Anoushik

Gevo, at least you like someone. I wish there was the guy that I could be interested in, even if he was "out of reach", 'cause not being interested in anyone makes life just too boring.

I don't think positive reinforcement makes one spoiled. The American youth are not spoiled because of the positive reinforcement they've received from their parents. They're spoiled because the parents, instead of parenting, tried to be their friends. I think positive reinforcement is extremely important in parenting. It builds an individual's self-confidence. This aspect is lacking in a lot of Armenian families since the parents are afraid that their kids will become spoiled. As a result you see the Armenian complex, where the Armenians feel that they can't measure up to other nationalities, or they feel that they need to remind "odars" that they're just as good.

Of course not! I'm so sick of the Armenian families trying to outdo each other and show-off at every wedding that when I get married I won't have a "wedding". We'll just have a small gathering of 50 people - closest relatives and friends. There is absolutely no reason to invite the neighbors of the second cousins' friends and family. When 200+ guests are invited the only reason is to make a profit out of the wedding. So the whole elaborate wedding is really not costing that much on the family. And I won't get married in Church.

Sasun, I hope my question is not too rude. But I noticed that I've grown an intense dislike about the Muslims (just pronouncing the word Muslim makes me think that it's a dirty word) and the Turks. Now by intense dislike I mean hate. What would Sri Chinmoy say about that? What do you say?

Happy Birthday!

Angel, the Electoral College exists to ensure that each population of a state is represented equally in choosing a government. I'm sorry but I don't really see your point for not voting simply because of the existence of Electoral College. Especially in case of yesterday's election, this had nothing to do with it. The voters were voting for candidates for the Senate, the Congress, the Court, whether or not to pass four propositions which had to do with the budget and the taxes, and choosing a Democratic candidate for presidency for the November elections if you belong to the Democratic party. I studied Political Science last semester and while I learned that this system is not as close to the ideal as we'd like, and there are flaws in the system, the most important thing that I learned is that no matter what we should all try our best to participate in decision making in government.

I heard that it was just a rumor.

Thank you Gevo and Saltnpepa for the Congrats. Well, Angel, there's some truth to what you're saying. Politicians do lie (they actually have to, otherwise no one would vote for them if they were simply telling the truth, sorry, but that's the reality) and they all seem to be like the rest, so why bother, right? But there are some differences between these politicians, differences deeply rooted in their beliefs and values. So we have to choose whom we want to represent us as a whole - we all have to participate. You and a lot of people don't believe in this democracy, but who would've thought that Davis would be kicked out and Arnold would replace him? It was the people's choice, plain simple.

I just voted in the California Primaries. Wanted to get it out of the way before I start my day. Those of you who can, please go and vote. Again, the system is not perfect but it's still a democracy and the one most important right that we have as citizens is the right to vote.

This is a great, great thread! Thanks Anileve! I envy you, and Azat, and Accel, and Gamavor, and the rest soooo much. You all have this wonderful memories of Armenia. I wish I could join you in sharing those memories of Armenia, if only... Ahhh, I only wish... My beautiful Armenia...

Congratulations to Mateos, to your wife and you, Armat! You must be very proud of your children.

My co-worker's name is Emin. He is Azeri. edit: I'd spelled Azerbadjani. Didn't really know what they're called.

Completely agree with you, Thoth. The preference of entertainment for the general public is disgustingly low. Just yesterday I was arguing about this with my parents. My parents, especially my mom, believe that the media is to blame for the lack of taste in the entertainment industry, but I strongly believe that at the end of the day it's still the public who controls the substance of entertainment. If enough people watch, the low-life, pathetic, animalistic "entertainment" will continue.

Why doesn't the U.S. news report this??? Well... I know why. What an evil world we really are living in.

And it's not only the Azeris, but the Turks and the Muslim culture in general.

It is indeed horrible. The Azeris showed their true nature - they're nothing but barbarians. Even if he really wanted to kill, he could've just shot with a gun, but he actually hacked the Armenian officer with an axe. What an animal!

Yes, the writer starts by telling of his visit to Artshakh and its history and the recent developments in Artshakh. Then he writes about the rest of Armenia, its people, its history, the genocide, the denial by the Turks, the diaspora (mentioning that Armenians have always been high achievers in every field, and naming some inventions by ethnic Armenians) the Soviet Armenia, the earthquake, and the independent Armenia. The central theme of the article is the Armenian paradox, symbolized by Ararat. How our lands have been stolen from us and now are claimed to be someone else's. There is even a map of the big Armenian empire that existed 2000 years ago "whose realm extends from the Caspian Sea to the Holy Land". And he further writes that Armenia's early contemporaries, the Hittites, the Chaldeans, the Phoenicians and Phrygians, the Lydians and Medes vanished long ago, while the Armenians are still present. A very well written article.

In the actual magazine 22 pages are dedicated to this story (pictures included). It covers everything from Tigranes the Great to the fact that the Armenians are still present while our early contemporaries vanished, to the Genocide, the diasporans, the 1988 earthquake, to the symbolism of Ararat, etc...

Den-wolf, we're also subscibed to the National Geographic Magazine, and after reading the article I thought of posting about it, but you've already done it! I really liked how we are presented in the article, and after reading it a second time, imagining that I'm reading through the eyes of a foreigner, I yet again realized what an extraordinary people we are. I'm so proud to be Armenian.

Thank Hye Acher. Vahan Teryan is one of my favorite poets. Angel, I can read Acher's post in Armenian but Joseph Parikian's post is just a bunch of small square's for me. I don't know why in some posts I can see the Armenian letters while on others' it's unreadable.

ohhhh......... .....hahaha... never thought of that.......... talk about being naive

Neither do I.

Using toothpick in public/toothpick in mouth - major turn off Guys walking around with jewelry - another turn off People who tell bathroom humor jokes - yet another turn off...

"If it is complete lack of perception, like a dreamless sleep, then death would be a great advantage... If death is like this I say it is an advantage, for all eternity would then seem to be no more than a single night. If, on the other hand, death is a change from here to another place, and what we are told is true and all who have died are there, what greater blessing could there be?..." Socrates, in Plato's Apology

um...uhh............ I'm sorry for being a blond but I don't get it.