1990_12 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper December 1990

              FEATURES, Page 4
Hye Sharzhoom
December 1990
Hye Profile:
Charles S. Poochigian
Campus Hye
Name: Charles S. (Chuck) Poochigian
Occupation: Attorney. Currently serving on the
senior staff of Governor Deukmejian as Chief Deputy
Appointments Secretary (since November, 1988)
Born: May 31,1949, in Fresno, California
Marital Status: Married to Debbie (nee Koligian)
Poochigian on February 18,1977.
Children: Mark (12), Kirk (10), and Laura (8).
The purpose of my job is: To assist the
Governor in the recruitment, evaluation, and
appointment of people to boards and commissions
and to executive-level jobs in state government.
First job: Working at my father's packing house at
the age of 13.
What I enjoy most about my job: Meeting so
many fine people from throughout the state who wish
to engage in public service and who share my very
high esteem for our great Govenor.
I realized I wanted to be involved in
politics when: I was in elementary school and felt
inspired by President Kennedy.
My most embarrassing moment ever was:
Too embarrassing to describe in Hye Sharzhoom.
The persons who have had the most impact
on my life are: My parents, grandparents, and
wife.
All-time favorite television show: The
Tonight Show.
All-time favorite movies: It's a Wonderful Life
and Casa Blanca.
Favorite foods: Kheyma and cabbage sarma.
Favorite vacation spots: Pismo beach and
Victoria, B.C.
Favorite sport: Baseball.
People who make me laugh: Jay Leno and Tim
Flanigan (a Sacramento attorney who previously held
my position in the Governor's office).
Biggest regret: Not joining the Governor's staff
years ago.
If I could change one thing about myself,
I would: Get better organized and exercise greater
self-discipline with respect to the use of time.
Best gift I ever gave: A string of pearls to my
wife.
Best give I ever received: My wife and
children.
Fondest childhood memory: Attending family
picnics at Kearney Park and taking weekend trips
with my parents and brothers.
Favorite way to relax: Tent camping at Kings
Canyon National Park.
Biggest gripe: Not having enough time to spend
on family recreation.
I am most proud of: My Armenian heritage.
Twenty years from now, I will be: Hopefully
alive and well living in Fresno.
Profiles
"What do you plan to do on Armenian Christmas, Sunday,
January 6,1991?"
Peggy Momjian
Age: 20 Major: Functional Biology
"I will celebrate Armenian Christmas by going to
church with my family and friends and keep the spirit of
Christ's birth alive."
Sara Der Barghamian
Age: 18 Major: Accounting
"I am going to church in New Jersey and will be
celebrating Armenian Christmas there."
Greg Kassabian
Age: 19 Major: Civil Engineering
"I will be going to church in the morning and will be
spending the rest of the day with my family."
Nishan Majarian
Age: 21 Major: International Business
"I will be in Visalia at my Armenian grandmother's
ranch where I'll just hangout and eat some sarma while she
reads poetry to me."
Troy Root
Age: 20 Major: Computer Science
"I will be at church most of the day and most likely
have a family gathering afterwards."
Ara Kebabjian
Age: 20 Major: Business
"I will be going to church with my family and then we
will probably have a formal family dinner."
Vartan Vartanian
Age: 20 Major: Business
"I will be celebrating Armeriiari Christmas by
attending church. I will then play tavloo with my
grandfathers and maybe this year I'll win."
Christine Caprelian
Age: 21 Major: International Business
'Til be in church singing the Christmas shar agon's
(sacred songs) that I have learned."
Fresno true home for Poochigian
By Jeff Ahronian
Editor
Chuck Poochigian has always had
a strange fascination for the city of
Fresno. Ask him to describe his
Garden of Eden and one word
immediately pops into mind- Fresno.
He marvels at the endless rows of
vineyards and at the countless number
of Armenian restuarants. Even after
moving to Sacramento nearly one year
ago, Poochigian has never really left
Fresno. "I'm here atleast half the
weekends out of each month," he
notes.
Poochigian was raised by his
parents Frank and Gladys Poochigian
and grew up on his father's ranch along
with his two brothers Robert and Gary.
MESA, cont. from page 3
the crimes committed against the
Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish
government, led by the Committee of
Union and Progress.
