From 10th to 14th of April, SDU was holding INFOMATRIX Asia & Pacific.
One of the participants Saparali Bernar was wondering that with developing technologies, society forgets about people with disabilities. He wanted to improve living conditions of disabled people and based a company named “Conglomerate Innovation”. He made four projects, which aim is to help people to do their daily actions without struggles. Bernar’s latest invention is a clever crutch for blind people. He interviewed some of the individuals and came to conclusion that blind people often get hurt by environment, particularly by objects that are placed higher than person’s legs. He made an Arduino-based cane, which detects unidentified objects around person with using of sensors and warns person by vibration. Bernar said that his project was supported by Astana Hub, international technopark for IT startups. They are ready do fund his startup by giving him 4 million tenge to develop project and realisation of the invention. Bernar also shared that the competition’s level was much lower than he expected. He said:” There were lots of organizational troubles and volunteers didn’t consult me and my mentor really well. I always got confused because of different answers to my questions. My friends told me that last year INFOMATRIX was much cooler, but it wasn’t like that this year”.
Saparali Bernar. Photo by me
INFOMATRIX is an international competition, which aim is to give students opportunities to develop their projects, based on computer-related areas, create a worldwide bond between participants and get more possibilities to study in top universities among globe.
This was sixth competition, that was organized by SDU, Educational foundation DARYN and SDU’s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences. As was said on official site of the event, about 400 students from 28 countries participated in different categories. Overall, there are 7 categories, which are connected to neo-technologies, robotics and other innovative areas. Results and finalists were announced on the 14th if April during closing ceremony.
INFOMATRIX 2019. Photo by me
INFOMATRIX is divided into 7 main parts, depending on particular category: Robotics, Computer Programming, Computer Graphics and Art, Short Movie, Hardware Control Systems, Drone Racing, and Mathematics Project. Each competition has its own rules, mentors, volunteers and highlighted area.
Results of the INFOMATRIX Asia&Pacific are placed on the official site and were announced on closing ceremony on 14th of April. Until that time, participants and guests were invited for the celebration of Nauryz in SDU, 13th of April.
If you read my posts or at least look at them, you can see that in my last work I described Alfredo (RIP Alfredo). Alfredo was a good friend of mine and he was tasty, what made him wonderful pizza. But let’s move on. In this post I want to tell you a bit about my small hobby
Alfredo (08.03.19-08.03.19)
If you read my posts or at least look at them, you can see that in my last work I described life and death of Alfredo (RIP Alfredo (you will live forever in my heart)). Alfredo was a good friend of mine and he was tasty, what made him a wonderful persona. But let’s move on. Nothing lasts forever. In this post, I want to tell you a bit about my small hobby.
I enjoy cooking and watching how people cook. I follow so many people’s accounts on Instagram, related to food and snacks. The food industry is enormous and so demand on it, so you can find food you like anywhere on the Web. I take my inspiration from social media, videos and pictures.
Once I prepared a bolognese pasta for a family dinner. I was so drawn in a process, so ready pasta came out really good. I decided to take a photo of this small ‘masterpiece’. And since that time I take a photo of literally all food, cooked by me or my brother. By the way, he is a chief in our home. Abylai is a master of cakes, biscuits and other delicious stuff.
Below you can see some of my favourite shots. Another level of enjoyment is to eat nice and good-looking food. I can say I am an aesthete. It is important for me to see, listen or make beautiful and charming things around me. I enjoy the process of finding a suitable angle, accurate background and setting lightning. It is a creative process and I am fully engaged in it.
Ginger cookie tree
Chocolate fondant
Alfredo’s right leg
Caesar salad
Trout with vegetables
Lasagne
Ginger cookies
It’s not my cake, but candles are so magical haha
In future, I plan to upgrade my skills in order to make more professional photos. There is plenty of online courses, which allow us to study online. I hope one day I will organize a small exhibition with the photos I made ^-^
Standard & Poor’s is a company belonging to the top three most influential international rating agencies. According to the company, Kazakhstan is included and even overtakes Russia in terms of budgetary indicators of the external economy. Kazakhstan looks the most promising for foreign investors. S&P confirmed the long-term and short-term sovereign credit ratings of Kazakhstan for liabilities in foreign and national currencies with a “stable” outlook. A budget surplus during a period of high commodity prices plays a key role in the political balance of the country.
However, there is a risk for investors. in Kazakhstan, the
potentially low predictability of future political decisions due to the high
centralization of political processes, as well as only a moderate level of well-being.
