TIME magazine has posted an entry on February 2, 2007, telling of a five-century-old fresco by Giorgio Vasari that some Italian researchers believe is the code to the location of a long-lost Leonardo da Vinci painting.

Vasari’s fresco has a famous phrase – Cerca Trova, that means seek and you shall find it, or փնտրիր եվ կգտնես:

Writes TIME:

Maurizio Seracini is a serious man, with a seriously square jaw and dark tweed jacket. And he is being taken more seriously than ever now that Italy’s Culture Ministry has committed the nation to a full-fledged pursuit of the so-called Lost Leonardo. Seracini, a forensic expert in Renaissance art and architecture, is trying to prove that The Battle of Anghiari–the mural once considered the greatest of all of Leonardo’s masterpieces–lies buried in the Sala del Gran Consiglio in Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio, behind a wall covered by a mural–a vision of the Battle of Marciano–that was painted in the 16th century. LINK

The article made me laugh, not because I find these researchers’ quest unwise or something, but because it reminded me of an incident that happened at the Colorado State Capitol earlier this week. As I pointed to the “picture” of George Washington in rose onyx (the Capitol wainscoting material that is not found anywhere else in the world) done by nature during a tour for a 4th grade class, one of the kids shouted, “The Da Vinci Code!”

He was making a reference to my question in which I had asked which U.S. president would not brash his teeth when he was a kid. It leads to the discussion of Washington’s fake teeth and big chin, which is clearly seen in the Capitol rose onyx stone. There was another reason that the kid thought Mr. Simon had just solved the Da Vinci Code. Right next to George Washington’s “picture,” there is a picture of a turkey (the bird), which is “running” after George Washington because the latter did not select turkey as the national bird of America.

Since I cannot locate a photograph of Da Vinci’s coloradode, aka the running turkey after big-chin George Washington, I decided to post a photo of another code (*caugh*) found in the State Capitol. Pictured is Amanda and cerca trova.

The Hollywoodization – a cultural aspect of Globalization – has long established itself in the world. In Armenia, for example, you can already get an illegal copy of “Night At The Museum” with a Russian translation, while it is not even out on DVD in America yet.

Yet ask an average resident of Armenia about “Vodka Lemon,” and they will ask, “What?” Tell them it was the winner of the San Marco Prize at the 2003 Venice Film Festival in Italy and they may get interested, especially if they find out the movie was filmed in Armenia and features Armenian as one of the languages.

“Oh, that movie about Kurds?”

Yes, yes. That movie about Kurds (it is actually about every post Soviet resident) is far better than 100 Hollywood movies placed together, and will actually make you think, laugh and cry. Those of you who have not watched it yet, Simon says, do it before you die (there is a semi-rape in the movie if it is the price to make some of you interested).

Why wouldn’t they show Vodka Lemon on Armenian TV stations?

Time Magazine’s European edition has made a surprising move by spending its own dollars to distribute a free documentary on the Armenian Genocide. This was, perhaps, done to avoid anti-racist and genocide/holocaust denialist laws in Europe and also, as Artyom of iArarat has mentioned, to correct their mistake.

In June of 2005, the European edition of Time magazine distributed thousands of free copies of a supposed Turkish advertisement that included a documentary denying the Armenian genocide. Outrage around the world seemed to bring nothing at first.

Time simply published a response to a letter by saying, “TIME is an independent newsmagazine and does not endorse the views of any organization or government. We regret any offense caused by the advertisements.”

On August 1, 2005, California Courier published an article titled “TIME’s Chief Editor Claims Magazine Was Duped by Turks,” basing the story on a private communcation between TIME Inc.’s chief (now retired) Norman Pearlstine and myself, in which Mr. Pearlstine had answered me that TIME had apologized “for accepting a DVD whose contents were different from what we had been led to believe they would be.”

So what was the letter that had cought the attention? – According to the Courier, my reference to making Nazi flags.

Here is the full letter that I had received response to by Pearlstine:

I hope you have recieved the numerous complaints and
concerns regarding Time magazine's recent cooperation
with the Turkish deniers of the Armenian Genocide.

