MP Pres dis, Misha’s grandma’s garden seized, Misha Brooklyn Hipster, more Ajara discord, Georgia anti-IS training space, Bildt Misha PR pact charge, Zhvania issue, Chirkba says Geneva yuck, Ajara floods, cops nab bent refs, PM’s wife’s cousin threatens “journalist”, Khudoni problems, PM to UN: we’re hydroing, new no foreigners to own ag land law, FB littering page, foreign gogoebi sic of BS, Zura Japaridze replaces Misha Machavariani as UNM exec sec, Free Movement yells in court, China flight, C.T. Park contract review, Arms Trade Treaty ratified, wrestling leadership snafu, US Army chief in town, gas line II happening, Alasania in Armenia, al-Shishani on US list, young judo champs, Slovakia said yes to association, Tangerines movie hauls in awards, Havel memorial in Vake, abortion and new gun laws, PM and Matt Damon, remittences, London Georgian lessons at UCL
TBLPOD.com
A discussion in English of the week in Georgia (the one near Chechnya not the one near Alabama) Don't know what a podcast is? Don't worry, just click on it and listen. კეთილი იყოს თქვენი მობრძანება! თუ ინგლისური იცით, დააჭირეთ ისარს და მოისმინეთ კვირის საინტერესო ამბები
Don't know what a podcast is? Don't worry, just click on it and listen. That's it. Nothing scary about it.
კეთილი იყოს თქვენი მობრძანება! თუ ინგლისური იცით, დააჭირეთ ისარს და მოისმინეთ კვირის საინტერესო ამბები.
The MEME this week is a photo on the official facebook page of PM Gharibashvili; he’s in New York, meeting world leaders .. and taking a picture with American actor Matt Damon. Link: http://bit.ly/1roK7BW
THINGS TO READ
RFE/RL journalist Robert Coalson writes about the dispute between Georgia’s president and government, begging the question of who runs the country. Ultimately what it shows is a problem of weak institutions and informal governance. Link: http://bit.ly/1puU2QY
A statement by Georgian NGOs including TI Georgia and GYLA on the conflict between the president and government. They warn that “Georgia will not become a fully fledged member of the Euro-Atlantic family – which is the will of Georgian people – while informal governance is a reality and democratic institution-building is undermined.” Link: http://bit.ly/1rnoUXA
An article by Pavol Stracansky profiling female drug addicts in Georgia. He finds that it is very difficult for female drug addicts to gain institutional access to health services because of Georgia’s male-dominated society and the severe social stigma against women drug users. Link: http://bit.ly/ZfnwgI
Agenda.ge looks back at the doomed flight going from Tbilisi to Sokhumi, shot down on the 22nd of September, 1993 at Babushera airport, during the war in Abkhazia. Link: http://bit.ly/1vl3uw2
Jason Horowitz’s interview with Misha for the New York Times. Link: http://bit.ly/Yf3f9C
And the responses to the Misha New York Times profile: Mark Adomanis writes in Forbes that Misha doesn’t know what democracy is, if he thinks that Williamsburg having posh cafes is democratic. Link: http://bit.ly/1uKT1IS
NY Mag has a little blurb poking fun at Misha’s hipster life. Link: http://bit.ly/1uKT5YZ
As does “Brokelyn” magazine, with a post titled “hipster went to war with Putin before it was cool.” Link: http://bit.ly/1svHyQY
As does Gothamist. This is how they sum him up: “His eldest son is the reigning fasted iPad typer. He is peripherally aware that Hasidic Jews wear “big hats.” He can speak a little Ossetian. He fits in pretty damn well in Williamsburg.” Link: http://bit.ly/1pfoEGQ
And finally one from Mic.com, assuring us that Misha’s president-to-hipster tale is not the plot of a Wes Anderson movie. Link: http://bit.ly/1u2AaLu
Will Cathcart profiles Misha’s wife, former First Lady of Georgia Sandra Roelofs. Despite that Misha now lives in the U.S. and will be arrested if he enters Georgia, Sandra and their 8-year-old son remain in Tbilisi. Link: http://bit.ly/1wMZzYS
George Lomsadze catches up with the three singing Georgian girls whose folklore selfie video went viral online a few weeks ago. Link: http://bit.ly/1roKlc3
A World Bank update on renovations in the remote village of Dartlo in the Tusheti mountains, which they are financing. Link: http://bit.ly/1xoI1FF
Adventure and travel magazine Outside has a feature on Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, described as an “adventure oasis in a country better known for chaos.” Link: http://bit.ly/1pfoL5s
Likewise blog Adventurous Travels features Batumi as a surprising sub-tropical “Mini Las Vegas of the Black Sea.” Link: http://bit.ly/1CqKmzT
An article by Inga Popovaite about being a foreign “gogo” in Georgia. Link: http://bit.ly/1svHOiT
Coinciding with the MoMA’s exhibit on Georgian film, the New York Times surveys the history of Georgian cinema, calling it “exotic … forbidding, as well as fiercely beautiful.” Link: http://bit.ly/1DAL8fe
A film review of Nino Kirtdaze’s film “Don’t Breathe” that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Link: http://bit.ly/1pfoK1j
We always knew Bildt was on the take. Look at his many efforts to support Saakshvili during the 2012 election campaign. Nothing new here. In fact, Saakashvili was probably not Bildt’s only benefactor.
Still can’t find the links to all the articles mentioned. Are they supposed to be in the comments section? I’ve actually never been able to find them unless they are posted later as a comment. The reason I ask is because you recommend great articles and I’d like to read them. Also a question: A while back on this podcast I think Dunbar was talking about about how much Garibashvili and Kaladze hate each other. Is that still that case and where does that fall into this rift between the president and prime minister? If it’s still the case, then it sounds like Garibashvili isn’t making a lot of friends and maybe these reports blaming the president are biased. Thanks for everything you do! TBLpod is a quality and consistent source of information and is much appreciated.