The outlook for economic growth in Kazakhstan S & P estimates slightly better than the Russian Federation and according to the rating company Fitch. Kazakhstan has the highest rating in terms of budget indicators. Russia surpasses its neighbors in monetary policy, which is rated by S & P as more flexible and reliable, ”the report says.
Because of his taste for high life people call Seungri “K-pop’s Great Gatsby”. But now he is facing some charges that he supplied prostitutes for businessmen in some of Seoul’s most fashionable nightclubs. Prostitution is illegal in South Korea. So the singer faces up to 3 years in prison.
Police claims that the nightclub, where Seungri was a public relations director, was involved in illegal drug use, sexual assaults and police corruption. Officers had confiscated Seungri’s passport now that he was officially regarded as a suspect. But he denied allegations. The case is still under investigation.
Seungri wrote in his Instagram account that he quits the pop industry. “As this scandal is too big, I have decided to retire. As for the ongoing investigation, I will take it seriously to clear myself of all the allegations.” he said. Also he thanked his fans for the love and support.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Aflo/REX/Shutterstock (9921385n) Seungri from BIGBANG, attends a press conference. Oct 2018
In the seventh round of the World Cup in Astana, the women’s team met with Georgian chess players, and the men’s team with a young and ambitious team from Iran. Matches of the women’s section did not work out from the very beginning. In 2018, at the meeting in Batumi with the Georgian team, the girls won and at the championship in Astana, the Georgians took the revenge.
The men’s team also failed to beat the rivals – the youngest championship team, the Iranian team. Kazakhstani sensationally beat legendary chess player Karjakin As a result, draws were recorded on the three boards, and Iranian champion Firuzdzh Alireza won in one game. The women’s team continues to occupy the sixth position in the standings, the men’s ranks eighth. From 4 to 14 March 2019, the World Team Chess Championship is taking place in Astana, in which 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams from 14 countries take part.
In New Zealand, vaccinations against measles are used outside the clinics. Doctors are trying to reduce the spread of measles, an infectious viral disease. Number of cases of measles rose to 25. Some number of measles cases took place in the Canterbury region of the South Island. Health department stated that there are 100,000 people, who need vaccination, even though clinics are going to run off vaccines soon.
In order not to increase risks, doctors vaccinate people outside, on the car parks and outdoor. David Clark, health authority minister, said that government officials are attentively monitoring the situation in Canterbury, they are trying to find a solution to prevent large scale of measles.
Vaccine supplies have run out the Canterbury region, where 100,000 people need to be vaccinated, Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
A student of the Kyzylorlinskaya NIS, Zhanagul Tynysbek, with the project “Mathematical Model of the Installation of Wells in a Gas Field” won the silver medal at an international competition among more than 300 research projects in mathematics and mechanics, reports “Khabar24”.
The girl derived a mathematical equation that allows
efficient placement of drilling structures to bring oil and gas products out of
great depths to the surface. That will be useful in oil industry in Kazakhstan.
Thus, “one geographically well-defined well will produce as many products as, say, three at different points”,as girls commended.
NIS Kyzylorda. Photo was taken from the google.com/
Add-ons
Photo of the week
A dhobi (washerman) hangs clean clothes on a rope for drying at the Mahalaxmi dhobi ghat. Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA
*read this post with the voice of a 93-year old gentlemen*
My dear, come closer and listen carefully. I want to tell you the story of my youth about Alfredo. It happened about 80 years ago and it was a usual spring day. But wait… I am mistaken. It was the 8 of March, International Women’s Day. That day I saw Alfredo for the first and for the last time… *mysterious pause*
Hmmm, I think I’ve got some photos in my archive, let’s see them!!!
I call this photo “The birth of Alfredo”. We didn’t expect him to be born, but he did.This is newborn Alfredo! As you can see, he is so small and sweet!Wow, he looked so good… and tasty!But suddenly one woman started taking one of Alfredo’s body part. I swear I heard him screaming!After few moments Alfredo was without his hand. We all were shocked!That woman started rolling Alfredo’s hand. That was terrible, I’ll never forget it. Then one man took Alfredo’s leFt leg! Alfredo was in PAIN SHOCK.Cruel and violent attack on bakery product.Even after attack, Alfredo looked so cool…I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT! BUT I COULDN’T STOP MYSELF! HE LOOKED SO FINE! I’LL NEVER SORRY MYSELF FOR THAT!ALFREDO WAS NOT THE ONLY VICTIM. HIS SISTER NATASHA WAS POURED TO A GLASS.ON THESE SHOTS YOU SEE LYING ALFREDO, WHO TRIED TO SURVIVE… *no comment*UNFORTUNATELY, HE DIDN’T SUCCEED.
