Happy Valentine’s Day

អប្សរាយើងខ្ញុំ ក៏ចេះថតរូបដែរចា៎ស!

Happy New Year 2009

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Merry Christmas

Quiz of the Day

A man was working on a night shift when he suddenly received a telephone call giving him some information causing him to dash home at breakneck speed.

On bursting into his bedroom quite breathless he found his informant was quite correct and his wife was in bed with someone he had never even clapped eyes on before.

However, far from being angry he greeted them both with a friendly smile and a few hours later was bringing them both breakfast in bed.

What is the reason for this?

Quiz of the Day

មុន​នេះ  មាន​អ្នក​ខ្លះ​ស្រែកថា សំណួរ​ដែលខ្ញុំ​បាន​ដាក់មុននេះ​ ស្រួល​ពេក។ ឥឡូវ ខ្ញុំ​សូមអញ្ជើញ​ម្នាក់​មួយ​នោះ និង បងប្អូន​ទាំង​អស់​ សាកល្បង​ឆ្លើយ​នឹង​សំណួរ​ល្បង​ប្រាជ្ញា​ថ្មីមួយ​ទៀត។ សំណួរ​មាន​ដូច​ខាងក្រោមនេះ៖

The Barber of Seville shaves all of the men living in Seville.
No man living in Seville is allowed by law to shave himself.
The Barber of Seville lives in Seville.
Who shaves the Barber of Seville?

Quiz of the Day

មោទនភាពជាតិខ្មែរ ទៅដល់ស្រុកចិន

ទស្សនីយភាពការសម្តែងបទ “មោទនភាពជាតិខ្មែរ” នាមហោស្រពសិល្បៈប្រពៃណីអន្តរជាតិ (The Nanning International Folk Art Festival) លើកទី ៥ ឆ្នាំ២០០៨ នៅទីក្រុងណាននីង (Nanning) ប្រទេសចិន…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanna wish you guys, particularly those in the States, a Happy Thanksgiving. I’ll be celebrating mine with a friend’s family in Appleton, Wisconsin this year. Hopefully it’ll be a blast.

Enjoy feasting guys!

CNN Hero of the Year Announced; Not Phymean Nuon Though :(

VIA CNN.com: Liz McCartney, dedicated to helping survivors of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes, has been named the 2008 CNN Hero of the Year.

McCartney, of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, received the honor at Saturday night’s taping of “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The telecast airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Thanksgiving on the global networks of CNN.

McCartney, who will receive $100,000 to continue her work just outside New Orleans, was selected from among the top 10 CNN Heroes after six weeks of online voting at CNN.com. More than 1 million votes were cast.

PS: Did I forget to mention that she is also a Boston College alum? BC Eagles rock!

Festival of Southeast Asian Music & Dance

FYI, my friends and readers in Boston.

Website of the Day: KhmerMix.com

The most recent initiative by Cambodian-American blogger Nhuong Son, KhmerMix.com is the latest addition to rapidly growing Cambodian online social networking scene. At first glance it looks just like another Facebook and Mitleap, but as you observe carefully, you’ll begin to see its uniqueness.

Features of KhmerMix.com include:

• Personalized profile page (Facebook-like)
• Photo and video sharing
• Global forums
• Groups
• News
• Personal blogs
• Video and voice chat
• Personal messenger system

Let’s check it out and help make this new Cambodian online community alive!

Cambodia’s New Intellectuals

Cambodian Charms

Rare Footage of Cambodia from the 1920s

Happy Birthday HM King Father!

Picture courtesy of Sopheak

Happy Coronation Day!

អបអរសាទរខួបទី៤ ព្រះរាជពីធីគ្រងរាជសម្បត្តិ

ព្រះករុណាព្រះបរមនាថ

នរោត្តម សីហមុនី

ព្រះមហាក្សត្រនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា

សូមព្រះអង្គ​ទ្រង់មាន​​ព្រះសុខភាពល្អ និង​ ព្រះជន្មាយុយីនយូរ​ជាង​រយ​ព្រះវស្សា។

“See” How the World is Changing

Visual imagery can tell stories and truths which would be very hard to capture and communicate otherwise. Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, uses beautiful animated charts and minimalistic diagrams to explain the world we live in. Poverty, money and health can be seen at once shaping or being shaped by world events, technology and the passing of time. In a way, Rosling has cleared a common myth that “first world countries are always better than those in the developing world.” By the end of the presentation, you’ll learn that economic growth isn’t always an answer to development.

You definitely have to watch it. I watched it for class a few weeks ago, and I am still loving it. It’s one of the best presentation I’ve seen.

Video courtesy of the TED Institute

Western Vs. Asian Attitude

Legend:

• Blue: Westerners
• Red: Asians

Interpersonal Relationship

Level of Noise in Restaurant

Punctuality

Line at the Cinema

Lifestyle – Past and Present

Food – Hot or Cold

Presentation of Ideas/ Arguments

Funny Chinese English

Sarah Palin’s Debate Flowchart

Quantum of Solace – New 007 Movie

Can’t wait till it comes out in November.

CIDE’s Next Top Models

Something cheesy shots I did with my classmates after class today!! Kinda surprised that they turned out quite photogenic, after all. Haha…

For those wondering, CIDE is the acronym of my program, which stands for Comparative and International Development Education.

Fun Site – Photofunia

Just wanna share a fun website I’ve just found!!! Known as Photofunia, it lets you add some nice effects to your photos. The images should be not more than 500 KB in size and should be in jpeg, png or gif format.

You guys should definitely try! It’s fun and awesome. For now, let’s take a look at what I’ve done for myself.

Shot of the Week: Iraq War

I ran into this during my visit to an Iraq War Memorial in Santa Monica, CA a few weeks ago and thought it would be a good reminder for all the warmongers out there – esp. those belonging to the Bushes and Shrubs currently in my next-door city St. Paul. Enough human lives have been wasted. Wake up, folks! It’s time to wrap it up now.

The Post is Now Daily

Cambodia’s longest running English-language newspaper, the Phnom Penh Post is now daily. Surprisingly, its price is now down to KHR 2,500 per copy from previously KHR 4,000, despite being 100% color. Readers can also access the PDF version of the paper from its website, simply by signing a free membership. I hope the paper will keep this free service available always. That’ll be a really awesome way for me to catch up with news at home!

Kudos to the Post team for the innovation!

American Band Singing Khmer

Found this really cool American band called “Meuk” (មឹក), or “Octopus” in English, on CTN tonight. They spoke and sang perfect Khmer, putting a Cambodian like me to shame. In this clip, they are singing “T’gnai Bak Roseal,” ”Champa Battambang” and “Right Here Waiting.” Check them out! They are a good treat for all of us, after all the heated discussions lately.

Stunning WWF Advertisements

Got these amazing World Wildlife Fund advertisements from a friend. I thought they were great reminders of environmental and wildlife problems currently plaguing our world.

World Heritage 2008 – Fujian Toulou

While Cambodia is jubilantly celebrating the world heritage nomination of Preah Vihear, it’s important to note that the temple wasn’t the only one chosen by UNESCO this year. In fact, 26 other cultural and natural sites from across the world also joined the listing. Therefore, to partake in this period of merriment and festivity, I am going to publish information regarding the 26 sites (one per day) in the coming weeks.

Second on the list after Preah Vihear,  Fujian Toulou is a unique Chinese earth building of the Hakka and southern Fujian people in the mountainous areas in southwestern Fujian, China. 

Tulou is usually an enclosed building, often square or circular in configuration, with a very thick earth wall (up to 6 feet thick) and wooden skeletons, from three to five storeys high, housing up to 80 families. These earth buildings have only one entrance, guarded by 4-5 inch thick wooden doors reinforced with an outer shell of iron plate. The top level of these earth building have gun holes for defence against bandits. The Fujian

Tulou has been inscribed in 2008 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site,”as exceptional examples of a building tradition and function exemplifying a particular type of communal living and defensive organization, and, in terms of their harmonious relationship with their environment”.

Source: Wikipedia

Wanna Be Cool or Die?

A group of Cambodian youngsters flew their bikes along a major Phnom Penh boulevard. Little did they know that death was awaiting them. Please pay attention on the last part of the clip.

Is it really worth risking your life just to be “COOL” in your friends’ eyes?

Love Knows No Limit

Very touching indeed. Have a look!! Let’s spread more love!

Funny Quote of the Day

Election Victory Vs. Glue Quality

On the first day of the election campaign, the walls of my house were plastered with CPP posters which I immediately tore them down under the unhappy eyes of those who posted them. Today, it’s the SRP which came to plaster their propaganda on my walls. This time, it took me 25 minutes to take them down! This means that the SRP’s glue is of better quality than the CPP’s! I am waiting for the HRP’s turn to compare the quality of their glue and I will decide to vote for the party which posters stick the best!

