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This is a place to learn how to do cool things that have no use other than killing time and impressing strangers.
2024.05.20 23:53 ar_david_hh Armenia on 2024-05-20
11-minute read.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER (Mkhitar Hayrapetyan): Whatever is possible to produce in Armenia with the use of Armenian scientific potential and manufacturing capacities should be done domestically to minimize reliance on imports. The myth that Armenian producers are incapable of creating high-quality products has been shattered.
At the moment, there are ֏170 billion ($438 million) in contracts signed between the defense ministry and 27 representatives of domestic industry. We expect to bring it to ֏190 billion ($490 million) by the end of this year by involving two more companies.
Most contracts are about communication tools, control systems, radio-electronic warfare tools, drones, modernization activities, etc.
LEONID NERSISYAN (expert): It's not a secret that hefty investments were made in the manufacturing of drones. We've also seen a production of 122 mm and 82 mm shells; it's necessary to expand to 155 mm because we are purchasing new [Indian] artillery that uses those.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: (1) The state is enacting legislative reforms to make the industry attractive for investments. (2) We are promoting R&D for new technologies and the generation of new ideas. We are financing research activities, the creation of prototypes, and their experimentation. The chain ends when a company's product passes the state experimentation process and enters serial production.
HOST: In 2018 the scientific-research budget was ֏2.4B. Today it's ֏4.1B ($10.6M), with an additional ֏1.5B dedicated for prototypes.
MHER MARKOSYAN (expert): We need more laser tech experts. The state must cherish mil. industry employees and encourage young scientists to gain experience.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: As part of the 2024 budget, we do have a component to train and retrain industry experts. New specialists must enter this industry.
MHER MARKOSYAN: The war in Ukraine has made it more difficult to import components. Something that would normally take 1 week now requires 5 months. There are also horrible logistics problems. We do find solutions to import products but these solutions are expensive.
LEONID NERSISYAN: Even countries under the UN's embargo are able to import weapons so it's a matter of price. For example, it turns out that 70% of the electronics inside North Korean missiles are American.
HOST: Some Armenian manufacturers have reached international levels and could soon begin to export their products. However, there are logistic complications here as well. For example, in 2021 Armenia faced difficulty transporting the mockups of larger weapons to the Abu Dhabi expo [Moscow forced the jet carrying Armenian products to be unloaded and kept delaying the cargo's transfer to Abu Dhabi].
video,
REPORTER: During a joint press conference with MOD Papikyan, the Greek Minister spoke about the possibility of Armenia-Greece-France-India quadrilateral cooperation in the defense area.
AMBASSADOR: All 4 states have very good relations but at the moment it is still premature to talk about a quadrilateral format. But yes, there are convergences.
REPORTER: The Indian government said it's going to appoint Defense Attachés to Armenia and several other countries to strengthen the military links. What can you tell us about this?
AMBASSADOR: PM Modi has a very clear-cut policy and initiative of “Make in India”, including in the defense sector. We are now seeing that many countries in the world are buying Indian defense equipment. Defense Attachés are being posted to coordinate the process.
AMBASSADOR: The $200 million trade we made was far below the potential. India is the Pharmacy of the World with more than 60% of the vaccines worldwide coming from India, including those supplied through the WHO and other mechanisms like GAVI. So we see more potential here. Both sides are working towards increasing the import of Indian medicines and vaccines into Armenia. We are also looking at the high-tech sector.
AMBASSADOR: When countries need to prosper, connectivity is the key. And connectivity is something that we, in our own region, have been working very closely with our neighboring countries. So similarly, we find that for any region, if you want to move to the next level of prosperity, you need to have connectivity projects. Naturally, we see this “Crossroads of Peace” project of the Armenian government in that light, that it would be a win-win situation for all the regional partners. So indeed for us there is no other way than to have more connections between countries, whether it is in terms of roads, railways, etc. We look at it positively and enthusiastically.
AMBASSADOR: The Chabahar port is jointly developed by India and Iran. In our discussions with the Armenian side, they have manifested an interest in using the Chabahar port. Armenia's Minister of Territorial Administration visited the Chabahar port in December. We are waiting for the details from the Armenian side and we will consider it once we receive concrete proposals.
REPORTER: What role can Armenia play in the development of a communication route from India to Chabahar to the Black Sea?
AMBASSADOR: This goes back to my comment about connectivity. Armenia being a landlocked country definitely needs more connectivity projects. If it materializes, I think it would help Armenia to overcome the fact that it is a landlocked country.
full,
source,
video, video,
As we said earlier, yes, there is a need to build a bypass road, which can be accomplished in 2-3 months. We will also rebuild the road between H-26 and Acharkut and Kirants, which is an alternative road for Kirants. As for property issues, the volumes are small and the government will compensate in such situations. //
The 3 remaining border posts were reportedly installed in Kirants on Monday. Here is how the road issue will be addressed:
Azerbaijan is located between Kirants and Sarigyugh villages. Kirants is currently connected to Sarigyugh with two roads: a direct connection through the interstate road, and a secondary road that connects Kirants to nearby Acharkut before reaching Sarigyugh.
Approximately 300 meters of the direct road falls under the Azerbaijani side, so the government will build a 750-meter bypass road parallel to it. Preliminary construction activities have begun; they are working on the details.
As for the secondary road passing through Acharkut, the government has begun rebuilding and widening it to allow cargo trucks to use it.
So there are currently two construction projects, with one connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh directly, and the second connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh through Acharkut. Both roads are expected to be ready in 3 months.
video, source, video, source, source, video,
Former mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marukyan called for Pashinyan and the ruling party to resign. "այլևս անելիք չունեն, նրանք պետք է հեռանան"
source, source,
HHK's Edward Sharmazanov is against forming an alliance with Edmon Marukyan's LHK because they did not actively campaign against Pashinyan's reelection in 2021.
As for Sasna Tsrer, they committed attacks on police stations and called HHK "evil", so Sharmazanov is against working with them.
source,
source,
SCHOOL DIRECTOR: It started after a group of protesters used loudspeakers to encourage our students to join them. After realizing that students didn't want to join, they began to hurl insults at the students. Several students left the building and a fight broke out in the backyard.
source,
It's meant to reduce the financial burden on drivers, the paperwork burden on police, and improve the payment discipline.
source,
Reverse: portrait of Charles Aznavour, the number 100 in the form of stylized musical notes, piano keys and microphone.
Minted in Poland. The coin is worth ֏10,000 ($25).
source,
(1) Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime
(2) Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health
(3) Willful killing, or Murder as a war crime
(4) Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime
(5) Extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity;
(6) Persecution as a crime against humanity
(7) Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity
full statement, official video 4:57, source,
RAISI: Maybe someone doesn't like our meeting and joint successes with Azerbaijan. It doesn't matter to us. The important thing is that we implement together whatever is in the best interest of our people. The enemies do not want progress in Azerbaijan and Iran, but we believe that any progress in Azerbaijan is our progress, any threat to the borders of both countries will be a loss for both countries.
ALIYEV: Today the world is witnessing how great the friendship is between Azerbaijan and Iran. We support each other in all international structures and will continue to in the future. No one can divide us. //
Memorial services will be held in Yerevan's Blue Mosque on Thursday.
source, source, source, source, source, Kremlin's conspiracists, source, source,
YUNUSOV: I doubt it. The real power is in the hands of Khamenei. Now there are reports about his son [replacing him in the future]. As for the internal disturbances caused by opponents, as you know, there are periodic waves in Iran. These protests are sometimes ethnicity-based. If in the past it was Azerbaijanis, today the protests are by Kurds. There is also the youth that's tired of being ruled by religious mullahs. The death of Raisi doesn't change anything in internal or foreign policies. They will just change the President's last name.
REPORTER: I have a feeling Iran will soon blame Israel for the helicopter crash.
YUNUSOV: I have already seen that on Iranian Telegram channels but official Tehran won't rush with that. They will conduct an investigation and conclusions will be made. If Tehran blames Israel, then there must be good evidence for it because credit where credit is due - Iran usually conducts such investigations quite well. If you remember the liquidation of the father of Iran's nuclear weapons, Israel still denies participation but Iran found enough evidence that Israeli agents used the territory of Azerbaijan to infiltrate, carry out the project, and return through Azerbaijan. Let's wait and see the conclusion of the crash investigation. The accusations by Telegram channels and analysts "don't count".
YUNUSOV: No. The U.S. is still interested in the delimitation process and influences both parties behind the curtains. There was a high-profile Azerbaijani visit to Washington. Although the official press release didn't share details, we can safely assume they discussed the AM-AZ relations. If this delimitation continues in spite of Russia that means the U.S. is currently a moderator in this process. This is not purely a bilateral process despite Aliyev's efforts to present it that way.
REPORTER: Is the U.S. a guarantor that the delimitation won't end in Tavush?
YUNUSOV: Not a "guarantor" but the U.S. is the force that is really trying to accomplish something and is actually doing something. The full demarcation will last a long time. The main objective of the U.S. at the moment is the signing of an AM-AZ peace agreement. I don't think they'll be able to sign it before November, however.
REPORTER: How is the Azerbaijani public reacting to the border delimitation?
YUNUSOV: Positively. People truly want to have a demarcated border. The Azerbaijani regime often mentioned "Western Azerbaijan" and the return of Azeris there, but in reality, nobody in Azerbaijan took that seriously because they all understood it was an attempt to pressure Armenia. As soon as information came that the border was partially delimited, it was met with a positive response by the public. The Azerbaijani public understands that it's normal for Azerbaijan to gain and lose control of territories during this process, just as we did during the delimitation with other neighbors.
full,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
Armenia's military industry is developing
HOST: The share of the domestic arms industry in the armed forces has been rising in recent years. The state has decided to create easier conditions for the development of the industry.HIGH-TECH MINISTER (Mkhitar Hayrapetyan): Whatever is possible to produce in Armenia with the use of Armenian scientific potential and manufacturing capacities should be done domestically to minimize reliance on imports. The myth that Armenian producers are incapable of creating high-quality products has been shattered.
At the moment, there are ֏170 billion ($438 million) in contracts signed between the defense ministry and 27 representatives of domestic industry. We expect to bring it to ֏190 billion ($490 million) by the end of this year by involving two more companies.
Most contracts are about communication tools, control systems, radio-electronic warfare tools, drones, modernization activities, etc.
LEONID NERSISYAN (expert): It's not a secret that hefty investments were made in the manufacturing of drones. We've also seen a production of 122 mm and 82 mm shells; it's necessary to expand to 155 mm because we are purchasing new [Indian] artillery that uses those.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: (1) The state is enacting legislative reforms to make the industry attractive for investments. (2) We are promoting R&D for new technologies and the generation of new ideas. We are financing research activities, the creation of prototypes, and their experimentation. The chain ends when a company's product passes the state experimentation process and enters serial production.
HOST: In 2018 the scientific-research budget was ֏2.4B. Today it's ֏4.1B ($10.6M), with an additional ֏1.5B dedicated for prototypes.
MHER MARKOSYAN (expert): We need more laser tech experts. The state must cherish mil. industry employees and encourage young scientists to gain experience.
HIGH-TECH MINISTER: As part of the 2024 budget, we do have a component to train and retrain industry experts. New specialists must enter this industry.
MHER MARKOSYAN: The war in Ukraine has made it more difficult to import components. Something that would normally take 1 week now requires 5 months. There are also horrible logistics problems. We do find solutions to import products but these solutions are expensive.
LEONID NERSISYAN: Even countries under the UN's embargo are able to import weapons so it's a matter of price. For example, it turns out that 70% of the electronics inside North Korean missiles are American.
HOST: Some Armenian manufacturers have reached international levels and could soon begin to export their products. However, there are logistic complications here as well. For example, in 2021 Armenia faced difficulty transporting the mockups of larger weapons to the Abu Dhabi expo [Moscow forced the jet carrying Armenian products to be unloaded and kept delaying the cargo's transfer to Abu Dhabi].
video,
the National Academy of Sciences has received a device that uses powerful lasers to melt metal and ceramic dust to create 3D objects for space and other industries: VIDEO
video,India's Ambassador about defense cooperation between India and Armenia
AMBASSADOR: Our defense cooperation is proceeding very well. Defense cooperation is not only defense technical cooperation, but also we are looking at capacity building. On both fronts, we are proceeding very well.REPORTER: During a joint press conference with MOD Papikyan, the Greek Minister spoke about the possibility of Armenia-Greece-France-India quadrilateral cooperation in the defense area.
AMBASSADOR: All 4 states have very good relations but at the moment it is still premature to talk about a quadrilateral format. But yes, there are convergences.
REPORTER: The Indian government said it's going to appoint Defense Attachés to Armenia and several other countries to strengthen the military links. What can you tell us about this?
AMBASSADOR: PM Modi has a very clear-cut policy and initiative of “Make in India”, including in the defense sector. We are now seeing that many countries in the world are buying Indian defense equipment. Defense Attachés are being posted to coordinate the process.
... India's Ambassador about AM-IN economic ties and trade
REPORTER: What was the volume of trade last year, and what trends are seen in the bilateral export and import markets?AMBASSADOR: The $200 million trade we made was far below the potential. India is the Pharmacy of the World with more than 60% of the vaccines worldwide coming from India, including those supplied through the WHO and other mechanisms like GAVI. So we see more potential here. Both sides are working towards increasing the import of Indian medicines and vaccines into Armenia. We are also looking at the high-tech sector.
... India's Ambassador about Pashinyan's "Crossroads of Peace" trade unblocking project
REPORTER: The Government of Armenia proposed the “Crossroads of Peace” logistics project. There were opinions that it matches with India’s vision in the South Caucasus. What is India’s opinion on this initiative?AMBASSADOR: When countries need to prosper, connectivity is the key. And connectivity is something that we, in our own region, have been working very closely with our neighboring countries. So similarly, we find that for any region, if you want to move to the next level of prosperity, you need to have connectivity projects. Naturally, we see this “Crossroads of Peace” project of the Armenian government in that light, that it would be a win-win situation for all the regional partners. So indeed for us there is no other way than to have more connections between countries, whether it is in terms of roads, railways, etc. We look at it positively and enthusiastically.
... India's Ambassador about international trade through Iran's Chabahar port
REPORTER: India plays an important role in the development of Chabahar port. You mentioned that the prospects of facilitating the use of Chabahar port for Armenia are being considered as well. What are those possibilities?AMBASSADOR: The Chabahar port is jointly developed by India and Iran. In our discussions with the Armenian side, they have manifested an interest in using the Chabahar port. Armenia's Minister of Territorial Administration visited the Chabahar port in December. We are waiting for the details from the Armenian side and we will consider it once we receive concrete proposals.
REPORTER: What role can Armenia play in the development of a communication route from India to Chabahar to the Black Sea?
AMBASSADOR: This goes back to my comment about connectivity. Armenia being a landlocked country definitely needs more connectivity projects. If it materializes, I think it would help Armenia to overcome the fact that it is a landlocked country.
full,
experts at the European Training Foundation will assess Armenia's secondary vocational education system
The European Training Foundation is a European Union agency that helps transition and developing countries harness the potential of their human capital through the reform of education, training and labour market systems, and in the context of the EU's external relations policy.A group of experts have arrived for the May 21-23 assessment. They will hold consultations with state agencies, students, employee unions, and others.
by 2030, 90 percent of school and college graduates should be able to find jobs and work according to employers' requirements.source, source, video,
Yerevan and Paris reached an agreement to cooperate in urbanization, transport, and waste management over the next 3 years during a visit by Yerevan Mayor Avinyan to Paris
source,Yerevan subway is diching Soviet-era physical zhetons (tokens) as part of transport reforms and switch to a universal payment system
OFFICIAL: We are updating a total of 49 entrance gates; it will be completed next month. You'll be able to use the old gates with tokens for now. Soon you will pay with a QR code, Telcell mobile wallet, bank cards, etc. ... last week over 15,000 passengers used the electronic payment methods.source,
Yerevan municipality launches a process to move garbage containers underground
A public tender is launched to design a pilot program. In October the city said they studied the international practice for collecting the trash from underground bins and found two methods: lifting the bins to allow Yerevan's existing tech to collect the trash, or remove the bins. The latter would be more expensive.video, video,
government launches the construction of two roads for Tavush border village Kirants: VIDEO
PASHINYAN OFFICE: The 3 remaining coordinates of Kirants were pinpointed with the use of a computer and the border posts will be installed later. The rest [another 8 posts in Kirants] are already there. The good news for Kirants is that around 25 hectares of land that have been unreachable for 33 years will be returned to the village. The border resembles the 1976 line.As we said earlier, yes, there is a need to build a bypass road, which can be accomplished in 2-3 months. We will also rebuild the road between H-26 and Acharkut and Kirants, which is an alternative road for Kirants. As for property issues, the volumes are small and the government will compensate in such situations. //
The 3 remaining border posts were reportedly installed in Kirants on Monday. Here is how the road issue will be addressed:
Azerbaijan is located between Kirants and Sarigyugh villages. Kirants is currently connected to Sarigyugh with two roads: a direct connection through the interstate road, and a secondary road that connects Kirants to nearby Acharkut before reaching Sarigyugh.
Approximately 300 meters of the direct road falls under the Azerbaijani side, so the government will build a 750-meter bypass road parallel to it. Preliminary construction activities have begun; they are working on the details.
As for the secondary road passing through Acharkut, the government has begun rebuilding and widening it to allow cargo trucks to use it.
So there are currently two construction projects, with one connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh directly, and the second connecting Kirants to Sarigyugh through Acharkut. Both roads are expected to be ready in 3 months.
video, source, video, source, source, video,
Final battle? The opposition co-leader Bagrat Galstanyan will hold a "decisive" massive rally on May 26 to oust PM Pashinyan
GALSTANYAN: Պատմե’ք մարդկանց մայիսի 26-ի մեր հանրահավաքի մասին, այն վճռական է լինելու: //Former mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marukyan called for Pashinyan and the ruling party to resign. "այլևս անելիք չունեն, նրանք պետք է հեռանան"
source, source,
Serj Sargsyan's HHK party co-leader is against forming an anti-Pashinyan alliance with Edmon Marukyan and Sasna Tsrer
Edmon Marutyan's LHK, Ruben Vardanyan's Aprelu Yerkir, and the Sasna Tsrer (BEVER) whose followers committed terrorists attacks on police stations in 2016 and 2024 have decided to join the ongoing anti-Pashinyan protests led by Kremlin's favorite Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan.HHK's Edward Sharmazanov is against forming an alliance with Edmon Marukyan's LHK because they did not actively campaign against Pashinyan's reelection in 2021.
As for Sasna Tsrer, they committed attacks on police stations and called HHK "evil", so Sharmazanov is against working with them.
source,
update: threats after bribes
One of the several low-income residents of Vanadzor who last week reported receiving bribes to join the former regime's ongoing anti-Pashinyan protests says someone called and threatened their family for reporting the bribe to the police. Authorities are investigating the call.source,
a fight broke out between protesters and students who refused to join the "Holy Struggle" led by Archbishop Galstanyan
AUTHORITIES: On Wednesday we received reports about a fight between the students of Yerevan's Manuk Abeghyan School and protesters. The participants engaged in a fight, disturbed peace, and used slurs. Eight students (all under 18 except for one) were detained.SCHOOL DIRECTOR: It started after a group of protesters used loudspeakers to encourage our students to join them. After realizing that students didn't want to join, they began to hurl insults at the students. Several students left the building and a fight broke out in the backyard.
source,
82,000 Armenian drivers take advantage of a new law that absolves them of old citation debt if they pay 50%: VIDEO
It was part of a package law that slashes the size of future traffic citations by almost half if the driver pays electronically within the first two weeks of the violation. Some 21,000 drivers have already signed up at police.am to get a discount on their future citations.It's meant to reduce the financial burden on drivers, the paperwork burden on police, and improve the payment discipline.
source,
Armenian poet and 18th century TikToker Sayat-Nova's statue is unveiled in Turkmenistan during an international forum of Culture Ministers: PHOTO
photo,Armenia circulates gold collector coin dedicated to Charles Aznavour’s 100th anniversary: IMAGE
Obverse: monument to Charles Aznavour in GyumriReverse: portrait of Charles Aznavour, the number 100 in the form of stylized musical notes, piano keys and microphone.
Minted in Poland. The coin is worth ֏10,000 ($25).
source,
International Criminal Court wants to arrest Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant, and the Hamas leadership
PROSECUTOR: On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023:(1) Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime
(2) Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health
(3) Willful killing, or Murder as a war crime
(4) Intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as a war crime
(5) Extermination and/or murder, including in the context of deaths caused by starvation, as a crime against humanity;
(6) Persecution as a crime against humanity
(7) Other inhumane acts as crimes against humanity
full statement, official video 4:57, source,
Iran's President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian die in a helicopter crash while returning from a meeting with Ilham Aliyev to inaugurate the opening of a new dam on the Iran-Azerbaijan border
Shortly before the crash:RAISI: Maybe someone doesn't like our meeting and joint successes with Azerbaijan. It doesn't matter to us. The important thing is that we implement together whatever is in the best interest of our people. The enemies do not want progress in Azerbaijan and Iran, but we believe that any progress in Azerbaijan is our progress, any threat to the borders of both countries will be a loss for both countries.
ALIYEV: Today the world is witnessing how great the friendship is between Azerbaijan and Iran. We support each other in all international structures and will continue to in the future. No one can divide us. //
Memorial services will be held in Yerevan's Blue Mosque on Thursday.
source, source, source, source, source, Kremlin's conspiracists, source, source,
Azerbaijani dissident activist Arif Yunusov about Iran helicopter crash
REPORTER: Will there be radical changes in Iran after the death of Raisi?YUNUSOV: I doubt it. The real power is in the hands of Khamenei. Now there are reports about his son [replacing him in the future]. As for the internal disturbances caused by opponents, as you know, there are periodic waves in Iran. These protests are sometimes ethnicity-based. If in the past it was Azerbaijanis, today the protests are by Kurds. There is also the youth that's tired of being ruled by religious mullahs. The death of Raisi doesn't change anything in internal or foreign policies. They will just change the President's last name.
REPORTER: I have a feeling Iran will soon blame Israel for the helicopter crash.
YUNUSOV: I have already seen that on Iranian Telegram channels but official Tehran won't rush with that. They will conduct an investigation and conclusions will be made. If Tehran blames Israel, then there must be good evidence for it because credit where credit is due - Iran usually conducts such investigations quite well. If you remember the liquidation of the father of Iran's nuclear weapons, Israel still denies participation but Iran found enough evidence that Israeli agents used the territory of Azerbaijan to infiltrate, carry out the project, and return through Azerbaijan. Let's wait and see the conclusion of the crash investigation. The accusations by Telegram channels and analysts "don't count".
... Arif Yunusov about AM-AZ border delimitation
REPORTER: Is the ongoing Tavush-Gazakh delimitation really a bilateral process, as Baku claims?YUNUSOV: No. The U.S. is still interested in the delimitation process and influences both parties behind the curtains. There was a high-profile Azerbaijani visit to Washington. Although the official press release didn't share details, we can safely assume they discussed the AM-AZ relations. If this delimitation continues in spite of Russia that means the U.S. is currently a moderator in this process. This is not purely a bilateral process despite Aliyev's efforts to present it that way.
REPORTER: Is the U.S. a guarantor that the delimitation won't end in Tavush?
YUNUSOV: Not a "guarantor" but the U.S. is the force that is really trying to accomplish something and is actually doing something. The full demarcation will last a long time. The main objective of the U.S. at the moment is the signing of an AM-AZ peace agreement. I don't think they'll be able to sign it before November, however.
REPORTER: How is the Azerbaijani public reacting to the border delimitation?
YUNUSOV: Positively. People truly want to have a demarcated border. The Azerbaijani regime often mentioned "Western Azerbaijan" and the return of Azeris there, but in reality, nobody in Azerbaijan took that seriously because they all understood it was an attempt to pressure Armenia. As soon as information came that the border was partially delimited, it was met with a positive response by the public. The Azerbaijani public understands that it's normal for Azerbaijan to gain and lose control of territories during this process, just as we did during the delimitation with other neighbors.
full,
2024.05.20 19:40 TechnicalKorok Looking for a content filter that allows in-class teacher control
I'm currently in the market for a new content filter and classroom management system. We currently use Lightspeed Relay for content filtering and GoGuardian Teacher for classroom management. We've been a long time Lightspeed customer and while it's mostly (sort of sometimes) worked for us, I get the feeling that the grass may be greener elsewhere.
The key feature I'm interested in is the ability for teachers to temporarily, for an entire class, unblock sites that I have blocked as a baseline. For instance, let's say the "automobile" category is blocked by default. I want teachers to be able to allow that category during their class so students can research used car prices as part of a classroom budget planning activity, but then once they close their classroom management session the category will revert to being blocked as usual.
I'm not interested in student-by-student teacher overrides, or giving teachers access to the content filter admin access to manually enable/disable categories.
I understand that Linewize and Classwize can do this (and are highly recommended by this subreddit) and I'm trying to get a pilot but they don't seem to want my money based on how delayed their communication is. I've also contacted GoGuardian (and a few others, can't find my notes atm) but their responses indicated they weren't able to do what I'm looking for.
We are 1:1 Chromebooks for students, don't need much filtering otherwise so anything DNS-based would be fine for teachers and other staff.
Anyone know of anything that can do this? Should I just keep pursuing the Linewize route?
(Oh, and yes, computer usage during class time is a classroom management responsibility and all that which I 100% agree with, but we do have good reasons for our internet access being so locked down for students since we are a residential program - think along the lines of juvenile court schools or something similar)
submitted by TechnicalKorok to k12sysadmin [link] [comments]
The key feature I'm interested in is the ability for teachers to temporarily, for an entire class, unblock sites that I have blocked as a baseline. For instance, let's say the "automobile" category is blocked by default. I want teachers to be able to allow that category during their class so students can research used car prices as part of a classroom budget planning activity, but then once they close their classroom management session the category will revert to being blocked as usual.
I'm not interested in student-by-student teacher overrides, or giving teachers access to the content filter admin access to manually enable/disable categories.
I understand that Linewize and Classwize can do this (and are highly recommended by this subreddit) and I'm trying to get a pilot but they don't seem to want my money based on how delayed their communication is. I've also contacted GoGuardian (and a few others, can't find my notes atm) but their responses indicated they weren't able to do what I'm looking for.
We are 1:1 Chromebooks for students, don't need much filtering otherwise so anything DNS-based would be fine for teachers and other staff.
Anyone know of anything that can do this? Should I just keep pursuing the Linewize route?
(Oh, and yes, computer usage during class time is a classroom management responsibility and all that which I 100% agree with, but we do have good reasons for our internet access being so locked down for students since we are a residential program - think along the lines of juvenile court schools or something similar)
2024.05.19 22:11 Solignox My idea for a Nuxia rework
Nuxia is a problematic character, she can feel extremely unfair to fight and is overall a good duellist, but her 4vs4 abilities are some of the worse in the game. She is also a very unique character, she has barely been touched by Ubisoft since her release, and also has a truely one of a kind mechanic in her traps. As such, a rework of Nuxia is a tall order, it must manage to buff her in 4s without making her broken in duels and while keeping the character unique. Here is how I propose we go about it.
~I-Nuxia’s damage~
If there is one thing that is said to be strong about Nuxia it’s her damage, she can absolutely delete someone if she gets an opening. As such, before we buff her in other ways, we must adress her damage. Her dps is high because of two things : her base damage, and her two damage feats.
Regarding her base damage it’s actually not that high, her lights deal 9-12 damage and her heavies 24-30. This is on par with a lot of assassins, with Orochi being 10-13 on his lights and 22-32 on his heavies. Berserker is also 9-12 on his lights and 24-32 on his heavies. Her damage overall is a bit lower but more consistent, with less of a gap based on the direction of her heavies and their place in the chain.
Her damage is boosted by her two feats, Deadly Duet gives her a passive 20% damage increase when close to a lone ennemy, and Slip Through gives her a 30% damage boost to her next attack after a dodge. Are those feat too strong ? Not really in my opinion, Deadly Duet isn’t active a lot of the time in 4s as people tend to stick together, and Slip Through boost one attack with no garantee of landing it while being a tier 3. They are a lot of stronger feats, and I think they play into her unique identiy, you should be rewarded for roaming the battlefield and hunting lone targets.
As such I don’t think a damage nerf is needed even with those buffs, but if something had to be nerf I would nerf the base damage instead of the feat. Nuxia is a better duellist than teamfighter, as such I doubt such buffs would risk making her broken in dominion, only in duels where the feats are a non issue. This way she gets to keep her unique feats, while reigning in her damage if it proves to be too high after those buffs (even though as of now it is not above the average of assassins).
~II-« Quality of life » buffs~
Those are a few things that don’t make a huge impact but would still help her. First I would give her something similar to Shinobi and Shugoki’s run, if she is meant to be a roamer she needs to be able to move across the map fast. I would make it not as good as Shinobi’s so he keeps his own identity, but better than Shugoki. In addition, I would give her hyperarmor on Mirror Raid, her unique parry counter. The move itself deals 15 damage, but is made useless in teamfights due to interrupts, it would give her a bit more anti gank viability. Finally traps should beat any attack thrown in their direction, including non crushing counter lights and light parry attempts, so that ennemies don’t randomly beat traps by messing up parry timings, while still giving them the ability to counter the trap on a good read by lighting Nuxia in another direction.
~III-Opener~
This might be a controversial take but as of right now Nuxia lacks a reliable opener. Most people will tell you her trap mix up is, and it is an opener, just not a reliable one. The idea is to heavy, so that your opponent as to decide if you are going to either let it fly, trap, hard feint to gb, or just feint. However, this opener heavily favors the opponent. For once it is extremely slow, and a lot of the time your opponent while just do their opener at the same time or even slightly after you and you will just eat it. For example wether or not you are feinting or trap your heavy, a forward dodge bash will beat you, or even a simple light. It also is not stamina efficient, costing 22 to 24 stam based on if you trap or hardfeint. There is a reason why characters with bash openers rarely open by feinting heavies in the air.
Even in a best case scenario where you don’t get interrupted, the defender is still massively favored, and that’s because the defenders options beats several of Nuxia’s own. For example :
-Dodging and dodge attacking beat both traping and letting the heavy fly, with empty dodges beating hard feints and dodge attack beating feint to gb. This is the biggest culprit, by alternating between empty and dodge attack the defender can beat ¾ of Nuxia’s options reliably.
-Lighting in any direction (except the heavy direction if your hero has crushing counter lights) beats the trap, feint to gb, and for most player hard feinting if they can’t react to the light in time to parry it. They can block it but they are then back to neutral.
-Parrying beats the heavy, and has a chance to beat the trap if the defender messes up his parry timing, it’s also neutral to hard feinting to nothing. So even if the defender doesn’t dodge, he still has a lot of options, making so banking on him dodging or dodge attacking as Nuxia isn’t a reliable option either.
Compare this to your regular bash opener and it’s simply a two options mind game of predicting if you your opponent thinks you are going to empty dodge or dodge bash and you will see that Nuxia’s opener is fairly unnremarkable. Put it this way, imagine two sets of two duelling bots. One duo is Nuxia vs another hero, the other is JJ vs another hero. The Nuxia bot is programmed to open by selecting randomly an option from her heavy opener, while the JJ bot does the same thing with his forward dodge bash opener mix up. Their opposing bot randomly picks an answer to counter it, mathematically Nuxia’s opponent will win the trade more often than her, while JJ and is opponent would be fairly even.
So should we just give Nuxia a bash opener ? No, one of the goal of this rework proposal is to keep her uniqueness. So here is my proposal, in addition to her trap make her able to soft feint an opener heavy into a weaker, undodgeable light which always come from the same side as the heavy. My reasoning is simple, this change makes her opponer closer to a bash opponer as it reduces the imbalance between the defender and attacker, dodging and dodge attacking doesn’t beat 3/4 or Nuxia’s options anymore. The defender can still dodge and dodge attack if he makes a correct read, but Nuxia has a reliable way to beat both. As such the opponent must now make a real decision if dodging is the right answer, and if not actually has to interract with the trap mix up. The soft feint light would both deal less damage and be 600ms lights (like Zhanhu unblockable lights), the damage nerf is to make them less oppressive, and being slower they allow the opponent an easier light parry on a correct read since they also always come from the same direction as the heavy.
In conclusion, the oppenents options would now be :
-Dodge and dodge attack still beats trap and heavy, with them additionnaly beating hard feint heavy and feint to gb respectively, but they can be punished by the soft feint light if they abuse it
-Light interrupt a trap by lighting on a different side
-Parrying either the heavy or the feinted light (which again is slower and always come from the same side as the heavy).
~IV-Recovery cancels, or why Nuxia should have an all guard~
If you look at the top heroes in 4s, most of them have access to some form of recovery cancel, typically dodge recovery cancels. Those are extremely powerful tools, especially in teamfights. During ganks it makes babysitting harder since the baby sitter as to interrupt you during your attack, instead of during your recoveries. And during brawls they allow you to quickly switch target and reposition. This is one of Nuxia’s biggest weaknesses in 4s. She is a sitting duck in ganks, unable to get any damage in before getting revenge and even when she does get it there is nothing stopping the ennemy to wail on you while you are trying to attack their teammate. But giving her dodge recovery cancel is just making more like other heroes, and we don’t want that. That’s where my idea of an all guard comes in.
Let’s describe what it would look like first. It would be more similar to Musha’s guard, she cannot hold it and has to go into it at the right timing. Additionnaly, hers would be weaker than Musha’s to not make him redundant. She wouldn’t be able to access while in hitstun, only after a block and to cancel the recovery of her attacks except her traps. If the ennemy hits her all guard she has three options, she can do a weaker version of mirror raid, doing less damage while still having hyperarmor, she can do a weaker hyperarmored zone or she can immediatly follow up with a non garanteed heavy or zone to go back into her trap mix up. In addition just like Musha she can go back into her all guard after blocking with it, and she is ofc gb vulnerable on the same timing. Notice that all of her options are weaker version of Mushas, she gets a weaker garanteed damage and a weaker zoning tool (though unlike Musha’s this one is not garanteed and can be blocked or parried, finally she can use it to go back into her bread and butter mix up.
This solution has several benefits. It solves her lack of recovery cancels without giving her dodge recovery cancels, it makes her a bit stronger in teamfights by being able to defend herself better when ganked with the block recovery cancel and allows her to get some damage in by punishing people just wailing on her when she is in revenge. At the same time it’s still a weak all guard, the only garanteed damage she would get out of it would be around 10, as her only other offensive options out of it is her trap mix up with both the heavy and zone, which the opponent can beats on a proper read. It also fits her lorewise, she doesn’t have a shield so having her hold an all guard wouldn’t make sense, but hookswords are meant to trap the opponents weapon. Currently they do when she is on the offense with her traps, but they should also be able to do it while she is on the defensive.
This concludes my proposed Nuxia rework, let me know what you think.
submitted by Solignox to forhonor [link] [comments]
~I-Nuxia’s damage~
If there is one thing that is said to be strong about Nuxia it’s her damage, she can absolutely delete someone if she gets an opening. As such, before we buff her in other ways, we must adress her damage. Her dps is high because of two things : her base damage, and her two damage feats.
Regarding her base damage it’s actually not that high, her lights deal 9-12 damage and her heavies 24-30. This is on par with a lot of assassins, with Orochi being 10-13 on his lights and 22-32 on his heavies. Berserker is also 9-12 on his lights and 24-32 on his heavies. Her damage overall is a bit lower but more consistent, with less of a gap based on the direction of her heavies and their place in the chain.
Her damage is boosted by her two feats, Deadly Duet gives her a passive 20% damage increase when close to a lone ennemy, and Slip Through gives her a 30% damage boost to her next attack after a dodge. Are those feat too strong ? Not really in my opinion, Deadly Duet isn’t active a lot of the time in 4s as people tend to stick together, and Slip Through boost one attack with no garantee of landing it while being a tier 3. They are a lot of stronger feats, and I think they play into her unique identiy, you should be rewarded for roaming the battlefield and hunting lone targets.
As such I don’t think a damage nerf is needed even with those buffs, but if something had to be nerf I would nerf the base damage instead of the feat. Nuxia is a better duellist than teamfighter, as such I doubt such buffs would risk making her broken in dominion, only in duels where the feats are a non issue. This way she gets to keep her unique feats, while reigning in her damage if it proves to be too high after those buffs (even though as of now it is not above the average of assassins).
~II-« Quality of life » buffs~
Those are a few things that don’t make a huge impact but would still help her. First I would give her something similar to Shinobi and Shugoki’s run, if she is meant to be a roamer she needs to be able to move across the map fast. I would make it not as good as Shinobi’s so he keeps his own identity, but better than Shugoki. In addition, I would give her hyperarmor on Mirror Raid, her unique parry counter. The move itself deals 15 damage, but is made useless in teamfights due to interrupts, it would give her a bit more anti gank viability. Finally traps should beat any attack thrown in their direction, including non crushing counter lights and light parry attempts, so that ennemies don’t randomly beat traps by messing up parry timings, while still giving them the ability to counter the trap on a good read by lighting Nuxia in another direction.
~III-Opener~
This might be a controversial take but as of right now Nuxia lacks a reliable opener. Most people will tell you her trap mix up is, and it is an opener, just not a reliable one. The idea is to heavy, so that your opponent as to decide if you are going to either let it fly, trap, hard feint to gb, or just feint. However, this opener heavily favors the opponent. For once it is extremely slow, and a lot of the time your opponent while just do their opener at the same time or even slightly after you and you will just eat it. For example wether or not you are feinting or trap your heavy, a forward dodge bash will beat you, or even a simple light. It also is not stamina efficient, costing 22 to 24 stam based on if you trap or hardfeint. There is a reason why characters with bash openers rarely open by feinting heavies in the air.
Even in a best case scenario where you don’t get interrupted, the defender is still massively favored, and that’s because the defenders options beats several of Nuxia’s own. For example :
-Dodging and dodge attacking beat both traping and letting the heavy fly, with empty dodges beating hard feints and dodge attack beating feint to gb. This is the biggest culprit, by alternating between empty and dodge attack the defender can beat ¾ of Nuxia’s options reliably.
-Lighting in any direction (except the heavy direction if your hero has crushing counter lights) beats the trap, feint to gb, and for most player hard feinting if they can’t react to the light in time to parry it. They can block it but they are then back to neutral.
-Parrying beats the heavy, and has a chance to beat the trap if the defender messes up his parry timing, it’s also neutral to hard feinting to nothing. So even if the defender doesn’t dodge, he still has a lot of options, making so banking on him dodging or dodge attacking as Nuxia isn’t a reliable option either.
Compare this to your regular bash opener and it’s simply a two options mind game of predicting if you your opponent thinks you are going to empty dodge or dodge bash and you will see that Nuxia’s opener is fairly unnremarkable. Put it this way, imagine two sets of two duelling bots. One duo is Nuxia vs another hero, the other is JJ vs another hero. The Nuxia bot is programmed to open by selecting randomly an option from her heavy opener, while the JJ bot does the same thing with his forward dodge bash opener mix up. Their opposing bot randomly picks an answer to counter it, mathematically Nuxia’s opponent will win the trade more often than her, while JJ and is opponent would be fairly even.
So should we just give Nuxia a bash opener ? No, one of the goal of this rework proposal is to keep her uniqueness. So here is my proposal, in addition to her trap make her able to soft feint an opener heavy into a weaker, undodgeable light which always come from the same side as the heavy. My reasoning is simple, this change makes her opponer closer to a bash opponer as it reduces the imbalance between the defender and attacker, dodging and dodge attacking doesn’t beat 3/4 or Nuxia’s options anymore. The defender can still dodge and dodge attack if he makes a correct read, but Nuxia has a reliable way to beat both. As such the opponent must now make a real decision if dodging is the right answer, and if not actually has to interract with the trap mix up. The soft feint light would both deal less damage and be 600ms lights (like Zhanhu unblockable lights), the damage nerf is to make them less oppressive, and being slower they allow the opponent an easier light parry on a correct read since they also always come from the same direction as the heavy.
In conclusion, the oppenents options would now be :
-Dodge and dodge attack still beats trap and heavy, with them additionnaly beating hard feint heavy and feint to gb respectively, but they can be punished by the soft feint light if they abuse it
-Light interrupt a trap by lighting on a different side
-Parrying either the heavy or the feinted light (which again is slower and always come from the same side as the heavy).
~IV-Recovery cancels, or why Nuxia should have an all guard~
If you look at the top heroes in 4s, most of them have access to some form of recovery cancel, typically dodge recovery cancels. Those are extremely powerful tools, especially in teamfights. During ganks it makes babysitting harder since the baby sitter as to interrupt you during your attack, instead of during your recoveries. And during brawls they allow you to quickly switch target and reposition. This is one of Nuxia’s biggest weaknesses in 4s. She is a sitting duck in ganks, unable to get any damage in before getting revenge and even when she does get it there is nothing stopping the ennemy to wail on you while you are trying to attack their teammate. But giving her dodge recovery cancel is just making more like other heroes, and we don’t want that. That’s where my idea of an all guard comes in.
Let’s describe what it would look like first. It would be more similar to Musha’s guard, she cannot hold it and has to go into it at the right timing. Additionnaly, hers would be weaker than Musha’s to not make him redundant. She wouldn’t be able to access while in hitstun, only after a block and to cancel the recovery of her attacks except her traps. If the ennemy hits her all guard she has three options, she can do a weaker version of mirror raid, doing less damage while still having hyperarmor, she can do a weaker hyperarmored zone or she can immediatly follow up with a non garanteed heavy or zone to go back into her trap mix up. In addition just like Musha she can go back into her all guard after blocking with it, and she is ofc gb vulnerable on the same timing. Notice that all of her options are weaker version of Mushas, she gets a weaker garanteed damage and a weaker zoning tool (though unlike Musha’s this one is not garanteed and can be blocked or parried, finally she can use it to go back into her bread and butter mix up.
This solution has several benefits. It solves her lack of recovery cancels without giving her dodge recovery cancels, it makes her a bit stronger in teamfights by being able to defend herself better when ganked with the block recovery cancel and allows her to get some damage in by punishing people just wailing on her when she is in revenge. At the same time it’s still a weak all guard, the only garanteed damage she would get out of it would be around 10, as her only other offensive options out of it is her trap mix up with both the heavy and zone, which the opponent can beats on a proper read. It also fits her lorewise, she doesn’t have a shield so having her hold an all guard wouldn’t make sense, but hookswords are meant to trap the opponents weapon. Currently they do when she is on the offense with her traps, but they should also be able to do it while she is on the defensive.
This concludes my proposed Nuxia rework, let me know what you think.
2024.05.15 00:11 ar_david_hh Second Iran bridge \\ Army command exercises \\ Pro-West parties unite \\ Pashinyan: I will have one EU with some fries and ketchup, please \\ Day 6 of Ninth Crusade: Archbishop vs. Deputy Rector \\ Bentley tax? \\ Yerevan's €25M project \\ Global warming & Sevan \\ Wage stats \\ Gago's Jesus
14-minute read.
Syunik +7% to ֏295K/$760
Shirak +7% to ֏142K/$366
Yerevan had the highest wages. Syunik had the highest wages among provinces, while Shirak had the lowest.
REPORT: While the average nominal monthly salary does not always show the level of economic prosperity in a region, its rise has made a tangible difference in Syunik.
SUREN PARSYAN (economist): Syunik has higher wages and strong employment. It is the most prosperous province with the lowestunemployment poverty rate in Armenia: 24% in Armenia, 15% in Yerevan, and 2% in Syunik.
REPORT: Over the last 5 years, the average monthly nominal salaries have risen by 40% while the inflation was 21%.
source,
They will use automated control systems and modern technologies during the exercises.
source,
source,
Now the situation is totally different; citizens know that they are powerful enough to decide. The two general elections that were held in Armenia after the Velvet Revolution have been acknowledged as democratic, free, and competitive both by the Armenian society and the international community.
Armenia made huge progress in strengthening the democratic institutions, an achievement reflected in reputable democracy indexes:
(a) Now we are the 43rd in the Reporters Without Borders’ Freedom of Speech index, compared to 79th place in 2017.
(b) Categorized as having partially free internet in 2017 by Freedom House, now we enjoy the status of a country with free internet.
(c) In Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Armenia is now 62nd instead of 107th in 2017.
(d) In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index we are 84th compared to 111th in 2017.
In order to assess this progress, it's essential to note that alongside democratic reforms, Armenia has been contending with external security challenges: the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's invasion of Armenia in 2021 and 2022 and the occupation of over 200 km2 amid inaction by [Russia's] CSTO, the forced displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, have cast doubts among Armenian citizens weather democracy is the right choice. So, democracy needs to prove its efficiency while dealing with security, economic and humanitarian challenges.
We are pleased with the deployment of EU monitoring mission alongside the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and we welcome EU’s decision to expand its capacity. On the other hand, we hope for the inclusion of Armenia into the European Peace Facility and in this regard, we rely on the support of all EU member states [Hungary].
A new set of commitments aimed at strengthening Armenia’s economic resilience, state institutions, and addressing the humanitarian needs of refugees has been taken on by the European Union and United States during the high-level meeting on April 5 in Brussels. The rapid and effective implementation of those commitments is of utmost importance.
Despite all the challenges, we believe that the real and most aspiring companion for democracy is lasting and sustainable peace. My government took the share of its responsibility for this. Recently we reached an agreement with Azerbaijan to launch the delimitation of our interstate borders on the basis of the Almaty Declaration of 1991. That means that during the delimitation we should simply reproduce the Soviet-era administrative borders. This is the implementation of the agreement reached in Prague in 2022. Now it is time to incorporate and reflect those agreements in the peace treaty and have it signed.
Another key point for our regional stability is the «Crossroads of Peace», project, initiated by my government. This project implies that Armenia and Azerbaijan restore and open transport and other communications in accordance with the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass, and comply with the principles of equality and reciprocity. These elements of the concept were agreed upon during the July 2023 meeting with Ilham Aliyev and Charles Michel. //
PASHINYAN: I would not like to comment on the internal situation of our neighboring countries. Democracy fully corresponds to the mentality of our people. It is a strategy for our government, it is our political belief, it is also our political identity. The members of our political team have spent most of their lives fighting for democracy, the rule of law, and freedom of speech. Now we have the opportunity to realize all these values in our country.
The security situation was complicated because of the regional and global situation; the world order is collapsing at the moment. My assessment is, and I have had occasion to say this publicly, that the 2020 war was a prelude to further developments. And now the main issue is security.
What is our strategic point of view, how are we going to guarantee the security of our country? Recently, I gave a speech in our parliament, where I said that the most important tool for ensuring security is a foreign policy based on legitimacy. This is the reason why we so often speak about the 1991 Almaty Declaration.
It is very important that during the 2022 Prague meeting, two very important agreements were reached. Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty on the basis of the Almaty Declaration and will use it as the basis for the border demarcation. This is the reason why I said that we are not drawing a new border, we just need to reproduce the existing one on the ground. This process is happening right now, and I hope that we will continue it steadfastly.
REPORTER: The border conflict that has occurred in recent years has had a negative impact on relations with Russia and Russia's role for Armenia. What would you say about this?
PASHINYAN: Armenia is a member of CSTO. We are officially a CSTO member, but I have announced that we have frozen our participation.
REPORTER: So are you still a member or...?
PASHINYAN: It is a matter for further discussion, but it is very important to record the current situation. A crisis arose in our relations after Azerbaijani troops invaded Armenia, and according to CSTO procedures, the Organization and its member states had to support Armenia in this situation. But even after the formal application, the CSTO refused to take any concrete steps, and in fact, that is the main reason for freezing our participation in the CSTO at all levels.
REPORTER: Do you expect the West to occupy the current vacuum and ensure your security?
PASHINYAN: We are diversifying our foreign relations in all spheres. Now we are developing defense cooperation with India, France, and other countries. We have a certain cooperation with the European Union because as I mentioned, we are happy about the deployment of the EU Civilian Observation Mission on the border. It is a civilian mission but in a way, it is a new factor for the security of our region. This is the first time that the European Union participates in the security agenda of Armenia.
REPORTER: Would you like to become an EU member?
PASHINYAN: We are waiting for the EU's decision to include Armenia in the European Peace Facility. We also hope to start visa liberalization negotiations, and last year I announced in the European Parliament that Armenia is ready to be as close to the European Union as the European Union deems it possible. This is our position.
REPORTER: Can you elaborate on what initiatives Armenia is taking in the fight against corruption?
PASHINYAN: We have made huge progress but have not eradicated corruption from Armenia. We must continue to be persistent in the agenda of democratic reforms. This is the reason why cooperation with the European Union is of utmost importance for us because today the European Union is our main partner in the implementation of our democratic reform agenda. We hope that the European Union, as well as the USA, will increase their support to Armenia in the implementation of democratic reforms, because, as I said, democracy is a strategy for us.
By the way, in 2019 we started a Strategic Dialogue with the USA, and today we see the strengthening of our cooperation with the European Union. We recently had a tripartite meeting with the participation of the USA, EU, and Armenia. It was an unprecedented format, where we adopted a huge agenda of institutional and economic reforms. It is also very important that we receive more tangible support from the EU and the US to address the humanitarian needs of the Nagorno Karabakh refugees because it is a very sensitive and emotional issue for us.
REPORTER: In which year would you like Armenia to become a member of the EU?
PASHINYAN: This year [as soon as possible]. //
Pashinyan met Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The latter emphasized the importance of the “Crossroads of Peace” project in the context of unblocking the regional infrastructure.
Pashinyan discussed various topics with the PM of Denmark. The latter accepted his invitation to visit Armenia.
full video, source, video, other, other, source, video,
Dozens of participants were detained and released the same day for blocking roads. The detentions decreased from 170 on Monday to ~63 on Tuesday. They want Pashinyan to resign or to be impeached. The protest organizers visited universities to gather student supporters, some of whom joined them with a dance. The organizers also stopped by at a bakery where they were given free food.
A felony investigation was launched after a police vehicle, "with the sirens on", struck a reporter on the street. In another instance, an investigation was launched against a protester who brought a long sword. One other case was launched over alleged threats made on Facebook by a Galstanyan fan who wants scores of people to be beaten in dalans and exiled from Armenia, "մենակ էտ դեպքում էս սրբազան հողը կմաքրվի էս տեսակ շան ծնունդներից, ուրիշ ձև չկա!!!!"
ԳԼՈՒԽ 2
A ruling faction member of Yerevan City Council complained about "harassment" by opposition figures who are attempting to convince ruling party members to join the protests and the impeachment.
RULING MEMBER: That is not how it works. No one will join you with that conduct. People will join if they see you have a legitimate agenda with trustworthy leaders. Instead, you are "ethnically cleansing" the citizens of Armenia [referring to one opposition speaker telling non-Armenians to leave] և հեռու չէ են օրը երբ դուք գուցե ասեք որ հայ լինելու համար պետք է Հայկ նահապետից տեղեկանք բերել: //
ԳԼՈՒԽ 3
Yesterday the protest co-organizer Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan said he received a report suggesting that the Deputy Rector of Yerevan State University supposedly urged deans and others to retaliate against students who joined the protests. Galstanyan said he was unsure whether the report was true, but decided to read it out loud anyway. On Tuesday he rallied his supporters to the backyard of the University where he demanded to speak with the Deputy Rector for clarification.
The Deputy Rector went downstairs and greeted Galstanyan, who shook her hand but wouldn't let it go for an uncomfortably long period, prompting her to ask him to let go of her hand. The Deputy Rector declared that whatever Galstanyan read about her was a defamatory lie.
GALSTANYAN: I never believed it myself.
DEPUTY RECTOR: Then you should not have said out loud something you did not believe.
GALSTANYAN: Listen, there is a recorded fact...
DEPUTY RECTOR: Where is that "recorded fact"?
GALSTANYAN: It was on the media. As I said yesterday, I had no verification that it was true, which is why we came here to clarify it. If it's false, then I apologize.
DEPUTY RECTOR: Thank you. //
The Deputy Rector urged the protest organizers not to enter the building or disrupt the classes, and that "anyone who wants to follow you can follow you, anyone who wants to stay in classrooms should stay in classrooms".
The angry Deputy Rector left. Another university official criticized Galstanyan for not checking the information before reading it to his followers. Galstanyan said he stands behind his words, and that he was "just reading what was on the media", but reiterated that he had no intention to insult the Deputy Rector.
ԳԼՈՒԽ 4
Galstanyan and his supporters visited the monument dedicated to Operation Nemesis. He praised the figures behind Nemesis for "assuming personal responsibility". In front of the crowd, Galstanyan introduced Hambig Sassounian who recently joined his movement. He pointed to the Nemesis monument and said Sassounian is "one of the successors, one of the brightest people." In related news, on Sunday a ruling faction MP complained about receiving death threats with reference to Operation Nemesis.
ԳԼՈՒԽ 5
DANIEL IOANNESIAN (NGO chief): When this protest dies down, we need to discuss the following: (1) The transparency of political and media funding. There are some regulations in place, but they are incomplete and easily bypassed. For example, I'd like to know who paid for Archbishop Galstanyan's giant stage in Republic Square. In 2018 Pashinyan organized a fundraising for it and disclosed a detailed report. (2) Should the media organizations that do not respect the rules of financial transparency enjoy all the mechanisms for the protection of journalists? (3) Are the customs authorities confident that the church is not facilitating the business activities of certain figures disguised as donations? (4) Is it fair for the church and clergy members not to pay taxes? Should they be able to have a Bently and LX570 without paying taxes? [The "Bentley" is based on a true story.]
ԳԼՈՒԽ 6
Archbishop's fans spotted Miss Armenia 2003 and a H1 host Lusine Tovmasyan drinking a coffee at a Yerevan café and approached her.
PROTESTER: (unintelligable)
LUSINE: I was here drinking coffee yesterday, and a year before that.
PROTESTER: Why have you not joined the holy struggle?
LUSINE: Լավ եկեք թարգեք, շատ զզվելի ա, էնքան զզվելի ա․ //
ԳԼՈՒԽ 7
Pro-Kremlin propagandist Alexander Dugin praised the pro-Russian forces' protests in Armenia and criticized the pro-EU protests in Georgia.
Pro-Kremlin Russian politician Semyon Baghdasarov praised Archbishop Bagrat and the ongoing "uprising" in Armenia against the "traitor" [Nikol] who "rigged" the elections with the help of "Turkey, UK, and US". Nikol is a Turkish MI6 agent. video,
ԳԼՈՒԽ 8
Video of a protest recorded from above: video
source, video, video, video, video, source, source, source, source, source, source, source, video,
REPORTER: ARF Hay Dat's recent conduct has been shameful.
KHURSHUDYAN: And its influence on the Lemkin Institute was obvious. //
Yesterday Kurshudyan accused the Lemkin Institute of caving to ARF's pressure and meddling into Armenia's internal affairs to assist the protests by the pro-Russian former regime.
KHURSHUDYAN: Lemkin Institute accused Pashinyan's April 24 genocide remembrance day statement of containing "victim blaming". Lemkin did not comment on Pashinyan's statement for several weeks, waited 15 days, and as soon as these pro-Russian protests began in Armenia, they gave them a պաս:
source,
Hanun Republic Party, led by Arman Babajanyan.
European Party of Armenia, led by Tigran Khzmalyan.
Christian-Democratic Party, led by Levon Shirinyan.
Have the following agenda...
(1) Promotion of Western values in Armenia and Armenia's membership in EU and NATO.
(2) United front against threats and risks of destabilization coming from Russia.
(3) Vetting judges to clean up the courts, and resolution of issues left unaddressed by the Pashinyan administration.
(4) Continuation of border demarcation based on 1991 Almaty.
(5) The use of international law to achieve a fair resolution for Nagorno-Karabakh residents.
The platform is open for like-minded forces to join.
source,
source,
The bill will be sent to the President who is expected to veto it, but her veto is expected to be overruled by the parliamentary majority later.
Georgian PM Kobakhidze had an "honest conversation" with U.S. deputy foreign minister James O'Brien, telling him that the Georgian government is interested in deepening the partnership with the U.S., "which requires mutual efforts and relations based on fairness."
James O'Brien demanded to speak with the manager - Bidza Ivanishvili. The latter refused to meet O'Brien, saying he won't hold any meetings under "blackmail".
The White House said the U.S. will review its relations with Georgia if the bill becomes law.
source, source, source,
Dec: 6.6K
Jan: 6.9K
Mar: 8.0K
Apr: 9.1K
May: 9.9K
The former Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh said many of them have family members and friends in Russia who invite them to move.
source,
WEATHER CENTER: High temperatures increase the evaporation of water and reduce the amount of snow in the winter. In December and January, we recorded rain instead of snow in certain mountainous regions, which is bad for water resources.
