This luncheon series talk will be presented by Jerry Peterson, professor, physics and international affairs. When Kazakhstan became independent of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, this vast land had very little connection with the rest of the world. Today, the streets of Almaty, the principal city, are clogged with expensive imported cars. Prosperity seems to have brought harmony, but Kazakhstan sits, largely empty, in an "interesting" part of the world. Thursday, March 13, 12 p.m., CAS Building, 1424 Broadway. Lunch will be provided.