ថ្ងៃទីមួយ​នៃ​យុទ្ធនាការ​ឃោសនា​បោះ​ឆ្នោត គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​កម្ពុជា​បាន​មក​បិទ​ខិត្តប័ណ្ណ​ឃោសនា​នៅ​លើ​ជញ្ជាំង​ផ្ទះ​របស់​ខ្ញុំ។ ខ្ញុំ​ក៏​បាន​បក​ខិត្តប័ណ្ណទ​ាំង​នោះ​ចេញ​ភ្លាម​យ៉ាង​ឆាប់​រហ័ស ក្រោម​ក្រសែ​ភ្នែក​មិន​ពេញចិត្ត​ពី​សំណាក់​អ្នក​ដែល​បាន​ដើរ​មក​បិទ។ ថ្ងៃនេះ គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី​បាន​មក​បិទ​ម្តង​។ លើក​នេះ ខ្ញុំ​ត្រូវ​ចំណាយ​ពេល ២៥​នាទី ទើប​អាច​បក​ខិត្តប័ណ្ណទ​ាំង​នោះ​ចេញ​អស់! ខ្ញុំ​និយាយ​ថា​ កាវ​របស់​ពួក​​គេ​ស្អិត​ជាប់​ល្អជ​ាង​កាវ​របស់​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន! ខ្ញុំ​រង់ចាំ​វេន​របស់​គណបក្ស​​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ដើម្បី​ធ្វើការ​ប្រៀបធៀប​ពី​គុណភាព​កាវ​របស់​ពួក​គេ ហើយ​ខ្ញុំ​នឹង​​សម្រេច​ចិត្ត​ថា​នឹង​បោះឆ្នោត​អោយ​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​ណា​ដែល​អាច​បិទ​ខិត្ត​ប័ណ្ណ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​បាន «ជាប់​ល្អ​ជាង​គេ​»!!!

A Phnom Penh resident
interviewed by Kaset.info

Pictures from Sovannahong (Part 2)

For the rest of the photos from Sovannahong, please click on the above thumbnail. Enjoy!

Pictures from Sovannahong (Part 1)

Pithi Sompeah Kru. An indispensable part of any classical Khmer performances is the ‘Pithi Sompeah Kru’ (ពិធី​សំពះគ្រូ), in which dancers pay respect to their forefathers and teachers and pray for a successful show. It was no different for this performance. Sovannahong’s own ceremony was led by HRH Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, who choreographed this piece with her team of elderly masters, finishing up her grandmother Queen Kossamak Nearirath Serey Wathana’s initial work in 1955.

Princess Keth Soryong, the main character in the story.

Princess Keth Soryong and her father Preah Bat Chetra, who in this scene was telling her his wish for her to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom.

Sovannahong – The Revival of the Late Queen’s Work

ស្នាដៃ​ពី​ដើម​នៃ​រឿង សុវណ្ណហុង នេះ​ជា​ព្រះរាជ​តម្រិះ​ផ្ដួចផ្ដើម​របស់ ព្រះ​មហាក្សត្រីយានី ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ កុសុមៈ នារីរ័ត្ន សិរីវឌ្ឍនា ដែល​ព្រះអង្គ​សព្វ​ព្រះទ័យ ជា​យូរ​មក​ហើយ ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​ហាត់​សម​បង្កើត​ក្បាច់​រាំ​ជា​គោល​ៗ តាម​តួ​អង្គ​មួយ​ចំនួន ដោយ​ប្រទាន​ឲ្យ សម្ដេច​ព្រះរាម នរោត្ដម បុប្ផាទេវី ហាត់​ផ្ទាល់​ព្រះកាយ​ជា​តួអង្គ កេតសូរិយង្គ។ ដោយ​ពុំ​ទាន់​ដែល​បាន​តម្លើង​ជា​ការ​សម្ដែង​ពេញ​លេញ​នៅ​ឡើយ​នោះ ហើយ​ក៏​មាន​ជំនួយ​ឧបត្ថម្ភ​អំពី​មូលនិធិ​ Rockerfeller សម្ដេច​ព្រះ​រាម​ក៏​បាន​លើក​យក​ស្នាដៃ​នេះ​មក​តម្លើង​ក្នុង​គោល​បំណង​រក្សា​កេរតំណែល​បុព្វបុរស និង​ចង់​បង្ហាញ​នូវ​ស្នាដៃ​ល្ខោន​ក្បាច់​បុរាណ​ដែល​ធ្លាប់​មាន​តាំង​ពី​ជំនាន់​ដើម ហើយ​ពុំ​ទាន់​ត្រូវ​បាន​ស្រាវជ្រាវ​យក​មក​តម្លើង​ជា​ថ្មី​ឡើង​វិញ។

សង្ខេប​រឿង

នៅ​ឯ​នគរ​គ្រាមាបូរី ស្ដេច​យក្ស ព្រះបាទ​ចិត្រា មាន​ព្រះរាជ​បុត្រី​មួយ​ព្រះអង្គ ដែល​មាន​រូប​ឆោម​លោម​ពណ៌​ល្អ​ស្អាត​គួរ​ជា​ទី​ចាប់​ចិត្ត ថែម​ទាំង​ចេះ​វិជ្ជា​សិល្ប៍​សាស្ត្រ​ផង​ដែរ។ ព្រះ​បិតា​បាន​ត្រាស​ថា​និង​រៀប​ចំ​អភិសេក​ព្រះនាង​ឲ្យ​មាន​ព្រះ​ស្វាមី នាំ​ឲ្យ​ព្រះនាង​ព្រួយ​ព្រះទ័យ​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង។ ព្រះនាង​ក៏​បាន​ទូល​សុំ​ព្រះ​បិតា​ទៅ​ក្រសាល​សួន។ ស្នំ​ឯក​ក៏​បាន​លួង​លោម​ក្សត្រីយ៍ កុំ​ឲ្យ​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​នាំ​ស្នំ​ដទៃ​ទៀត​បេះ​ផ្កា​មក​ថ្វាយ ធ្វើ​ជា​ភួង​មាលា​ផ្សង​អក្ខរា​តាម​ភួង​មាលា​នោះ​ដើម្បី​រក​គូ​ពី​អតីតជាតិ។

ថ្លែង​ពី​សុវណ្ណហុង​នាំ​ពល​សេនា​មក​ក្រសាល​តាម​ដង​គង្គា ហើយ​ក៏​រើស​បាន​កម្រង​ភួង​មាលា​នោះ​ទើប​ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​យាង​ទៅ​តាម​រក​ម្ចាស់​ភួង​មាលា​ព្រះនាង​កេតសូរិយង្គុ។ ព្រះអង្គ​និង​ព្រះនាង​ក៏​បាន​ចាប់​ចិត្ត​ប្រតិព័ទ្ធ​លើ​គ្នា ហើយ​ព្រះអង្គ​សន្យា​ថា​នឹង​មក​ជួប​ព្រះនាង​រៀងរាល់​រាត្រី។ ពួក​ស្នំ​ឃើញ​ដូច្នោះ ក៏​កើត​ការ​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​ខ្លាច​ស្ដេច​យក្ស​ទ្រង់​ជ្រាប​និង​ដាក់​ទោសា​មិន​ខាន។ ពួក​ស្នំ​ក៏​បាន​លួច​ដាក់​អន្ទាក់​សម្លាប់ ដែល​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​សុវណ្ណហុង​រង​របួស​យ៉ាង​ដំណំ។ សុវណ្ណហុង​ក៏​បាន​ឡើង​ជិះ​ហង្ស​យន្ត ដែល​ជា​យានជំនិះ​របស់​ខ្លួន​វិល​ទៅ​ព្រះនគរ​វិញ។

ក្រោយ​ពី​បាត់​សុវណ្ណហុង​មិន​ឃើញ​មក​ជួប​តាម​សន្យា ព្រះនាង​កេតសូរិយង្គ ក៏​បាន​តាម​រក ហើយ​ក៏​បាន​ឃើញ​លោហិត​នៅ​លើ​ប្រថពី ទើប​សោយសោក​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង។ ទេវតា​មួយ​ក៏​បាន​និម្មតិ​ខ្លួន​ឡើង យាង​មក​ប្រទាន​ឱសថ​ទិព្វ​និង​ព្រះ​ទម្រង់ ហើយ​មាន​បន្ទូល​ឲ្យ​ព្រះនាង​ទៅ​តាម​ប្រោស​សុវណ្ណហុង។ ព្រះនាង​កេតសូរិយង្គ ពាក់​ចិញ្ចៀន​ហើយ​ក៏​ប្រែ​ក្រឡា​ទៅ​ជា ព្រាហ្មកេត ចេញ​ដំណើរ​ទៅ​តាម​រក​សុវណ្ណហុង។ តាម​ផ្លូវ​ព្រាហ្មកេត (ព្រះនាង​ក្លែងក្លាយ) ក៏​បាន​ជួប​យក្ខ​គម្ព័ន្ធ ដែល​ប៉ង​យាយី។ ព្រះនាង​បាន​ច្បាំង​ជាមួយ​យក្ខ​នោះ ហើយ​យក្ខ​ក៏​​ចុះ​ចាញ់​សុំ​តាម​ដង្ហែរ ដោយ​ប្រែក្រឡា​ទៅ​ជា​ព្រាហ្ម​តូ​ដែរ។