REPORTER: A conference was recently held in Yerevan within the framework of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
UN official: Around 40% of global soils are degraded. Millions of people will be forced to migrate from their communities by 2050 as a result of climate problems. Emergency action is needed to reduce the rate of rising temperatures. //
Armenia joined the Convention three decades ago and has assumed the responsibility to restore degraded soil by 2030. The government is promoting drip irrigation systems for farming and wants to plant more trees.
video,
The goal is to raise energy efficiency and carry out seismic retrofitting in 6 medical clinics and 32 kindergartens run by the municipality. The length of the program is 4 years.
video, video,
see it to believe it
video,
source,
Iran says the AM-IR traffic through the Meghri checkpoint significantly increased last year. Coupled with the fact that Armenia is building a modern North-South highway, they believe it's necessary to have a second AM-IR bridge to handle the rising traffic.
The parties are currently discussing the formation of a working group consisting of experts to discuss the topic.
source,
The findings show that the clearance of the dye was reduced by 30% in sleeping mice compared with mice that were kept awake. This has not been confirmed on humans yet.
Previous research has suggested that sleep is important for preventing dementia as it is during this time that toxic proteins are cleared from the brain.
source, source,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
average monthly nominal salaries and YoY change in Q1 2024
Yerevan +8% to ֏324K/$836Syunik +7% to ֏295K/$760
Shirak +7% to ֏142K/$366
Yerevan had the highest wages. Syunik had the highest wages among provinces, while Shirak had the lowest.
REPORT: While the average nominal monthly salary does not always show the level of economic prosperity in a region, its rise has made a tangible difference in Syunik.
SUREN PARSYAN (economist): Syunik has higher wages and strong employment. It is the most prosperous province with the lowest
REPORT: Over the last 5 years, the average monthly nominal salaries have risen by 40% while the inflation was 21%.
source,
Armenian army launches command staff exercises
They will exercise the practical implementation of deployment and combat plans, evaluate the commanders' skills, improve the synchronized work between various groups, develop the officers' moral characteristics and practical skills during preparation and combat operations, etc.They will use automated control systems and modern technologies during the exercises.
source,
Armenia and India will form a new working group for defense cooperation
Defense ministries of AM and IN held a meeting on Tuesday. They discussed the 2024-2025 cooperation plan and the creation of a new working group to coordinate the cooperation.source,
from PM Pashinyan's speech at Copenhagen Democracy Summit:
PASHINYAN: Democracy has indeed become a reality in Armenia. Before the 2018 Velvet Revolution, massive electoral frauds were the usual companion of elections in Armenia. There was no trust among the citizens that there was a real chance for them to elect the government.Now the situation is totally different; citizens know that they are powerful enough to decide. The two general elections that were held in Armenia after the Velvet Revolution have been acknowledged as democratic, free, and competitive both by the Armenian society and the international community.
Armenia made huge progress in strengthening the democratic institutions, an achievement reflected in reputable democracy indexes:
(a) Now we are the 43rd in the Reporters Without Borders’ Freedom of Speech index, compared to 79th place in 2017.
(b) Categorized as having partially free internet in 2017 by Freedom House, now we enjoy the status of a country with free internet.
(c) In Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Armenia is now 62nd instead of 107th in 2017.
(d) In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index we are 84th compared to 111th in 2017.
In order to assess this progress, it's essential to note that alongside democratic reforms, Armenia has been contending with external security challenges: the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's invasion of Armenia in 2021 and 2022 and the occupation of over 200 km2 amid inaction by [Russia's] CSTO, the forced displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, have cast doubts among Armenian citizens weather democracy is the right choice. So, democracy needs to prove its efficiency while dealing with security, economic and humanitarian challenges.
We are pleased with the deployment of EU monitoring mission alongside the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and we welcome EU’s decision to expand its capacity. On the other hand, we hope for the inclusion of Armenia into the European Peace Facility and in this regard, we rely on the support of all EU member states [Hungary].
A new set of commitments aimed at strengthening Armenia’s economic resilience, state institutions, and addressing the humanitarian needs of refugees has been taken on by the European Union and United States during the high-level meeting on April 5 in Brussels. The rapid and effective implementation of those commitments is of utmost importance.
Despite all the challenges, we believe that the real and most aspiring companion for democracy is lasting and sustainable peace. My government took the share of its responsibility for this. Recently we reached an agreement with Azerbaijan to launch the delimitation of our interstate borders on the basis of the Almaty Declaration of 1991. That means that during the delimitation we should simply reproduce the Soviet-era administrative borders. This is the implementation of the agreement reached in Prague in 2022. Now it is time to incorporate and reflect those agreements in the peace treaty and have it signed.
Another key point for our regional stability is the «Crossroads of Peace», project, initiated by my government. This project implies that Armenia and Azerbaijan restore and open transport and other communications in accordance with the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass, and comply with the principles of equality and reciprocity. These elements of the concept were agreed upon during the July 2023 meeting with Ilham Aliyev and Charles Michel. //
... Politico reporter's Q&A with Pashinyan
REPORTER: [Ex-NATO leader] Anders Fogh Rasmussen called your neighbor an autocracy. You are in a very difficult geopolitical and geographical position. How do you solve the security problem in that environment?PASHINYAN: I would not like to comment on the internal situation of our neighboring countries. Democracy fully corresponds to the mentality of our people. It is a strategy for our government, it is our political belief, it is also our political identity. The members of our political team have spent most of their lives fighting for democracy, the rule of law, and freedom of speech. Now we have the opportunity to realize all these values in our country.
The security situation was complicated because of the regional and global situation; the world order is collapsing at the moment. My assessment is, and I have had occasion to say this publicly, that the 2020 war was a prelude to further developments. And now the main issue is security.
What is our strategic point of view, how are we going to guarantee the security of our country? Recently, I gave a speech in our parliament, where I said that the most important tool for ensuring security is a foreign policy based on legitimacy. This is the reason why we so often speak about the 1991 Almaty Declaration.
It is very important that during the 2022 Prague meeting, two very important agreements were reached. Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty on the basis of the Almaty Declaration and will use it as the basis for the border demarcation. This is the reason why I said that we are not drawing a new border, we just need to reproduce the existing one on the ground. This process is happening right now, and I hope that we will continue it steadfastly.
REPORTER: The border conflict that has occurred in recent years has had a negative impact on relations with Russia and Russia's role for Armenia. What would you say about this?
PASHINYAN: Armenia is a member of CSTO. We are officially a CSTO member, but I have announced that we have frozen our participation.
REPORTER: So are you still a member or...?
PASHINYAN: It is a matter for further discussion, but it is very important to record the current situation. A crisis arose in our relations after Azerbaijani troops invaded Armenia, and according to CSTO procedures, the Organization and its member states had to support Armenia in this situation. But even after the formal application, the CSTO refused to take any concrete steps, and in fact, that is the main reason for freezing our participation in the CSTO at all levels.
REPORTER: Do you expect the West to occupy the current vacuum and ensure your security?
PASHINYAN: We are diversifying our foreign relations in all spheres. Now we are developing defense cooperation with India, France, and other countries. We have a certain cooperation with the European Union because as I mentioned, we are happy about the deployment of the EU Civilian Observation Mission on the border. It is a civilian mission but in a way, it is a new factor for the security of our region. This is the first time that the European Union participates in the security agenda of Armenia.
REPORTER: Would you like to become an EU member?
PASHINYAN: We are waiting for the EU's decision to include Armenia in the European Peace Facility. We also hope to start visa liberalization negotiations, and last year I announced in the European Parliament that Armenia is ready to be as close to the European Union as the European Union deems it possible. This is our position.
REPORTER: Can you elaborate on what initiatives Armenia is taking in the fight against corruption?
PASHINYAN: We have made huge progress but have not eradicated corruption from Armenia. We must continue to be persistent in the agenda of democratic reforms. This is the reason why cooperation with the European Union is of utmost importance for us because today the European Union is our main partner in the implementation of our democratic reform agenda. We hope that the European Union, as well as the USA, will increase their support to Armenia in the implementation of democratic reforms, because, as I said, democracy is a strategy for us.
By the way, in 2019 we started a Strategic Dialogue with the USA, and today we see the strengthening of our cooperation with the European Union. We recently had a tripartite meeting with the participation of the USA, EU, and Armenia. It was an unprecedented format, where we adopted a huge agenda of institutional and economic reforms. It is also very important that we receive more tangible support from the EU and the US to address the humanitarian needs of the Nagorno Karabakh refugees because it is a very sensitive and emotional issue for us.
REPORTER: In which year would you like Armenia to become a member of the EU?
PASHINYAN: This year [as soon as possible]. //
Pashinyan met Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The latter emphasized the importance of the “Crossroads of Peace” project in the context of unblocking the regional infrastructure.
Pashinyan discussed various topics with the PM of Denmark. The latter accepted his invitation to visit Armenia.
full video, source, video, other, other, source, video,
former regime continues to hold protests and briefly shut down roads in Yerevan with demands for PM Pashinyan's resignation
ԳԼՈՒԽ 1Dozens of participants were detained and released the same day for blocking roads. The detentions decreased from 170 on Monday to ~63 on Tuesday. They want Pashinyan to resign or to be impeached. The protest organizers visited universities to gather student supporters, some of whom joined them with a dance. The organizers also stopped by at a bakery where they were given free food.
A felony investigation was launched after a police vehicle, "with the sirens on", struck a reporter on the street. In another instance, an investigation was launched against a protester who brought a long sword. One other case was launched over alleged threats made on Facebook by a Galstanyan fan who wants scores of people to be beaten in dalans and exiled from Armenia, "մենակ էտ դեպքում էս սրբազան հողը կմաքրվի էս տեսակ շան ծնունդներից, ուրիշ ձև չկա!!!!"
ԳԼՈՒԽ 2
A ruling faction member of Yerevan City Council complained about "harassment" by opposition figures who are attempting to convince ruling party members to join the protests and the impeachment.
RULING MEMBER: That is not how it works. No one will join you with that conduct. People will join if they see you have a legitimate agenda with trustworthy leaders. Instead, you are "ethnically cleansing" the citizens of Armenia [referring to one opposition speaker telling non-Armenians to leave] և հեռու չէ են օրը երբ դուք գուցե ասեք որ հայ լինելու համար պետք է Հայկ նահապետից տեղեկանք բերել: //
ԳԼՈՒԽ 3
Yesterday the protest co-organizer Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan said he received a report suggesting that the Deputy Rector of Yerevan State University supposedly urged deans and others to retaliate against students who joined the protests. Galstanyan said he was unsure whether the report was true, but decided to read it out loud anyway. On Tuesday he rallied his supporters to the backyard of the University where he demanded to speak with the Deputy Rector for clarification.
The Deputy Rector went downstairs and greeted Galstanyan, who shook her hand but wouldn't let it go for an uncomfortably long period, prompting her to ask him to let go of her hand. The Deputy Rector declared that whatever Galstanyan read about her was a defamatory lie.
GALSTANYAN: I never believed it myself.
DEPUTY RECTOR: Then you should not have said out loud something you did not believe.
GALSTANYAN: Listen, there is a recorded fact...
DEPUTY RECTOR: Where is that "recorded fact"?
GALSTANYAN: It was on the media. As I said yesterday, I had no verification that it was true, which is why we came here to clarify it. If it's false, then I apologize.
DEPUTY RECTOR: Thank you. //
The Deputy Rector urged the protest organizers not to enter the building or disrupt the classes, and that "anyone who wants to follow you can follow you, anyone who wants to stay in classrooms should stay in classrooms".
The angry Deputy Rector left. Another university official criticized Galstanyan for not checking the information before reading it to his followers. Galstanyan said he stands behind his words, and that he was "just reading what was on the media", but reiterated that he had no intention to insult the Deputy Rector.
ԳԼՈՒԽ 4
Galstanyan and his supporters visited the monument dedicated to Operation Nemesis. He praised the figures behind Nemesis for "assuming personal responsibility". In front of the crowd, Galstanyan introduced Hambig Sassounian who recently joined his movement. He pointed to the Nemesis monument and said Sassounian is "one of the successors, one of the brightest people." In related news, on Sunday a ruling faction MP complained about receiving death threats with reference to Operation Nemesis.
ԳԼՈՒԽ 5
DANIEL IOANNESIAN (NGO chief): When this protest dies down, we need to discuss the following: (1) The transparency of political and media funding. There are some regulations in place, but they are incomplete and easily bypassed. For example, I'd like to know who paid for Archbishop Galstanyan's giant stage in Republic Square. In 2018 Pashinyan organized a fundraising for it and disclosed a detailed report. (2) Should the media organizations that do not respect the rules of financial transparency enjoy all the mechanisms for the protection of journalists? (3) Are the customs authorities confident that the church is not facilitating the business activities of certain figures disguised as donations? (4) Is it fair for the church and clergy members not to pay taxes? Should they be able to have a Bently and LX570 without paying taxes? [The "Bentley" is based on a true story.]
ԳԼՈՒԽ 6
Archbishop's fans spotted Miss Armenia 2003 and a H1 host Lusine Tovmasyan drinking a coffee at a Yerevan café and approached her.
PROTESTER: (unintelligable)
LUSINE: I was here drinking coffee yesterday, and a year before that.
PROTESTER: Why have you not joined the holy struggle?
LUSINE: Լավ եկեք թարգեք, շատ զզվելի ա, էնքան զզվելի ա․ //
ԳԼՈՒԽ 7
Pro-Kremlin propagandist Alexander Dugin praised the pro-Russian forces' protests in Armenia and criticized the pro-EU protests in Georgia.
Pro-Kremlin Russian politician Semyon Baghdasarov praised Archbishop Bagrat and the ongoing "uprising" in Armenia against the "traitor" [Nikol] who "rigged" the elections with the help of "Turkey, UK, and US". Nikol is a Turkish MI6 agent. video,
ԳԼՈՒԽ 8
Video of a protest recorded from above: video
source, video, video, video, video, source, source, source, source, source, source, source, video,
Armenian government has upgraded other diplomatic channels to reduce reliance on ARF's diaspora structures in the US, says pro-West NGO chief
KHURSHUDYAN: The status of the Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. [Lilith Makunts] has been significantly upgraded. I won't go into specifics because it's tied to our neighbors, but she plays an interesting role there. We have great conditions for the U.S. Congress to pressure Azerbaijan. This is outside of ARF's lobbyist groups in the U.S.REPORTER: ARF Hay Dat's recent conduct has been shameful.
KHURSHUDYAN: And its influence on the Lemkin Institute was obvious. //
Yesterday Kurshudyan accused the Lemkin Institute of caving to ARF's pressure and meddling into Armenia's internal affairs to assist the protests by the pro-Russian former regime.
KHURSHUDYAN: Lemkin Institute accused Pashinyan's April 24 genocide remembrance day statement of containing "victim blaming". Lemkin did not comment on Pashinyan's statement for several weeks, waited 15 days, and as soon as these pro-Russian protests began in Armenia, they gave them a պաս:
source,
Armenia's four most prominent pro-West opposition parties announce the formation of a unified platform
Republic Party, led by ex-PM Aram Sargsyan.Hanun Republic Party, led by Arman Babajanyan.
European Party of Armenia, led by Tigran Khzmalyan.
Christian-Democratic Party, led by Levon Shirinyan.
Have the following agenda...
(1) Promotion of Western values in Armenia and Armenia's membership in EU and NATO.
(2) United front against threats and risks of destabilization coming from Russia.
(3) Vetting judges to clean up the courts, and resolution of issues left unaddressed by the Pashinyan administration.
(4) Continuation of border demarcation based on 1991 Almaty.
(5) The use of international law to achieve a fair resolution for Nagorno-Karabakh residents.
The platform is open for like-minded forces to join.
source,
Armenian army chief denies being a Russian citizen
A statement released by the defense ministry denies media reports that CoGS LtGen Edward Asryan is a dual citizen of Russia. His wife is an ethnic Russian with Armenian citizenship and his kids are dual citizens, but Asryan only has citizenship in Armenia. The whole family has resided in Armenia since 2006, said the statement.source,
Georgia passes controversial ‘foreign agents’ bill despite widespread opposition
The law will require organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence” or face crippling fines.The bill will be sent to the President who is expected to veto it, but her veto is expected to be overruled by the parliamentary majority later.
Georgian PM Kobakhidze had an "honest conversation" with U.S. deputy foreign minister James O'Brien, telling him that the Georgian government is interested in deepening the partnership with the U.S., "which requires mutual efforts and relations based on fairness."
James O'Brien demanded to speak with the manager - Bidza Ivanishvili. The latter refused to meet O'Brien, saying he won't hold any meetings under "blackmail".
The White House said the U.S. will review its relations with Georgia if the bill becomes law.
source, source, source,
how many of the 101,000 Nagorno-Karabakh refugees have left Armenia and haven't returned yet?
As of...Dec: 6.6K
Jan: 6.9K
Mar: 8.0K
Apr: 9.1K
May: 9.9K
The former Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh said many of them have family members and friends in Russia who invite them to move.
source,
temperatures are rising rapidly in Armenia
REPORTER: The rainy May is not going to be enough to alleviate the negative consequences of the rapidly rising temperatures in Armenia. With a ~3 Celsius anomaly, Armenia had the second-highest increase in temperature over the last 6 months among a group of monitored countries.WEATHER CENTER: High temperatures increase the evaporation of water and reduce the amount of snow in the winter. In December and January, we recorded rain instead of snow in certain mountainous regions, which is bad for water resources.
REPORTER: A conference was recently held in Yerevan within the framework of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
UN official: Around 40% of global soils are degraded. Millions of people will be forced to migrate from their communities by 2050 as a result of climate problems. Emergency action is needed to reduce the rate of rising temperatures. //
Armenia joined the Convention three decades ago and has assumed the responsibility to restore degraded soil by 2030. The government is promoting drip irrigation systems for farming and wants to plant more trees.
video,
is the decline of Lake Sevan levels finally slowing down?
see the YoY chartYerevan Municipality to receive a €25 million loan from European Investment Bank to raise energy efficiency
It's part of the implementation of Eastern Partnership programs. The Armenian government and the EU are co-financing it.The goal is to raise energy efficiency and carry out seismic retrofitting in 6 medical clinics and 32 kindergartens run by the municipality. The length of the program is 4 years.
video, video,
Gagik Tsarukyan is inside you
there is a bit of Tsarukyan inside all of yousee it to believe it
Gagik Tsarukyan says the new Jesus statue is ready and will be installed by the end of 2025
It will be a tourist attraction site. There will be a ropeway. Also, Tsarukyan needs you to know that he is a man of God and an avid believer.video,
Armenia and Slovakia discussed AM-EU visa liberalization
source,Lithuania will help retrain Armenian law enforcement agents to combat cybercrime, analyze crimes, etc.
source,Armenia's Economy Minister Papoyan met the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt
In a Washington meeting participated by the Armenian Ministry delegation and Armenia's Ambassador, they spoke about the Crossroads of Peace logistics project proposed by Armenia, several topics relating to Armenia's energy and economic security, and the Armenian government's ongoing efforts to classify Armenia as a "market economy".source,
Armenia and Iran discussed the construction of a second bridge over the River Araks
The first bridge began operating in 1996. It came to replace the floating bridges on the river.Iran says the AM-IR traffic through the Meghri checkpoint significantly increased last year. Coupled with the fact that Armenia is building a modern North-South highway, they believe it's necessary to have a second AM-IR bridge to handle the rising traffic.
The parties are currently discussing the formation of a working group consisting of experts to discuss the topic.
source,
a new study on mice indicates that more exercise might be better than more sleep for clearing brain of toxins
They injected a dye into a brain and tracked the speed of its movement during sleep and exercise.The findings show that the clearance of the dye was reduced by 30% in sleeping mice compared with mice that were kept awake. This has not been confirmed on humans yet.
Previous research has suggested that sleep is important for preventing dementia as it is during this time that toxic proteins are cleared from the brain.
source, source,
2024.05.13 03:05 strubisach UPDATE: OOP dodges a bride-shaped bullet. "The wedding hasn't even happened yet and everything's already a trainwreck"
I am not The OOP, OOP is u/lolfuckno.
This post was originally posted to weddingshaming.
There was already a BoRU post by u/autochthonouschimera, which didn't include the last update yet.
TRIGGER WARNING: cheating, child neglect, extreme entitledness, talk of abortion
MOOD SPOILERS: infuriating, confusing, frustrating
The new update at the bottom of this post has been marked with --- ---
EDIT/DISCLAIMER: FFS FOLLOW THE NO BRIGADING RULE = DO NOT COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL POSTS LINKED IN BoRUs!! THIS OFC ALSO INCLUDES NOT TEXTING THE OOP DIRECTLY, NOT REPORTING THEM TO SUBS LIKE care AND NOT INCLUDING THEM IN THREADS AND DISCUSSIONS!! LEAVE THEM ALONE, THIS SUB IS MADE TO LURK AND GET SOME SPICY STORIES WITH CLOSURE, NOT TO HARRASS PEOPLE WHO ALREADY GOT ALOT OF INPUT THROUGH DIFFERENT SUBs!!
Original story was posted on December 7, 2021
Okay, so this girl I know from high school is getting married. We're both 22, for reference. In our senior year of high school she got pregnant, with baby daddy A who will be referred to as Adam. Her super conservative parents kicked her out and she ended up moving in with a friend's family. She barely graduated high school. The only reason she did were because of the generosity and support of our teachers and students who volunteered to help her, which is how we met. We were in the same law class in the morning and she had the worst morning sickness that really affected her ability to be in class. So, I took extra notes for her, tutored her, and brought her her stuff if she hadn't come back by the bell. I wasn't the only one who did stuff like this for her and I know she really appreciates all the assistance we gave her. She had the baby a month after we graduated.
She'd signed up for a 911 dispatcher course for after high school because where we live it's a good steady job, with opportunity for certificates and promotions. But she didn't realize how intensive the course would be and had to drop out. She started working at a grocery store bakery, just until she had a better plan. Adam started an apprenticeship while working part time at a hockey rink, and proposed to her literally the day of her eighteenth birthday, and brought up marriage because "it's the right thing to do" (I don't really agree with that but this isn't about me) and she was always refusing.
She started cheating on him after a while (we're all 19 now), and eventually leaves him for another guy because... She's pregnant again and it is far more likely that this guy, baby daddy B who will be referred to as Brad, is the father of the child. Neither of them can afford lawyers so getting any kind of custody agreement is a mess, and then their parents got involved and they did 50/50 split (still not made official). She has the baby, that does turn out to be Brad's, and everything is okay for about nine months, when she finds out Brad has been cheating on her with his TA. Brad decides to pay child support but doesn't really want contact with the kid, only around holidays and one weekend a month for his parents' sake.
She moves back in with her parents (we're all 20 now) who only accept her back because there's grandchildren around. On the plus side, (when she's 21) she gets to take that year long dispatcher course, and passes with flying colours!
After working as a dispatcher for a year (we're all 22 now) she meets a police officer we'll call Chad, who's 26 and married... And Adam's second (?) cousin (I can't remember how they're related, just that Adam and Chad are related somewhat distantly). She has an affair with him (infidelity is super common among cops apparently). She gets knocked up, his wife divorces him, Chad proposes because "it's the right thing to do", she accepts, and her parents kick her out again for being a [insert expletive here], she moves in with Chad with her two kids. They've started planning the wedding, which... Given the background is something akin to a dumpster fire. Adam is LIVID. He was desperately in love with this girl and hasn't really recovered from what she did to him, and while she rejected his proposals years ago, she's accepted one FROM HIS COUSIN WHO PROPSED FOR THE SAME REASON HE DID.
Adam has basically made a call for loyalty in the family, dividing everyone one who should go, who should give money, etc plus they're having trouble planning anything because of COVID. Her parents have outright said that they're not going, along with half of her family, and her younger sister has been going around and sabotaging what plans they can make.
She has asked me to be a bridesmaid, I said that I couldn't because I live in a different province now, but the truth is, I do not want to be wrapped up in that clusterfuck in any way . I'm just watching the arguments and events unfold on social media because this is quite honestly the most entertaining thing I've seen all year. It's weird to me that she even asked because we're not friends, we never have been. We were friendly strangers in high school, I just helped her out for one class because she needed help and I could give it to her. I was just being nice. But based on how she turned out I'm just sad for her. Three kids in four years, and she's alienated so much of her friends and family because if her actions, and I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and putting my head in my hands.
EDIT 1:
First off, all of your comments are hilarious. Second, I'm going to answer some of the common questions.
We're from a city with over 400,000 thousand people, she just comes from the neighbourhood that is made of either bible thumpers or white trash, with no in between. But the high school we went to was in a completely different neighbourhood than that.
Our school had a pretty good sex Ed course, and they gave out free condoms and had resources to help girls get birth control, and they had programs in place for if students ever got pregnant/were going to be teen parents (they also had one of those classes with the dolls for girls who were high risk at teen pregnancy but she wasn't high risk so she wasn't in that class) I don't if BC just didn't work for her, or if she never tried it.
She started alienating her friends after the affair with Chad came out, because people weren't exactly jumping for joy that she'd broken up a marriage (Chad and his ex didn't have any kids, thankfully, so there were less obstacles). When people weren't immediately ecstatic for her she started getting very snippy, rude, and was "calling the bitches out" on social media for not supporting her new relationship or pregnancy. (Tbh I'm really worried about her health because having this many babies so close together is just not good for her health, mental or physical.) People are also worried that Chad will cheat on her "if he'll cheat with you, he'll cheat on you" and think she should avoid marrying him so that she can just leave him if it happens.
I'll give you updates as they come out, but so far it's just a lot of yelling on social media (mostly from her), some relatives slut shaming her, and people who are just really worried about her because, as funny as this is, this doesn't seem like healthy behaviour.
EDIT 2:
First off, I realized I never gave this girl a name. For the sake of clarity we'll call her Beth. I realize that I didn't mention this before, but all of these are fake names.
Second, to everyone commenting that Chad is at fault for his marriage breaking up, believe me I'm well aware of that. It is his ex wife and her family/friends who solely blame Beth. Chad is also older than her and has more life experience, so I do believe that he could potentially be taking advantage of her naivete. However, she is also an adult who is capable of making her own decisions and has chosen to make poor ones in the past.
Third, people who are upset that I'm posting this story here, claiming I'm humiliating her. She has been posting about this mess on every social media platform she has since they got engaged in July. She put this out there long before I did except she did so in front of friends, family, employers, and coworkers, as well as internet randos.
Fourth, despite getting engaged in July and attempting to start planning then, I was only asked to be a bridesmaid three days ago. I knew that there was a mess going on but I didn't really pay attention to it until she asked me to be a bridesmaid. I tried to ask what was going on, I said that she should talk to someone, but when she completely brushed me off I checked her FB and Instagram and found out about all of... This.
Fifth, I realized that I didn't really talk about how disastrous the wedding planning has been going, see here you go:
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UPDATE:
Hey everyone, so some stuff has gone down, and it doesn't look like it's over yet. Sorry, I didn't update sooner, but Rona came back with a vengeance and totally messed up plans with uni and family. Anyway, onto the update.
From the last update - 16th - Lots of ranting and chaotic wedding planning on social media, she found a dress and has decided she will get married while pregnant, they found a local wedding venue that is very lovely, but I'm shocked she's still trying to book stuff with all of their previous venue cancellations.
December 16th - Her little sister unblocked her to call her a s*ut and tell her that all her wedding plans were stupid. This resulted in a petty and entertaining facebook war until the little sis blocked her again on the 17th.
December 18th - Beth went nuts on social media because Adam had "kidnapped" their daughter, what really happened is that because courts are moving at a snail's pace due to COVID and Adam had reason to believe that their daughter was not safe living with Beth he decided to just... Not give her back. They don't have a custody agreement, and when Beth tried to call the cops they couldn't do anything because he was kinda right. There were dozens of videos on her various social media accounts of her ignoring their daughter, yelling at her daughter for crying or doing other things that toddlers do, it turns out that everything she needed was bought by Adam, food, diapers, clothes, toys, daycare (while it was open) etc. on top of the unofficial child support he was paying every month (which turned out to be $500 a month, a number I find ridiculous because Adam was already paying for literally everything) because she refused to buy anything for her daughter and insisted it was Adam's responsibility. Additionally, after the immediate post-birth appointments, Beth never took baby A to a doctor's appointment, she always deferred that to Adam. Baby A's pediatrician has NEVER met Beth. Beth even tried to get Chad to push back or intimidate him or something, but the local police where we live are under one hell of a microscope after a bunch of dirty cops got busted a couple of years ago. Basically, the cops, and the social worker they ended up calling, ended up saying there was nothing she could do until they get to court. The social worker tried to get her to go to therapy and parenting classes, but Beth refused and went on a fifteen paragraph long rant on Facebook about how she doesn't need parenting classes or therapy (she really, really does though) and called the social worker some choice words.
December 19-24 - Just a bunch of ranting on social media, calling everyone who doesn't enable or justify her behaviour cuss words, slurs, and a whole bunch of other horribly creative things. Also, both she and Chad are under investigation at work now, but she has no idea why. I'm gonna take this time to remind everyone that 99% of this info is coming from her public social media pages where her coworkers are friends and place of employment is listed.
December 25 - I am officially embarrassed to know this woman. I didn't go on her FB page until the evening cause I didn't want to deal with drama, first thing in the morning, on Xmas. In the morning she put on a very beautiful blue maternity dress, got Chad in his police blues, and baby B in a purple romper, and then live-streamed her and her family going to the courthouse to get married on Christmas day. (According to her Twitter, part of this was because their newest venue cancelled on them after COVID numbers spiked) Overall, a pretty tacky thing in my opinion because she stated plain as day, several times, that she intended her wedding anniversary to eclipse Christmas for her children because it's just "so much more special, you know?" (I am so glad that Baby B's grandparents are filing for guardianship) But here's the thing... The courthouse isn't open. Because of COVID for one thing, but also because it's Xmas and Canada has a predominantly Christian history. She proceeded to have a full meltdown, and when Baby B cried because, y'know, the kid's mom was screaming up a storm and scaring her, Beth called her a c*nt. Yup. So done with this bitch.
December 28 - I ran into her at a vaccine clinic cause we were both getting our booster shots. She didn't recognize me at first but one of my old bosses (cause I used to work at the hospital the vaccine clinic was in) called my name and said hi, so she came up to me after my old boss had left. We talked a bit while we sat down for the mandatory waiting period after getting the shot. She asked how I was but didn't even wait for me to respond before she started ranting and complaining about her life. I was just going to sit there until the time was up and then just politely make my exit, but when she started talking shit about her kids something inside me snapped. I just said "Do you even like your kids? Do you like being a mom?" She got pretty quiet for a second and then said "no". Idk, her voice and demeanour completely changed and we just sat in silence until our time was up. I said goodbye but it was really awkward.
December 31st (today) - I just looked at her feed and, this is such a shocking what-the-actual-f*** moment. She's thinking about giving up her kids. She went on about how recently she was asked if she liked her kids or being a mom, and how she realized that she didn't. She hates her children and blames them for ruining her life, and how she doesn't want to be a mom. I mean, nothing is official yet, but what the hell?!
I'll update as stuff happens now that I have the time, but this whole thing has been a big giant mess. Also, sorry for any formatting or grammatical errors, I'm not used to using Reddit on my PC.
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UPDATE
Okay, so, some stuff has happened and most of it's good? Also, the TL:DR for this update will be at the bottom
Jan 4th - Beth (and Chad) stopped posting on all social media. I was actually a little worried she died, I mean this woman posts everything short of her trips to the bathroom on IG.
Oddly enough, this got people messaging or interacting with her social media pages because she was usually the one to start contact, and that contact was usually yelling. No one heard from them and some people started to be like "should we call the cops for a wellness check?" Until Chad posted a status saying that they're fine but are "busy, please stop trying to contact us right now". Everyone listened but it was weird.
Jan 11 - I got a notification that Beth and Chad are active on social media again, but I didn't feel like drama so I didn't check out any of their posts.
Jan 12 (today) - she messaged me on FB asking me to be her MOH. She also kept going on about the resort in Cancun that she and Chad were looking to have their wedding at... This coming February. Omnicrom is really bad where we are, so no one should be travelling anywhere. I've actually had to delay my trip back to the province where I go to university. No one should be travelling anywhere.
Beth also found out that Chad was cheating on her with one of her co-workers and called the woman a "homewrecker" on FB tagged her, and posted the texts she found on Chad's phone. But Chad is the "love of her life" so she's forgiven him, but not the other woman. Which I find very hypocritical, considering how she and Chad got together.
She also sent pics of possible bridesmaid dresses and they are the most hideous dresses I've ever seen. I know that some brides do that thing where they want to look a million times better by comparison but this was just ridiculous. One of them looked like a partially deflated balloon with feathers strapped to it. She also openly admitted that she expected everyone attending to pay 3k, 2k would go towards that guest's stay at the resort and 1k would go to her and Chad and they will expected wedding gifts, so that they could get their room for free. Apparently, she talked to someone at the resort and if she got enough people to book their rooms she and Chad would get theirs for free. She also wanted the money to be given to her instead of directly to the hotel so that people wouldn't realize that she was taking 1k of their money. Beth sent me a pic of the wedding dress she wanted, and it's definitely a clubbing dress. If that's what she wants that's fine (and for the record I do think she would look great in it, Beth's (current) dream wedding dress ) but she wants all the guests to be dressed black tie. And she's already sent a list of unreasonable requests. Such as;
I was also just kinda weirded out because aside from the previous convo at the hospital and when she originally asked me to be a bridesmaid, we haven't spoken since high school. So I respectfully declined, stating that the virus and school were my top concerns right now. Then, I decided to check her socials to see if she'd posted anything. She had and everything was basically how it was before the hiatus... Except her kids are nowhere to be found. No "look at my cute baby" pics are kids crying in the background of her videos. Nothing. Though, based on her new pics of herself, she's given birth to baby C. I mean, she's definitely still recovering, but she also definitely had a baby and that baby is not on any of her socials, so when she responded to my decline with an attempt at guilting me to be her MOH, I asked her where her kids were. This was her response.
"Oh, I left them at the side of the road in our way home from the hospital those moochers could walk home lol"
I was like, please tell me you're not being serious (especially cause it looks like she had the baby days ago). And she replied "I was just joking you shouldn't be so serious all the time". Honey, you made a joke about child abandonment/abuse, you're not being serious enough. And then I finally got the update on the kids.
After learning all this my convo with Beth started to go down hill...
Beth: wait, did you actually think I would just leave my kids at the side of the road! I just didn't want to be a mom, but I wasn't a bad one
Me: Beth, I think that you've been through a lot of trauma in the past few years, and that it's gotten to you mentally and that you should speak to a professional.
(Of course, Beth has been a bad mom, but she does need mental health help and I wasn't going to convince her to get it, or to not tell at me, if I said that )
Beth: what? You think I'm crazy?!
Me: no. I think that getting kicked out as a teen because of a pregnancy and having your family actively reject you and try to sabotage you must have been very painful. Plus, pregnancy puts a lot of mental stress on women and you've had three in such a short time span, I just want you to take care of yourself and get what you want in life, and I think that will start with you taking care of your mental health.
Beth: what I want... IS FOR YOU TO GO STRAIGHT TO HELL! Beth then calls me every cuss word, expletive, and derogatory word she can think of one of the words she called me was a derogatory word about people from my ethnicity and my blood is boiling that she thought it was okay to say that to me.
So, I'm now on her hit list. She's been blowing up my social media all day, on her last FB post where she called me a slur she said that she still expects a good wedding gift from me. Yeah, no. So I've blocked her on everything, and I've decided to completely cut off contact. This will be my last update.
TL:DR - Beth went on a social media blackout for a bit, had baby C. Gave up all her kids, baby A is still with Adam, Baby B and Baby C are with a mutual cousin of Adam and Chad and baby B's grandparents have access. Chad cheated on her and she forgave him, but she probably shouldn't have. She's decided to have her wedding in a little over a month in Cancun and is expecting unreasonable things of everyone already. She asked me to be MOH I respectfully declined. I also suggested that she talk to a mental health professional because she's been through a lot in the last few years and she cussed me out, she also called me a derogatory name directed at people of my ethnicity and that was the final nail in the coffin. I'm now on her hit list. But her kids are safe and I have no interest in going to wedding so I'm cutting contact completely and have already blocked her on all my socials. I'm refusing to be involved with her anymore and will not be updating on the situation.
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--- EDIT - NEW UPDATE --- - JANUARY 25, 2023 - TL:DR AT THE BOTTOM
Hi, everyone, I didn't think I would be making another update, but here I am. I don't know if anyone will even care but whatever. I saw a YouTuber, Charlotte Dobre, do an entire video about this post on Facebook (which was funny, she did it well), [editor's note: here's the video in question and also: check out Charlotte Dobre's subreddit !] and got so nervous that Beth was gonna see it. Turned out, she's seen it and does not give a single damn, because as I pointed out, the majority of the info in this post came from her public social media. She also doesn't know who posted it (more on that in the update). I am still no contact with Beth and have no plans to change that anytime soon, but we have mutual friends who have told and shown me what's happened.
First things first, she and Chad did get married, but they eloped. According to all sources they are completely and utterly miserable though. Chad has proven to be and overall lazy and unfaithful husband, and Beth has really gotten into feminism (with a focus on reproductive issues) after she started using birth control, and Roe v Wade getting overturned (even though we're in Canada) really caused tension in their marriage. As it turns out, Chad thinks that abortion is murder and God created women for the purpose of making babies.
Beth tried to argue that not all women want or should be mothers using herself as an example, and then Chad went ahead and used her as an example of why women should be forced to have kids, because in the end she gave kids to an infertile couple. She didn't take that well and said that her entire life and future was ripped away from her and destroyed the second she got pregnant with baby A. Adam was never slut shamed or demeaned like she was, both at home and at school (which is a fair point, myself and many others were helpful and supportive but there were a lot of people who judged the hell out of her and said really nasty stuff) and that if she hadn't gotten pregnant she would've gone to college or university because she lost the general and financial support of her family with that positive pregnancy test. Chad has made a Tinder account. Beth was informed but it doesn't seem like she gave a damn.
So basically you could cut the tension with a knife.
And with her family, her sister came out as gay and cut off/has been cut off from their parents. But she's got a partial scholarship so she's doing okay. She and Beth are NOT on good terms but have met up and acknowledged that their parents messed them up by being religious nuts and their parents encouraged them to be competitive with each other and sabotage each other. Apparently their dad's motto is "competition brings out the best in everyone" (ugh). But they've talked and that's good enough for now.
Neither Beth nor Chad have custody or visitation of their children, which Chad is starting to regret because he's suddenly getting more and more into the church and religion. Chad talked to Beth about getting baby C back but Beth shut that down hard and warned the cousin who adopted baby C (officially and legally btw).
Beth started going to therapy after she and Chad got married, which makes me very happy and excited for her.
There was a rumour going around that Chad has a mistress and it took me a while to confirm, but it's true. He's cheating on her with a paramedic and she knows. Beth is fully aware. Idk if she plans to do anything about it or just continue to ignore it, but I hope she leaves his ass. I'm still not gonna talk to her, she crossed so many lines, but she's grown and improved a lot and her life would be a lot better without that sac of scum in her life.
Now, I have given a few details in my post that should've revealed my identity to her, namely her asking me to be her MOH. I have found out that she actually asked around 15 girls (including myself) to be her MOH, without telling any of us about the others because she was trying to get money from all of us and because her mental health has just been very bad and she needed help. And of those 15, 8 have been going to school out of province and of those eight we all had basically the same classes in high school. And apparently doesn't remember our discussion at the vaccination clinic and had major blow up with everyone she asked to be MOH. So she knows it's one of 8 people and reportedly has no interest in trying to narrow that number down. (Chad did the same thing with his groomsmen, but idk any of the numbers)
TL:DR Beth and Chad got married (eloped), are miserable, have zero custody or visitation with any of their children, Chad's cheating and Beth doesn't appear to care, Chad is super sexist, Beth is a feminist now, Beth's sister is gay and they've talked but not reconciled, Beth asked too many girls to be MOH for money and doesn't know the ID of who made this post.
Dear "Beth", if this post gets forwarded to you or somehow graces your phone screen, leave Chad. He's trash and you'll be much better without him in your life. And though I'm not willing to talk to you again because of your words and actions, I do wish for you to have a wonderful and happy life.
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Please remember the NO BRIGADING RULE: do not comment on the original posts linked in BoRUs, see Rule 7. Doing so can result into a permanent ban from this sub and the other linked sub(s).
I'm not the OOP!
submitted by strubisach to BestofRedditorUpdates [link] [comments]
This post was originally posted to weddingshaming.
There was already a BoRU post by u/autochthonouschimera, which didn't include the last update yet.
TRIGGER WARNING: cheating, child neglect, extreme entitledness, talk of abortion
MOOD SPOILERS: infuriating, confusing, frustrating
The new update at the bottom of this post has been marked with --- ---
EDIT/DISCLAIMER: FFS FOLLOW THE NO BRIGADING RULE = DO NOT COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL POSTS LINKED IN BoRUs!! THIS OFC ALSO INCLUDES NOT TEXTING THE OOP DIRECTLY, NOT REPORTING THEM TO SUBS LIKE care AND NOT INCLUDING THEM IN THREADS AND DISCUSSIONS!! LEAVE THEM ALONE, THIS SUB IS MADE TO LURK AND GET SOME SPICY STORIES WITH CLOSURE, NOT TO HARRASS PEOPLE WHO ALREADY GOT ALOT OF INPUT THROUGH DIFFERENT SUBs!!
Original story was posted on December 7, 2021
Okay, so this girl I know from high school is getting married. We're both 22, for reference. In our senior year of high school she got pregnant, with baby daddy A who will be referred to as Adam. Her super conservative parents kicked her out and she ended up moving in with a friend's family. She barely graduated high school. The only reason she did were because of the generosity and support of our teachers and students who volunteered to help her, which is how we met. We were in the same law class in the morning and she had the worst morning sickness that really affected her ability to be in class. So, I took extra notes for her, tutored her, and brought her her stuff if she hadn't come back by the bell. I wasn't the only one who did stuff like this for her and I know she really appreciates all the assistance we gave her. She had the baby a month after we graduated.
She'd signed up for a 911 dispatcher course for after high school because where we live it's a good steady job, with opportunity for certificates and promotions. But she didn't realize how intensive the course would be and had to drop out. She started working at a grocery store bakery, just until she had a better plan. Adam started an apprenticeship while working part time at a hockey rink, and proposed to her literally the day of her eighteenth birthday, and brought up marriage because "it's the right thing to do" (I don't really agree with that but this isn't about me) and she was always refusing.
She started cheating on him after a while (we're all 19 now), and eventually leaves him for another guy because... She's pregnant again and it is far more likely that this guy, baby daddy B who will be referred to as Brad, is the father of the child. Neither of them can afford lawyers so getting any kind of custody agreement is a mess, and then their parents got involved and they did 50/50 split (still not made official). She has the baby, that does turn out to be Brad's, and everything is okay for about nine months, when she finds out Brad has been cheating on her with his TA. Brad decides to pay child support but doesn't really want contact with the kid, only around holidays and one weekend a month for his parents' sake.
She moves back in with her parents (we're all 20 now) who only accept her back because there's grandchildren around. On the plus side, (when she's 21) she gets to take that year long dispatcher course, and passes with flying colours!
After working as a dispatcher for a year (we're all 22 now) she meets a police officer we'll call Chad, who's 26 and married... And Adam's second (?) cousin (I can't remember how they're related, just that Adam and Chad are related somewhat distantly). She has an affair with him (infidelity is super common among cops apparently). She gets knocked up, his wife divorces him, Chad proposes because "it's the right thing to do", she accepts, and her parents kick her out again for being a [insert expletive here], she moves in with Chad with her two kids. They've started planning the wedding, which... Given the background is something akin to a dumpster fire. Adam is LIVID. He was desperately in love with this girl and hasn't really recovered from what she did to him, and while she rejected his proposals years ago, she's accepted one FROM HIS COUSIN WHO PROPSED FOR THE SAME REASON HE DID.
Adam has basically made a call for loyalty in the family, dividing everyone one who should go, who should give money, etc plus they're having trouble planning anything because of COVID. Her parents have outright said that they're not going, along with half of her family, and her younger sister has been going around and sabotaging what plans they can make.
She has asked me to be a bridesmaid, I said that I couldn't because I live in a different province now, but the truth is, I do not want to be wrapped up in that clusterfuck in any way . I'm just watching the arguments and events unfold on social media because this is quite honestly the most entertaining thing I've seen all year. It's weird to me that she even asked because we're not friends, we never have been. We were friendly strangers in high school, I just helped her out for one class because she needed help and I could give it to her. I was just being nice. But based on how she turned out I'm just sad for her. Three kids in four years, and she's alienated so much of her friends and family because if her actions, and I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and putting my head in my hands.
EDIT 1:
First off, all of your comments are hilarious. Second, I'm going to answer some of the common questions.
We're from a city with over 400,000 thousand people, she just comes from the neighbourhood that is made of either bible thumpers or white trash, with no in between. But the high school we went to was in a completely different neighbourhood than that.
Our school had a pretty good sex Ed course, and they gave out free condoms and had resources to help girls get birth control, and they had programs in place for if students ever got pregnant/were going to be teen parents (they also had one of those classes with the dolls for girls who were high risk at teen pregnancy but she wasn't high risk so she wasn't in that class) I don't if BC just didn't work for her, or if she never tried it.
She started alienating her friends after the affair with Chad came out, because people weren't exactly jumping for joy that she'd broken up a marriage (Chad and his ex didn't have any kids, thankfully, so there were less obstacles). When people weren't immediately ecstatic for her she started getting very snippy, rude, and was "calling the bitches out" on social media for not supporting her new relationship or pregnancy. (Tbh I'm really worried about her health because having this many babies so close together is just not good for her health, mental or physical.) People are also worried that Chad will cheat on her "if he'll cheat with you, he'll cheat on you" and think she should avoid marrying him so that she can just leave him if it happens.
I'll give you updates as they come out, but so far it's just a lot of yelling on social media (mostly from her), some relatives slut shaming her, and people who are just really worried about her because, as funny as this is, this doesn't seem like healthy behaviour.
EDIT 2:
First off, I realized I never gave this girl a name. For the sake of clarity we'll call her Beth. I realize that I didn't mention this before, but all of these are fake names.
Second, to everyone commenting that Chad is at fault for his marriage breaking up, believe me I'm well aware of that. It is his ex wife and her family/friends who solely blame Beth. Chad is also older than her and has more life experience, so I do believe that he could potentially be taking advantage of her naivete. However, she is also an adult who is capable of making her own decisions and has chosen to make poor ones in the past.
Third, people who are upset that I'm posting this story here, claiming I'm humiliating her. She has been posting about this mess on every social media platform she has since they got engaged in July. She put this out there long before I did except she did so in front of friends, family, employers, and coworkers, as well as internet randos.
Fourth, despite getting engaged in July and attempting to start planning then, I was only asked to be a bridesmaid three days ago. I knew that there was a mess going on but I didn't really pay attention to it until she asked me to be a bridesmaid. I tried to ask what was going on, I said that she should talk to someone, but when she completely brushed me off I checked her FB and Instagram and found out about all of... This.
Fifth, I realized that I didn't really talk about how disastrous the wedding planning has been going, see here you go:
- they've had to rebook three times because venues and vendors kept cancelling when infection numbers got worse even thought their wedding was months away
- Beth has been flipping between having the wedding while she's pregnant saying she's proud of her bump, and wanting to wait until they're born because she feels fat, which is unfortunate because she's been breaking down due her insecurity on a public platform
- Beth is currently seven months pregnant
- Beth's great aunt was going to give her her wedding dress to wear (after she gives birth) but Beth's mom freaked and stole the dress from said aunt before Beth could get it and is now keeping it, the great aunt says she's too old to get in a fight and has shrugged it off
- Chad's immediate family is paying for the wedding and has been cut off by the rest of their extended family for 'choosing Chad'
- Beth's wedding colours are pink and green, which is usually a nice combo but the specific shades don't go great together, they're her and Chad's favourite colours, which is fine but she literally made a video talking about these colours for 14 minutes on her insta and both of her kids are just full on bawling in the background and she's ignoring them and she's gotten some flack for that
- Adam is finally settled into his trade and has now hired a lawyer and is trying to get primary custody and not allow his daughter to go to the wedding
- she's planning a zoom baby showebachelorette party and has sent out a registry and she's asking for crazy expensive things
- she's also set up a go fund me to help pay for a honeymoon and is making a lot of posts about how no one loves her cause the fund only has $1267 of the $20k she wanted
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UPDATE:
Hey everyone, so some stuff has gone down, and it doesn't look like it's over yet. Sorry, I didn't update sooner, but Rona came back with a vengeance and totally messed up plans with uni and family. Anyway, onto the update.
From the last update - 16th - Lots of ranting and chaotic wedding planning on social media, she found a dress and has decided she will get married while pregnant, they found a local wedding venue that is very lovely, but I'm shocked she's still trying to book stuff with all of their previous venue cancellations.
December 16th - Her little sister unblocked her to call her a s*ut and tell her that all her wedding plans were stupid. This resulted in a petty and entertaining facebook war until the little sis blocked her again on the 17th.
December 18th - Beth went nuts on social media because Adam had "kidnapped" their daughter, what really happened is that because courts are moving at a snail's pace due to COVID and Adam had reason to believe that their daughter was not safe living with Beth he decided to just... Not give her back. They don't have a custody agreement, and when Beth tried to call the cops they couldn't do anything because he was kinda right. There were dozens of videos on her various social media accounts of her ignoring their daughter, yelling at her daughter for crying or doing other things that toddlers do, it turns out that everything she needed was bought by Adam, food, diapers, clothes, toys, daycare (while it was open) etc. on top of the unofficial child support he was paying every month (which turned out to be $500 a month, a number I find ridiculous because Adam was already paying for literally everything) because she refused to buy anything for her daughter and insisted it was Adam's responsibility. Additionally, after the immediate post-birth appointments, Beth never took baby A to a doctor's appointment, she always deferred that to Adam. Baby A's pediatrician has NEVER met Beth. Beth even tried to get Chad to push back or intimidate him or something, but the local police where we live are under one hell of a microscope after a bunch of dirty cops got busted a couple of years ago. Basically, the cops, and the social worker they ended up calling, ended up saying there was nothing she could do until they get to court. The social worker tried to get her to go to therapy and parenting classes, but Beth refused and went on a fifteen paragraph long rant on Facebook about how she doesn't need parenting classes or therapy (she really, really does though) and called the social worker some choice words.
December 19-24 - Just a bunch of ranting on social media, calling everyone who doesn't enable or justify her behaviour cuss words, slurs, and a whole bunch of other horribly creative things. Also, both she and Chad are under investigation at work now, but she has no idea why. I'm gonna take this time to remind everyone that 99% of this info is coming from her public social media pages where her coworkers are friends and place of employment is listed.
December 25 - I am officially embarrassed to know this woman. I didn't go on her FB page until the evening cause I didn't want to deal with drama, first thing in the morning, on Xmas. In the morning she put on a very beautiful blue maternity dress, got Chad in his police blues, and baby B in a purple romper, and then live-streamed her and her family going to the courthouse to get married on Christmas day. (According to her Twitter, part of this was because their newest venue cancelled on them after COVID numbers spiked) Overall, a pretty tacky thing in my opinion because she stated plain as day, several times, that she intended her wedding anniversary to eclipse Christmas for her children because it's just "so much more special, you know?" (I am so glad that Baby B's grandparents are filing for guardianship) But here's the thing... The courthouse isn't open. Because of COVID for one thing, but also because it's Xmas and Canada has a predominantly Christian history. She proceeded to have a full meltdown, and when Baby B cried because, y'know, the kid's mom was screaming up a storm and scaring her, Beth called her a c*nt. Yup. So done with this bitch.
December 28 - I ran into her at a vaccine clinic cause we were both getting our booster shots. She didn't recognize me at first but one of my old bosses (cause I used to work at the hospital the vaccine clinic was in) called my name and said hi, so she came up to me after my old boss had left. We talked a bit while we sat down for the mandatory waiting period after getting the shot. She asked how I was but didn't even wait for me to respond before she started ranting and complaining about her life. I was just going to sit there until the time was up and then just politely make my exit, but when she started talking shit about her kids something inside me snapped. I just said "Do you even like your kids? Do you like being a mom?" She got pretty quiet for a second and then said "no". Idk, her voice and demeanour completely changed and we just sat in silence until our time was up. I said goodbye but it was really awkward.
December 31st (today) - I just looked at her feed and, this is such a shocking what-the-actual-f*** moment. She's thinking about giving up her kids. She went on about how recently she was asked if she liked her kids or being a mom, and how she realized that she didn't. She hates her children and blames them for ruining her life, and how she doesn't want to be a mom. I mean, nothing is official yet, but what the hell?!
I'll update as stuff happens now that I have the time, but this whole thing has been a big giant mess. Also, sorry for any formatting or grammatical errors, I'm not used to using Reddit on my PC.
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UPDATE
Okay, so, some stuff has happened and most of it's good? Also, the TL:DR for this update will be at the bottom
Jan 4th - Beth (and Chad) stopped posting on all social media. I was actually a little worried she died, I mean this woman posts everything short of her trips to the bathroom on IG.
Oddly enough, this got people messaging or interacting with her social media pages because she was usually the one to start contact, and that contact was usually yelling. No one heard from them and some people started to be like "should we call the cops for a wellness check?" Until Chad posted a status saying that they're fine but are "busy, please stop trying to contact us right now". Everyone listened but it was weird.
Jan 11 - I got a notification that Beth and Chad are active on social media again, but I didn't feel like drama so I didn't check out any of their posts.
Jan 12 (today) - she messaged me on FB asking me to be her MOH. She also kept going on about the resort in Cancun that she and Chad were looking to have their wedding at... This coming February. Omnicrom is really bad where we are, so no one should be travelling anywhere. I've actually had to delay my trip back to the province where I go to university. No one should be travelling anywhere.
Beth also found out that Chad was cheating on her with one of her co-workers and called the woman a "homewrecker" on FB tagged her, and posted the texts she found on Chad's phone. But Chad is the "love of her life" so she's forgiven him, but not the other woman. Which I find very hypocritical, considering how she and Chad got together.
She also sent pics of possible bridesmaid dresses and they are the most hideous dresses I've ever seen. I know that some brides do that thing where they want to look a million times better by comparison but this was just ridiculous. One of them looked like a partially deflated balloon with feathers strapped to it. She also openly admitted that she expected everyone attending to pay 3k, 2k would go towards that guest's stay at the resort and 1k would go to her and Chad and they will expected wedding gifts, so that they could get their room for free. Apparently, she talked to someone at the resort and if she got enough people to book their rooms she and Chad would get theirs for free. She also wanted the money to be given to her instead of directly to the hotel so that people wouldn't realize that she was taking 1k of their money. Beth sent me a pic of the wedding dress she wanted, and it's definitely a clubbing dress. If that's what she wants that's fine (and for the record I do think she would look great in it, Beth's (current) dream wedding dress ) but she wants all the guests to be dressed black tie. And she's already sent a list of unreasonable requests. Such as;
- all women must wear heels (for a wedding in the beach???)
- no one is allowed to have a baby or be pregnant (really?)
- girls must have longer than shoulder length hair, boys must have very short hair, only and inch or two long
- no one is allowed to be skinnier than her
- she will be providing diets for everyone attending based on how she wants us to look
- she and Chad must get bachelor and bachelorette parties both in Canada and in Mexico that need to be "fit for a king and queen" and both must be paid for but anyone but the bride and groom "cause that's just tacky"
- no unnatural hair
- no tattoos (you have five tattoos, Beth, and in the dress you want all will be on full display)
- no one is allowed to talk to her directly, they must speak through the MOH and BM
I was also just kinda weirded out because aside from the previous convo at the hospital and when she originally asked me to be a bridesmaid, we haven't spoken since high school. So I respectfully declined, stating that the virus and school were my top concerns right now. Then, I decided to check her socials to see if she'd posted anything. She had and everything was basically how it was before the hiatus... Except her kids are nowhere to be found. No "look at my cute baby" pics are kids crying in the background of her videos. Nothing. Though, based on her new pics of herself, she's given birth to baby C. I mean, she's definitely still recovering, but she also definitely had a baby and that baby is not on any of her socials, so when she responded to my decline with an attempt at guilting me to be her MOH, I asked her where her kids were. This was her response.
"Oh, I left them at the side of the road in our way home from the hospital those moochers could walk home lol"
I was like, please tell me you're not being serious (especially cause it looks like she had the baby days ago). And she replied "I was just joking you shouldn't be so serious all the time". Honey, you made a joke about child abandonment/abuse, you're not being serious enough. And then I finally got the update on the kids.