Panels usually last from one and one
half hours to two hours and are followed
by a question and answer period
Typically scholars exchange opinions on
the validity or interpretation of the
papers delivered. In recent years, Turkish
scholars have attended the MESA
meetings in large numbers and many
have been present at the panels which
deal with the Armenian Genocide. At
times the exchanges become heated as
has occured at several MESA meetings.
The small Armenian community of
San Antonio hosted a dinner for the
SAS members in town and also attended
panels and exhibits.
The 1990 MESA meeting was hosted
by the Center for Middle East Studies at
the University of Texas at Austin.
Next year the MESA meeting will be
held in Washington, D.C. and it is
expected to be one of the largest
conferences ever.
He graduated from Sanger High School
in 1967 and then moved on to
California State University, Fresno
where he majored in Business
Administration. Poochigian was very
active in student government along
with various clubs. He received his
law degree from the University of
Santa Clara and practiced law in Fresno
until November of 1988 - that's when
he decided to accept a position on
Governor George Deukmejian's staff.
Poochigian feels that his
Armenian heritage is the most
important aspect of his life. He feels
that his strong sense of family values,
culture, and faith all stem from his
Armenian background. "We can be
very good effective Americans and at
the same  time retain  our Armenian
The Glass Lens
heritage," he states. Poochigian also
feels that politics can be an effective
way of recognizing certain Armenian
issues. "It is extremely promising to
see young Armenians turning to
politics and addressing problems such
as Armenian Genocide," states
Poochigian. "I think much credit must
go to Governor Deukmejian who has
inspired many, myself included, to
advance the Armenian Cause."
When asked what kind of qualities
good politicians should possess,
Poochigian states, "They should have
a sense of what their constituents feel
are important issues. They also should
have a well defined set of values and an
ideology that guides them ,-in their
decision making." He goes on to say
that legislation can an effective tool,
yet, if not exercised correctly, car;
create immense problems. "Politicians must have a good sense of
what is right and what is wrong," he
adds.
George Deukmejian has been his
greatest political inspiration. He
points to the Governor's strong sense
of moral values and the honorable way
in which he has held office as
characteristics of an effective, yet
honest, politician.
Poochigian has hinted about
running for office, yet, he states that
this would not be something that
would happen in the immediate future.
Poochigian's short term future
endeavors are unknown as of writing,
however, he always has the intent of
returning back to his hometown of
Fresno.
Local musician to release CD
By Cynthia D. Baxter
Staff Writer
"The Glass Lens," a music project
initiated by Fresnan James Mekalian
in 1989, is nearing completion of a
compact disk to be released early in
the new year.
Mekalian writes, produces and
performs music ranging in style from
acoustic guitar to synthesized dance
music. Already, a song entitled
"Yellow" from the upcoming album
has been selected as a track on a 10
cassette compilation which will be
distributed internationally by the
record label Electronic Cottage.
Mekalian, along with help from
fellow musicians Rich Fairchild, Russ
Hildreth, and Moms Brown, recorded a
three song demo tape in July of 1990
and has  received airplay on  KFSR.
"The Glass Lens" is also scheduled to
perform some hve shows in some
Fresno local nightclubs.
Mekalian embarked on his solo
music project after playing guitar in
local bands in both Fresno and Los
Angeles. He decided to record solo
because he wanted to learn to cover
every aspect of a song. "I wanted to
start writing music and be able to do
more than just the guitar part," he said.
Mekalian, a 25 year old USC
graduate and current CSUF student, has
played guitar for seven years, but has
progressed into the technology of
electronic instruments. Mekalian
writes and experiemnts with songs on
his own portable home studio
consisting of a synthesizer, rythym
machine, and guitar effects processor,
and then records the finished product at
Double D Music Studio in Southeast
Fresno.
According to Mekalian the
process for writing and producing each
song ranges from two days to two
months. "One song I wrote in less
than an hour and recorded it the next
day in two hours," he said, but other
songs take months to polish becuase
parts have to be redone.
Besides "The Glass Lens,"
Mekalian also is involved musically
in a Fresno local band, "Scarlet's
Carousel." He said that Fresno, even
though it doesn't have the reputation
of Los Angeles for music, is rich in
musical talent that is not often not
recognized.
In the next five years, Mekalian
plans to continue recording and
performing music. "I want to build on
production and try to reach as many
alternative listeners as possible," he
said.