KZBlog is going down (2)
After some thought, I have decided not to renew KZBLog’s lease. As you may have noticed, I don’t do a lot of posting here anymore. I don’t have time to blog regularly. Thus I am taking the site down–it does generate some ad revenue but not as much as it costs to keep it up. […]
Culture
- Yurts Are High Fashion and Slum Fashion Too
2011-12-05 - Apples, Sure. But THC is from Kazakhstan too?
2011-10-05 - Naked Man Pot
2011-09-23
- Yurts Are High Fashion and Slum Fashion Too
Resources
- Oh, CNN
2012-07-21 - What Do You Know About Kazakhstan?
2012-07-19 - Books for Kazakh Students
2011-11-06
- Oh, CNN
Politics
- Image
2011-07-28 - Sub Rosa Endorsement
2011-07-26 - The Naked Truth
2011-06-12
- Image
News
- KZBlog is going down
2013-09-10 - Oh, CNN
2012-07-21 - Repentence
2012-07-15
- KZBlog is going down
Fun
- What Do You Know About Kazakhstan?
2012-07-19 - Yurts Are High Fashion and Slum Fashion Too
2011-12-05 - House Hunters Bishkek
2011-12-02
- What Do You Know About Kazakhstan?
Tourism
- Asian Games Torch
2011-01-12 - Wikitravel
2010-08-07 - ALZHIR, the Soviets and Democracy
2010-07-30
- Asian Games Torch
Life in KZ
- Photo Gallery: Almaty Subway
2011-12-07 - Healthcare and the Private Sector
2011-11-30 - Naked Man Pot
2011-09-23
- Photo Gallery: Almaty Subway
Redbubble
This feels accurate, cites off… (Comments Off on This feels accurate, cites off…)
This feels accurate, cites official data @joshuakucera: Violence in KZ drawing parallels to protests 25 years ago: http://t.co/OVR0TOPH”
Of course the local media hasn… (Comments Off on Of course the local media hasn…)
Of course the local media hasn’t mentioned that oil workers have been occupying the central square of #Zhanaozen for 6 months.
1 Dec is now First Pres Day. @… (Comments Off on 1 Dec is now First Pres Day. @…)
1 Dec is now First Pres Day. @EurasiaNet: Kazakhstan Fetes Its President on Independence Day http://t.co/GxlRgdp0”
Pretty if slightly propaganday… (Comments Off on Pretty if slightly propaganday…)
Pretty if slightly propaganday. Would be good for teachers. http://t.co/JVAVYxO5
Photo Gallery: Almaty Subway (Comments Off on Photo Gallery: Almaty Subway)
I finally found a nice photo gallery of the Almaty subway which opened the other day. I note that it looks a lot like the Moscow subway, with high ceilings and over-decorated walls. You half expect a crystal chandelier. That may be nice, but for this almost New Yorker, a subway is meant to be a bit grimy and practical.
In any case, here’s hoping that it does something to reduce the traffic in Almaty!
Cute @RFERLMultimedia: Sesame … (Comments Off on Cute @RFERLMultimedia: Sesame …)
Cute @RFERLMultimedia: Sesame Street launches in #Afghanistan Can you tell me how to get to Bagch-e-Simsim? http://t.co/BiZkUSfe
Yurts Are High Fashion and Slum Fashion Too (2)
Speaking of housing in Central Asia, I guess Occupy Toronto has been living in $20,000 yurts Before you laugh, yurts are insanely warm and comfortable, even the normal, handmade kind that only cost a few thousand. That’s the hipster/slum fashion side.
Apparently, though yurts are also mingling with the upper crust, the occupyees, the 1%, as it were. This year a $75,000 designer yurt made its way into the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog. Now lest you think this is puer consumerist greed, $5,000 of that price tag is a donation made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, apparently in keeping with a theme of making wishes come true.
But overall, it’s pretty luxurious since the Neiman Marcus yurt appears to be designed as a kind of novelty, hang-out spot, an upscale gazebo or party tent.
From the catalog:
Ever wish you could cross your arms, bat your eyes, and escape to a serene place all your own? Well, your wish is our command. Our “Dream Folly” is inspired by the classic 1960s TV show I Dream of Jeannie.
…The structure consists of a mixed-grain interior lattice system, a Sunbrella® exterior lining, and a plexiglass door and dome. The roof is made from vinyl-coated polyester with an acrylic top coat for extra durability. But it’s the interior that goes beyond your wildest, most decadent dreams. Let’s start with the pièces de résistance: a bevy of one-of-a-kind, down-filled pillows from renowned designer Rebecca Vizard.
…In addition to the pillows, Vizard designed every detail of this space and selected colors to evoke the bubbles of a warm, soothing bath. The room’s other noteworthy embellishments include linen wall coverings by Coleman Taylor Handpainted Textiles in Montgomery, Alabama, and a custom, handcrafted crystal chandelier from New Orleans-based Julie Neill Designs.
…Simply ask for this dream getaway, and we’ll have it installed on your estate grounds in the blink of an eye. For every retreat sold, Neiman Marcus will donate $5,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The “Dream Folly” stands 12’5″ tall with an 18′ diameter.
Well I’ll certainly think about where to install it on my estate! Now, maybe Kazakhstani will stop feeling ashamed about yurts and open a tourist company where I can go sleep in one!
Thank You (2)
Thank you anonymous buyer for buying so many My Yurt or Yours T-shirts. Some Central Asian head’s family is going to have a very good Christmas! I’m assuming whoever bought them reads this blog because there really aren’t that many Central Asian Internet portals around. I think this could be the hot new Christmas present this year!
House Hunters Bishkek (Comments Off on House Hunters Bishkek)
Thanks to Joshua Foust for linking to this episode of House Hunters International in Bishkek. Or actually linking to a post by Mrs. Styer on watching herself on an episode of House Hunters International. I can’t believe that reality TV isn’t all real!
No this isn’t about Kazakhstan but the apartments shown also represent the three types of apartments found in Kazakhstani cities, at three times the price of course.
And the bit about meat, boiled meat, fried meat, horsemeat, lamb meat, cow meat….That applies to Kazakhstan as well.
Healthcare and the Private Sector (Comments Off on Healthcare and the Private Sector)
Another post that’s been lounging in obscurity:
Interesting report on healthcare reform in Kazakhstan. Specifically, a grad student from Kazakhstan did a survey of doctors on the decision of working in public or private sector.
The result seems to be that doctors move from public to private when they fear the public sector is unstable or risky. Interestingly reforms meant to better the sector are seen as increasing instability. So fear of change and pessimism that any change could be bad appear to be big motivations.
The most interesting point made, I feel, was that doctors reported discontent that they were not consulted about changes or reforms to the public healthcare sector:
According to Chukmaitova, Kazakhstan’s health care workers also complained “that there are too many reforms that are being implemented, [and that] they are being implemented in a top-down approach, physicians are not being consulted or asked for their opinion in terms of whether there is need for another reform.”
“There is no ownership or engagement coming from the physicians so they have no idea what is happening and they are not feeling comfortable with all these reforms the ministry is implementing,” Chukmaitova added.
This will come as no surprise to anyone who has lived in Kazakhstan and worked with the government.
I did have one complaint, that the research appears to assume working in the private sector is better so that the guiding question was, “How can we get doctors to leave public hospitals and start private practices?” That may or may not be a good thing for Kazakhstan. Because of the way government dominates the social sector, in fact reforming the public sector (with doctor and nurse and patient input) might be the best possible solution for getting good healthcare to everyone.
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