Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Finally the fifth movie is coming out! I really can’t wait for July 13, 2007.

Hun Sen to donate money for Cambodian medal winners at Doha Games

Prime Minister Hun Sen has promised to award 5,000 U.S. dollars for each Cambodian gold medalist, 3,000 for silver and 2,000 for bronze medal winners at the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, local media said on Wednesday.

“We should have a real decree for athletes who win medals from the international stage,” he was quoted as saying.

Cambodia sent 17 athletes and 17 officials to Doha. The team of 14 men and 3 women will take part in beach volleyball, swimming, athletics, judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling and snooker competitions.

Wrestler, snooker and taekwondo athletes are hopeful to win Cambodia its first Asian Games medal in 36 years.

Cambodia has not won a medal since the 1970 Games in Bangkok.

Phnom Penh ពីវេហា

The whole city ទីក្រុងទាំងមូល

Independence Monument វិមានឯករាជ្យ

Boston College from Google Earth

The Chestnut Hill Campus

The Alumni Stadium, BC’s football stadium

The Flynn Recreation Complex

My own department, Lynch School of Education

Quad Square–Lyons Hall (Left), Gasson (Top), Devlin (Right) and Fulton (Bottom)

Young Vietnamese look to future

Vietnam is shaking off the vestiges of its war-wracked past, and achieving rapid economic growth. In the first of a series of reports, the BBC’s Kate McGeown meets a new generation of young, outward-looking Vietnamese.

Thirty-year-old Alan Duong owns a chain of shops in central Hanoi, selling up-market clothes and furnishings.

Alan Duong specialises in putting a modern twist on traditional styles

A professional fashion designer, she speaks fluent English, travels to trade fairs around the world and is part of Vietnam’s new generation of modern, successful entrepreneurs.

Like 60% of the country’s 83 million people, Alan was born after the Vietnam War. And she shows little sign of being adversely affected by her nation’s turbulent past.

“Vietnam has a really bright future,” she said. “It’s a great place to do business, and it’s an exciting place to live and work right now.”

That sense of change is borne out by the statistics. The economy has grown by nearly 8% a year in the past five years, a feat only rivalled in Asia by China.

In 1993, 58% of the population was classified as being under the internationally-accepted poverty line, but that figure had fallen to less than 20% by 2004.

“It’s like a completely different country from when I was here in the mid-1990s,” said World Bank economist Carrie Turk.

When she first arrived in Vietnam, Ms Turk had to fly to Bangkok for items such as toiletries. But now Hanoi is home to luxury boutiques, wi-fi cafes and world-class restaurants.

In pictures: Old and new

“It’s an extraordinary growth by global standards – and it’s quite rare to find anyone in Vietnam who will say they’re not better off now than they were 10 years ago,” she said.

That includes poorer Vietnamese people, like Nguyen Thi Ha, who lives with her husband in a village 30km away from Hanoi.

She comes into the centre every few weeks to sell the papayas and bananas she grows on her land, earning about 400,000 dong ($25) from each trip.

“I feel hopeful about the future,” she said. “I still have a hard life, but it’s much better than it was in the past.”

“We now have a TV, and the next thing I want to get is a telephone.”

Expat pay absorbs aid to Cambodia

HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars of Australian aid is wasted on expatriate salaries and the running costs of big Cambodian-based international aid groups, hindering assistance to 40,000 landmine victims in the war-battered country.

A country director for a prominent international charity typically receives a $250,000 package that includes a spacious villa, four-wheel-drive and schooling perks.

As much as 80 per cent of aid paid to international aid organisations based in Cambodia goes straight out again in the form of high expatriate salary packages and running costs, said Chris Minko, head of the Cambodian National Volleyball League for the Disabled.

He said AusAID’s reluctance to directly fund non-Australian aid organisations in Cambodia had created major inefficiencies in the disbursement of funds.

My Thanksgiving Holiday

This week saw the celebration of Thanksgiving, one of America’s most important festivals. Second only to Christmas, this festival is held to give thanks to the native Indians for feasting the starving English pilgrims and teaching them how to survive in the New World. It falls on the last Thursday of November each year. Similar to our New Year and Pchum Ben, on Thanksgiving Day families and friends would gather for a large meal or dinner. This results in Thanksgiving holiday weekend being one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

In the United States, certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving meals. They include turkey, which is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Indian corn, other fall vegetables, and pumpkin pie.

This year, I got to celebrate my first Thanksgiving with my uncle’s family in Fall River. Joining me there were his wife’s relatives and friends. Definitely this was one of the happiest family moments I had since I got here. We all had so much fun pampering ourselves with all the food, chitchats and poker games. We ate and played until it was way past midnight. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera along, so no pictures from there..

When I got back home over the weekend, I got a call from Sophorn and Bong Bou. They were asking if I wanted to go out with them. They, along with Bong Touch, were planning to visit the Science Museum, where the Body Worlds 2 exhibition is currently on display. So I said, “Why not? Let’s do it.”

