remembered old Soviet joke:
Young French girl comes to Soviet Union, walks in Moscow, and falls in to the open hatch, gets injuries. When she comes back to her senses at the hospital, says:
— why wasn’t it marked with a red flag? you could at least mark it!
And hears the answer:
— when you were crossing the border, did you see the big red flag?
#ussr #soviet #joke #flag #cccp
True: we made mistakes. We tried too hard to pander to Russia in the Yeltsin era, ignoring the growth of corruption, authoritarianism and revanchism. We overlooked Russians’ resentment as their country drifted from the European mainstream and our vulnerability to the steps they could take in response. We neglected Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the countries of the Caucasus. The Blair government was bewitched by the Putin regime’s offer of cooperation against Islamist terrorism in 2001. We have been frequently dazzled by the spurious commercial prospects offered by Russia – in particular BP’s decision to form an alliance with Rosneft, the main Russian oil company, was a shameful example of greed and short-sightedness.
very good paper by Edward Lucas
#edward-lucas #russia #putin #oil #gas #caucasus #blair #ukraine #moldova #belarus #rosneft #russian #bp #vulnerability #authoritarianism #corruption #revanchism #europe #politics #world #war #peace #regime #challenge #soviet #ussr #empire #imperialism #freedom
Russia is a revisionist power
Russia wants to rewrite the rules in three ways. First, it does not believe that its neighbours should make their own decisions about their geopolitical future. Russia’s security, in short, depends on these countries’ insecurity. Russia particularly begrudges the former captive nations of the Soviet empire their freedom, their prosperity, and their independence. These pose an existential challenge to the stagnant and autocratic model of government pioneered by the Putin regime.
very good paper by Edward Lucas
#edward-lucas #russia #putin #europe #politics #world #war #peace #regime #challenge #soviet #ussr #empire #imperialism #freedom
It makes me pretty sad when I see Western liberals/leftists defend post-Soviet authoritarian leaders. I mean come on, you are defending people with golden toilet seats and Swiss bank accounts, people who plunder their own countries to buy yachts and football clubs in London, people who send their kids to the most expensive Western colleges and buy American passports for them. Even those Western leftists who idealized Stalin the 1930s made more sense: Stalin was a mass murderer, but at least he was trying to build a socialist economy, rather than trying to steal enough money to buy a mansion in Miami, FLA.
Mikayel Zolian
#puting #russia #ukraine #soviet #cccp #ссср #2014 #authoritarianism #zolian #invasion #customs-union #eurasian-union #maidan #freedom #путин #янукович #cccp #ссср #украина #россия #майдан #империализм #политика #свобода #евразэс #тс #таможенный-союз #евразийский-союз #деспотизм #авторитаризм #права-человека #Евромайдан #євромайдан #вільність #վլադիմիր֊նադեին #ուկրայինա #ռուսաստան #իմպերիալիզմ #մաքսային֊միութիւն #եւրասիական֊միութիւն #մարդու֊իրաւունքներ #ազատութիւն #սովետ #պուտին #յանուկովիչ #խսհմ #քաղաքականութիւն
#Mikael-Zolyan spoke to #CivilNet about his #generation, which was born in the #Soviet era but has grown up with #independence; the difficulties and challenges they face and what are the factors that will keep them engaged with #Armenia.
http://civilnet.am/2013/09/26/reality-check-independence-at-22/
დიმიტრი შევარდნაძე მხატვარი ხელოვნების მუზეუმის დამაარსებელი დახვრეტილია 1937 ნელს
Dimitri Shevardnadze artist, founder of Georgian Art Museum. shot in 1937
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimitri_Shevardnadze
#USSR #CCCP #СССР #ԽՍՀՄ #1937 #Georgia #Dimitri-Shevardnadze #artist #georgian-painters #georgian #Tbilisi #photo #photos #history #dog #art #Beriya #Stalin #Soviet #communism #socialism #repressions #freedom #დიმიტრი-შევარდნაძე #ფოტო #თბილისი #საქართველოს #ხელოვნების #ძაღლი #ისტორიის #სტალინი #თავისუფლების #լուսանկարներ #Դիմիտրի֊Շեվարդնաձե #նկարիչ #արվեստագէտ #արվեստ #վրացի֊նկարիչներ #Թբիլիսի #պատմություն #լուսանկարներ #ֆոտո #շուն #Ստալին #Բերիա #կոմունիզմ #սոցիալիզմ #Վրաստան #ազատություն
տեսեք է, Թբիլիսիյում դեռ սովետի ժամանակ որտեղից էլ ճարել են սենց ավտո էին քշում։ Բա էն դեղին շորիկով աղջիկը որ լրիվ սովետից չէ։ Թբիլիսցիները միշտ սծիլնի էին, վերջն են։
Look, even during Soviet era Tbilisians managed to find such a stylish car. And that girl in a red dress - she does not look like soviet girl, they did not have anything colourful to wear. Tbilisians were always stylish, always different.