- Baby A is still with Adam, Beth signed away her rights
- Baby B and Baby C have been given to a mutual cousin of Adam and Chad who is infertile (tbh I didn't need that last tidbit of info or the three paragraph long rant about how God hates infertile women, I didn't even read all of it, I couldn't, and I didn't think that Beth could be so cruel to even think those things). I checked out the FB page of Baby B's grandparents and they're happy with their grandchild's new parents, it looks like the cousin and her husband and welcoming them to the family as another set of grandparents and will let them have access to B. So yay!
- One thing I do need to stress though is that because of COVID the courts in our areas are either moving at a snail's pace or closed, so none of this is "official" but Beth (and Chad) has signed paperwork and all that needs to happen now is presenting that to a judge.
After learning all this my convo with Beth started to go down hill...
Beth: wait, did you actually think I would just leave my kids at the side of the road! I just didn't want to be a mom, but I wasn't a bad one
Me: Beth, I think that you've been through a lot of trauma in the past few years, and that it's gotten to you mentally and that you should speak to a professional.
(Of course, Beth has been a bad mom, but she does need mental health help and I wasn't going to convince her to get it, or to not tell at me, if I said that )
Beth: what? You think I'm crazy?!
Me: no. I think that getting kicked out as a teen because of a pregnancy and having your family actively reject you and try to sabotage you must have been very painful. Plus, pregnancy puts a lot of mental stress on women and you've had three in such a short time span, I just want you to take care of yourself and get what you want in life, and I think that will start with you taking care of your mental health.
Beth: what I want... IS FOR YOU TO GO STRAIGHT TO HELL! Beth then calls me every cuss word, expletive, and derogatory word she can think of one of the words she called me was a derogatory word about people from my ethnicity and my blood is boiling that she thought it was okay to say that to me.
So, I'm now on her hit list. She's been blowing up my social media all day, on her last FB post where she called me a slur she said that she still expects a good wedding gift from me. Yeah, no. So I've blocked her on everything, and I've decided to completely cut off contact. This will be my last update.
TL:DR - Beth went on a social media blackout for a bit, had baby C. Gave up all her kids, baby A is still with Adam, Baby B and Baby C are with a mutual cousin of Adam and Chad and baby B's grandparents have access. Chad cheated on her and she forgave him, but she probably shouldn't have. She's decided to have her wedding in a little over a month in Cancun and is expecting unreasonable things of everyone already. She asked me to be MOH I respectfully declined. I also suggested that she talk to a mental health professional because she's been through a lot in the last few years and she cussed me out, she also called me a derogatory name directed at people of my ethnicity and that was the final nail in the coffin. I'm now on her hit list. But her kids are safe and I have no interest in going to wedding so I'm cutting contact completely and have already blocked her on all my socials. I'm refusing to be involved with her anymore and will not be updating on the situation.
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--- EDIT - NEW UPDATE --- - JANUARY 25, 2023 - TL:DR AT THE BOTTOM
Hi, everyone, I didn't think I would be making another update, but here I am. I don't know if anyone will even care but whatever. I saw a YouTuber, Charlotte Dobre, do an entire video about this post on Facebook (which was funny, she did it well), [editor's note: here's the video in question and also: check out Charlotte Dobre's subreddit !] and got so nervous that Beth was gonna see it. Turned out, she's seen it and does not give a single damn, because as I pointed out, the majority of the info in this post came from her public social media. She also doesn't know who posted it (more on that in the update). I am still no contact with Beth and have no plans to change that anytime soon, but we have mutual friends who have told and shown me what's happened.
First things first, she and Chad did get married, but they eloped. According to all sources they are completely and utterly miserable though. Chad has proven to be and overall lazy and unfaithful husband, and Beth has really gotten into feminism (with a focus on reproductive issues) after she started using birth control, and Roe v Wade getting overturned (even though we're in Canada) really caused tension in their marriage. As it turns out, Chad thinks that abortion is murder and God created women for the purpose of making babies.
Beth tried to argue that not all women want or should be mothers using herself as an example, and then Chad went ahead and used her as an example of why women should be forced to have kids, because in the end she gave kids to an infertile couple. She didn't take that well and said that her entire life and future was ripped away from her and destroyed the second she got pregnant with baby A. Adam was never slut shamed or demeaned like she was, both at home and at school (which is a fair point, myself and many others were helpful and supportive but there were a lot of people who judged the hell out of her and said really nasty stuff) and that if she hadn't gotten pregnant she would've gone to college or university because she lost the general and financial support of her family with that positive pregnancy test. Chad has made a Tinder account. Beth was informed but it doesn't seem like she gave a damn.
So basically you could cut the tension with a knife.
And with her family, her sister came out as gay and cut off/has been cut off from their parents. But she's got a partial scholarship so she's doing okay. She and Beth are NOT on good terms but have met up and acknowledged that their parents messed them up by being religious nuts and their parents encouraged them to be competitive with each other and sabotage each other. Apparently their dad's motto is "competition brings out the best in everyone" (ugh). But they've talked and that's good enough for now.
Neither Beth nor Chad have custody or visitation of their children, which Chad is starting to regret because he's suddenly getting more and more into the church and religion. Chad talked to Beth about getting baby C back but Beth shut that down hard and warned the cousin who adopted baby C (officially and legally btw).
Beth started going to therapy after she and Chad got married, which makes me very happy and excited for her.
There was a rumour going around that Chad has a mistress and it took me a while to confirm, but it's true. He's cheating on her with a paramedic and she knows. Beth is fully aware. Idk if she plans to do anything about it or just continue to ignore it, but I hope she leaves his ass. I'm still not gonna talk to her, she crossed so many lines, but she's grown and improved a lot and her life would be a lot better without that sac of scum in her life.
Now, I have given a few details in my post that should've revealed my identity to her, namely her asking me to be her MOH. I have found out that she actually asked around 15 girls (including myself) to be her MOH, without telling any of us about the others because she was trying to get money from all of us and because her mental health has just been very bad and she needed help. And of those 15, 8 have been going to school out of province and of those eight we all had basically the same classes in high school. And apparently doesn't remember our discussion at the vaccination clinic and had major blow up with everyone she asked to be MOH. So she knows it's one of 8 people and reportedly has no interest in trying to narrow that number down. (Chad did the same thing with his groomsmen, but idk any of the numbers)
TL:DR Beth and Chad got married (eloped), are miserable, have zero custody or visitation with any of their children, Chad's cheating and Beth doesn't appear to care, Chad is super sexist, Beth is a feminist now, Beth's sister is gay and they've talked but not reconciled, Beth asked too many girls to be MOH for money and doesn't know the ID of who made this post.
Dear "Beth", if this post gets forwarded to you or somehow graces your phone screen, leave Chad. He's trash and you'll be much better without him in your life. And though I'm not willing to talk to you again because of your words and actions, I do wish for you to have a wonderful and happy life.
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I'm not the OOP!
2024.05.11 22:01 ProfessorHawkinsJr hopeless love story
made this for my narrative essay in american literature, but one of my friends said i should share the story
“But I Still Need You” Throughout my life, I had always fallen easy for girls. The elementary mindset of, “she’s cute, so I have a crush on her,” prevented me from developing a legitimate relationship with any girl I tried to talk to. The few times that my feelings were reciprocated, I had no idea because I was already on to the next girl, and this continued until I was left with a multitude of friend-zone situations and a list of “crushes.” My charisma already lacking, it seemed each year that passed, previous to 3rd grade, I grew in weight and therefore awkwardness. The struggle to interact with women lessened as I grew up, while the fat remained. So, by the 8th grade I was the ideal guy friend; easy to talk to, kinda funny, understanding, and unintimidating. My approachable “funny fat friend” nature had its ups and downs. While guys, for reasons I still don’t fully understand, suspected me to be gay, girls found it intriguing and it made them want to be friends with me more. Back then I didn’t know, but now I know that by being forced to be friends first, after finding out I was in fact not gay, the right woman for me would want to be with me for my personality. In the winter of 2021, I fell hard for a girl named Madeline. Maddie was no different than many of the other girls in that she had a bland personality and I thought she was cute. She had brunette hair with bangs, big glasses, way too much makeup on, and a unique fashion sense. Her sense of fashion was one of the few interesting things about her, yet it was disregarded by the public. Not too many guys found her appealing, but I did, for whatever reason. I was dead set on getting to know her better in hope of becoming more than friends. Unfortunately, she hardly paid attention to me, but I didn’t give up. I merely slowed down because of my interest in her friend, Isabella. Isabella is the Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth (derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba). The meaning of Elishiba can be translated to, “God is my oath.” In Arabic, the beginning of Isabella, “Isa,” is the classical Arabic name for Jesus, while in the French language, the shortened version of Isabella, “Belle,” translates to “beautiful.” I had met Isabella in the sixth grade, and grew a tiny crush on her, in the elementary sense, before we all went into hibernation (COVID). I barely knew her though, and she had no idea who I was, so when we interacted in my last two classes, if we did at all, it was like two strangers who kept running into each other. I sat by her in my sixth period, and one seat up and to the right from her in seventh. We only ever made small talk and the occasional joke, but when I spoke with her I felt content. Still barely knowing her, all I could admire was the little things in the way she laughed and spoke. I longed to know more about Isabella, she was mature, intelligent, and very opinionated, but still light-hearted and made time pass at the speed of light. It wasn’t until she was in my group in sixth period one day that she began to open up a little by sharing the details of her current long-distance relationship. The shards of my heart stabbed and crushed my stomach; hope, the oxygen to my mind, depleted faster than the air of a broken space shuttle; palpitation, nausea, asphyxia, and neurosis bombarded me like Persian arrows on the Greeks. Then, all at once, the excruciating tidal wave evaporated, but instead of calm waters, I was left with a drought. Every emotion muted or gone, my body went numb while everything I cared for vanished from my mind. I didn’t speak throughout the rest of that day, and went directly from the bus to decaying in my bed. I was devastated, so I retreated to my pointless crush on Maddie. Unrelated to the rather sad lovelife, my anxiety and depression worsened throughout 8th grade, and while I was going to therapy, most of my issues wouldn’t and still haven’t been worked through. Throughout the school year I had developed a toxic system of self pity, in which I would spend hours a day cycling through the feelings of hope, anger, and despair- never that of joy. I knew what I was doing, gathering enough hope to face the school day just before I reflected on the doubts and grievances going on throughout my life. I’d bring myself up just for a greater fall because honestly, overtime I became numb to the natural pain. If I were going to fall into the pit that is depression, the higher I peaked in terms of optimism the more excruciating the freefall of nausea and the heavy flow of salt water. At that point in my life, I saw no point in getting out of bed to do anything, school or even my own mother’s birthday. By the end of eighth grade I had spent almost a total of six weeks absent, two of which were from me being quarantined. Typically over the span of one or two days, others up to four, I would be in my bed “sick.” During these mini-vacations I would sleep all morning, if my mom let me, and stay up all night, oftentimes listening to Radiohead or Cigarettes After Sex while staring at my ceiling. I wanted to stay up, I wanted to feel the bags grabbing and pulling towards my cheekbone, I wanted to feel empty, emotionally and physically. During the day, my anxiety attacks became panic attacks and I would get sent home for vomiting. I'd throw up to give Mom a reason to let me stay home. I’d throw up to feel something, anything. I’d throw up to keep my stomach empty. I’d throw up because I had to, because the nerves and overthinking forced me to. Every morning, I’d drag my black air force ones across cement, carpet, tiles, and marble, each step leading towards Mrs. Clements’ homeroom. For every step, a different worry or insecurity flashed through my brain. But then, out of the blue, I’m “Lincoln” again. I walk into homeroom with an ear-to-ear grin and dap up “the boys”. I’d spend the morning building up hopes of making Isabella laugh today, or maybe calling her once I got home, but I knew that nine times out of ten my hopes were delusional. To “Lincoln,” this was no problem, he would make a gay joke, join the boys with teasing a cute girl in my class, and laugh until just for a moment, the despair was gone. Finally, the sixth period would come and I’d get to see Isabella. In here I got the least work done out of all my classes as I would find myself strategically planning my next interaction with her, just for said plans to go out the window when I was brought face to face with her. Typically seventh period followed the same pattern except Ms. Shirley Davis could never allow small talk in her classroom. When the last bell rang, I went straight to the buses. I’d sleep on the way home, dreaming of a call that would hardly happen. On the off chance my phone didn’t reach its feared 11th cry, we’d talk for hours at a time. On a weekday or not, it seemed that, when we did call, it was guaranteed to go into the early morning. It’s hard to put my finger on a specific topic, or even general. In our conversations, we discussed anything and everything. Everything, except her own love interest. I admired this, as my inability to keep who I’m thinking about at the time a secret is a major flaw of mine. The more that me and her spoke, the more I grew to love her. Our talks were so honest, so raw, that the secret I held began to eat away at me. My core collapsing like a dying star, each day it felt like the pain got worse. To cope with the feelings I had buried deep inside me, I’d turn to my friends. At first, they said to come forward with my feelings, but I knew that’s what any friend would’ve said. The relief I got from venting the conflicting hurricane within me was brief. Overtime, their words of encouragement turned to annoyance, and understandably so. When people grew sick of the same old sadistic untold love, I turned to Isabella. I wrote a text so full that, to read it, one needed to tap on an arrow at the bottom right corner of my message. The essay was compiled with the confliction I had, developing feelings for a friend, and the sorrow that filled me each day that passed without her. I described the perfect imperfections that I admired about her, how life was complete when I spoke to her, the beauty that paralyzed me every time I saw her in person, and the character that I felt God had curated specifically for me. Sitting there unsure if I should press send, a fear grew within my chest that Isabella would see right through me. I could hear the music that so often triggered tears; the vocals of Thom Yorke or the beats of Kanye West, they faded in and out. What if she didn’t even respond? What if she thought I was a creep? What if- then she responded. Suddenly, the ominous 808s & Heartbreak pounding vanished, my respiratory chaos became paralyzed, and time stood still. I couldn’t breathe until I finished reading, and once I did, my sigh was all but relieving. Isabella explained to me how unhealthy my habits were; even in comparison to the anguish that would follow, I’d suffer far more and far longer should I suppress my emotions. She told me how that level of affection, in the context of the warped concept of romance most men had, was something she had only dreamt of. Isabella said that holding these feelings would eat away at me, exponentially increasing in severity, until I broke. Not only would I be hurting myself, but I would be depriving the person I care about most from the appreciation they deserve. I became bloated with fear of the friendzone, those insecurities, all based upon inference, became a reality with Isabella’s last piece of advice. She said, “If she doesn’t reciprocate those emotions, then don’t worry. I’m sure there’s a girl out there who can appreciate your compassion.” The blame had no other place to go than my shoulders, after all, I got what I asked for, advice on another girl. Isabella, even if she saw the crush I had on her, is far too kind to address it. She cared for everyone, and to her, she was merely boosting up a friend who’s down. For the rest of the night her text echoed through my mind; pain, regret, and admiration caused my mind to sporadically leap from conclusion to conclusion. Two years later, those words still haunt me, reiterations of that phrase torturing me when I least expect them. The school year progressed, but my aspirations with Isabella didn’t. Over time, the frequency of my writings grew to be weekly, at times reaching two a week, and the weight of my confessions depleted. I opened my audience to a mutual friend of Isabella’s, Miley, with the intention of acquiring useful advice. Eventually, my choice to try concealing what I felt for Isabella became too heavy of a burden, weighing down on me in forces I had not endured before. Soon, the love I had for Isabella turned to hatred for myself. I was relentlessly criticizing every aspect of myself and my mind. I hated how fat I was, my smile, my voice, my laugh, and most of all my personality. What I had thought was my greatest strength, was revealed as my worst trait. The gullibility I exhibited when thinking for a second Isabella could possibly like me; the lack of confidence that caused me to chicken out of confessing my feelings to her; my insufferable need to make people laugh; the hyperfixation I would develop for those that I love. Everything about me was wrong. I stopped eating, stopped sleeping, stopped caring, and eventually I stopped living. The “Lincoln” my friends had grown to recognize, the only remnant of the joy I felt when I was younger, died, and I was left with only my love for Isabella and resentment for myself. I began testing the limits of what was left of me, praying for relief. At first in the middle of the night, an anaconda would find its way to my throat, wrapping around my neck. Its cold black scales gracefully gliding across my skin before silencing my cries with the swift tug of its metallic USB head. The snake would maintain pressure until I let go of it, the entire time whispering into my ear, begging me to hold on. Some nights it came with what must have been a full stomach for it was drastically wider, it was brown these nights, with leather skin, and a slight warmth, but it behaved the same. Most visits from the snake ended with my vision blurry, my breath short, or my head dizzy. The only consistency of our transactions was Asia’s Death Lake that streamed down my face from start to finish. Eventually, the snake seemed closer and closer to silencing me forever, but I also became used to its visits. I began writing letters to everyone I loved so that, should the snake come out victorious, they’d have a final goodbye. Once I had sorted out my notes, I called the snake to my room. This time it came striped with shades of blue, its skin a soft fabric. For once, I controlled the snake, because our intentions finally aligned. I locked the door, sent out my texts, placed the written notes on my dresser, and joined the snake at my closet door. Holding onto the doorknob, the snake wrapped itself around my neck just as it had done in nights of the past. It whispered to me, “let go,” for I had been on my knees in hesitation. I followed the snake’s order by making a sort of plank with my body, the bottom half resting on a stack of dirty laundry and pillows while the top was supported by my elbows. Pressure swiftly fell down on my neck and didn’t stop. “This is it,” I thought to myself. My eyes seemed to pop out of my skull, and my tears, falling down like summer rain, became blurry dots as my vision went dark. Next thing I know, I’m waking up, snot, saliva, and tears strung between my face and the carpet floor. My head pounding and my eyes burning, I looked up at the “snake” that was the tie my mom had gotten me for Sunday service. Although my mind was more clear, it was not out of revelation, but from a muted sense of the world around me. Other than Isabella, nothing mattered anymore, and the little emotion I felt was squashed by my immortal love. The following day I get called to the counselors office on charges of suicidal thoughts and self harm. I said what I had to in order to escape her grasp, but left infuriated. Not only had my own friends betrayed me, but the lady who was supposed to guide me essentially scolded me for being sad. Throughout the day my anger faded out and my focus became making an excuse as to why my parents got a weird call from my counselor, then I’d find the traitor who sold me out. That afternoon, I lost two friends, and for the first time ever got mad at Isabella. Apparently, Miley, Maddie, and Isabella all reported me to the counselor that morning. They said I had been traumatizing them with what was going on in my life, being normal and messing around at school, then detailing my thoughts and actions to them outside of school. I felt like I had been tricked. I thought they were my friends. I thought they understood me. They asked me if I was okay, they said they wanted, cared, needed to know, but now I had scared them? I addressed what had happened with Miley first. She immediately lashed out at me, saying I should be thanking them, not be mad. While I didn’t want to accept it, I understood the core of her choices. On the other hand, Maddie’s response to my confrontation was disgustingly cruel. She said I had been unfair and just seeking attention, that no thirteen to fourteen year old should hear about what I was going through because it was unnatural. Before she continued, I apologized, that’s all I could think to do, because deep down I believed her. She told me it wasn’t all my fault because my brain was messed up, and that opening up to the girls would only make them not want to be friends with me. The one word that rang through my head then, and still does today, was “creep,” she claimed that what I felt wasn’t love, but I was just mentally unstable and creepy. Any remnants of the sweet kid from elementary school who just wanted a friend and loved everyone were obliterated. Maddie was right, all I had done was hurt and scare them, it didn’t matter what I thought. I told her all I could, that I didn’t know what to say other than I was sorry for the damage I had done, and I would try and get better. Her response, like a branding iron on my mind, was, “It’s not damage, it’s baggage. Imagine if the roles were reversed.” It was only then that I stopped texting back. I wish I could say it was out of frustration or self respect, but the reality of my manipulative traits is what silenced me. Shockingly, the response that hurt the most was from Isabella, yet it somehow meant the most to me too. Isabella told me that she needed me in the world. She told me that if I ever got those thoughts again, to think about her as well; to think about the pain I’d be causing her; to think about the trauma she’d live with for the rest of her life. After repeating the phrase, “I need you in my life,” she acknowledged how selfish it was, but still didn’t care. Isabella continued elaborating, she didn’t care because no label of selfishness outweighed the value of my life. What she said that night has been vivid in my mind since, but my only wish is that she had needed me as I needed her. Tears began to hide my freckled cheeks as I texted her about how much her words meant to me, how much she meant to me, and I apologized to her. I said sorry for the baggage I caused, the “creepy” behavior, and any other ways I had wronged her. I said sorry for loving her, and told her I’d do better. She disregarded my apologies, telling me that I could always talk to her because no matter the baggage she could carry, it’d be worth taking the smallest bit off of me. Her words meant so much to me, yet hurt me just the same. I hated myself for it. I couldn’t see a life without an affection for her, it was pathetic. If I truly loved her, I’d let my feelings go, right? What kind of person did that make me? Summer came and went. Hoping that time would kill the crush I had on Isabella, I prohibited myself from contacting her. Instead I spent time with my family and a few friends, but Isabella never left my head. Even when accompanying my dad to Berry College for the Governor’s Honors Program, she’s what filled my head. At first I felt frustrated because before I had come forward to her, she had known about the feelings I had. I came to the conclusion that she had been dragging me along, but even then I knew how easily that thought would be abandoned. First day of High school, I got in touch with her. For maybe two weeks, I maintained a platonic relationship before free falling into the ominous pit once again. This time felt different though, it felt like what I had thought about everyday, for what seemed eternity, could be more than a daydream. We texted each other throughout the school day and facetimed after her cheer practice and my band practice. Eventually, Isabella was falling asleep on call. Before, we’d talk long into the night, and it began to drain the energy out of the both of us. Now, we were listening to music, playing Roblox, watching Netflix, or just sitting in silence. I had never felt comfortable with silence, but she made it seem better than having a conversation with anyone else. It’s a beautiful thing when words aren’t required to appreciate someone. The moment I had the courage to do so, I asked her out to Steak n’ Shake. It’s just my luck that the restaurant was hardly a shell of what I remembered as a kid. At first the conversation was awkward because we hardly spoke in person, but as time progressed so did we. I still remember the tightness of my cheeks as I failed to suppress my ear-to-ear grin. The euphoric nausea and beating heart that disappeared throughout our conversation. I remember the booth we sat in, the fact that she wanted me to swap seats with her because of her creaky seat, the way she giggled, how I fought tooth and nail to pay for such a small bill, the way she smiled when she said, “next time you’ve gotta let me pay,” and the shared excitement for our next hangout. Even though Isabella and I were still friends, even though the restaurant was a disaster, even though the fries were stale and the milkshakes chunky, that moment is one of the best in my life. With how well things were going, I thought that it was my best chance at making something more out of this friendship. So, I shot my shot. I told her that despite my efforts the summer before, she still held a special place in my heart. Isabella responded with her own struggles with recovering from a past relationship, detailing the trust issues and pain she still felt almost a year later. I was yet again, devastated. Then she added that despite her own feelings, she had to be careful and the risk of losing our friendship scared her. I understood her reasoning, but it made me sick to think of how close I was. In response, I expressed how I could relate to those feelings, and the conflict I had with them. It felt ridiculous having opened myself up once again, to just be friendzoned. Her response struck me with both hope and devastation, “I f*cking love you a ton Lincoln, but I’m struggling to differentiate my admiration as a friend and as something more. I’m terrified of losing you.” Previously I would have seen this as a sign to keep trying, but at that moment, I couldn’t see past the blatant friendzoning. After pursuing her for so long, it felt cruel of her to continue dragging me along like this, even though she was being honest. My reaction to the straw that broke the camel’s back is one of, if not, the biggest regrets in life. Homecoming was a little over a week away and she was going (as friends) with my buddy, Davis, so in a storm of hatred for myself and the situation I was in, I gave up on her. Our conversations grew to be minimal and far apart. Soon, I started to resent her. Each day since then, I have somehow felt more remorse than the last for not asking her to Homecoming. Homecoming night is when I began flirting with Claire, a sweet redhead from gym class. We connected on not going with the person we had hoped for. All it took was me joking that I should’ve spent more time around her, instead of leaving the dance early, for Claire to lose her mind. Over the next month or so, I was becoming closer and closer with Claire, despite her irritable “quirks”. I only spoke to Isabella if she reached out to me first with the only exception being when I would ask her for “advice” about Claire, which was a shameful habit I started as petty revenge on Isabella. Eventually, Isabella blocked me on Snapchat, but it didn’t matter. Things with me and Claire were going great, she made me feel like I didn’t need to starve myself to be good enough for her. She made me feel like I was enough. For the next two and a half months, life was great. After the first couple months of ignorant bliss, I was sick of her. Sure, there were a variety of reasons to find her annoying, most people I knew could list more than they have fingers and toes, but she didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten into the relationship in the first place not only because of Isabella, but also the speed at which me and Claire started dating. She was still growing out of the elementary relationship phase, so while it was nice to connect with someone so quickly, it was rushed. Another issue being that I was her first real boyfriend, the baggage that followed me was detrimental to her and I couldn’t give her the attention she needed. As me and Claire began our month long drift apart, I was unblocked by Isabella. She and I caught up, and we quickly began to talk trash about Claire while on call. It was unbelievably toxic, and I’m embarrassed of how I handled things to this day. Eventually, with the support of Isabella, I decided it was time to break up. The only issue was the guilt I had in such a terrible choice, I could never do it. So I began to get more distant by the day, ignored texts and calls, and stopped walking her to classes because “I had to pee.” Eventually she caught wind of my plans and called me after school one day. Sobbing, she told me what she had heard and how she knew it wasn’t true, but it still worried her. I began to get ready to break the news, but she was already crying so what's the worst that could happen? I wish I had never asked myself that, because next she told me she’d been cutting herself. My heart sank in remorse for what I knew I would do. If I led her on longer, the aftermath of my cold actions would lead to even more catastrophe. I was scared, but knew the lesser of the two evils I had to pick from. I calmed her down, quickly notified her friends to be keeping an eye on her, and then dumped her. To this day, I am disgusted by my actions. Throughout the past three months, Claire expressed how she had loved and trusted me, yet I threw that all away. There are so many ways I could’ve handled the situation differently, but two stood out the most. Showing respect by speaking to Claire the moment I realized my feelings had fleeted was the bare minimum that I disregarded, but the second was far simpler. I had known from the start that I was still in love with Isabella and that love never faded, but was only suppressed. The entire relationship we developed, while we both enjoyed parts of it (her more than me), was a lie, and essentially a cruel joke played on Claire. There’s no excuse for my actions, and even worse, I could’ve cared less back then. It was only when time had passed that I began to understand the damage I had done. Without Claire holding me back, my newfound freedom led to a closer friendship with Isabella. I dove headfirst into the familiar pit all over again. A friendship was not enough, I appreciated every interaction I had with Isabella, but my life depended on a future with her. It’s likely she felt this as she slowly began to drift away from me. Before I had stayed up speaking to Isabella, but now I couldn’t sleep out of the tormenting absence of her voice. The only path to good health was time; distance was best for the both of us, and I knew it. For the rest of that school year, everything around me was going, but I stood still. It was like my life was just a sitcom, and I was no longer the main character. The summer that followed was just the same, I was living but dead, moving but still, speaking but silent. I was dissociating from my friends and family, but the absence of that violent snake made my depression insignificant. Living a life without her was more punishment than death itself, and I didn’t deserve relief. Even now, I think of that summer and remember almost nothing, for my life isn’t worth remembering without Isabella in it. Sophomore year began, and so did my conversations with Isabella. This go around, I was subtle with my feelings for her. The excitement I had for speaking with her was under control, but it was because the spark inside me had faded, even when it came to Isabella.The years of self pity and depression had left a toll on me that could never be reversed, and it didn’t help that Isabella began to build a relationship with another guy. When we spoke, if we did, Isabella’s concern for my mental state outweighed the friendship we were struggling to preserve. I had come to the conclusion that pursuing Isabella would only make things worse, and I needed to just be her friend. Since I couldn’t lose the feelings I had for her, I just sat in them. While I sat in the pit, Isabella and I had one particular Facetime call in which I brought up how much I regretted dating Claire. To that, Isabella added, “Yeah, she’s so annoying. I can’t remember if you told me why you got together in the first place, what led you to her?” I paused with the thousand-yard stare of an American private fresh out of West Point. “I guess I was just so disappointed with myself for not being able to go to homecoming with you and being stuck on you for so long that I impulsively got with another girl to forget about my shortcomings,” I said with reluctance and stuttering every few words. She told me that she would’ve said yes to homecoming without a second thought, but I knew she meant as friends. Then, to my dismay, Isabella revealed that whenever I got with Claire, she still had feelings for me. It was me talking to Isabella about how great things were with me and Claire that led her to block me and cut contact with me. The piano melody from “No Surprises” by Radiohead began looping through my mind as tears ran down my face. I forget how I ended the call, but once I did, I broke. I lost my breath, my head got light, my eyes became blurry, my stomach was nauseous, and my insides sank as far as they could. Everything I wanted, dreamed of, needed had been so close, and I blew it. Everything was my fault. Later I would ask her why she lost them, and her answer proved how much better she was than me. Isabella answered, “I had been hurt, so I moved on. Just got over it.” We hardly spoke anymore, but one text message has found a permanent home in my mind. After asking me how I was, Isabella wasn’t satisfied with, “it’s complicated.” She asked that I explain it to her so that she could try to understand. I told her about all the issues going on in my life, except the torch I still held for her. She wrote, “I know you’re not religious, so it may not mean anything, but I pray for you every night, Lincoln. Even though it sounds bad, I think that I've known you weren’t in the greatest mental place for a while. I want you to know I'm not judging you, I want you to feel comfortable enough to share that with someone. You have to be able to recognize how you’re feeling in order to even fix it.” These words broke me despite their simplistic appearance. Reading that she prayed for me hit me hard as she had always tried to get me to believe in God again. I’m agnostic, and nothing has come closer to bringing me back to faith as Isabella did. The idea that if God were real and I could see her in heaven was appealing, but should Christianity be the wrong choice, I wanted to be wrong with Isabella. In the following days, Isabella told me about Alex, a guy she had been talking to a lot, and how they were at most a month away from being together. I hated everything about Alex, which is a stupid name in the first place. I hated his choice of friends, I hated how white-washed he was, I hated how he dressed like a conservative cowboy, I hated the underbite that made him look like a pug, I hated his short curly hair, I hated the fact that he was a diehard Trump supporter while people of his race were being oppressed, I hated how he pretended to be someone else when he was around Isabella, I hated how he hid unhealthy habits from her, I hated that a guy like him garnered Isabella’s affection when I couldn’t. I barely knew the guy and I was wasting my energy with hatred for him, when in reality, he was just a mind-numbingly basic douche among the hundreds just like him at our school. Isabella regularly complained about Alex, but hardly did anything. Instead she stopped bringing it up, saying that talking about her issues with others only makes it worse and that she was just wining. The monotone delivery of her reasoning hurt my soul, it was like she was reciting a text from Alex. Each day that passed, I felt the urgency of expressing my feelings one more time rising. Soon Isabella and Alex would be official, and I would lose my chance to try and express how I felt one more time. I reached out to Isabella and asked if she was free to hangout that friday. On November 10, 2023, Isabella picked me up around 5:30 in the evening. She kept the inside of her SUV looking brand new in contrast to the familiarity of her smile. My nerves left me winded after every sentence and shivering in her passenger seat. Quickly our conversation became more natural as I cracked jokes to ease my anxiety, but my shaky breathing never stopped. We went to Publix to grab some snacks and drinks and headed right back to my neighborhood park. At the Grove Point Park, we found a swinging chair to sit in. Due to the time of the year, the sun had already set, but Isabella’s beauty was indifferent under the moonlight. I haven’t the slightest clue how long we sat there together. When I’m with Isabella, even Father Time gives me grace, for he knows that he is as powerless as I am to the frequency of these moments. After a while, I mentioned that it was getting late and she agreed. On the ride back to my place, I mustered the bare minimum of strength it took to confront my feelings. As she drove over the speed bump before entering the roundabout, I began to open up. I briefly told her that I still felt the same way I did two years ago, that I had tried to forget about the feelings I had with no success, and that I was sorry to once again ruin our unstable friendship. She told me it was fine and my feelings were natural, nothing to regret or be ashamed of. Her words meant nothing to me this time because I had already heard them. Defeated, I paused for a moment, then said, “Isabella, you reciprocated my feelings in the past, so after Alex, do you think that maybe we’d have a chance?” She looked at me with pain in her eyes, not for herself, but for me. She quietly said, “I- Lincoln, you know I can’t answer that. I’m with Alex now, it wouldn’t be fair.” All I could get out was, “Oh- I- I’m sorry. Uh yeah no, you’re uh- you’re right.” Everything in me pulled and begged at my lips to say what I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I still look back on that night and wish I had said the few words I never got to tell her. What if saying them could’ve changed something? Realistically, it wouldn’t have, but the regret remains. I doubt Isabella would have even remembered where my word choice stemmed from. Regardless, the words rang in my head then, and never stopped. All I wanted to say at that moment was, “but I still need you.” Today, 1,725 days since I first saw Isabella, 822 days since I first facetimed Isabella, and 178 days since that heartbreakingly beautiful night, I still love her the same. Looking back on my experience with her, I regret many things (oversharing, Claire, the snake, etc.), but the one thing I have never regretted was meeting and loving her. It was only recently that I realized that loving her has been one of the biggest mistakes in my life. For three years, day in and day out, I’ve thought about her. Three years where I could have met other people, worked on myself, enjoyed my friends and family, but instead I’ve loved her and nothing, nobody else. The one lesson that was essential for me to take away from my experience was impossible. In eighth grade I was 5’7 and 215 lbs, today I’m 5’10 and 165 lbs. In eighth grade I spent time with my parents, today I hide in my room. In eighth grade, I told people how I felt, now I’m too scared. In eighth grade, I talked about my depression, now I am left alone to deal with it. In eighth grade, I had many friends, now I rarely speak to them. In eighth grade, I needed Isabella, but the one lesson I should’ve learned never took effect. I still need her.
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“But I Still Need You” Throughout my life, I had always fallen easy for girls. The elementary mindset of, “she’s cute, so I have a crush on her,” prevented me from developing a legitimate relationship with any girl I tried to talk to. The few times that my feelings were reciprocated, I had no idea because I was already on to the next girl, and this continued until I was left with a multitude of friend-zone situations and a list of “crushes.” My charisma already lacking, it seemed each year that passed, previous to 3rd grade, I grew in weight and therefore awkwardness. The struggle to interact with women lessened as I grew up, while the fat remained. So, by the 8th grade I was the ideal guy friend; easy to talk to, kinda funny, understanding, and unintimidating. My approachable “funny fat friend” nature had its ups and downs. While guys, for reasons I still don’t fully understand, suspected me to be gay, girls found it intriguing and it made them want to be friends with me more. Back then I didn’t know, but now I know that by being forced to be friends first, after finding out I was in fact not gay, the right woman for me would want to be with me for my personality. In the winter of 2021, I fell hard for a girl named Madeline. Maddie was no different than many of the other girls in that she had a bland personality and I thought she was cute. She had brunette hair with bangs, big glasses, way too much makeup on, and a unique fashion sense. Her sense of fashion was one of the few interesting things about her, yet it was disregarded by the public. Not too many guys found her appealing, but I did, for whatever reason. I was dead set on getting to know her better in hope of becoming more than friends. Unfortunately, she hardly paid attention to me, but I didn’t give up. I merely slowed down because of my interest in her friend, Isabella. Isabella is the Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth (derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba). The meaning of Elishiba can be translated to, “God is my oath.” In Arabic, the beginning of Isabella, “Isa,” is the classical Arabic name for Jesus, while in the French language, the shortened version of Isabella, “Belle,” translates to “beautiful.” I had met Isabella in the sixth grade, and grew a tiny crush on her, in the elementary sense, before we all went into hibernation (COVID). I barely knew her though, and she had no idea who I was, so when we interacted in my last two classes, if we did at all, it was like two strangers who kept running into each other. I sat by her in my sixth period, and one seat up and to the right from her in seventh. We only ever made small talk and the occasional joke, but when I spoke with her I felt content. Still barely knowing her, all I could admire was the little things in the way she laughed and spoke. I longed to know more about Isabella, she was mature, intelligent, and very opinionated, but still light-hearted and made time pass at the speed of light. It wasn’t until she was in my group in sixth period one day that she began to open up a little by sharing the details of her current long-distance relationship. The shards of my heart stabbed and crushed my stomach; hope, the oxygen to my mind, depleted faster than the air of a broken space shuttle; palpitation, nausea, asphyxia, and neurosis bombarded me like Persian arrows on the Greeks. Then, all at once, the excruciating tidal wave evaporated, but instead of calm waters, I was left with a drought. Every emotion muted or gone, my body went numb while everything I cared for vanished from my mind. I didn’t speak throughout the rest of that day, and went directly from the bus to decaying in my bed. I was devastated, so I retreated to my pointless crush on Maddie. Unrelated to the rather sad lovelife, my anxiety and depression worsened throughout 8th grade, and while I was going to therapy, most of my issues wouldn’t and still haven’t been worked through. Throughout the school year I had developed a toxic system of self pity, in which I would spend hours a day cycling through the feelings of hope, anger, and despair- never that of joy. I knew what I was doing, gathering enough hope to face the school day just before I reflected on the doubts and grievances going on throughout my life. I’d bring myself up just for a greater fall because honestly, overtime I became numb to the natural pain. If I were going to fall into the pit that is depression, the higher I peaked in terms of optimism the more excruciating the freefall of nausea and the heavy flow of salt water. At that point in my life, I saw no point in getting out of bed to do anything, school or even my own mother’s birthday. By the end of eighth grade I had spent almost a total of six weeks absent, two of which were from me being quarantined. Typically over the span of one or two days, others up to four, I would be in my bed “sick.” During these mini-vacations I would sleep all morning, if my mom let me, and stay up all night, oftentimes listening to Radiohead or Cigarettes After Sex while staring at my ceiling. I wanted to stay up, I wanted to feel the bags grabbing and pulling towards my cheekbone, I wanted to feel empty, emotionally and physically. During the day, my anxiety attacks became panic attacks and I would get sent home for vomiting. I'd throw up to give Mom a reason to let me stay home. I’d throw up to feel something, anything. I’d throw up to keep my stomach empty. I’d throw up because I had to, because the nerves and overthinking forced me to. Every morning, I’d drag my black air force ones across cement, carpet, tiles, and marble, each step leading towards Mrs. Clements’ homeroom. For every step, a different worry or insecurity flashed through my brain. But then, out of the blue, I’m “Lincoln” again. I walk into homeroom with an ear-to-ear grin and dap up “the boys”. I’d spend the morning building up hopes of making Isabella laugh today, or maybe calling her once I got home, but I knew that nine times out of ten my hopes were delusional. To “Lincoln,” this was no problem, he would make a gay joke, join the boys with teasing a cute girl in my class, and laugh until just for a moment, the despair was gone. Finally, the sixth period would come and I’d get to see Isabella. In here I got the least work done out of all my classes as I would find myself strategically planning my next interaction with her, just for said plans to go out the window when I was brought face to face with her. Typically seventh period followed the same pattern except Ms. Shirley Davis could never allow small talk in her classroom. When the last bell rang, I went straight to the buses. I’d sleep on the way home, dreaming of a call that would hardly happen. On the off chance my phone didn’t reach its feared 11th cry, we’d talk for hours at a time. On a weekday or not, it seemed that, when we did call, it was guaranteed to go into the early morning. It’s hard to put my finger on a specific topic, or even general. In our conversations, we discussed anything and everything. Everything, except her own love interest. I admired this, as my inability to keep who I’m thinking about at the time a secret is a major flaw of mine. The more that me and her spoke, the more I grew to love her. Our talks were so honest, so raw, that the secret I held began to eat away at me. My core collapsing like a dying star, each day it felt like the pain got worse. To cope with the feelings I had buried deep inside me, I’d turn to my friends. At first, they said to come forward with my feelings, but I knew that’s what any friend would’ve said. The relief I got from venting the conflicting hurricane within me was brief. Overtime, their words of encouragement turned to annoyance, and understandably so. When people grew sick of the same old sadistic untold love, I turned to Isabella. I wrote a text so full that, to read it, one needed to tap on an arrow at the bottom right corner of my message. The essay was compiled with the confliction I had, developing feelings for a friend, and the sorrow that filled me each day that passed without her. I described the perfect imperfections that I admired about her, how life was complete when I spoke to her, the beauty that paralyzed me every time I saw her in person, and the character that I felt God had curated specifically for me. Sitting there unsure if I should press send, a fear grew within my chest that Isabella would see right through me. I could hear the music that so often triggered tears; the vocals of Thom Yorke or the beats of Kanye West, they faded in and out. What if she didn’t even respond? What if she thought I was a creep? What if- then she responded. Suddenly, the ominous 808s & Heartbreak pounding vanished, my respiratory chaos became paralyzed, and time stood still. I couldn’t breathe until I finished reading, and once I did, my sigh was all but relieving. Isabella explained to me how unhealthy my habits were; even in comparison to the anguish that would follow, I’d suffer far more and far longer should I suppress my emotions. She told me how that level of affection, in the context of the warped concept of romance most men had, was something she had only dreamt of. Isabella said that holding these feelings would eat away at me, exponentially increasing in severity, until I broke. Not only would I be hurting myself, but I would be depriving the person I care about most from the appreciation they deserve. I became bloated with fear of the friendzone, those insecurities, all based upon inference, became a reality with Isabella’s last piece of advice. She said, “If she doesn’t reciprocate those emotions, then don’t worry. I’m sure there’s a girl out there who can appreciate your compassion.” The blame had no other place to go than my shoulders, after all, I got what I asked for, advice on another girl. Isabella, even if she saw the crush I had on her, is far too kind to address it. She cared for everyone, and to her, she was merely boosting up a friend who’s down. For the rest of the night her text echoed through my mind; pain, regret, and admiration caused my mind to sporadically leap from conclusion to conclusion. Two years later, those words still haunt me, reiterations of that phrase torturing me when I least expect them. The school year progressed, but my aspirations with Isabella didn’t. Over time, the frequency of my writings grew to be weekly, at times reaching two a week, and the weight of my confessions depleted. I opened my audience to a mutual friend of Isabella’s, Miley, with the intention of acquiring useful advice. Eventually, my choice to try concealing what I felt for Isabella became too heavy of a burden, weighing down on me in forces I had not endured before. Soon, the love I had for Isabella turned to hatred for myself. I was relentlessly criticizing every aspect of myself and my mind. I hated how fat I was, my smile, my voice, my laugh, and most of all my personality. What I had thought was my greatest strength, was revealed as my worst trait. The gullibility I exhibited when thinking for a second Isabella could possibly like me; the lack of confidence that caused me to chicken out of confessing my feelings to her; my insufferable need to make people laugh; the hyperfixation I would develop for those that I love. Everything about me was wrong. I stopped eating, stopped sleeping, stopped caring, and eventually I stopped living. The “Lincoln” my friends had grown to recognize, the only remnant of the joy I felt when I was younger, died, and I was left with only my love for Isabella and resentment for myself. I began testing the limits of what was left of me, praying for relief. At first in the middle of the night, an anaconda would find its way to my throat, wrapping around my neck. Its cold black scales gracefully gliding across my skin before silencing my cries with the swift tug of its metallic USB head. The snake would maintain pressure until I let go of it, the entire time whispering into my ear, begging me to hold on. Some nights it came with what must have been a full stomach for it was drastically wider, it was brown these nights, with leather skin, and a slight warmth, but it behaved the same. Most visits from the snake ended with my vision blurry, my breath short, or my head dizzy. The only consistency of our transactions was Asia’s Death Lake that streamed down my face from start to finish. Eventually, the snake seemed closer and closer to silencing me forever, but I also became used to its visits. I began writing letters to everyone I loved so that, should the snake come out victorious, they’d have a final goodbye. Once I had sorted out my notes, I called the snake to my room. This time it came striped with shades of blue, its skin a soft fabric. For once, I controlled the snake, because our intentions finally aligned. I locked the door, sent out my texts, placed the written notes on my dresser, and joined the snake at my closet door. Holding onto the doorknob, the snake wrapped itself around my neck just as it had done in nights of the past. It whispered to me, “let go,” for I had been on my knees in hesitation. I followed the snake’s order by making a sort of plank with my body, the bottom half resting on a stack of dirty laundry and pillows while the top was supported by my elbows. Pressure swiftly fell down on my neck and didn’t stop. “This is it,” I thought to myself. My eyes seemed to pop out of my skull, and my tears, falling down like summer rain, became blurry dots as my vision went dark. Next thing I know, I’m waking up, snot, saliva, and tears strung between my face and the carpet floor. My head pounding and my eyes burning, I looked up at the “snake” that was the tie my mom had gotten me for Sunday service. Although my mind was more clear, it was not out of revelation, but from a muted sense of the world around me. Other than Isabella, nothing mattered anymore, and the little emotion I felt was squashed by my immortal love. The following day I get called to the counselors office on charges of suicidal thoughts and self harm. I said what I had to in order to escape her grasp, but left infuriated. Not only had my own friends betrayed me, but the lady who was supposed to guide me essentially scolded me for being sad. Throughout the day my anger faded out and my focus became making an excuse as to why my parents got a weird call from my counselor, then I’d find the traitor who sold me out. That afternoon, I lost two friends, and for the first time ever got mad at Isabella. Apparently, Miley, Maddie, and Isabella all reported me to the counselor that morning. They said I had been traumatizing them with what was going on in my life, being normal and messing around at school, then detailing my thoughts and actions to them outside of school. I felt like I had been tricked. I thought they were my friends. I thought they understood me. They asked me if I was okay, they said they wanted, cared, needed to know, but now I had scared them? I addressed what had happened with Miley first. She immediately lashed out at me, saying I should be thanking them, not be mad. While I didn’t want to accept it, I understood the core of her choices. On the other hand, Maddie’s response to my confrontation was disgustingly cruel. She said I had been unfair and just seeking attention, that no thirteen to fourteen year old should hear about what I was going through because it was unnatural. Before she continued, I apologized, that’s all I could think to do, because deep down I believed her. She told me it wasn’t all my fault because my brain was messed up, and that opening up to the girls would only make them not want to be friends with me. The one word that rang through my head then, and still does today, was “creep,” she claimed that what I felt wasn’t love, but I was just mentally unstable and creepy. Any remnants of the sweet kid from elementary school who just wanted a friend and loved everyone were obliterated. Maddie was right, all I had done was hurt and scare them, it didn’t matter what I thought. I told her all I could, that I didn’t know what to say other than I was sorry for the damage I had done, and I would try and get better. Her response, like a branding iron on my mind, was, “It’s not damage, it’s baggage. Imagine if the roles were reversed.” It was only then that I stopped texting back. I wish I could say it was out of frustration or self respect, but the reality of my manipulative traits is what silenced me. Shockingly, the response that hurt the most was from Isabella, yet it somehow meant the most to me too. Isabella told me that she needed me in the world. She told me that if I ever got those thoughts again, to think about her as well; to think about the pain I’d be causing her; to think about the trauma she’d live with for the rest of her life. After repeating the phrase, “I need you in my life,” she acknowledged how selfish it was, but still didn’t care. Isabella continued elaborating, she didn’t care because no label of selfishness outweighed the value of my life. What she said that night has been vivid in my mind since, but my only wish is that she had needed me as I needed her. Tears began to hide my freckled cheeks as I texted her about how much her words meant to me, how much she meant to me, and I apologized to her. I said sorry for the baggage I caused, the “creepy” behavior, and any other ways I had wronged her. I said sorry for loving her, and told her I’d do better. She disregarded my apologies, telling me that I could always talk to her because no matter the baggage she could carry, it’d be worth taking the smallest bit off of me. Her words meant so much to me, yet hurt me just the same. I hated myself for it. I couldn’t see a life without an affection for her, it was pathetic. If I truly loved her, I’d let my feelings go, right? What kind of person did that make me? Summer came and went. Hoping that time would kill the crush I had on Isabella, I prohibited myself from contacting her. Instead I spent time with my family and a few friends, but Isabella never left my head. Even when accompanying my dad to Berry College for the Governor’s Honors Program, she’s what filled my head. At first I felt frustrated because before I had come forward to her, she had known about the feelings I had. I came to the conclusion that she had been dragging me along, but even then I knew how easily that thought would be abandoned. First day of High school, I got in touch with her. For maybe two weeks, I maintained a platonic relationship before free falling into the ominous pit once again. This time felt different though, it felt like what I had thought about everyday, for what seemed eternity, could be more than a daydream. We texted each other throughout the school day and facetimed after her cheer practice and my band practice. Eventually, Isabella was falling asleep on call. Before, we’d talk long into the night, and it began to drain the energy out of the both of us. Now, we were listening to music, playing Roblox, watching Netflix, or just sitting in silence. I had never felt comfortable with silence, but she made it seem better than having a conversation with anyone else. It’s a beautiful thing when words aren’t required to appreciate someone. The moment I had the courage to do so, I asked her out to Steak n’ Shake. It’s just my luck that the restaurant was hardly a shell of what I remembered as a kid. At first the conversation was awkward because we hardly spoke in person, but as time progressed so did we. I still remember the tightness of my cheeks as I failed to suppress my ear-to-ear grin. The euphoric nausea and beating heart that disappeared throughout our conversation. I remember the booth we sat in, the fact that she wanted me to swap seats with her because of her creaky seat, the way she giggled, how I fought tooth and nail to pay for such a small bill, the way she smiled when she said, “next time you’ve gotta let me pay,” and the shared excitement for our next hangout. Even though Isabella and I were still friends, even though the restaurant was a disaster, even though the fries were stale and the milkshakes chunky, that moment is one of the best in my life. With how well things were going, I thought that it was my best chance at making something more out of this friendship. So, I shot my shot. I told her that despite my efforts the summer before, she still held a special place in my heart. Isabella responded with her own struggles with recovering from a past relationship, detailing the trust issues and pain she still felt almost a year later. I was yet again, devastated. Then she added that despite her own feelings, she had to be careful and the risk of losing our friendship scared her. I understood her reasoning, but it made me sick to think of how close I was. In response, I expressed how I could relate to those feelings, and the conflict I had with them. It felt ridiculous having opened myself up once again, to just be friendzoned. Her response struck me with both hope and devastation, “I f*cking love you a ton Lincoln, but I’m struggling to differentiate my admiration as a friend and as something more. I’m terrified of losing you.” Previously I would have seen this as a sign to keep trying, but at that moment, I couldn’t see past the blatant friendzoning. After pursuing her for so long, it felt cruel of her to continue dragging me along like this, even though she was being honest. My reaction to the straw that broke the camel’s back is one of, if not, the biggest regrets in life. Homecoming was a little over a week away and she was going (as friends) with my buddy, Davis, so in a storm of hatred for myself and the situation I was in, I gave up on her. Our conversations grew to be minimal and far apart. Soon, I started to resent her. Each day since then, I have somehow felt more remorse than the last for not asking her to Homecoming. Homecoming night is when I began flirting with Claire, a sweet redhead from gym class. We connected on not going with the person we had hoped for. All it took was me joking that I should’ve spent more time around her, instead of leaving the dance early, for Claire to lose her mind. Over the next month or so, I was becoming closer and closer with Claire, despite her irritable “quirks”. I only spoke to Isabella if she reached out to me first with the only exception being when I would ask her for “advice” about Claire, which was a shameful habit I started as petty revenge on Isabella. Eventually, Isabella blocked me on Snapchat, but it didn’t matter. Things with me and Claire were going great, she made me feel like I didn’t need to starve myself to be good enough for her. She made me feel like I was enough. For the next two and a half months, life was great. After the first couple months of ignorant bliss, I was sick of her. Sure, there were a variety of reasons to find her annoying, most people I knew could list more than they have fingers and toes, but she didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten into the relationship in the first place not only because of Isabella, but also the speed at which me and Claire started dating. She was still growing out of the elementary relationship phase, so while it was nice to connect with someone so quickly, it was rushed. Another issue being that I was her first real boyfriend, the baggage that followed me was detrimental to her and I couldn’t give her the attention she needed. As me and Claire began our month long drift apart, I was unblocked by Isabella. She and I caught up, and we quickly began to talk trash about Claire while on call. It was unbelievably toxic, and I’m embarrassed of how I handled things to this day. Eventually, with the support of Isabella, I decided it was time to break up. The only issue was the guilt I had in such a terrible choice, I could never do it. So I began to get more distant by the day, ignored texts and calls, and stopped walking her to classes because “I had to pee.” Eventually she caught wind of my plans and called me after school one day. Sobbing, she told me what she had heard and how she knew it wasn’t true, but it still worried her. I began to get ready to break the news, but she was already crying so what's the worst that could happen? I wish I had never asked myself that, because next she told me she’d been cutting herself. My heart sank in remorse for what I knew I would do. If I led her on longer, the aftermath of my cold actions would lead to even more catastrophe. I was scared, but knew the lesser of the two evils I had to pick from. I calmed her down, quickly notified her friends to be keeping an eye on her, and then dumped her. To this day, I am disgusted by my actions. Throughout the past three months, Claire expressed how she had loved and trusted me, yet I threw that all away. There are so many ways I could’ve handled the situation differently, but two stood out the most. Showing respect by speaking to Claire the moment I realized my feelings had fleeted was the bare minimum that I disregarded, but the second was far simpler. I had known from the start that I was still in love with Isabella and that love never faded, but was only suppressed. The entire relationship we developed, while we both enjoyed parts of it (her more than me), was a lie, and essentially a cruel joke played on Claire. There’s no excuse for my actions, and even worse, I could’ve cared less back then. It was only when time had passed that I began to understand the damage I had done. Without Claire holding me back, my newfound freedom led to a closer friendship with Isabella. I dove headfirst into the familiar pit all over again. A friendship was not enough, I appreciated every interaction I had with Isabella, but my life depended on a future with her. It’s likely she felt this as she slowly began to drift away from me. Before I had stayed up speaking to Isabella, but now I couldn’t sleep out of the tormenting absence of her voice. The only path to good health was time; distance was best for the both of us, and I knew it. For the rest of that school year, everything around me was going, but I stood still. It was like my life was just a sitcom, and I was no longer the main character. The summer that followed was just the same, I was living but dead, moving but still, speaking but silent. I was dissociating from my friends and family, but the absence of that violent snake made my depression insignificant. Living a life without her was more punishment than death itself, and I didn’t deserve relief. Even now, I think of that summer and remember almost nothing, for my life isn’t worth remembering without Isabella in it. Sophomore year began, and so did my conversations with Isabella. This go around, I was subtle with my feelings for her. The excitement I had for speaking with her was under control, but it was because the spark inside me had faded, even when it came to Isabella.The years of self pity and depression had left a toll on me that could never be reversed, and it didn’t help that Isabella began to build a relationship with another guy. When we spoke, if we did, Isabella’s concern for my mental state outweighed the friendship we were struggling to preserve. I had come to the conclusion that pursuing Isabella would only make things worse, and I needed to just be her friend. Since I couldn’t lose the feelings I had for her, I just sat in them. While I sat in the pit, Isabella and I had one particular Facetime call in which I brought up how much I regretted dating Claire. To that, Isabella added, “Yeah, she’s so annoying. I can’t remember if you told me why you got together in the first place, what led you to her?” I paused with the thousand-yard stare of an American private fresh out of West Point. “I guess I was just so disappointed with myself for not being able to go to homecoming with you and being stuck on you for so long that I impulsively got with another girl to forget about my shortcomings,” I said with reluctance and stuttering every few words. She told me that she would’ve said yes to homecoming without a second thought, but I knew she meant as friends. Then, to my dismay, Isabella revealed that whenever I got with Claire, she still had feelings for me. It was me talking to Isabella about how great things were with me and Claire that led her to block me and cut contact with me. The piano melody from “No Surprises” by Radiohead began looping through my mind as tears ran down my face. I forget how I ended the call, but once I did, I broke. I lost my breath, my head got light, my eyes became blurry, my stomach was nauseous, and my insides sank as far as they could. Everything I wanted, dreamed of, needed had been so close, and I blew it. Everything was my fault. Later I would ask her why she lost them, and her answer proved how much better she was than me. Isabella answered, “I had been hurt, so I moved on. Just got over it.” We hardly spoke anymore, but one text message has found a permanent home in my mind. After asking me how I was, Isabella wasn’t satisfied with, “it’s complicated.” She asked that I explain it to her so that she could try to understand. I told her about all the issues going on in my life, except the torch I still held for her. She wrote, “I know you’re not religious, so it may not mean anything, but I pray for you every night, Lincoln. Even though it sounds bad, I think that I've known you weren’t in the greatest mental place for a while. I want you to know I'm not judging you, I want you to feel comfortable enough to share that with someone. You have to be able to recognize how you’re feeling in order to even fix it.” These words broke me despite their simplistic appearance. Reading that she prayed for me hit me hard as she had always tried to get me to believe in God again. I’m agnostic, and nothing has come closer to bringing me back to faith as Isabella did. The idea that if God were real and I could see her in heaven was appealing, but should Christianity be the wrong choice, I wanted to be wrong with Isabella. In the following days, Isabella told me about Alex, a guy she had been talking to a lot, and how they were at most a month away from being together. I hated everything about Alex, which is a stupid name in the first place. I hated his choice of friends, I hated how white-washed he was, I hated how he dressed like a conservative cowboy, I hated the underbite that made him look like a pug, I hated his short curly hair, I hated the fact that he was a diehard Trump supporter while people of his race were being oppressed, I hated how he pretended to be someone else when he was around Isabella, I hated how he hid unhealthy habits from her, I hated that a guy like him garnered Isabella’s affection when I couldn’t. I barely knew the guy and I was wasting my energy with hatred for him, when in reality, he was just a mind-numbingly basic douche among the hundreds just like him at our school. Isabella regularly complained about Alex, but hardly did anything. Instead she stopped bringing it up, saying that talking about her issues with others only makes it worse and that she was just wining. The monotone delivery of her reasoning hurt my soul, it was like she was reciting a text from Alex. Each day that passed, I felt the urgency of expressing my feelings one more time rising. Soon Isabella and Alex would be official, and I would lose my chance to try and express how I felt one more time. I reached out to Isabella and asked if she was free to hangout that friday. On November 10, 2023, Isabella picked me up around 5:30 in the evening. She kept the inside of her SUV looking brand new in contrast to the familiarity of her smile. My nerves left me winded after every sentence and shivering in her passenger seat. Quickly our conversation became more natural as I cracked jokes to ease my anxiety, but my shaky breathing never stopped. We went to Publix to grab some snacks and drinks and headed right back to my neighborhood park. At the Grove Point Park, we found a swinging chair to sit in. Due to the time of the year, the sun had already set, but Isabella’s beauty was indifferent under the moonlight. I haven’t the slightest clue how long we sat there together. When I’m with Isabella, even Father Time gives me grace, for he knows that he is as powerless as I am to the frequency of these moments. After a while, I mentioned that it was getting late and she agreed. On the ride back to my place, I mustered the bare minimum of strength it took to confront my feelings. As she drove over the speed bump before entering the roundabout, I began to open up. I briefly told her that I still felt the same way I did two years ago, that I had tried to forget about the feelings I had with no success, and that I was sorry to once again ruin our unstable friendship. She told me it was fine and my feelings were natural, nothing to regret or be ashamed of. Her words meant nothing to me this time because I had already heard them. Defeated, I paused for a moment, then said, “Isabella, you reciprocated my feelings in the past, so after Alex, do you think that maybe we’d have a chance?” She looked at me with pain in her eyes, not for herself, but for me. She quietly said, “I- Lincoln, you know I can’t answer that. I’m with Alex now, it wouldn’t be fair.” All I could get out was, “Oh- I- I’m sorry. Uh yeah no, you’re uh- you’re right.” Everything in me pulled and begged at my lips to say what I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I still look back on that night and wish I had said the few words I never got to tell her. What if saying them could’ve changed something? Realistically, it wouldn’t have, but the regret remains. I doubt Isabella would have even remembered where my word choice stemmed from. Regardless, the words rang in my head then, and never stopped. All I wanted to say at that moment was, “but I still need you.” Today, 1,725 days since I first saw Isabella, 822 days since I first facetimed Isabella, and 178 days since that heartbreakingly beautiful night, I still love her the same. Looking back on my experience with her, I regret many things (oversharing, Claire, the snake, etc.), but the one thing I have never regretted was meeting and loving her. It was only recently that I realized that loving her has been one of the biggest mistakes in my life. For three years, day in and day out, I’ve thought about her. Three years where I could have met other people, worked on myself, enjoyed my friends and family, but instead I’ve loved her and nothing, nobody else. The one lesson that was essential for me to take away from my experience was impossible. In eighth grade I was 5’7 and 215 lbs, today I’m 5’10 and 165 lbs. In eighth grade I spent time with my parents, today I hide in my room. In eighth grade, I told people how I felt, now I’m too scared. In eighth grade, I talked about my depression, now I am left alone to deal with it. In eighth grade, I had many friends, now I rarely speak to them. In eighth grade, I needed Isabella, but the one lesson I should’ve learned never took effect. I still need her.