By the time we all got together, it was a bit past lunch time. Since Sophorn and I were craving for Cambodian food, Bong Bou suggested we head to Lynn, a town around 35 mins northeast of Boston. To our disappointment, we only got there to find out that that Cambodian restaurant was closed.

A Cambodian supermarket in Lynn

3D Swimming Pool…

និមិត្តរូបនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា (៣)

៣. អណ្តើកហ្លួង (ឧរង្គសត្វនិមិត្តរូបនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា)

មានឈ្មោះជាភាសាជាតិថា “អណ្តើកសរសៃ” ឬ​ “អណ្តើកហ្លួង”។ វាមានឈ្មោះវិទ្យាសាស្ត្រថា “Batagur Baska” និង ជាភាសាអង់គ្លេសថា “Royal Turtle”។ វាមានភ្នែកពណ៌ស និង ច្រមុះបះឡើង។ ស្នូកវាមានប្រវែងរហូតដល់ ៦០ ស.ម. មានផ្ទៃពណ៌ប្រផេះ ឬ ខ្មៅទាំងអស់។ ម្រាមជើងមុខធំ មានស្បែកពាសជាប់គ្នាដូចបាតជើងទា។ វាមានក្រញាំតែបួន គឺខុសពីអណ្តើកផ្សេងទៀត ដែលមានក្រញាំប្រាំ។

អណ្តើកនេះ ត្រូវបានហាមឃាត់មិនឲ្យធ្វើពាណិជ្ជកម្មជាអន្តរជាតិ ដោយបានចុះក្នុងឧបសម្ព័ន្ធ ១ នៃអនុសញ្ញា CITES។ ពិភពលោក បានចាត់ទុកអណ្តើកនេះ ថាជាសត្វដែលកំពុងត្រូវបានទទួលនូវការគំរាមកំហែងជាសកល (globally threatened) នៅក្នុងបញ្ជី IUCN។​ កាលពីបុរាណ អណ្តើកនេះ មានប្រវត្តិការពារដោយព្រះរាជក្រិត្យ និង​ បានចាត់ទុកជាសម្បត្តិរបស់ព្រះរាជវង្សកម្ពុជាយើង។ ពងអណ្តើកនេះ ជារឿយៗអាចត្រូវប្រមូលបាននៅអំឡុងខែមករា ដល់ខែមិនា ដែលនៅពេលនោះ ត្រូវបានគេយកទៅថ្វាយព្រះរាជវង្សសោយតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ហេតុដូចនេះហើយ បានជាប្រជាជនហៅអណ្តើកនេះថា អណ្តើកហ្លួងរហូតមកដល់សព្វថ្ងៃនេះ។​ ក្រោយមកឲ្យតែប្រជាជនចាប់បានអណ្តើកនេះ គេតែងតែយកមកលាបប្រេងម្សៅ និមន្តព្រះសង្ឃបួងសួងសុំសេចក្តីសុខ ហើយដោះលែងទៅវិញ។

វាចូលចិត្តរស់នៅតាមតំបន់ពាមសមុទ្រ មានព្រែកតូចៗ ដែលមានព្រៃកោងកាង ឬ រុក្ខជាតិតូចៗដុះតាមមាត់ទឹក។ វា ជាប្រភេទសត្វស៊ីអាហារគ្រប់យ៉ាង មានស្លឹកឈើ ពន្លករុក្ខជាតិ ផ្លែកោងកាង និង រុក្ខជាតិតូចៗផ្សេងទៀត។ ក្នុងអំឡុងទសវត្សឆ្នាំ ៨០ និង ៩០ គេជឿថា អណ្តើកនេះ បានផុតពូជនៅកម្ពុជាទៅហើយ។ ទើបតែនៅឆ្នាំ១៩៩៥ គេបានរកឃើញនៅស្រុកស្រែអំបិល ខេត្តកោះកុង ហើយនៅឆ្នាំ២០០២កន្លងទៅនេះ នាយកដ្ឋានជលផល និង អង្គការ CWS បានភ្ញាស់បានអណ្តើកនេះ ចំនួន៣២កូន ហើយបានលែងទៅក្នុងធម្មជាតិវិញ។

នៅមានត…

The Opening Day of the Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, center left, walks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, center right, as they arrive at Siem Reap province, about 230 kilometers (143 miles) northwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006. Roh is on a four-day visit to Cambodia, the first by a South Korean leader since the two countries restored ties in 1997. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, left, shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, before the pair began presiding over the ‘Angkor Gyeongju World Culture Expo’ in Siem Reap province, about 230 kilometers (143 miles) northwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006. Roh arrived in Cambodia for the first top-level state visit since the two countries re-established ties almost a decade ago. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Students of the Cambodian Royal University of Fine Art perform a traditional theater show during the ‘Angkor Gyeongju World Culture Expo’ opening ceremony in Siem Reap province, about 230 kilometers (143 miles) northwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, who is presiding over the expo arrived in Cambodia on Tuesday, the first top-level state visit since the two countries re-established ties almost a decade ago. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Performers march past the stage during the opening ceremony of the Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 at Cambodia’s 9th-12th century Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap province, 299km (186 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2006. South Korea’s president Roh Moo-Hyun was a guest of honor as Cambodian authorities launched their most elaborate cultural festival to date, in a bid to boost tourism by wooing South Korean visitors . REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Apsara dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 at Cambodia’s 9th-12th century Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap province, 299km (186 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2006. South Korea’s president Roh Moo-Hyun was a guest of honor as Cambodian authorities launched their most elaborate cultural festival to date, in a bid to boost tourism by wooing South Korean visitors . REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Apsara dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 at Cambodia’s 9th-12th century Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap province, 299km (186 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, November 21, 2006. South Korea’s president Roh Moo-Hyun was a guest of honor as Cambodian authorities launched their most elaborate cultural festival to date, in a bid to boost tourism by wooing South Korean visitors . REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