Are you ever going to respond to my letters?
Are you ever going to apologize for cooperating with
the Turkish deniers?
Are you ever going to publish an article that states
that Time has not intended to deny the Armenian
Genocide?
Are you ever going to admit your magazine's wrong
deed?

Oh, you are too busy to apologize, aren't you? Let me
guess! You are making Nazi flags to distribute in
Europe as a free speech, correct?

Regards, 

Simon Maghakyan

Pearlstine, with whom I later continued to keep private communication for at least another year, had answered me back saying,

Dear Sir,
	Your letters have been referred to the advertising department,
where they should have been sent in the first place. Editors are
responsible for stories and pictures. In addition, we have, of course,
apologized in the magazine for accepting a DVD whose contents were
different from what we had to been led to believe they would be.
	Norman Pearlstine

Interestingly, some Armenian pen pals, whom I had forwarded my letter, told me I was too harsh and yelling would not bring any good.I cannot find my very first letter to Mr. Pearlstine, but I remember mentioning the fact that Time had published a report back in June of 1960 calling Ottoman Turkey’s Talaat Pasha the inventor of genocide – “who introduced genocide to the 20th century by ordering the massacre of500,000 Armenians.”

Talaat introduced genocide by killing Armenians, you are introducing genocidel denial by spreading Turkish propaganda, I wrote.

Later Time (European edition) published full-page statements that condemned the sponsorship of the denialist campaign.

In April of 2006, Time named Orhan Pamuk (who later won the Nobel Prize) one of the top 100 influential in the world who had become “a global cause celebre” for having made a reference to “the genocide of Armenians in 1915 by the Turkish military.”

Orhan Pamuk was actually nominated for the top 100 for solely speaking on the Armenian genocide (and I think the same case could have been for his Nobel Prize award).  Harvard professor Samantha Power had nominated him by saying,

I nominate Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk. He has acknowledged his homeland’s genocide against the Armenians and nearly got himself arrested before the Turks decided their commitment to and pride in their greatest writer exceeded a commitment to killers who died almost a century ago. It could bring a cultural change. Also George Clooney, for the obvious reasons, and the students who led the divestment movement on campuses for Darfur.

Time did the right thing, and it is time for Google to do the same. As of February 2, 2007, Google lists www.ermenisorunu.gen.tr (a website denying the Armenian genocide) as a Google sponsor when “Armenian genocide” is Googled.

As the Armenian Genocide resolution is reintroduced to the U.S. Congress, let us see what America is talking about America.

Among the several bloggers that have posted entries about the resolution are two of the Co-Sponsors themselves.  Rep. Pallone (D-NJ), for example, had announced the conference a day before it was reported in the news.  Rep. Schiff (D-CA) posted an entry at the same blog connecting the Genocide resolution to stoping the Genocide in Darfur:

The United States has a compelling historical and moral reason to recognize the Armenian Genocide, which cost a million and a half people their lives. But we also have a powerful contemporary reason as well — how can we take effective action against the genocide in Darfur if we lack the will to condemn genocide whenever and wherever it occurs?  With the new leadership in Congress, I am hopeful we can finally get this resolution passed. 

In the meantime, according to a transcript posted at www.state.gov, a State Department spokesperson was asked by on January 31, 2007, if the Department would “block even an open debate and democratic vote on this issue?” The answer was,

Lambros, our policy is clear. We mourn the victims of the tragic events of 1950. We have — 1915. We have never denied these events. The President recognizes these atrocities annually on Armenian Remembrance Day. We oppose attempts to make political determinations on the terminology of this tragedy.

The next question was as followed:

And a follow-up on it? The State Department, Mr. McCormack, apparently not wanting to interfere in the Turkish internal affairs was largely silent on the Turkish Article 301 under which murdered journalist Hrant Dink the other day was prosecuted and sentenced last year. And interestingly the Turkish Government exercised the same restraint. Can you describe for us any Turkish Government efforts to influence your government’s, Mr. McCormack, consideration of legislation on the Armenian genocide?

And the answer was very simple, “No.”