Every year dozens of countries celebrate the first holiday of the spring – International Women’s Day on the 8th of March. Shops and city malls are full of flowers, perfume, jewels and pink/red stuff. Men run all around to find presents for their beloved wives, daughters and mothers. People wish to young girls to be pretty, always smile and find their “female happiness”. We forget about the real aim of this day, which originally was not in gifts and wishes. I made a small research on this holiday and I am going to tell you a little about it.
On the 8th of March 1908, thousands of NYC’s women went out and marched for the first time. Their demand was in gender equality in the labour sphere. That time women worked for 14 hours and earned less money than men did for 10 working hours. At the same moment slogans about gaining of suffrage started wide spreading.
A year later, on the 28th of February, America’s social party declared National Women’s Day, which was celebrated on the last Sunday of every February. In 1910, Clara Zetkin and Rozalia Luxemburg suggested a Women’s Day to be held annually, it happened in the International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Clara Zetkin and Rose Luxemburg, 1910. Picture was taken from Google with free licenze.
On 23 of February (old style) 1917, textile workers started a protest, local Bolsheviks joined them, they were protesting against harsh working conditions. In 1921, by the decision of the II Communist Women’s Conference, it was decided to celebrate Women’s Day precisely on March 8 in memory of the participation of women in the revolutionary movements.
After some time, enthusiasm decreased. Day, when women had to participate in a marsh, turned into the day, when beauty and tenderness are carolled. Only in 1966, Leonid Brezhnev signed a document, which says that 8 of March is an official holiday.
I typed “8 march” and these are results from Google. Flowers, pink background and nothing more.
Since 1975 the UN supports this day and declared it as International Women’s Day. There is a subject or issue, which is discussed every year. In 2019, the topic was ‘Think equal, build smart, innovate for change’.
Hi, dear reader! It is 10th of March and we offer you to read the most interesting news stories of the week! On 8th of March the whole planet celebrated International Women Day, so we made a digest of articles related to women and their rights! On behalf of the entire editorial board, we wish you to be strong, independent and confident in yourself and your strength! Let’s read!
This digest was made while listening to Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss me
Hillary Clinton, Democratic Party’s nominee for President in US in the 2016 election and the first woman nominated by a major-party, said on 4th of March that she is not running for president again in 2020, even though it was clear long time ago without an official statement.
“I’m not running, but I’m going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe.”
Hillary Clinton told News12, NYC television station
In the interview, Clinton assured everyone that she will still be present in politics.
“I want to be sure that people understand I’m going to keep speaking out, I’m not going anywhere.”
Hillary Clinton on October 9, 2016 in St Louis, Missouri. Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images
Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore, freelance journalist in TheGuardian.com, made a material, where she talked to some famous female photojournalists. They told her about difficulties, gender prejudices and advantages of being woman in this industry.
Cybele Malinowski, 37, is a photojournalist, based in Sydney. Malinowski faced discrimination while doing her work. Sometimes clients thought that she was makeup artist or stylist on set, sometimes people thought her male assistant was a real photographer.
“We want to show future female photographers: yes, of course, you can do it. If you’re hungry, you’re talented, you’re driven, you can definitely get there.”
Cybele Malinowski in interview for Sebag-Montefiore
Malinowski decided to fight with sexism with all her strength. In 2018 she co-founded Agender with entrepreneur Angela Liang, a platform for female photographers with the purpose of exchanging ideas, thoughts and etc. Balance For Better is their second exhibition, it will open on 9 March to celebrate International Women’s Day. 50% of profit will be donated to Sydney Women’s Fund.
All 28 members of the world champion United States women’s national team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation on Friday. The exacerbation of a long-running fight over pay equity and working conditions that comes only months before the championate begin defense of its Women’s World Cup title.
Superstars such as Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan sued the United States Soccer Federation over pay and workplace issues. The civil complaint was launched in federal court in Los Angeles, marking another major step in an ongoing fight between players and the federation over pay and workplace issues.
US team during She Believes Cup in March 2019. Photograph: Douglas DeFelice/USA Today Sports
On March 8, women and even men gathered near the center of Bishkek to hold a women’s march. Women complain that people are used to seeing this holiday in the form of gifts and flowers. The march became a reminder of what the holiday is really about: women’s equality and emancipation. The day before the event, the nationalist movement “Kyrk Choro” threatened to thwart the “unconventional”, in their opinion, event, but, fortunately, there were no clashes.