Cambodian dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the Angkor Gyeogju World Culture EXPO 2006 in Siem Reap province, some 314 kms Northwest of Phnom Penh. South Korea’s president was a guest of honor as Cambodian authorities launched their most elaborate cultural festival to date, in a bid to boost tourism by wooing South Korean visitors.(AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

 

Tourism boom brings hope, worry to Siem Reap

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Nineteen-year-old Ra Pheap is a garbage sweeper at Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor Wat archaeological site, and is keenly grateful for the influx of tourists to the centuries-old monuments — it’s because of them she has her $50 a month job.

Suos Samnang, a 17-year-old souvenir vendor, also knows that her livelihood is closely linked to the busloads of camera-toting foreign visitors that arrive everyday.

But as they witness the frenzied construction of hotels and guest houses to tap the flow of visitors’ dollars in this once-quiet town, even these two poor country girls realize that the blessings of tourism are mixed ones.

“I am worried that this will cause more pollution and migration to the town. The number of people living here just keeps growing. The streets are getting more crowded now,” Suos Samnang said.

And some experts are even more concerned than that. They fear the unregulated development — specifically, unrestricted local pumping of underground water to meet rapidly rising demand — may literally be undermining Angkor’s foundations, destabilizing the earth beneath the famous centuries-old temples so much that they might sink and collapse.

Tourism is a key moneymaker for cash-strapped Cambodia, about one-third of whose 14 million people earn less than 56 cents a day.

Last year, about half of the 1.4 million visitors who came to Cambodia went to see the Angkor monuments, architectural masterpieces built at the height of the Khmer empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Total tourist arrivals for Cambodia in 2005 were an impressive 34.7 percent above 2004’s figures.

The steady boom has already transformed Siem Reap into a bustling town filled with luxury hotels and vehicles. Its streets are adorned with billboards promoting the latest mobile phones, pizza and burger joints and shopping malls. Several notable old buildings have been razed to make way for visitors’ lodgings, and honky-tonk strips have sprung up catering to low-budget travelers.

“The identity Siem Reap had for centuries is gradually disappearing, or maybe almost disappeared,” said Teruo Jinnai, director in Cambodia of the U.N. cultural organization UNESCO, and a 10-year resident of the country. “You have restaurants, massage parlors, hotels, and it’s very sad to see that.”

Culture shock aside, the health and quality of life of many of its 120,000 residents is imperiled by the boom, as is plain to see when traffic snarls the roads and streets get flooded by rain because of clogged sewers.

“This tremendous growth added to population increase has been exacerbating pressure on infrastructure,” said a World Bank report on Cambodia’s tourism sector last year. “Energy, water, sewage and waste are all significant problems.”

It noted that hotels are not legally required to have sewage treatment facilities, though larger ones do have their own plants.

“But most guesthouses reportedly dump used water directly into the river, causing noticeable river pollution,” it said, adding that E. coli, the bacteria found in human feces, has reportedly begun seeping into local wells.

At least as threatening over the long run is the uptake of water, with unrestricted pumping from the water table underlying the area.

“Water is being drawn from 70-80 meters (230-260 feet) underground by hotels and treated for use,” warned the World Bank, noting that no one was quite certain how this affects the aquifers, or underground layers of rocks and sand, from which it is pumped.

Already though, “one of Angkor’s temples is reportedly falling into a sinkhole, suggesting that the underground aquifers may be rapidly disappearing,” said the report.

Japanese Ambassador Fumiaki Takahashi, whose country has drawn up a development master plan for Siem Reap to deal with the tourism boom, said most of its hotels are pumping underground water for their own use, “and there is no control.”

It is the Cambodian government’s “urgent task” to control the practice, he said, because “if you take too much water, it might affect the Angkor site. In the long run, the underground water will go down and the site would sink.”

The plan of the Japan International Cooperation Agency calls for tapping underground water from near Phnom Kraom, a hill near the edge of the Tonle Sap lake about 7.4 miles south of the town, to avoid depletion of Siem Reap’s underground water and reduce the risk of endangering the fragile temples, he said.

Deputy Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the government is ready to accept the master plan to address existing problems and accommodate future growth.

He sees a bright future for Siem Reap, in which the province won’t just be a destination for touring the temples but will also become a hub providing air links for tourists to enjoy the sandy beaches of southwestern Cambodia and ecotourism in the jungles of the northeast.

