Sinister Sites – Astana, Khazakhstan

From VigilantCitizen:

"Astana is the first capital being built in the 21st century and it perfectly represents where the world is headed. It is truly one man’s vision: Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president of Kazakhstan (yes Borat’s country, I know). Backed by billions of petrodollars, the city is being built from scratch in a remote and deserted area of the Asian steppes. The result is astonishing: a futuristic occult capital, embracing the New World Order while celebrating the most ancient religion known to man: Sun Worship. The city is still a huge construction site, but the buildings that are already completed already sum up Nazarbayev’s occult vision."

Whether or not you believe the rationale for the article, it is odd that Astana is at once amazingly fabulous and obviously remote. This video(totally awesome slide show/tour set to some really major Eurasian hiphop) has certain wide shots from the edge of the city where, just past the buildings, there is nothing. Nothing. Wikipedia also takes note of the city's absence of.. suburbs, nearby towns, more than 10 people per square kilometer(That is, of course, with the exception of the city itself..)..

"To some Kazakhs, the move remains controversial. Critics cite the city's isolated location in the center of the Kazakh steppe and the forbidding climate in winter.[7] Financially, some resent the massive expenditure of public funds to build the new government complexes, as well as the continuing cost of airfare and hotel expenses for the many government workers who still live in Almaty.[8]"

The location, the massive construction, the futuristic, geometric fabulous-ness of it all, seems so.. over the top, that, just by its being, gives credence to Vigilant Citizen's claim. True or not, this under-construction Ultra-Land of ancient religion, mathematics, and esoteric symbolism, is a sight to behold. If its existence is actually benign, check out the cityscape for an idea of what 21st Century cities will look like and how they will function.. And if not, well, I guess we'll all be seeing some major worldwide ceremonies broadcast from there, live, via satellite.