Armenian bloggers protests against the agreement signed with Turkey

In this edition : Ankara and Erevan's agreement generates a wave of protests on the Armenian web ; the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Barack Obama causes many reactions ; and the steps of a stair case transformed into piano keys.

WEB NEWS

TURQUIE - ARMÉNIE : ACCORD CONTESTÉ / PROTESTS OVER TURKEY - ARMENIA ACCORD

On Saturday Turkey and Armenia signed a historic agreement aimed at re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. But the signature of these protocols supposed to spark off a reconciliation process between Ankara and Erevan is generating a wave of protests on the Armenian web.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOkOAJEbOuQ

Over 3,000 net users have already signed this online petition, launched by Armenians from the Diaspora in order to express their opposition to the agreement.

http://www.votch.org/

Similarly on Facebook, several groups have been set up to unite those who feel that the text offers too many concessions to Turkey. It is also another occasion to urge Ankara to recognise the 1915 Armenian genocide.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147757976171

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129818721173

Net users continue to safeguard the memory of this tragedy. In this video, broadcast online, a survivor, today aged 96 recalls how her and her family escaped death after being deported by the Ottoman Empire.

http://hub.witness.org/3Generations/Alice

American students of Armenian descent have invaded the web to broadcast the hunger strike they have started. The aim being to protest against the creation of a historic commission responsible for studying the 1915 massacres.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJbnXYzhPPo

Nevertheless, some bloggers welcome this bridge building. This net user considers that the opening of borders with Turkey will allow the Armenian economy to develop.

http://agentsofvirtue.blogspot.com/2009/10/turkish-armenia-protocols.html

OBAMA WINS NOBEL PRIZE

On Friday the Nobel peace prize was awarded to the US President, Barack Obama for “his efforts in reinforcing diplomacy and cooperation between peoples". An announcement which generated a flood of online comments throughout the week-end.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/

The prize awarded to Obama monopolised many conversations on Twitter, where hundreds of messages were sent in each minute by users. Net users are divided in their reactions. Some expressed their lack of understanding while others applauded the news. This female net user welcomes the international recognition of Obama’s fight for peace.

http://twitter.com/search?q=%22Barack%20Obama%20Wins%22

On Youtube, large numbers of video bloggers also reacted. This American man questions the premature nature of such a prize, when the President has been in office for under a year. He feels that a lot remains to be proved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L2Pe27j-9Y

But many congratulatory videos have appeared on share sites. Messages applauding the decision by the Nobel prize committee, who chose Obama for advocating a planet free from nuclear weapons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jXtsiRicM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_TuMmVYi2c

Finally the official Nobel Prize site looks back on previous winners. Here the former South African head of state, Frederic de Klerk, 1993 Nobel Prize laureate, describes the impact of such an award. He recalls that being a supporter of peace represents a heavy responsibility. 14

http://nobelprize.org/mediaplayer/index.php?id=1145

ROME IN 3D

This 3D video was created using photos salvaged online. A team of researchers from Washington University has developed a piece of software allowing users to recreate a real location in 3D by searching for corresponding photos on the web. A simulation of Rome has been created using 150,000 photos extracted from Flickr. The same is true for this reconstitution of Dubrovnik old town in Croatia created using over 2,000 photos. Experiments illustrating the potential represented by collecting data supplied by the public.

http://brightcove.newscientist.com/services/player/bcpid2227271001?bctid=42059434001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQegEro5Bfo

ANIMALS WITH LIGHT SABERS

Here is a blog which should be of particular interest to Star Wars fans as it is dedicated to animals whose favourite weapon is the light sabre. Net users can also download images of sabres in several colours and add them to the photo of their favourite animal in order to publish on their site.

http://www.animalswithlightsabers.com/

TODAY'S VIDEO

Hopping on an escalator is a great deal more tempting than climbing stairs for lazy travellers. And to encourage users of the Stockholm underground to pick the stairs, a website and a car manufacturer have joined forces to transform the stairs into piano keys to make them more amusing. As a result, the use of stairs has increased by 66%.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivg56TX9kWI