He envisions that by promoting a diversity of destinations, the crowds will be distributed around the country, and the Angkor temples won’t get “too jammed up.”

Meanwhile, though, the tourist hordes continue to tramp through fabled Angkor Wat and its satellite temples of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm and Bakheng. Even at the lesser-known 10th-century Bakheng temple, an average of 3,000 tourists climb the 223 feet just in the two hours before dusk each day to view the spectacular sunset.

Ra Pheap, the 19-year-old sweeper, said she knows the onslaught could damage the delicate monuments.

She is employed by a Cambodian company that sells entry tickets to the temple site, and the visitors there are essentially paying her salary. With her earnings, she has reduced her family’s reliance on rice farming and been able to help pay for Japanese-language classes for her younger brother and sister.

“I want them to become tour guides because I am confident more tourists will visit here,” she said.

តាក់ទីង ណាំងៗ…

Boston Thanksgiving Fair

Jia Ming, Lili and Chenzi–my weekend companions for this week…

Our journey began at Chinatown, where we headed to a Taiwanese restaurant for brunch…

How to be Cambodian?

Watch this and choke yourself with laughter! Are you good enough to be a Cambodian yet?

Wins, Losses and Frustration

To all X-box or video game fans out there, have you ever wondered how you look like whenever you win or lose the game? Believing that portraits can reveal a portion of people’s hidden characters, Phillip Toledano, a New-York based photographer, set up an experiment titled “Video Game Faces“. By asking his subjects to sit down and play video games, he managed to get some of the most natural and funniest pics ever.

Which one are you?

As seen here, everybody seemed tense, excited, frustrated and happy. Somehow, they are all factual. Wonder how you are, set your camera’s timer and shoot your own pics the next time you have your games. Let’s see how similar you are to them here!

Pictures courtesy of Phillip Toledano

National Symbols of Cambodia (Part 2)

២. ត្រយ៉ង (បក្សីនិមិត្តរូបព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា)

ឈ្មោះជាភាសាជាតិថា “ត្រយ៉ង” ឬ “ក្ងយក្ស” ឬ “ឪលើក” វាមានឈ្មោះវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តថា “Pseudibis Gigantea” និង ជាភាសាអង់គ្លេសថា “Giant Ibis”។ វាមានសំបុរប្រផេះក្រម៉ៅ មានជើងពណ៌ក្រហមព្រលែត ចំពុះរាងកោងខុបចុះ និង ប្រវែងខ្លួន ១០៤ ស​.ម.។ សត្វនេះ ត្រូវបានការពារដោយប្រកាសលេខ ៣៥៤ កសក.ប្រក ចុះថ្ងៃទី ០១ សីហា ឆ្នាំ២០០៤​ របស់ក្រសួងរុក្ខា ប្រមាញ់ និង នេសាទ។ ពិភពលោក ក៏បានចាត់ទុកត្រយ៉ង ជាប្រភេទជិតផុតពូជប៉ផុត (Critically Endangered) ដោយបានចុះក្នុងបញ្ជីសៀវភៅក្រហម IUCN ដូចគោព្រៃដែរ។

ត្រយ៉ង ជាប្រភេទសត្វស្លាបដែលកាលពីដើមឡើយ បានរាយប៉ាយពាសពេញ តំបន់អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍ ប៉ុន្តែបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ មានតែនៅភូមិភាគខាងជើង ភាគឥសាននៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជាយើងតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ សត្វត្រយ៉ង ត្រូវបានចារិកក្នុងចម្រៀងប្រជាប្រិយ និង រឿងនិទានបុរាណខ្មែរ។ ប្រជារាស្រ្ត មានជំនឿថា ត្រយ៉ង ជាសត្វវាងវៃ កាលបើមានការបរបាញ់ពុំបានសម្រេចនៅទីណាមួយហើយ វានឹងត្រឡប់មកទីនោះជាលើកទី២វិញឡើយ។ គេមានជំនឿប្រើប្រាស់ឈាមរបស់វា សម្រាប់ព្យាបាលជំងឺគ្រុនចាញ់នាតំបន់ដាច់ស្រយាល។ ជាសត្វមានប្រជាប្រិយភាព ប្រជាជនមានការស្រឡាញ់ចូលចិ​ត្ត ជាពិសេសចំពោះសម្លេងស្រែកទាបភ្លឺរបស់វា ដែលដិតជាប់ក្នុងក្រអៅបេះដូងរបស់ប្រជាកសិករខ្មែរ ក្នុងអត្ថន័យឆ្លើយឆ្លងសេចក្តីស្នេហា ក៏ដូចជាការរលឹកពេលវេលាត្រូវចាកចេញទៅធ្វើស្រែចំការផងដែរ។ ចំណីរបស់វា គឺសត្វឥតឆ្អឹងកង ដែលរស់នៅក្នុងភក់ដូចជា ខ្យង ជន្លេន ក្តាម ។ល។ វា ចូលចិត្តរស់នៅក្នុងព្រៃរបោះស្ងួត មានដីសើមច្រើន (ត្រពាំង បឹង ទន្លេ)។ វាមានដំណើរយឺតៗ រកចំណីលើដី និង ទំលើដើមឈើដើម្បីសម្រាក និង គេចពីសត្រូវ។