នៅ​ឯ​ព្រះនគរ​របស់​សុវណ្ណហុង​វិញ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ ព្រួយ​ព្រះរាជ​ហឫទ័យ​ជា​ខ្លាំង​ចំពោះ​ការ​សោយទីវង្គត​របស់​សុវណ្ណហុង។ ព្រាហ្ម​ក្លែង​ខ្លួន​ទាំង​២​ក៏​បាន​ទៅ​ដល់ ហើយ​សុំ​ព្រះរាជានុញ្ញាតិ​ប្រោស​ព្រះ​ក្សត្រា​ឲ្យ​រស់​រាន​មាន​ជីវិត​ឡើង​វិញ។ ព្រាហ្ម​ក្លែងក្លាយ (ព្រះនាង​កេតសូរិយង្គ) ក៏​បាន​ប្រោស​សុវណ្ណហុង​ឲ្យ​មាន​ជីវិត​ឡើង​វិញ ហើយ​ក៏​ថ្វាយ​បង្គំ​លា​មក​កាន់​ព្រះនគរ​វិញ​ភ្លាម ព្រោះ​ខ្លាច​សុវណ្ណហុង​នៅ​ខ្ញាល់​អំពី​ពួក​ស្នំ​លួច​ធ្វើ​គត់​ព្រះអង្គ។ បន្ទាប់​ពី​ដឹង​ព្រះកាយ​ឡើង​វិញ ព្រះ​មាតា​បិតា​ក៏​មាន​ព្រះ​បន្ទូល​ប្រាប់​ពី​ហេតុការណ៍។ សុវណ្ណហុង​ដឹង​ថា​ប្រាកដ​ជា​ព្រះនាង​កេតសូរិយង្គ ក៏​ថ្វាយ​បង្គំ​លា​ទៅ​តាម​រក​ព្រះនាង​នៅ​គ្រា​នោះ​ទៅ៕

ដកស្រង់ចេញ​ពីសៀវភៅដែល​ផ្តល់​ជូន​ក្នុង​ពេលសម្តែង​

This Week’s Hot Performance

“ SOVANNAHONG ”

The premier of a newly revived work of Cambodian Classical Dance 

Friday, July 4, 2008 at 6.00 pm at Chaktomuk Conference Hall

Performed by artists of the Secondary School of Fine Arts

Produced in collaboration with Amrita Performing Arts

Made possible through support by the Rockefeller Foundation

Free admission but very limited seating 

Tickets can be collected as of July 1, on a first come first served basis

at Amrita Performing Arts, # 128G9, Sothearos Boulevard.

 For more Information, 023-220424 / 092-211209

Vietnamese Nail Salon

Almost 99% of nail salons in the United States are run by Vietnamese. Let’s check out to what Anjelah Johnson has to say about her experience at a Vietnamese salon. So hilarious!

New Mathematical Formula: 25 Divided By 5 = 14

Check this out guys! See if you can beat this formula. Very creative and hilarious!

An Evening of Royal Khmer Masterpiece

This evening I was fortunate to witness another spectacular royal ballet performance, thanks to my buddy Rithisal, who had offered me and my family six complimentary tickets.

Performed at Chenla today and tomorrow evening, the show is entitled “Preah Anurudh and Preah Neang Ossa” (ព្រះ​អនរុទ្ធ និង ព្រះនាង​ឳស្សា). It is a brand new production choreographed by Ms. Pen Sok Huon, Director of the Dance School of the Secondary School of Fine Arts, and produced by Amrita Performing Arts.

The story is about Preah Anurodh of the Kingdom of Norangka, who was visiting the forest and saw angels playing in a pond there. Attracted by their incredible beauty, Preah Anorudh and his soldiers went after them and made them scarily run away. The soldiers kept chasing and left th behind. Lost and exhausted, Prince Anurudh later fell asleep under a tree.

The spiritual protector of the tree predicted Prince Anurudh was fated to be the lover of Preah Neang Ossa, the daughter of the Demon, and so delivered him to Ossa’s chamber.

Not seeing their prince, the soldiers then reported his disappearance to Preah Chakrith, his grandfather. Preah Chakrith was devastated. He ordered a garuda to fly him to the Kingdom of the Demons – where Anurudh and Ossa had now been in love and slept together. Preah Neang Ossa’s brother, Tuosamook came to Ossa’s room to find them sleeping together. He was furious. He brought the news to his father, the King of the Demons, who ordered his soldiers to arrest and tie Anurudh to the tower of his temple.

Preah Chakrith arrived to find Preah Neang Ossa crying bitterly. Ossa then proceeded to recount what had transpired, after which Preah Chakrith casted a magic spell to release Preah Anurudh and dispatched the couple back to their kingdom.

Since pictures paint a thousand words, I’ll let them do justice for the show. You’ll love it, I guarantee!! That said, I just wanna mention it again that there remains another performance at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday.)

Let’s support Khmer performing arts and help make it forever alive!!

Preah Anurudh and his soldiers

Prince Anurudh

The tree protector brings Preah Anurudh to Preah Neang Ossa’s chamber.

The courtship

The Tai Lues in Yunnan Also Say “Suasdei”

I was visiting on Lao forum this morning and accidentally found a Youtube video on Tai Lue new year. FYI, the “Tai Lues” are one of the Tai tribes in Yunnan, Southern China. They share very similarity to the Thais and Laotians, in terms of language, belief, system of writing, music, architecture, and the like.

What struck me in the video was that the Tai Lues also use “Suasdei,” the Cambodian word for “Hello,” in greetings. In many ways, their language seems to be a combination of Khmer and Thai/Lao together. For instance, they would say “Suasdei Pee Mai” to mean “Happy New Year,” instead of “Sawadee Pee Mai” or “Sabaidee Pee Mai” as in Thai or Lao respectively.

My question is whether “Suasdei” is a real Khmer word. If so, could the Tai Lues’ use of “Suasdei” be a result of Cambodia’s past cultural dominance over the area? If I’m not wrong, our boundary wasn’t that far north back in the days of the Angkorian Empire.

Please watch the following video clip to get a better sense of what I’m talking about. It’d be interesting to hear your comments on the issue. Cheers!

Barang Singing Khmer National Anthem

ពីនេះពីនោះ From Royal Plowing Ceremony 2008

Anticipating a great photo op, I decided to tag along with Dad to the Royal Plowing Ceremony at Veal Preah Meru (វាលព្រះមេរុ) this morning. As a matter of fact, I used to see it only on TV before. It was really awesome to witness it live for the first time. Unbelievably colorful. I’m loving it! Yay!

Let’s see what I got from the day! Cheers!

Morning Procession. The ceremony started with a breathtaking procession from the Royal Palace to Veal Preah Meru – where the ceremony was held. Presiding over the ceremony were His Majesty the King and hundreds of officials, dignitaries, diplomatic corps and the public.

David Cook: The New American Idol

If you’ve been closely following this year’s American Idol this year, you should know who this dude is. Receiving 12 million votes, he is this year’s American Idol!

Honestly I’ve been a fan of his since the start of the season. He has a voice of a rock star! His voice is so versatile that it allows him to sing almost any types of rock. In fact listening to him reminds me of Chris Daughtry, another singer I like who was the fourth finalist from two seasons ago.

Way to go, David! I wish you all the best in your entertainment career! I have no doubt you’ll be the next BIG STAR!

David singing Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby.” Isn’t his voice great? I thought this version is way better that Mariah’s.

Cook’s version of Lionel Richie’s all-time favorite “Hello”

The American Idol Result Announcement. Exciting moment for David.

What is this?

Cambodian New Year Parade 2008 in Long Beach, CA

Photos courtesy of The Long Beach Press Telegraph

ប្រដាប់ប្រដាសំណែនដូនតានាស.វ. ទី ២១

ជារៀងរាល់ឆ្នាំ​ ឲ្យ​តែចូលដល់​រដូវកាល​ឆេងម៉េង​ពេលណា គ្រូួសារ និង បង​ប្អូន​ខ្ញុំ​ តែងតែរៀបចំពិធី​ប្រក់​ផ្នូរ​ និង សែន​ជូនអាកុង​អាម៉ា​ជានិច្ច។ ឆ្នាំនេះ ក៏មិនខុស​ពី​ឆ្នាំ​ណាៗដែរ ម៉ាក់​បាន​ទិញ​នូវ​គ្រឿង​ដង្វាយ​ជាច្រើន​ហូរហែរ​​។ និយាយ​ឲ្យចំទៅ គឺមានស្ទើរគ្រប់មុខ។ មានតាំងពី​ជ្រូកខ្វៃ នំនែក ផ្លែឈើ ក្រដាសសែន ទៀនធូប និង ផ្កាភ្ញី​​ជាដើម​។ល​។

ប៉ុន្តែ អ្វី​ដែលខ្ញុំ​ចាប់អារម្មណ័បំផុត​សម្រាប់ឆ្នាំនេះ គឺរឿងក្រដាសសែន។ ដូច​ឃើញ​ក្នុង​រូបនេះ​ស្រាប់ សំណែន​ដែលយើង​ដុតមានមិនត្រឹម​តែ​​ក្រដាស​មាស ក្រដាស​ប្រាក់ ប្រាក់​ដុល្លារ​ ប្រាក់​កាក់​ មាស​សន្លឹក គ្រឿង​អលង្គារ​ សម្លៀក​បំពាក់​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ​ទេ ថែមទាំងមានទូរស័ព្ទដៃ និង សំបុត្រ​យន្តហោះ​ទៅកាន់​ស្ថានសួគ៌​ថែមទៀត។ មិនណយដែរហ្នឹង! និយាយ​ពី​ទូរស័ព្ទ​វិញ​ សំបូរ​សុទ្ធតែ N Series តែ​ម្តង។​ មានតាំង​ពី N74, N75, 3310 ទៀតហ្ន៎! នេះបាន​ថា​ ទំនើបទាន់សម័យកាល​មែនរបស់​គេមែន! មិន​មែន​​មាន​តែ​មនុស្ស​​ឯណា ដែល​ប្រើ​ទូរស័ព្ទ​ដៃ​កាលីបៗ សូម្បី​តែ​ខ្មោច​ក៏​ប្រើ​ដែរ។

ពូកែរកនឹកគ្រាន់បើ​របស់គេ អ្នករកស៊ីខាងនេះ! សូមកោតសរសើរ!

