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 [1] about flash-based cartoons that have appeared on the web [2] [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 [3].”
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 [4] 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 [5] 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…