13.1 Readers' Forum:Curious Readers Write and Request

Spring 2005 (13.1)
Page 10

Readers' Forum
Curious Readers Write and Request

The Internet is such an amazing tool to connect people from the far corners of the earth. Fortunately, its invention came at a perfect moment in history for the peoples of the former Soviet Union who were so eager when they gained their independence to get acquainted with the international community from which they had been cut off for 70 years.

Our Web site - AZER.com - archives all issues of Azerbaijan International magazine - now beginning our 13th year, dating back to 1993 when the magazine was established. Launched in May 1996 when the Internet was quite a new phenomenon, AZER.com was one of the earliest Web sites created about Azerbaijan.

Today, with more than 1800 articles and 4950 photos, AZER.com is the "World's Largest Web Site about Azerbaijan" and ranks as No. 2 on Google when the term "Azerbaijan" is searched. (The CIA Handbook, which includes all countries in the world, not just Azerbaijan, ranks as No. 1).

Naturally, such a high profile draws inquiries about Azerbaijan on a daily basis. We try to answer all requests, which we deem serious, or direct them to someone who can and thus, promote more ties and links between Azerbaijan and the world.

Over the past several years, we have saved some of the more unusual requests. We share them here. Sometimes, articles that we had published, such as ones about the venomous Caspian vipers, raising pigeons in Baku, and the therapeutic uses of Naftalan oil, have triggered very specific inquiries - even years later. Here is a sampling of some of the concerns and interests of which people have written us.

Saying it right - "Azerbaijan"
I'm a radio journalist. What is the accepted American pronunciation of "Azerbaijan"? I'm particularly wondering if the "j" is pronounced like a soft "g" or like "zh". We're doing a whole series of two-minute biographies for the Arts & Entertainment Channel that will go on radio and will be featuring Garry Kasparov [World Chess Champion in 1984 who grew up in Azerbaijan. Search at AZER.com]. This is quite urgent...thank you very much.

Shirley, producer of a public relations group
San Francisco, California

Thanks for contacting us and making such an effort to pronounce "Azerbaijan" right. Say the last syllable like the boy's name - John - as in "ah-zar-by-JOHN". The stress is on the last syllable. Pronouncing this word with "zh" is via Russian, as this sound neither exists in the Azeri language or its alphabet. The first "a" is like "ah" in "father". The second "a" sounds like those in "fat cat". - Editor

Exiled to Siberia
Is there any way of obtaining information going back 30 years or so to locate a particular person? My grandmother was sent to Siberia supposedly because my father deserted from the Russian army. She was ordered to work in a Siberian hospital and died a few years later before she was allowed to return home.
Irene

Azeri to Mandarin
Could you kindly help me with an Azerbaijani poem that I am translating from English into Mandarin Chinese? I've exhausted all the possible sources here in China. With your resources in Azerbaijan, maybe you can help me. Who are the poets Vagif and Fuzuli mentioned in this poem? Thanks a million in advance.
Lujun at Sichuan University, China PRC

Map of Azerbaijan
Do you know where I might find a detailed map of Azerbaijan showing the names of small villages, specifically those in the Shemakha region? We recently adopted a two-year old daughter from Russia, but both of her parents were born in a small village in the Shemakha region of Azerbaijan. The English transliteration of the Cyrillic script on her documents shows the village as Bagirmi. I don't know if there is such a place, or if something has been lost in the translation. I can't seem to find anything on the Internet.

I'm not quite sure how her parents ended up in Russia, but we understand there are many refugees from Azerbaijan who due to economic reasons have immigrated there.

I am making a memory book for our daughter, and would like to include maps that show this information. Thanks for any information so that our daughter can know more about her roots.
Alisha
Editor: We did succeed in finding a map with that village name, and we sent it to her. - Editor

Climbing Highest Mountain
I'm trying to set the international record of climbing the highest mountain in every country in the world. At present, I've climbed 142 out of the 193 of the world's highest mountains. I hope to travel to Azerbaijan at the end of May to climb Bazarduzu, Azerbaijan's highest mountain in the Caucasus. Can you provide any contacts for guides and accommodation?
Ginge in the UK

Civil Architecture
I'm a PhD student at the Faculty of Architecture at Istanbul Technical University in Turkey. I'm doing research about traditional civil architecture of Azerbaijan. If possible, could you advise me on how I could get some samples of civil architecture of Azerbaijan such as plans, elevations, sections of a house?
Istanbul, Turkey

Career at Snake Farm
I am a Romanian and I want to make a snake farm to produce venom. Can you help me? I will pay for it.
Irina

Venom
My name is Khudaidad, Qualifications BSC (Honors), DVM, MSC (Honors) in Animal Reproduction. Now I'm going to enroll in a PhD Program on Venom Lypholyzation of Echis Critanus and Side Winder, i.e., Crotauls Cerastes and its topical uses in arthritis or other diseases. I need literature on topical use of venom, particularly the Viperidea Family.