Գիտեք, Թբիլիսիի սլոգալը՝ Թբիլիսի լավզ յու, իսկ քանի որ անպատասխան սէր չի լինում, ես էլ եմ սիրում Թբիլիսին, այն անհնար է չսիրել։
If you don’t know, the slogan of Tbilisi is “Tbilisi loves you”. And because there is no unrequited love, I love Tbilisi in return. It is just impossible to not love it.
ֆոտոն այստեղից via @{Գեղամ ; gegham@spyurk.am}
#Tbilisi #Georgia #car #girl #street #city #love #Soviet #history #photo #style #taste #Թբիլիսի #Վրաստան #մեքենա #աղջիկ #Թիֆլիս #Տպղիս #փողոց #քաղաք #սէր #սովետ #պատմություն #լուսանկարներ #ֆոտո #լուսանկար #ոճ #սծիլ #ճաշակ #თბილისი #საქართველოს #მანქანის #გოგონა #ქუჩის #ქუცა #ქალაქის #მიყვარს #ისტორიის #სტილი #გემოვნების
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2dZlhd4HY
ჯინსების თაობა გიორგი ტიგინაშვილი
#ჯინსების-ტაობა #გიორგი-ტიგინაშვილი #David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое #georgian-music #georgia #երաժշտություն #վրացական֊երաժշտություն #musik #live #կենդանի֊կատարում #Giorgi-Tiginashvili #მუსიკა
աաա Գիորգի Տիգինաշվիլին Ջինսեբի Տաոբայի (ջինսերի սերունդ — #flight-from-ussr) մասին երգ ունի։
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RzJQOS7IO0
#ჯინსების-ტაობა #David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое #georgian-music #georgia #երաժշտություն #վրացական֊երաժշտություն #musik #live #կենդանի֊կատարում #Giorgi-Tiginashvili #მუსიკა
#soviet #dissidents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_dissidents http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A4%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BB:Soviet_dissidents_in_Munich.jpg #CCCP #СССР #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #freedom-of-speech #freedom #munich #photo #ազատություն #խոսքի֊ազատություն #Մյունխեն #ֆոտո
Thanks to his provincial zeal, in the beginning of the 1970’s, #Shevarnadze became the top person in #Soviet-Georgia (after beating his local competitors) and very soon, very easily, managed to charm the Soviet Georgian #intelligentsia. However, the latter was more an “accomplishment” of the Soviet intelligentsia rather than that of the First Secretary, since for dozens of years, the intellectual abilities of the #Soviet intelligentsia had also been deteriorating (alongside the #morals).