Culture Day-cum-New Year Celebration 2008

Driving along the Russian Federation Boulevard last Saturday, passerby must have noticed that something was slightly out of ordinary at the typically tranquil IFL campus. All around this prestigious institute were lines of people in their best traditional outfits patiently queuing for registration. Blaring moderately loud were mindsoothing traditional Cambodian new year melodies, obviously telling us that some sort of festivity must be going on. For those who were there, the event was actually nothing else but the Culture Day-cum-Khmer New Year Celebration, an annual festivity held to raise awareness within the IFL community about Cambodian culture and heritage, and to mark the arrival of Cambodian new year.

Attending this event were H. E. Pit Chamnan, former Rector of the Royal University and currently Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education; IFL administrative and lecturing staff; and over 1,000 other students. The ceremony started off with an opening address by Dr. Mao Sokan, the Vice Rector of the Royal University, followed by another speech from H. E. Pit Chamnan. Central to the event that morning, however, were not the speeches. Instead they were cultural performances performed by the students and staff of the Institute and a forty-five minute Chapei duel by Cambodia’s Ray Charles Kong Nay and his protege Sin Soy. 

As a graduate and lecturer of IFL who has been away for so long, I can’t describe enough how glad I am to be back in time for the fun. For us people in the IFL community, this is the most exciting event of the year. It is one among the many activities that the IFL management team has come up in recent years to expand our students’ educational experiences beyond the academic sphere.

Since pictures are said to paint a thousand words, why don’t we let them PICTURES describe some of the day’s major highlights?

The most beautiful dance of the day, Robam Phuong Neary was performed by some members of the IFL Dance Club, a club founded by IFL deputy director Suos Man in 2000. I myself was also a member of it during my undergraduate years.

Kong Nay dueling with his protege Sin Soy on this year’s main themes – culture and ethics.

A short standup comedy show by IFL’s one and only Om Soryong and his student Vattey. ប្រសិន​បើ​អ្នក​ទាំងអស់​គ្នា​ឆ្ងល់​ថា​គាត់ហ្នឹង​ជានរណា គាត់ហ្នឹងឯងអធិរាជកំប្លែងស្ងួត​ប្រចាំ IFL។

Just look at the smiles on these faces! They should very well tell you how much they were enjoying themselves.

Following the yummy buffet lunch came the PARTAY time Cambodian styled

In other words, lecturers and students alike needed to hit the dancefloor.

I was very glad to run into some of my students from several years ago, who already graduated yet couldn’t help coming back to this annual fun.​ All that said, they are my pride. I am so proud to learn about what they’ve been doing and achieved in the past years. Keep up the good work, guys!

An Afternoon of Traditional Khmer Treats

It’s been ages since I last saw a live traditional Khmer dance performance. I am indeed very happy to see one at Sovanna Phum Theater this weekend, thanks to the invitation from Lok Kru Ieng Sithul and my good friends at Cambodian Living Arts.

Though merely a rehearsal performance, the show remained one of the best I’ve seen by far. Beginning with the mythical Robam Apsara (របាំអប្សរា), it featured various royal ballet and traditional folk dances as well as a brief Yike (យីកេ) scene from the all-time popular Cambodian romance Mak Theung.

Apart from Apsara Dance, I especially liked the third piece, Robam Ploy Suai (របាំភ្លយសួយ), best. Its fast, elegant movements, together with its upbeat accompanying music, tempted almost everyone to rock along. If any of you haven’t seen it, please make sure you check it out!!! It’s just so cool!

Robam Apsara

Robam Ploy Suai

Robam Krama Khmer

Robam Moni Mekhala

Pailin Peacock Dance 

That said, what continues to fascinate me until this moment isn’t only the performance but also the inspiring stories behind this dance troupe and its members.

Based right inside the Bassac slum community and currently supported by Cambodian Living Arts, the group was formed five years ago by Lok Kru Ieng Sithul, who at one time was also a resident of the community. It presently trains dances and music to almost 30 kids from within the area – many of whom were once street kids and who were on the verge of falling into drug addiction and prostitution.

From almost becoming a kind of people that our society often marginalizes, these boys and girls have proved to the rest of us, Cambodia and the whole world of how great they are. They are full of Khmer pride, confidence, integrity, and talents. And as loyal protectors of our millennium-old heritage and art, they have made themselves great role models for other Cambodian youth. By all means, Lok Kru Ieng Sithul, along with them all, deserves a very nice pad of the back for this selfless commitment and perseverance. I sincerely appreciate everything you guys’ve done.

Just so you know, the group will be leaving for their two-month France tour later this month. My Cambodian-French folks, please watch out for these great artists!!! I guarantee they rock!

P.S.: To view the whole photo album from the performance, click HERE!

Hangi: Traditional Maori Cooking

At the WOMAD New Zealand’s welcome ceremony yesterday, I had an opportunity to try Maori food for the first time. Consisting mainly of grilled meat, potatoes and pumpkins, the meal was nothing like other foods I’ve had. Its taste was very plain yet tasty. But what intrigued me most was the way the Maori cooked them. And as you could see in the above picture, everything was cooked right in the ground – in a cooking style called ‘Hangi.’

What is ‘Hangi’? 

‘Hangi’ (pronounced ‘Ha-ngi’) is the traditional Maori method of cooking in the ground with hot stones. In Rotorua and Taranaki, where natural steam is available, most hangi are prepared by harnessing the natural steam that comes from the geothermal activity. Where this is not available, the steam has to be created, and this is done in an ingenious way.

How do they do it? 

 

A cooked Hangi meal 

According to some of the Maori ladies I talked to yesterday, to begin with, a large pit is dug and firewood is placed over it. Heavy rocks called ‘hangi rocks’ are put on top of the firewood and it is lit. As the firewood burns, the heated hangi stones fall into the pit. In steel baskets, the hangi food or ‘kai’ is put into the pit and covered with leaves and dirt to seal the heat in. The food cooks for 3 to 4 hours and emerges as a steaming feast of pork, lamb, fish, kumara, potatoes and pumpkin that all have a very distinctive ‘hangi’ flavor. Then it’s time to eat and enjoy.

Wanna try Maori styled food? Then try Hangi at home.  

Happy Valentine’s Day!

It takes more than lace and ribbons,

and lovely verses too,

to make a Valentine that’s nice enough for you. 

It takes a world of special thoughts,

tucked into every line,

and that’s exactly what you’ll find inside this Valentine.

Happy New Year 2008!

Burmese Propaganda In Color

 

Reports on the Burmese crisis has slowed on the international mass media lately. Based on a recent post by Fifty Viss, it seems that this quietness does not translate into more peacefulness at all. Have a look at these colorful yet intimidating propaganda below. If you were a Burmese in Burma, would you give up your fight?

Translation: Are we aiming for Progress or Decline?

Translation: What would you choose? This [arrow points upward] or that [arrow points downward]?

Translation: We don’t need the compassion of the world’s police [America and Bush dressed as a cowboy]!

Translation: The world already knows the true brand of democracy America gives.

Translation: The history of [Burma] will be written by [Burma]. The history that Bush is writing, [on the other hand] is not at all beautiful.

Pictures and translation courtesy of Fifty Viss

 

The Aftermath of Last Week’s Snow Storm

នេះឯងទិដ្ឋភាពក្រោយពេលព្យុះរួចនៅម្តុំផ្ទះខ្ញុំ! សស្គុស! 

មើលឡាននេះ គួរឲ្យអាណិតទេ? ក្លាស្សេឲ្យ Free Free! 

តាមផ្លូវមហាប៉ប៉េចប៉ប៉ាច់។ ឡានមួយៗ ឲ្យស្រមូសៗ! មើលមិនបានទេ។ 

មាននរណាត្រូវការទឹកកកឈូសទេ? ខ្ញុំលក់ឲ្យបាន! មួយដុំ តែ ៥០០ រៀលទេ។ មានច្រូចទឹកស៊ីរ៉ូឲ្យទៀត!

សអស់រលីងចឹងទៅ ត្រជាក់ភ្នែកម៉្យាងដែរ…  

គ្រាន់តែថា ពេលដើរត្រូវប្រយ័ត្នតិច។ បើមិនដូច្នោះទេ ច្បាស់ជាត្រូវជិះស្គី ម៉ាស្សាព្រះកន្ធីងលេងទាំងព្រឹកឥឡូវហ្នឹង។ ឡានឃើញក្នុងរូបនេះ ជាឡានគារទឹកកកចេញពីផ្លូវ។ កុំតែបានឡាននេះទេ ច្បាស់ជាផ្លូវនេះ សស្គុសមើលលែងយល់ បើកឡានមិនកើតហើយ។ 

World AIDS Day 2007

M|O|N|G|K|O|L is proud to be part of World AIDS Day!Let’s make HIV history! Love yourself, your life and the people around you!

