The Null Device

"Let us build a palace of ice"

President Niyazov, crackpot ruler of Turkmenistan and delineator of the 12 Ages of Man, has inaugurated his latest project: an ice palace in the desert.
The idea is to build the palace in the Copa Deg Mountains outside Ashgabat, now baking in the summer heat, with a long cable-car running up from the city. "Our children can learn to ski," Mr Niyazov enthused, "we can build cafes there, and restaurants."
The projects tend now to be sites of recreation for the people, like a Disney-style theme park instead of state palaces. That is in keeping with Mr Niyazov's image as a servant of his people, who lays on every sort of amenity for them.

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There are 1 comments on ""Let us build a palace of ice"":

Posted by: El Bizarro http://bizarro.typepad.com Wed Aug 18 03:04:57 2004

Niyazov would be a crack up if it weren't for the poverty and hardship his 'people' are enduring.

I've never been to Turkmenistan before, but I have a few friends who have and the photos of 20 metre high gold statues of this guy that are littered all around the country send a shiver down your spine.

Of course, he's 'with us' in this war of terror, so any and all excesses are excusable.