Gulbanu ABENOVA
ALMATY, Dec 13 (THE GLOBE)
Throughout the Soviet Union, Medeu was called the �best skating rink in the world,� a place lauded by Almaty residents and Soviet athletes alike. Beginning in 1972, when Medeu was built, thousands of athletes from across the former Soviet Union came here to train and compete. In all, a total of 200 skating records were broken here.
The Olympic-sized skating rink at Medeu is situated 18 km from Almaty at an elevation of 1,692 meters. The location proved an ideal one. The striking beauty of the river valley , with sunny, windless conditions, a mild climate, and pure glacial water of the Malaya Almatinka river made the sport complex a unique location for training and competitions, and also a favorite resort of the local population.
The past decade, however, proved a difficult one for Medeu. The break-up of the Soviet Union resulted in a dramatic decrease of the number of athletes who came to train.
After twenty-five years, much of the structure�in particular, the ice refrigeration system�required reconstruction and major repair. In 1997, Chevron Munaigas Inc. invested US$ 500,000 to repair the refrigerators.
According to the Chevron Munaigas President, promotion of sports is a key element of the company�s sponsorship activities. The company has invested US$ 1 million in the construction of a new sport complex in Astana, and initiated the establishment of an Almaty baseball Little League, which presently includes 20 teams of teenagers. Chevron has also sponsored the Kazakhstani Special Olympics, in which physically disabled youth compete in sports events.
On Sunday, December 12, Chevron sponsored a day of sports event at Medeu. Both adults and children participated in 500 meter races. Children were especially eager to receive prizes prepared by the company for the event.
By Alessandro RAIMONDI
CHUR, Dec 11 (THE GLOBE)
Remember the terrifying series of movies of the �70s showing natural apocalyptic events that � who knows? � may once in a while strike? Earthquakes, avelanches, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, everything has beel filmed to let us remind how a weak participant of nature man is.
At Felsberg, in Canton Grisons, not far awy from this cantonal capital, people look up at the Calande massif and think of those scaring films in much more real terms. In fact, at any moment a 10,000 cubic meters portion of the mountain could detach from its setting and slide 900 meters downhill.
The disaster under the environmental point of view would be of biblical proportions, only consolation, for the astonished population of the area, is that this �act of God� has been largely announced, so that unless someone elects not to listen to the warnings of the authorities, no casualties should be recorded when the worst is due to happen.
Since last July, safety measures have been implemented to avoid that people could venture on the pathways leading to Gaelwand area, at 1,500 meters altitude, it�s there in fact where a huge mass of rock has moved down of 26.5 cms. in the last 18 months.
Sophisticated devices have been placed on site to measure the movement downhill of that portion of the mountain. It�s only a matter of time, now, for the predictable to happen.
The uncertainty climate is generating tension, although only one house is considered to be risking to be swallowed by the incredible amount of debris that will lose its grip from the mountain side, so authorities are considering �to pilot� the event by the use of explosives provoking a timely artificial landslide.
Will Felsberg become another attraction of the Swiss Alps?
December 14
Kazakh Drama Theatre. �Angel with a Devil�s Face� by R. Mukanov. 6.30 p.m.
New Scene Theatre. �Diogen�s Torch, or Money on the Barrel� by B. Ratser and V. Constantinov. 6.00 p.m.
December 15
Kazakh Drama Theatre. �The Sea Gull� by A. Chekhov. 6.30 p.m.
New Scene Theatre. �Doctor Zhivago� by B. Pasternak. 6.00 p.m.
December 16
Kazakh Drama Theatre. �A Loveless Century� by S. Balgabaev. 6.30 p.m.
December 17
New Scene Theatre. �White Cross� by M. Bulgakov. 6.00 p.m.
December 19
New Scene Theatre. �My Younger Sister� by A. Volodin. 5.00 p.m.
December 22
New Scene Theatre. �Mademoiselle de la Belle-Isle� by A. Dumas. 6.00 p.m.
November 25 to December 20
Kasteev Museum. �Dva pitertsa� exhibition � paintings by Dulat ALIEV and sculptor Dair TULEKOV. Two artists from the school of the St. Petersburg Arts Academy.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Monday.
December 2 to February 4
Kasteev Museum. Exhibition of the Semipalatinsk Nevzorov Arts Museum. �Russian art of the late 18th to the early 20th centuries.� (Paintings, graphics).
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Monday.
Ongoing
The Kasteyev State National Museum. Exhibition of works by S. Kalmykov, I. Itkind, and V. Eifert and R. Nuriev.
From 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Closed on Mondays
November 27 to December 12
Tengri-Umai Gallery. Exhibition of Vsevolod Demidov and Oleg Chekmezov �Favorable Fjord�. (Small plastics, graphics, collages).
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Monday.
Kasteev State National Museum � 30a Satpaev. Tel.: 478356
Archaeological Museum � 85 Dostyk, at Kurmangazy. Tel.: 618585
Tribuna Gallery � 14a Republican Square. Tel: 694628
Orkhon Modern Arts Gallery � Zangar Trade House (TsUM), 3rd floor
Tengri-Umai Gallery � Ablai Khan at Abai, in the lobby of the Russian Drama Theatre
Russian Drama Theater � Ablai Khan at Abai.
December 14, 1911 Norwegian explorer Ronald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole, beating out an expedition led by Robert F. Scott.
December 14, 1939 the Soviet Union was dropped from the League of Nations
December 14, 1958 Soviet expedition for the first time has reached a pole of inaccessibility in Antarctic Continent, the most far point from coast of continent.
December 15, 1965 two US manned spacecraft, �Gemini Six� and �Gemini Seven,� maneuvered to within ten feet of each other while in orbit.
December 15, 1970 for the first time space vehicle sent from the Earth has made landing on other planet when the surface of Venus was reached by the Soviet interplanetary station �Venus 7�.
December 16, 1950 President Truman proclaimed a national state of emergency in order to fight �Communist imperialism.�
December 16, 1957 Soviet expedition for the first time has reached southern geomagnetic pole of the Earth.
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
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