A few weeks ago I doubt anyone could find South Ossetia on a map - in a few weeks they may not be able to anyway. Today you have most of the world leaders talking about the horrendous situation there. It's true... truly horrible photos and accounts of man's inhumanity to man, or more accurately explosions and gunfire and bombs inhumanity to man, but after several millenia I think we've more than proven our ability to be all too inhumanly human whenever the mood or land-grab arises. Pardon me, I'm channeling Methos.
Of course, despite the soundbites, it's not quite that simple. Though Russia has been completely and pretty deadly in it opportunistic strategies, the fact that Georgia was possibly having its own domestic genocide with South Ossetia before Russia jumped in, is over-looked a little because it ruins the whole David Vs Goliathski vibe that works so well. Georgia got bullyish because of Western promises, overplayed its hand with the locals, pissed off Russia who saw an opportunity to give a good kicking to the small but lippy kid next door while claiming they were actually helping the even 'littler' guy and further their own agenda... and everyone's drawn into a conflict which had been rumbling along quietly for years. Quite a result.
In other news: Watched the first two episodes of new series Spooks: Code 9. Loved Spooks... this notsomuch. It's supposed to be set about five years from now after a nuclear bomb wipes out all the known cast from the parent show and so the spy operations move north (to my hometown, typical!) and our cast are now quickly trained kids (in their twenties at best) who go partying, enforce draconian laws, defeat terrorists and say 'fuck' a lot so you know they're really hip. It's not Spooks 2012, it's 2012 Jump Street and would be more forgiveable if they hadn't hijacked the Spooks moniker to begin with. Like Torchwood, it has potential in there somewhere, but like Torchwood it can't decide on its audience.
One of the stars of Code 9 is Georgia Moffett, last seen as the Time Lord's genetic offspring 'Jenny' in Doctor Who. Moffett - no realtion to ace Who, Hugo-awarding winning scribe Stephen Moffat - is actually the real-life daughter of ex-Who Peter Davison and apparently (if you follow that type of news) she's now dating David Tennant who was her 'father' in the show and actually, technically the same character her dad played. Imagine the therapy bills on that one.
So, to round up. Georgia: a very complicated situation which only makes the brain hurt the more you try to make sense of the history involved. And also a country.
Without getting into the political and humitarian issues (these things are never straightforward and what we 'learn' through the press depends on the agendas of those involved - not the journo's fault, they're mere pawns in a political game), I have one major problem with all the current unrest and wars.
As a breakfast newsreader who has to read her first bulletin at 6am after an average of 3 hours sleep and without having had a cup of tea first, why do wars break out in areas with the most unpronouncable names?
Now South Ossietia and Georgia I can handle but Saakashvii, Nogovitsyn and Tskhinvali? We have a team of pronounciation experts to ring if need be but as they don't get in till 9am, it's not a lot of help at 6. Mind you I have my doubts about them anyway as they once had to call me to ask how to pronounce Kirkubright (pron: Kirk-coo-bree to the uninitiated).
If it's a name that's only appearing in the news that morning all you can do is give it your best attempt.
But even at that ungodly hour you can safely bet there'll be at least one Russian/Arabic/African (delete as appropriate depending on current headline grabbing political 'situation')speaking listener who calls in to highlight your lack of knowledge of that particular foreign language.
And as for the Olympics -don't get me started!
So as far as I'm concerned show me a region with towns and individuals with the most difficult to pronounce names and I'll predict where the next war will break out.
Bring on the Battle of Bognor (could just about cope with that)...
Fair point. And it's not as if you can even use such names in Scrabble where at least you'd get a high score!
Just be glad that the Slitheen war on Raxacoricofallapatorius, has fallen out of the headlines.