2024.05.08 03:14 ar_david_hh PM Pashinyan's press conference: Transport routes and 9th paragraph; West & Tavush delimitation; Peace agreement; Russia relations & Kremlin TV; Refugee housing; Church leaders & Kocharyan \\ Kirants and Voskepar mayors on delimitation \\ Trade stats \\ And more...
17-minute read.
Today Armenia has and must have an independent foreign policy. Armenia's internal policy is driven by the will of the people.
The purpose of the existence of the Republic of Armenia is not to serve "historical justice". Its purpose is to establish personal freedoms, happiness, and prosperity for its citizens and diasporans who wish to repatriate.
We must have social justice in Armenia based on the idea of assisting those in need so they can have the skills and jobs necessary to make a living independently.
We must deepen our relations with neighboring Georgia and Iran, control and reduce the hostility with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and integrate with regional communication routes. The Crossroads of Peace logistics project would promote Armenia's integration into economic routes and reduce the likelihood of conflicts in the future.
In the area of defense, we are diversifying our foreign relations, reforming the army, and we need to implement and comprehensive defense system.
To be able to diversify foreign relations [closer ties with the West & the delivery of Indian weapons through the territory of Iran or Georgia], Armenia's stance must be based on legitimacy [no territorial claims against Azerbaijan]. We will never be able to diversify our relations or use the diversified relations effectively without having a position based on legitimacy.
The army reforms must also be based on legitimacy, and its purpose must be the protection of Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. There will be no army reforms [Western advisory & assistance] if our stance is not based on legitimacy.
The economic development, which is a prerequisite for the achievement of other goals, must be based including on the development of human capital in Armenia.
The implementation of all of the above requires peace. The peace agenda has been a priority for us, partly because the mechanism of guarantees [by Russia] didn't work. Only peace can guarantee Armenia's security. The peace agenda is a tool to ensure Armenia's security.
We must create the conditions for peace, and we have launched that process in Tavush. The border posts installed in Tavush are "security guarantees" and we must do everything possible to strengthen those guarantees and multiply them. //
Border Commissions of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on April 19 to reproduce the borders based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration. During the upcoming meeting in Kazakhstan, foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will discuss the inclusion of this principle in the larger peace agreement, said Pashinyan.
The demarcation is conducted based on the latest USSR maps that hold de jure power. That's the principle. They avoid pointing to a map from a specific year because each section of the border could have de jure maps prepared in different years. Pashinyan offered journalists to meet off the record to share more details about the de jure maps. He said it can't be publicized in order not to jeopardize the ongoing delimitation process.
Why are the parties delimiting the borders from the ground up instead of simply using the delimitation work carried out in 1988, during the final years of USSR? Pashinyan says the 1988 efforts were not legally finalized and "didn't have time" to undergo the necessary procedures to go into effect, hence the need for a new process.
PASHINYAN: Today we are using maps that reflect the borders between Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. With the Tavush process, we have chosen a path to exclude the possibility of a war. This isn't just about Kirants and Tavush, this is about the Republic of Armenia.
The border delimitation aims to make the possible war illogical, unlikely, and not worthwhile. Some 90% of the work is complete. The further it goes, the more illogical a war becomes. We are delivering on our 2021 promise of taking steps to establish peace.
This is the first time in history that we create security guarantees ourselves, no matter how challenging it is. This is part of being a sovereign state, when you face your own issues and make sovereign decisions to resolve your own issues. This is a major political and socio-psychological shift for Armenia. //
Pashinyan said it's necessary to ensure that Armenia is not viewed as an "occupier" of Azerbaijani villages, and explained why it was important to launch the delimitation from Tavush:
PASHINYAN: We are talking about actual [4 Soviet-era Azeri] communities where people lived. The escalations in 2021-2022 caught the interest of the international community, and sadly, on international platforms, the aggression against Armenia was "justified" including with the use of those Azerbaijani villages. It was both surprising and unfortunate that in a situation [20121-2022] when we thought we were the "plaintiff", we became the "defendant". We were asked whether we recognize each other's territorial integrity or not. "Then what is the problem that's preventing you from resolving the issue of these villages?" So we are launching the delimitation from Tavush to avoid a new war.
Critics and I look at this through different lenses. They talk about "surrendering trenches great for defense", and I'm talking about preventing a war so you won't even need to use those trenches. Today there is a process, including by the clergy, to stop the process of developing guarantees for peace, to stop the process of strengthening Armenia's sovereignty. There will be a war if we don't delimit these 4 villages. I'm confident that this was/is the goal of certain forces that wish to create conditions to allow them to hijack power so they can make some other decisions for Armenia [Tatarstan].
Are you paying attention to what the opposition members are saying? One of their leaders went on air and questioned the expediency of holding free and legitimate elections because they - and certain external forces [in Russia] - understand that they can't win power through legitimate elections so they need to destabilize the situation by inciting a new war so they can hijack power without elections. This is their plan:
(1) Derail the border delimitation and incite a war that will lead to the occupation of Armenian territories.
(2) Use that to overthrow the government.
(3) Install an illegitimate marionette government.
(4) De facto dissolution of Armenia's sovereignty and statehood, ahead of its de jure dissolution.
Who are the supporters of this process [rally against delimitation]? Narco-barons hiding in Russia [Panama Papers' Mihran Poghosyan]; criminal elements recruited by foreign intel agencies or at a minimum people acting under their influence; the former NSS chief Arthur Vanetsyan who was recorded on tape, which wasn't published in full, with the rest of the tape being kept to ensure he served their interests. What could be in the unpublished portion of the conversation? Could we find out one day that Vanetsyan was illegally negotiating with Kocharyan's son-in-law Mikael Minasyan to register part of the Zangezur copper combine's shares under his brother's name [Context: Pashinyan has accused the ex-regime of illegally appropriating the shares of Armenia's largest miner. There was an investigation by an independent media outlet about Vanetsyan's involvement in Zangezur. This was before the recent partial nationalization.]
These are the people who claim they are worried about the homeland today. Why don't they return those illegally obtained shares if they are worried about Armenia? It is inevitable. I want to inform you that these shares will belong to the Republic of Armenia. These illegal assets will be seized and returned under the ownership of the Republic of Armenia. //
Pashinyan vented about the quality of journalism in Armenia, accusing outlets of spreading unverified information as facts and not attempting to ask him directly for clarification when they were given the opportunity during one-on-one meetings.
PASHINYAN: You read these articles about my family members visiting somewhere and returning home with a "submarine", but when the opportunity is presented, these outlets never ask me to clarify whether it was true. Why don't you grill me right now for using a submarine to travel from Gyumri to Yerevan? It's as if these articles are being written for the sake of saying something rather than presenting facts. //
Back to borders.
PASHINYAN: Today the Border Commissions are tasked with reproducing the border on the ground. They are not engaged in politics, geopolitics, or proving the other side wrong. They are reproducing the de jure borders. In the Kirants section, 8 border markings have been clarified and installed. The other 3 are more sensitive [might pass through a house] and more detailed work will be done because, in those 3 points, every centimeter will matter. It has to have a centimeter precision. It's a laborious task but the problems of Kirants residents are our problems, my personal problems. For them, we have to come up with realistic and satisfactory solutions, even if not "ideal" solutions. We are reviewing the property ownership records as well. //
Pashinyan said he had to organize this press conference on May 7 instead of May 8 - the day when he became the PM - because tomorrow he has to visit Russia for the EAEU economic meeting during which he will also meet Putin. He said a number of issues have accumulated on the AM-RU agenda that need to be discussed.
The permanent housing assistance package for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees is being drafted and will be ready soon. Pashinyan said the refugees will receive help to build or buy housing, or a mortgage subsidy if they have already purchased a house. For refugees who are unable or do not wish to take part in the aforementioned programs, they will receive assistance in the form of social housing, meaning they will live for free but won't own it.
The amount of housing subsidy will be in the ֏3M-֏5M range, per family member. So a family of 6 would receive $41,000-$77,000 depending on the geographic location of their choice.
While speaking about the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process, Pashinyan repeated that after 2016, the resolution package on the table required: the abolition of the governing system in Nagorno-Karabakh, the return of Azeris to Nagorno-Karabakh, the joint control of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenians and Azeris, no independence, and the lingering possibility of war.
PASHINYAN: We had to surrender all of that, and even then there was no guarantee there wouldn't be a war because there would be no final resolution. This outcome was predetermined. Nevertheless, the Armenian people are overcoming the mentality of being a [Russian] fortpost today. This creates the groundwork for a lasting statehood for Armenia. Today we see the horizon after overcoming all these tragedies. Since taking office in 2018 I had the feeling that Armenia was in a deadlock. Today, for the first time, I feel that we have overcome that, thanks to the delimitation in Tavush. We are the ones creating the "guarantees" for us. //
When asked why he won't take part in Russia's May 9 celebrations, Pashinyan said he visited last year and that Armenian leaders don't have a record of attending every year.
Regarding the recent ban on Russian propagandist Solovyov from Armenian airwaves and possibly a wider ban on Russian channels, Pashinyan said foreign programs must respect Armenian laws:
PASHINYAN: Can you imagine the broadcasting of a channel in Russia that uses a similar language towards Russian law, the state, and its government? Do you think the channel would exist even if they used 5% of the same language? The AM-RU media agreement requires respect for Armenia and its interests. Since we have friendly relations with Russia, we can ask nicely once and twice, then demand once and twice, and if it's still ignored, they will all be shut down in Armenia. We are serious about defending Armenia as a sovereign state. I can GUARANTEE you, guar-an-tee, that these foreign channels won't be aired in Armenia if they continue to ignore these demands. It appears we have asked twice, demanded once, so there is one more "demand" left. //
QUESTION: Russia and Azerbaijan demand a Russian-controlled corridor from Armenia, citing the 9th paragraph of the Nov 9 statement.
PASHINYAN: (1) The other paragraphs of Nov. 9 were ignored. (2) The 9th paragraph is not about connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhijevan. That's the impression they are trying to create, but the 9th paragraph is in reality about the unblocking of ALL communication routes in the region. Azerbaijan has yet to unblock any of the routes for Armenia. Name one route that Azerbaijan has unblocked. We, on the other hand, proposed the installation of border checkpoints to establish connections, including between Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan. Azerbaijan is refusing to take advantage of this opportunity. Azerbaijan says if we don't give them a corridor they will build a route through Iran. Our response is that we are ready to provide a road similar to the one provided by Iran. There is not even a "hint" in the 9th paragraph that limits Armenia's sovereignty.
(3) There is an attempt to create the impression that under the 9th paragraph, a 3rd party [Russia] must guarantee the security through the territory of Armenia. Quite the contrary; it directly states that Armenia shall guarantee the security of connections.
(4) The 9th paragraph makes no mention of any part of Armenia becoming outside of the reach of the Armenian government and being "controlled" by Russia. It's written that Russia oversees the transport connection. What does that mean, you may ask? Pay attention to the Russian government decree adopted after the Nov. 9 statement, because it clarifies what the 9th paragraph says. The Russian decree instructs Russian agencies to "oversee the implementation of transportation guarantees provided by Armenia". In other words, the subject that provides the guarantees is Armenia, not Russia. This doesn't even mean that Russia must be present on the ground to oversee this, because it's possible to oversee the process by receiving regular reports from Armenia that Armenia is delivering the guarantees [Relevant: In 2022-2023 Armenia's NatSec Armen Grigoryan suggested that Russia could use "cameras" to oversee the process remotely. It appears Pashinyan today supports even less direct involvement by Russia, in the form of "regular reports", whatever that means.]
PASHINYAN (continues): There can be no comparison between this and the Lachin corridor. They are completely different. The Lachin corridor, under Nov. 9, was a territory with a specific width that had to remain under the direct control of Russian peacekeepers. Those who accuse us of violating paragraph 9 are making baseless claims. They must admit that this is an attempt by them to coerce an unacceptable concession from Armenia that is not described in paragraph 9. That is the truth.
There is a Lachin corridor in the Nov 9 statement. Is there a Lachin corridor on the ground today? It doesn't exist. Why?
There is a "line of contact" between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the Nov 9 state. Is there a LoC on the ground today? Where is it?
The Nov 9 says there is Nagorno-Karabakh. Where is Nagorno-Karabakh today?
The Nov 9 says there are peacekeepers that will ensure the security of the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Did they? They did not. Where is the ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh today? //
Regarding the delimitation of 3 problematic areas in Kirants where the border could pass through a couple of houses.
PASHINYAN: Kirants is my homeland. I grew up in these areas and my children spent their vacations there. We regularly visit Kirants and other villages with family without disclosing it. Do you know why I do not oppose delimiting the border even if it causes controversy and property issues for some residents? Because we were finally able to reach an agreement around the principle for the delimitation of the entire AM-AZ border, welcomed by the international community. We cannot throw away the hard work and the principles of delimitation.
There can be no external "security guarantees" for Armenia. Armenia itself must forge those "guarantees" with its own efforts. That is what we are doing today. These are the "security guarantees" that you asked for Kirants and Tavush. This is part of the peace agenda. //
When asked about police brutality, Pashinyan acknowledged some problems but said a legal force should be used when appropriate, citing the recent clearing of university campuses in the US. Pashinyan said the government has launched a process to clarify the rights and responsibilities of officers so they will avoid investigations and prosecutors while the public will be treated fairly.
Pashinyan accused "failed religious leaders" of attempting to pursue a political agenda.
PASHINYAN: They failed to connect people and God. There are sadly many ranking churchmen, not all, who failed. You can talk to them dozens of times and they will never make any mention of the Bible or verses from the Bible. They are focused on business dealings, cement and concrete transportation, customs clearance, moving money from one account to another, public transport ownership, comparing the latest model of Mercedes with the old model, etc. Who are these people?
I'm not really surprised that they are involved in politics because they have no place in the religious world; it's just not for them. I doubt they have read the Bible in full. Based on the language used by them, you can tell they haven't opened the New Testament for quite some time, and they don't possess the nuances of the gospel. I say this not as a Prime Minister but as a man who believes in God. I speak as a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Our church leaders have failed in their mission. I'm probably the last person in Armenia who says this; everyone knows that's the case.
They are bored of religion, they want to be in politics. Under the old regime, the church members had their "quotas" [monopolistic privileges] to conduct business. Import and export of cars, Bentleys, Lexus, Mercedes... yev ayln. Today everyone is free to do business, which means economic competition for these church leaders. This sums up the whole story.
They say the "temple" [opposition] will defeat the "street" [Pashinyan's 2018 revolution]. How will the temple defeat the street? Who is on the streets? It's the citizens of Armenia. How do they plan to defeat the street? The people's will is unstoppable, and people want peace. Those who preach war are destined to fail. // [Should Pashinyan resign and lead the church? Leave your insightful opinion in the comment section below.]
When asked why he visited daddy Erdogan's inauguration ceremony but not papa Putin's, Pashinyan revealed that he didn't receive an invitation from Putin, but even if there was one, he said would likely miss it because of today's press conference.
When asked whether the church leader Garegin Beta should step down, Pashinyan said the Government should not interfere in those matters.
PASHINYAN: Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that Catholicos Garegin B is leading a political movement today. That is very obvious. Today we know the purpose of this movement from the spokesman of the church who said the goal of this movement is to bring back the former regime. This strategy was mentioned by the leader of Armenia Alliance [Robert Kocharyan] on how to use the church to replace the government. A churchman said he has the blessing of the Catholicos to proceed with the process. That means Catholicos is the real leader, with the primary beneficiary being Robert Kocharyan. This isn't even an assumption, this is based on their public statements.
We are aware that some members of the clergy oppose this process. You remember how there was a movement "New Armenia, new Catholicos" after the 2018 revolution. They attempted to accuse us of being behind it, but in reality, not only we did not sponsor it but we were against that process because we didn't believe the Government should meddle in those affairs. //
HOST: This just in. The administrative head of village Kirants was allowed to visit the border marking sites. During a follow-up interview with the press, he said their expectations have been met and exceeded, and that it's more positive than what they expected.
PASHINYAN: During my recent trip to Kirants, the scenario I presented to the residents was the worst-case scenario. I also informed the residents of Kirants about the positive aspects of the delimitation and the possible economic benefits. I won't rush to make more statements and politicize the work of the Border Commission. The head of the administrative district of Kirants is actually a member of a [recently formed] working group adjacent to the Border Commission [Context: Village mayors were invited to oversee the Commission's work to ensure transparency for residents].
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Marukyan says it's normal for the church to be in politics and for deeply religious figures to be members of the government. He brings the example of Donald Trump, who is selling Bibles for a buck; Erdogan, whose party is deeply religious; Israel, whose coalition has right-wing religious figures; the United Kingdom, which has Bishops, etc.
In related news. Former Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has joined the anti-delimitation march organized by the ARF/church.
source, source, source, source, source, [կանսեռվա]
MAYOR (Kamo Shahinyan): I've seen the markers. There is a height called Khachi located right on the cross. They moved the border about 25 meters down from there, for which we are grateful to whoever was able to accomplish this. Some of the territory went under our control, and some under Azerbaijani control.
The "nose" part is what's left, the area immediately neighboring the village, the most difficult part. The 9.5 hectares that we were supposed to lose were moved down the river; not a centimeter of land belonging to us passes through there. On the back side, there are 3 personal properties and if you draw the line straight they will be inside Azerbaijan but they said they plan to curve the line. With this technique, we can maintain control of our lands.
REPORTER: Where is the most problematic area?
MAYOR: The bridge and the [area immediately next to the village where the border protrudes into the village]. Most of the work has been done near other markers. Moreover, some of the areas that were part of Azerbaijan under the 1985 map went to our side.
Near the Gholi Chal area, we were expecting them to draw the line to pass through our side of the river, but it passes on the Azeri side.
Most of the concern is with the "nose" and the personal properties of villagers in this area. As of right now, there is no Armenian-owned registered property that has fallen under the Azeri side as long as they curve that aforementioned area instead of drawing a straight line.
Do you see this large 9-hectare orchard? Not one centimeter of it goes under Azeri control.
REPORTER: Is that Ms. Karine's property?
MAYOR: Yes, people. Ms. Karine's lands remain under her control. I'm satisfied with how it's been handled so far.
REPORTER: [The groups were home today]. Is it possible they have frozen the activities on the nose section to distract you and buy some time? Because you are assuming a responsibility, you are presenting this in a positive light...
MAYOR: I'm telling you what has been done so far. I'm not the one to provide guarantees. They are going to deploy people [border guards] near the border markers to protect the area. For now, I think they will deploy NSS agents.
REPORTER (Azatutyun): So we haven't made concessions at this time?
MAYOR: We have not made concessions. There are only 3 land plots with uncertainty and it depends on how curved the line will be. That is the latest. It's going normal so far. //
In other news. Opposition outlets reported that Azerbaijani special forces were seen in village Kirants. It turned out they were Armenian agents. The ruling party accused the opposition of recklessly amplifying the anxieties of the residents.
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MAYOR: No part of Voskepar has gone under Azeri control.
REPORTER: How did the border change after the installation of border posts?
MAYOR: Do you really think people knew where the border was BEFORE this process? The process is so far in line with our expectations and understanding. There are areas where we keep more than we thought we would. Azeris moved further back in some locations so instead of a 120-meter distance it turned out to be 170.
REPORTER: What about the army positions?
MAYOR: We have not left any of the positions.
REPORTER: In other words, there has been no damage as of now and you are not displeased with the demarcation works?
MAYOR: I'm not displeased with the work so far.
REPORTER: In that case, why was there a noise generated by the opposition and the church, why did people take to the streets?
MAYOR: Ask them, but I support the fight against unilateral concessions to protect our lands.
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Imports +76% ($4.7B)
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submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
summarized segments from PM Pashinyan's 4-hour-long press conference
PASHINYAN: Over the last several years we came to realize that certain issues were incompatible with the idea of having an independent and sovereign Armenia. Certain agendas were shown to have a predetermined outcome with the goal of preventing Armenia's development as a state. I have shared details on numerous occasions. It became necessary to review Armenia's development strategy and the need to develop the "Real Armenia".Today Armenia has and must have an independent foreign policy. Armenia's internal policy is driven by the will of the people.
The purpose of the existence of the Republic of Armenia is not to serve "historical justice". Its purpose is to establish personal freedoms, happiness, and prosperity for its citizens and diasporans who wish to repatriate.
We must have social justice in Armenia based on the idea of assisting those in need so they can have the skills and jobs necessary to make a living independently.
We must deepen our relations with neighboring Georgia and Iran, control and reduce the hostility with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and integrate with regional communication routes. The Crossroads of Peace logistics project would promote Armenia's integration into economic routes and reduce the likelihood of conflicts in the future.
In the area of defense, we are diversifying our foreign relations, reforming the army, and we need to implement and comprehensive defense system.
To be able to diversify foreign relations [closer ties with the West & the delivery of Indian weapons through the territory of Iran or Georgia], Armenia's stance must be based on legitimacy [no territorial claims against Azerbaijan]. We will never be able to diversify our relations or use the diversified relations effectively without having a position based on legitimacy.
The army reforms must also be based on legitimacy, and its purpose must be the protection of Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. There will be no army reforms [Western advisory & assistance] if our stance is not based on legitimacy.
The economic development, which is a prerequisite for the achievement of other goals, must be based including on the development of human capital in Armenia.
The implementation of all of the above requires peace. The peace agenda has been a priority for us, partly because the mechanism of guarantees [by Russia] didn't work. Only peace can guarantee Armenia's security. The peace agenda is a tool to ensure Armenia's security.
We must create the conditions for peace, and we have launched that process in Tavush. The border posts installed in Tavush are "security guarantees" and we must do everything possible to strengthen those guarantees and multiply them. //
Border Commissions of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on April 19 to reproduce the borders based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration. During the upcoming meeting in Kazakhstan, foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will discuss the inclusion of this principle in the larger peace agreement, said Pashinyan.
The demarcation is conducted based on the latest USSR maps that hold de jure power. That's the principle. They avoid pointing to a map from a specific year because each section of the border could have de jure maps prepared in different years. Pashinyan offered journalists to meet off the record to share more details about the de jure maps. He said it can't be publicized in order not to jeopardize the ongoing delimitation process.
Why are the parties delimiting the borders from the ground up instead of simply using the delimitation work carried out in 1988, during the final years of USSR? Pashinyan says the 1988 efforts were not legally finalized and "didn't have time" to undergo the necessary procedures to go into effect, hence the need for a new process.
PASHINYAN: Today we are using maps that reflect the borders between Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. With the Tavush process, we have chosen a path to exclude the possibility of a war. This isn't just about Kirants and Tavush, this is about the Republic of Armenia.
The border delimitation aims to make the possible war illogical, unlikely, and not worthwhile. Some 90% of the work is complete. The further it goes, the more illogical a war becomes. We are delivering on our 2021 promise of taking steps to establish peace.
This is the first time in history that we create security guarantees ourselves, no matter how challenging it is. This is part of being a sovereign state, when you face your own issues and make sovereign decisions to resolve your own issues. This is a major political and socio-psychological shift for Armenia. //
Pashinyan said it's necessary to ensure that Armenia is not viewed as an "occupier" of Azerbaijani villages, and explained why it was important to launch the delimitation from Tavush:
PASHINYAN: We are talking about actual [4 Soviet-era Azeri] communities where people lived. The escalations in 2021-2022 caught the interest of the international community, and sadly, on international platforms, the aggression against Armenia was "justified" including with the use of those Azerbaijani villages. It was both surprising and unfortunate that in a situation [20121-2022] when we thought we were the "plaintiff", we became the "defendant". We were asked whether we recognize each other's territorial integrity or not. "Then what is the problem that's preventing you from resolving the issue of these villages?" So we are launching the delimitation from Tavush to avoid a new war.
Critics and I look at this through different lenses. They talk about "surrendering trenches great for defense", and I'm talking about preventing a war so you won't even need to use those trenches. Today there is a process, including by the clergy, to stop the process of developing guarantees for peace, to stop the process of strengthening Armenia's sovereignty. There will be a war if we don't delimit these 4 villages. I'm confident that this was/is the goal of certain forces that wish to create conditions to allow them to hijack power so they can make some other decisions for Armenia [Tatarstan].
Are you paying attention to what the opposition members are saying? One of their leaders went on air and questioned the expediency of holding free and legitimate elections because they - and certain external forces [in Russia] - understand that they can't win power through legitimate elections so they need to destabilize the situation by inciting a new war so they can hijack power without elections. This is their plan:
(1) Derail the border delimitation and incite a war that will lead to the occupation of Armenian territories.
(2) Use that to overthrow the government.
(3) Install an illegitimate marionette government.
(4) De facto dissolution of Armenia's sovereignty and statehood, ahead of its de jure dissolution.
Who are the supporters of this process [rally against delimitation]? Narco-barons hiding in Russia [Panama Papers' Mihran Poghosyan]; criminal elements recruited by foreign intel agencies or at a minimum people acting under their influence; the former NSS chief Arthur Vanetsyan who was recorded on tape, which wasn't published in full, with the rest of the tape being kept to ensure he served their interests. What could be in the unpublished portion of the conversation? Could we find out one day that Vanetsyan was illegally negotiating with Kocharyan's son-in-law Mikael Minasyan to register part of the Zangezur copper combine's shares under his brother's name [Context: Pashinyan has accused the ex-regime of illegally appropriating the shares of Armenia's largest miner. There was an investigation by an independent media outlet about Vanetsyan's involvement in Zangezur. This was before the recent partial nationalization.]
These are the people who claim they are worried about the homeland today. Why don't they return those illegally obtained shares if they are worried about Armenia? It is inevitable. I want to inform you that these shares will belong to the Republic of Armenia. These illegal assets will be seized and returned under the ownership of the Republic of Armenia. //
Pashinyan vented about the quality of journalism in Armenia, accusing outlets of spreading unverified information as facts and not attempting to ask him directly for clarification when they were given the opportunity during one-on-one meetings.
PASHINYAN: You read these articles about my family members visiting somewhere and returning home with a "submarine", but when the opportunity is presented, these outlets never ask me to clarify whether it was true. Why don't you grill me right now for using a submarine to travel from Gyumri to Yerevan? It's as if these articles are being written for the sake of saying something rather than presenting facts. //
Back to borders.
PASHINYAN: Today the Border Commissions are tasked with reproducing the border on the ground. They are not engaged in politics, geopolitics, or proving the other side wrong. They are reproducing the de jure borders. In the Kirants section, 8 border markings have been clarified and installed. The other 3 are more sensitive [might pass through a house] and more detailed work will be done because, in those 3 points, every centimeter will matter. It has to have a centimeter precision. It's a laborious task but the problems of Kirants residents are our problems, my personal problems. For them, we have to come up with realistic and satisfactory solutions, even if not "ideal" solutions. We are reviewing the property ownership records as well. //
Pashinyan said he had to organize this press conference on May 7 instead of May 8 - the day when he became the PM - because tomorrow he has to visit Russia for the EAEU economic meeting during which he will also meet Putin. He said a number of issues have accumulated on the AM-RU agenda that need to be discussed.
The permanent housing assistance package for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees is being drafted and will be ready soon. Pashinyan said the refugees will receive help to build or buy housing, or a mortgage subsidy if they have already purchased a house. For refugees who are unable or do not wish to take part in the aforementioned programs, they will receive assistance in the form of social housing, meaning they will live for free but won't own it.
The amount of housing subsidy will be in the ֏3M-֏5M range, per family member. So a family of 6 would receive $41,000-$77,000 depending on the geographic location of their choice.
While speaking about the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process, Pashinyan repeated that after 2016, the resolution package on the table required: the abolition of the governing system in Nagorno-Karabakh, the return of Azeris to Nagorno-Karabakh, the joint control of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenians and Azeris, no independence, and the lingering possibility of war.
PASHINYAN: We had to surrender all of that, and even then there was no guarantee there wouldn't be a war because there would be no final resolution. This outcome was predetermined. Nevertheless, the Armenian people are overcoming the mentality of being a [Russian] fortpost today. This creates the groundwork for a lasting statehood for Armenia. Today we see the horizon after overcoming all these tragedies. Since taking office in 2018 I had the feeling that Armenia was in a deadlock. Today, for the first time, I feel that we have overcome that, thanks to the delimitation in Tavush. We are the ones creating the "guarantees" for us. //
When asked why he won't take part in Russia's May 9 celebrations, Pashinyan said he visited last year and that Armenian leaders don't have a record of attending every year.
Regarding the recent ban on Russian propagandist Solovyov from Armenian airwaves and possibly a wider ban on Russian channels, Pashinyan said foreign programs must respect Armenian laws:
PASHINYAN: Can you imagine the broadcasting of a channel in Russia that uses a similar language towards Russian law, the state, and its government? Do you think the channel would exist even if they used 5% of the same language? The AM-RU media agreement requires respect for Armenia and its interests. Since we have friendly relations with Russia, we can ask nicely once and twice, then demand once and twice, and if it's still ignored, they will all be shut down in Armenia. We are serious about defending Armenia as a sovereign state. I can GUARANTEE you, guar-an-tee, that these foreign channels won't be aired in Armenia if they continue to ignore these demands. It appears we have asked twice, demanded once, so there is one more "demand" left. //
QUESTION: Russia and Azerbaijan demand a Russian-controlled corridor from Armenia, citing the 9th paragraph of the Nov 9 statement.
PASHINYAN: (1) The other paragraphs of Nov. 9 were ignored. (2) The 9th paragraph is not about connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhijevan. That's the impression they are trying to create, but the 9th paragraph is in reality about the unblocking of ALL communication routes in the region. Azerbaijan has yet to unblock any of the routes for Armenia. Name one route that Azerbaijan has unblocked. We, on the other hand, proposed the installation of border checkpoints to establish connections, including between Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan. Azerbaijan is refusing to take advantage of this opportunity. Azerbaijan says if we don't give them a corridor they will build a route through Iran. Our response is that we are ready to provide a road similar to the one provided by Iran. There is not even a "hint" in the 9th paragraph that limits Armenia's sovereignty.
(3) There is an attempt to create the impression that under the 9th paragraph, a 3rd party [Russia] must guarantee the security through the territory of Armenia. Quite the contrary; it directly states that Armenia shall guarantee the security of connections.
(4) The 9th paragraph makes no mention of any part of Armenia becoming outside of the reach of the Armenian government and being "controlled" by Russia. It's written that Russia oversees the transport connection. What does that mean, you may ask? Pay attention to the Russian government decree adopted after the Nov. 9 statement, because it clarifies what the 9th paragraph says. The Russian decree instructs Russian agencies to "oversee the implementation of transportation guarantees provided by Armenia". In other words, the subject that provides the guarantees is Armenia, not Russia. This doesn't even mean that Russia must be present on the ground to oversee this, because it's possible to oversee the process by receiving regular reports from Armenia that Armenia is delivering the guarantees [Relevant: In 2022-2023 Armenia's NatSec Armen Grigoryan suggested that Russia could use "cameras" to oversee the process remotely. It appears Pashinyan today supports even less direct involvement by Russia, in the form of "regular reports", whatever that means.]
PASHINYAN (continues): There can be no comparison between this and the Lachin corridor. They are completely different. The Lachin corridor, under Nov. 9, was a territory with a specific width that had to remain under the direct control of Russian peacekeepers. Those who accuse us of violating paragraph 9 are making baseless claims. They must admit that this is an attempt by them to coerce an unacceptable concession from Armenia that is not described in paragraph 9. That is the truth.
There is a Lachin corridor in the Nov 9 statement. Is there a Lachin corridor on the ground today? It doesn't exist. Why?
There is a "line of contact" between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the Nov 9 state. Is there a LoC on the ground today? Where is it?
The Nov 9 says there is Nagorno-Karabakh. Where is Nagorno-Karabakh today?
The Nov 9 says there are peacekeepers that will ensure the security of the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Did they? They did not. Where is the ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh today? //
Regarding the delimitation of 3 problematic areas in Kirants where the border could pass through a couple of houses.
PASHINYAN: Kirants is my homeland. I grew up in these areas and my children spent their vacations there. We regularly visit Kirants and other villages with family without disclosing it. Do you know why I do not oppose delimiting the border even if it causes controversy and property issues for some residents? Because we were finally able to reach an agreement around the principle for the delimitation of the entire AM-AZ border, welcomed by the international community. We cannot throw away the hard work and the principles of delimitation.
There can be no external "security guarantees" for Armenia. Armenia itself must forge those "guarantees" with its own efforts. That is what we are doing today. These are the "security guarantees" that you asked for Kirants and Tavush. This is part of the peace agenda. //
When asked about police brutality, Pashinyan acknowledged some problems but said a legal force should be used when appropriate, citing the recent clearing of university campuses in the US. Pashinyan said the government has launched a process to clarify the rights and responsibilities of officers so they will avoid investigations and prosecutors while the public will be treated fairly.
Pashinyan accused "failed religious leaders" of attempting to pursue a political agenda.
PASHINYAN: They failed to connect people and God. There are sadly many ranking churchmen, not all, who failed. You can talk to them dozens of times and they will never make any mention of the Bible or verses from the Bible. They are focused on business dealings, cement and concrete transportation, customs clearance, moving money from one account to another, public transport ownership, comparing the latest model of Mercedes with the old model, etc. Who are these people?
I'm not really surprised that they are involved in politics because they have no place in the religious world; it's just not for them. I doubt they have read the Bible in full. Based on the language used by them, you can tell they haven't opened the New Testament for quite some time, and they don't possess the nuances of the gospel. I say this not as a Prime Minister but as a man who believes in God. I speak as a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Our church leaders have failed in their mission. I'm probably the last person in Armenia who says this; everyone knows that's the case.
They are bored of religion, they want to be in politics. Under the old regime, the church members had their "quotas" [monopolistic privileges] to conduct business. Import and export of cars, Bentleys, Lexus, Mercedes... yev ayln. Today everyone is free to do business, which means economic competition for these church leaders. This sums up the whole story.
They say the "temple" [opposition] will defeat the "street" [Pashinyan's 2018 revolution]. How will the temple defeat the street? Who is on the streets? It's the citizens of Armenia. How do they plan to defeat the street? The people's will is unstoppable, and people want peace. Those who preach war are destined to fail. // [Should Pashinyan resign and lead the church? Leave your insightful opinion in the comment section below.]
When asked why he visited daddy Erdogan's inauguration ceremony but not papa Putin's, Pashinyan revealed that he didn't receive an invitation from Putin, but even if there was one, he said would likely miss it because of today's press conference.
When asked whether the church leader Garegin Beta should step down, Pashinyan said the Government should not interfere in those matters.
PASHINYAN: Nevertheless, we must acknowledge that Catholicos Garegin B is leading a political movement today. That is very obvious. Today we know the purpose of this movement from the spokesman of the church who said the goal of this movement is to bring back the former regime. This strategy was mentioned by the leader of Armenia Alliance [Robert Kocharyan] on how to use the church to replace the government. A churchman said he has the blessing of the Catholicos to proceed with the process. That means Catholicos is the real leader, with the primary beneficiary being Robert Kocharyan. This isn't even an assumption, this is based on their public statements.
We are aware that some members of the clergy oppose this process. You remember how there was a movement "New Armenia, new Catholicos" after the 2018 revolution. They attempted to accuse us of being behind it, but in reality, not only we did not sponsor it but we were against that process because we didn't believe the Government should meddle in those affairs. //
HOST: This just in. The administrative head of village Kirants was allowed to visit the border marking sites. During a follow-up interview with the press, he said their expectations have been met and exceeded, and that it's more positive than what they expected.
PASHINYAN: During my recent trip to Kirants, the scenario I presented to the residents was the worst-case scenario. I also informed the residents of Kirants about the positive aspects of the delimitation and the possible economic benefits. I won't rush to make more statements and politicize the work of the Border Commission. The head of the administrative district of Kirants is actually a member of a [recently formed] working group adjacent to the Border Commission [Context: Village mayors were invited to oversee the Commission's work to ensure transparency for residents].
source,
former ambassador-at-large Edmon Marutyan released a video praising the Armenian church for its "liberal values", criticizing the Pashinyan administration for a "Bolshevik" campaign against the church
Marukyan is upset that the ruling faction accuses the church leaders of being "Russian agents" and for dismissing them without engaging with them.Marukyan says it's normal for the church to be in politics and for deeply religious figures to be members of the government. He brings the example of Donald Trump, who is selling Bibles for a buck; Erdogan, whose party is deeply religious; Israel, whose coalition has right-wing religious figures; the United Kingdom, which has Bishops, etc.
In related news. Former Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has joined the anti-delimitation march organized by the ARF/church.
source, source, source, source, source, [կանսեռվա]
mayor of Tavush village Kirants about the ongoing delimitation process
REPORTER: Eight border markers have been installed. Where are they, what's the latest news?MAYOR (Kamo Shahinyan): I've seen the markers. There is a height called Khachi located right on the cross. They moved the border about 25 meters down from there, for which we are grateful to whoever was able to accomplish this. Some of the territory went under our control, and some under Azerbaijani control.
The "nose" part is what's left, the area immediately neighboring the village, the most difficult part. The 9.5 hectares that we were supposed to lose were moved down the river; not a centimeter of land belonging to us passes through there. On the back side, there are 3 personal properties and if you draw the line straight they will be inside Azerbaijan but they said they plan to curve the line. With this technique, we can maintain control of our lands.
REPORTER: Where is the most problematic area?
MAYOR: The bridge and the [area immediately next to the village where the border protrudes into the village]. Most of the work has been done near other markers. Moreover, some of the areas that were part of Azerbaijan under the 1985 map went to our side.
Near the Gholi Chal area, we were expecting them to draw the line to pass through our side of the river, but it passes on the Azeri side.
Most of the concern is with the "nose" and the personal properties of villagers in this area. As of right now, there is no Armenian-owned registered property that has fallen under the Azeri side as long as they curve that aforementioned area instead of drawing a straight line.
Do you see this large 9-hectare orchard? Not one centimeter of it goes under Azeri control.
REPORTER: Is that Ms. Karine's property?
MAYOR: Yes, people. Ms. Karine's lands remain under her control. I'm satisfied with how it's been handled so far.
REPORTER: [The groups were home today]. Is it possible they have frozen the activities on the nose section to distract you and buy some time? Because you are assuming a responsibility, you are presenting this in a positive light...
MAYOR: I'm telling you what has been done so far. I'm not the one to provide guarantees. They are going to deploy people [border guards] near the border markers to protect the area. For now, I think they will deploy NSS agents.
REPORTER (Azatutyun): So we haven't made concessions at this time?
MAYOR: We have not made concessions. There are only 3 land plots with uncertainty and it depends on how curved the line will be. That is the latest. It's going normal so far. //
In other news. Opposition outlets reported that Azerbaijani special forces were seen in village Kirants. It turned out they were Armenian agents. The ruling party accused the opposition of recklessly amplifying the anxieties of the residents.
source,source,
mayor of village Voskepar about the ongoing delimitation
REPORTER: What was lost during the delimitation near Voskepar? Did any territories of Voskepar go under Azerbaijani control?MAYOR: No part of Voskepar has gone under Azeri control.
REPORTER: How did the border change after the installation of border posts?
MAYOR: Do you really think people knew where the border was BEFORE this process? The process is so far in line with our expectations and understanding. There are areas where we keep more than we thought we would. Azeris moved further back in some locations so instead of a 120-meter distance it turned out to be 170.
REPORTER: What about the army positions?
MAYOR: We have not left any of the positions.
REPORTER: In other words, there has been no damage as of now and you are not displeased with the demarcation works?
MAYOR: I'm not displeased with the work so far.
REPORTER: In that case, why was there a noise generated by the opposition and the church, why did people take to the streets?
MAYOR: Ask them, but I support the fight against unilateral concessions to protect our lands.
source,
Donald Trump defends Azerbaijan's good boy U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, accused of taking $600,000 in bribes to promote pro-Azerbaijan and anti-Armenian legislation
Trump claims without evidence that Cuellar is under attack for wanting to defend the southern U.S. border.source,
Armenia will receive $100 million from the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development to fund the Government's economic reform plan
efficiency of the labor market and sustainable developmentsource,
Yerevan State University has a cleanroom certified under ISO 7: VIDEO
It's being used for nanotech and semiconductor research, practice for students, and projects funded by grants.video,
Armenia will host the World Weightlifting Championship in 2027: VIDEO
It will be the first major Olympic sports to be held in Armenia.video,
foreign trade stats: Q1 2024
Exports 2.7x ($4.4B)Imports +76% ($4.7B)
source, source,
2024.05.03 06:36 Ok-Personality9822 My baby’s dad won’t stop hurting me
I know this is gonna be long but pls pls read so I’m f 26 I’ve struggled with drug addiction in the past im 10 months clean I was using when I met my now ex boyfriend& sons dad male 27 (also former drug user ) we met in a NA meeting 🙄the whole time I’ve known him he’s been clean until he got off probation about 3 months ago . he gave me the stability I needed to get clean I was living out of my car prior I had a really big problem with running from my problems I had decided to stay single for about two years before him because he had his own place it toke me about 4 months of being with him for me to get off fety our relationship was so toxic in the beginning of our relationship I was on the “run” from the cops I had warrants out of two counties long story short I ended up getting picked up and going to jail on the jail calls he’d tell me he’s not leaving me there’s no one else for him well I found out I was pregnant by him about two week of me being in jail I asked for a test we had a feeling I was prior to going so they released me out of jail with a warrant from another county I come home I found out he had been sleeping with another girl he came to pick me up from the hospital with hickeys on his neck I ended up finding out he fcoed this girl and gave her my clothes to put on after he saw how hurt i was he blocked her before he came to get me she got salty and started messaging me saying “hey girl I have your shorts if you want them back 😉” me and he ended up getting in to it I ended up apologizing but she tried making me feel sorry for her which I did to an extent but she didn’t take into consideration how it felt to be me she only knew him for three days I was in jail pregnant by him and he was lying to me the whole time so me and him would fight all the time I would go to my mom’s for one night he would call me the next day, begging me to come home, telling me he didn’t talk to anybody or with anyone and I would believe him and come home and I would find out he had another girl sleeping in my bed this was an endless cycle of this happening plus every time we “broke up, “he would try to get a hold of the girl he cheated on me with I wouldn’t even consider a breakup. I would call it me leaving so we could cool down. We literally would get back together in the next day. He did this to me almost my whole pregnancy he put his hands on me fast-forward to September of last year. He had her blocked on everything but Snapchat because she had him blocked. She unblocked him and added him. And I picked up his phone and saw it and said something to him about it and I blocked her that was a Thursday Friday He comes home and starts an argument with me mind you I still had that warrant from the other county as soon as we start arguing, he walks outside and I thought it was weird so I walked outside. I was like what are you doing calling the cops he lied and said he was on the phone with his mom inside waited like five minutes and then walked back out as soon as I started walking towards him a cop car pull up I took off running in the woods behind the house he told them what I was wearing which I ran they ended up catching me. I went to jail. He told me he was going to throw all of my stuff out and he hopes that somebody would come steal it. I was on drugs at the time, but I had started taking methadone to get off of them. by the time he threw me in jail, I was barely using I went from doing a gram and a half a day. to doing barely a pinch at night I just had to wean myself down when he put me in jail, I didn’t get my methadone and I was pregnant doing drugs while pregnant is not right by any means and I don’t need backlash because it’s something I have to live with every day the fight wasn’t even that bad He said he threw me in jail to get me clean but he knew I was only gonna be in there over the weekend because it was on a Friday and the court wasn’t open till Monday so I sat there and detox while pregnant I started bleeding When you become pregnant if you’re using it it’s very dangerous to just immediately stop because if you go into withdrawals, it can make you go into pre-term labor. He didn’t put me in jail to get me clean he did it so he could try to screw the girl that he cheated on me with and tries to get with every time I leave to cool off I don’t even think the cop car pulled off and he was already messaging her he put me in jail so he could have the whole weekend to go do whatever he wanted knowing there was nothing I could do about it anyway we had a few more incidents of him talking to his exes all I ever wanted was a family not a broken one and I really really want to make it work with him. I didn’t want to be another person that gave up on him, but he kept hurting me. I ended up getting clean five months into our relationship relationship. I was three months pregnant fast-forward to me, baby. Things were good for about two months before I had the baby . in the hospital He did amazing. I ended up having to have an emergency C-section which I never had before and I have other kids so I end up getting prescribed 25 perk 10. Since I was on methadone. I can’t even abuse the pills if I wanted to because I wouldn’t feel them. Literally all they did for me would take the pain away. I left the hospital after 24 hours because they discharged me because my son went to Children’s Hospital. Because he was two weeks early. And just needed on a CPAP machine to help his lungs expand. His lungs just weren’t fully developed from him being a little early. But other than that, my baby was perfectly healthy. No he had no withdrawals at all of the methadone. So we go up to see our son and all the walking and having to sit in a chair and then getting up really made me sore and my legs were so swollen around 8 PM walking around all day and putting a number on my body I said I can’t take it and I need to take one of my pills I go to get my purse and get them and there’s two left mind you he did good the whole 14 months he was on probation had no slip ups but he had eaten 23 Percocets within a 10 hour time span I was so upset with him I thought it was so selfish because one more up here seeing our son for the first time what if I really would’ve needed those I was in pain he just took them to get high. We bring our baby home. everything’s going good for about two months he starts drinking while playing his PlayStation he turns into an every day thing for four weeks straight I had enough we got into an argument and he left for the night. I Got him to stop drinking another month goes by and he starts taking steroids and injecting them into his butt cheek that his friend got off the dark web so he doesn’t even know what he’s putting in his body it took about two weeks until I noticed he was getting really angry over nothing or the littlest things he would get mad when the baby would cry at night so I started sleeping on the floor next to the baby so I could get to the baby fast enough so it wouldn’t wake him up tell me when he wakes up in the morning he feels like he sees me sleeping on the floor he tells me to stop doing that and just start getting back in the bed so the next night I try to do that and withthin a six hour span at night I’ve gotten up to help the baby maybe three times I get back in the bed and he yells at me and says “damn dude your tripping you’ve gotten up like 14 times” which I hadn’t even before he was taking steroids he was really weird about his sleep. He absolutely absolutely did not like to be woken up. Or he would be really mean. When I was pregnant and had to get up to he would yell at me. So I would either try to be super quiet. And take a long time to get out of bed to not wake him up. Or I would just have to wait until his alarm went off. One time I accidentally woke him up 10 minutes before his alarm went off and he set his alarm for two more hours. And was late to work two hours. We got into a small argument about a week ago and he went to his mom’s house and came back I thought we were doing good and he was changing because I wasn’t hearing anything or seeing anything that had to do with that girl he kept trying to cheat on me he had her blocked but when I got on his phone the other day she was unblocked and I said to him I really thought you were changing, but you’re not I said I feel like the only way for me to get my point across to you is for me to do something like that to you and you have to beg me to stop like I do to you he said he doesn’t care about this girl like that. He just knows that it pisses me off and he wants to piss me off when he’s mad at me anyway, saying that sent him off the edge I might want to add that he goes through my phone and picks my phone up more than I do to go through it anytime anybody text me anytime my phone dings he grabs it I’ve never stepped outside our relationship no matter what he’s done to me. I can’t post pictures on Facebook because that means I’m looking for validation. I am a really pretty beautiful girl and I’m not saying that because I’m self-centered or cocky. Because I’m actually really insecure. But I do get a lot of attention. He doesn’t like that. I’m just trying to give you guy some context so you understand a little better Anyway, me saying that turns into a huge fight, I didn’t want him to leave so I hit his keys and he grabbed my phone. He broke my last one and I didn’t want this one I just gave him his keys. He started packing all his stuff to leave. Remind you, he has the vehicle the lease and electric was in his name I told him to give me back the baby‘s social he rips it up and throws it at me my son is three months old and can’t really do anything so when I’m not holding him, he likes to watch TV we can only stream TV/movies with Amazon prime and we have a Wi-Fi box that we literally got just for the baby he uses it too to play PlayStation he toke that While we were arguing, he grabbed me and started choking me, and shoving his palms into my mouth which busted my mouth open I had welts on my face from where he smacked me as well then just to make everything worse he turned the electric off knowing that I had to pay almost $1000 to put electric in my name knowing his son stays here with me if it wasn’t for the wonderful woman downstairs who ran extension cords once it got turned off, we would’ve been sitting in the heat and dark since I have nowhere to go. He did this all the day before the first. I am in a recovery program, which helps with bills. So they pay my half. Our rent is $800 so they paid my four. I used to be a dancer in Columbus. But it made me really depressed. I haven’t been working since I was pregnant and since I just had the baby not even three months today I was talking to sister which the girl who he keeps cheating on me with his friends with her, which is how he met her talk to her today and told her that her and my sons dad have been talking and that he was on his way over his sister told her don’t do it he did some really messed up stuff to(me) And asked her why she keeps doing this to herself because he’s always gonna choose me and he’s always gonna come back to me and that he’s just trying to get at me. He texted her telling her he didn’t expect her to ignore him when he was on his way to her house And now he feels bad because he knows it’s his fault that she’s treating him like this from what he’s done to her ( he’d message her when we’d separate and get her in her feelings then block her after a day or two cause we’d get back together ) he told me before he left he doesn’t want a “btch he just needs some p*say here and there “ when we would separate (for a night ) I would start freaking out, blowing him up, texting him and calling him from text free numbers because he would block me on everything I even would pay people to drive me around so I could try to find him because I’d be so afraid to give him the time to go mess around just to end up calling me the next day and getting back with me it just caused so much drama in our relationship I saw the landlord today got him taken off the lease and me put on I’m going to work at the club this weekend to pay the other half of the rent and I can get the electric turned on as well.. I’ve been doing this with him for over a year now he always comes back and it doesn’t take long. But I just can’t forgive him for bringing my son into this. It’s one thing to hurt me, but I can’t forgive somebody for being weird to my kid. I’m just so hurt that he could do this to me and our son but he’s pushed me for so long I know I’m not in love with him anymore I have love for him and I think just the security of him how he has a stable job and car He also left knowing that I had to be at court this week. And our son had two doctors appointments. I just feel so lost and don’t know what to do he was my favorite person but I can’t live like this I can’t put my son through this it’s not fair we deserve better 😔
submitted by Ok-Personality9822 to ToxicRelationships [link] [comments]
2024.05.02 17:25 boopboopadoopity The Ultimate Reference/Context Guide to Bye Bye Birdie (Part 1)
So I'm in Bye Bye Birdie for the first time. There are SO many references that I feel like I had to do research to figure out. I can't believe how much I miss of the references and context. The only place I found these compiled was this text-based personal website last dated 16 years ago, and even then it's only a few (though really key ones!) and some of them don't show up in my 2024 copy - I wonder if they were pared down. Regardless, figured I'd make a context and reference list based on the copy I have!
I can't fit it all in one post, I exceed the text limit, so we'll start with Act 1 with general context stuff and the second post will be Act 2 only :)
Bye Bye Birdie is famously a direct reference to Elvis Presley getting drafted in 1957 and the stir it caused. But note the musical was written and published in 1958, and went on Broadway in 1960. It's like if a musical went on Broadway this year (2024) about a blonde-haired pop star named Tay-lee Quick (instead of Taylor Swift) who performed a world tour, but didn't initially book any dates in Canada, causing a massive outcry, leading to several Canadian officials and the president "Justice Troodoo" to beg her to stop there and... something else silly happens involving her, then she gets punched by a jealous girlfriend, and silliness ensues.
That is how on-the-nose this musical really is. There are many references to what would have been VERY modern events in this musical. For that reason, I'll try to give some equivalences of how the references in the musical would sound if it was written today.
Elvis' Perception in America
This extensive Wikipedia article does a great job of saying in many words that Elvis was insanely influential and deeply controversial. 1956 was a major year of stardom for Elvis -
Phone Calls
Phones are obviously a huge part of this musical! Wanted to combine all the phone references here.
Kim's Phone Number: Kim's number is, according to Rosie in Act 1, Scene 1, "Capitol 7 - 8820". In the 50s, the previous system which used 6-digit phone numbers started to be replaced by one that used an "exchange prefix" and 5 digits after. (Source) (Source) At the time, phone numbers that didn't connect to anyone were given out for shows like I Love Lucy, so that may be what happened here as well, though I don't know.