Digging for the Truth: The Great & Fallen Khmer Empire

 

Human Weapon: Cambodian Blood Sport

Bred in dark jungles of Southeast Asia, Pradal Serey is a devastating striking art of bone shattering kicks and punches.  Some argue this ancient fighting art of the mysterious Angkor Empire is the forefather of modern Muay Thai. Little is known about outside Cambodia’s borders.

From gritty urban fighting pits to the sweltering jungles of the north, hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff of the History Channel, journey into the heart of Pradal Serey to perfect the vicious strikes of this brutal martial art. Along the way they’ll race water buffalo against natives in a 1000 year old village festival and learn the ancient killing techniques of Khmer warriors. Their journey culminates when they enter the ring to battle it out against a 4 time Pradal Serey champion.

Videos courtesy of f4l209

ឆ្នាំមុន “Last Year” By a Barang Singer

VIA Mungkol: Have a listen to one of Sin Sisamuth’s most famous oldies resung in Khmer and Thai by a Barang singer named Christy Gibson. I personally think she is pretty good, considering she’s not a native speaker of either of the languages.

Born to a Dutch Christian missionary family, Christy is a look thung singer (លូកធុង) currently living in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. She has released four albums thus far, with the first one called Christy Der Ka Der (This is Christy), in 2001.

For more information, kindly see her official website.

Miss Tiffany 2007

Who would believe such a flawless lady is not a woman? But let’s face the fact. Smiling to you here is Thailand’s Miss Tiffany (or the so-called Transgendered Queen) 2007.

“Scaringly beautiful huh? As a woman, I’m upset. She is too beautiful,” said one of my female friends. So what do you think? It would be interesting to hear our lady readers’ perspectives.

Happy 54th Independence Day!

Cambodian soldiers stand in front of a monument during the Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh November 09, 2007. Cambodia celebrates its 54th anniversary of Independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

 

Cambodian students attend the Independence Day celebration at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 to mark the country’s 54th Independence Day from France, Nov. 9, 1953. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

 

 Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni (R) walks past an honour guard during Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh November 9, 2007. Cambodia celebrates its 54th anniversary of Independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

 

 Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, left, greets students during the Independence Day celebration at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. King Sihamoni is jointed by thousand of civil servants and students to mark the country’s 54th Independence Day from France, Nov. 9, 1953. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

 

Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, right, and Buddhist Patriarch prepare to release a dove during the Independence Day celebration at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007. King Sihamoni is jointed by thousand of civil servants and students to mark the country’s 54th Independence Day from France, Nov. 9, 1953. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

 Doves fly after the official release during the Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh November 09, 2007. Cambodia celebrates its 54th anniversary of Independence from France on November 9. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea (CAMBODIA)

The Power of Love

A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn’t get along with mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law’s habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li’s poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law’s bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father’s good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang thought for a while, and finally said, “Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.”

Li-Li said, “Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do.” Mr Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, “You can’t use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body.

Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you, when she dies, you must be very careful to be actively friendly towards her. “Don’t argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen.” Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn’t had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law’s attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter. Li-Li’s husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again She said, “Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law. She’s changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her.”

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. “Li-Li, there’s nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins toimprove her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her.”

There is a wise Chinese saying: “The person who loves others will also be loved in return.” God might be trying to work in another person’s life through you.

Let us all spread the “POWER OF LOVE.”

Happy Birthday HM King Father!

 Picture courtesy of Sopheak Seang

Paul Potts the Great! :)

You must be wondering why I suddenly spelled Pol Pot’s name this way and why I consider him great! For God’s sake, he is such a evil man! Why??? I must be crazy huh?

This Paul Potts is actually a completely different guy. Originally from Wales, he is this year’s winner of a popular British talent TV show Britain’s Got Talent. I first heard about him when I was in the UK this summer. I didn’t know he was this cool, but the fact that he shares a similar name to our brutal leader makes him very intriguing.

Wanna know more about him, see the video clips below! Enjoy Paul Potts!

 

Sand Art

Men Vs. Women: The Difference

Can you read this?

Only great minds can read this.
This is weird, but interesting!

Fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Interesting Facts: Digital Korea

Tomi Ahonen’s book “Digital Korea” discusses digital convergence in South Korea. Here are some excerpted statistics:

• 90% of South Koreans have broadband Internet access.
• 63% of South Koreans make payments using their cell phones.
• 43% of Korea’s population maintain an online profile or blog site in Cyworld.
• Over 50% of South Koreans have migrated their cell-phone account to 3G.
• The most popular online game in Korea, Lineage, has 14 million users worldwide, twice as many as World of Warcraft.
• The second most desired car is not a Ferrari but a “Solid Pro,” a virtual car from the online game Kart Rider.
• In South Korea, the average broadband connection is between 50 and 100 megabits a second (compared with the UK’s average 4.6 megabits). South Korea is already rolling out pilot connections at 1,000 megabits a second.
• South Koreans pay for their broadband at the lowest rates in the world.
• In 2006, 57% of South Korea’s music sales were digital compared to 10% in the U.S. (Source: IFPI January 2007)

Colors of Fall

Yay, yay, yay! Once again, one of the year’s most beautiful seasons is back in full strength! Second only to Spring, Fall is by all means my most favorite season!

In the US at the moment, it is not a strange sight at all for one to see a once very green tree becoming orangely red in a few days. Wherever you turn, you see vibrance and colors.

In many ways, the whole scene is offering me a new sense of life. It is lifting my mood up and making me feel more relaxed than ever.

Suddenly life is once again full of hope and surprise.

How thankful I am to the Mother Nature! Thank you a million for giving the world such an incredible beauty! Love you, dearest Fall!

CJCC Photo Contest

VIA SAMPHY: The Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC) is organizing its first photo contest with the support from JICA and Japanese Association Cambodia. The photos to compete in the contest should feature people living in the natural environment or the beautiful place of scenery, life or cultures as found in Cambodia.Photos must be submitted by Oct 26, 2007. Prizes are as follows:

• 1st Award (1 prize): Certificate, From Phnom Penh to Rattanak Kiri Package Tour (4 days and 3 nights) for 3 (three) persons, and supplementary prize
• 2nd Award (1 prize): Certificate, From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Package Tour (4 days and 3 nights) for 4 (four) persons, and supplementary prize
• 3rd Award (1 prize): Certificate, From Phnom Penh to Sihanouk Ville Package Tour (3 days and 2 nights) for 4 (four) persons, and supplementary prize
• General Award (5 prizes): Certificate, food voucher, and supplementary prize

Interested and want to join the contest? Read more at http://www.cjcc.jp/en/hottopic/photo_contest.html

Kong Nay’s WOMAD Workshop

For those wanting to catch a glimpse of what we did at the workshop, check this out! ខ្ញុំរាំអត់ស្អាតទេ! មេត្តាកុំសើចខ្ញុំបាទ!

All the credits for this video go to Brother Y. You rock bro!

Can You Do The Same Things?

មនុស្សយើងខ្លះ តែងមើលងាយអ្នកពិការ ថាគ្នាកំបុតដៃកំបុតជើង គ្មានសមត្ថភាព គ្មានបានការ។ សូមមេត្តាងាកមកមើលមីងម្នាក់នេះមើល! តើ ពួកយើងដែលជាអ្នកមានកាយសម្បទារគ្រប់គ្រាន់ អាចធ្វើបានមួយចំណិតគាត់ទេ?

Khmerican Idol

 A funny parody of the famous American Idol. Have a blast!

Question of the Day

Which country does this flag belong to?

If I Were In Harry Potter, I Would Be….

It’s a tie!

You are part Harry. You’re a loyal and courageous friend. You’d do anything to protect the people you love, especially if it’ll get you a break from class for a little while.

You are part Fred and George. You’re a joker at heart, but when push comes to shove, you know what’s important.

To take this test, try BrainFall.com

Question of the Day: Where is this?

A 15-Year-Old Beckham

I often wonder how these artifacts from long ago make their way to the internet, but I suppose when you’re David Beckham even the most trivial souvenirs from the past have some kind of value. Anyways, this is a 15-year-old Becks.

Strangely enough, the issues that soon-to-be L.A. Galaxy star is facing now mostly have to do with borders. Some are saying that a planned knighthood for the football star shouldn’t go forward because he’s moving to the US. A source told the Manchester Evening News: “Some officials feel that there is nothing wrong with honoring a player who is based in Europe and free to represent his country, but there is a big difference if the player is earning his main income and paying tax in the United States and unable to play for England.”

The Donut King: Super Hilarious

ซื้อกุหลาบให้ตัวเอง ទិញកុលាបឲ្យខ្លួនឯង

ហេតុអីបានជាកម្លោះមួយក្រុមនេះ ត្រូវកម្សត់យ៉ាងនេះ? ត្រូវទិញកុលាបឲ្យខ្លួនឯងនាថ្ងៃ Valentine’s… គិតទៅ វាមិនខុសពីខ្ញុំប៉ុន្មានដែរទេ!!! ជីវិតអើយ ជីវិត! កម្សត់ឡើងស្រក់ទឹកមាត់!!!

ច្រៀងដោយ៖ Dr. Oak, Calorie Blah Blah,  Pitt, Nick and Dos

Top 10 Khmer Foods I Miss!!!