ត្រយ៉ង ជាប្រភេទសត្វដែលទើបរកឃើញសាជាថ្មីនៅកម្ពុជា បន្ទាប់ពីពិភពលោកបានប្រកាសថាបានផុតពូជបាត់ទៅហើយ។ ចំនួនរកឃើញថ្មីនៅខេត្តព្រះវិហារ មានមិនតិចជាង ១០០ ក្បាលឡើយ។ ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ជាប្រទេសដែលបានផ្តល់រូបថតសត្វត្រយ៉ងនេះក្នុងធម្មជាតិមុនគេលើលោក។ ឥឡូវ រូបភាពសត្វនេះ ត្រូវបានផ្សព្វផ្សាយទូទាំងពិភពលោកដោយទស្សនាវដ្តី National Geographic នៃសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក។

Songwriters and composers rare in Cambodian music

By Cat Barton and Cheang Sokha

Sapoun Midada is a different kind of superstar. Unlike many of Cambodia’s famous singers, he writes all of his songs himself.

“It is hard and takes a lot of time to compose an entire song and write lyrics, too,” he said. “You have to think about what will appeal to people of all generations. Composition is hard, far harder than being a singer who just learns a song and performs it.”

A singer who composes original songs is a rare thing, said Sim Sarak, director-general of administration at the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA).

“There is a real lack of talented songwriters and composers in Cambodia today,” he said. “The old generation had talent and experience but the new generation lost [access to] all of this due to the Khmer Rouge”

Cambodia’s many years of civil strife decimated the music production industry. This has ramifications for the quality of the music being produced today, Sarak said.

Is He the Right Bond?

Finally the latest 007 movie is going to be in theater tonight…

While watching TV today, I found an interesting news about this new Bond actor Daniel Craig. Never did I know that 007 fans had been so divided about him. The news reported two websites which were put up to campaign for boycott of and support for the new movie! They are danielcraigisnotbond.com and danielcraigisbond.com. Amazing and funny, huh?

According to the report, the first site described Craig as having no charisma, charm, suavity or any qualities to be a Bond. He is just too old, short, thin and haggard. Even his friends called him Mr. Potato Head.

Giving no clear argument, the latter site simply asked audience to post as many supporting comments as they can to prove that the first site is wrong.

To you, what do you think? Is he really bad? Does he deserve to be the next and the only blond James Bond?

Personally, I kinda support the first site’s description. Craig is rather dull-looking compared to all the previous 007s. Somehow, I feel it is too early to judge him now. I was told that he had been working so hard for this movie.. :p So, let’s see. He might be a cool but not sexy Bond or the worst as speculated. Only the movie can tell.

Dubai Project: City of the Future

Palm Island

Palm Island. Three artificial islands in the shape of palm trees will shelter nearly 500 apartments, 2 000 villas, 25 hotels and 200 shops of luxury.  Hundred twenty-five kilometers of coast additional will be thus created.

The World

The World. With broad of Dubaï, nearly 300 artificial islands, seen sky will form a planisphere.  If you want to acquire one of these islands, it will cost some to you between 6,2 to 36,7 million dollars.

Dubai Waterfront

Dubai Waterfront. Advancing on water of the Gulf, this whole of islands in the shape of crescent will extend on 81 square kilometres.  Becoming the greatest sea front in the world, it détrône thus the island from Manhattan in New York.

Where is this?

Food for Thought of the Week

 

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the man bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the man one day by the stream.

“I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.”

The old man smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?”

“That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.”

“For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But, it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding… So be proud of yourself and who you are.

National Symbols of Cambodia (Part 1)

១. គោព្រៃ (Bos Sauveli)

ឈ្មោះ “គោព្រៃ”​ ជាន័យដើម និង ន័យត្រង់នៃភាសាជាតិខ្មែរតែម្តង ហើយត្រូវបានសត្តវិទួអន្តរជាតិទទួលស្គាល់ និង ដាក់នាមដូចៗគ្នា ទោះជាក្នុងភាសាអង់គ្លេស បារាំង ឬ អេស្ប៉ាញ ក៏ប្រើពាក្យតែមួយថា Kouprey។ វាមានឈ្មោះវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តថា “Bos Sauveli”។ វាមានប្រវែងដងខ្លួនពី ២.១០ ទៅ ២.៣០ ម៉ែត្រ មានកំពស់ពី ១.៧០ ទៅ ១.៩០ ម៉ែត្រ និងទម្ងន់ពី ៧០០ ទៅ ៩០០ គ.ក.។