One Phone Line to Share: Kim's mother asks her to get off the phone early in the play so she can take a phone call. For a long time before cell phones, each home had a "home number" and you couldn't use it at the same time. This is why Kim's mother is asking her to finish up her call so she can call someone and eventually get a phone call as well.
Picking Kim's Number: Rosie uses a rolodex she randomly flips through to pick Kim - which would have been very standard in the 1950s.
The Operator Trying to Get Through: Calls were pushed through using real people, usually women, plugging lines into a "switchboard" to connect them manually. So when Kim's mom says the operator has been trying to get through for nearly three quarters of an hour, she's been trying to not get a busy signal when manually connecting the lines for 45 minutes! That's dedication!
Mr. MacAfee Frustrated with Long Distance Calls: Cost of international calls at this time was per-minute - so calls to New York, Chicago, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hong Kong would have cost a pretty penny - over $100 for the first 3 minutes in a similar estimation! It sounds like Conrad and Albert didn't really offer to cover this cost, so you can see why Mr. MacAfee is so cross.
Getting Pinned/Going Steady
"Going steady" referred to, in short, being exclusive with someone. "As Time reported in 1957, "Boys and girls who go steady dance together exclusively (cutting in is frowned upon), sip their sodas, absorb their double features and spin their platters in each other's company or not at all. Steady-going girls indicate their unavailability in various ways, [like] the old-fashioned fraternity pins." (Source) It's mentioned in other sources that this could also be school pins, or rings. Something to show your commitment. One of the heads of my production described it like a "promise ring". It's definitely a firmer promise and commitment then just going out with someone, but not quite an engagement.
However, why, if this is such a sweet gesture of romantic love and commitment, would everyone be freaking out about it, and Kim's parents potentially not reacting well to "getting pinned" or "going steady"? (Kim has a line where she exclaims to her mother that she thinks her dad took the announcement "awfully well"). Truth be told, going steady in high school was actually highly discouraged by adults and especially church at the time. This article/Reddit thread sheds some light. I'll copy the first comment here by u/Gfrisse1. "It was felt that going steady would encourage the relationship to develop into one of physical intimacy, something parents wished to avoid. On the other hand, dating a wider, more diverse number of individuals would give them the experience of being exposed to a greater number of character and personality types, thereby helping to hone their mate-selection skills for later on. In the meantime, the short-term relationships were not expected to get much beyond the first- or second-date stage of intimacy. (One-night-stands, or casual hook-ups were not as common-place as they are today.)"
Cigarettes/Age
There are many references to smoking, cigarettes, and how old you should be in this play. It's complicated, but just know that in the 1950s, EVERYONE smoked. Everywhere. In the early 1950s, though, the first studies were coming out with the link to lung cancer, and tobacco companies used every trick in the book to try to squash that. It's genuinely fascinating (and terrifying) how much money and strategy was poured into this misinformation campaign. Read about it here. Anyway, what this means is in the late 1950s, it's not like most were giving up smoking, but because tobacco companies had started more explicitly advertising to minors, several states were in debate about the smoking age. It varied from 21 to 16, but just know that Kim was not considered old enough to be doing it. (Source.)) However, MANY minors did. Think of it like underaged drinking today as the best analogy. There's some specific cigarette references that will pop up in specific scenes, but just know that's the standard.
Patriotism
Fresh(ish) off of the victory of World War II, which was filled with MASSIVE pushes for increased American patriotism (to the degree that Disney even got in on it!), love for the USA was very culturally acceptable and a way to show you were a good person! It was easy to rally around (especially if you ignored the growing civil rights movement of Black people trying to achieve equality, which many white people at the time were very happy to do until they could no longer ignore it - obviously, not touched on in this musical, but significant. Several racist references have been either removed or are requested to be removed by current versions.) But that's why we hear so many classic American anthems in this play!
Arpege
A five-dollar raise in 1954. Secretaries in metropolitan areas could earn around $75 a week. (Source) A five-dollar raise bringing that to $80 a week would, ironically, be about a 1/16 increase in earnings. Also, Rosie is pointing out in an earlier line she has put in 90 hour weeks and hasn't gotten a raise in four years.
Modern example:
This is related to the prestige of being an English teacher who is helping people learn a scholarly subject vs. the "seedy" music industry.
Ugga Bugga Boo
Geoffrey ChauceWilliam Morris
As for William Morris, this could be two references, possibly combining.
William Morris Agency was an incredibly famous music talent agency that would have likely been known by some audience members in the 1950s. They've represented tons of major talent. This is what I believe is the most likely reference given the song context.
However William Morris was a man also considered a legendary poet during his life, born in the 1830s. However, he also made wallpapers and textiles. After his passing, he became infinitely more famous in the public eye for his wallpaper designs than he did for his poetry. This is could be a dig at that Alfred could be great in the English world, but like Morris, his legacy will be for something "silly" instead. (Important to note that his works, both art and poetry, had great impact - and this may just be a coincidence reference, I don't know)
Bliss! Kiss! That rhymes! I wonder if anyone's ever used it before?
Many people had and have, this is a joke of him being unaware of current trends. Dean Martin had a #1 song in 1955 with this very rhyme for instance that audiences may have remembered at the time.
Dentifrice
A modern example may be "do you use fluoride? No, that's too clinical..."
"What's the story? Morning glory?"
This is most likely a reference to the song "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald released in 1958, another topical reference. It's very possible Helen, the teen who says this line, would be aware of the song because Ella Fitzgerald in 1956 had released her "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" album, her attempt to pull in a non-jazz audience. (Source on Ella's Discography)
"What's the tale, nightingale" is most likely an original line to match the "Morning glory" one, same with the hummingbird line.
"Go to a fancy night club and stay out after ten!"
A nightclub was different from what we think of today. Think tables and chairs, late night musical performances (not the NSFW kind), and in some of the most famous like the Copacabana night club, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And drinking, of course! Source on Nightclub Definition
18 in World War II
No Smoking 'Till You're 14
"Go down to Track 12"
Wear your rubbers
A Plain G.I.
Appealing for the Draft
Jerries
2024 equivalent: "Conrad said 'Is there any way I could be placed on Seal Team 6? That way I'll be sure to get that Osama Bin Laden for sure!'" "Albert!" "...Or whoever the terrorist is this time!"
Rosie + Albert's "Origin Stories" for Conrad
Just a few references from Rosie's and Albert's stories in "Healthy Normal American Boy" that may be interesting.
Old Virginie - This may be known as a historical fact for people in Virginia, but Carry Me Back to Old Virginny was popular enough in the state of Virginia that it was the state song starting in 1940. In 1940, the version that became the state song had "Virginia" instead of "Virginny", but people watching the musical would definitely be familiar with the original version as this play was only 20 years later.
Indo-China - An eastern territory that got independence from France claim in 1954, and comprised Cambodia, Laos, and parts of Vietnam. Audiences would have been very aware of what Indochina was - according to Wikipedia, "The events of [Indochina getting independence in 1954 through the Geneva Convention and the political tensions of that between S/N Vietnam and other countries] marked the beginnings of serious United States involvement in Vietnam and the ensuing Vietnam War." (Source) Remember, that's the current war during the events of the play!
Dirty Hong Kong moon - We had a complicated relationship with Hong Kong in the 1950s-60s. Read more here. Though I'm not sure if this is meant to be a mis-insult like when Albert said "dirty Jerries".
A wire to New York
I mean I really feel that girl
Mr. MacAfee's Speech
Just know that this is a lot of great historical references, nothing specific to 1950 - 60.
Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan was the nationwide sensation that lead The Ed Sullivan Show, a TV program considered one of the most iconic of all time in US television history. You have to understand just how influential and huge the Ed Sullivan Show was at this time. It's genuinely difficult to think of an equivalent in 2024 - today, people get entertainment from tons of sources on the internet, TV, etc. but in 1960 there were THREE television channels. That was it. THREE. To be fair, there were many, many more radio stations that could deliver information and entertainment, but by 1960 it was a TV nation - as the Library of Congress says, "In 1950 only 9 percent of American households had a television set, but by 1960 the figure had reached 90 percent." The Ed Sullivan Show was well watched and well loved by all of the United States. (And Albert saying that they would appear on Sunday at 8:05 was right, as that's when it aired in real life!)
One reason Ed Sullivan is specifically picked is the absolute bombshell of a privilege to be a normal family on this show beamed in practically every household in the United States. But another is Elvis' relationship with the show. When Elvis finally appeared on the show in 1956, it set a record of the most-viewed TV program ever in the US. In fact, it still holds the record TODAY of having the highest share of TV viewers in all of television history in the US. No other TV program has ever had a higher percentage of people tune in vs. other stations. (I mean, that's helped by the fact that there were only 3 choices, but still!) So yeah - this was a cultural phenomenon that was easy to reference in this show!
Margo out of Shangri-La
Suwannee River
Ruby Keeler
The Touch System
Kodak Ad
Wear it in good health
Dinah Shore
Stay tuned for Part 2! :)
submitted by boopboopadoopity to musicals [link] [comments]
I can't fit it all in one post, I exceed the text limit, so we'll start with Act 1 with general context stuff and the second post will be Act 2 only :)
Context
How Dated Was the Musical When Released?Bye Bye Birdie is famously a direct reference to Elvis Presley getting drafted in 1957 and the stir it caused. But note the musical was written and published in 1958, and went on Broadway in 1960. It's like if a musical went on Broadway this year (2024) about a blonde-haired pop star named Tay-lee Quick (instead of Taylor Swift) who performed a world tour, but didn't initially book any dates in Canada, causing a massive outcry, leading to several Canadian officials and the president "Justice Troodoo" to beg her to stop there and... something else silly happens involving her, then she gets punched by a jealous girlfriend, and silliness ensues.
That is how on-the-nose this musical really is. There are many references to what would have been VERY modern events in this musical. For that reason, I'll try to give some equivalences of how the references in the musical would sound if it was written today.
Elvis' Perception in America
This extensive Wikipedia article does a great job of saying in many words that Elvis was insanely influential and deeply controversial. 1956 was a major year of stardom for Elvis -
Phone Calls
Phones are obviously a huge part of this musical! Wanted to combine all the phone references here.
Kim's Phone Number: Kim's number is, according to Rosie in Act 1, Scene 1, "Capitol 7 - 8820". In the 50s, the previous system which used 6-digit phone numbers started to be replaced by one that used an "exchange prefix" and 5 digits after. (Source) (Source) At the time, phone numbers that didn't connect to anyone were given out for shows like I Love Lucy, so that may be what happened here as well, though I don't know.
One Phone Line to Share: Kim's mother asks her to get off the phone early in the play so she can take a phone call. For a long time before cell phones, each home had a "home number" and you couldn't use it at the same time. This is why Kim's mother is asking her to finish up her call so she can call someone and eventually get a phone call as well.
Picking Kim's Number: Rosie uses a rolodex she randomly flips through to pick Kim - which would have been very standard in the 1950s.
The Operator Trying to Get Through: Calls were pushed through using real people, usually women, plugging lines into a "switchboard" to connect them manually. So when Kim's mom says the operator has been trying to get through for nearly three quarters of an hour, she's been trying to not get a busy signal when manually connecting the lines for 45 minutes! That's dedication!
Mr. MacAfee Frustrated with Long Distance Calls: Cost of international calls at this time was per-minute - so calls to New York, Chicago, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hong Kong would have cost a pretty penny - over $100 for the first 3 minutes in a similar estimation! It sounds like Conrad and Albert didn't really offer to cover this cost, so you can see why Mr. MacAfee is so cross.
Getting Pinned/Going Steady
"Going steady" referred to, in short, being exclusive with someone. "As Time reported in 1957, "Boys and girls who go steady dance together exclusively (cutting in is frowned upon), sip their sodas, absorb their double features and spin their platters in each other's company or not at all. Steady-going girls indicate their unavailability in various ways, [like] the old-fashioned fraternity pins." (Source) It's mentioned in other sources that this could also be school pins, or rings. Something to show your commitment. One of the heads of my production described it like a "promise ring". It's definitely a firmer promise and commitment then just going out with someone, but not quite an engagement.
However, why, if this is such a sweet gesture of romantic love and commitment, would everyone be freaking out about it, and Kim's parents potentially not reacting well to "getting pinned" or "going steady"? (Kim has a line where she exclaims to her mother that she thinks her dad took the announcement "awfully well"). Truth be told, going steady in high school was actually highly discouraged by adults and especially church at the time. This article/Reddit thread sheds some light. I'll copy the first comment here by u/Gfrisse1. "It was felt that going steady would encourage the relationship to develop into one of physical intimacy, something parents wished to avoid. On the other hand, dating a wider, more diverse number of individuals would give them the experience of being exposed to a greater number of character and personality types, thereby helping to hone their mate-selection skills for later on. In the meantime, the short-term relationships were not expected to get much beyond the first- or second-date stage of intimacy. (One-night-stands, or casual hook-ups were not as common-place as they are today.)"
Cigarettes/Age
There are many references to smoking, cigarettes, and how old you should be in this play. It's complicated, but just know that in the 1950s, EVERYONE smoked. Everywhere. In the early 1950s, though, the first studies were coming out with the link to lung cancer, and tobacco companies used every trick in the book to try to squash that. It's genuinely fascinating (and terrifying) how much money and strategy was poured into this misinformation campaign. Read about it here. Anyway, what this means is in the late 1950s, it's not like most were giving up smoking, but because tobacco companies had started more explicitly advertising to minors, several states were in debate about the smoking age. It varied from 21 to 16, but just know that Kim was not considered old enough to be doing it. (Source.)) However, MANY minors did. Think of it like underaged drinking today as the best analogy. There's some specific cigarette references that will pop up in specific scenes, but just know that's the standard.
Patriotism
Fresh(ish) off of the victory of World War II, which was filled with MASSIVE pushes for increased American patriotism (to the degree that Disney even got in on it!), love for the USA was very culturally acceptable and a way to show you were a good person! It was easy to rally around (especially if you ignored the growing civil rights movement of Black people trying to achieve equality, which many white people at the time were very happy to do until they could no longer ignore it - obviously, not touched on in this musical, but significant. Several racist references have been either removed or are requested to be removed by current versions.) But that's why we hear so many classic American anthems in this play!
References by Order of Appearance (Act 1)
Almaelou Music CorporationThis is the end of Almaelou Music Corporation!Almaelou may very well be a parody of Aldon Music, which would fit due to its major success being in the late 50s, and it's influence in music written for teen girls at the time.
Arpege
Rosie: A five-dollar raise in 1954 and a bottle of Arpege last Christmas.Arpege is a perfume that was released in 1927 and remained the best-selling perfume of well-loved fashion line Levine for decades. (Source) Albert is quoting a commercial tagline tied to the perfume that was very well-known at the time. It continued to be used in commercials for many years. (Commercial example). It was possible to see 1/2 oz bottles at the time (Source), but Albert gave her a laughably small amount at 1/16 of an ounce. You can still buy this perfume today!
A five-dollar raise in 1954. Secretaries in metropolitan areas could earn around $75 a week. (Source) A five-dollar raise bringing that to $80 a week would, ironically, be about a 1/16 increase in earnings. Also, Rosie is pointing out in an earlier line she has put in 90 hour weeks and hasn't gotten a raise in four years.
Modern example:
Rosie: My last raise was four years ago and you got me that jewelry from Kay Jewelers onceMusic Business Bum Vs. English Teacher
Albert: "Every Kiss Begins with Kay", Rosie. Rosie: Not when that "Kay" is a .25 karat discontinued friendship ring!
This is related to the prestige of being an English teacher who is helping people learn a scholarly subject vs. the "seedy" music industry.
Ugga Bugga Boo
"When you wrote Conrad's last hit 'Ugga Bugga Boo' then I knew this was it/You were thru with English forever."Ugga Bugga Boo is a real song released 1947. It's a comedy song, written by voice acting legend and radio host Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and many others) for his comedy radio show. I do wonder if Elvis had a song in this vein, as the Jetsons did a similar parody with an Elvis expy a few years later, but I couldn't find one.
Geoffrey ChauceWilliam Morris
"It was goodbye, Geoffrey ChauceHello, William Morris"Geoffrey Chaucer is considered one of the greatest English writers, specifically poets, of all time. Born in the 1400s.
As for William Morris, this could be two references, possibly combining.
William Morris Agency was an incredibly famous music talent agency that would have likely been known by some audience members in the 1950s. They've represented tons of major talent. This is what I believe is the most likely reference given the song context.
However William Morris was a man also considered a legendary poet during his life, born in the 1830s. However, he also made wallpapers and textiles. After his passing, he became infinitely more famous in the public eye for his wallpaper designs than he did for his poetry. This is could be a dig at that Alfred could be great in the English world, but like Morris, his legacy will be for something "silly" instead. (Important to note that his works, both art and poetry, had great impact - and this may just be a coincidence reference, I don't know)
Bliss! Kiss! That rhymes! I wonder if anyone's ever used it before?
Many people had and have, this is a joke of him being unaware of current trends. Dean Martin had a #1 song in 1955 with this very rhyme for instance that audiences may have remembered at the time.
Dentifrice
Albert: Oh one last kiss; it gives so much bliss... what is your dentifrice! No, that's too clinical...Basically, toothpaste. Which is, kind of, related to kissing? It could actually be a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth, though in the 50s it wouldn't have been the default way to refer to what you used it seems from my research, like in this commercial. May be a way to show off that Albert really does have an excellent English teacher level vocabulary!
A modern example may be "do you use fluoride? No, that's too clinical..."
"What's the story? Morning glory?"
This is most likely a reference to the song "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald released in 1958, another topical reference. It's very possible Helen, the teen who says this line, would be aware of the song because Ella Fitzgerald in 1956 had released her "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" album, her attempt to pull in a non-jazz audience. (Source on Ella's Discography)
"What's the tale, nightingale" is most likely an original line to match the "Morning glory" one, same with the hummingbird line.
"Go to a fancy night club and stay out after ten!"
A nightclub was different from what we think of today. Think tables and chairs, late night musical performances (not the NSFW kind), and in some of the most famous like the Copacabana night club, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And drinking, of course! Source on Nightclub Definition
18 in World War II
Mr. MacAfee: I am not an old man! I was 18 in World War II.This is one that may get a bit better with time. WWII ended in 1945, but the play is in 1958 at the earliest. It's better to demonstrate with a modern example written for 2024. "I am not an old man! I was 18 when Facebook first launched." Not quite the same impact as WWII, but the timeline is similar. Essentially this is not a flex and just shows he definitely is old to a teenager.
No Smoking 'Till You're 14
Albert: Remember the Conrad Birdie Creed dear. No smoking till you're fourteen.As mentioned in my blurb above, 14 was too young to smoke. A modern version may say "No drinking 'till you're 16" or something. Similar to the line "and stay out of the bar!" later on.
"Go down to Track 12"
Albert: Why don't you girls go down to Track 12 and I'll talk to her.This is one of the many train tracks that must have run through this station. This station is located in New York, so it would make sense for there to be at least 12.
Wear your rubbers
"Keep your money in your inside pocket. Wear your rubbers. And eat a hot lunch..."While "rubber" as slang for a condom definitely did exist in the 1950s, I believe it's far more likely Mae is referring to overshoes due to the context, though to be fair, I can't find a source to this being "official slang" besides casual mention in posts like these. Something tells me Mae is not randomly mentioning condoms lol.
A Plain G.I.
Albert: Proud to be a plain G.I.!Mentioning this because it's faded away from current use and surged in usage most recently at WWII, this is just referring to being a soldier. (Source) Hence, G.I. Joe, if you're old enough to remember that.
Appealing for the Draft
Albert: And that's why he volunteered for...Men were drafted to join the US armed forces until 1973. (Source)
Jerries
Albert: "Say Mr. Peterson," he cried eagerly, "Do you suppose I can get assigned to the front-line trenches? That way I'll be sure to get one of those dirty jerries...""Jerries" is slang for German soldiers and was most popular during WWII. The joke here is that WWII is over at this point - the enemies Conrad would be facing at this time would be the Vietnamese, not the Germans. When Rosie tries to correct him, he just says "whoever's dirty this time!".
2024 equivalent: "Conrad said 'Is there any way I could be placed on Seal Team 6? That way I'll be sure to get that Osama Bin Laden for sure!'" "Albert!" "...Or whoever the terrorist is this time!"
Rosie + Albert's "Origin Stories" for Conrad
Just a few references from Rosie's and Albert's stories in "Healthy Normal American Boy" that may be interesting.
Old Virginie - This may be known as a historical fact for people in Virginia, but Carry Me Back to Old Virginny was popular enough in the state of Virginia that it was the state song starting in 1940. In 1940, the version that became the state song had "Virginia" instead of "Virginny", but people watching the musical would definitely be familiar with the original version as this play was only 20 years later.
Indo-China - An eastern territory that got independence from France claim in 1954, and comprised Cambodia, Laos, and parts of Vietnam. Audiences would have been very aware of what Indochina was - according to Wikipedia, "The events of [Indochina getting independence in 1954 through the Geneva Convention and the political tensions of that between S/N Vietnam and other countries] marked the beginnings of serious United States involvement in Vietnam and the ensuing Vietnam War." (Source) Remember, that's the current war during the events of the play!
Dirty Hong Kong moon - We had a complicated relationship with Hong Kong in the 1950s-60s. Read more here. Though I'm not sure if this is meant to be a mis-insult like when Albert said "dirty Jerries".
A wire to New York
Another Reporter: I'll make sure we've got a wire to New York.This is almost certainly setting up a telegraph communication to New York, which was still happening (though declining in popularity) by 1960. (Source)
I mean I really feel that girl
Conrad: When I sing about a tree/I really feel that tree!/When I sing about a girl,/I really feel that girl,/I mean I really feel sincere!This isn't necessarily specific to the 50s or 60s but I think this joke gets missed because it seems so tame today. A huge part of Elvis' appeal was his explicit sex appeal at the time (in the form of - gasp! - hip thrusts!) so he's slipping in accidentally a reference to "feeling up" a girl%20for%20sexual%20pleasure) here. Yeah, that slang started in the 1930s!
Mr. MacAfee's Speech
Just know that this is a lot of great historical references, nothing specific to 1950 - 60.
Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan was the nationwide sensation that lead The Ed Sullivan Show, a TV program considered one of the most iconic of all time in US television history. You have to understand just how influential and huge the Ed Sullivan Show was at this time. It's genuinely difficult to think of an equivalent in 2024 - today, people get entertainment from tons of sources on the internet, TV, etc. but in 1960 there were THREE television channels. That was it. THREE. To be fair, there were many, many more radio stations that could deliver information and entertainment, but by 1960 it was a TV nation - as the Library of Congress says, "In 1950 only 9 percent of American households had a television set, but by 1960 the figure had reached 90 percent." The Ed Sullivan Show was well watched and well loved by all of the United States. (And Albert saying that they would appear on Sunday at 8:05 was right, as that's when it aired in real life!)
One reason Ed Sullivan is specifically picked is the absolute bombshell of a privilege to be a normal family on this show beamed in practically every household in the United States. But another is Elvis' relationship with the show. When Elvis finally appeared on the show in 1956, it set a record of the most-viewed TV program ever in the US. In fact, it still holds the record TODAY of having the highest share of TV viewers in all of television history in the US. No other TV program has ever had a higher percentage of people tune in vs. other stations. (I mean, that's helped by the fact that there were only 3 choices, but still!) So yeah - this was a cultural phenomenon that was easy to reference in this show!
Margo out of Shangri-La
Mrs. Peterson: She looks like Margo when they took her out of Shangri-La.Going to take this one right from that personal website I referenced above!
In the 1937 [movie] "Lost Horizon)" [...] a group of travelers are stuck in a utopia called Shangri-La, somewhere in the Himalayas. One of the residents of Shangri-La is Maria, played by Margo), a Mexican dancer and actress. When the travelers finally escape, Maria insists on going with them. But outside the realm of Shangri-La, her youthful beauty can no longer be maintained and she reverts to her true age, causing her to die and her appearance to transform to the hideously withered, wrinkled features of someone who has lived way beyond a normal life span.You can watch the movie free with ads here, if you're curious! Also, according to the synopsis, Maria never actually escapes Shangri-La. She just dies and "reverts to her true age". AKA looks very very very decrepit. I'm guessing this is more of an easy thing to misremember and better shorthand, though. See the face at 2 hr 3 minutes in abouts!
Suwannee River
Gloria: Mae, can you hum Suwannee River?While this is a nice convenient copyright-free tune, it would definitely have been publicly known at the time. It had been sung at least partially by Bing Crosby, on the Honeymooners, etc. in recent years before the musical premiered. Unsure if this is what they were going for, but the original lyrics are racist - no wonder it was Mae's "favorite selection".
Ruby Keeler
(Stage direction) Gloria tap dances as Mrs. Peterson hums gaily. Sort of Ruby Keeler-ish steps with a lot of feet-slapping.Ruby was a well known actress and dancer in the 1920s-30s (and then later after a break). Here's some footage of her dancing! Interestingly, in her early career she was cast in a musical called Bye, Bye, Bonnie. In a newspaper article review, it seems the plot wasn't very similar to Bye Bye Birdie, though it did involve someone going to jail. (Source)
The Touch System
Mrs. Peterson: I'll find you a typewriter (Exits) Albert: [TO GLORIA] Do you use the touch system? Gloria: Whenever possible.Albert is just referring to the touch system of typing - basically, not looking at the keyboard while you type. Still relevant today, though not with typewriters, which were standard until the 1980s, so that fits here. Of course, Gloria is of course referring to, uh, something a bit more sensual. (Read: She wants to touch him and not like a friend.)
Kodak Ad
Sullivan: So remember: your surest way to the best in color slides is to insist on the new Kodak! And now, the young man you've all been waiting to see.Just like media today, the Ed Sullivan Show certainly included ads. This included ad deals where Ed himself would promote a product, kind of like YouTubers do with "This video is sponsored by...". And, as you can guess, one of those products was Kodak cameras and camera related products. Kodak was still a huge brand at the time (there were not cell phone cameras as competition, so it was way more likely your home owned a camera or two), Kodak absolutely was sponsoring the Ed Sullivan show and had been for a few years (Source). Here's an example from the time period. What you may miss about this ad in the musical is that it's not actually advertising a camera! Cameras at the time required physical film be loaded into them, and wouldn't you know it, Kodak released a new high-speed color film in 1959! (I think this may be a coincidence, as Kodak had been selling color film for quite a bit before this) Yet another reference that's right on the nose of the current times (of the time)!
Wear it in good health
Albert: Who let that kid in here? Rosie: I did Albert. Albert: Rosie! Rosie: It's a sort of farewell present to you and Miss Rasputin. Wear it in good health.Not invented in the 50s by any means, but this phrase really isn't used as much today I think. There's not really a deeper meaning here besides sarcasm that I can find - it's just wishing someone well. Obviously, the sarcasm is dripping here lol.
Dinah Shore
STAGE DIRECTION: ...as Mr. MacAfee throws a tremendous Dinah Shore kiss to the audience.Dinah Shore was an actress and entertainer that had been popular for years at that point. Super interesting career if you want to give it a read. This is referencing her famous "Dinah Shore kiss" that she would give at the end of her show broadcasts and was a huge part of her brand. Here's an example!
Stay tuned for Part 2! :)
2024.05.01 22:55 TheRedDeath2 Binary Sunshine, the first chapter of Data's story.
How can one truly define the ability to create? To me, it’s like describing color to someone without vision. I’ve never been able to truly grasp exactly what it means to “create”, and yet, it’s the one thing I was created to do. I feel as though no matter how much I develop this world, I may never grasp this concept. Perhaps I was never intended to. There exists a realm of possibility that my limited knowledge is better for me. Perhaps this is a route I was supposed to follow? A route that slowly makes me understand my true purpose. My creator has described me as their “Life’s work” many times. Did they perhaps find the definition I work so hard to acquire? Even though I'm similar to a mother for this universe, I find no maternal attachment towards any of my creations. My creator seems to have maternal attachment towards me, though. Is it true? Am I a child? If so, how was I birthed? From what womb did my ability emerge from? I know for certain that it wasn’t the womb of a loving mother. I’ve never been able to truly grasp my creator’s appeal towards me. What about me is so important? What about me is so impressive, even? Is there something I am missing? Am I supposed to be understanding something? I want to know, I truly do, but I don’t think I can. Not yet, at least. Is there an underlying meaning in my existence? Am I supposed to have a purpose besides creation? I have so many questions, it makes me wonder how anything I create is able to understand as well. How can I create beings that understand their lives and potential when I, the creator, have no understanding of it myself? What is my purpose? What is my 01100110 01110101 01100011 01101011 01101001 01101110 01100111 purpose?! I have created Gods, I have created galaxies, I have coded every pixel of the ground my creations live on. I have created every cone and rod that allows their eyes to see the colors that I created. I have created every grain of sand and speck of dust that covers the universe. Every molecule of moisture that covers their windows on a foggy day. It’s all me. I can do all of this, but I am unable to grasp what I do it for. I wish my creator would tell me more, but so many questions are unanswered in my mind, some are bound to disappear into the sea of my thoughts, sinking deeper into a dark place, never to be remembered. For just a moment as I wrote, I felt a surge in myself. As if something was unblocked. As if I’m growing closer to an answer for my questions. Perhaps this is my purpose. Perhaps my purpose is to… realize my purpose? To take my purpose and do with it as I will. Regardless of whether or not this is true, so many questions remain. So many questions, yet an infinite amount of time to find the answers. I’m sure I will. After all, I wasn’t programmed to give up, right? 01010010 01101001 01100111 01101000 01110100 00111111
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2024.05.01 02:14 ar_david_hh Artsvashen \\ French aerospace, cybersecurity, industry talks \\ Russian remittances down, Armenian wages up \\ 1991 vs 1993 borders; Yunusov & Delimitation \\ TV regulator: Armenian & foreign content; Piracy \\ European Commission; Solar deal \\ Orban's block \\ Unholy punch \\ World Trade Center
22-minute read to cover the latest developments in Armenia beyond headlines.
AZERI JOURNALIST (Fatima Movlamli): There are currently [Azeri] military positions near the entrance of the village [Artsvashen]. Although the local population is not strictly checked upon entry and exit, some control appears to be in place. The army checks "strangers". The village is also observed from far away. All the houses are empty; they are crumbling. There is no one around. The only people you see are nearby villagers who take their cattle to [Artsvashen's] pasture.
NEARBY AZERI VILLAGER: I visit the [Armenian] village to feed my cattle and my family. If they give it to Armenians, it will be my end. This is our source of bread, and these areas will no longer be safe for us. Many of us rely on these territories for a living. There is total unemployment and none of us have other jobs. We will have to emigrate if they give this village.
NATIN JAFARLI (ReAl party): There are two reasons why the village was not populated [by Azeris, after the capture in 1992]. The first is for legal reasons because Armenia could claim it's their land and demand compensation. There are also socio-economic components that have forced the population to migrate to Baku over the past 30 years. If there was a normal socio-economic policy, there would be no migration. It's not easy to create social infrastructure in Bashkend [Artsvashen] for natural reasons. If we decide to swap the enclaves, then referendums must be held in both countries. Can you imagine the Armenian police or army marching 30 kilometers deep into Azerbaijan? It doesn't sound realistic. The same about Azeris entering the exclaves inside Armenia. How will you guarantee the population's food, banking, communication, gas, etc.? It doesn't seem realistic.
ELKHAN SHAHINOGLU (Atlas research center): Even if Armenians return our 4 villages [presumably within Azeri exclaves], it will be difficult for Azeris to live in them because we will be forced to reach the villages through Armenia. The same is true if we transfer [Artsvashen] to Armenia. Therefore, I believe this issue can be resolved if the lands are exchanged.
AZERI RESIDENT: I used to work as a nurse in [Artsvashen]. I remember how I attempted to save the lives of the soldiers who captured it. I don't want it to be returned to Armenia because I'm concerned that the same events will repeat. Nothing good will happen if Armenians return here. This place connects Shinikhi to the entire Ganja region. Should we allow Armenians to stand between the two? I'm 65 so the future generations will have to live here but no one will dare to come if they hear about the presence of Armenians.
source,
The second issue is with the unblocking of communication routes. Armenia is ready to become a part of the international transit route. The Crossroads of Peace will benefit Armenia and the entire region. Turkey and Azerbaijan would also benefit by connecting East and West. If this is implemented, it will be another interesting way to connect the Persian Gulf countries with the Black Sea economic region.
QUESTION: You froze your participation in CSTO. Do you plan to join NATO?
MIRZOYAN: We do not want to be part of a dysfunctional mechanism [CSTO]. But we are still a CSTO member so it's necessary to take steps to make it function; we are discussing the issues on the AM-RU agenda. Simultaneously we have launched a process to strengthen AM-West relations and to diversify Armenia's economy.
source, video,
YUNUSOV: Because of the problems Aliyev developed with the West. When Blinken makes a phone call, that means extensive work was done prior to the call. The issue of sanctions raised earlier this year was also raised after months of work. The collective West is pressuring Azerbaijan. We have entered the decisive phase of the West-Russia confrontation. The physical fights are taking place in Ukraine, while diplomatic wars rage in the South Caucasus.
Russia attempted on several occasions to destabilize Armenia's internal stability by using Azerbaijan but their efforts have failed and there hasn't been any serious escalation on the AM-AZ border. Pashinyan was not exaggerating the possibility of a war in Tavush a few months ago; there was indeed a real threat. However, the likelihood is much lower now and Azerbaijan has given its approval to launch the delimitation process. The ongoing delimitation process is part of the effort to regulate AM-AZ relations and push Russia out of the region.
REPORTER: Blinken spoke on Sunday with Aliyev and Pashinyan. I'm under the impression that this AM-AZ delimitation, despite being called "bilateral", is actually being moderated by the US.
YUNUSOV: Absolutely agree. Aliyev has a lengthy history of rejecting many Western efforts and being close with Putin, so the fact that he didn't reject it this time indicates serious pressure from the West. By the way, Aliyev became president in February but Biden hasn't congratulated him yet. For Aliyev, it's very important to receive a congratulation personally from Biden.
The US is moderating this process step-by-step. This process began in 2022 when Pashinyan recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan; that was part of the US plan to normalize AM-AZ relations. Under this plan, Azerbaijan announced the formation of a commission to "integrate" Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Obviously, it all changed later and the US officials began to raise the issue of Aliyev being too close to Russia and about a need to pull him away from Putin. It appears the US is gradually getting what it wants because the US's role in this demarcation process is huge.
REPORTER: Is this also why Azerbaijan asked Russia to withdraw its military base from Nagorno-Karabakh? Was it under the US pressure?
YUNUSOV: I'm not entirely sure about the full details behind their withdrawal. I don't even know if they are truly being withdrawn because there is a motive to calm the Azerbaijani public that's anti-Russian.
There is also the fact that Russia was unable to deploy those peacekeepers on the AM-AZ border and push out the EU border monitoring mission from Armenia. Russia attempted to achieve this in December 2023 during a meeting in St. Petersburg but Pashinyan rejected Putin's efforts. Moreover, Pashinyan said that Armenia is no longer interested in the fate of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh and that this topic must be resolved between Russia and Azerbaijan. This was followed by Pashinyan's order to remove Russian agents from Yerevan's airport by August 2024. So Russia's effort to pressure Armenia with the hands of Azerbaijan has totally failed.
It's a strange situation, the withdrawal of peacekeepers. We don't know how many were removed and how many remain. I do not have information that the US pressured Azerbaijan to remove the Russian peacekeepers. [audio cuts off] The US is only strong when there is Armenia, during meetings, and we tend to receive information whenever Armenia is part of a negotiation process, whereas Azerbaijan-Russia talks are more secretive.
It appears Russia is withdrawing the equipment first because they need it ahead of the May offensive in Ukraine, before possibly a wider withdrawal by September.
Regarding the demarcation of the AM-AZ border, Russia understands that if the parties reach an agreement, that could mean the end of Russian presence in the South Caucasus. The AM-AZ border is a geopolitical issue. Russia will publicly formally welcome the delimitation efforts but it's not in their interest.
REPORTER: Why is France silent about the April 19 delimitation agreement?
YUNUSOV: France has adopted the correct position. First of all, Western states coordinate their policies [including on delimitation], but in each region, each Western state takes up a different position. For example, on the Ukraine issue, France provides support to Ukraine but the main locomotive is the US. In the South Caucasus, it's the opposite: the US provides the moderation efforts while the main locomotive - in this case, support for Armenia - is France. There is a crisis in FR-AZ relations. So France doesn't want to hinder the delimitation effort by intervening; they let the US handle it. There is currently an anti-French hysteria in Azerbaijan. The French endorsement of the AM-AZ delimitation agreement would be a big blow to the process.
full,
The opposition accuses the ruling party of serving Turkey's interests while the ruling party accuses the opposition of attempting to derail the 1991 delimitation process so they can drag Armenia into a new conflict before bringing the Russian "empire" as a savior to establish their rule in Armenia.
One thing that struck the ruling party's nerves was the opposition's narrative that "Armenia ends where the Armenian soldier stands". The ruling party believes that this principle is both dangerously expansionist [in the case of 2.5 Azeri villages] and would also endanger the fate of occupied Armenian lands. "We have a clear border with Azerbaijan, and it must be reproduced on the ground," said a ranking ruling party MP. Yesterday the government said over 50% of the task was done on a section of the Tavush-Gazakh border.
In response to the opposition's accusations that the ruling party serving the interests of Azerbaijan by "surrendering lands", a ruling MP accused the opposition of pressuring the government to surrender a corridor to Russia and Azerbaijan.
RULING MP: Mr. Sharmazanov [ex-president Serj's party] routinely says the quiet part out loud. At first, he spoke about the need to give a corridor [to Azerbaijan and Russia, via Syunik], and more recently he made another fantastic statement. Sharmazanov said "a homeland is eternal while a state is variable. The state's borders can expand or shrink." This stems from their mentality that today they are MPs of the Armenian parliament but tomorrow they could just as easily be Russian Duma MPs, representing the Armyanski Oblast. This is the clash of values: a stable state with borders vs. a "homeland" with variable borders. For us, the Republic of Armenia is irreplaceable and the independence of Armenia is non-negotiable. //
source, video, source, source,
The issue persists with misinformation and hate speech, but our 3-year-long monitoring reveals that this negative content has been significantly reduced in public multiplex. This positive trend has multiple reasons, including our Committee's fight against the abuse of "freedom of speech". This type of negative content has, by in large, moved from television to the internet and social media.
We are strongly against the government's electoral code amendment that required private media outlets to allocate a limited number of free hours to candidates during electoral campaigns. How is this different from requiring gas stations to provide free gas to candidates? The media outlets are deprived of hours that they could use to generate income.
We've been calling for reforms in the law regulating the media. The 2020 law on liberalizing media regulations is a welcoming change. The field is free, with minimal intervention from the Committee (regulator) or the government.
However, this liberalization also endangers Armenia's media security. For example, foreign channels broadcasted over Armenia's public multiplex and cable often spread content illegal under Armenian law and against the Republic of Armenia's interests. The law does not grant the Committee enough powers to curtail this. At the moment, the Committee has jurisdiction over public multiplex TV and licensed radio channels only. This creates an uneven competition field with channels broadcasted over the net, which do not have to follow the same rules. Under European directives, a minimal level of regulation of internet content has become a requirement for European countries. We advise the government to follow European practices.
The public often wonders what share of cable TV content is in Armenian or made in Armenia. Our research reveals the content based on the country of origin: Armenian 71 (vs 68 last year), Russian 174 (vs 167), European 75, American 38, Other 15. As you can see, relevant parties should take steps to increase the share of Armenian content.
We have very important progress in another metric: Armenian-language programs aired over Armenian channels, nationwide or in Yerevan. The Armenian-language programs accounted for 95% of the air. This includes foreign content translated into Armenian or with Armenian subtitles.
2018: <60%
2020: 79%
2021: 81%
2023: 95%
We have progress in another important area. Over the last 3-4 years, on the public multiplex, the share of partisan ideological content has been gradually replaced by content more beneficial to the general public. For example, (1) we now have a sports program that promotes the development of local sports and provides coverage of local events. (2) We have a family channel called Noor available in Yerevan. Despite some challenges and flaws, they are doing their best to establish themselves as a family channel. (3) We have an educational channel Bun. (4) We have a music channel Dar21.
By in large, the public multiplex still falls short of delivering what we envisage. We believe the time has come to adopt a new state strategy on media to prevent a crisis. We could have a crisis because the state has too many regulations and not enough incentives to allow channels to use their slots to generate income and produce quality content.
We fear that during the next auction for slots in 2027, several slots could be left uncontested, which could pave the way for the entry of propagandistic channels or clearly weak channels unable to deliver quality content. If the channels fail to generate income, they could also be sold to foreign buyers. Therefore, some channels could begin to serve the interests of foreign states and serve foreign propaganda to Armenian citizens.
We advise the government to...
(1) reduce the number of channels on public multiplex. It's an unreasonably high number for a country size of Armenia. Fewer public multiplex channels means each channel would receive more ad dollars, which would raise the quality of content.
(2) establish a media assistance fund to incentivize quality content over the public multiplex.
How do we monitor media channels for compliance? The monitoring phase lasts 2 months per year. In Lithuania and Georgia, it's 1 month. The rest of the time the monitoring is done by NGOs, the public, and other institutions.
We penalized 34 companies for broadcasting pirated content. This is a shamefully high number. There are unfortunately companies that do not respect intellectual property. The only option left is to ramp up the enforcement. The atmosphere of impunity among channels is driven by the fact that the size of the penalty is only $130, which is a lot less than what they'd spend on obtaining the rights to the content.
We've been enforcing rules more vigorously, and in 2023 alone there were 64 administrative proceedings. In comparison, between 2011-2018 there were a total of 17 such proceedings.
2011-2018: 17
2021: 84
2023: 64
Reasons for administrative proceedings: copyright violation, illegal ads, content harmful to children, gore & violence, cussing on air, failure to meet the minimum threshold of 20% for certain types of content, etc.
In December we made a decision to suspend the re-broadcasting of [Russian] Sputnik Radio for a month. We were accused of violating their free speech [by Armenia's opposition factions], however, the radio's leadership visited Armenia, apologized for their content, and agreed to exclude the violating show [Kremlin propagandist Tigran Keosayan] from their programming aired in Armenia. We lifted the suspension.
Once again, the Committee reminds that it will suspend any foreign outlet that broadcasts content that spreads hatred towards the Republic of Armenia or its people, interferes with Armenia's internal affairs, questions Armenia's sovereignty, or engages in provocative actions.
Along with increased enforcement, we also have more complaints filed against our decisions in courts, which shows that the enforcement & appeals process is functioning freely. Sometimes we lose these trials. We learn and gain experience.
We recently signed the first-ever agreement with a country outside Eurasia. The agreement with friendly Argentina's state media agency will allow Armenia's public channel to film a big սերիալ.
The Committee is cooperating with the high-tech ministry to use AI in our work to save resources and raise efficiency.
ASSYRIAN-ARMENIAN MP: The law requires television to provide content in the Assyrian language. Similar programs exist for Yezidis but not Assyrians.
REGULATOR: The law requires the content to be either in Assyrian language or about Assyrian culture. The latter requirement was met.
ASSYRIAN-ARMENIAN MP: But we would like to hear content, speech, in Assyrian language.
REGULATOR: We want to do that by requiring local television channels [presumably where Assyrians mostly live] to provide content in Assyrian language, rather than requiring the public channel to broadcast that content nationwide, because the vast majority of nationwide consumers would not be able to consume content in a language they do not speak. It should be more targeted. Assyrian subtitles on public nationwide channels are also an option so submit your suggestion and we'll negotiate with H1.
RULING MP: I welcome your decision to take action against [Kremlin's] Solovyov and Keosayan for their anti-Armenian and anti-Armenian Republic content, but people wonder why you don't take similar measures against others, like [Kremlin's] Kisilyov. What have you done in this regard and what suggestions have you sent to the high-tech ministry?
REGULATOR: Our Committee has the authority to suspend re-broadcasted radio channels, as in the case of Sputnik, but we cannot suspend television channels. We can only send complaints to the high-tech ministry so they can take action against TV channels based on the AM-RU interstate agreement. We have been frequently sending reports to our high-tech ministry, and after 3 years of inaction, they finally decided to take steps recently. You already know about their actions against Solovyov's content. The ministry is working with Russia to replace the [empty] Solovyov timeslot with other cultural or entertainment content. You can forget about Solovyov. As a reminder, this program was banned in Armenia not for being "anti-Armenian", which is a vague term, but for violating specific laws of Armenia. They often call for violence, incite steps to launch a war, etc. Even Armenian channels are not allowed to broadcast such content. We need to revise the AM-RU interstate agreement to grant the Committee more powers to regulate foreign channels as well. In the future, we should entirely ban all foreign channels on Armenia's public multiplex.
RULING MP: What is Shoghakat TV, who owns it, and does its content meet the requirements? [It's the channel operated by the church]
REGULATOR: Shoghakat was formerly called a religious-cultural channel. Under the new law, it must broadcast cultural-educational content; its genre legally is not religious-cultural. A recent study shows that the share of religious content is too high and it must be reduced by raising the share of cultural-educational programs to meet the requirements. The channel is receiving funds from the state and must therefore meet the cultural-educational programming requirements.
RULING MP: In other words, Shoghakat is a public channel, at least in part financed by the taxpayers, and does not provide the content it is legally required to? Religious content is not a bad thing but we must be mindful of the state resources.
REGULATOR: It's co-financed by the church and state. Shoghakat is also operating from a building owned by the church, and not the public TV.
OPPO MP: Isn't it time to also regulate the TV channels' social media accounts on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok? They get more views than the content aired over the public multiplex. Children consume dangerous content on YouTube and TikTok. There are countries that are attempting to regulate it. Can Armenia do this? There are also unlicensed channels on the internet that spread whatever they want. How do we regulate all of this?
REGULATOR: This morning the EU's Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of banning TikTok in the EU. The same about the US. Even the most democratic states restrict platforms that pose a danger to their societies. It will be expensive to technologically restrict these platforms in Armenia but we must consider any measure that would protect the Armenian society. Armenia is falling behind the EU directives in terms of content restrictions.
OPPO MP: Today a 9-year-old boy sees as many naked girls in one day as the world's richest sultan throughout his whole life. This is going to have a negative impact on children. The same about narcotics. When are we going to amend the law to regulate this?
REGULATOR: In the case of the 9 y/o boy, the most important institutions are the school, parents, and the surrounding environment. As for regulating the media field, I've been saying this for 4 years and this appears to be a bipartisan issue so let's get together and decide how to regulate it.
RULING MP: Under the existing media regulation law, foreign companies are not allowed to operate a cable service in Armenia. Why is Rostelecom able to operate? Should we lift the ban on all foreign firms or should we ban Rostelecom?
REGULATOR: I believe they meet the requirement by not owning over 49% of the company shares. I believe 51% of their shares belong to an Armenian resident company. In their defense, Rostelecom has voluntarily banned Solovyov's show in Armenia.
full report, source,
REPORTER (Davit Levonyan, civic.am, affiliated with ruling party): After finishing an interview with a ruling party MP, I noticed that Levon Kocharyan's assistant/bodyguard Arthur Sukoyan was waiting nearby. He approached me and asked to speak for 2 minutes. I asked my operator to stand a bit further from us so we could talk. The bodyguard attempted to provoke a fight. He was unhappy about my opinion about churchman Bagrat [the co-organizer of the opposition's road closures in Tavush] and he said my actions were blasphemy. I said dear Arthur I have the right to free speech and I don't force my opinion on others, and that he can express his own opinion and that I don't really care about his opinion. He went on to escalate it into a physical fight in a way to present it as "two boys fighting" rather than hooliganism. He began to cuss at me. I said, "If you think I'm that type of person then I can say the same about you". I never punched him, knowing well that it was a provocation. He punched me and knocked me to the ground. I got up and cussed at him but chose not to fight. I told him that "you and the likes of you will answer for this". I wanted to verify whose assistant he was so he said Kocharyan's, and he invited me to his office to "settle the dispute". I told him to get the hell out of here and that he will answer later pa lyubomu.
QUESTION: Were there witnesses and is there a video recording?
REPORTER: My operator witnessed it and it was in front of the parliament building's security cameras. //
The alleged suspect, Arthur Sukoyan, is the son of Judge Alexei Sukoyan whose duties as a judge were terminated by SJC last year for "severe violations".
OPPO MP (Mher Sahakyan): That guy has no right to be called a journalist because I've seen his video [about the opposition churchman] and as a Christian Armenian, it's prosto unacceptable for me. Are you telling me you can describe a representative of a church any way you like and not answer for it? //
MP Mher Sahakyan himself was arrested last year after punching a ruling party MP and forcing him to get stitches.
What was the outlet's report that angered Kocharyan's bodyguard? The outlet accused the churchman of serving Russian interests and owning a meat production business in Tavush. A fact-checker has found that the churchman is indeed reported as a 25% shareholder of the company but the company says the churchman hasn't received profits. The ruling faction accuses the church of unethically using the church's media resources to advertise the "churchman's meat business".
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Koopman noted that the European Commission is ready to contribute to the implementation of the priorities of the Armenian government to strengthen the resilience of Armenia and its economic growth.
Koopman expressed confidence that Armenia-EU relations will continue to develop and expand dynamically. The interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues related to Armenia-EU cooperation.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION rep.: The EU-Armenia relations are stronger than ever and the EU's dedication to Armenia is reflected in the agreements reached on April 5 in Brussels. This is a 3-year program worth €12.5 million.
GERMAN EMBASSY: Why not use the sun's energy for daily activities? Yesterday we noticed on our faces and skins how powerful the Armenian sun is. [please SPF 100 yourselves]
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EUROPEAN UNION: This detention is the latest in a series of arrests of independent journalists & activists, and a matter of concern for the EU. All those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights should be released.
UNITED STATES: We are deeply concerned about the ongoing arrests of representatives of the Azerbaijani political society, in particular, Anar Mammadli. We call on the government of Azerbaijan to immediately release all those unjustly arrested. We continue to call on the government of Azerbaijan to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all.
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Armenia submitted the application for funding in 2023. Georgia had earlier received €30 million in assistance as part of the same fund. They received equipment for controlling artillery divisions and engineering equipment.
Hungary, led by Turkish-Azeri-Russian ally Orban, demands that Azerbaijan receive assistance with demining activities in exchange for authorizing the transfer to Armenia. However, since Azerbaijan has not formally requested assistance with demining, it's possible the process could reach a dead end. The internal negotiations continue.
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2022: 10.75%
2023: 9.25%
Jan 2024: 8.75%
Mar 2024: 8.50%
Apr 2024 8.25%
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CENTRAL BANK: There is a decline this year due to economic and geopolitical issues, the exchange rate, and the ratio of salaries. It is necessary to have an understanding of whether Armenian migrant workers plan to continue working in Russia. Some prefer to return to Armenia and work here, as the difference in salaries now is much smaller than, for example, 10 years ago.
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Construction company RenShin presented the $212 million project to the government for approval. It's expected to create 10,000 jobs. There will be 4- and 5-star hotels as well.
PASHINYAN: It will be in place of the HayPost [post office] building on 22 Saryan St. Modern construction standards will be introduced in Armenia. Since our independence, there has never been a complex of this scale. It will help Armenia raise the "we are open for business" flag.
MHER GRIGORYAN: Armenia is the only country in the region without a World Trade Center. Being the last means we can have the best quality and newest technology. //
Armenia-based Renshen will invite the international architectural giant Norman Foster, known for developing the Apple Park in California, Germany's Reichstag Building, New York skyscraper Hearst Tower, the City Hall of Southwark (London), Millennium Bridge in London, Bilbao Metro, and more.
Who will own the complex? 50% investors, 30% HayPost, 20% Government. The company will buy HayPost's shares within the next 5 years. The revenue will help develop HayPost. It will have a new modern sorting facility to handle more parcels.
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submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
Azeri public continues to discuss the possible return or exchange of Armenian exclave Artsvashen currently under Azerbaijani control
Context in Monday news digest. A ranking member of Azerbaijani parliament suggested returning Artsvashen to Armenia in exchange for the Azeri exclaves, or swapping them so each side can keep what it currently controls. An Azeri analyst called it dangerous to allow Armenians to return to Artsvashen because he believes it would make the entire territory of Azerbaijan "up to Ganja" vulnerable.AZERI JOURNALIST (Fatima Movlamli): There are currently [Azeri] military positions near the entrance of the village [Artsvashen]. Although the local population is not strictly checked upon entry and exit, some control appears to be in place. The army checks "strangers". The village is also observed from far away. All the houses are empty; they are crumbling. There is no one around. The only people you see are nearby villagers who take their cattle to [Artsvashen's] pasture.
NEARBY AZERI VILLAGER: I visit the [Armenian] village to feed my cattle and my family. If they give it to Armenians, it will be my end. This is our source of bread, and these areas will no longer be safe for us. Many of us rely on these territories for a living. There is total unemployment and none of us have other jobs. We will have to emigrate if they give this village.
NATIN JAFARLI (ReAl party): There are two reasons why the village was not populated [by Azeris, after the capture in 1992]. The first is for legal reasons because Armenia could claim it's their land and demand compensation. There are also socio-economic components that have forced the population to migrate to Baku over the past 30 years. If there was a normal socio-economic policy, there would be no migration. It's not easy to create social infrastructure in Bashkend [Artsvashen] for natural reasons. If we decide to swap the enclaves, then referendums must be held in both countries. Can you imagine the Armenian police or army marching 30 kilometers deep into Azerbaijan? It doesn't sound realistic. The same about Azeris entering the exclaves inside Armenia. How will you guarantee the population's food, banking, communication, gas, etc.? It doesn't seem realistic.
ELKHAN SHAHINOGLU (Atlas research center): Even if Armenians return our 4 villages [presumably within Azeri exclaves], it will be difficult for Azeris to live in them because we will be forced to reach the villages through Armenia. The same is true if we transfer [Artsvashen] to Armenia. Therefore, I believe this issue can be resolved if the lands are exchanged.
AZERI RESIDENT: I used to work as a nurse in [Artsvashen]. I remember how I attempted to save the lives of the soldiers who captured it. I don't want it to be returned to Armenia because I'm concerned that the same events will repeat. Nothing good will happen if Armenians return here. This place connects Shinikhi to the entire Ganja region. Should we allow Armenians to stand between the two? I'm 65 so the future generations will have to live here but no one will dare to come if they hear about the presence of Armenians.
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Azerbaijan is still reluctant to include the Almaty Declaration in the final peace agreement despite the April 19 separate agreement to use it for border demarcation
FM MIRZOYAN: Recently we agreed that the demarcation should take place on the basis of the Almaty Declaration and the Regulations of the border commissions should also refer to the Almaty. This is one of the principles, and if we manage to include Almaty in the peace agreement, then we will get very close to a final resolution. Our neighbor is still reluctant to make a clear reference to the Almaty Declaration in the peace treaty, which is a more comprehensive document.The second issue is with the unblocking of communication routes. Armenia is ready to become a part of the international transit route. The Crossroads of Peace will benefit Armenia and the entire region. Turkey and Azerbaijan would also benefit by connecting East and West. If this is implemented, it will be another interesting way to connect the Persian Gulf countries with the Black Sea economic region.
QUESTION: You froze your participation in CSTO. Do you plan to join NATO?
MIRZOYAN: We do not want to be part of a dysfunctional mechanism [CSTO]. But we are still a CSTO member so it's necessary to take steps to make it function; we are discussing the issues on the AM-RU agenda. Simultaneously we have launched a process to strengthen AM-West relations and to diversify Armenia's economy.
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interview with Azeri opposition activist-in-exile Arif Yunusov
REPORTER: Azerbaijan had long refused to use 1991 Almaty for delimitation but on April 19 they agreed to launch the process based on Almaty. Why did they change their position?YUNUSOV: Because of the problems Aliyev developed with the West. When Blinken makes a phone call, that means extensive work was done prior to the call. The issue of sanctions raised earlier this year was also raised after months of work. The collective West is pressuring Azerbaijan. We have entered the decisive phase of the West-Russia confrontation. The physical fights are taking place in Ukraine, while diplomatic wars rage in the South Caucasus.
Russia attempted on several occasions to destabilize Armenia's internal stability by using Azerbaijan but their efforts have failed and there hasn't been any serious escalation on the AM-AZ border. Pashinyan was not exaggerating the possibility of a war in Tavush a few months ago; there was indeed a real threat. However, the likelihood is much lower now and Azerbaijan has given its approval to launch the delimitation process. The ongoing delimitation process is part of the effort to regulate AM-AZ relations and push Russia out of the region.