After almost a year out of Cambodia, I’ve come to realize how badly I’ve been missing Cambodian food and my mom’s cooking. Believe it or not, there are just so much that I am craving, and I would do anythin’ to get them RIGHT NOW! I imagine I would eat like crazy when I’m home this summer. So there you go!!! Here is a list of the top 10 foods I want.To all my buddies out there, mind you have them ready for me please! I know how much you guys care for me and I am more than sure you will! Lol.

How about those of you who are overseas as I am? What would your list be?

1. Baby Duck Eggs (ពងទាកូន)

Miss Universe 2007: An Asian Year

A 20-year-old dancer from Japan, who wants to someday open an international dance school, was crowned Monday night as Miss Universe 2007.

Riyo Mori nervously grabbed the hands of first runner-up, Natalia Guimaraes of Brazil, just before the winner was announced. She was trembling in awe as the diamond-and pearl-studded crown was placed on her head. Miss USA Rachel Smith, whose chances may have been dimmed when she slipped and fell to the floor during the evening gown competition, was the contest’s fourth runner-up. Also finishing in the top five were second runner-up Ly Jonaitis of Venezuela and third runner-up Honey Lee of Korea.

The winner travels the world for a year on behalf of charities and pageant sponsors. Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza of Puerto Rico crowned her successor at the end of the two-hour telecast with the headpiece valued at $250,000.

Surprisingly enough, grabbing other top awards were also Asian beauties. Miss Philippines Anna Theresa Licaro seized the Miss Photogenic title, whereas the Miss Congeniality Award went to Miss China Ningning Zhang.

Truly, this is an Asian year.

Miss Philippines and Miss China

Source: AFP

Shot of the Week: Lovely Boston in Winter

Taken from the Mass. Ave Bridge above the Charles River

Cheating Across Culture

Is cheating a personal or cultural habit? Let’s hear what the Inside Higher Ed has to say.

When Duke University found 34 first-year business school students guilty of collaborating on a take-home test late last month, officials announced a variety of penalties: Pending appeals, nine of the Fuqua School of Business M.B.A. students would be expelled, 15 would receive a one-year suspension and a failing grade in the required course, nine would simply fail the class and one would fail the assignment alone.

Not surprisingly, some of the students are contesting their sentences. This week, a Durham lawyer who’s filed appeals on behalf of 16 of the students cried foul to the Associated Press, arguing that all nine of the expelled students were from Asian countries, and that the students in question failed to fully understand the honor code and the judicial proceedings.

Excuses, excuses? Maybe; maybe not. Regardless, the complaints serve to spotlight some of the particular challenges inherent in addressing issues of academic integrity involving international students, many of whom come to American colleges with different conceptions of cheating. As the number of international students has increased in recent years — and the number of academic misconduct incidents involving international students has risen accordingly — educators have increasingly embraced the need to address academic integrity concerns proactively, recognizing in their actions the various cultural influences that can help cause one to cheat.

‘Cos I Am A Girl

I thought you guys might find this love saga interesting. So touching yet a bit idealistic. I wonder if I would do the same thing. It’s really hard to say, for love can make one so blind.

Would you do the same thing?

Shot of the Week: Lord of the Rings

Upon seeing this photo, you must be wondering “who the hell this is” to wear this many rings!!!!

Not me, of course. I’d admit that I was also stunned the first time I saw it, but this very hand belongs to my classmate Alex. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Alex is a ring fanatic. He is just so crazy about rings and collecting them. Though not all five at a time, still he will wear at least three wherever he goes. Classes, gym, work, conferences, parties, etc. Just name it. By simply looking at the hands and fingers, everybody at LSOE knows that’s Alex.

According to Alex, each ring represents all the schools and colleges he went to. Basically two were from his high school, whereas the other three were from his undergraduate and graduate colleges. Isn’t that amazing? When asked if he would get more rings when he goes to a new school, Alex proudly said, “YES.”

Ooooooh, what a commitment! I really can’t wait till he fills all his ten fingers. It’s gonna be very interesting.

Would you guys fancy doing the same then? Lols.

A Perfect Date With បារាំងអាចម៍កុក

ZEROES

If you love the currently talk-of-the-town TV series HEROES, check these out!!!!

Way to go!!!

Me on ASPE Health Benefit Guide Cover

I found out today that my picture was featured on the cover of the new ASPE Health Benefit Guide. For your information, this is a health insurance handbook for exchange students coming to the United States and Americans going abroad under the State Department’s sponsorship.

Really have no idea on how they got that picture and how long it has been on, but that’s really cool! At least they picked a really good one…

Big thanks to Clare for the tip-off.

My Celebrity Look-Alikes

Weapons of Math Instruction

At New York’s Kennedy airport today, an individual — later discovered to be a public school teacher — was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule and a calculator. At a morning press conference, the attorney general said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

“Al-gebra is a fearsome cult,” a Justice Department spokesman said. “They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like ‘x’ and ‘y’ and refer to themselves as ‘unknowns,’ but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, ‘There are 3 sides to every triangle’.”

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, “If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes.”

A repost from Khmerican.net

Shot of the Week: STARS

Water woes, not wars, ended Angkor’s empire

After resisting Siamese invaders for years, Cambodia’s greatest city and civilization — temple-studded Angkor — was dealt a death blow with its final sacking in 1431.

Or, so say the history books.

But an international research team now thinks its demise was set much earlier, by something that is the bane of many modern urban societies — ecological failure and infrastructure breakdown.

“They created ecological problems for themselves and they either didn’t see it until it was too late or they couldn’t solve it even when they could see it,” said Roland Fletcher, an archaeologist working on the Greater Angkor Project.

Angkor city, the capital of several Hindu kings who ruled over large swaths of Southeast Asia, flourished from the 9th to the 14th centuries, leaving a legacy of architectural splendor in its myriad of temples, including the country’s cultural icon, Angkor Wat.

Project members are working on the theory that Angkorians created an elaborate system of reservoirs and canals — for irrigation, trade and travel — that began to silt up as the population grew, and perhaps saw failures that caused flooding and water shortages.

Experts say Angkor’s demise is important to study because it can provide lessons for dealing with modern urban problems.

Oscar 2007 Winners

Here is the shortlist for the 79th Academy Awards, held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, with the winners listed in bold:

Director Martin Scorsese finally won best director after five previous nominations. The 64-year-old’s mob epic, The Departed also took best picture.

 

Best picture
The Departed
Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

 

Best director
Martin Scorsese, The Departed
Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Babel

 

Best actor
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland
Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O’Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness

 

Ruins to 3-D riches: recreating the Khmers

Tom Chandler on the animations of ancient life at Angkor: “What we’re trying to do is to demonstrate how Cambodian culture and history might be visualised and interpreted with this technology.” (Photo: Eddie Jim)

Archaeology and technology combine to take students back to the ancient city of Angkor, writes Geoff Maslen.

WHEN Tom Chandler first saw the ancient Cambodian city of Angkor and its wonderful temple six years ago, it set him on a path that has led to the re-creation of the city as it was 1000 years ago.

Using the latest in 3-D modelling and computer game technology, Mr Chandler and his team at Monash University have built a visual and interactive program that allows people to see how the ancient Khmers lived.

A quick stopover in Cambodia on his way back to Australia from Britain, where he had been working as an art director and graphic designer, turned into a six-month sojourn for him. Captivated by the land of the Khmer, he returned regularly to Cambodia.

After he began teaching 3-D animation and graphics at Monash’s faculty of information technology, Mr Chandler decided to use his multimedia skills to capture Angkor as it was and then make it available to a wider audience.

“In 2002, I linked up with the University of Sydney’s Greater Angkor Wat project, where a large team of archaeologists and other researchers are investigating Angkor and how its decline and collapse came about,” Mr Chandler says. “Since then I have also worked with the Monash Asia Institute in researching visualisations of Angkorian civilisation, especially ancient urban and agricultural landscapes and architecture, but also scenes of daily life, warfare and the royal court.”

Using high-range 3-D graphic software similar to that used to produce animated sequences and special effects in recent motion pictures and computer games, Mr Chandler and his graduate students have developed a range of short animations and an extensive library of digital models. He says the project has implications for the way history is interpreted, while it could also have strong commercial interest for the tourism, educational multimedia, broadcast and computer-gaming industries.

But as any animator knows, the process is enormously time-consuming. Not just the research to get accurate archaeological and historical information, but also the creation of virtual images. Mr Chandler says that producing a 45-second animation, even to achieve a reasonably accurate result, requires many reviews by experts in the field and takes a small team of his graduate students several months to complete.

In the popular imagination, Angkor is a place of ruins and broken statues being swallowed up by a forest. One animation re-creates an ancient battle scene with colours and sound to show a lively, dynamic city.

“Though many students might have heard of the temple of Angkor Wat, the civilisation of Angkor remains unfamiliar territory,” Mr Chandler says.

“A great deal of emphasis in the school curriculum deals with the classic civilisations of Rome, Greece and Egypt, whereas Angkor, even though it lies much closer to home, has received much less attention. This may soon change as many high-school teachers now holiday to South-East Asia and they know about Angkor. It’s time their students did too.”

Archaeologists and historians have established that Angkor was a thriving metropolis between the 9th and 14th centuries, before its mysterious collapse. All that remains are the stone ruins of hundreds of temples, including the World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat, the largest in the world.

