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!

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.

Plus, the tourists you would attract would be up for eating pretty much anything!

So the question is, are any Australians planning on watching this? And can you post clips on YouTube? Or KazTube perhaps.

the most concentrated and popular form of marijuana is so-called “plastilin” (plasticine), and the way it is harvested and produced has not changed for centuries.

It begins with a freshly showered person riding naked for hours on a clean, washed horse inside a two-meter-high “forest” of marijuana.

Afterwards, the human body and that of the horse are covered with a thick layer of resin mixed with sweat.

It only takes a few tiny pieces of “plastilin” to get high.
This produces a substance that is usually dark brown in color, which is then thoroughly scraped off the human and horse’s bodies.

The mixture is subsequently pressed, molded into bars, and dried.

The “plastilin” that results from this process effectively comprises very concentrated marijuana bars.

A couple of small, pinhead-sized pieces from one of these bars added to a regular cigarette is enough to make the smoker happy.

from RFE/RL

• The UK, while relatively democratic, is still technically a monarchy. It also lacks a written Constitution, unlike most modern democracies. In fact its freedoms are based entirely upon an archaic document written in the 13th century.
• While there is no sign that nationalism or ethnicity play a role in these riots, the United Kingdom consists of four ethnic nations with their own histories but all dominated by Anglo-centric England. Ireland in particular is known for ethnic strife, and Scotland has made some bold strides toward independence in recent years.
• The UK is known for its close ties to the US.

Anything I missed?

Hope this doesn’t offends anyone. I thought it was kind of amusing, and it does illustrate the sacrifice that is celebrating Ramadan.

Embarrassed to admit that I lost the original image file for that shirt, so you have to look at the promotional version of my Astana Pride T-shirt. In any case, Happy Birthday Astana! May all Astanians enjoy their holiday and all the cool things that happen in Astana over these holidays, including the zhitovka:

For some reason, every Fourth of July weekend, I am unable to go to the Embassy cookout, but I am hoping to grill burgers outdoors myself this year. If only we could get decent corn on the cob in Astana, I’d be happy. I am pleased that this year they made the 4th a day off, even if everyone has to work Saturday and Sunday. The day off may have something to do with some small local holiday like the Day of Astana or some guy’s birthday party. But I prefer to pretend that it’s for Independence Day.

According to a Member of the Kazakhstan Parliament, the document read:

Signed for the Republic of Belarus – Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, for the Republic of Kazakhstan – President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, for the Russian Federation – President of Belarus Vladimir Putin

Given the tension between Russia and Belarus in recent years, one wonders if this was an honest mistake, a bit of satire, or a jab at both countries.

Those of us who live in Astana and have friends who work for the government will also suspect that the people who physically drafted, typed, printed and delivered these documents were forced to work overnight several nights in a row. So perhaps this is a call to ensure that the government gives its workers reasonable hours!

I certainly believe that people from Kazakhstan will do a lot to avoid paying taxes and also to avoid buying extra equipment to do things properly. I also know that a great number of people do drive to Europe, buy a car, bring it back and sell it. I have a hard time believing they pulled this off. And I also find it hard to believe we have such quality pictures of it, sitting in what looks like a nice little compound of some kind. I’m guessing this is not a picture taken by two guys who just bought a car at the auto-bazar, nor is it a shot taken by the police on the side of the road.

In any case, it’s a funny little story and if it is true, I’m afraid these two guys have no right to be annoyed by comparisons to Borat.