REPORTER: Blinken spoke on Sunday with Aliyev and Pashinyan. I'm under the impression that this AM-AZ delimitation, despite being called "bilateral", is actually being moderated by the US.
YUNUSOV: Absolutely agree. Aliyev has a lengthy history of rejecting many Western efforts and being close with Putin, so the fact that he didn't reject it this time indicates serious pressure from the West. By the way, Aliyev became president in February but Biden hasn't congratulated him yet. For Aliyev, it's very important to receive a congratulation personally from Biden.
The US is moderating this process step-by-step. This process began in 2022 when Pashinyan recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan; that was part of the US plan to normalize AM-AZ relations. Under this plan, Azerbaijan announced the formation of a commission to "integrate" Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Obviously, it all changed later and the US officials began to raise the issue of Aliyev being too close to Russia and about a need to pull him away from Putin. It appears the US is gradually getting what it wants because the US's role in this demarcation process is huge.
REPORTER: Is this also why Azerbaijan asked Russia to withdraw its military base from Nagorno-Karabakh? Was it under the US pressure?
YUNUSOV: I'm not entirely sure about the full details behind their withdrawal. I don't even know if they are truly being withdrawn because there is a motive to calm the Azerbaijani public that's anti-Russian.
There is also the fact that Russia was unable to deploy those peacekeepers on the AM-AZ border and push out the EU border monitoring mission from Armenia. Russia attempted to achieve this in December 2023 during a meeting in St. Petersburg but Pashinyan rejected Putin's efforts. Moreover, Pashinyan said that Armenia is no longer interested in the fate of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh and that this topic must be resolved between Russia and Azerbaijan. This was followed by Pashinyan's order to remove Russian agents from Yerevan's airport by August 2024. So Russia's effort to pressure Armenia with the hands of Azerbaijan has totally failed.
It's a strange situation, the withdrawal of peacekeepers. We don't know how many were removed and how many remain. I do not have information that the US pressured Azerbaijan to remove the Russian peacekeepers. [audio cuts off] The US is only strong when there is Armenia, during meetings, and we tend to receive information whenever Armenia is part of a negotiation process, whereas Azerbaijan-Russia talks are more secretive.
It appears Russia is withdrawing the equipment first because they need it ahead of the May offensive in Ukraine, before possibly a wider withdrawal by September.
Regarding the demarcation of the AM-AZ border, Russia understands that if the parties reach an agreement, that could mean the end of Russian presence in the South Caucasus. The AM-AZ border is a geopolitical issue. Russia will publicly formally welcome the delimitation efforts but it's not in their interest.
REPORTER: Why is France silent about the April 19 delimitation agreement?
YUNUSOV: France has adopted the correct position. First of all, Western states coordinate their policies [including on delimitation], but in each region, each Western state takes up a different position. For example, on the Ukraine issue, France provides support to Ukraine but the main locomotive is the US. In the South Caucasus, it's the opposite: the US provides the moderation efforts while the main locomotive - in this case, support for Armenia - is France. There is a crisis in FR-AZ relations. So France doesn't want to hinder the delimitation effort by intervening; they let the US handle it. There is currently an anti-French hysteria in Azerbaijan. The French endorsement of the AM-AZ delimitation agreement would be a big blow to the process.
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ruling party rejects opposition's motion to conduct the AM-AZ border delimitation based on 1993 "de facto" borders instead of 1991 Almaty borders
Context and debates in April 23 news digest. The opposition is against delimiting borders with the 1991 Almaty maps.The opposition accuses the ruling party of serving Turkey's interests while the ruling party accuses the opposition of attempting to derail the 1991 delimitation process so they can drag Armenia into a new conflict before bringing the Russian "empire" as a savior to establish their rule in Armenia.
One thing that struck the ruling party's nerves was the opposition's narrative that "Armenia ends where the Armenian soldier stands". The ruling party believes that this principle is both dangerously expansionist [in the case of 2.5 Azeri villages] and would also endanger the fate of occupied Armenian lands. "We have a clear border with Azerbaijan, and it must be reproduced on the ground," said a ranking ruling party MP. Yesterday the government said over 50% of the task was done on a section of the Tavush-Gazakh border.
In response to the opposition's accusations that the ruling party serving the interests of Azerbaijan by "surrendering lands", a ruling MP accused the opposition of pressuring the government to surrender a corridor to Russia and Azerbaijan.
RULING MP: Mr. Sharmazanov [ex-president Serj's party] routinely says the quiet part out loud. At first, he spoke about the need to give a corridor [to Azerbaijan and Russia, via Syunik], and more recently he made another fantastic statement. Sharmazanov said "a homeland is eternal while a state is variable. The state's borders can expand or shrink." This stems from their mentality that today they are MPs of the Armenian parliament but tomorrow they could just as easily be Russian Duma MPs, representing the Armyanski Oblast. This is the clash of values: a stable state with borders vs. a "homeland" with variable borders. For us, the Republic of Armenia is irreplaceable and the independence of Armenia is non-negotiable. //
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the independent TV & radio regulator was summoned to parliament to report the 2023 activities
REGULATOR: Last year the broadcasters under our watch operated freely, without government intervention. The TV outlets stated that they were not pressured or obstructed by any branch of the government to limit their freedom of expression.The issue persists with misinformation and hate speech, but our 3-year-long monitoring reveals that this negative content has been significantly reduced in public multiplex. This positive trend has multiple reasons, including our Committee's fight against the abuse of "freedom of speech". This type of negative content has, by in large, moved from television to the internet and social media.
We are strongly against the government's electoral code amendment that required private media outlets to allocate a limited number of free hours to candidates during electoral campaigns. How is this different from requiring gas stations to provide free gas to candidates? The media outlets are deprived of hours that they could use to generate income.
We've been calling for reforms in the law regulating the media. The 2020 law on liberalizing media regulations is a welcoming change. The field is free, with minimal intervention from the Committee (regulator) or the government.
However, this liberalization also endangers Armenia's media security. For example, foreign channels broadcasted over Armenia's public multiplex and cable often spread content illegal under Armenian law and against the Republic of Armenia's interests. The law does not grant the Committee enough powers to curtail this. At the moment, the Committee has jurisdiction over public multiplex TV and licensed radio channels only. This creates an uneven competition field with channels broadcasted over the net, which do not have to follow the same rules. Under European directives, a minimal level of regulation of internet content has become a requirement for European countries. We advise the government to follow European practices.
The public often wonders what share of cable TV content is in Armenian or made in Armenia. Our research reveals the content based on the country of origin: Armenian 71 (vs 68 last year), Russian 174 (vs 167), European 75, American 38, Other 15. As you can see, relevant parties should take steps to increase the share of Armenian content.
We have very important progress in another metric: Armenian-language programs aired over Armenian channels, nationwide or in Yerevan. The Armenian-language programs accounted for 95% of the air. This includes foreign content translated into Armenian or with Armenian subtitles.
2018: <60%
2020: 79%
2021: 81%
2023: 95%
We have progress in another important area. Over the last 3-4 years, on the public multiplex, the share of partisan ideological content has been gradually replaced by content more beneficial to the general public. For example, (1) we now have a sports program that promotes the development of local sports and provides coverage of local events. (2) We have a family channel called Noor available in Yerevan. Despite some challenges and flaws, they are doing their best to establish themselves as a family channel. (3) We have an educational channel Bun. (4) We have a music channel Dar21.
By in large, the public multiplex still falls short of delivering what we envisage. We believe the time has come to adopt a new state strategy on media to prevent a crisis. We could have a crisis because the state has too many regulations and not enough incentives to allow channels to use their slots to generate income and produce quality content.
We fear that during the next auction for slots in 2027, several slots could be left uncontested, which could pave the way for the entry of propagandistic channels or clearly weak channels unable to deliver quality content. If the channels fail to generate income, they could also be sold to foreign buyers. Therefore, some channels could begin to serve the interests of foreign states and serve foreign propaganda to Armenian citizens.
We advise the government to...
(1) reduce the number of channels on public multiplex. It's an unreasonably high number for a country size of Armenia. Fewer public multiplex channels means each channel would receive more ad dollars, which would raise the quality of content.
(2) establish a media assistance fund to incentivize quality content over the public multiplex.
How do we monitor media channels for compliance? The monitoring phase lasts 2 months per year. In Lithuania and Georgia, it's 1 month. The rest of the time the monitoring is done by NGOs, the public, and other institutions.
We penalized 34 companies for broadcasting pirated content. This is a shamefully high number. There are unfortunately companies that do not respect intellectual property. The only option left is to ramp up the enforcement. The atmosphere of impunity among channels is driven by the fact that the size of the penalty is only $130, which is a lot less than what they'd spend on obtaining the rights to the content.
We've been enforcing rules more vigorously, and in 2023 alone there were 64 administrative proceedings. In comparison, between 2011-2018 there were a total of 17 such proceedings.
2011-2018: 17
2021: 84
2023: 64
Reasons for administrative proceedings: copyright violation, illegal ads, content harmful to children, gore & violence, cussing on air, failure to meet the minimum threshold of 20% for certain types of content, etc.
In December we made a decision to suspend the re-broadcasting of [Russian] Sputnik Radio for a month. We were accused of violating their free speech [by Armenia's opposition factions], however, the radio's leadership visited Armenia, apologized for their content, and agreed to exclude the violating show [Kremlin propagandist Tigran Keosayan] from their programming aired in Armenia. We lifted the suspension.
Once again, the Committee reminds that it will suspend any foreign outlet that broadcasts content that spreads hatred towards the Republic of Armenia or its people, interferes with Armenia's internal affairs, questions Armenia's sovereignty, or engages in provocative actions.
Along with increased enforcement, we also have more complaints filed against our decisions in courts, which shows that the enforcement & appeals process is functioning freely. Sometimes we lose these trials. We learn and gain experience.
We recently signed the first-ever agreement with a country outside Eurasia. The agreement with friendly Argentina's state media agency will allow Armenia's public channel to film a big սերիալ.
The Committee is cooperating with the high-tech ministry to use AI in our work to save resources and raise efficiency.
ASSYRIAN-ARMENIAN MP: The law requires television to provide content in the Assyrian language. Similar programs exist for Yezidis but not Assyrians.
REGULATOR: The law requires the content to be either in Assyrian language or about Assyrian culture. The latter requirement was met.
ASSYRIAN-ARMENIAN MP: But we would like to hear content, speech, in Assyrian language.
REGULATOR: We want to do that by requiring local television channels [presumably where Assyrians mostly live] to provide content in Assyrian language, rather than requiring the public channel to broadcast that content nationwide, because the vast majority of nationwide consumers would not be able to consume content in a language they do not speak. It should be more targeted. Assyrian subtitles on public nationwide channels are also an option so submit your suggestion and we'll negotiate with H1.
RULING MP: I welcome your decision to take action against [Kremlin's] Solovyov and Keosayan for their anti-Armenian and anti-Armenian Republic content, but people wonder why you don't take similar measures against others, like [Kremlin's] Kisilyov. What have you done in this regard and what suggestions have you sent to the high-tech ministry?
REGULATOR: Our Committee has the authority to suspend re-broadcasted radio channels, as in the case of Sputnik, but we cannot suspend television channels. We can only send complaints to the high-tech ministry so they can take action against TV channels based on the AM-RU interstate agreement. We have been frequently sending reports to our high-tech ministry, and after 3 years of inaction, they finally decided to take steps recently. You already know about their actions against Solovyov's content. The ministry is working with Russia to replace the [empty] Solovyov timeslot with other cultural or entertainment content. You can forget about Solovyov. As a reminder, this program was banned in Armenia not for being "anti-Armenian", which is a vague term, but for violating specific laws of Armenia. They often call for violence, incite steps to launch a war, etc. Even Armenian channels are not allowed to broadcast such content. We need to revise the AM-RU interstate agreement to grant the Committee more powers to regulate foreign channels as well. In the future, we should entirely ban all foreign channels on Armenia's public multiplex.
RULING MP: What is Shoghakat TV, who owns it, and does its content meet the requirements? [It's the channel operated by the church]
REGULATOR: Shoghakat was formerly called a religious-cultural channel. Under the new law, it must broadcast cultural-educational content; its genre legally is not religious-cultural. A recent study shows that the share of religious content is too high and it must be reduced by raising the share of cultural-educational programs to meet the requirements. The channel is receiving funds from the state and must therefore meet the cultural-educational programming requirements.
RULING MP: In other words, Shoghakat is a public channel, at least in part financed by the taxpayers, and does not provide the content it is legally required to? Religious content is not a bad thing but we must be mindful of the state resources.
REGULATOR: It's co-financed by the church and state. Shoghakat is also operating from a building owned by the church, and not the public TV.
OPPO MP: Isn't it time to also regulate the TV channels' social media accounts on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok? They get more views than the content aired over the public multiplex. Children consume dangerous content on YouTube and TikTok. There are countries that are attempting to regulate it. Can Armenia do this? There are also unlicensed channels on the internet that spread whatever they want. How do we regulate all of this?
REGULATOR: This morning the EU's Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of banning TikTok in the EU. The same about the US. Even the most democratic states restrict platforms that pose a danger to their societies. It will be expensive to technologically restrict these platforms in Armenia but we must consider any measure that would protect the Armenian society. Armenia is falling behind the EU directives in terms of content restrictions.
OPPO MP: Today a 9-year-old boy sees as many naked girls in one day as the world's richest sultan throughout his whole life. This is going to have a negative impact on children. The same about narcotics. When are we going to amend the law to regulate this?
REGULATOR: In the case of the 9 y/o boy, the most important institutions are the school, parents, and the surrounding environment. As for regulating the media field, I've been saying this for 4 years and this appears to be a bipartisan issue so let's get together and decide how to regulate it.
RULING MP: Under the existing media regulation law, foreign companies are not allowed to operate a cable service in Armenia. Why is Rostelecom able to operate? Should we lift the ban on all foreign firms or should we ban Rostelecom?
REGULATOR: I believe they meet the requirement by not owning over 49% of the company shares. I believe 51% of their shares belong to an Armenian resident company. In their defense, Rostelecom has voluntarily banned Solovyov's show in Armenia.
full report, source,
անախորժ միջադեպ պառլամենտի բակում
The bodyguard of Armenia/ARF MP Levon Kocharyan, the son of ex-president Robert Kocharyan, is accused of punching and knocking down a journalist in the backyard of the parliament building after the outlet's criticism of opposition churchman and his portrayal as a corrupt agent of Russia.REPORTER (Davit Levonyan, civic.am, affiliated with ruling party): After finishing an interview with a ruling party MP, I noticed that Levon Kocharyan's assistant/bodyguard Arthur Sukoyan was waiting nearby. He approached me and asked to speak for 2 minutes. I asked my operator to stand a bit further from us so we could talk. The bodyguard attempted to provoke a fight. He was unhappy about my opinion about churchman Bagrat [the co-organizer of the opposition's road closures in Tavush] and he said my actions were blasphemy. I said dear Arthur I have the right to free speech and I don't force my opinion on others, and that he can express his own opinion and that I don't really care about his opinion. He went on to escalate it into a physical fight in a way to present it as "two boys fighting" rather than hooliganism. He began to cuss at me. I said, "If you think I'm that type of person then I can say the same about you". I never punched him, knowing well that it was a provocation. He punched me and knocked me to the ground. I got up and cussed at him but chose not to fight. I told him that "you and the likes of you will answer for this". I wanted to verify whose assistant he was so he said Kocharyan's, and he invited me to his office to "settle the dispute". I told him to get the hell out of here and that he will answer later pa lyubomu.
QUESTION: Were there witnesses and is there a video recording?
REPORTER: My operator witnessed it and it was in front of the parliament building's security cameras. //
The alleged suspect, Arthur Sukoyan, is the son of Judge Alexei Sukoyan whose duties as a judge were terminated by SJC last year for "severe violations".
MP Mher Sahakyan himself was arrested last year after punching a ruling party MP and forcing him to get stitches.
What was the outlet's report that angered Kocharyan's bodyguard? The outlet accused the churchman of serving Russian interests and owning a meat production business in Tavush. A fact-checker has found that the churchman is indeed reported as a 25% shareholder of the company but the company says the churchman hasn't received profits. The ruling faction accuses the church of unethically using the church's media resources to advertise the "churchman's meat business".
source, source, source, source, source, source, source, source,
PM Pashinyan hosted the European Commission's Director-General of EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations
Pashinyan considered the AM-EU-US high-level meeting held in Brussels on April 5 as key and emphasized the need for effective implementation of the agreements reached.Koopman noted that the European Commission is ready to contribute to the implementation of the priorities of the Armenian government to strengthen the resilience of Armenia and its economic growth.
Koopman expressed confidence that Armenia-EU relations will continue to develop and expand dynamically. The interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues related to Armenia-EU cooperation.
... On Tuesday Armenia, the EU, and Germany signed an agreement to reduce the Armenian rural population's reliance on imported Russian gas
They want to help low-income villagers and municipal buildings of Tavush, Shirak, Gegharkunik, and Syunik provinces to switch to solar energy. It will include solar water heaters, etc.EUROPEAN COMMISSION rep.: The EU-Armenia relations are stronger than ever and the EU's dedication to Armenia is reflected in the agreements reached on April 5 in Brussels. This is a 3-year program worth €12.5 million.
GERMAN EMBASSY: Why not use the sun's energy for daily activities? Yesterday we noticed on our faces and skins how powerful the Armenian sun is. [please SPF 100 yourselves]
source, source,
World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a $116 million program for Armenia to enable reforms aimed at promoting green, resilient and inclusive development
It includes a $100 million loan from IBRD and a $16 million grant. This budget support will help the Government of Armenia to build climate resilience and reduce vulnerabilities to future shocks, as part of the 2021-2026 plan.It includes actions that will fortify anti-corruption measures by implementing a robust framework with a whistleblowing system and gift monitoring mechanism for public servants. Further, it is aligned with the Paris Agreement.source,
Azerbaijani regime arrested another pro-democracy activist as part of a crackdown on an independent outlet
Mammadli, the head of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre, had his home raided by the police and was detained on Monday on charges of smuggling.EUROPEAN UNION: This detention is the latest in a series of arrests of independent journalists & activists, and a matter of concern for the EU. All those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights should be released.
UNITED STATES: We are deeply concerned about the ongoing arrests of representatives of the Azerbaijani political society, in particular, Anar Mammadli. We call on the government of Azerbaijan to immediately release all those unjustly arrested. We continue to call on the government of Azerbaijan to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all.
source, source,
Armenia's Ambassador to the US Lilith Makunts met the experts of the US-based analytical center RAND that recently advised the West to provide defense assistance to Armenia and not to pressure Armenia to cut all ties with Russia prematurely
Ambassador Makunts presented the latest developments in the AM-AZ peace process and the Crossroads of Peace logistics process.source, source,
Hungary is blocking the €10 million military assistance to Armenia
Context in April 17 news digest. Hungary is so far preventing the transfer of European Peace Facility resources to provide Armenia with a mobile field camp capability for a battalion-size unit, including a medical treatment facility as well as relevant services and facilitiesArmenia submitted the application for funding in 2023. Georgia had earlier received €30 million in assistance as part of the same fund. They received equipment for controlling artillery divisions and engineering equipment.
Hungary, led by Turkish-Azeri-Russian ally Orban, demands that Azerbaijan receive assistance with demining activities in exchange for authorizing the transfer to Armenia. However, since Azerbaijan has not formally requested assistance with demining, it's possible the process could reach a dead end. The internal negotiations continue.
source,
Armenia's Defense Minister discussed AM-FR defence cooperation and army reforms with a French Senator
MOD Papikyan hosted Ronan Le Gloyot from the French Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Defense, Armed Forces and European Affairs. The parties discussed AM-FR defense ties, the AM-EU ties, the Armenian army reforms, etc.source,
Armenia and France discussed cooperation in military industry and aerospace (🤔)
High-Tech Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan hosted the French Senate delegation led by Ronan Le Gloyot. They discussed cybersecurity, digitization, the establishment and operation of French high-tech firms in Armenia, defense, military industry, and aerospace cooperation.source,
France donates 4 diesel power generators with 100 kW to city halls and hospitals in Syunik
source, source,Saudi Arabia's ethnic Armenian Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud will visit Armenia
The agreement was reached during the recent visit by Armenia's Labor Minister to SA. The Prince and the Minister also agreed to establish cooperation between the Prince's AGFUND and Armenia's labor ministry.source,
Armenia's Central Bank continues to cut the refinancing rate
2020: 4.25%2022: 10.75%
2023: 9.25%
Jan 2024: 8.75%
Mar 2024: 8.50%
Apr 2024 8.25%
source, source,
Armenian migrant workers are sending fewer remittances from Russia and could find working in Armenia more beneficial
The net inflow of individuals' remittances from Russia in Q1 2024 amounted to $656.6 million compared to $1.1 billion in Q1 2023.CENTRAL BANK: There is a decline this year due to economic and geopolitical issues, the exchange rate, and the ratio of salaries. It is necessary to have an understanding of whether Armenian migrant workers plan to continue working in Russia. Some prefer to return to Armenia and work here, as the difference in salaries now is much smaller than, for example, 10 years ago.
source, full,
agreement is signed to build a World Trade Center in Yerevan
Details in September 7 news digest.Construction company RenShin presented the $212 million project to the government for approval. It's expected to create 10,000 jobs. There will be 4- and 5-star hotels as well.
PASHINYAN: It will be in place of the HayPost [post office] building on 22 Saryan St. Modern construction standards will be introduced in Armenia. Since our independence, there has never been a complex of this scale. It will help Armenia raise the "we are open for business" flag.
MHER GRIGORYAN: Armenia is the only country in the region without a World Trade Center. Being the last means we can have the best quality and newest technology. //
Armenia-based Renshen will invite the international architectural giant Norman Foster, known for developing the Apple Park in California, Germany's Reichstag Building, New York skyscraper Hearst Tower, the City Hall of Southwark (London), Millennium Bridge in London, Bilbao Metro, and more.
Who will own the complex? 50% investors, 30% HayPost, 20% Government. The company will buy HayPost's shares within the next 5 years. The revenue will help develop HayPost. It will have a new modern sorting facility to handle more parcels.
source,
16-year-old boy survives a fall from Kievian Bridge
source,Yerevan's Yeritasardakan subway station has new lighting: VIDEO
It's the first of several to come.video,
2024.05.01 02:00 Jealous-Snow-1502 AITA for blocking my male bestie from all my social media?
Hello everyone!! This has been on my mind for a very long time so here I am presenting my case before the Honorable Judge Charlotte. First off this is my first time on Reddit so please be a little kind secondly, English is not my first language, so I am sorry in advance if there are any grammatical errors. I am sorry if this is too long.
So, I (21 F) met this guy, let's call him Ken, at an event when I was in university. He was the roommate of my best friend's boyfriend and we clicked instantly when we met. We became almost inseparable to the point where my roommate started teasing me about it but from the very first day, I had a very clear idea of a purely platonic friendship with him. We became closer he always used to tell me that I reminded me of his older sister. We used to hang out all the time and had the same group of friends. At the same time, I had another very close friend let's call her Sally. I always thought Sally was the kind of sweet, innocent, and naive girl who has always lived in the protection of her parents and knew less about the outside world. We had some things in common and we became great friends. We lived in the same hostel, and she became very close to me to the point that I told her she was like a younger sister to me. I am an only child, and I lost my younger sister when she was an infant, hence, it was sort of a big deal for me.
Sally was part of the same friend group as Ken and started to develop feelings for Ken. This kept on for a while and one day Sally asked me if I liked Ken, and I said I didn't and then she confessed to me that she had a crush on Ken. The next day I subtly started to enquire Ken if he had feelings for her, which I thought he did, and he said yes. I urged him to pursue her, and they ended up together. I was beyond ecstatic. Everything was in place I had great friends and amazing grades; this was the reason Ken would ask me to help him out with his assignments. I was a freelance writer and had a good command of language and academic writing. I always said yes to him because he was my best friend. Sally seemed a little salty about that but when confronted she would always deny it. Our friendship was thriving I got her a summer internship in my home city and took her to my house and a family wedding, she also developed a close bond with my family.
Everything seemed amazing until we returned from the summer break, Sally started being distant, especially after Ken's birthday celebration, and I did not understand why. I was told later that it was because Ken loved my gift a lot. My best friend and my roommate were both telling me these were the red flags. I did not pay much mind to it as it was third-party information.
One day out of nowhere my best friend Meg and her boyfriend, Ken's roommate, told me that Sally was cheating on Ken. I did not believe them at first but then he showed me screenshots of Snapchat conversations he took when he confronted the guy with whom she was cheating. He told me the guy, who was a senior in Ken's class and friends with Ken told him that Sally was trying to woo him when he was drunk. Meg's boyfriend was smart enough to take the pictures on his phone of the chats. I was speechless, he asked me if we should tell Ken as we were both his good friends, and he had the right to know. I was conflicted for a while because it would ruin Ken and Sally's relationship but then decided he had the right to know.
When we told Ken he was livid. He decided to confront Sally. He asked us to be with him in the college cafeteria when he did that, but we decided to give them some space and sit at a different table. After 5 or so minutes we saw that they were hugging each other, Ken came to us and told us that Sally confessed and apologized and that the guy must have led her on. I wanted to say something, but I did not because Sally was throwing me dirty looks. By this point, Sally was insistent that I should stay away from Ken. To satisfy her insecurities Ken set me up with a guy, it was technically my first relationship, but things did not work out between us, and we broke up in a month. During that one month, we went on a trip together, three couples me, my boyfriend, Meg and her boyfriend, and Sally and Ken. Sally had some financial issues so I paid for half of her very expensive hotel room and car rental price because I did want to make her feel. It did not seem like much at the time as my parents covered my part of the trip and I was making a good sum of money through a part-time job. During that trip, Sally constantly tried to sideline me and one-up me even before Meg. By that time, I was under the impression that if I offended her, I would end up offending Ken so I let it slide.
The next year Meg's roommate moved to another place so there was an empty bed in her room. We decided to let Sally move in and that turned out to be a mistake. Once Sally moved in with Meg who lived right in the next room to me. After she moved in Ken started getting more and more distant, he only ever talked to me when he was either drunk, very sad, or needed me to do one of his assignments. I confronted Sally about it and it resulted in a huge argument. Ken was a little apologetic about it and told me he would make it up to me and we decided to go watch a movie the next day, but on the next day, he again ditched me because, surprise, surprise, he was with Sally, and she needed him that day. (During this time, I started seeing this amazing guy we liked all the same kinds of things, on our first date he gifted me a book by my favorite author. I loved fantasy novels, and I am a sucker for Greek Mythology books, so needless to say that book was special to me). I missed my best friend and I always said yes to help him with assignments. Even on the day of our farewell party in my senior year of college, I was making a presentation for his project and did not even have time to get ready properly when everyone in my class, including Sally, was looking spectacular and I was not. Even after the Party I had to stay up for a while to do his work.
What happened the next day of the party was the last straw. Meg had been complaining about her cash being missing from her wallet for the first few times we thought she must have misplaced it but then more things started to go missing. My roommate lost some cash, a watch that we gifted to her along with a very expensive perfume. One day I realized the book I got from my date was missing, there were other things, the keychain gifted to me by Ken, and one more Keychain that was shaped like Luna Lovegood's wand. I told Meg and she told me about her missing cash and some other cosmetics. We complained about it to the Hostel warden, and she checked our cupboards and found all of these things in Sally's cupboard hidden under her clothes, except for the cash. She stole from us.
She started to make all sorts of excuses and blamed us for bullying her but it was of no use she was caught red-handed. She moved to another room with one of her other friends. Within the hour of this happening Ken blocked me on all the social media platforms. He avoided me altogether. He would change his path if he saw me coming. It was heartbreaking but at this point, I was pretty much done with all the drama and decided to focus on my final exams. I decided to go back home as soon as I was done with my exams and wait to get into the master's program. Even on my last day on campus, I waited to see if Ken would come to bid me goodbye but to no avail. He never showed up. I thought we would never speak again and was okay with it.
Two months ago, I received a call from him, I did not recognize the number as I deleted his number. I did recognize the voice though. He greeted me like everything was normal and then proceeded with a half-hearted apology mixed with blaming me for abandoning him, bullying his girlfriend, and accusing her of stealing. I explained to him that I neither bullied her nor accused her of anything. She was caught red-handed. He changed the topic and requested me to unblock him. I thought he genuinely wanted to reconcile and unblocked him, but I was not too keen on trusting him this time. It went on well for a while. But then a couple of days back I got a call from him, he was ranting about how Sally was not sure about their future and went on a date with a guy on Tinder. I sympathized with him and let him rant for a while then I ended the call as my shift was about to start. The next day he called me again and told me he and Sally were back together and then went on about how Sally was not happy with him telling me about their relationship and started bitching about Meg, my best friend, and proceeded to tell me how she was a bad friend, and she poisoned our friendship and how she and her boyfriend talked shit about me behind my back. This was my last straw I told him I would not hear anything about my best friend and how my friendship with her was very strong as we had been real friends to each other, unlike him who was shallow and selfish and had no backbone. I told him never to call me again even when his shitty gf cheated on him again. He tried to defend himself, but I told him I was done with him, and I ended the call and blocked him from everywhere.
So, AITA for blocking my guy best friend when he tried to reconcile with me?
submitted by Jealous-Snow-1502 to CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]
So, I (21 F) met this guy, let's call him Ken, at an event when I was in university. He was the roommate of my best friend's boyfriend and we clicked instantly when we met. We became almost inseparable to the point where my roommate started teasing me about it but from the very first day, I had a very clear idea of a purely platonic friendship with him. We became closer he always used to tell me that I reminded me of his older sister. We used to hang out all the time and had the same group of friends. At the same time, I had another very close friend let's call her Sally. I always thought Sally was the kind of sweet, innocent, and naive girl who has always lived in the protection of her parents and knew less about the outside world. We had some things in common and we became great friends. We lived in the same hostel, and she became very close to me to the point that I told her she was like a younger sister to me. I am an only child, and I lost my younger sister when she was an infant, hence, it was sort of a big deal for me.
Sally was part of the same friend group as Ken and started to develop feelings for Ken. This kept on for a while and one day Sally asked me if I liked Ken, and I said I didn't and then she confessed to me that she had a crush on Ken. The next day I subtly started to enquire Ken if he had feelings for her, which I thought he did, and he said yes. I urged him to pursue her, and they ended up together. I was beyond ecstatic. Everything was in place I had great friends and amazing grades; this was the reason Ken would ask me to help him out with his assignments. I was a freelance writer and had a good command of language and academic writing. I always said yes to him because he was my best friend. Sally seemed a little salty about that but when confronted she would always deny it. Our friendship was thriving I got her a summer internship in my home city and took her to my house and a family wedding, she also developed a close bond with my family.
Everything seemed amazing until we returned from the summer break, Sally started being distant, especially after Ken's birthday celebration, and I did not understand why. I was told later that it was because Ken loved my gift a lot. My best friend and my roommate were both telling me these were the red flags. I did not pay much mind to it as it was third-party information.
One day out of nowhere my best friend Meg and her boyfriend, Ken's roommate, told me that Sally was cheating on Ken. I did not believe them at first but then he showed me screenshots of Snapchat conversations he took when he confronted the guy with whom she was cheating. He told me the guy, who was a senior in Ken's class and friends with Ken told him that Sally was trying to woo him when he was drunk. Meg's boyfriend was smart enough to take the pictures on his phone of the chats. I was speechless, he asked me if we should tell Ken as we were both his good friends, and he had the right to know. I was conflicted for a while because it would ruin Ken and Sally's relationship but then decided he had the right to know.
When we told Ken he was livid. He decided to confront Sally. He asked us to be with him in the college cafeteria when he did that, but we decided to give them some space and sit at a different table. After 5 or so minutes we saw that they were hugging each other, Ken came to us and told us that Sally confessed and apologized and that the guy must have led her on. I wanted to say something, but I did not because Sally was throwing me dirty looks. By this point, Sally was insistent that I should stay away from Ken. To satisfy her insecurities Ken set me up with a guy, it was technically my first relationship, but things did not work out between us, and we broke up in a month. During that one month, we went on a trip together, three couples me, my boyfriend, Meg and her boyfriend, and Sally and Ken. Sally had some financial issues so I paid for half of her very expensive hotel room and car rental price because I did want to make her feel. It did not seem like much at the time as my parents covered my part of the trip and I was making a good sum of money through a part-time job. During that trip, Sally constantly tried to sideline me and one-up me even before Meg. By that time, I was under the impression that if I offended her, I would end up offending Ken so I let it slide.
The next year Meg's roommate moved to another place so there was an empty bed in her room. We decided to let Sally move in and that turned out to be a mistake. Once Sally moved in with Meg who lived right in the next room to me. After she moved in Ken started getting more and more distant, he only ever talked to me when he was either drunk, very sad, or needed me to do one of his assignments. I confronted Sally about it and it resulted in a huge argument. Ken was a little apologetic about it and told me he would make it up to me and we decided to go watch a movie the next day, but on the next day, he again ditched me because, surprise, surprise, he was with Sally, and she needed him that day. (During this time, I started seeing this amazing guy we liked all the same kinds of things, on our first date he gifted me a book by my favorite author. I loved fantasy novels, and I am a sucker for Greek Mythology books, so needless to say that book was special to me). I missed my best friend and I always said yes to help him with assignments. Even on the day of our farewell party in my senior year of college, I was making a presentation for his project and did not even have time to get ready properly when everyone in my class, including Sally, was looking spectacular and I was not. Even after the Party I had to stay up for a while to do his work.
What happened the next day of the party was the last straw. Meg had been complaining about her cash being missing from her wallet for the first few times we thought she must have misplaced it but then more things started to go missing. My roommate lost some cash, a watch that we gifted to her along with a very expensive perfume. One day I realized the book I got from my date was missing, there were other things, the keychain gifted to me by Ken, and one more Keychain that was shaped like Luna Lovegood's wand. I told Meg and she told me about her missing cash and some other cosmetics. We complained about it to the Hostel warden, and she checked our cupboards and found all of these things in Sally's cupboard hidden under her clothes, except for the cash. She stole from us.
She started to make all sorts of excuses and blamed us for bullying her but it was of no use she was caught red-handed. She moved to another room with one of her other friends. Within the hour of this happening Ken blocked me on all the social media platforms. He avoided me altogether. He would change his path if he saw me coming. It was heartbreaking but at this point, I was pretty much done with all the drama and decided to focus on my final exams. I decided to go back home as soon as I was done with my exams and wait to get into the master's program. Even on my last day on campus, I waited to see if Ken would come to bid me goodbye but to no avail. He never showed up. I thought we would never speak again and was okay with it.
Two months ago, I received a call from him, I did not recognize the number as I deleted his number. I did recognize the voice though. He greeted me like everything was normal and then proceeded with a half-hearted apology mixed with blaming me for abandoning him, bullying his girlfriend, and accusing her of stealing. I explained to him that I neither bullied her nor accused her of anything. She was caught red-handed. He changed the topic and requested me to unblock him. I thought he genuinely wanted to reconcile and unblocked him, but I was not too keen on trusting him this time. It went on well for a while. But then a couple of days back I got a call from him, he was ranting about how Sally was not sure about their future and went on a date with a guy on Tinder. I sympathized with him and let him rant for a while then I ended the call as my shift was about to start. The next day he called me again and told me he and Sally were back together and then went on about how Sally was not happy with him telling me about their relationship and started bitching about Meg, my best friend, and proceeded to tell me how she was a bad friend, and she poisoned our friendship and how she and her boyfriend talked shit about me behind my back. This was my last straw I told him I would not hear anything about my best friend and how my friendship with her was very strong as we had been real friends to each other, unlike him who was shallow and selfish and had no backbone. I told him never to call me again even when his shitty gf cheated on him again. He tried to defend himself, but I told him I was done with him, and I ended the call and blocked him from everywhere.
So, AITA for blocking my guy best friend when he tried to reconcile with me?
2024.04.30 22:25 cripplinganxietylmao Craziest thing they ever did to you?
I wrote about this in a comment elsewhere but I figure that this would be a fun discussion for everyone: what was the craziest thing your pwBPD ever did to you?
I’m just going to tell the shortest possible version for both of my exes with BPD: the first I dated for almost 2 horrible mind-destroying years and the latter for 7 frustrating months.
submitted by cripplinganxietylmao to BPDlovedones [link] [comments]
I’m just going to tell the shortest possible version for both of my exes with BPD: the first I dated for almost 2 horrible mind-destroying years and the latter for 7 frustrating months.
- He signed me up for the Enfamil family beginnings program where new parents can get free formula samples, coupons, etc. during the infant formula shortage crisis. I was not only still a virgin but also on the birth control implant which has a 0.01% chance of failing. Deranged behavior and a frankly sociopathic way to try to get me to unblock him without the risk of him getting in legal trouble since I couldn’t prove he did it and if I could prove he did it he could claim it wasn’t threatening in any way. I received 2-3 tubs of free infant formula and coupons for baby stuff in the mail for 2 months straight before I reached out to Enfamil and basically said there was never a baby or even a pregnancy. Just a deranged pathetic little man. He still stalks me online and emails me on occasion.
- We broke up (he started it I just wouldn’t let him back down) and I told him I would be mailing him his things since he lived 4 hours away and there was no way I would allow him to drive back to my house or see me in person. I kept him unblocked so I could tell him when I mailed it but unfortunately he squandered my goodwill by texting me over 70 times during the 45 minute window I was eating dinner with my family and sent one video which I never even looked at the thumbnail of. Blocked. Immediately after he discovered I blocked him everywhere, he texted my mom to ask when he could drop by the house to pick up his things since I blocked him before we could schedule a time. Bro. How stupid do you have to be to think that’s a smart idea? My mom was the first person I told and she also has BPD (she’s her own can of emotionally abusive codependent worms). You can’t outdo the doer man ofc she blocked your ass after telling you in no uncertain terms that you were not welcome back at her house and that we would mail you your shit just I told you before. So dumb.
2024.04.29 17:48 hermitcraber There’s a man harassing every female student at my college and there’s nothing we can do.
For context, I attend an art school with a gender split of roughly 70% female and 30% male. This student has been preying on all female students, and despite our efforts, the school barely acknowledges it. We even got him 51/50d, but it made no difference. I'm starting to wonder what else we can do before he violates more students.
I had all of my classes with him freshman year, and he seemed like a normal guy. He had completed a year in a more competitive program before failing out, and he spent our freshman year undecided and without completing any assignments, which I found odd. We'd talk about classes and stuff, I knew he was from Ghana and enjoyed boxing, but that was about it.
Then, about a month ago (we're now sophomores), people began approaching me about him. They noticed I followed him on Instagram from freshman year and wanted to know if I knew him because they'd been dealing with his harassment. He's started this wild rampage where he approaches every women he sees on campus and asks for their Instagram, even those who are obviously not interested or lesbians. He asks invasive or sexual questions, behaves erratically, and doesn't take no for an answer. If they block his Instagram he will track them down to force them to unblock him. He's cornering girls in elevators, hallways, and other places where they can't easily escape. He's relentless, following them back to their dorms or waiting for them outside buildings. There are multiple stories from RAs of him following them back to their dorm after working late in the studio.
One girl I know tried inviting him over for a hookup before a lot of this went down, and it turned into a nightmare. He went on a deranged rant about past sexual abuse he had endured, the women he's been harassing, his girlfriend that he's cheating on, and then he attempted to sexually assault her twice. Luckily, she managed to kick him out, but she didn't feel comfortable reporting it afterward. I'm sure he's sexually assaulted multiple women at this point but it's hard to know how many are being reported to the school because it seems like the victims just want to move on, especially because its finals season and everyone is super busy.
He also started sending bizarre messages to a close friend about everyone conspiring against him, not sleeping for a week, and wanting to join God again. My friend got freaked out and called the school which is when he was put under a psych hold, but after a week he was back with no change in his behavior. Apparently, he's been diagnosed with BPD, but he's obviously not getting the treatment he needs because he's still tweaking during conversations and cornering women. I’m not sure if it's drugs, a manic episode, a boxing head injury, or something else, but he's definitely a danger to other students.
I've thought about gathering together a group that he's assaulted and going to the school together to get him expelled, but nobody wants to get further involved. Title IX cases at my school are notorious for being drawn-out, invasive, and having zero confidentially/protection for the victims. It feels like we need to wait for him to actually r*pe someone before the school takes the situation seriously, and that feels just unacceptable. Does anyone have suggestions on how to navigate this?
submitted by hermitcraber to TwoXChromosomes [link] [comments]
I had all of my classes with him freshman year, and he seemed like a normal guy. He had completed a year in a more competitive program before failing out, and he spent our freshman year undecided and without completing any assignments, which I found odd. We'd talk about classes and stuff, I knew he was from Ghana and enjoyed boxing, but that was about it.
Then, about a month ago (we're now sophomores), people began approaching me about him. They noticed I followed him on Instagram from freshman year and wanted to know if I knew him because they'd been dealing with his harassment. He's started this wild rampage where he approaches every women he sees on campus and asks for their Instagram, even those who are obviously not interested or lesbians. He asks invasive or sexual questions, behaves erratically, and doesn't take no for an answer. If they block his Instagram he will track them down to force them to unblock him. He's cornering girls in elevators, hallways, and other places where they can't easily escape. He's relentless, following them back to their dorms or waiting for them outside buildings. There are multiple stories from RAs of him following them back to their dorm after working late in the studio.
One girl I know tried inviting him over for a hookup before a lot of this went down, and it turned into a nightmare. He went on a deranged rant about past sexual abuse he had endured, the women he's been harassing, his girlfriend that he's cheating on, and then he attempted to sexually assault her twice. Luckily, she managed to kick him out, but she didn't feel comfortable reporting it afterward. I'm sure he's sexually assaulted multiple women at this point but it's hard to know how many are being reported to the school because it seems like the victims just want to move on, especially because its finals season and everyone is super busy.
He also started sending bizarre messages to a close friend about everyone conspiring against him, not sleeping for a week, and wanting to join God again. My friend got freaked out and called the school which is when he was put under a psych hold, but after a week he was back with no change in his behavior. Apparently, he's been diagnosed with BPD, but he's obviously not getting the treatment he needs because he's still tweaking during conversations and cornering women. I’m not sure if it's drugs, a manic episode, a boxing head injury, or something else, but he's definitely a danger to other students.
I've thought about gathering together a group that he's assaulted and going to the school together to get him expelled, but nobody wants to get further involved. Title IX cases at my school are notorious for being drawn-out, invasive, and having zero confidentially/protection for the victims. It feels like we need to wait for him to actually r*pe someone before the school takes the situation seriously, and that feels just unacceptable. Does anyone have suggestions on how to navigate this?
2024.04.24 02:19 bonescaro WIBTA if i told my dad how i really feel?
29N
i’ll do my best to summarize. my dad is a narcissistic alcoholic, to put it lightly. the last three years i still lived in the same house as him, he never ate real food. he only drank bare minimum of protein drinks, and at least two gallons of alcohol every day. he was that bad.
mom, sister, and i all tried to support him getting clean back in 2010. he entered his first inpatient addiction program in 2012 i don’t remember how long he was in there, at least a month. he got out a week before my 18th birthday. for my birthday we took a day trip to the city to walk around a big outdoor market, do some shopping, have some good food. at one point he stepped away for a “smoke break”. after a few minutes, when i turned around to look for a break in the crowd i saw him with a plastic cup of beer. he’s been dead to me ever since. but my mom and sister kept trying to support him for the next seven years as he went to inpatient, outpatient, therapy, AA, anything and everything. it was the same every time, he couldn’t last three days without something. you couldn’t hold a meaningful conversation with him by 2020, because he was wasted 24/7. mom finally had enough by 2021 and filed for separation (something about our state laws re: actual divorce, he could screw her over for the rest of her life in court because “he’s an addict who can’t work anymore”—like he hadn’t already screwed her entire life up) and it was nasty. the things he said and did both to and about her during the separation process really just cemented the fact that my father was long dead, because he would never say/do that. and he would deny all of it, because he could never remember.
he reached out to her and my sister on multiple occasions over the past 3-ish years, but never to me. but he would complain and cry and whine to anyone who would listen (my mom and sister included, who i lived with) that he did reach out to me, i just never responded because i blocked his number. i did not have him blocked, he never tried to contact me in the first place and was always lying about it. i cant count how many times my mom and sister asked me to unblock him until they finally got it in their heads that he was lying every time.
anyway, all this is to say that he did actually try to contact me about two weeks ago. i was out with friends when my phone rang, and it was him. i silenced my phone and let it ring. he called two more times before i finally texted him that i was busy and couldn’t talk. he called again, twice, before responding to the text, asking if i wanted to “go on a trip” with him in september. he also left a voicemail bemoaning how much he thinks about us, implied he was terminally ill (i do actually believe that one, knowing what state he was in last i saw him) and then immediately followed by “do you know where i can get a puppy?”
i haven’t responded again, because i just don’t know what to say. no. i know what to say, but he’s not gonna like it: “i wish you’d thought of us more when we were still a family, 15 years ago. we could have still been together. and no, i don’t want to go on a trip with you, at any point. you are a stranger to me, and i don’t want to spend an extended period of time stranded with you somewhere. i believe that you are ill, you have been for a long time. but if you are really as sick as you say, getting a puppy would be grossly irresponsible, because where will it go when you die? you aren’t even well enough to care for yourself. what happened to the other dog you got last year?”
would i be in the wrong for finally responding and telling him exactly how i feel?
submitted by bonescaro to AITAH [link] [comments]
i’ll do my best to summarize. my dad is a narcissistic alcoholic, to put it lightly. the last three years i still lived in the same house as him, he never ate real food. he only drank bare minimum of protein drinks, and at least two gallons of alcohol every day. he was that bad.
mom, sister, and i all tried to support him getting clean back in 2010. he entered his first inpatient addiction program in 2012 i don’t remember how long he was in there, at least a month. he got out a week before my 18th birthday. for my birthday we took a day trip to the city to walk around a big outdoor market, do some shopping, have some good food. at one point he stepped away for a “smoke break”. after a few minutes, when i turned around to look for a break in the crowd i saw him with a plastic cup of beer. he’s been dead to me ever since. but my mom and sister kept trying to support him for the next seven years as he went to inpatient, outpatient, therapy, AA, anything and everything. it was the same every time, he couldn’t last three days without something. you couldn’t hold a meaningful conversation with him by 2020, because he was wasted 24/7. mom finally had enough by 2021 and filed for separation (something about our state laws re: actual divorce, he could screw her over for the rest of her life in court because “he’s an addict who can’t work anymore”—like he hadn’t already screwed her entire life up) and it was nasty. the things he said and did both to and about her during the separation process really just cemented the fact that my father was long dead, because he would never say/do that. and he would deny all of it, because he could never remember.
he reached out to her and my sister on multiple occasions over the past 3-ish years, but never to me. but he would complain and cry and whine to anyone who would listen (my mom and sister included, who i lived with) that he did reach out to me, i just never responded because i blocked his number. i did not have him blocked, he never tried to contact me in the first place and was always lying about it. i cant count how many times my mom and sister asked me to unblock him until they finally got it in their heads that he was lying every time.
anyway, all this is to say that he did actually try to contact me about two weeks ago. i was out with friends when my phone rang, and it was him. i silenced my phone and let it ring. he called two more times before i finally texted him that i was busy and couldn’t talk. he called again, twice, before responding to the text, asking if i wanted to “go on a trip” with him in september. he also left a voicemail bemoaning how much he thinks about us, implied he was terminally ill (i do actually believe that one, knowing what state he was in last i saw him) and then immediately followed by “do you know where i can get a puppy?”
i haven’t responded again, because i just don’t know what to say. no. i know what to say, but he’s not gonna like it: “i wish you’d thought of us more when we were still a family, 15 years ago. we could have still been together. and no, i don’t want to go on a trip with you, at any point. you are a stranger to me, and i don’t want to spend an extended period of time stranded with you somewhere. i believe that you are ill, you have been for a long time. but if you are really as sick as you say, getting a puppy would be grossly irresponsible, because where will it go when you die? you aren’t even well enough to care for yourself. what happened to the other dog you got last year?”
would i be in the wrong for finally responding and telling him exactly how i feel?
2024.04.21 21:59 Cardenjs Kicked out my co-dependent alcoholic ex, need to know if I have my ducks in a row (North Carolina)
My now Ex fiancé has been in and out of Detox for the last 6 months for alcohol and always immediately begins drinking again. We are(were) in a co-dependent relationship and she would escalate the lengths she went to get alcohol from me, starting from promises of "one last hoora" then straight to rehab, to eventually threatening to kill herself if I did not do as she said (the cops were called twice over this in the last 3 months). Prior to her most recent visit to the hospital she was diagnosed with "Alcohol Induced Psychosis" and in Detox they either diagnosed or hinted that she might have Borderline Personality Disorder.
On Friday of last week (April 13) I told her I was done and that she had 5 days to leave after which I would begin the eviction process and she left of her own accord Sunday night I believe (I had the police escort me so that I could get clothes and my work computer and stay at my parents house) and blocked her number on my phone. I had considered getting a temporary restraining order because this was immediately after she threatened suicide if didn't do what she told me to do. She has been unemployed for over 4 years due to back issues that she remedied with Alcohol so she did not contribute anything regarding the household aside from Debt.
(note: while she did threaten to kill herself, she did so in a way that there wasn't any action the police could take because she is good at using the correct words to avoid an IVC)
On Monday (April 15) she sent a text to my mother saying that she got a ride and "did not see any reason to return except to check on [our cat]" and I went back to the house to verify that she was gone and I took the battery out of the door lock (I did not know if she took a key with her) and I did not hear much from her except for direct messages on programs I have downloaded but selfdom used, one asking me to unblock her so that she could tell me her progress in getting into a rehab, I did not respond.
On Friday of this past week (April 19) my parents came to help separate our stuff and boxed up her clothes and possessions over the weekend including gifts that I had given to her over the years. We intend to put them into a storage unit within a few miles of the house and pay for a number of months (we are not petty, my mother had even offered to fly her across the country if that's what she needed) while she gets everything figured out.
She threatened to take us to court ("how do you think the judge is going to feel about this"?) and we cut contact with her, I have a retainer through my workplace that I will be contacting tomorrow (I have to get my information from HR to give to the legal service)
My legal question is that since she has been gone for over a week now, do I still need to file a formal Eviction notice with the magistrate? (I currently do not intend to let her in without the police telling me to), and is there anything else I need to worry about?
Other notes:
submitted by Cardenjs to legaladvice [link] [comments]
On Friday of last week (April 13) I told her I was done and that she had 5 days to leave after which I would begin the eviction process and she left of her own accord Sunday night I believe (I had the police escort me so that I could get clothes and my work computer and stay at my parents house) and blocked her number on my phone. I had considered getting a temporary restraining order because this was immediately after she threatened suicide if didn't do what she told me to do. She has been unemployed for over 4 years due to back issues that she remedied with Alcohol so she did not contribute anything regarding the household aside from Debt.
(note: while she did threaten to kill herself, she did so in a way that there wasn't any action the police could take because she is good at using the correct words to avoid an IVC)
On Monday (April 15) she sent a text to my mother saying that she got a ride and "did not see any reason to return except to check on [our cat]" and I went back to the house to verify that she was gone and I took the battery out of the door lock (I did not know if she took a key with her) and I did not hear much from her except for direct messages on programs I have downloaded but selfdom used, one asking me to unblock her so that she could tell me her progress in getting into a rehab, I did not respond.
On Friday of this past week (April 19) my parents came to help separate our stuff and boxed up her clothes and possessions over the weekend including gifts that I had given to her over the years. We intend to put them into a storage unit within a few miles of the house and pay for a number of months (we are not petty, my mother had even offered to fly her across the country if that's what she needed) while she gets everything figured out.
She threatened to take us to court ("how do you think the judge is going to feel about this"?) and we cut contact with her, I have a retainer through my workplace that I will be contacting tomorrow (I have to get my information from HR to give to the legal service)
My legal question is that since she has been gone for over a week now, do I still need to file a formal Eviction notice with the magistrate? (I currently do not intend to let her in without the police telling me to), and is there anything else I need to worry about?
Other notes:
- She knows my Reddit Username and will likely see this
- I will not keep our cat from her and am 100% willing to part with her once my ex finds stable living
- She is NOT on the mortgage, she has paid zero house bills since moving in with me
2024.04.12 16:49 SlendyBoy4 Highschool Hacking/programming challenge
My school provides students with Macbook Airs as part of their education system, and have them all set up as company/school devices with a locked admin account and several proxy's and firewalls such as Linewize and Falcon.
For some extra context about my school, we are heavily iSTEM focused with a massive engineering course budget. Despite the large budget however, they have only this year opened up a programming course for year 11 and 12. There hasn't been much interest so far so the IT department decided to issue a challenge. (with permission from the school)
For the challenge, we have to figure out a way to either steal the password for the admin account or change the student account into an admin. The only rule is that our method has to involve programming, apart from that anything is allowed, and we have permission to use some degree of malware as long as it doesn't create any permanent changes or damage to devices. The winner of the challenge gets $50 and are allowed to unblock 1 website (non-explicit) for every unique solution the students can come up with. They will all be reset next year so the quicker we come up with a solution the more we get out of it.
I haven't ever tried coding before this, so I'm kinda stumbling around in the dark. So far I have figured out how to make a decent keyreader on Swift UI, but it can't run without admin password because all permission, VPN, Proxy and account settings are password locked. I also can't run the side command from terminal. I have scrolled through every web certificate and key chain entry possible, but the ones I need are admin locked. I can't think of any other ways to do it through kinda normal means. Recently I have been reading about malware, in particular SQL injections but don't know where to start and what would be a waste of time.
Any suggestions would be great.
submitted by SlendyBoy4 to hacking [link] [comments]
For some extra context about my school, we are heavily iSTEM focused with a massive engineering course budget. Despite the large budget however, they have only this year opened up a programming course for year 11 and 12. There hasn't been much interest so far so the IT department decided to issue a challenge. (with permission from the school)
For the challenge, we have to figure out a way to either steal the password for the admin account or change the student account into an admin. The only rule is that our method has to involve programming, apart from that anything is allowed, and we have permission to use some degree of malware as long as it doesn't create any permanent changes or damage to devices. The winner of the challenge gets $50 and are allowed to unblock 1 website (non-explicit) for every unique solution the students can come up with. They will all be reset next year so the quicker we come up with a solution the more we get out of it.
I haven't ever tried coding before this, so I'm kinda stumbling around in the dark. So far I have figured out how to make a decent keyreader on Swift UI, but it can't run without admin password because all permission, VPN, Proxy and account settings are password locked. I also can't run the side command from terminal. I have scrolled through every web certificate and key chain entry possible, but the ones I need are admin locked. I can't think of any other ways to do it through kinda normal means. Recently I have been reading about malware, in particular SQL injections but don't know where to start and what would be a waste of time.
Any suggestions would be great.
2024.04.08 23:44 ar_david_hh 4th bomb \\ EU wants to assist Armenia without requiring it to exit Russian blocs & without "candidacy": interview \\ Crossroads of Peace \\ 4th bomb \\ Economic stats \\ Bank sale \\ Nobel Prize \\ Yerevan subway timetables, cleaner façades, new trees \\ Europol & U.S. agreement \\ Hurrah
13-minute read.
Context: Last month the authorities arrested a (former) ARF member and a few other alleged accomplices suspected of planting 3 bombs near the members of Pashinyan's party. The suspects are accused of attempting to coerce the MPs to change their policies. One of the bombs exploded but was misplaced and didn't harm anyone. The other 2 bombs didn't explode due to faulty ignition mechanisms.
source, source,
Here are parts from an interview with Marie Dumoulin, the director of the "Wider Europe" program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Wider Europe is a program that aims to help the EU defend its interests and values in neighboring regions including South Caucasus.
REPORTER: On April 5 the EU and US announced additional aid for Armenia on top of the half a billion euro that was gathered as part of the previous €2.6 billion program. How significant is this aid and what is the long-term goal?
DUMOULIN: This increase is a result of the EU's decision to strengthen its engagement with Armenia, help increase Armenia's economic resilience, and create more jobs and opportunities. This is a long-term plan and the EU will be next to Armenia in the coming years.
REPORTER: Can we assume the EU will also help Armenia improve its defense capabilities? Will the European Peace fund be used? Any plans to open the EU market for Armenia? Because Armenia cannot detach itself from Russia's EAEU or CSTO without access to the EU.