In his research, Mr Chandler drew on art history and archaeological data, photography, historical maps, satellite imagery and advice from international experts to re-create the city as it was in AD1000. Textile experts helped to visualise the colours of the ancient fabrics.

Last year, he was invited to Cambodia’s Norton University as a senior visiting fellow to introduce a group of computer science and architecture students to specialised 3-D modelling and animation techniques. The aim of the continuing project is to train Cambodian digital designers and multimedia experts to digitally render their own history and their own heritage using 3-D animation.

“Knowing these highly technical skills offers Cambodians the opportunity to tell their own stories,” Mr Chandler says. “What we’re trying to do is to demonstrate how Cambodian culture and history might be visualised and interpreted in Khmer with this technology.

“These visions of the past are not limited only to historical reconstructions. In fact, 3-D animations are best at recreating things that lie in the popular imagination of the past rather than the archaeological one – in myths, folklore and legends.”

Mr Chandler completed his undergraduate degree in archaeology but later travelled overseas to work in the interactive design industry. Now he says he has returned to put those skills together and has opened up new avenues for bringing the past back to life.

Source: The Age

Shot of the Week

Hu is leading China?

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Shot of the Week: Windmills

Windmills in Tracy, California

The World’s Worst Dictators

VIA RFA: Parade Magazine, syndicated to more than 380 Sunday newspapers in the United States, just published its annual list of the worst dictators. Out of 20 oppressive, non law abiding rulers, four of them govern the affairs of Radio Free Asia target countries.

This rather distressing list includes:

North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il who makes it to number 2 on the list for his nuclear explosion and blatant abuse of human rights documented on RFA Korean.

China’s Hu Jintao who graduates from number 6 last year to number 4! RFA Mandarin, Cantonese, Uyghur and Tibetan all cover violations of the rule of law in China, with particular ferocity when it comes to the Uyghurs and the Tibetan populations.

Burma’s general Than Shwe is number 6, an improvement from last year when he was number 3. Since human rights abuses are daily occurances in Burma as they were a year ago, that can only be due to the rise of other, despicable characters all over the world.

Finally, Laos’s Choummaly Sayasone makes it to the list for the first in 16th position. Read about it in Lao, on RFA.

Readers of Parade are asked to comment and mention who has been forgotten. The debate is lively, with one person arguing about the definition of the word “dictator”. If we go by: “a ruler who is unconstrained by law,” our list is rather sadly appropriate.

Breaking the Myth of Megapixels

By DAVID POGUE

For an industry that’s built on science, the technology world sure has its share of myths. Thousands of people believe that forwarding a certain e-mail message to 50 friends will bring great riches, that the gigahertz rating of a computer is a good comparative speed score, or that Bill Gates once said “640K of RAM ought to be enough for anybody.”

Shawn King, a library patron in Westport, Conn., examining photographs shot using various pixel levels. Few could discern differences.

But one myth is so deeply ingrained, millions of people waste money on it every year. I’m referring, of course, to the Megapixel Myth.

It goes like this: “The more megapixels a camera has, the better the pictures.”

It’s a big fat lie. The camera companies and camera stores all know it, but they continue to exploit our misunderstanding. Advertisements declare a camera’s megapixel rating as though it’s a letter grade, implying that a 7-megapixel model is necessarily better than a 5-megapixel model.

Did you know…?

• that Khmer has the most alphabets of all world languages?
• that the Cambodia national football team finished fourth in the Asian Cup 1972?
• that Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument?

• that Phnom Penh International Airport is the largest airport in Cambodia?

• that Phnom Penh had more than 3 million people in 1975?

• that there were 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims in Cambodia as late as 1975?
• that the Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia?
• the 100 riel banknotes are printed in Cambodia? 
• that King Norodom Sihamoni is one-fourth Italian?
• that kouprey was declared the national animal of Cambodia by King Father Norodom Sihanouk?
• that King Father Norodom Sihanouk holds the Guinness World Record for the politician who has occupied the greatest variety of political offices?
• that current Prime Minister Hun Sen started his term in 1985?
• that the Tonle Sap supplies 60% of Cambodia’s protein intake?
• that Saigon was founded by Cambodians?
• that Tonle Sap lake has the largest freshwater fish reserve in the world?
• that the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary has the largest bird population in the world?
• that General Lon Nol died in Fullerton, California in 1985?

• that the United States of America dropped 2,756,941 tons of bombs on Cambodia in the late 1960s and early 1970s?

• that more than 150,000 Cambodian civilians died during the bombing?
• that Cambodia has the highest infant mortality rate in Southeast Asia?

References: Wikipedia Portal, WildAid, Cambodian Scene Magazine

Shot of the Day: SPEED

Ad campaign causes Boston alert

A major American media corporation has apologised for an outdoor marketing campaign that caused a day-long security alert in the city of Boston.

Turner Broadcasting System had placed “packages” with cartoons and blinking lights at separate locations across the city to advertise a television cartoon.

Roads and bridges were shut down while police bomb squads investigated the suspicious looking packages.

Turner said the campaign had been in place in 10 cities for several weeks.

Police destroyed the first package found to see if it contained explosives.

“The ‘packages’ in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger,” Turner Broadcasting said in a statement.

“We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger”.

Source: BBC News

D3ngu3 F3v3r Inf3cTioN

BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS!

Dengue fever, an acute mosquito-borne tropical disease with a geographical spread similar to Malaria, rocked Pailin City Restaurant in Lowell, Massachussetts, tonight.

Hold your breath, guys! I am just kidding..

The ‘Dengue Fever‘ I am talking here is nothing that dangerous. It is actually an LA-based Khmerican music band, which is transmitting itself through music and resulting in nothing worse than 1970s Cambodian surf-rock flashbacks… A no ordinary band, Dengue Fever was formed in 2001 by American rocker Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by Cambodian rock-n-roll during a trip to Cambodia. The band was later joined by bassist Senon Williams, drummer Paul Smith and saxophonist David Ralicke. Somehow the charismatic force that holds this fantastic band together is a famous Cambodian singer, Chhom Nimol, whom the band recruited after scouring the scene in Long Beach , which is home to the largest Cambodian population outside Cambodia, for a front woman to interpret the Khmer-language songs that so compelled them.

Personally, I’ve heard about them from friends ages ago. I have been very impressed by their style of music, which blends Cambodian and Western music flavors together so well.. I just couldn’t believe I finally saw them performing live, thanks to my good buddy Decker…

With an entrance fee of $35, the show came with a five-course dinner, which indeed was not a bad deal. Joining us there were three of Decker’s Cambodian friends–Dewey, Sinath and Sinan, who were all so friendly and entertaining. Although it was our first time meeting each other, we all just hit it off . As soon as the music started, we, specially I, just could not resist anymore. We danced like crazy throughout the show.. What a blast!

Decker said a Cambodian fundraising music show is coming up on Feb 2, and he is going to take me there… As for Dewey, she is also in the process of organizing two major events for this coming Khmer New Year and July. I really look forward to all of them… OMG! Can’t believe I am feeling so much at home here.. Big thanks to you, buddies Decker and Dewey!

As for now, please enjoy some backstage pictures I got with the artists..

Me and the band

With Mr. Zac the Long Beard

Chinese Vs. American

 

While doing my grocery shopping yesterday, I found these on one of the shelves. Thinking about it, I just couldn’t help laughing…

A question for you: Is everything American always bigger than Chinese’s?

Prudential Center

Entrance to Prudential Center, one of the most high class shopping centers in town

X’mas decoration was everywhere… I really love the one here.. So amazing..

Some colorful roses and tulips on sale

A Russian doll of Virgin Mary

Father X’mas

30,000 Clicks

Attractive Professions

In a bid to try and BEAUTIFY Professional Titles do not be surprised to see these awesome titles.. Which one do you wanna be? There are just so many for you to choose from. I really love the eleventh and the last two.

 

OLD TITLES	NEW TITLES
*Garden Boy	: Landscape Executive and Animal Nutritionist
*House Maid	: Family Environs Upkeep Manager
*Receptionist	: Front Office Manager/Office Access Control
*Typist	: Printed Document Handler
*Messenger	: Business Communications Conveyer
*Window Cleaner	: Transparent Wall Technician
*Temporary Teacher	: Associate Tutor
*Tea Boy	: Refreshment Overseer
*Garbage Collector	: Public Sanitation Technician
*Watchman	: Theft Prevention and Surveillance Officer
*Prostitute	: Practical Sexual Relations Officer
*Thief	: Wealth Distribution Officer
*Driver	: Automobile Propulsion Specialist
*Maid	: Domestic Operations Specialist
*Employee without Portfolio	: Administration Manager
*Cook	: Food Preparation Officer
*Unemployed	: Township Management
*Gossiping	: Research Management

A Close-Up of Andre Kim’s Fashion Show at Angkor

Famous Korean actress Kim See-hun. She recently starred in “The Myth” with Jackie Chan. I really like her. She is too hot to resist…

Resolve 2007

Andre Kim holds the first fashion show at Angkor Wat

SIEM REAP, Cambodia – Korea’s top designer Andre Kim showcased his lavish costumes representing the beauty of his country at Angkor Wat temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Monday evening. The show titled “Fashion Fantasia: Angkor Watt” is the first of its kind ever held with the ancient temple as a backdrop. The temple, one of the seven wonders of the world, is located in the western part of Cambodia.