The police were obviously nervous and even drove the paddy wagon to the place of the rally. But there were no attacks on the protesters. About 150 people took part in the march. People went to the streets with slogans about women’s rights, violence and sexism. Purple flags became the symbol of the march. As the participant of the march explained “purple is the color of feminism”. Also, many people wrote their slogans about LGBT rights, corruption, and other issues that concern them. The march in honor of the International Day of Women’s Solidarity and the struggle for equal rights takes place annually.
A rally for International Women’s Day in Bishkek. Photo by Aisha Jabbarova.
Education Department approved a proposal by a Dream center, Christian non-profit organization to buy a chain of colleges with troubles. Some people predicted that this idea is going to fail, but no one expected it would be so fast. About a year after the deal, major part of DC campuses are out of money and are planned to be closed until Friday, 8th March. Other colleges were sold, hopefully they will survive.
Argosy University, South University and the Art Institutes are the ones, which have problems. They have about 26,000 students in medicine, psychology and law programs.
The problems started almost immediately after Dream Center bought the schools in 2017. They were accompanied by efforts of government to regulate for-profit colleges industry. The Dream Center’s began it’s charity 25 years ago. It has a network all over the country and it’s purpose is to solve problems like homelessness and domestic violence.
Dream Center’s logo.
ADD-ons.
Photo of the week
Bogota, Colombia. Women participate in a rally during International Women’s Day celebrations. Photograph: Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters
On December 12, 2017, Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, and his colleague Wa Lone, 32, were arrested on suspicion of obtaining secret information, so-called “state secrets”, in Yangon, a large city and former capital of Myanmar. Both journalists say that the real reason for imprisonment is their investigative report about the murder of 10 Rohingya men, that happened on the 2nd of September 2017 in Rakhine state. Even after finding no real evidence, police and government appointed a punishment for them.
Rohingya conflict is an active conflict that takes place in Northern Rakhine state. The conflict has social and religious roots, that happens between Rohingya Muslim and Rakhine Buddhist communities. Inn Din is a small village, where two communes live. On the last days of August 2017, Buddhist residents were told by a police officer to join a secret operation. Villagers started to burn houses of the Muslim part of the local population. Some people tried to hide in the hills but after 3 days hundreds of Rohingya came back to the village’s beach because of the need for resources. 10 killed men were in the number of returned people. Rohingya planned to move to Bangladesh but they were late. Armed Buddhists and troops picked 10 men out of the crowd and said they took them just for a meeting. Later that day, 10 men were seen kneeling down, naked to the waist. As some witnesses said, then they were taken to the school facility, given fresh clothes and fed. In the morning of the next day, Rohingyas were taken to the grave site, where they were killed.
Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are journalists, who went to Inn Din in order to make a special investigation about the massacre. On the 12 of December, they were in a restaurant by invitation of the police for a dinner. But after the ended, police officers in plainclothes arrested them for possessing secret information. Despite the absence of evidence and a claim statement by a police officer and government official that journalists were jailed for a Massacre case investigation, two men spent less than a year before they were sentenced for a 7 year of imprisonment. Their Wives became outsiders, many friends turned their backs, no one wants to have something in common with the wife of the state enemy. Wa Lone became a father for the first time while sitting in jail. Kyaw Soe Oo has a small 2 years old daughter, whom he hadn’t seen for a time.
The arrest of two reporters can have an affect society, which still lives in the military junta, even though the government had changed since 2011. People need to stand in order to change the system, that has no freedom of speech or justice.
The hero of my blog post today is my grandfather, Bassibekov Temir Sabrgalievich. My grandfather was born in 1950 in Western Kazakhstan in a large family. He is a very hardworking, active and funny person. I took him as a hero, because of the colour of his eyes, atypical for Kazakhs, is green. Also, he visited many countries and saw a lot. My topic is an eye-sight, thanks to Nargiz Makhmudova.
Ata, where were you born and spent your youth?
I was born in 1950, I am 68 years old. Born in Western Kazakhstan, the Ural region, Chapayevsky district in the village Lbishchensk. In childhood and adolescence, I was fond of everything. Played chess and checkers, volleyball and football. I studied at a rural school and then studied in Moscow, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Engineering and Geodesy in 1974.
What did you do after graduation?
I got into the project research institute “HydroProject”, which was located in the Moscow region, worked there until 1997. After that, I returned with my family to Kazakhstan.
Were there any interesting trips while working at HydroProject?