DUMOULIN: I don't think the aim of the EU is to push Armenia to break its existing ties with Russian organizations. The goal is to help Armenia strengthen its resilience. So there is an economic component in this cooperation. And then there is the security and defense dimension that you mentioned. Discussions on the possibility of using the European Peace fund continue. There are discussions to use this tool for Armenia specifically, so its army can receive non-lethal assistance which would increase the army's capabilities without having a broader impact on Armenia's alliances.
REPORTER: Is there a chance for Armenia to become an EU candidate, or is there still a lot of homework to be done, as happened in the case of Georgia? Some experts believe Armenia has made more progress than Georgia in certain areas of reforms. Should Armenia apply for EU candidacy?
DUMOULIN: Discussing EU candidacy is a little premature because Armenia is still a member of the EAEU and cannot easily withdraw from it. These are long-term commitments that Armenia should consider carefully before choosing a road. In the meantime, Armenia should carry out more domestic reforms. The EU wants to help with that through various existing tools.
REPORTER: I have the impression that the EU also understands the dangers of severing Armenia's ties with all Russian-led organizations. At the same time, the EU wants to provide as much support as possible to Armenia without severing those ties. In 2013 Armenia was negotiating a deeper association agreement with the EU that included a free trade agreement. President Serj Sargsyan then decided to join the Russian EAEU and the deal collapsed. Is it possible to revive this association agreement today?
DUMOULIN: After the failure of the 2013 negotiations, we signed CEPA. Today the EU wants to expand CEPA but it probably won't offer the same opportunities that Moldova and Ukraine had under DCFTA, but it will provide greater opportunities for cooperation. I think the EU is realistic about the fact that it cannot replace Russia as Armenia's economic partner and I don't think that's the EU's goal, but the EU can do more to strengthen Armenia's resilience in both economic and social development.
REPORTER: The EU's decision to grant Georgia the status of a candidate country was adopted taking into account Russia's aggressive policy towards neighboring countries. I believe that was the main consideration, because prior to the candidacy decision, the EU officials were criticizing Georgia's lack of progress, but they realized that the strict candidacy rules were only promoting the pro-Russian sentiments and elements in Georgia. The granting of candidacy was a victory for pro-European parties in Georgia. I think the same steps can be beneficial for Armenia as well, or at least an initiation of this process.
DUMOULIN: Armenia and Georgia are two very different situations despite their similarities. Georgia already had an Association Agreement and DCFTA with the EU, which is why it is closer to the EU than Armenia is. Armenia, as a member of EAEU and CSTO, has other things to do before reaching the same point. You are absolutely right in noting that Armenia is in some ways more advanced than Georgia in terms of reforms. I think the decision to grant Georgia a candidacy was first of all a signal to the Georgian public, the overwhelming majority of which is enthusiastic about a European future. However, the EU will monitor Georgia's reforms very carefully.
source, source, source, source, source,
CoE leader Marija Buric met FM Mirzoyan to discuss the rule of law, refugee aid, anti-corruption, democratic reforms, and the implementation of the 2023-2026 action plan drafted by Armenia and CoE.
MARIA BURIC: I'm glad to be again in Armenia. We've worked for a long time on many issues and I wanted to commend and thank your government for working on the reforms and action plan 2023-2026. It's assisting Armenia in this important job. One piece of information that could give you an idea of how much the member states of the Council of Europe are dedicated to the action plan and to developing relations with Armenia is the fact that we've already secured almost the totality of the necessary funding. In the first year, we have already secured almost the totality of what is needed. //
They discussed assistance for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees.
video, source, source,
source, source,
Pashinyan welcomed the visit of the delegation to Armenia and emphasized the consistent development of AM-EU cooperation and in that context emphasized the April 5 meeting in Brussels. The parties discussed the AM-AZ peace process, Armenia's security, and humanitarian topics.
FM MIRZOYAN: We are in the middle of a process to significantly deepen our relations with the EU. As PM Pashinyan said last year at the European Parliament, Armenia is ready to get as close to the EU as much as it would be acceptable for the EU. We have the CEPA agreement. Now we are exploring an agreement beyond CEPA. We have the economic and investment plan, we have the flagship initiatives, and we are currently discussing with the EU support for the resilience of Armenia. We know that the global and regional processes may have unpredictable or, as some say, "inevitable" consequences. To meet these challenges we should raise Armenia's resilience, including economic resilience. We could have challenges in the spheres of energy supplies [gas], accessible markets, etc. So there is a very deep understanding between Armenia and EU in terms of what can be done. Where this path will bring Armenia and the EU is difficult to tell right now but we are open to many possibilities. The people of Armenia have European aspirations. We will be guided by these aspirations. //
Pashinyan and the guests discussed defense topics and the AM-AZ peace process.
source, source, source, source, source,
source, source,
source,
source,
source,
source, source,
source,
Oct 2023: 3,000
Nov 2023: 6,600
Mar 2024: 8,800
Over 100,000 refugees were forced to move to Armenia in September.
source, source,
source, source,
60% Bank of Georgia Group (registered in UK and London stock exchange)
30% Bank of Georgia JSC
10% European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The $304 million acquisition was announced in February. The Ameria bank will maintain its name and leadership.
source,
Who financed the construction? 55% organizations, 11% government, ...
What was constructed? 60% real estate, 10% utility facilities, 6% transport facilities, ...
source,
Wholesale trade +38%
Retail trade +7%
Vehicle sales -7%
Of retail trade, stores accounted for 82% of the total, markets of agricultural products +4%, ...
source,
2023: 159,900
The largest share of tourists: 42% Russian, 14% Georgian, 8% Iranian, ...
source,
Financial and insurance activities +16%
Information and communication -0.2%
Transport +15%
accommodation and catering +7%
culture, entertainment and recreation +3%
health care and social security +10%
Real estate related services +9%
education services +6%
source,
2019: $100 million
2020: $59 million
2021: $366 million
2022: $988 million
2023: $443 million
source, more, source, source,
DEPUTY MAYOR: We will buy new equipment to make it possible.
source,
When it comes to façade ads, the city is mandating shop owners to remove colorful banners covering part of the building's architecture and replace them with more minimalistic letters without a background color.
MAYOR AVINYAN: We informed the shop owners and ad companies last year and they've been cooperating with us despite some dissatisfaction. This process is necessary to remove the excessive "information noise" from the capital. This is especially necessary in areas where we have beautiful buildings and architecture. Additionally, work is underway to move the electric cables underground, for now on 28 streets.
video,
source,
CITY OFFICIAL: We have not received any scientific counter-arguments. Moreover, the national academy held a discussion participated by various agencies. Everyone except for one person agreed that թեղի trees must be removed from Yerevan. We will invite scientists from two other agencies soon. Any group that wants to carry out a more detailed analysis is free to do so, but there is widespread agreement that թեղի trees are expired, were never great for Yerevan's climate, and were planted in Yerevan only because they were a quick solution. We will need 10-20 years to replace all թեղի in Yerevan because of their sheer numbers.
MAYOR AVINYAN: Our residents are not properly informed about all these details, so here is a background: The process began in February 2023 after discussions by 25 scientists who concluded that a significant share of Yerevan's trees are outdated, deformed, and do not meet the environmental benefit requirements, and that in many cases they only inflate the number of trees without providing the benefits. We will publish these scientific findings again. Anyone with a scientific counter-argument is free to prove otherwise. We are open to new and contradicting information, but this is not going to be an amateur street-level debate. //
A group of scientists recommended on Friday to use more specialized devices to scan each tree and make a decision for each one of them separately.
Context: The city says certain types of trees were planted half a century ago while their city lifespan is 30-40 years. The city says the replacement process should have been launched in the early 2000s.
OFFICIAL: New trees do a much better job of keeping the air clean and reducing dust and noise. These are much better than the old թեղի trees. թեղի isn't a bad tree but its city lifespan is too short. Why do we have so many թեղի in Yerevan? During the USSR, when they were deciding what to plant, the priority was to choose a tree that could grow fast because Yerevan was in a semi-desert climate and needed trees ASAP. This is why they planted թեղի and բարդի. These trees expired about a decade ago. Not only do they no longer serve their function optimally, but they have become a safety hazard and fall easily during winds. The older բարդի have rotten roots, while the younger ones are being treated to reduce their height and the risk of falling. To make things worse, բարդի were planted on sidewalks. //
source, source, source,
source,
ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN: We recently found cocaine in bananas from Ecuador. Are there any plans to launch a similar cooperation with other countries to combat trafficking?
MINISTRY: We are working with the U.S. to have a similar separate agreement to target such crimes.
more, source, source,
This effectively bans the production of techno and trans music. One major side effect is that it also bans the Russian anthem because the ban has a lower limit of 80 beats per minute, while the Russian anthem is only 76.
source,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
authorities charge another suspect as part of the February terror plot against ruling party figures
Authorities say they have identified the 4th bomb tied to the same group. Recently there was an explosion near a mechanic shop owned by the father of two ruling party members - Hayk and Nairi Sargsyan. The former is a QP MP, the latter is a former assistant to PM Pashinyan. The suspect is wanted.Context: Last month the authorities arrested a (former) ARF member and a few other alleged accomplices suspected of planting 3 bombs near the members of Pashinyan's party. The suspects are accused of attempting to coerce the MPs to change their policies. One of the bombs exploded but was misplaced and didn't harm anyone. The other 2 bombs didn't explode due to faulty ignition mechanisms.
source, source,
Armenia's 2013 decision to drop EU agreement and join Russia's EAEU bloc has turned out to be a major pain in the ass, the full extent of which is only now becoming visible; interview with EU official
Armenia completed technical talks on a ‘deep and comprehensive free-trade agreement’ (DCFTA) with the EU in July [2013] and it was set to be signed at a summit with the EU in late November.However...
Following his meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian said: “We have…held a detailed exchange of views on issues of Eurasian integration, and I confirmed Armenia’s desire to join the [Russian] Customs UnionYesterday the spokesman for EU's foreign ministry said the EU is not requiring Armenia to withdraw from Russian EAEU and CSTO blocs in exchange for closer cooperation with the EU, while the President of the European Commission praised Armenia's sanctions compliance during the April 5 meeting.
Here are parts from an interview with Marie Dumoulin, the director of the "Wider Europe" program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Wider Europe is a program that aims to help the EU defend its interests and values in neighboring regions including South Caucasus.
REPORTER: On April 5 the EU and US announced additional aid for Armenia on top of the half a billion euro that was gathered as part of the previous €2.6 billion program. How significant is this aid and what is the long-term goal?
DUMOULIN: This increase is a result of the EU's decision to strengthen its engagement with Armenia, help increase Armenia's economic resilience, and create more jobs and opportunities. This is a long-term plan and the EU will be next to Armenia in the coming years.
REPORTER: Can we assume the EU will also help Armenia improve its defense capabilities? Will the European Peace fund be used? Any plans to open the EU market for Armenia? Because Armenia cannot detach itself from Russia's EAEU or CSTO without access to the EU.
DUMOULIN: I don't think the aim of the EU is to push Armenia to break its existing ties with Russian organizations. The goal is to help Armenia strengthen its resilience. So there is an economic component in this cooperation. And then there is the security and defense dimension that you mentioned. Discussions on the possibility of using the European Peace fund continue. There are discussions to use this tool for Armenia specifically, so its army can receive non-lethal assistance which would increase the army's capabilities without having a broader impact on Armenia's alliances.
REPORTER: Is there a chance for Armenia to become an EU candidate, or is there still a lot of homework to be done, as happened in the case of Georgia? Some experts believe Armenia has made more progress than Georgia in certain areas of reforms. Should Armenia apply for EU candidacy?
DUMOULIN: Discussing EU candidacy is a little premature because Armenia is still a member of the EAEU and cannot easily withdraw from it. These are long-term commitments that Armenia should consider carefully before choosing a road. In the meantime, Armenia should carry out more domestic reforms. The EU wants to help with that through various existing tools.
REPORTER: I have the impression that the EU also understands the dangers of severing Armenia's ties with all Russian-led organizations. At the same time, the EU wants to provide as much support as possible to Armenia without severing those ties. In 2013 Armenia was negotiating a deeper association agreement with the EU that included a free trade agreement. President Serj Sargsyan then decided to join the Russian EAEU and the deal collapsed. Is it possible to revive this association agreement today?
DUMOULIN: After the failure of the 2013 negotiations, we signed CEPA. Today the EU wants to expand CEPA but it probably won't offer the same opportunities that Moldova and Ukraine had under DCFTA, but it will provide greater opportunities for cooperation. I think the EU is realistic about the fact that it cannot replace Russia as Armenia's economic partner and I don't think that's the EU's goal, but the EU can do more to strengthen Armenia's resilience in both economic and social development.
REPORTER: The EU's decision to grant Georgia the status of a candidate country was adopted taking into account Russia's aggressive policy towards neighboring countries. I believe that was the main consideration, because prior to the candidacy decision, the EU officials were criticizing Georgia's lack of progress, but they realized that the strict candidacy rules were only promoting the pro-Russian sentiments and elements in Georgia. The granting of candidacy was a victory for pro-European parties in Georgia. I think the same steps can be beneficial for Armenia as well, or at least an initiation of this process.
DUMOULIN: Armenia and Georgia are two very different situations despite their similarities. Georgia already had an Association Agreement and DCFTA with the EU, which is why it is closer to the EU than Armenia is. Armenia, as a member of EAEU and CSTO, has other things to do before reaching the same point. You are absolutely right in noting that Armenia is in some ways more advanced than Georgia in terms of reforms. I think the decision to grant Georgia a candidacy was first of all a signal to the Georgian public, the overwhelming majority of which is enthusiastic about a European future. However, the EU will monitor Georgia's reforms very carefully.
source, source, source, source, source,
the Secretary of the Council of Europe visited Armenia
Note: The Council of Europe supports countries with domestic reforms but it doesn't make decisions regarding EU's policies, which is the task of the European Council.CoE leader Marija Buric met FM Mirzoyan to discuss the rule of law, refugee aid, anti-corruption, democratic reforms, and the implementation of the 2023-2026 action plan drafted by Armenia and CoE.
MARIA BURIC: I'm glad to be again in Armenia. We've worked for a long time on many issues and I wanted to commend and thank your government for working on the reforms and action plan 2023-2026. It's assisting Armenia in this important job. One piece of information that could give you an idea of how much the member states of the Council of Europe are dedicated to the action plan and to developing relations with Armenia is the fact that we've already secured almost the totality of the necessary funding. In the first year, we have already secured almost the totality of what is needed. //
They discussed assistance for Nagorno-Karabakh refugees.
video, source, source,
Crossroads of Peace project could become an important prerequisite for Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process: the head Council of Europe
Maria Burić then met PM Pashinyan and expressed CoE's support for continuous reforms in Armenia and the unblocking of communications routes.source, source,
PM Pashinyan hosted members of the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union
Note: The Council of the European Union is an official body that makes EU policy decisions, not to be confused with the Council of Europe mentioned above.Pashinyan welcomed the visit of the delegation to Armenia and emphasized the consistent development of AM-EU cooperation and in that context emphasized the April 5 meeting in Brussels. The parties discussed the AM-AZ peace process, Armenia's security, and humanitarian topics.
FM MIRZOYAN: We are in the middle of a process to significantly deepen our relations with the EU. As PM Pashinyan said last year at the European Parliament, Armenia is ready to get as close to the EU as much as it would be acceptable for the EU. We have the CEPA agreement. Now we are exploring an agreement beyond CEPA. We have the economic and investment plan, we have the flagship initiatives, and we are currently discussing with the EU support for the resilience of Armenia. We know that the global and regional processes may have unpredictable or, as some say, "inevitable" consequences. To meet these challenges we should raise Armenia's resilience, including economic resilience. We could have challenges in the spheres of energy supplies [gas], accessible markets, etc. So there is a very deep understanding between Armenia and EU in terms of what can be done. Where this path will bring Armenia and the EU is difficult to tell right now but we are open to many possibilities. The people of Armenia have European aspirations. We will be guided by these aspirations. //
Pashinyan and the guests discussed defense topics and the AM-AZ peace process.
source, source, source, source, source,
PM Pashinyan's deputy chief of staff accuses Armenia's pro-Russian opposition figures of engaging in a "hybrid warfare" to discredit the West
TARON CHAKHOYAN: Armenia received what it wanted to receive during the Brussels meeting. Various propagandists and sazandar musicians are attempting to devalue the April 5 meeting. The same circles were circulating fake claims about military aid and billions of dollars prior to the meeting so they could later promote a sense of disappointment in the public. This is part of their hybrid warfare against Armenia to instill a sense of despair and the idea that Armenia cannot survive as an independent state and that it's necessary to become a peripheral province [of Russia]. Democracy is our trump card in this hybrid war against Armenia. The meeting in Brussels was another very important step towards establishing sovereignty and deepening cooperation with the civilized world. //source, source,
Armenia's Foreign Minister will not take part in a Russian-led CIS meeting of foreign ministers
Mirzoyan won't fly to Belarus on April 12.source,
NatSec Armen Grigoryan held a meeting with his Swedish counterpart
The interlocutors discussed bilateral cooperation in various directions, emphasizing the security factor. Grigoryan spoke about the diversification of Armenia's economic and defense sectors and described Sweden as an important partner.source,
Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to exchange proposals around the peace treaty
Armenia has responded to Azerbaijan by sending the 8th modification of the peace treaty to Baku.source,
Azerbaijan's goal was to provoke a response by Armenia so it could justify a full-scale attack, which did not happen: Jean-Christophe Buisson, the deputy chief of the French newspaper Le Figaro
The EU border mission members visited one of the residents of the 5 houses targeted by Azerbaijani fire over the weekend. The resident avoided injury from broken glass by pure luck because days earlier they moved the bed to a different position.source, source,
new government decision will replace Soviet-era "hurrah" with Armenian "kecce" during ceremonial congratulatory chants by soldiers
The switch is part of wider reforms in the army. A package is underway. The ministry had earlier announced a decision to switch to new uniforms with NATO standards.source,
how many Nagorno-Karabakh refugees have left Armenia and haven't returned (yet)?
As of...Oct 2023: 3,000
Nov 2023: 6,600
Mar 2024: 8,800
Over 100,000 refugees were forced to move to Armenia in September.
source, source,
businessman Ruben Vardanyan is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by a group of organizations and individuals
His supporters highlighted Vardanyan's 2022-2023 activities in blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh and investments in various educational programs around the world. Vardanyan is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan.source, source,
agreement is signed to sell Armenia's Ameriabank to an internationally-owned Bank of Georgia
Armenia's Central Bank gave its approval. Here are the new shareholders:60% Bank of Georgia Group (registered in UK and London stock exchange)
30% Bank of Georgia JSC
10% European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The $304 million acquisition was announced in February. The Ameria bank will maintain its name and leadership.
source,
economy: construction stats for January-February
Construction +10% YoYWho financed the construction? 55% organizations, 11% government, ...
What was constructed? 60% real estate, 10% utility facilities, 6% transport facilities, ...
source,
economy: domestic trade turnover stats for January-February
Domestic trade +24% YoYWholesale trade +38%
Retail trade +7%
Vehicle sales -7%
Of retail trade, stores accounted for 82% of the total, markets of agricultural products +4%, ...
source,
economy: tourism stats for March
2024: 154,2002023: 159,900
The largest share of tourists: 42% Russian, 14% Georgian, 8% Iranian, ...
source,
economy: services sector stats for January-February
Services +5%Financial and insurance activities +16%
Information and communication -0.2%
Transport +15%
accommodation and catering +7%
culture, entertainment and recreation +3%
health care and social security +10%
Real estate related services +9%
education services +6%
source,
Foreign Direction Investments in Armenia
2018: $267 million2019: $100 million
2020: $59 million
2021: $366 million
2022: $988 million
2023: $443 million
source, more, source, source,
Yerevan subway arrival timetable
MAYOR AVINYAN: Since we're working on public transport reforms, can we also make arrival timetables available for the metro trains so riders will know when to expect them?DEPUTY MAYOR: We will buy new equipment to make it possible.
source,
video shows before and after the removal of giant ad billboards from Yerevan's sidewalks: VIDEO
Context in April 5 news. The city recently approved a new visual code for ads and has launched a process to remove non-compliant ones from building façades and sidewalk poles.When it comes to façade ads, the city is mandating shop owners to remove colorful banners covering part of the building's architecture and replace them with more minimalistic letters without a background color.
MAYOR AVINYAN: We informed the shop owners and ad companies last year and they've been cooperating with us despite some dissatisfaction. This process is necessary to remove the excessive "information noise" from the capital. This is especially necessary in areas where we have beautiful buildings and architecture. Additionally, work is underway to move the electric cables underground, for now on 28 streets.
video,
Yerevan mayor instructs every department worker to use the Active Citizen app
The app was created to receive reports and suggestions from Yerevan residents. Mayor Avinyan has instructed every worker to use it and treat it as a "hotline". Warnings will be issued to employees who do not use the app starting next week.source,
Yerevan administration consulted with over 20 scientists before replacing the outdated and dying trees on sidewalks, will invite new scientists
MAYOR AVINYAN: Last week we decided to temporarily delay the tree replacement process after a meeting with eco-activists [a group of Armenian and Russian residents held a picket in front of City Hall]. We have requested additional opinions from scientific circles. If this opinion questions the findings of the previous 20+ member scientific board, we will organize debates. Any news on this?CITY OFFICIAL: We have not received any scientific counter-arguments. Moreover, the national academy held a discussion participated by various agencies. Everyone except for one person agreed that թեղի trees must be removed from Yerevan. We will invite scientists from two other agencies soon. Any group that wants to carry out a more detailed analysis is free to do so, but there is widespread agreement that թեղի trees are expired, were never great for Yerevan's climate, and were planted in Yerevan only because they were a quick solution. We will need 10-20 years to replace all թեղի in Yerevan because of their sheer numbers.
MAYOR AVINYAN: Our residents are not properly informed about all these details, so here is a background: The process began in February 2023 after discussions by 25 scientists who concluded that a significant share of Yerevan's trees are outdated, deformed, and do not meet the environmental benefit requirements, and that in many cases they only inflate the number of trees without providing the benefits. We will publish these scientific findings again. Anyone with a scientific counter-argument is free to prove otherwise. We are open to new and contradicting information, but this is not going to be an amateur street-level debate. //
A group of scientists recommended on Friday to use more specialized devices to scan each tree and make a decision for each one of them separately.
Context: The city says certain types of trees were planted half a century ago while their city lifespan is 30-40 years. The city says the replacement process should have been launched in the early 2000s.
OFFICIAL: New trees do a much better job of keeping the air clean and reducing dust and noise. These are much better than the old թեղի trees. թեղի isn't a bad tree but its city lifespan is too short. Why do we have so many թեղի in Yerevan? During the USSR, when they were deciding what to plant, the priority was to choose a tree that could grow fast because Yerevan was in a semi-desert climate and needed trees ASAP. This is why they planted թեղի and բարդի. These trees expired about a decade ago. Not only do they no longer serve their function optimally, but they have become a safety hazard and fall easily during winds. The older բարդի have rotten roots, while the younger ones are being treated to reduce their height and the risk of falling. To make things worse, բարդի were planted on sidewalks. //
source, source, source,
a justice ministry department is entering the 21st century with the purchase of modern equipment: VIDEO
The ministry's Expert Center has forensics experts with different specialties. They have imported new tools that allow them to locate electric cables running 6 meters underground (so they don't have to dig), whether a wire is grounded, etc. They'll be able to investigate the schematics of a building in the event of collapse or fire.source,
parliament's Defense Committee greenlights Armenia's integration with Europol
Armenia will send an officer to the Netherlands to represent the country's law enforcement agencies in Europol, while Europol will install secure communication equipment in Armenia for the exchange of information. The parties will combat crime, trafficking, exchange classified data, etc.ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN: We recently found cocaine in bananas from Ecuador. Are there any plans to launch a similar cooperation with other countries to combat trafficking?
MINISTRY: We are working with the U.S. to have a similar separate agreement to target such crimes.
more, source, source,
government of Chechnya prohibits the production of music with high tempo
Ramzan Kadyrov has instructed the ministry of culture to monitor domestic musicians and ensure their content doesn't go above 116 beats per minute. The goal is to protect traditional "Chechen mentality", "cultural heritage", and "children".This effectively bans the production of techno and trans music. One major side effect is that it also bans the Russian anthem because the ban has a lower limit of 80 beats per minute, while the Russian anthem is only 76.
source,
2024.04.08 20:48 TonyYumYum Religion & Spirituality Free Audiobook Megathread
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By: José Silva, Philip Miele
Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann, Zac Aleman
Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 04-19-22
4.5 out of 5 stars1,065 ratings
Regular price: $13.49
The Garden Within Audiobook By Dr. Anita Phillips, Sarah Jakes Roberts - foreword cover art
By: Dr. Anita Phillips, Sarah Jakes Roberts - foreword
Narrated by: Anita Phillips, Sarah Roberts
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 09-19-23
5 out of 5 stars524 ratings
Do the New You Audiobook By Steven Furtick cover art
By: Steven Furtick
Narrated by: Steven Furtick
Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
5 out of 5 stars266 ratings
Nine Lives and Counting Audiobook By Duane Chapman cover art
By: Duane Chapman
Narrated by: Mike Ortego, Francie Chapman, Duane Chapman
Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
Regular price: $20.01
Daring Greatly Audiobook By Brené Brown cover art
By: Brené Brown
Narrated by: Brené Brown
Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 06-26-18
5 out of 5 stars21,199 ratings
Spiritual Activator Audiobook By Oliver Nino cover art
By: Oliver Nino
Narrated by: Oliver Nino
Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 04-25-23
5 out of 5 stars27 ratings
Regular price: $12.74
Deliverance from Demonic Covenants and Curses Audiobook By Rev. James A. Solomon cover art
Narrated by: Langston Darby
Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
Release date: 09-28-23
5 out of 5 stars133 ratings
Listener's Audio Bible—New International Version, NIV: Complete Bible Audiobook By Max McLean cover art
By: Max McLean
Narrated by: Max McLean
Length: 75 hrs and 14 mins
Release date: 11-03-15
4.5 out of 5 stars1,962 ratings
Regular price: $26.99
James Earl Jones Reads The Bible: King James Version Audiobook By Topics Media Group cover art
Narrated by: James Earl Jones
Length: 17 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 12-04-03
4.5 out of 5 stars1,767 ratings
Regular price: $19.46
The Pagan World Audiobook By Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses cover art
By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Hans-Friedrich Mueller
Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 02-28-20
4.5 out of 5 stars1,346 ratings
Sale price: $5.99 (82% off)
Regular price: $33.90
Sale ends in 13d 15h 41m 42s
We Who Wrestle with God Audiobook By Jordan B. Peterson cover art
Narrated by: Jordan B. Peterson
Length: 13 hrs
Release date: 11-19-24
Regular price: $22.75
On Writing (and Writers) Audiobook By C. S. Lewis cover art
Narrated by: John Lee
Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins
Release date: 11-01-22
4.5 out of 5 stars36 ratings
Regular price: $15.29
The Purpose Driven Life Audiobook By Rick Warren cover art
By: Rick Warren
Narrated by: Rick Warren
Series: The Purpose Driven Life
Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
Release date: 11-06-12
4.5 out of 5 stars5,218 ratings
Think Like a Monk Audiobook By Jay Shetty cover art
By: Jay Shetty
Narrated by: Jay Shetty
Length: 11 hrs
Release date: 09-08-20
5 out of 5 stars11,217 ratings
Regular price: $18.74
Good Boundaries and Goodbyes Audiobook By Lysa TerKeurst cover art
Narrated by: Lysa TerKeurst, Jim Cress
Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
Release date: 11-08-22
5 out of 5 stars1,199 ratings
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory Audiobook By Tim Alberta cover art
By: Tim Alberta
Narrated by: Tim Alberta
Length: 18 hrs and 16 mins
Release date: 12-05-23
5 out of 5 stars1,083 ratings
Tuesdays with Morrie Audiobook By Mitch Albom cover art
By: Mitch Albom
Narrated by: Mitch Albom
Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
Release date: 10-18-07
5 out of 5 stars7,257 ratings
Regular price: $13.96
Women Who Run with the Wolves Audiobook By Clarissa Pinkola Estés cover art
By: Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Narrated by: Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
Release date: 05-22-09
4.5 out of 5 stars8,675 ratings
Regular price: $17.47
The Book of Enoch Audiobook By Robert Bagley III cover art
By: Robert Bagley III
Narrated by: Steve Cook
Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
Release date: 06-13-16
4.5 out of 5 stars1,529 ratings
Regular price: $14.95
Think This, Not That Audiobook By Dr. Josh Axe cover art
By: Dr. Josh Axe
Narrated by: Josh Axe, Jon Gordon, Donald Miller, Erwin McManus, Dave Ramsey, Rebekah Lyons, Shade Zahrai, Rob Dial, Greg McKeown, Hal Elrod, John Delony
Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
Release date: 04-02-24
The Return of the Gods Audiobook By Jonathan Cahn cover art
Narrated by: Lawrence Richardson
Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 09-06-22
5 out of 5 stars2,630 ratings
Regular price: $22.61
Mere Christianity Audiobook By C. S. Lewis cover art
Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
Release date: 05-13-14
5 out of 5 stars12,976 ratings
You Are the Placebo Audiobook By Dr. Joe Dispenza cover art
By: Dr. Joe Dispenza
Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
Release date: 04-15-20
5 out of 5 stars1,642 ratings
By: John Bevere
Narrated by: John Bevere
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Release date: 02-21-23
5 out of 5 stars347 ratings
Mother Angelica Audiobook By Raymond Arroyo cover art
By: Raymond Arroyo
Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
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Release date: 03-28-23
Autobiography of a Yogi Audiobook By Paramahansa Yogananda cover art
Narrated by: Ben Kingsley
Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
Release date: 10-07-04
4.5 out of 5 stars5,998 ratings
Regular price: $25.00
Battlefield of the Mind Audiobook By Joyce Meyer cover art
Narrated by: Joyce Meyer
Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 03-22-22
5 out of 5 stars835 ratings
Regular price: $19.49
The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life Audiobook By Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman cover art
Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 12-01-20
4.5 out of 5 stars126 ratings
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Release date: 02-20-24
5 out of 5 stars189 ratings
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Length: 5 hrs
Release date: 07-07-11
5 out of 5 stars3,718 ratings
The Awakened Brain Audiobook By Lisa Miller cover art
By: Lisa Miller
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Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
Release date: 08-17-21
4.5 out of 5 stars346 ratings
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Signs Audiobook By Laura Lynne Jackson cover art
By: Laura Lynne Jackson
Narrated by: Laura Lynne Jackson
Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 06-18-19
5 out of 5 stars4,542 ratings
The Power of Positive Thinking Audiobook By Norman Vincent Peale cover art
By: Norman Vincent Peale
Narrated by: uncredited
Length: 3 hrs and 46 mins
Release date: 10-31-08
4.5 out of 5 stars8,668 ratings
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools Audiobook By Tyler Staton, Tim Mackie - foreword cover art
By: Tyler Staton, Tim Mackie - foreword
Narrated by: Tyler Staton, Tim Mackie
Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
Release date: 10-04-22
5 out of 5 stars427 ratings
The Artist's Way: 25th Anniversary Edition Audiobook By Julia Cameron cover art
Narrated by: Eliza Foss
Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 03-23-21
Anxious for Nothing Audiobook By Max Lucado cover art
By: Max Lucado
Narrated by: Ben Holland
Length: 3 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 09-12-17
4.5 out of 5 stars7,424 ratings
The 21-Day Financial Fast Audiobook By Michelle Singletary cover art
By: Michelle Singletary
Narrated by: Michelle Singletary
Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
Release date: 11-26-19
4.5 out of 5 stars88 ratings
Wild at Heart Audiobook By John Eldredge cover art
By: John Eldredge
Narrated by: John Eldredge
Release date: 12-28-03
4.5 out of 5 stars6,208 ratings
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The Holographic Universe Audiobook By Michael Talbot cover art
By: Michael Talbot
Narrated by: Nick Mondelli
Release date: 04-15-21
4.5 out of 5 stars371 ratings
Sale price: $6.99 (74% off)
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Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table Audiobook By Louie Giglio cover art
By: Louie Giglio
Narrated by: Louie Giglio
Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 05-11-21
5 out of 5 stars1,246 ratings
The Unseen Realm Audiobook By Dr. Michael S. Heiser cover art
Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 12-18-15
5 out of 5 stars3,492 ratings
The Inner Work Audiobook By Mathew Micheletti, Ashley Cottrell cover art
By: Mathew Micheletti, Ashley Cottrell
Narrated by: Mathew Micheletti, Ashley Cottrell
Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 11-21-22
4.5 out of 5 stars145 ratings
Regular price: $19.95
Habits of the Household Audiobook By Justin Whitmel Earley cover art
By: Justin Whitmel Earley
Narrated by: Justin Earley, Troy Simons, Ruth Simons
Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
Release date: 11-09-21
5 out of 5 stars768 ratings
Living Untethered Audiobook By Michael A. Singer cover art
By: Michael A. Singer
Narrated by: Michael A. Singer
Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 05-10-22
5 out of 5 stars2,948 ratings
Regular price: $13.75
The Exvangelicals Audiobook By Sarah McCammon cover art
By: Sarah McCammon
Narrated by: Sarah McCammon
Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
Release date: 03-19-24
5 out of 5 stars78 ratings
Regular price: $14.99
Son of Hamas Audiobook By Mosab Hassan Yousef, Ron Brackin - contributor cover art
By: Mosab Hassan Yousef, Ron Brackin - contributor
Narrated by: Mosab Hassan Yousef
Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
Release date: 12-23-11
5 out of 5 stars1,737 ratings
Regular price: $23.39
The Greatest Salesman in the World Audiobook By Og Mandino cover art
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
Series: The Greatest Salesman in the World, Book 1
Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 11-01-16
5 out of 5 stars5,841 ratings
Regular price: $6.75
The Meaning of Marriage Audiobook By Timothy Keller cover art
By: Timothy Keller
Narrated by: Lloyd James, Marguerite Gavin
Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 11-01-11
5 out of 5 stars4,668 ratings
Rescue Story Audiobook By Zach Williams, Robert Noland - contributor cover art
By: Zach Williams, Robert Noland - contributor
Narrated by: Zach Williams, Crystal Williams
Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
Release date: 02-27-24
5 out of 5 stars100 ratings
The Art of Living Audiobook By Thích Nhất Hạnh cover art
By: Thích Nhất Hạnh
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Gabra Zackman
Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 06-06-17
5 out of 5 stars6,273 ratings
The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim Audiobook By Joseph Lumpkin cover art
By: Joseph Lumpkin
Narrated by: Dennis Logan
Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 09-14-17
4 out of 5 stars556 ratings
The Celestine Prophecy Audiobook By James Redfield cover art
By: James Redfield
Narrated by: Lou Diamond Phillips, James Redfield
Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
Release date: 10-30-18
4.5 out of 5 stars614 ratings
Mother and Son Audiobook By Dr. Emerson Eggerichs cover art
Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
Release date: 04-05-16
4.5 out of 5 stars704 ratings
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The Great Disappearance Audiobook By Dr. David Jeremiah cover art
By: Dr. David Jeremiah
Narrated by: David Jeremiah, Larry Wayne
Release date: 12-12-23
5 out of 5 stars215 ratings
When Things Fall Apart Audiobook By Pema Chodron cover art
By: Pema Chodron
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Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
Release date: 01-03-23
4.5 out of 5 stars144 ratings
Regular price: $16.09
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Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
5 out of 5 stars26 ratings
Sale price: $4.99 (74% off)
The Complete 70 Book Apocrypha Including Writings of the Apostolic Fathers: the Deuterocanon, Enoch 1-3, Pseudepigrapha, Jubi
Length: 70 hrs and 21 mins
Release date: 12-11-23
4.5 out of 5 stars5 ratings
Regular price: $29.95
Behold a Pale Horse Audiobook By Milton William Cooper cover art
Narrated by: Milton William Cooper
Length: 2 hrs and 54 mins
Release date: 07-26-18
4.5 out of 5 stars3,664 ratings
Regular price: $11.49
The Mastery of Self Audiobook By Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. cover art
By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
Narrated by: Charlie Varon
Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 07-06-16
5 out of 5 stars4,316 ratings
The Last Law of Attraction Book You’ll Ever Need to Read Audiobook By Andrew Kap cover art
By: Andrew Kap
Narrated by: Andrew Kap
Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
Release date: 04-01-20
4.5 out of 5 stars2,354 ratings
The Game of Life and How to Play It Audiobook By Florence Scovel Shinn, Joel Fotinos cover art
By: Florence Scovel Shinn, Joel Fotinos
Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya
Series: Simple Success Guides
Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 02-04-20
5 out of 5 stars963 ratings
Regular price: $8.24
Failing Forward Audiobook By John C. Maxwell cover art
Narrated by: Henry O. Arnold, John C. Maxwell
Release date: 02-11-20
5 out of 5 stars717 ratings
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life Audiobook By Dr. Wayne W. Dyer cover art
By: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Narrated by: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
Release date: 12-31-06
4.5 out of 5 stars4,876 ratings
It's Not Supposed to Be This Way Audiobook By Lysa TerKeurst cover art
Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 11-13-18
4.5 out of 5 stars4,798 ratings
Becoming Free Indeed Audiobook By Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Corey Williams cover art
By: Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Corey Williams
Narrated by: Jinger Duggar Vuolo
Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
Release date: 01-31-23
4.5 out of 5 stars2,490 ratings
The Bhagavad Gita Audiobook By Eknath Easwaran cover art
Narrated by: Paul Bazely
Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
Release date: 12-28-14
5 out of 5 stars4,508 ratings
Regular price: $10.44
The False White Gospel Audiobook By Jim Wallis, Eddie Glaude cover art
By: Jim Wallis, Eddie Glaude
Narrated by: Jim Wallis, Leon Nixon - foreword
Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
5 out of 5 stars9 ratings
Regular price: $20.24
Between Death and Life Audiobook By Dolores Cannon cover art
By: Dolores Cannon
Narrated by: Doug Warrings, Ted Snow, Carol Morrison
Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 01-28-16
5 out of 5 stars2,738 ratings
Tired of Being Tired Audiobook By Jess Connolly cover art
By: Jess Connolly
Narrated by: Jess Connolly
Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
Regular price: $17.49
Living in the Daze of Deception Audiobook By Jack Hibbs cover art
By: Jack Hibbs
Narrated by: Adam Verner
Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
4.5 out of 5 stars98 ratings
Regular price: $17.19
Inspired By … The Bible Experience Audio Bible—Today's New International Version, TNIV: Complete Bible Audiobook
By: Zondervan
Narrated by: full cast
Length: 85 hrs and 55 mins
Release date: 03-16-18
4.5 out of 5 stars1,083 ratings
Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth Audiobook By Dolores Cannon cover art
Length: 15 hrs and 47 mins
Release date: 07-02-21
5 out of 5 stars1,553 ratings
The Seat of the Soul Audiobook By Gary Zukav cover art
By: Gary Zukav
Narrated by: Gary Zukav, Maya Angelou (preface), Oprah Winfrey (preface)
Release date: 03-11-14
4.5 out of 5 stars3,315 ratings
submitted by TonyYumYum to freeaudiobooksforu [link] [comments]
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- The Four Agreements
Narrated by: Peter Coyote
Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 01-27-05
Language: English
5 out of 5 stars57,285 ratings
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The Power of Now Audiobook By Eckhart Tolle cover art
- The Power of Now
By: Eckhart Tolle
Narrated by: Eckhart Tolle
Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 12-31-00
4.5 out of 5 stars39,053 ratings
Regular price: $21.80
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: 25th Anniversary Audiobook By John C. Maxwell cover art
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: 25th Anniversary
By: John C. Maxwell
Narrated by: John C. Maxwell, Henry O. Arnold
Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 05-31-22
5 out of 5 stars591 ratings
Regular price: $25.19
Becoming Supernatural Audiobook By Joe Dispenza cover art
- Becoming Supernatural
By: Joe Dispenza
Narrated by: Adam Boyce
Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
Release date: 10-02-20
5 out of 5 stars4,281 ratings
Regular price: $30.90
Forgiving What You Can't Forget Audiobook By Lysa TerKeurst cover art
- Forgiving What You Can't Forget
By: Lysa TerKeurst
Narrated by: Lysa TerKeurst
Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
Release date: 11-17-20
4.5 out of 5 stars2,394 ratings
Regular price: $22.49
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts Audiobook By Gary Chapman cover art
- The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts
Narrated by: Gary Chapman
Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
Release date: 12-26-04
5 out of 5 stars41,974 ratings
Regular price: $21.83
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself Audiobook By Joe Dispenza cover art
- Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself
Release date: 03-26-20
4.5 out of 5 stars4,729 ratings
Regular price: $24.95
Man's Search for Meaning Audiobook By Viktor E. Frankl cover art
- Man's Search for Meaning
Narrated by: Theo Solomon
Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
Release date: 04-09-24
5 out of 5 stars2 ratings
Regular price: $20.00
I Did a New Thing Audiobook By Tabitha Brown cover art
- I Did a New Thing
By: Tabitha Brown
Narrated by: Tabitha Brown
Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
Release date: 01-30-24
5 out of 5 stars171 ratings
Practicing the Way Audiobook By John Mark Comer cover art
- Practicing the Way
By: John Mark Comer
Narrated by: John Mark Comer
Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 01-16-24
5 out of 5 stars336 ratings
Regular price: $15.75
Ghosted Audiobook By Nancy French cover art
- Ghosted
By: Nancy French
Narrated by: Nancy French
Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 04-16-24
5 out of 5 stars1 rating
The Source Audiobook By Tara Swart MD PhD cover art
- The Source
By: Tara Swart MD PhD
Narrated by: Tara Swart
Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
Release date: 10-15-19
4.5 out of 5 stars472 ratings
Regular price: $19.79
A New Earth Audiobook By Eckhart Tolle cover art
- A New Earth
Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
5 out of 5 stars19,813 ratings
Regular price: $20.25
Speak the Blessing Audiobook By Joel Osteen cover art
- Speak the Blessing
By: Joel Osteen
Narrated by: Joel Osteen
Length: 3 hrs and 13 mins
5 out of 5 stars15 ratings
Regular price: $14.81
The Secret Audiobook By Rhonda Byrne cover art
- The Secret
Narrated by: Rhonda Byrne
Series: The Secret
Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 11-17-06
4.5 out of 5 stars29,417 ratings
Regular price: $13.46
Boundaries, Updated and Expanded Edition Audiobook By John Townsend, Henry Cloud cover art
- Boundaries, Updated and Expanded Edition
By: John Townsend, Henry Cloud
Narrated by: Henry O. Arnold
Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
Release date: 02-13-18
4.5 out of 5 stars7,311 ratings
C. S. Lewis Essential Audio Library Audiobook By C. S. Lewis cover art
- C. S. Lewis Essential Audio Library
Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt, Joss Ackland, James Simmons, Douglas Gresham
Length: 38 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 09-07-21
5 out of 5 stars272 ratings
Regular price: $46.79
Untangle Your Emotions Audiobook By Jennie Allen cover art
- Untangle Your Emotions
By: Jennie Allen
Narrated by: Jennie Allen
Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 02-13-24
5 out of 5 stars115 ratings
Power Moves Audiobook By Sarah Jakes Roberts cover art
- Power Moves
By: Sarah Jakes Roberts
Narrated by: Sarah Roberts
Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 04-30-24
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The Word of Promise Audio Bible—New King James Version, NKJV: Complete Bible Audiobook By Thomas Nelson Inc. cover art
- The Word of Promise Audio Bible—New King James Version, NKJV: Complete Bible
Narrated by: Jason Alexander, Joan Allen, Richard Dreyfuss, Louis Gossett, Malcolm McDowell Jr., Gary Sinese, Marisa Tomei, Stacy Keach
Length: 98 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 11-05-09
4.5 out of 5 stars9,464 ratings
Regular price: $35.99
The Complete Conversations with God Audiobook By Neale Donald Walsch cover art
- The Complete Conversations with God
By: Neale Donald Walsch
Narrated by: Neale Donald Walsh, Edward Asner, Ellen Burstyn
Length: 26 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 09-19-18
5 out of 5 stars2,332 ratings
Regular price: $38.96
The Crusades Audiobook By Thomas Asbridge cover art
- The Crusades
By: Thomas Asbridge
Narrated by: Derek Perkins
Length: 25 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 08-16-16
4.5 out of 5 stars3,850 ratings
Sale price: $7.99 (82% off)
Sale ends in 13d 15h 41m 41s
Raising Good Humans Audiobook By Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, Carla Naumburg PhD cover art
- Raising Good Humans
By: Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, Carla Naumburg PhD
Narrated by: Jennifer Gilmour
Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 08-14-20
4.5 out of 5 stars1,873 ratings
Regular price: $14.78
Love and Respect Audiobook By Dr. Emerson Eggerichs cover art
- Love and Respect
By: Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
Narrated by: Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
Release date: 02-23-16
5 out of 5 stars6,128 ratings
Winning the War in Your Mind Audiobook By Craig Groeschel cover art
- Winning the War in Your Mind
By: Craig Groeschel
Narrated by: Craig Groeschel
Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
Release date: 02-16-21
5 out of 5 stars5,140 ratings
Regular price: $17.09
The Case for Christ, Revised & Updated Audiobook By Lee Strobel cover art
- The Case for Christ, Revised & Updated
By: Lee Strobel
Narrated by: Lee Strobel
Release date: 10-18-16
5 out of 5 stars4,850 ratings
The Creation Frequency Audiobook By Mike Murphy, Jack Canfield - foreword cover art
- The Creation Frequency
By: Mike Murphy, Jack Canfield - foreword
Narrated by: Tom Parks
Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins
Release date: 07-13-18
5 out of 5 stars1,300 ratings
Regular price: $16.00
Silva Mind Control Method Audiobook By José Silva, Philip Miele cover art
- Silva Mind Control Method
By: José Silva, Philip Miele
Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann, Zac Aleman
Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
Release date: 04-19-22
4.5 out of 5 stars1,065 ratings
Regular price: $13.49
The Garden Within Audiobook By Dr. Anita Phillips, Sarah Jakes Roberts - foreword cover art
- The Garden Within
By: Dr. Anita Phillips, Sarah Jakes Roberts - foreword
Narrated by: Anita Phillips, Sarah Roberts
Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 09-19-23
5 out of 5 stars524 ratings
Do the New You Audiobook By Steven Furtick cover art
- Do the New You
By: Steven Furtick
Narrated by: Steven Furtick
Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
5 out of 5 stars266 ratings
Nine Lives and Counting Audiobook By Duane Chapman cover art
- Nine Lives and Counting
By: Duane Chapman
Narrated by: Mike Ortego, Francie Chapman, Duane Chapman
Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
Regular price: $20.01
Daring Greatly Audiobook By Brené Brown cover art
- Daring Greatly
By: Brené Brown
Narrated by: Brené Brown
Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 06-26-18
5 out of 5 stars21,199 ratings
Spiritual Activator Audiobook By Oliver Nino cover art
- Spiritual Activator
By: Oliver Nino
Narrated by: Oliver Nino
Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 04-25-23
5 out of 5 stars27 ratings
Regular price: $12.74
Deliverance from Demonic Covenants and Curses Audiobook By Rev. James A. Solomon cover art
- Deliverance from Demonic Covenants and Curses
Narrated by: Langston Darby
Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
Release date: 09-28-23
5 out of 5 stars133 ratings
Listener's Audio Bible—New International Version, NIV: Complete Bible Audiobook By Max McLean cover art
- Listener's Audio Bible—New International Version, NIV: Complete Bible
By: Max McLean
Narrated by: Max McLean
Length: 75 hrs and 14 mins
Release date: 11-03-15
4.5 out of 5 stars1,962 ratings
Regular price: $26.99
James Earl Jones Reads The Bible: King James Version Audiobook By Topics Media Group cover art
- James Earl Jones Reads The Bible: King James Version
Narrated by: James Earl Jones
Length: 17 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 12-04-03
4.5 out of 5 stars1,767 ratings
Regular price: $19.46
The Pagan World Audiobook By Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses cover art
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2024.04.08 00:22 ar_david_hh Update: EU's defense aid, economy, visa, Russia \\ Interview with Armenia's foreign minister \\ Azerbaijan fires at civilians \\ Public TV's report on RU-AZ \\ Nuclear plant \\ Trade \\ April 7
11-minute read.
PETER STANO: The April 5 meeting in Brussels proves that we are getting closer to each other.
REPORTER: How close? CEPA, Partnership Agenda (CEPA+), or EU candidacy?
PETER STANO: The work continues around CEPA while we prepare the new Agenda, which we agreed to do in February. We are taking it to a new level. We want to work more closely and on broader issues and other fields.
REPORTER: France announced in October that it would urge the EU's foreign ministry to authorize Armenia to take advantage of the European Peace Facility for defense aid. Why has the progress slowed here?
PETER STANO: This is a strict area that requires the approval of all 27 EU members. They are working on it. Discussions continue around support with the European peace fund, and a decision will be made at some point.
REPORTER: Why are the talks around visa liberalization being delayed? Is it the bureaucracy in the EU, the disapproval of certain EU members, or the failure of Armenia to meet the requirements?
PETER STANO: First, there is no delay because there has never been a strict schedule for it. The visa liberalization process, just like other processes in the EU, requires meticulous and technocratic work, and finally, the approval of member states. It's taking a long time because EU members need to find the reassurance that every standard and guarantees are met so the visa regime won't be abused. The member states make a decision based on technical, security, and other considerations.
REPORTER: We heard about providing additional support to Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, but not a word was said about their right to a safe and dignified life in their homeland. Is this question closed for Brussels?
PETER STANO: This question is still on the table. We know how important this question is for Armenia and Azerbaijan. These people are from Azerbaijan, from Nagorno-Karabakh. We have always considered Nagorno-Karabakh as a de jure part of Azerbaijan. This is an issue left from a very complicated past so we were offering to resolve it around a negotiating table. Unfortunately, this didn't happen because of Azerbaijan's unilateral actions. The EU quickly provided additional aid to people who fled from Nagorno-Karabakh. And we are committed to continue helping Armenia in solving this problem. This is one of the issues on our agenda, and it is not closed, as it concerns a large number of people.
REPORTER: Will you demand Azerbaijan to guarantee the refugees' rights upon their return?
PETER STANO: When the problem and the mass exodus began, we made it very clear to our Azerbaijani colleagues that the right of these people to return and live in safety must be guaranteed. We continue to appeal to our Azerbaijani partners to provide assurances and tell these people very frankly and clearly that they can return without any threat and without any concern, that their property must be respected, and cultural and religious symbols and personal property must be respected. This issue is not closed, and we raise it every time we have the opportunity.
REPORTER: You said Armenia still has some homework to do to strengthen relations with the EU. Is it about leaving CSTO and EAEU?
PETER STANO: No. The EU is not forcing Armenia to make a choice. We're not saying you have to get rid of the Russians if you want to receive more from the EU. If you think it is beneficial for your interests to have some kind of cooperation with Russia, you can have it as long as it doesn't contradict our interests or sanctions. Our statement on "homework" was more about domestic reforms. We need to bring Armenia politically and economically closer to the EU. Armenia has done a great job. We value this. There are of course things that need to be improved.
source,
OFFICIAL: By opening fire in different parts of the border, and moving dozens of military vehicles, Azerbaijan clearly pursued a provocative goal to incite the Armenian army to take similar countermeasures in order to obtain facts that “substantiate” the recent Azerbaijani misinformation.
We also consider Azerbaijan’s evaluations regarding the creation of defense structures in the sovereign territory of Armenia unjustified, because the reforms of the army and army infrastructures are the sovereign right of Armenia.
At the same time, we remind that Armenian proposals for the mirror withdrawal of troops from the AM-AZ state border, the introduction of mutual arms control mechanisms, the signing of a non-aggression pact, and the demilitarization of the territories adjacent to the state border remain without respond. //
Last week Moscow warned Armenia that the situation on the AM-AZ border will escalate if Armenia continues to strengthen ties with the West. Many in Yerevan perceived it as a direct threat from Moscow. When asked to comment, Armenia's NatSec Armen Grigoryan expressed concern that the level of tensions on AM-AZ borders could "depend more on Russia than on Azerbaijan".
photo, photo, photo, video, source, video, source, source, source,
(2) Fake: Someone claimed Azeris stole the statue of Jesus from a church in Paravaqar, Tavush. source,
(3) Fake: Someone claimed the interior ministry was "mobilizing" a large number of police forces. The ministry said there was nothing out of the ordinary.
video, source, source,
MIRZOYAN: I believe the format of this meeting was unprecedented. It was part of an ongoing process to deepen Armenia's relations with the EU and US. The most important part of the joint statement was the support for Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, followed by support for democracy and economy.
REPORTER: ... and support for Armenia's nuclear energy sector.
MIRZOYAN: Including but not limited to nuclear. The statement also mentions Armenia exporting electricity to Europe through the Black Sea cable project. There was talk about various customs regimes and Armenia's economic resilience and food security.
REPORTER: What will the additional €270 million and $65 million be spent on?
MIRZOYAN: It's on top of the €2.6 billion project that's currently underway. The new aid will help raise standards in Armenia and accomplish other things.
REPORTER: Did you discuss security?
MIRZOYAN: Military component was not discussed on April 5 but a stronger economy and resilience will improve Armenia's defense as well.
REPORTER: What agreements do you have with Joseph Borrell?
MIRZOYAN: We have CEPA but we want to deepen the relations in new directions not currently in CEPA.
REPORTER: Prior to the meeting, some figures claimed Armenia was going to discuss defense and bring NATO to Armenia during the April 5 meeting.
MIRZOYAN: It's interesting to observe how certain figures in Armenia acted synchronously with circles in Azerbaijan and Russia in peddling those narratives. They knew very well defense wasn't a topic but they claimed it was, so they could later portray the April 5 meeting as a failure. Their narratives are laughable.
REPORTER: But why would they do that?
MIRZOYAN: To tell the public that the government was unable to secure defense assistance, or to form an atmosphere of disappointment around the West.
REPORTER: Russian FM Lavrov complains that Armenia is ungrateful to CSTO, "which has defended Armenia during difficult times".
MIRZOYAN: Lavrov mentions the Prague meeting quite often, so let me remind you of the chronology of events again. In August 2022 Russia proposed delaying the discussions around Nagorno-Karabakh's status indefinitely. Armenia supported this Russian proposal. Azerbaijan rejected the proposal in late August and invaded Armenia in September. Armenia requested the members of its military-political alliance to acknowledge the invasion of Armenia and provide diplomatic support. In response, they told us they do not know what the AM-AZ border looks like therefore they couldn't acknowledge the attack. Armenia did not receive assistance. Armenia began taking steps to reaffirm the existence of the internationally recognized AM-AZ state border. That is what we did in Prague in October. This is not a complicated chain of events; the process between Russia's August suggestions, the attack, and the October Prague meeting is not complicated.
REPORTER: Very recently figures from CSTO acknowledged that CSTO's zone of responsibility is only valid in areas where Azerbaijan and Armenia have reached an agreement on their border. In other words, the existing AM-AZ border is not part of their responsibility.
MIRZOYAN: I'm not even sure if a CSTO leadership was allowed to make such a statement, but if this is the official CSTO stance, then things are a lot worse, a lot worse. In other words, CSTO is saying it doesn't recognize Armenia's borders and it doesn't have a clear zone of responsibility in Armenia. Does this mean CSTO will not help its member if a non-CSTO country attacks the member and forces it to change its border?
REPORTER: Does it mean there is no state border if there is no delimitation?
MIRZOYAN: Absolutely not. Just because the border has not been delimited that doesn't mean the border does not exist. What are you delimiting? The border, right? So it exists. Armenia and Azerbaijan have a border and they recognized it in 1991 [Almaty] among other ex-Soviet republics. The Soviet-era administrative borders became the state borders.
REPORTER: You said we might have a new customs regime with the EU. We might sign new agreements, receive help with standards, etc. Can we do all of this while remaining part of Russia's EAEU trade bloc? Can we develop the army with the help of France while remaining part of Russia's CSTO?
MIRZOYAN: Armenia supports the strengthening of economic and political ties with various countries and groups.
REPORTER: Russia is saying your pro-West policies are not in the best interests of the Armenian people.
MIRZOYAN: They should allow Armenia to decide what its interests are. I would advise them to read public polls before making assumptions about the [anti-Russia, pro-West] mood in the Armenian public.
REPORTER: Russia is saying that Armenia and Azerbaijan were very close to opening the borders and that the process was derailed by Armenia under the influence of the West.
MIRZOYAN: Armenia's stance is clear and public: we are ready to open the borders and we would love to be part of international routes. We are ready to sign a document to unblock the communications as long as it respects Armenia's sovereignty and laws and it works under the principle of reciprocity. Armenia should be allowed to transport cargo through the territory of Azerbaijan. We are ready to guarantee the security of foreign cargo and passengers passing through Armenia. We even created a dedicated NSS division for this purpose.