The American Embassy in Ankara, too, said Bush will stick to his policy.  A statement released on January 31, 2007, and received via e-mail, said:

Yesterday a resolution dealing with the tragic events that took place at the end of Ottoman Empire was introduced into the US Congress. The Bush Administration’s position on this issue has not changed. As I have said before, the Administration will be actively involved with the Congress to oppose this resolution.

Unlike in my previous message, where I referred to “some Turkish-Azerbaijani love” with sarcasm, I want to share a private communication with a Turk about whom I know very little, if anything. 

He/She had sent me a letter via my YouTube account (apparently after watching my five-minute film on Djulfa that, nevertheless, makes no mention of Turkey or the Genocide), and I had replied back.  Today I received more communication.

The Turkish friend wrote for the first time last week,

first of all im sorry that i dont know english well. im a turk. i just say im sorry for genocide. i accept genocide because i know old turkish politicians did too bad things. …im sorry…

I replied back saying,

Kardesim [or Kizkardesim] (my brother or my sister – in Turkish), my great-grandmother was saved by a Turkish woman in Urfa during the Genocide. As I will never forget what the Turkish politicians and the government did to my family and to my people, I will also never forget that Turkish woman – thanks to whom I live today.

And thank you for your letter. It means a lot to me.

And he/she replied today,

thank you… i cried when i read your message. i hope our nations have peace one day.
bizler gibi dusunen insanlar lazim bu dunyaya.
hoscakal ve sevgiyle kal 🙂

Today I Armenianized more non-Armenians, a.k.a, donated blood.  I think this is the best way of practicing nationalism or patriotism.  If you think your blood is better (which I don’t, especially when it is AB positive), you should donate it to make this world a better place.  This would make millions of, lets say, Turks to donate blood around the world. 

 Donating blood makes you healthy.  Until last year, I would get the cold at least 12 times a year in all of my life.  Since the first time I donated blood, I have not been sick and never will.

Donating blood is fun, in my case for the nurse or the nurses, at least.  These people had a lot of fun when I was playing Borat for them.  Wasn’t too much fun for me because they thought I was being myself.  Maybe some part of it.

 Donating fun will make you hate your computer less, at least in my case.  See, my home computer is the worst computer in the world (this is an absolute fact!!!!!!) and I couldn’t update my yesterday’s post after 10 attempts!  Now, as they have taken some blood of me, I don’t have too much energy to practice hate against my computer.  As Blogian’s readership is growing, I need to have a normal access to Internet, but this doesn’t seem the case.  So if I don’t respond to your comments, please don’t take it personal.  Usually, I approve them at work and cannot comment them from there.  If you notice, I don’t edit comments, and there is some Turkish-Azerbaijani love for Armenians in the comments.  But I do read your comments and get really excited especially when you link to Blogian!  One of my friends in Colorado, Kim Christianian, mentions my blog to everybody she sees.  I am serious.  She is the Blogian agent, and everybody is invited to be one.  🙂

Donating blood makes you feel good, despite the fact that nobody asks for an ID or whether you use/used drugs and alcohol.  What if Bin Laden wanted to donate blood?  Most likely not, and the same with the alcoholics or drug addicts, so don’t worry about getting intoxicated blood.

 So what makes you donate blood?  I don’t know the answer, but it paid well.  I was taking my independent study (on Cultural Rights and Djulfa) form for the dean to sign, and saw the blood seekers.  I told them I had to run, but ended up coming back.  I was told at the admissions office that it might take a week before the dean signed it.  I got a call, twenty minutes after I had dropped off the form, that my form was ready as I was already giving blood.  See, had I not volunteered I would have to do it on Friday!

As you noticed, my obssesion (or whatever the word is spelled.  I am not going to use spell check any more!) about Djulfa is becoming academic.  Indigenous rights scholar and very famous Native American Prof. Glenn Morris is going to supervise me on the research, and said many times he was really excited.  I will be also pursuing (and this is my own take) the state of Azerbaijani monuments in Armenia, so those of you who have some materials on the issue please let me know.  I would ask you not send me links to nationalist Azerbaijani websites that post photos of Armenian churches and say these were Azerbaijani monuments.

If Kirk Kirkorian ever ends up reading this entry, I would ask him to buy me a new computer.