Yes, they were. I went on a business trip to Angola, the city of Rwanda. I was there from 1986 to 1987. We designed the construction of the Kapanda HPP. In Angola, I learned Portuguese as most of the locals were Brazilians. Every evening we played football and volleyball with them. In football, our team lost, and in volleyball – we won. From 1993 to 1997, I was sent to the Syrian-Arab Republic. I went with my family – my wife, daughter and son. Here I was engaged in designing the Tishrin hydroelectric complex on the Euphrates River.
What countries have you visited?
My very first trip was to Finland in 1977, I went as a tourist. Then I was in the USA, Germany, Austria, Holland, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and of course Russia. The last time I was in Italy in the summer of 2018, visited Verona, Venice and Milan.
What was the memorable moment from the trip?
In Angola, I played football with colleagues, locals and Brazilians. Also, we played with the military of the Soviet Union, who prepared the right wing of the ANC (African National Congress) on the border of Angola and South Africa. They recruited the ANC refugees to prepare from them so-called terrorists and sent them back. I am probably the only person in Kazakhstan who played the most football with the Brazilians.
To my random question about his eye colour, he replied that he got it from his mother, my great-grandmother. She was fair and light-skinned and I was born this way into her. The eyes are the mirror of the soul, they see everything in life. So my grandpa saw lots of things in his life.
Ariana Grande released a track, named “God is a woman”. After listening to this song, I thought a lot about the title. I am not a religious person, but God is truly a woman. Wondering why? Who else on the Earth can be so diverse, wonderful and strong, if not women? I wouldn’t say that I was raised around women, vice versa, I have brothers and uncles all around. As a result, respecting women was an essential part of nurture in my family.
From the old times, patriarchy maintained it’s role as a main society’s regime. As a reason, women were presented only as housekeepers and mothers. In Germany, a traditional woman had four functions – so-called 4K’s: Kinder (children), Kirche (church), Küche (kitchen), and Kleidung (clothes). Throughout all the history of humankind, we know that women were strong and caring. Women worked without stopping or complaining in the period of wars. They healed and nursed wounded people, gave strength to the exhausted. There are multiple examples of women, who invented or explored new theories and technologies in the scientific and medical areas. We can’t underestimate the power and influence of women in today’s world.
I am not a stalker, honestly. Occasionally, I look at girls in public transport, in queues, in streets – everywhere they walk. I see how they smile looking at the screen of their smartphone, I see how they fix their hair standing in the front of the mirror, trying to see insecurities that they actually don’t have, I see how they sincerely laugh at friends’ jokes and wrinkles appear near their eyes. The problem is that they don’t see themselves from the side. They see flaws, that are invisible for others. They create for themselves boundaries. They don’t see beauty in the reflection of the mirror. Beauty is not about perfect body proportions, clear skin or long hair. It is about the state of the soul.
This text is so messy and my thoughts are hesitating. I am very sorry about that. I have flu and my brain doesn’t work properly haha
Half a year ago I spent my time scrolling YouTube. I found a video with a very intriguing title “The person you really need to marry”. It was a TED-talk, spoken by a woman who was married three times, had some relationships and at the moment has a boyfriend. The reason why every marriage failed was not in her partners. Tracy McMillan, the speaker, understood that all the relationships could end happily, if only she built a trusted relationship with one special person. That person was herself.
Marrying yourself means to commit yourself with all your flaws and feel whole. As said Tracy, marrying yourself is not just for a couple of years. We live with ourselves till death. Until that moment comes, we should accept the fact, that sometimes there are failures and achievements, but we should love ourselves without depending on circumstances. For better or for worse. Loving yourself means to pay attention to whether you feel comfortable in this situation with these people or not. It is putting your needs and feelings higher than society’s opinion. We have to love ourselves the way we want someone else to love us. Low self-esteem is the root of every bad relationship.
I see many people searching for their special person, their pair and a half. The problem is that we are already one unit. The unit that has its desires, personal qualities and a vision of the world. Sometimes I was envy for my classmates or friends for having boyfriends and girlfriends. They were going for dates, giving each other presents and many more relationship stuff. I wanted to have a person who can always support and love me, comfort and care about me. But this someone was near. Yeah, that was me. You are the only person who knows what you need or what is better for you. Why do you still try to get someone’s love when you got yourself right there?
This mini-article is more like a monologue. I am not as perfect as I wanted to be, so I sacrifice about every part of me. It is hard to love yourself, you need courage and time. I am still working on my self-esteem, I have downs and destructing thoughts. Nobody said it would be easy. So cheer up and go love yourself. Are you married? Cause I am already.
erverta 