Stories about Georgia from January, 2010
Georgia: Plans for the largest airport in the Caucasus
The Georgian International Media Center says that the largest airport in the South Caucasus might be built near the Black Sea port city of Poti. However, it notes, the idea is not without its controversies, and not least the fact that any development would take place near an environmental reserve...
Georgia: Patriotic military classes
In the latest edition of Caucasus Watch, a bi-monthly feature of the blog-based Evolutsia, Inge Snip takes exception to a proposal from the Georgian president to introduce patriotic-military classes in schools. Although the blog recognizes the importance of a country such as Georgia being able to defend itself, it says...
Georgia: Penisman, an alternative superhero
Social Blurbs comments on two teenage bloggers in Tbilisi, Georgia, and their alternative style of blogging. In a guest video post on the social media blog, the two young bloggers speak about Penisman, a Georgian superhero who “doesn't give a crap.” The blog says that 15-year-old Giorgi Chilaia and 14-year-old...
Caucasus: Society, sex and the dating game
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, hopes that new freedoms would quickly replace the old have often been dashed by the re-emergence of traditional practices. Largely kept suppressed by the communist system, gender and issues of sexuality were particularly affected. Slowly, however, discussion is starting to take place online.
Georgia: Let's talk about sex, baby…
Perhaps the most buzzing topic in the Georgian social media scene was not politics, elections, sport, crisis, earthquakes or catastrophe. Instead, one of the most discussed topics was actually about a new television show, Ghame Shorenastan, about sex.
Caucasus: New media bringing people together
Julien Frisch Watching Europe comments on a recent attempt to use new and social media to overcome negative stereotypes in the South Caucasus. The blog details how online services such as Twitter meant he discovered the project, but also asks when will the traditional media also cover such stories.
Caucasus: Unity in Diversity
With three unresolved conflicts and a local media that often self-censors, blogs comment on an online project hoping to break stereotypes by reporting on examples of ethnic groups otherwise in conflict in the South Caucasus co-existing peacefully together.
Georgia: Tragedy ushers in the New Year
As citizens of Georgia waited in anticipation of the New Year, two high profile scandals were instead set to dampen the holiday spirit. As part of plans to decentralize government, a Soviet-era statue to thise who died during World War II was set to demolished in Georgia's second largest city to make room for the construction of a new parliament building. A mother and her child were tragically killed.