Comments on: "Here are our guests."

"Here are our guests."

goodnewsfortheinsane — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:05:20 -0800

Live footage (in Georgian) as special police forces shut down dissident Georgian TV station IMEDI amid Tbilisi protests; the anchor staunchly trods on (transl. English by RussiaToday). IMEDI TV is co-owned by News Corp.

By: goodnewsfortheinsane

goodnewsfortheinsane — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:05:53 -0800

Wikipedia: IMEDI | current protests

By: dirtynumbangelboy

dirtynumbangelboy — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:17:23 -0800

One has to admire that anchorman's grace under pressure.

By: quin

quin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:24:13 -0800

I was thinking the same thing dnab, I mean, calmly saying: "Here they are, coming into the studio, I want to say thank you, i shouts in the control room, I hope our employees won't be injured, here are our guests." As your building is being stormed by police and your colleagues are being pressed face down into the floor? That's pretty bad ass.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:37:33 -0800

'Here are guests".

By: delmoi

delmoi — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:38:03 -0800

Er, I mean "here are our guests". dammit.

By: ferdydurke

ferdydurke — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:48:49 -0800

Amazing courage. Thank you for this post.

By: thehmsbeagle

thehmsbeagle — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:09:15 -0800

Good for him. I hope he's okay.

By: blag

blag — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:09:47 -0800

More RussiaToday coverage

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:34:49 -0800

Creepiest. Riot Masks. Ever.

By: quin

quin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:52:53 -0800

That's awesome homunculus, I have an old Soviet gas mask that has a really similar style. In a fit of creativity I used some silver tinting material on the eyes, and when combined with a long black trenchcoat, and a black hood, I can be costumed as the modern visage of Death. Looking closely at these, it appears that someone had a similar idea with regard to tinting the eyes.

By: Pope Guilty

Pope Guilty — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:55:28 -0800

Creepiest. Riot Masks. Ever. They're like a cross between the Combine and Imperial Stormtroopers.

By: KokuRyu

KokuRyu — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:03:45 -0800

Reminds me of Half-Life

By: cenoxo

cenoxo — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:08:09 -0800

I dunno. Seeing those masks, I thought Disney's staff writers had joined the Hollywood strike and company ~~goons~~ Goofs were breaking up the picket lines.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:20:55 -0800

Thanks for this... It would be scary if the people taking over the station had uniforms and guns... but...suits and ties... wow... Somehow it makes it so much more possible that we could see that kind of transition here.....

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:34:47 -0800

Somehow it makes it so much more possible that we could see that kind of transition here..... We'd never see such a thing in America! (Hint: It would be unnecessary because the press would just play right along.)

By: cenoxo

cenoxo — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:40:45 -0800

BoingBoing featured the same Russian M-85 gas masks in 2005. This Russian/Soviet Field Gear site lists (item #29) a used one for $45. Add an old motorcycle helmet, a pair of coveralls, some skater pads, and you're all set for Halloween 2008 (or the next G7 meeting).

By: jaduncan

jaduncan — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:34:14 -0800

I enjoy the way that people are focussed on the amusingness or otherwise of the gas masks rather than the possible death of democracy of one in the more stable states of that area. Really, nicely played. Inside Georgian political circles Saakashvili does not seem particularly well regarded on a personal level, and it is indeed true that the upper levels of Georgian politics are quite corrupt. This combines rather neatly with two other factors. The first is the economic drain of a poor ex-Abkhazian population who have been in refugee camps since the end of the war in Georgia's richest area. This also denied Georgia tax revenue from the area, and means that Georgia cannot afford effective welfare measures. The second factor is that Saakashvili is an economic reformer, and the recent liberalisation of the economy was disrupting jobs while not yet creating the weath to effectively socially compensate for this. The ensuing social unrest can be clearly seen. Incidentally, the President's brother and family have left for France and say that they don't know when or if they will be coming back. It has not been reported, I have no citation and I cannot say why I know that but I will give my word that it is accurate. IMO it is not far from the fall of that government or a Burmese-style openly violent and repressive confrontation, and the fact that Saakashvili's family have left rather leads me to assume the latter. 2nd world politics is depressing.

By: elpapacito

elpapacito — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:40:06 -0800

WHat does News Corp stand to gain, from participating into a tv station that has been shut down and was going to be predictably shut down ? It's not pure business, it's a whole lotta politics just like Faux News.

By: cenoxo

cenoxo — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:49:41 -0800

I enjoy the way that people are focussed on the amusingness or otherwise of the gas masks rather than the possible death of democracy of one in the more stable states of that area. Really, nicely played. Laugh or cry, I think everyone here realizes the seriousness of Georgia's situation. Tragedy and humor are close relatives, and politics in all countries, closely examined, is generally depressing. Perhaps that's why people who hope to stay sane make jokes about it occasionally.

By: Samizdata

Samizdata — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:45:53 -0800

It must say that was some amazing journalism. The anchor stayed calm, explained the situation clearly (or, at least the translator did) and kept talking right up to the end.

By: Samizdata

Samizdata — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:48:09 -0800

Upon further thought (and after hitting Post), I thought I should clarify that I don't think we should EVER have to see that live again. It is a terrifying, but not unforeseeable, development, but one we all hoped we were past. FWIW, my best wishes go out to all of them, and I hope against hope things do not go any farther.

By: cenoxo

cenoxo — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:06:57 -0800

...and it's more than a little ironic that a former Soviet bloc state accuses its undemocratic opposition of conspiring with Russia, as its special police are democratically gassing and bashing their fellow Georgians while wearing Russian-made "piggy-style" gas masks. Here's a few more story possibilities. If any of those special police have recently come from the ranks of Georgia's armed forces, they may have also received American military training (from the U.S. State of Georgia's National Guard, no less). And if any of the democratically gassed and bashed protestors happen to end up in Tbilisi City Criminal Court, they may also face Georgian prosecutors trained by the U.S. Department of Justice. Who needs Hollywood writers? You're killin' me here. Even Georgian homeboy Uncle Joe might get a chuckle out of this one.

By: patricio

patricio — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:05:11 -0800

A less serious news invasion - Sue Lawley keeps her stiff upper lip intact...

By: languagehat

languagehat — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:02:23 -0800

the possible death of democracy of one in the more stable states of that area. Huh? What democracy? Georgia has never had real democracy, and hasn't even had a convincing simulacrum since its Menshevik government that held out for a few years after the Revolution before the Bolsheviks invaded. This is just one more notch in the downward spiral that most of the post-Soviet states are undergoing. Anyway, skip the moral posturing; mocking the masks doesn't mean ignoring the tragedy. This is MetaFilter, not Foreign Affairs.

By: the cydonian

the cydonian — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:48:08 -0800

I haven't seen the effects of tear-gas before on television.

By: patricio

patricio — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:25:33 -0800

cydonian - that's a great link thanks. (am I allowed to be amused that the YouTube description says that the police were firing tear gas "at protestants."?)

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:07:42 -0800

Oh, I keep forgetting to mention that imedi is the Georgian word for 'hope.' (It's from Persian omid; lots of Georgian words are from Persian, because Georgia was run by Persia or in the Persian sphere of influence for a long time.)

By: homunculus

homunculus — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:38:33 -0800

Acoustic Weapon Hits Georgian Protesters