Kazakhstan: Pranks and Politics · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The row of dayoffs in Kazakhstan brought a dead season for news and blogosphere, following the 2005 law on national holidays, which made both Qurban Eid and Christian Orthodox Christmas non-working days along with the New Year celebrations. However, some developments were discussed by the bloggers, who have noticed some frivolousness in the overall picture.
Mantrovkz writes about flash-based cartoons that have appeared on the web [ru]. The prank stuff features a concocted chrachter, which reminds the head of the state:
The cartoons are made by some “Kaimak Surets” [Sour Cream Pictures – Kaz] with only one person behind it. He alleges he is living in California, working for a high-tech industry and says that cartoons will appear regularly in response to the political developments in Kazakhstan. “That's my vision of the situation. As a Kazakh, I feel keenly about my country”, he says.”
Meanwhile, the Kashagan affair (a controversy around the supergiant oilfield in Kazakhstan, operated by a ENI-led consortium that had faced harsh criticism and pressure from the Kazakh government for delays in start of exploration) has been resolved suddenly. Stranno-m says that the Kazak side unexpectedly agreed for quite humble conditions — the income in first 10 years will amount only to $120 million a year, less than 2 per cent of the project's expected overall income.
“In fact, nothing was decided after so much ado. Idle games…”, he says bewilderedly.
Aitazhi writes how Kazakh schoolchildren prank with the widely advertised educational novelty — the interactive desks that are presumed to unite all high schools in one information network. Pupils made fun of it on the eve of an “open lesson”, which — as was planned — had to be held by the country's prime-minister. “All 900 desks simultaneously showed a message “Let's make sex”. It was posted from Shymkent, a southern city, and the pranks — three 9-grade pupils — were found very quickly”. The boys were rebuked — but their teacher was fired. The prime-minister didn't appear…