REPORTER: So why do they claim Armenia doesn't want to open the communications?
MIRZOYAN: Because they envision something different. If they expect soldiers of a 3rd country to be deployed along the route, if they expect not to go through border crossing procedures while entering or exiting Armenia, then we are far from having an agreement. Armenia is ready to simplify the transport procedures, for example, through many technologies used around the world today to check cargo through electronic scanners, and modern tools for identification of persons, so we won't force them to wait in lines for many hours while crossing. We want to simplify, expedite, and rule out any artificial obstructions. We are also ready to take special measures to guarantee the safety of people and cargo. We will not tolerate the deployment of 3rd party forces or evasion of customs procedures. Armenia is prepared to sign this agreement to unblock the routes right now.
REPORTER: How are you balancing between the West and Iran? Have you been able to convince Iran that our decision to strengthen ties with the West is not being done against Iran?
MIRZOYAN: We have great relations with Iran and effective dialogue. There are no misunderstandings between us. Iran has not made any negative remarks regarding the April 5 AM-US-EU meeting.
REPORTER: How close are we to signing a peace agreement with Azerbaijan?
MIRZOYAN: We have reached an agreement around several topics but there are disagreements around 2 main topics: territorial integrity and future delimitation, and the unblocking of communications.
REPORTER: But Azerbaijan has publicly supported the 1991 borders and Almaty.
MIRZOYAN: It's strange because they have repeatedly expressed their support, including during the recent phone call with Anthony Blinken, yet they are hesitant to include it in the peace agreement.
REPORTER: Wasn't Turkey supposed to send an envoy to Armenia shortly after the Antalya Summit?
MIRZOYAN: In Antalya we reaffirmed the decision to open the AM-TR border for the citizens of 3rd countries or diplomats. We also have a joint project to rebuild the historical bridge in Ani, and a few other things. Rubinyan and Kılıç are in touch. They will organize a meeting so we can move forward.
REPORTER: Are we going to see a visa liberalization with the EU in our lifetime?
MIRZOYAN: The visa liberalization is part of CEPA. It's an important part of the AM-EU dialogue. We are discussing it. I can tell you that the support in the EU has significantly increased. I don't want to make premature predictions but yes, I think we will see it in our lifetime.
source,
The U.S. and Armenia are exploring opportunities in the area of civil nuclear energy cooperation. It builds on an agreement that was signed in 2022 on civil nuclear cooperation. And this will create the possibility of identifying a few specific projects that we will work on as we go forward.
So in the beginning, as Armenia weighs its replacement options (for the operating nuclear power plant), we’ll fund feasibility studies and engage in scientific exchanges to identify new opportunities and begin to explore financing options for Armenia’s diversification.
Our new $8.6 million program will improve Armenia’s ability to access and integrate increased renewable energy. Further, contingency planning will provide Armenia a coordinated response in the event of supply disruptions, while improving energy efficiency. This funding will also strengthen Armenia’s ability to better manage critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the country’s energy infrastructure. //
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The fastest route between Yerevan and Gyumri is to fly above Mt. Aragats but PM Pashinyan has issued a decree prohibiting any Armenian from looking at the holy mount from above.
video,
RESIDENT: It depends. Occasionally I buy cosmetics worth $150-$200, then spend $130/mo on nails, hairs, and skin salons.
RESIDENT: Around $90 for hair and cosmetics.
RESIDENT: I'm a student and don't have much time for it but it's around $50.
RESIDENT: Mostly around $260 for everything.
RESIDENT: I don't use it a lot so it's around $40.
RESIDENT: Not much. We barely make ends meet. Up to $10 to dye the hairs.
RESIDENT: Up to $50 but not every month.
RESIDENT: I'm a senior so I dye my own hair after finding a product discounted to $2.
Last year there were 4848 beauty service providers who paid ֏1.7B ($4.4M) in taxes.
source,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
Armenia is getting closer to EU: EU's foreign ministry spokesman
REPORTER: Last year PM Pashinyan declared during his speech to the European Parliament that Armenia is ready to get as close to the EU as possible. Does this mean the ball is in the EU's court?PETER STANO: The April 5 meeting in Brussels proves that we are getting closer to each other.
REPORTER: How close? CEPA, Partnership Agenda (CEPA+), or EU candidacy?
PETER STANO: The work continues around CEPA while we prepare the new Agenda, which we agreed to do in February. We are taking it to a new level. We want to work more closely and on broader issues and other fields.
REPORTER: France announced in October that it would urge the EU's foreign ministry to authorize Armenia to take advantage of the European Peace Facility for defense aid. Why has the progress slowed here?
PETER STANO: This is a strict area that requires the approval of all 27 EU members. They are working on it. Discussions continue around support with the European peace fund, and a decision will be made at some point.
REPORTER: Why are the talks around visa liberalization being delayed? Is it the bureaucracy in the EU, the disapproval of certain EU members, or the failure of Armenia to meet the requirements?
PETER STANO: First, there is no delay because there has never been a strict schedule for it. The visa liberalization process, just like other processes in the EU, requires meticulous and technocratic work, and finally, the approval of member states. It's taking a long time because EU members need to find the reassurance that every standard and guarantees are met so the visa regime won't be abused. The member states make a decision based on technical, security, and other considerations.
REPORTER: We heard about providing additional support to Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, but not a word was said about their right to a safe and dignified life in their homeland. Is this question closed for Brussels?
PETER STANO: This question is still on the table. We know how important this question is for Armenia and Azerbaijan. These people are from Azerbaijan, from Nagorno-Karabakh. We have always considered Nagorno-Karabakh as a de jure part of Azerbaijan. This is an issue left from a very complicated past so we were offering to resolve it around a negotiating table. Unfortunately, this didn't happen because of Azerbaijan's unilateral actions. The EU quickly provided additional aid to people who fled from Nagorno-Karabakh. And we are committed to continue helping Armenia in solving this problem. This is one of the issues on our agenda, and it is not closed, as it concerns a large number of people.
REPORTER: Will you demand Azerbaijan to guarantee the refugees' rights upon their return?
PETER STANO: When the problem and the mass exodus began, we made it very clear to our Azerbaijani colleagues that the right of these people to return and live in safety must be guaranteed. We continue to appeal to our Azerbaijani partners to provide assurances and tell these people very frankly and clearly that they can return without any threat and without any concern, that their property must be respected, and cultural and religious symbols and personal property must be respected. This issue is not closed, and we raise it every time we have the opportunity.
REPORTER: You said Armenia still has some homework to do to strengthen relations with the EU. Is it about leaving CSTO and EAEU?
PETER STANO: No. The EU is not forcing Armenia to make a choice. We're not saying you have to get rid of the Russians if you want to receive more from the EU. If you think it is beneficial for your interests to have some kind of cooperation with Russia, you can have it as long as it doesn't contradict our interests or sanctions. Our statement on "homework" was more about domestic reforms. We need to bring Armenia politically and economically closer to the EU. Armenia has done a great job. We value this. There are of course things that need to be improved.
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Azerbaijani army opened fire at residential houses in Armenia over the weekend: VIDEO/PHOTO
Several houses, cars, and other civilian objects were damaged by bullets. The residents were home but weren't injured. The Azerbaijani army also opened fire at Armenian army positions.OFFICIAL: By opening fire in different parts of the border, and moving dozens of military vehicles, Azerbaijan clearly pursued a provocative goal to incite the Armenian army to take similar countermeasures in order to obtain facts that “substantiate” the recent Azerbaijani misinformation.
We also consider Azerbaijan’s evaluations regarding the creation of defense structures in the sovereign territory of Armenia unjustified, because the reforms of the army and army infrastructures are the sovereign right of Armenia.
At the same time, we remind that Armenian proposals for the mirror withdrawal of troops from the AM-AZ state border, the introduction of mutual arms control mechanisms, the signing of a non-aggression pact, and the demilitarization of the territories adjacent to the state border remain without respond. //
Last week Moscow warned Armenia that the situation on the AM-AZ border will escalate if Armenia continues to strengthen ties with the West. Many in Yerevan perceived it as a direct threat from Moscow. When asked to comment, Armenia's NatSec Armen Grigoryan expressed concern that the level of tensions on AM-AZ borders could "depend more on Russia than on Azerbaijan".
photo, photo, photo, video, source, video, source, source, source,
list of recent "fake news"
(1) Armenia's public television released a video report accusing Moscow and Baku of lying and spreading misinformation about the EU's border monitoring mission. The report dismantles "false claims" by Moscow about the EU mission being a "NATO" or "military" mission. The report repeatedly highlights the similarities between the rhetoric coming from Russia and Azerbaijan. The report mentions how the EU mission has refuted the disinformation coming from Azerbaijan and Russia about Armenia supposedly accumulating forces at the border. The content on Armenia's public television channel was once "pro-Russia" but it has significantly shifted the tone since 2023.(2) Fake: Someone claimed Azeris stole the statue of Jesus from a church in Paravaqar, Tavush. source,
(3) Fake: Someone claimed the interior ministry was "mobilizing" a large number of police forces. The ministry said there was nothing out of the ordinary.
video, source, source,
Foreign Minister Mirzoyan about the April 5 AM-EU-US meeting
REPORTER: Let's talk about the results of the Brussels meeting.MIRZOYAN: I believe the format of this meeting was unprecedented. It was part of an ongoing process to deepen Armenia's relations with the EU and US. The most important part of the joint statement was the support for Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, followed by support for democracy and economy.
REPORTER: ... and support for Armenia's nuclear energy sector.
MIRZOYAN: Including but not limited to nuclear. The statement also mentions Armenia exporting electricity to Europe through the Black Sea cable project. There was talk about various customs regimes and Armenia's economic resilience and food security.
REPORTER: What will the additional €270 million and $65 million be spent on?
MIRZOYAN: It's on top of the €2.6 billion project that's currently underway. The new aid will help raise standards in Armenia and accomplish other things.
REPORTER: Did you discuss security?
MIRZOYAN: Military component was not discussed on April 5 but a stronger economy and resilience will improve Armenia's defense as well.
REPORTER: What agreements do you have with Joseph Borrell?
MIRZOYAN: We have CEPA but we want to deepen the relations in new directions not currently in CEPA.
REPORTER: Prior to the meeting, some figures claimed Armenia was going to discuss defense and bring NATO to Armenia during the April 5 meeting.
MIRZOYAN: It's interesting to observe how certain figures in Armenia acted synchronously with circles in Azerbaijan and Russia in peddling those narratives. They knew very well defense wasn't a topic but they claimed it was, so they could later portray the April 5 meeting as a failure. Their narratives are laughable.
REPORTER: But why would they do that?
MIRZOYAN: To tell the public that the government was unable to secure defense assistance, or to form an atmosphere of disappointment around the West.
REPORTER: Russian FM Lavrov complains that Armenia is ungrateful to CSTO, "which has defended Armenia during difficult times".
MIRZOYAN: Lavrov mentions the Prague meeting quite often, so let me remind you of the chronology of events again. In August 2022 Russia proposed delaying the discussions around Nagorno-Karabakh's status indefinitely. Armenia supported this Russian proposal. Azerbaijan rejected the proposal in late August and invaded Armenia in September. Armenia requested the members of its military-political alliance to acknowledge the invasion of Armenia and provide diplomatic support. In response, they told us they do not know what the AM-AZ border looks like therefore they couldn't acknowledge the attack. Armenia did not receive assistance. Armenia began taking steps to reaffirm the existence of the internationally recognized AM-AZ state border. That is what we did in Prague in October. This is not a complicated chain of events; the process between Russia's August suggestions, the attack, and the October Prague meeting is not complicated.
REPORTER: Very recently figures from CSTO acknowledged that CSTO's zone of responsibility is only valid in areas where Azerbaijan and Armenia have reached an agreement on their border. In other words, the existing AM-AZ border is not part of their responsibility.
MIRZOYAN: I'm not even sure if a CSTO leadership was allowed to make such a statement, but if this is the official CSTO stance, then things are a lot worse, a lot worse. In other words, CSTO is saying it doesn't recognize Armenia's borders and it doesn't have a clear zone of responsibility in Armenia. Does this mean CSTO will not help its member if a non-CSTO country attacks the member and forces it to change its border?
REPORTER: Does it mean there is no state border if there is no delimitation?
MIRZOYAN: Absolutely not. Just because the border has not been delimited that doesn't mean the border does not exist. What are you delimiting? The border, right? So it exists. Armenia and Azerbaijan have a border and they recognized it in 1991 [Almaty] among other ex-Soviet republics. The Soviet-era administrative borders became the state borders.
REPORTER: You said we might have a new customs regime with the EU. We might sign new agreements, receive help with standards, etc. Can we do all of this while remaining part of Russia's EAEU trade bloc? Can we develop the army with the help of France while remaining part of Russia's CSTO?
MIRZOYAN: Armenia supports the strengthening of economic and political ties with various countries and groups.
REPORTER: Russia is saying your pro-West policies are not in the best interests of the Armenian people.
MIRZOYAN: They should allow Armenia to decide what its interests are. I would advise them to read public polls before making assumptions about the [anti-Russia, pro-West] mood in the Armenian public.
REPORTER: Russia is saying that Armenia and Azerbaijan were very close to opening the borders and that the process was derailed by Armenia under the influence of the West.
MIRZOYAN: Armenia's stance is clear and public: we are ready to open the borders and we would love to be part of international routes. We are ready to sign a document to unblock the communications as long as it respects Armenia's sovereignty and laws and it works under the principle of reciprocity. Armenia should be allowed to transport cargo through the territory of Azerbaijan. We are ready to guarantee the security of foreign cargo and passengers passing through Armenia. We even created a dedicated NSS division for this purpose.
REPORTER: So why do they claim Armenia doesn't want to open the communications?
MIRZOYAN: Because they envision something different. If they expect soldiers of a 3rd country to be deployed along the route, if they expect not to go through border crossing procedures while entering or exiting Armenia, then we are far from having an agreement. Armenia is ready to simplify the transport procedures, for example, through many technologies used around the world today to check cargo through electronic scanners, and modern tools for identification of persons, so we won't force them to wait in lines for many hours while crossing. We want to simplify, expedite, and rule out any artificial obstructions. We are also ready to take special measures to guarantee the safety of people and cargo. We will not tolerate the deployment of 3rd party forces or evasion of customs procedures. Armenia is prepared to sign this agreement to unblock the routes right now.
REPORTER: How are you balancing between the West and Iran? Have you been able to convince Iran that our decision to strengthen ties with the West is not being done against Iran?
MIRZOYAN: We have great relations with Iran and effective dialogue. There are no misunderstandings between us. Iran has not made any negative remarks regarding the April 5 AM-US-EU meeting.
REPORTER: How close are we to signing a peace agreement with Azerbaijan?
MIRZOYAN: We have reached an agreement around several topics but there are disagreements around 2 main topics: territorial integrity and future delimitation, and the unblocking of communications.
REPORTER: But Azerbaijan has publicly supported the 1991 borders and Almaty.
MIRZOYAN: It's strange because they have repeatedly expressed their support, including during the recent phone call with Anthony Blinken, yet they are hesitant to include it in the peace agreement.
REPORTER: Wasn't Turkey supposed to send an envoy to Armenia shortly after the Antalya Summit?
MIRZOYAN: In Antalya we reaffirmed the decision to open the AM-TR border for the citizens of 3rd countries or diplomats. We also have a joint project to rebuild the historical bridge in Ani, and a few other things. Rubinyan and Kılıç are in touch. They will organize a meeting so we can move forward.
REPORTER: Are we going to see a visa liberalization with the EU in our lifetime?
MIRZOYAN: The visa liberalization is part of CEPA. It's an important part of the AM-EU dialogue. We are discussing it. I can tell you that the support in the EU has significantly increased. I don't want to make premature predictions but yes, I think we will see it in our lifetime.
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US and Armenia discuss cooperation in civilian nuclear energy - US State Department
JAMES O'BRIEN: The European Union has already begun working closely on the diversification of Armenia’s nuclear energy. It includes safety and efficiency in the existing nuclear energy sources in Armenia.The U.S. and Armenia are exploring opportunities in the area of civil nuclear energy cooperation. It builds on an agreement that was signed in 2022 on civil nuclear cooperation. And this will create the possibility of identifying a few specific projects that we will work on as we go forward.
So in the beginning, as Armenia weighs its replacement options (for the operating nuclear power plant), we’ll fund feasibility studies and engage in scientific exchanges to identify new opportunities and begin to explore financing options for Armenia’s diversification.
Our new $8.6 million program will improve Armenia’s ability to access and integrate increased renewable energy. Further, contingency planning will provide Armenia a coordinated response in the event of supply disruptions, while improving energy efficiency. This funding will also strengthen Armenia’s ability to better manage critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the country’s energy infrastructure. //
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Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan simplify the customs procedures for railway traffic
Erdogan signed to approve the trilateral agreement to simplify customs procedures via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway through the exchange of customs data in advance. The agreement was reached in August 2022.source,
active construction is underway on an Ashtarak-Talin section of the strategic North-South highway after years of delays caused by corruption and prosecution: VIDEO
Tranche-2's 42 km section of Ashtarak-Talin is being built. It will bypass the Agarak Historical & Cultural Reserve. They are also building a bridge. This road lies between Yerevan and Gyumri.The fastest route between Yerevan and Gyumri is to fly above Mt. Aragats but PM Pashinyan has issued a decree prohibiting any Armenian from looking at the holy mount from above.
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April 7 is Motherhood and Beauty Day so reporters asked random women in Yerevan how much they spend each month on beauty salons and products
RESIDENT: Around ֏30K ($75) if we include hairstyle but not the clothes.RESIDENT: It depends. Occasionally I buy cosmetics worth $150-$200, then spend $130/mo on nails, hairs, and skin salons.
RESIDENT: Around $90 for hair and cosmetics.
RESIDENT: I'm a student and don't have much time for it but it's around $50.
RESIDENT: Mostly around $260 for everything.
RESIDENT: I don't use it a lot so it's around $40.
RESIDENT: Not much. We barely make ends meet. Up to $10 to dye the hairs.
RESIDENT: Up to $50 but not every month.
RESIDENT: I'm a senior so I dye my own hair after finding a product discounted to $2.
Last year there were 4848 beauty service providers who paid ֏1.7B ($4.4M) in taxes.
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2024.04.06 00:19 ar_david_hh US & Azerbaijan trade jabs \\ Brussels: economic aid & business, energy & wheat, sanctions, nuclear, cyber, reforms, Crossroads of Peace \\ CEPA step \\ Anti-Corruption verdict: $10.3M \\ Senators \\ Shadow economy; $34M recovered \\ Crappy ad removal \\ New roads & loans \\ Foreign investments
18-minute read to cover Armenia's "pivot to West", the new EU and US programs, and more.
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The court has ruled that the defendants concealed Globus's income and didn't pay over ֏4 billion in taxes. The prosecutors were demanding ֏5.6 billion.
They built a condo in Yerevan in 2006. Mayrapetyan helped the firm to evade taxes through fraudulent undervaluation of the property, says the report. They listed the price per m2 at ֏66,000 when in reality it was ֏770,000.
This is the first "large" verdict by the new Anti-Corruption Court, notes the media. The defendants disagree with the verdict and will appeal it.
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IRS official: We use analytical tools that often uncover online shops that lack registration and don't even provide proper sales receipts.
We have also sent reminders to bloggers. I'm happy to note that 14 of them have since registered with the tax authority and promptly submitted their reports. We are giving time for the rest to comply before taking enforcement actions. //
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REPORTER: How do you decide the risky industries and whom to investigate?
OFFICIAL: Old-fashioned tips and a modern automated risk analysis system. This system can identify risky entities. The system is fed information from various databases, including from other state agencies. We've done everything possible to minimize the human factor. The agents act after the system identifies risks.
REPORTER: If someone's house is worth ֏44M but they sell it for half the price on paper and receive the other half in cash to evade taxes, how do you catch that? [why do you ask? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: This is when the old-fashioned tips outperform the analytical systems. We send an undercover agent to complete a fraudulent transaction with cash. This is accompanied by other agents confiscating computer and paper records to expose the entire trail of crime and prior fraudulent transactions.
REPORTER: Armenia is one of the few countries where illegal business activity is considered a felony crime. Isn't this a discouragement and an obstacle to the Pashinyan administration's message for people to "get to work"? In other countries, authorities educate the violator by providing business classes.
OFFICIAL: Not every illegal commercial activity is a felony. It depends on the scale of fraud. It's an administrative punishment if the unpaid taxes are under ֏500K ($1,300). We need strict tax laws if we want to develop a culture of tax discipline in Armenia.
REPORTER: Apartment prices have increased since the war in Ukraine, and so has the income generated from rent. Tens of thousands of landlords have registered to pay taxes from rent. Any update?
OFFICIAL: Since December 2023 we have registered 18,500 citizens who disclosed 25,000 rent contracts. This is a very good statistic but more enforcement is needed. We are receiving data from the real estate committee and interior ministry to identify potential zones and apartments where rent transactions are more likely.
REPORTER: What new methods of tax evasion are people using? [I'm starting to really worry about you 🤔]
OFFICIAL: There is a type of VAT fraud. As you know, the government has adopted a strategy to support businesses and inject funds into the economy by making VAT refunds. Some companies and individuals create schemes to submit non-existent VAT records to fraudulently receive funds.
REPORTER: How is it done? [CAN YOU STOP? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: Someone registers a business without an intention to do business, or they involve legitimate businesses. This business falsifies records about the trade of goods or services with another business associated with them. The company submits the false records to the IRS for a VAT refund. It's easy to pull this off but I must warn our citizens that this is a priority area for us and we fully understand how these schemes work; we have analytical and human resources to go after every single fraudster.
REPORTER: Are there any fields that are completely gray, outside of your monitoring? [REALLY MAN? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: No.
REPORTER: Can you monitor crypto? [you are going to jail...]
OFFICIAL: Crypto culture is relatively new. There are issues caused by a lack of regulations but nevertheless, we enforce this field and there are active felony cases. We have uncovered money laundering through crypto. //
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They discussed the humanitarian problems of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees. Pashinyan presented the measures implemented by the Armenian government and attached importance to the support provided by international partners. They discussed housing assistance for refugees.
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Today’s high-level dialogue signifies Armenia’s expanding partnership with the United States and the European Union.
Despite facing multiple criseses, Armenia has made significant progress toward ensuring democracy. Expanding on the achieved progress, we will discuss Armenia’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of its democratic institutions. We firmly believe that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms underpin our cooperation. Armenia reaffirms its commitment to advancing justice and public sector reforms to build a stronger, more secure, and advanced country.
It is high time we foster our economic collaboration, promote trade, and look into expanding our partnership in mobility [visa-free regime]. We are determined to enhance the competitiveness of the Armenian private sector to expand to new markets. Further, we stand ready to improve our investment climate and make it more appealing to European and American companies. We expect our partners to assist us in modernizing Armenia’s infrastructure, bridge business networks, and explore potential trade facilitation schemes.
Promoting socio-economic inclusion and addressing the short and long-term needs of more than 100,000 forcibly displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh is also of paramount importance. Our collective efforts should focus on empowering refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity through housing and economic activation policies.
I want to stress that we remain committed to the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan based on mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991. Armenia is also fully committed to the delimitation of borders based on the Alma-Ata Declaration and unblocking all regional communications based on full respect for countries’ sovereignty and jurisdiction and the principles of equality and reciprocity.
To achieve this objective, we have introduced the Crossroads of Peace Initiative, which aims to promote connectivity and dialogue with neighboring countries and beyond. To enhance synergies in the wider region, we seek to integrate our initiative with the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and expect the support of our partners in this regard.
I believe that our shared vision of a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future will continue to serve as the backbone and the guiding star of our mutually trusted relations. //
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The EU will invest especially in infrastructure projects in Armenia, particularly in the Black Sea electric cable project, as well as in the production of renewable energy.
She saluted the "Crossroads of Peace" project of the Armenian government and noted that the EU will also explore cross-border transport when conditions allow.
She spoke about the new support package, the European Economic and Investment Plan for Armenia. "It has already mobilized half a billion euros for investments. This is great news and we can do more. That's why we recently launched the Investment Coordination Platform to be able to identify new projects and speed up implementation," Von der Leyen said.
She welcomed Armenia's efforts towards democratic reforms despite the challenges faced by the country and reaffirmed that the EU will continue to support the ongoing reforms through advice, technical support, and funding.
She added that they haven't forgotten about the plight of displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh. "The humanitarian situation of refugees in Armenia remains a priority. We have provided more than 30 million euros to support them and we are ready to do more."
source, source,
Borrell noted that two months ago he and FM Mirzoyan decided to work on a new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda and emphasized that the new agenda will provide an ambitious vision to promote bilateral cooperation in areas that are important for Armenia's resilience, mobility, trade diversification, and connectivity.
BORRELL: These are not just words of support. We welcome Armenia's efforts in the direction of democracy, the fight against corruption, and the establishment of the rule of law. It will be important to continue the reforms to further increase the country's resilience. The EU will continue to support reform efforts through the implementation of the CEPA. A strong and stable Armenia means a stronger and more stable South Caucasus. //
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"We support the ideas, Mr. Prime Minister, that are at the heart of your "Crossroads of Peace" proposal. We see a more integrated South Caucasus with more transportation routes, energy cooperation, telecommunications. This will promote diversified economies, expanded opportunity and will bolster peace and reconciliation efforts," the Secretary of State said.
According to Blinken, there is a strong future with a region that is increasingly integrated and that will benefit people and countries. "And the United States, the European Union want to help you build that," Blinken said.
Blinken thanked Pashinyan for the partnership, noting that it is of great importance and creates a very solid foundation for what can be done together in the future.
BLINKEN: We are here to reaffirm Trans-Atlantic support for a democratic, prosperous future for the Armenian people and a more integrated and a more peaceful South Caucasus region. We share the Armenian people’s vision for the future, we want Armenia to take its place as a strong, independent nation in peace with its neighbors, connected to the region and the world. The United States and the European Union both want to be partners in this effort. And today is the evidence of that.
We plan to provide more than 65 million dollars in aid. This indicator is 50% more than that of 2 years ago. We intend to further increase our support for Armenia's democracy and economic stability by investing in food security, digital infrastructure, energy diversification, diversification of trading partners, and other priorities set by PM Pashinyan.
We will continue to support 100,000 ethnic Armenians displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. This is central to Armenia’s long-term stability and prosperity, as well as regional security. Regional integration is a key to security and prosperity for Armenia. //
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The EU and the US will aim to expand cooperation to strengthen Armenia’s resilience, including in key sectors such as political reforms, economic development, and humanitarian support. They will look to expand partnerships in mobility, governance, law enforcement, trade, connectivity, agriculture, energy, and technology. They envisage stronger cooperation with Armenia to support these key sectors.
The EU and the US acknowledged the substantial progress Armenia has made since 2018 on democratic and justice reforms and the fight against corruption, and expressed a commitment to continue to further strengthen it.
The EU will continue to support Armenia on its reform path through the implementation of CEPA. In order to boost reforms and enhance cooperation in all areas, the EU and Armenia will make headway on the new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda.
The US is committed to helping Armenia carry out envisioned reforms. The Biden Administration, working with the U.S. Congress, plans to provide over $65 million in fiscal year 2023 development assistance to Armenia.
The EU and the US welcomed Armenia’s commitment to improved connectivity with the outside world, including the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which would promote shared prosperity and regional economic and trade diversification.
The EU and the US intend to provide further assistance to help Armenia mitigate risks, diversify its trade, and strengthen its economic and institutional resilience.
To underpin the new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda, the EU will put forward a EUR 270 million Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia for the period 2024-2027.
The EU’s Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia will aim at building up Armenia’s socio-economic resilience while supporting trade diversification. It will contribute to the long-term needs of displaced people. It will strengthen sectoral cooperation with Armenia while stepping up support to regulatory alignment to unlock the full potential of the CEPA. The EU will continue to support key sectors, from trade diversification, infrastructure development, and energy, to aviation safety.
President von der Leyen also referred to the benefits of the [previous] Economic and Investment Plan, launched in 2021, which already mobilized over EUR 550 million worth of investments through grants, blending and guarantees in Armenia. In line with the Economic and Investment Plan, the Resilience and Growth Plan will step up support to strategic investments, in particular on connectivity infrastructure in transport, digital and energy, and invest in business development to boost jobs and economic growth. The Economic and Investment Plan has the potential to deliver economic dividends of peace including on regional connectivity, if and when conditions allow [Is EU competing with Russia to build the Meghri railway?]. The EU will also look at ways to support mobility.
The US is working with Armenia in multiple sectors to enhance economic growth and reform, trade diversification and resilience. The United States will work with Armenia to attract further U.S. investment, streamline technology trade opportunities, increase cybersecurity cooperation, and expand technology infrastructure.
The United States is committed to Armenia’s safe, reliable, and secure energy future and is working to support energy diversification and explore the feasibility of new civil nuclear power options that prioritize the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards. The United States is committed to enhancing Armenia’s food security as well as facilitating the flow of agricultural products across Armenia’s borders.
Recognizing the continuing challenges that Armenia faces in supporting and socially including over 100,000 displaced persons and refugees, the European Union and the United States intend to continue providing support to Armenia in its efforts to provide housing, training, employment opportunities, and psycho-social support to those who need it.
A prosperous, sovereign, and democratic Armenia that develops its own partnerships and freely sets its own course will contribute to regional stability.
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The West is changing the post-2020 status quo in the region. The West has derailed Russia's Nov. 9 plan to maintain the grip on the region. No "corridors".
EU's Joseph Borrell said they see how Armenia is being attacked by foreign disinformation campaigns and that the EU will help Armenia and increase the media literacy of the Armenian population. Perhaps we should view the Armenian government's decision to ban Russian propagandist Solovyov's television shows in this context.
REPORTER: I'm under the impression that the West is not only helping Armenia but it's also trying to use Armenia to "control", to keep checks on Azerbaijan.
ANALYST: I believe Armenia and Azerbaijan have switched their places, and after 2020 Azerbaijan has become the Russian ally in the region. This is a good opportunity for the West to fill the void left by Russia in Armenia.
source,
ALIYEV: The US and EU called and tried to convince me that the AM-US-EU meeting isn't against Azerbaijan but we know that it is. It aims to create dividing lines and isolate Azerbaijan. The attempt to turn Armenia into an armed fortpost in the South Caucasus will have negative consequences.
source, source, source,
The second incident happened near Verin Shorzha, Gegharkunik, where Azerbaijan soldiers illegally invaded Armenia in 2021-2022 and are located on the sovereign territory of Armenia.
source,
source,
boring details, more boring details, video,
source,
source, source,
The room had the flags of Armenia, Russia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. One of the familiar figures present was the former head of Yerevan's Arabkir district Hovhaness Shahinyan who recently ran an unsuccessful campaign titled "Yerevan 2805" for the mayor's position.
Karapetyan criticized Pashinyan for "losing lands" and called for Armenia to return exclusively to the Russian-led negotiation platform.
source, source,
MP JAFAROV: Armenia and Azerbaijan are closer to peace than ever but the US and EU are dishonest and don't want peace in the region.
MP NASIROV: The Brussels meeting will have a serious impact on regional developments. I hope there will be no decisions against Azerbaijan.
MP NOVRUZOV: I am concerned about Iran's silence. During the 2020 war, Iran made statements every day. Today this country does not express any attitude regarding what is happening. Recently, one of the members of the Iranian parliament called for an attack on the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan. Try, if you dare, to threaten the embassies in the US or Russia. //
Thursday news contains relevant info. Armenia's NatSec Grigoryan spoke about the high-level negotiations with Iran that led to the smoothening of some disagreements and cooperation around common goals, such as Armenia's territorial integrity, despite Armenia's continuous compliance with anti-Iran sanctions.
source,
source,
source,
video,
2022: $988 million
2021: $366 million
2020: $59 million
2019: $100 million
2018: $267 million
source, more,
source, video,
The construction of the new Isakov-Arshakunyats link will require 18 months. It's expected to launch in early 2025. If you look at the map, it will be the continuation of Monte Melkonyan Street which currently ends at Isakov.
Some of the roads in Yerevan will become double-decker (2-storey).
video details with maps, source, video, video, source, video, source,
They even removed the ads from the electric poles on the Kievyan Bridge for not meeting the new standards. "They must be in specific areas and meet the urban development code."
Here are some examples of aesthetic rules: If a business wants to place its ad on the building's façade, the big text must be 1 or 2 horizontal lines. The letters in a 1-line text must be no taller than 30 cm (12"), and a 2-line ad must be under 50 cm (20").
External glass "vitrina" ads must be 30 cm away from trims and cannot cover more than 75% of the glass.
Visual examples in the video...
video,
source, video,
source, source,
submitted by ar_david_hh to armenia [link] [comments]
European Union welcomes the measures taken by Armenia to prevent circumvention of sanctions against Russia: EU President Ursula von der Leyen
EU PRESIDENT: I welcome the measures that Armenia has taken against the circumvention of our sanctions against Russia. In particular, to make sure lethal equipment and technologies do not end up in the hands of the Russian military. This shows that the EU and Armenia increasingly align in values and interests. //video,
anti-corruption: court finds ex-President Robert Kocharyan's associate guilty of organizing $10.3 million tax evasion
Samvel Mayrapetyan is the owner of the H2 media outlet. In 2020 the prosecutors charged him and a co-defendant, the director of the Globus real estate firm, with tax evasion. The trial in the Anti-Corruption Court began in 2022.The court has ruled that the defendants concealed Globus's income and didn't pay over ֏4 billion in taxes. The prosecutors were demanding ֏5.6 billion.
They built a condo in Yerevan in 2006. Mayrapetyan helped the firm to evade taxes through fraudulent undervaluation of the property, says the report. They listed the price per m2 at ֏66,000 when in reality it was ֏770,000.
This is the first "large" verdict by the new Anti-Corruption Court, notes the media. The defendants disagree with the verdict and will appeal it.
source, source, source,
authorities ramp up enforcement of tax laws on bloggers and online shops
The IRS reminds that online businesses are also required to register with the state, keep the receipts, submit an income report, and pay taxes.IRS official: We use analytical tools that often uncover online shops that lack registration and don't even provide proper sales receipts.
We have also sent reminders to bloggers. I'm happy to note that 14 of them have since registered with the tax authority and promptly submitted their reports. We are giving time for the rest to comply before taking enforcement actions. //
source,
in Q1 2024 the IRS uncovered hundreds of businesses that operated in shadows with a total turnover of $134 million
IRS official: The preliminary calculations indicate ֏22B ($56 million) in unpaid taxes. We have recovered ֏13.3B ($34 million). There are almost one hundred felony cases.REPORTER: How do you decide the risky industries and whom to investigate?
OFFICIAL: Old-fashioned tips and a modern automated risk analysis system. This system can identify risky entities. The system is fed information from various databases, including from other state agencies. We've done everything possible to minimize the human factor. The agents act after the system identifies risks.
REPORTER: If someone's house is worth ֏44M but they sell it for half the price on paper and receive the other half in cash to evade taxes, how do you catch that? [why do you ask? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: This is when the old-fashioned tips outperform the analytical systems. We send an undercover agent to complete a fraudulent transaction with cash. This is accompanied by other agents confiscating computer and paper records to expose the entire trail of crime and prior fraudulent transactions.
REPORTER: Armenia is one of the few countries where illegal business activity is considered a felony crime. Isn't this a discouragement and an obstacle to the Pashinyan administration's message for people to "get to work"? In other countries, authorities educate the violator by providing business classes.
OFFICIAL: Not every illegal commercial activity is a felony. It depends on the scale of fraud. It's an administrative punishment if the unpaid taxes are under ֏500K ($1,300). We need strict tax laws if we want to develop a culture of tax discipline in Armenia.
REPORTER: Apartment prices have increased since the war in Ukraine, and so has the income generated from rent. Tens of thousands of landlords have registered to pay taxes from rent. Any update?
OFFICIAL: Since December 2023 we have registered 18,500 citizens who disclosed 25,000 rent contracts. This is a very good statistic but more enforcement is needed. We are receiving data from the real estate committee and interior ministry to identify potential zones and apartments where rent transactions are more likely.
REPORTER: What new methods of tax evasion are people using? [I'm starting to really worry about you 🤔]
OFFICIAL: There is a type of VAT fraud. As you know, the government has adopted a strategy to support businesses and inject funds into the economy by making VAT refunds. Some companies and individuals create schemes to submit non-existent VAT records to fraudulently receive funds.
REPORTER: How is it done? [CAN YOU STOP? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: Someone registers a business without an intention to do business, or they involve legitimate businesses. This business falsifies records about the trade of goods or services with another business associated with them. The company submits the false records to the IRS for a VAT refund. It's easy to pull this off but I must warn our citizens that this is a priority area for us and we fully understand how these schemes work; we have analytical and human resources to go after every single fraudster.
REPORTER: Are there any fields that are completely gray, outside of your monitoring? [REALLY MAN? 🤔]
OFFICIAL: No.
REPORTER: Can you monitor crypto? [you are going to jail...]
OFFICIAL: Crypto culture is relatively new. There are issues caused by a lack of regulations but nevertheless, we enforce this field and there are active felony cases. We have uncovered money laundering through crypto. //
source,
authorities arrest two IRS agents suspected of corruption
The Anti-Corruption Committee agents raided an IRS office and arrested two agents suspected of accepting bribes.source,
Pashinyan and USAID chief Samantha Power met in Brussels ahead of the AM-EU-US meeting
They discussed new and old programs and support for the effective implementation of democratic and institutional reforms in Armenia.They discussed the humanitarian problems of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees. Pashinyan presented the measures implemented by the Armenian government and attached importance to the support provided by international partners. They discussed housing assistance for refugees.
source,
statement by Pashinyan before the AM-EU-US meeting
PASHINYAN: Thank you for convening this high-level meeting to reaffirm our collective commitment to sovereign, resilient, and prosperous Armenia. This event underscores Armenia's commitment to our shared values and the pursuit of more accountable and citizen-centered public institutions that deliver to its people.Today’s high-level dialogue signifies Armenia’s expanding partnership with the United States and the European Union.
Despite facing multiple criseses, Armenia has made significant progress toward ensuring democracy. Expanding on the achieved progress, we will discuss Armenia’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of its democratic institutions. We firmly believe that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms underpin our cooperation. Armenia reaffirms its commitment to advancing justice and public sector reforms to build a stronger, more secure, and advanced country.
It is high time we foster our economic collaboration, promote trade, and look into expanding our partnership in mobility [visa-free regime]. We are determined to enhance the competitiveness of the Armenian private sector to expand to new markets. Further, we stand ready to improve our investment climate and make it more appealing to European and American companies. We expect our partners to assist us in modernizing Armenia’s infrastructure, bridge business networks, and explore potential trade facilitation schemes.
Promoting socio-economic inclusion and addressing the short and long-term needs of more than 100,000 forcibly displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh is also of paramount importance. Our collective efforts should focus on empowering refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity through housing and economic activation policies.
I want to stress that we remain committed to the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan based on mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991. Armenia is also fully committed to the delimitation of borders based on the Alma-Ata Declaration and unblocking all regional communications based on full respect for countries’ sovereignty and jurisdiction and the principles of equality and reciprocity.
To achieve this objective, we have introduced the Crossroads of Peace Initiative, which aims to promote connectivity and dialogue with neighboring countries and beyond. To enhance synergies in the wider region, we seek to integrate our initiative with the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and expect the support of our partners in this regard.
I believe that our shared vision of a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future will continue to serve as the backbone and the guiding star of our mutually trusted relations. //
source,
statement by Ursula von der Leyen before the AM-EU-US meeting
She said the EU has promised to stand shoulder to shoulder with Armenia and today that promise is being fulfilled. "The vision of partnership with Armenia will be realized through the program to contribute to Armenia's resilience. We will invest in making the Armenian economy and society more robust and resistant to shocks. " She points out the new 270 million euro grant [not loan], which will help especially small and medium-sized companies.The EU will invest especially in infrastructure projects in Armenia, particularly in the Black Sea electric cable project, as well as in the production of renewable energy.
She saluted the "Crossroads of Peace" project of the Armenian government and noted that the EU will also explore cross-border transport when conditions allow.
She spoke about the new support package, the European Economic and Investment Plan for Armenia. "It has already mobilized half a billion euros for investments. This is great news and we can do more. That's why we recently launched the Investment Coordination Platform to be able to identify new projects and speed up implementation," Von der Leyen said.
She welcomed Armenia's efforts towards democratic reforms despite the challenges faced by the country and reaffirmed that the EU will continue to support the ongoing reforms through advice, technical support, and funding.
She added that they haven't forgotten about the plight of displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh. "The humanitarian situation of refugees in Armenia remains a priority. We have provided more than 30 million euros to support them and we are ready to do more."
source, source,
statement by EU's foreign minister Joseph Borrell before the AM-EU-US meeting
He noted that the EU wants to develop a positive agenda for Armenia and, by combining forces with the US, show its strong commitment to Armenia's sovereignty, democracy, and resilience.Borrell noted that two months ago he and FM Mirzoyan decided to work on a new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda and emphasized that the new agenda will provide an ambitious vision to promote bilateral cooperation in areas that are important for Armenia's resilience, mobility, trade diversification, and connectivity.
BORRELL: These are not just words of support. We welcome Armenia's efforts in the direction of democracy, the fight against corruption, and the establishment of the rule of law. It will be important to continue the reforms to further increase the country's resilience. The EU will continue to support reform efforts through the implementation of the CEPA. A strong and stable Armenia means a stronger and more stable South Caucasus. //
source,
statement by US foreign minister Anthony Blinken before the AM-EU-US meeting
Blinken announced that the US supports the ideas behind the "Crossroads of Peace" project initiated by Armenia."We support the ideas, Mr. Prime Minister, that are at the heart of your "Crossroads of Peace" proposal. We see a more integrated South Caucasus with more transportation routes, energy cooperation, telecommunications. This will promote diversified economies, expanded opportunity and will bolster peace and reconciliation efforts," the Secretary of State said.
According to Blinken, there is a strong future with a region that is increasingly integrated and that will benefit people and countries. "And the United States, the European Union want to help you build that," Blinken said.
Blinken thanked Pashinyan for the partnership, noting that it is of great importance and creates a very solid foundation for what can be done together in the future.
BLINKEN: We are here to reaffirm Trans-Atlantic support for a democratic, prosperous future for the Armenian people and a more integrated and a more peaceful South Caucasus region. We share the Armenian people’s vision for the future, we want Armenia to take its place as a strong, independent nation in peace with its neighbors, connected to the region and the world. The United States and the European Union both want to be partners in this effort. And today is the evidence of that.
We plan to provide more than 65 million dollars in aid. This indicator is 50% more than that of 2 years ago. We intend to further increase our support for Armenia's democracy and economic stability by investing in food security, digital infrastructure, energy diversification, diversification of trading partners, and other priorities set by PM Pashinyan.
We will continue to support 100,000 ethnic Armenians displaced from Nagorno Karabakh. This is central to Armenia’s long-term stability and prosperity, as well as regional security. Regional integration is a key to security and prosperity for Armenia. //
source,
press release on the joint AM-EU-US high level meeting in Brussels
The parties reaffirm support for Armenia’s sovereignty, democracy, territorial integrity, and socio-economic resilience.The EU and the US will aim to expand cooperation to strengthen Armenia’s resilience, including in key sectors such as political reforms, economic development, and humanitarian support. They will look to expand partnerships in mobility, governance, law enforcement, trade, connectivity, agriculture, energy, and technology. They envisage stronger cooperation with Armenia to support these key sectors.
The EU and the US acknowledged the substantial progress Armenia has made since 2018 on democratic and justice reforms and the fight against corruption, and expressed a commitment to continue to further strengthen it.
The EU will continue to support Armenia on its reform path through the implementation of CEPA. In order to boost reforms and enhance cooperation in all areas, the EU and Armenia will make headway on the new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda.
The US is committed to helping Armenia carry out envisioned reforms. The Biden Administration, working with the U.S. Congress, plans to provide over $65 million in fiscal year 2023 development assistance to Armenia.
The EU and the US welcomed Armenia’s commitment to improved connectivity with the outside world, including the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which would promote shared prosperity and regional economic and trade diversification.
The EU and the US intend to provide further assistance to help Armenia mitigate risks, diversify its trade, and strengthen its economic and institutional resilience.
To underpin the new EU-Armenia Partnership Agenda, the EU will put forward a EUR 270 million Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia for the period 2024-2027.
The EU’s Resilience and Growth Plan for Armenia will aim at building up Armenia’s socio-economic resilience while supporting trade diversification. It will contribute to the long-term needs of displaced people. It will strengthen sectoral cooperation with Armenia while stepping up support to regulatory alignment to unlock the full potential of the CEPA. The EU will continue to support key sectors, from trade diversification, infrastructure development, and energy, to aviation safety.
President von der Leyen also referred to the benefits of the [previous] Economic and Investment Plan, launched in 2021, which already mobilized over EUR 550 million worth of investments through grants, blending and guarantees in Armenia. In line with the Economic and Investment Plan, the Resilience and Growth Plan will step up support to strategic investments, in particular on connectivity infrastructure in transport, digital and energy, and invest in business development to boost jobs and economic growth. The Economic and Investment Plan has the potential to deliver economic dividends of peace including on regional connectivity, if and when conditions allow [Is EU competing with Russia to build the Meghri railway?]. The EU will also look at ways to support mobility.
The US is working with Armenia in multiple sectors to enhance economic growth and reform, trade diversification and resilience. The United States will work with Armenia to attract further U.S. investment, streamline technology trade opportunities, increase cybersecurity cooperation, and expand technology infrastructure.
The United States is committed to Armenia’s safe, reliable, and secure energy future and is working to support energy diversification and explore the feasibility of new civil nuclear power options that prioritize the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards. The United States is committed to enhancing Armenia’s food security as well as facilitating the flow of agricultural products across Armenia’s borders.
Recognizing the continuing challenges that Armenia faces in supporting and socially including over 100,000 displaced persons and refugees, the European Union and the United States intend to continue providing support to Armenia in its efforts to provide housing, training, employment opportunities, and psycho-social support to those who need it.
A prosperous, sovereign, and democratic Armenia that develops its own partnerships and freely sets its own course will contribute to regional stability.
source,
USAID will invest $8.6 million to improve cybersecurity and address vulnerabilities in Armenia's critical energy infrastructure
It will also boost Armenia's renewable energy sector and increase the system's resilience in the event of supply disruptions.source,
USAID will provide $6 million to increase Armenia's grain harvest and storage capacities
Armenia currently relies heavily on Russian wheat.source,
other news about the AM-US-EU meeting
ANALYST: The most important message from the West was that they are ready to improve Armenia's infrastructure and its integration with the region. The Armenian side is using the Crossroads of Peace project to dictate its narrative. The tables in Brussels were covered with maps of the Crossroads of Peace and its details.The West is changing the post-2020 status quo in the region. The West has derailed Russia's Nov. 9 plan to maintain the grip on the region. No "corridors".
EU's Joseph Borrell said they see how Armenia is being attacked by foreign disinformation campaigns and that the EU will help Armenia and increase the media literacy of the Armenian population. Perhaps we should view the Armenian government's decision to ban Russian propagandist Solovyov's television shows in this context.
REPORTER: I'm under the impression that the West is not only helping Armenia but it's also trying to use Armenia to "control", to keep checks on Azerbaijan.
ANALYST: I believe Armenia and Azerbaijan have switched their places, and after 2020 Azerbaijan has become the Russian ally in the region. This is a good opportunity for the West to fill the void left by Russia in Armenia.
source,
the AM-EU-US meeting is a source of danger and aims to isolate us: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
Turkey and Azerbaijan criticized the meeting in Brussels.ALIYEV: The US and EU called and tried to convince me that the AM-US-EU meeting isn't against Azerbaijan but we know that it is. It aims to create dividing lines and isolate Azerbaijan. The attempt to turn Armenia into an armed fortpost in the South Caucasus will have negative consequences.
... I do not think we should convince or give assurances to Azerbaijan regarding today's meeting: U.S. deputy foreign minister James O'Brien
O'BRIEN: I do not think that we should convince or give assurances to Azerbaijan regarding today's meeting. We were very clear about our intentions with this meeting and this meeting was exactly what we had announced beforehand. That is how trust is built - when one does what one says [Is this a continuation of O'Brien's late-2023 rebuke of Baku for not keeping its promises?]. Our view is that we support the choice that the people of Armenia have made and we will continue to support it in a way that will ensure peace and security throughout the region.source, source, source,
Azerbaijani army violated the ceasefire in two directions on the border with Armenia
One incident happened near Chinari, Tavush, quite far from the area where Azerbaijan wants to regain control of Soviet-era ghost villages.The second incident happened near Verin Shorzha, Gegharkunik, where Azerbaijan soldiers illegally invaded Armenia in 2021-2022 and are located on the sovereign territory of Armenia.
source,
the Armenian delegation that flew to Brussels consisted of 18 ranking officials
The PM, a deputy PM, NatSec, FM, Ambassadors to the EU and US, press secretaries, and various deputies.source,
Armenia and EU sign an agreement to cooperate within the framework of Eurojust, one of the prerequisites of the CEPA agreement
STATEMENT: Armenia is one step closer to the full implementation of the AM-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). It also opens doors for new opportunities for experience sharing and capacity building.boring details, more boring details, video,
the leader of the Council of Europe will visit Armenia
Marija Burić will meet FM Mirzoyan and others in Yerevan on April 8.source,
Russia: we will analyze the AM-US-EU meeting after receiving more information and after understanding the meaning of "discussions around Armenia's transatlantic integration"
Russia said the West wants to convince Armenia to remove the 102nd Russian military base and all border guards from Armenia, in addition to withdrawing from CSTO. Moscow urged Yerevan "not to allow the West to deceive it".source, source,
a new pro-Russian political party led by former defense minister of Armenia held its first session and vowed to oust PM Pashinyan
The party Համահայկական ճակատ is led by Arshak Karapetyan who resides in Russia and participated in the session remotely.The room had the flags of Armenia, Russia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. One of the familiar figures present was the former head of Yerevan's Arabkir district Hovhaness Shahinyan who recently ran an unsuccessful campaign titled "Yerevan 2805" for the mayor's position.
Karapetyan criticized Pashinyan for "losing lands" and called for Armenia to return exclusively to the Russian-led negotiation platform.
source, source,
Azerbaijani parliament MPs are surprised and baffled by the lack of action by Iran against the strengthening of Armenia-West relations
DEPUTY SPEAKER: The West wants to open a second front for Russia in the South Caucasus. Their sanctions against Russia didn't bring any results.MP JAFAROV: Armenia and Azerbaijan are closer to peace than ever but the US and EU are dishonest and don't want peace in the region.
MP NASIROV: The Brussels meeting will have a serious impact on regional developments. I hope there will be no decisions against Azerbaijan.
MP NOVRUZOV: I am concerned about Iran's silence. During the 2020 war, Iran made statements every day. Today this country does not express any attitude regarding what is happening. Recently, one of the members of the Iranian parliament called for an attack on the Israeli embassy in Azerbaijan. Try, if you dare, to threaten the embassies in the US or Russia. //
Thursday news contains relevant info. Armenia's NatSec Grigoryan spoke about the high-level negotiations with Iran that led to the smoothening of some disagreements and cooperation around common goals, such as Armenia's territorial integrity, despite Armenia's continuous compliance with anti-Iran sanctions.
source,
Pashinyan dispatches NatSec Armen Grigoryan and his deputies to hold meetings in Sweden, Finland, and Lithuania
source,Armenia's Education Minister raised the issue of the protection of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh during a meeting with UNESCO leadership
Նախարար Ժաննա Անդրեասյանն առաջարկել է ԼՂ պատմամշակութային ժառանգության պաշտպանության հարցն ընդգրկել մայիսի 13-15-ը Հաագայում կայանալիք «Զինված ընդհարման դեպքում մշակութային արժեքների պաշտպանության մասին» կոնվենցիայի ընդունման 70-ամյակին նվիրված միջազգային համաժողովի օրակարգում՝ ընդգծելով, որ խոսքը 5000 անշարժ հուշարձանի և թանգարանային ցուցանմուշների մասին է։source,
bipartisan group of U.S. Senators urge Joe Biden to formally recognize the "ethnic cleansing" in Nagorno-Karabakh
Cassidy, Markey, Peters, Tills: Given the serious human rights violations perpetrated by Azerbaijan, we further urge you to label what took place in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 as an ethnic cleansing and advocate for the right of Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians to return to their homes under international guarantees.source,
Canada-Eurasia Chamber of Commerce delegation will visit Armenia
It is the only recognized organization that officially promotes business cooperation between Canada and the ex-USSR space.This is the first business mission organized by the Chamber of Commerce to Armenia, following the opening of the Canadian Embassy in Armenia in October 2023, which marks a new milestone in Canada-Armenia bilateral relationssource,
foreign investments in Armenia: video
Last year an Indian businessman with a 45-year industry experience invested $15 million to open a diamond factory in Armenia. The 250 employees are Armenian and Indian, 50/50. They are processing and exporting diamonds, mostly to the UAE. They are also considering exports to India and China.video,
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$) - Armenia
2023: (data coming this April)2022: $988 million
2021: $366 million
2020: $59 million
2019: $100 million
2018: $267 million
source, more,
Armenia will take a loan from Europe to increase the energy efficiency of Yerevan's public buildings and kindergartens
OFFICIAL: The total value of the project is €37M. Yerevan will co-finance €2M, the bank will provide a €25M loan, and there will be a grant worth €10M. When you factor in other components, this is a very good structure in terms of loan-to-grant ratio. The loan agreement was signed in November.source, video,
Armenia to take a €60M loan from Asian Development Bank to build alternative roads and infrastructure in Yerevan
It will be used on several projects, some of which will connect various districts of the capital: Isakov-Arshakunyats (main project), Hrazdan bridge, underground passages, Tbilisyan-Yeghvard (offload traffic from Arabkir and Zeytun by connecting several districts, travel cut down to "minutes"), Ulnetsi-Rubinyants, and a road that bypasses the Zvartnots airport.The construction of the new Isakov-Arshakunyats link will require 18 months. It's expected to launch in early 2025. If you look at the map, it will be the continuation of Monte Melkonyan Street which currently ends at Isakov.
Some of the roads in Yerevan will become double-decker (2-storey).
video details with maps, source, video, video, source, video, source,
Yerevan municipality is removing ugly business signs and ads that don't match with surrounding architecture and new standards: VIDEO
The huge billboards are being removed and replaced with "city-sized" smaller ads that "don't cover the entire view" and "rule over the city", said a city official.They even removed the ads from the electric poles on the Kievyan Bridge for not meeting the new standards. "They must be in specific areas and meet the urban development code."
Here are some examples of aesthetic rules: If a business wants to place its ad on the building's façade, the big text must be 1 or 2 horizontal lines. The letters in a 1-line text must be no taller than 30 cm (12"), and a 2-line ad must be under 50 cm (20").
External glass "vitrina" ads must be 30 cm away from trims and cannot cover more than 75% of the glass.
Visual examples in the video...
video,
France and Jordan urge Israel to protect the Armenian district in Jerusalem after renewed clashes with a businessman who is attempting to take over part of the district
Yesterday the corporate goons, accompanied by local Israeli police officers, attacked the "guardhouses" set up by local Armenian activists and church members.source, video,
drunk driver of a trolleybus got into a car accident in Yerevan
The driver of the #10 trolley had the "highest level of intoxication", said the police. The city has fired him.source, source,
Italian soccer club Juventus will open an academy in Armenia
source,2024.04.03 20:07 SUPER--D phishing scam possibly, im newbie
last coin i bought on base was bruin the owner of coinbase bought with my phone , but find a transaction for a bunch of some base 69 or some crap what do i do to figure out how to ditch it or what to do. can i post a hash of it says its 34 billion coins lmao think this happened when i was just going a long learning making a few bucks then come across the meem wanting me to mint so i did mint one. then i got an airdrop from eth i believe was a fishing attack which the 5 eth airdrop showed big red flag think through macafee i was just trying to get my two free nft for doing a little learning. the two nft went into my wallet but the shark nft i minted and the 5eth airdrop didnt go in they stayed in my transactions, is how do i deal with this and how to tell its fake as im sure it has to be says there were gas fees but funny says zero cost for the billion so it has to be a scam but would like to know how to tell for sure and is there a way to stop the phishing as i just put an extension wallet guard to alert me but not sure its working. can i provide a hash tag for this as im not sure dont want to see my funds go out my wallet. think they got by wallet guard as i installed it after this happened here is the amount
submitted by SUPER--D to BASEchain [link] [comments]