan may be drowned out by a passionate hatred for Armenians. We can also recall the flagrant vandalism of Armenian cultural artifacts in Julfa in late 2005. This rather recent attempt at the elimination of any trace of Armenian settlement is a blunt reminder of the general Azeri attitude towards Armenians.

With so much tension, what is preventing a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

Artsakh remains one of the worlds most heavily mined territories in the world. While Karabagh has never produced or exported any landmines, it has a considerable number of old soviet anti-personnel landmines, such as the PMN-2, and miscellaneous unexploded ordinances littered across the country. In 2002, the Karabagh Ministry of Agriculture stated that 37 million square meters of arable land are affected by land mines.

This, of course, presents a huge safety issue for the residents of Karabagh, especially for civilians and children who do not recognize the dangers of unexploded munitions. The United Nations reports 123 people have been killed and over 300 injured in Artsakh due to landmines since 1994. Despite the dangerous nature of the landmine situation in Karabagh, it nonetheless provides a natural defense against an invasion. It could be particularly disastrous for Azerbaijan, which is less familiar with the territory and potential location of minefields, to haul troops and heavy equipment across affected land.

Azerbaijan’s oil industry has a long and prosperous history, and is expected to continually grow from its current rate of production (800,000 barrels of oil a day) to 1.2 million barrels in the near future. Naturally, any disruption to Azerbaijan’s oil industry would be a crippling blow to their economy and trade. Although it is unclear how capable Armenia is at destroying Azeri oil pipelines/infrastructure, there are several parties which would not want to risk a conflict that could push Armenia to do so.

The infrastructure of the Azeri oil industry is heavily built on foreign investment, particularly from the United States and other nations which would not want to see their economic interests jeopardized by a regional conflict. President Ilham Aliyev may have significant personal ties to the oil industry as well. In 2003, an investigative report was filed by the Committee of Oil Industry Workers’ Rights Protection on the corruption in the Azeri Oil Industry when Heydar Aliyev, Ilham Aliyev’s father, was head of the State Oil Company and discusses how oil profits often do not flow through the state budget. Why should Ilham Aliyev wage a war if it would mean jeopardizing such a steady flow of income?

Of course, our neighbors have significant influence in the fate of the cease fire and future peace developments. Turkey is a huge supporter of Azerbaijan, as is Pakistan and Chechnya. Their assistance has been critical for Azerbaijan’s military growth, and as a natural political enemy to Armenia, Turkey has nearly no qualms lending aid to its ally.

In the event of a war, the Iranians would not want a full Azeri victory because their increased geopolitical isolation requires them to be on good terms with Armenia as an outlet. Also, it is important to note that millions of ethnic Azeris reside in Northern Iran. By allowing Azerbaijan to conquer Karabagh, Iran would open the possibility of popular dissent and even uprising by Azeris wishing to fulfill the Greater Azerbaijan concept. This is not unlike the situation in Northern Iraq right now; increased instability in Iraq opens the possibility for the Kurds to carve out their own nation, possibly encroaching upon Turkish territory.

The Russians would not want the Armenians to have a crushing victory either because, aside from the fact that they can continue to sell arms as long as conflict or tension is present in the region, a fully recognized liberated Armenian state in Artsakh will encourage other small would-be republics such as Chechnya and other Russian states to go into uprising as well.

In conclusion, the tense diplomatic and military situation in Artsakh is currently Armenia’s most pressing national security issue. Artsakh requires stronger offensive capabilities to discourage a full scale war, and must remain very diplomatically active with its neighbors to attract awareness and maintain the peace.

Armenia would not be able to sustain a long war with Azerbaijan; it simply has neither the internal resources nor the external support to keep up a fight for very long. Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora should do everything in its power to maintain the cease fire or come to a peace agreement, and should war prove to be inevitable, we must be prepared to bring the conflict to an end as quickly as possible.

In the Military for Two Different Countries: Shant Kenderian (Fall 07)

by Emily Bagdasarian

The Armenian Graduate Students’ Association at UCLA, in its Meet and Greet Literary Series, presented author of 1001 Nights in Iraq: The Shocking Story of an American Forced to Fight for Saddam Against the Country He Loves, Shant Kenderian, to promote his book as well as personally share the experiences he chronicles in it.

Andrew Behesnilian, a second-year medical student, and AGSA’s project manager for the event, stated that the purpose of the Meet and Greet Series involves a desire to “bridge the Armenian community, and more specifically, the Armenian youth with other accomplished Armenians.”

Shant Kenderian, an Armenian born and raised within a close-knit Armenian community in Iraq, chose to flee the country for the United States with his mother when living conditions became difficult.

At age seventeen, in an attempt to reconcile with his estranged father, Kenderian returned to Iraq. As fate would have it, approximately a week later the Iran-Iraq war erupted, borders were sealed shut, and the young Kenderian, as an Iraqi citizen, was obligated to remain in the country. Kenderian managed to enroll in engineering school, thinking a four-year degree would outlast the war. He would, however, spend three and a half years fighting at the front lines. At the war’s end he was fortunately able to file the paperwork necessary to reinstate his permanent residency status for the United States. As luck would have it, Saddam invaded Kuwait and he was redrafted into the navy.

Deciding he had nothing to lose, and secretly hoping he would be captured as an American prisoner of war, Kenderian volunteered for what he refers to as a “triple suicide mission.”

Kenderian’s descriptions of his experiences emphasize not only the horrors of war, but also its humane side. While he recounts how they often lived on only one bagel-sized piece of bread per day, Kenderian also discussed the life-long friendships he formed with his American interrogators and fellow soldiers, confiding that, “It’s a very special bond, and it’s a very painful bond. I am still in touch with these people.”

Shant Kenderian survived these tribulations, eventually earning a masters and a PhD in material science from John Hopkins.

Third year global studies major Shahane Martirosyan found the story to be incredible: “It’s amazing that he survived and is here sharing this unique perspective of behind the scenes of war.”