គោព្រៃ

គោព្រៃ មានរាងស្រដៀងនឹងទន្សោង មានបួរវែងធ្លាក់ដល់ជង្គង់ និង ហៀរស្ទើរដល់ដីចំពោះគោឈ្មោល។ ស្នែងគោព្រៃឈ្មោល ញី មានលក្ខណៈប្លែកគ្នា ដោយស្នែងឈ្មោលធំជាង ដុះចេញកោងទៅមុខ ហើយងើបឡើងទៅលើ ព្រមទាំងមានព្រុយចុងស្នែង។ ស្នែងញី ដុះមកខាងមុខរាងងើបបន្តិច ហើយគួចរមួលឡើងលើ។ ចាប់ពីជើងក្រោមជង្គង់ចុះមក មានពណ៌ស ឬ ប្រផេះ និង ប្រផេះចាស់នៅពេលមានអាយុច្រើន។

កាលពីសម័យមុនសង្គ្រាម គោព្រៃត្រូវហាមបរបាញ់តាមរយៈប្រកាសលេខ ១៩១ ចុះថ្ងៃ ២០ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ១៩៦០។ ក្រោយរបបប៉ុលពត គោព្រៃ ក៏ត្រូវបានហាមបរបាំញ់ម្តងទៀត តាមរយៈប្រកាសលេខ ៣៥៩ កសក.ប្រក ចុះថ្ងៃទី ០១ ខែសីហា ឆ្នាំ ១៩៩៤ របស់ក្រសួងរុក្ខា ប្រមាញ់ និង នេសាទ។ គោព្រៃត្រូវបានហាមឃាត់មិនឲ្យធ្វើពាណិជ្ជកម្មជាអន្តរជាតិ ដោយបានចុះក្នុងបញ្ជីឧបសម្ព័ន្ធ ១ នៃអនុសញ្ញា CITES និង អនុសញ្ញា Convention on Migratory Species។ ពិភពលោកបានចាត់គោព្រៃជាប្រភេទសត្វ “ជិតផុតពូជបំផុត” (Critically Endangered) ដោយបានចុះក្នុងសៀវភៅបញ្ជីក្រហម IUCN។

ក្នុងទសវត្សឆ្នាំ ៦០ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា បានកំណត់ និង ប្រកាសថា គោព្រៃ ជានិមិត្តរូបនៃមរតកធម្មជាតិកម្ពុជា។ គោព្រៃ ក៏ត្រូវបានចារិកទុកក្នុងបទចម្រៀងប្រជាប្រិយខ្មែរ តាំងពីយូរលង់ណាស់មកហើយ ជាពិសេសចម្រៀងដែលមានលក្ខណៈរៀបរាប់ពីធម្មជាតិ ប្រដូចភាពសុខសាន្តនៃការរស់នៅរវាងមនុស្ស និង ធម្មជាតិ គឺតែមួយ។

គោព្រៃ ជាថនិកសត្វដែលរស់នៅជាហ្វូង អាចឃើញមាននៅលាយ ជាមួយហ្វូងទន្សោង ខ្ទីង ឬ ប្រើស។ វាជាសត្វវាងវៃ រហ័សរហួន ឆាប់ភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលជាងសត្វក្នុងត្រកូលគោសាទិសដូចគ្នា ពូកែស្រង់ក្លិន និង គេចវេសពីមនុស្ស។ វាមានកម្លាំងខ្លាំង ពូកែធន់នឹងកំដៅថ្ងៃ អត់ធន់នឹងចំណីអាហារដែលមានគុណភាពទាប និង ធន់នឹងជំងឺគោឆ្កួត។

Help Sponsor A Young Cambodian Woman’s Education

American blogger Beth Kanter is rasing fund to sponsor a college education for a Cambodian girl named Leng Sopharath. An orphan from Kampong Speu, Sopharath is now an accounting student at Norton University. Together with the Sharing Foundation, Beth has been sponsoring her and 9 other orphans to pursue their college education in Phnom Penh since 2005.

This year, Beth hopes to raise US$750 for Sopharath’s education. She has set up an online donation widget on her blog, where you all can donate electronically. If any of you would like to contribute to this campaign, please do so by clicking on this link. Any amount is welcome. As of today, US$95 has been raised. I myself have just donated US$20, and I hope all of you will follow.

Click to learn more about the campaign and Sopharath

A kid like Sopharath really needs your support. Please pass this info to everybody you know. A few cents or more from you are breeding a new seed of intellectual for Cambodia’s future.

Cambodia’s Garment Industry Faces Threat

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s garment industry is feeling a new threat posed by the imminent accession of neighboring Vietnam to the World Trade Organization, officials said Tuesday.Last week, the WTO formally invited Vietnam to become its 150th member, paving the way for the country to join within 30 days of its National Assembly ratifying the accord.

While the news about Vietnam’s entry has been much anticipated, it is “actually an increased threat to the Cambodian garment industry,” Ken Loo, secretary-general of Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said Tuesday.

“We are so much alike in cost structure and geographical location, so we’re direct competitors,” he said.

The neighboring countries both have low-cost work forces and large garment sectors. Cambodia has been a WTO member since 2003.

Just Seen: Stranger Than Fiction

One morning, a seemingly average and generally solitary IRS agent named Harold Crick begins to hear a female voice narrating his every action, thought and feeling in alarmingly precise detail. Harold’s carefully controlled life is turned upside down by this narration only he can hear, and when the voice declares that Harold Crick is facing imminent death, he realizes he must find out who is writing his story and persuade her to change the ending.