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое #jeans #ջինս
In the 1960’s and 70’s they didn’t execute #professors and scientists anymore, but in return for their lives, they forced them to cooperate with the Soviet authorities. Most of them did cooperate with the government, since otherwise none of them would have been able to travel abroad and attend a single scientific conference. Such cooperation with #authorities, at first glance, was nothing special, and sometimes nothing was requested in return for their foreign trips, but this was only at first glance. In reality the main thing was taken away from them - freedom of speech and the right to have their own opinion. They couldn’t express their political views openly and had to support the government in all crucial cases (in every single one, for that matter). That’s what really happened - together with the Soviet government most Soviet scientists obediently created one big Soviet lie. Of course there also were exceptions - those who didn’t want privileges, apartments and cars given by the government (or the government didn’t with to encourage them). But there were very few of them - mostly they sat in the kitchens of their council flats. They would work, eat and drink and express negative opinions regarding the #Soviet #regime only there, in the safety of their tiny #kitchens. True, some - including academics - were in #jail (and not kitchen), but those were known as #dissidents.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое #jeans #ջինս
When the men opened the coffin lid, Gega’s mother turned away, waiting for their reaction. The men, deeply stunned, looked at the corpse which was difficult to identify due to the lapsed time. But it was Natia Megrelishvili who said with conviction: ‘This isn’t Gega. This is Soso, it’s his jeans, there’s the sun drawn on them.’ The others looked at the open coffin again and only now discovered the deceased was wearing the jeans, unaffected by the time and the soil. The jeans looked new and there was a shining sun drawn above the right knee.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое #jeans #ջինս
The Georgian authorities demonstrated more respect to the dead than to the living. However, there was one prerequisite for a guaranteed grave - one had to die ones’ natural death. If one was executed for crime, the dead convict would certainly be buried but he or she wouldn’t have a proper grave. Starting from 1920s, thousands of executed convicts found their eternal resting place in various unmarked stretches of land across the country. Very often the diggers assigned to the job of preparing a deep hole (not a grave) weren’t able to identify with certainty the places, especially that there were no landmarks to guide them and the work was usually done in the small hours, in complete darkness.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое
In those days every pair of jeans was believed to be American, and as the Soviet propaganda was particularly set to destroying American values, many thought the happiness lay where jeans were abundant. There was a grain of truth in such a belief because the Soviet state denied its citizens the basic civil rights, the right of property among them. One could truly be free only in one’s grave or rather, the authorities stopped worrying about your freedom and rights when you were safely put under the earth…. … There might have been other reasons, but the fact is that a grave was the only property people owed. Such political attitude marked the start of altering Georgian taste for the worse. For centuries, the traditional Georgian graveyards were simple and modest, while in the Soviet times the graves became ovely decorated, adorned with marble tables and benches, statues, bikes and even cars. The Soviet Georgians were confident in one thing only - the grave belonged to them, so they were taken care of and zealosly protected. People built and decorated them as they’d do if they had real estate property. The authorities turned a blind eye to the graveyard eccentricities. The Soviet regime principles didn’t extend to the Georgian graveyards.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое
The space pioneer superpower failed to produce such a simple piece of clothing as jeans. What can be more innocent than a pair of jeans? But because they couldn’t produce them, they just banned them. The banned jeans became sweeter than the forbidden fruit.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое
On publishing this book, I did not consider its relevance in today’s current political climate, rather, I naively believed that after the USSR disintegration, the Soviet past of Georgia would become nothing but a bitter memory. I was wrong. As it turned out, the past can come back to haunt you, especially if we ourselves cannot move from it.
#David-Turashvili #Georgia #Georgian #Georgian-writers #Georgian-prose #prose #quotes #USSR #СССР #past #memory #Soviet #flight-from-ussr #Jeans-generation #hijacking #Tbilisi_hijacking_incident #Tbilisi #Դավիթ֊Թուրաշվիլի #დავით-ტურაშვილი #արձակ #Թբիլիսի #თბილისი #Flight-6833 #ԽՍՀՄ #սովետ #պատմություն #միջադեպ #չվերթ֊6833 #անցյալ #поколение-джинсов #Давид-Турашвили #проза #рейс-6833 #Тбилиси #Грузия #инцидент #история #прошлое
#germany #vintage #poster - looks very similar to the #soviet #armenia #poster - guess soviet poster was made, let’s say under influence. #plagiarism
back to #ussr
Written with traditions of #soviet #propaganda - pretty stupid book about #Putin s project to recreate the Russian #Empire. This book is distributed in Russian airplanes. via @{imandes the philosopher ; imandes@spyurk.am} and Kornelij: http://kornelij.livejournal.com/1245962.html #СССР
#robot #robotics #techno #soviet #communism http://www.flickr.com/photos/zmallett/3310658388/
old #soviet #armenian anti-war #poster #սթափվիր ֊ probably could be translated like “waken” or “sober”
հին խորհրդային ազդագիր՝ ընդդեմ միջուկային պատերազմի եւ սպառազինման արշավի։ այնպես որ ստափ եղեք միջուկային զենքի հետ առնչվելիս։ http://norayr.arnet.am/weblog/2011/08/23/ասք-սթափվելու-մասին/