Snake Farms
We need information about snake farms, extraction of venom, and the venom market.
Jeyanthi in India

Mounting Snakes
Hello. I'm a taxidermist. I can mount any of your snakes that die, just e-mail me back. I have reasonable prices and excellent mounts. I do full mounts, rug mounts - fpretty much any kind of mount.
James

Miniature Bible
I've recently been given a miniature Bible that has a small metal case with a magnifying glass built into the cover and also another small magnifying glass for reading. The words Illustrated Bible are written on the cover of the case as well as on the front of the book. It has a burgundy colored cover with gold letters and was printed in Glasgow by David Bryce & Son. Can you give me any more information about this book?
Rhonda

Bottled Water
We desperately need bottled water. Can you put us in contact with any companies who could supply it?
Baghdad, Iraq

Turbine Oils
We are a company in Iraq and wonder if you could supply us with turbine oils.
Abdul in Iraq

Birds
I am from a small Pennsylvania town and I've been rescuing parrots for the past 25 years. Recently, I found a baby pigeon wandering around on a bridge. As it was not yet weaned, I took it in and hand fed her until she could eat on her own. I do parrot programs for schools. Recently, I added the pigeon to my show since I had trained her to walk on a basketball. She's so entertaining. I ran across your site looking for tips on keeping pigeons. Any info that you can pass on to me about caring for her would be great.
Guy with the Birds - Time To Fly!

Catching Wild Pigeons
Is there any way to catch a wild pigeon, which comes within nine feet distance from me? It has a piece of string attached around its legs. I feed it every morning but can never get closer than nine feet.

National Anthems
Hi, my name is Xing and I am currently compiling a book entitled Encyclopedia of National Anthems. I am writing to request your permission to include the English translation of the Azerbaijan National Anthem from your site.
Xing in China

Language Policies
I'm a PhD. student in the Language Education Department of Indiana University at Bloomington. I'm doing research about the Language Policies in Azerbajian. As I'm a Turk myself from the Black Sea region - not far from Azerbajian - I know the country and its people quite well. Can you help me to find out more about language policies?

Translators Wanted
My name is Satoko. I'm from a translation / interpretation company based in Washington state. We are preparing a list of interpreters for our clients. If you know any Azerbaijani interpreters who may be interested, please have them send their resumes.
Seattle, Washington

Bathhouses
About bathhouses. Can you give me the addresses and telephone numbers of some of them?

Jirtdan Folktales
I have just read the story of "Jirtdan". I'm writing a book of "Folk Tales from Around the World". I would like very much to include Jirtdan. I am writing to ask for permission to include a somewhat altered version of your folktale in the book.
Gwendolyn in Little Rock, Arkansas

Oil Tanker Photo
I work for a Norwegian tanker shipping company and am responsible for the company magazine. I'm writing an article on the world's first oil tanker. I've discovered that the "Zoroaster", which was owned by the Nobel Brothers in Baku was the first tanker vessel ever built. Can you forward to me a good electronic copy of the photo of the ship that accompanies the article on your Web site?
John in Sandefjord, Norway

Foreign Language Courses
I'm interested in taking correspondence courses in any foreign languages that you have to offer for college credit, especially those languages that are non-traditional languages and are typically not offered at most universities. Please send an updated catalog.
James from Kea'au, Hawaii

Film Score
Where can I find the film score of "Rustam and Sohrab" written by Arif Malikov? I will gladly buy the CD if it exists.
Varoujan

Which Monument?
I'm writing in hopes of identifying a photo for my students. We are writing from Fairview Middle School. My students are doing a project about Azerbaijan and have not been able to identify the building in this photo that they found on the Internet. Can you help us?
Mary Ellen in Fairview, West Virginia

This photo is a monument on the hill overlooking Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It marks the cemetery called "Martyrs' Lane" (Shahidlar Khiyabani) where civilian victims are buried that were killed by Soviet troops (Black January 1990). Some of the thousands of soldiers killed during the Karabakh War with Armenia are also buried there. - Editor

Naftalan Oil
I'm a Russian medical doctor-therapist, MD. I was born in Ganja (Azerbaijan) and lived four years in Kazanbulak in the Geranboy region. I am sending my paper (in Russian) about using Naftalan oil in modern medicine (White Naftalan Without Tar and Clear Naphten Carbohydrates). Also I have an idea how to improve the preparation of Naftalan oil in the clinic of our town. Where can I order Naftalan preparations in the Azerbaijan Republic? How much do they cost?
Vladislav in Izhevsk, Russia

Wrestling Club
I'm trying to find information about a wrestling club that used to exist in Baku. It was called Spartacus or something like that. It existed in the late 80s and early 90s. My mentor wrestled for this club before coming to the United States. I was trying to contact the club (if it still functions) to arrange a possible future exchange between the U.S. wrestlers and those in Baku.

Picture Worth 1,000 Words
We're studying different countries in our school. What do Azerbaijani young people look like? What kind of clothes do they wear? Do the women wear veils? Can you send me a photo? Do they ride on camels?
Deborah in Michigan

Bakiliyam!
I really want to find out what "Bakiliyam" means!!!??? I was thinking that Bakiliyam is a city in Azerbaijan, but I couldn't find a map of this city. Is it a word? Can you please help me with my little investigation?
K. from Canada