 The voice in Harold’s head turns out to be the once celebrated, but now nearly forgotten, novelist Karen “Kay” Eiffel, who is struggling to find an ending for what might be her best book. Her only remaining challenge is to figure out a way to kill her main character, but little does she know that Harold Crick is alive and well and inexplicably aware of her words and her plans for him. To make matters worse, Kay’s publisher has dispatched a hard-nosed “assistant,” Penny Escher, to force Kay to finish her novel and finish off Harold Crick.

Desperate to take control of his destiny and avoid an untimely demise, Harold seeks help from a literary theorist named Jules Hilbert, who suggests that Harold might be able to change his fate by turning his story from a tragedy into a comedy. Professor Hilbert suggests that Harold try to follow one of comedy’s most elemental formulas: a love story between two people who hate each other. His suggestion leads Harold to initiate an unlikely romance with a free-spirited baker named Ana Pascal. As Harold experiences true love and true life for the first time, he becomes convinced that he has escaped his fate, as his story seems to be taking on all the trappings of a comedy in which he will not, and cannot, die. But Harold is unaware that in a Karen Eiffel tragedy, the lead characters always die at exactly the moment when they have the most to live for.

The Mootrix

Bush-Blair’s Endless Love

Cambodia, where classy and tacky clash

Capital of Phnom Penh littered with rivers, street markets, variety of lovely architecture and sometimes, sadly, trash.

Ashley Macpherson, 44, has lived in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, for nine months. She is a native of Zambia with a background in clinical psychology. Macpherson works for a Cambodian-based nongovernmental organization, building a native staff that can better deliver services to rural Khmers with psychosocial problems.

Let’s listen to her impression of Cambodia!

Q. Can you describe your neighborhood?

I live in what could be described as the “embassy block”; my neighbors are ambassadors and actual embassies. Interspersed with these are homes of wealthy Khmer who live in enormous, three-story homes and invariably rent out two of the floors to foreigners.

I am centrally located and can walk to the Mekong riverside, the palace, the shops and markets. The market is one block away and is a typical Khmer market that sells fruit, vegetables and meat. I get all my supplies there as well as bits and pieces to fix motorbikes and things around the home. There are also two supermarkets one block away, and one street up is a “Barang street” — “foreigner street” — that has cafes, bars, restaurants and boutiques.

Despite living a few houses away from one on the largest roads in the city, my house is extremely quiet, and I have a wonderful, leafy view, thanks to the green thumb of my Khmer landlady.

Q. What does Phnom Penh look like?

Phnom Penh is, along with Hanoi, (Vietnam) a very beautiful city if you can look through the dust and chaos. The architecture is fascinating, and there are examples of wonderful early Khmer architecture, French colonial villas, and large 1960s French and French-inspired Khmer designs that make for interesting viewing.

Unfortunately there is also a proliferation of tacky blue glass, shiny marble and what are known as “wedding cake” buildings.

The streets are swept regularly because there are no garbage cans and people are in the habit of throwing everything on the ground. Your view of how clean the city is is often determined by how soon before a sweeper is along that route.

There is surprisingly little pollution, but dust and exhaust fumes are bad.

Art Thomya: A Rising Superstar

 

Born and raised in Thailand, Art has lived in the UK and France and represented Thailand in various cultural exchange programs in Japan, Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, The Philippines, Indonesia, and Korea.

Awarded first prize of Chulalongkorn University Singing Contest while being an engineering student, Art also won other two national-level singing competitions in Thailand, involving 11,000 contestants in 1999.

In 2002, he was selected to play a leading role in ‘A Different Kind of Truth’, a musical production at the University of London and took part in Bangkok production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, a musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Let’s Fly to Singapore for $2!

Flying to Singapore is never cheaper. I’ve just checked for my return ticket to Cambodia, and the total cost was amazingly low. With taxes and fuel subcharge included, it costs only S$105 or US$65 for a return ticket between Singapore and Phnom Penh. Guys, book now if you plan to visit Singapore during the Chinese or Cambodian New Year. Such chance does not come by very often.

Norway No. 1 in UNDP list; Cambodia is 129th

The  United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI) for 2006 recently ranked Norway as the best country to live in and Niger in West Africa at the bottom.

The HDI, which rates countries based on wealth, life expectancy and education, is part of the UN Development Program report launched in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday.

Cambodia has moved a level up (129) from last year’s ranking—No. 130 out of the 177 countries in the index. In Southeast Asia, it ranks better than Myanmar (No. 130), Laos (133) . Singapore fared best among all at No. 25, followed by Brunei (No. 34), Malaysia (No. 61), Thailand (No. 74), Philippines (No. 84), Indonesia (No. 108) and Vietnam (No. 109).

Countries in the top 10 are Iceland, Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Japan, the United States, Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Countries at the bottom of the list are Mozambique, Burundi, Ethiopia, Chad, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Mali and Sierra Leone.

Casino Royale: A New 007 Movie

In theater on November 17! Anyone wanna go with me?

Summary:

James Bond’s first 007 mission takes him to Madagascar, where he is to spy on a terrorist Mollaka. Not everything goes as planned and Bond decides to investigate, independently of the M16 agency, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters Dimitrios and his girlfriend, Solange. He learns that Dimitrios is involved with Le Chiffre, banker to the world’s terrorist organizations. Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. M16 assigns 007 to play against him, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization. ‘M’ places Bond under the watchful eye of the beguiling Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond’s interest in her deepens as they brave danger together–and even torture at the hands of Le Chiffre. In Montenegro, Bond allies himself with Matthis, M16’s local field agent, and Felix Leiter, who is representing the interests of the CIA. The marathon game proceeds with dirty tricks and violence, raising the stakes beyond blood money and reaching a terrifying climax.

Eyeteasing Trailer:

ជំងឺជោរ

ដោយអ្នកស្រី កែវ ច័ន្ទបរិបូរណ៍ 

ខ្មែរយើងខ្លះជោរទ្របរទេស               នាំគ្នាបែរធ្វេសងប់ហួសក្បួន

តួយ៉ាងវត្ថុល្អនឹមនួន                          ​​ ស្ងួនផ្តល់កិត្តិយសឲ្យជាតិផ្សេង។

នំឆ្ងាញ់ហើយធំនំបារាំង                     បង្អែមប្លែកខ្លាំងល្បីមិនលែង

ហៅចំណីសៀមភ្លេចជាតិឯង              ម្ជួរឆ្ងាញ់ក្រៃលែងហៅម្ជូរយួន។

ខោវែងរែងស្អាតសង្វាតហៅ               ខោបារាំងនៅល្អសមសួន

អាវហោប៉ៅច្រើនពាក់លើខ្លួន             បែរស្ងួនចិត្តខ្មៅហៅអាវចិន។

ចង្វាក់ចម្រៀងច្រៀងពិរោះ                 បែរនាំគ្នាអស់ហៅយ៉ាងប៉ិន

ឡាំលាវកៀវកេងដៀងមិនញិន           ប្រុសស្រីឡើងរាំពេញភូមិស្រុក។

នេះហើយវិបត្តិជំងឺជោរ                       អ្វីៗល្អៗមិនចេះទុក

ស្រវាឲ្យគេល្បីកាត់មុខ                        ឯខ្មែររងទុក្ខឈ្មោះឱនថយ។

ចម្រៀងបុណ្យអុំទូក

 

ប្រទីបពណ៌មាស

ដោយ សួស សងវាចា និង ម៉េង កែវពេជ្ជតា

 

ឆៃយ៉ាំទូកយើង

ដោយ រិន សាវ៉េត និង ម៉េង កែវពេជ្ជតា

 

Conscription: ‘Unnecessary, Unaffordable, Unfair’

By Cat Barton and Sam Rith, Phnom Penh Post 

All Cambodian men between the ages 18 and 30 will have to register to serve in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), and if they are called up, do 18 months compulsory military service, if the law on conscription passed by the National Assembly on October 25 comes into force.

Once a conscript has finished his 18 months service, he will remain on the “reserves” list for an unspecified time and be liable for further compulsory service whenever the Ministry of Defence deems necessary.

Anyone who fails to serve when summoned will be liable to two years prison in peace time and five years in time of war.

Voted for by 74 out of the 82 lawmakers in attendance, after a brief but fierce debate cut short by National Assembly President Heng Samrin, the law has attracted serious criticism from military and social analysts, civil society leaders, and opposition politicians.

Unnecessary, unaffordable, and unfair was the opinion of one military analyst.
“[Cambodia] not only does not need this [law], it is hard to imagine how it can afford this,” he said.

Realistically, the RCAF’s budget will allow for only a few thousand new conscripts a year, the analyst said.

“This will make this law an extremely unpopular and, you could say, unfair one, due to its selective nature,” he said. “How selection will be conducted is beyond me, but it will be a mess I would imagine.”

Selective compulsory conscription will not serve to alleviate any of Cambodia’s social ills, said Theary Seng, director of the Center for Social Development, a local NGO.

Rich Vs. Poor in Burma

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A video of an extravagant wedding for the daughter of Myanmar’s military leader has stoked criticism about the lifestyles of members of the ruling junta in the impoverished country.

The leaked video shows Thandar Shwe, the daughter of junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe, wearing a staggering collection of diamond encrusted jewelry and extravagant clothing.

There also is a lavish bridal chamber, seemingly the size of a small ballroom.

The Irrawaddy, a respected online magazine put out by Myanmar journalists exiled in Thailand, said the wedding cost $300,000 and the couple received wedding gifts worth $50 million, although the publication didn’t say how it obtained the figures.

The video of the July wedding at a military reception hall in Myanmar’s capital, Yangon, began circulating on DVD about three weeks ago. Irrawaddy posted a link to it on the video-sharing site YouTube this week. (Watch the ritzy wedding and struggles of people in Myanmar — 3:44 )