“I feel honored to present my fashion show in front of this internationally recognized heritage, Angkor Wat of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Also I am deeply grateful to the government of Cambodia and its beautiful, warm-hearted citizens,” said Kim during an opening speech.

The first part of the two-day show was attended by many prominent guests including Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and other cabinet ministers as well as family members of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Actor Kim Rae-won and actress Kim Hee-sun (front) join other models to present creations by Andre Kim during a fashion show at Angkor Wat in Cambodia on Monday night. [Chung Hee-cho/The Korea Herald]

“It is my delight and pleasure to participate in Andre Kim’s fashion show, the first international fashion show in front of Angkor Wat. We would like to express gratitude to the participants of the international fashion show and for having film stars in the prosperous city of Angkor,” said Deputy Prime Minister Sok An. Kim’s fashion show started with the stage that celebrated the ongoing Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006 with two Korean Wave stars – actor Kim Rae-won and actress Kim Hee-sun – walking down the catwalk with other special guest models. A total of 187 pieces were showcased during the two-hour show.

The 71-year-old designer presented dresses in white, purple and black silk chiffon accentuated with embroidered sparkling spangles. Glittering silver-tone buttons and shoes and also somewhat simplified patterns used in the dress added a futuristic twist to Kim’s designs.

Will You Want to Smoke Again?

From a ceiling of a hospital.. A good technique to deter smokers, isn’t it?

Eerie Yet Interesting Facts

Read to the bottom. Try it out. I did. I got goosebump. This is actually really freaky, especially its ending part. Read them all first, and you’ll see why.

• New York City has 11 letters
• Afghanistan has 11 letters.
• Ramsin Yuseb (the terrorist who threatened to destroy the Twin Towers in 1993) has 11 letters.
• George W Bush has 11 letters.

This could be a mere coincidence, but this gets more interesting:

• New York is the 11th state.
• The first plane crashing against the Twin Towers was flight number 11.
• Flight 11 was carrying 92 passengers. 9 + 2 = 11
• Flight 77 which also hit Twin Towers, was carrying 65 passengers. 6+5 = 11
• The tragedy was on September 11, or 9/11 as it is now known. 9 + 1+ 1 = 11
• The date is equal to the US emergency services telephone number 911. 9 +1 + 1 = 11

Sheer coincidence..?! Read on and make up your own mind:

• The total number of victims inside all the hijacked planes was 254. 2 + 5 + 4 = 11.
• September 11 is day number 254 of the calendar year. Again 2 + 5 + 4 = 11.
• The Madrid bombing took place on 3/11/2004. 3 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 11.
• The tragedy of Madrid happened 911 days after the Twin Towers incident.

Now this is where things get totally eerie.

The most recognized symbol for the US, after the Stars & Stripes, is the Eagle. The following verse is taken from the Quran, the Islamic holy book:

“For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced: for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah and there was peace.”

That verse is number 9.11 of the Quran.

Unconvinced about all of this Still ..?! Try this and see how you feel afterwards, it made my hair stand on end. Open Microsoft Word and do the following:

1. Type in capitals Q33 NY. This is the flight number of the first plane to hit one of the Twin Towers.
2. Highlight the Q33 NY.
3. Change the font size to 48.
4. Change the actual font to the WINGDINGS

What do you THINK now?!!

Countries I’ve Visited

Create your own visited country map

1st ASEAN Arts and Crafts Festival 2006 in Ayuthaya, Thailand

Cambodia

Mural of Smiles

A new tool from Flickr! Wanna make a similar one for yourself?

Try it with Warholizer!

3D Swimming Pool…

តាក់ទីង ណាំងៗ…

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

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.

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.

Enjoy Your Halloween With Some Cool Pumpkin Art!

I was browsing through Beth’s flickr album today and just couldn’t help admiring her pics from the pumpkin carving fair in Rhode Island. They were just so awesome. I could hardly believe these super artistic works were made on pumpkins.

Happy Halloween!

Not a painting but a pumpkin carving

Cool, huh?

VideoJug.com

Do you know how to set your necktie properly? Do you know how to replace your flat car tires? Do you know how to help someone stop hyperventilating? All of these can be found on Videojug.com, a website devoted to instructional videos. Calling itself, “Life explained on film,” Videojug teaches viewers some of the most obvious instructions you can ever find elsewhere.

Click this picture to see one of the videos–how to fold your t-shirt in 2 seconds.

In contrast to youtube, where most videos are of the entertainment sort, Videojug teaches you almost anything from important life skills such cooking, social etiquettes, personal health care, household management and beauty to the funniest stuffs such as how to kiss somebody passionately, and more. Even more special, in case you love any of the videos, Videojug also allows you to download them for your iPod and cell phones. Hmm mmm! Cool, isn’t it?

So, check it out and make your internet experience more useful!

The World Without Engineers

Aeronautical Engineers

Mechanical Engineers

Campus Hate Crime

Race is a sensitive issue. Before coming to the U.S., I regard racial issue as inquisitive but unimportant. To me, Cambodia is a homogenous country – I am convinced of this notion since I was born. And while I am aware that there are some small portions of ethnic groups other than the Cambodians/Khmers living in the country, school textbooks and national media hardly include the information relevant to minority groups residing across the country. Up until now, to what extent these groups of people (Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotians, Muslim communities and tribal people) have been discriminated against or mistreated by the dominant group remains a rarely touched on topic. In fact, tracing back the history of my ancestors tells me that I belong to a mixture of Cambodian, Chinese, and Vietnamese origins. However, since the way I look, behave, or speak does not make me any different from the surrounding majority, I often regard the occasionally encountered mistreatments as some kind of misunderstandings rather than racial discriminations.

Being caught up in a context as diverse and complex as the U.S makes me feel different, however. From the first day of my graduate class, I start to feel uncomfortable in a context where I cannot locate familiar faces: those of Asian students other than myself and a couple of others. (Everytime I find a Cambodian, I am just as pleased as finding a million dollars.) The more I read news and articles describing people from one racial group being harassed by another, the more I feel discrimination in the U.S. is on the rise.

As a matter of fact, Americans are divided into two big groups–the liberal and conservative. The liberal are open-minded and normally live in cities or towns along the coasts, where the demographic makeup is highly diverse. The conservative stick to the ideology of white superiority and mostly reside in the midwest and southern parts of the United States. The fact that Boston College is on the east coast convinced me that racial harrassment should never happen here.

20,000 Hits

The Story of the Dog

Courtesy of Beth Kanter

Which Baby Are You?

Jan

Pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Sensitive. Down-to-Earth. Stubborn. Repost this in 5 mins and you will meet someone new in 8 days that will perfectly balance your personality.

Feb

Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexiest out of everyone. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest And loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Horny. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions. Repost this in 5 mins and you will talk to someone new and realize that you are a perfect match.

Romeo’s Letter to Juliet

Dearest Ms Juliet,

I am very happy to inform you that I have fallen in Love with you since the
08th of October (Sunday). With reference to the meeting held between us on
the 07th of Oct. at 1500 hrs, I would like to present myself as a
prospective lover.

Our love affair would be on probation for a period of three months and
depending on compatibility, would be made permanent.  Of course, upon
completion of probation, there will be continuous on the job training and
performance appraisal schemes leading up to promotion from lover to spouse.

The expenses incurred for coffee and entertainment would initially be
shared equally between us. Later, based on your performance, I might take
up a larger share of the expenses. However I am broadminded enough to be
taken care of, on your expense account.

I request you to kindly respond within 30 days of receiving this letter,
failing which, this offer would be cancelled without further notice and I
shall be considering someone else.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Yours sincerely,

Romeo

Miss World 2006 Crowned

Contestants of Miss World 2006 perform in the Congress Hall in Warsaw. Czech beauty Tatana Kucharova won the Miss World title, in a glitzy finale of the beauty pageant broadcast to more than 200 countries from the Polish capital.(AFP/Janek Skarzynski)

First Time @ A Football Game

Only during this past Saturday did I know how crazy Americans are about football. That day, BC was hosting a match with a team from the University of Maine. Oh man! That was the first time for me to be at a football match and to see such a big crowd on campus. I would say it was over 20,000 people. An hour before the game started, the whole campus appeared more like a fun fair or picnic venue than a school. People were having their barbecue in all corners, even the parking lot. :p

A stream of people flocking onto campus

More Update: Miss Cambodia at Miss World 2006 Strutting Her Stuff

By Khan Sophirom, Cambodian Scene Magazine

It was all glitz and girls at the recent Miss Tourism Queen International pageant held in Hanghzou, China in June. Eighty-five contestants vied for the crown, pouting and preening in snazzy getups and strutting on heels wearing tiny bikinis.

Cambodia was represented by Sun Srey Mom. A 22-year-old student from Kompong Cham, Srey Mom was not successful, but she says she was happy just to be a part of the competition.

“You know I am very proud with the opportunity I was given and to hold the Cambodian flag on stage with other women from around the world. I know I wasn’t beautiful enough compared with the other contestants, but I am very happy, because it was a chance for me to promote tourism in Cambodia and for me to learn and share experiences with the other entrants,” Srey Mom says.

Thai Coup: War and Peace

Since Thailand’s coup, tanks decorated with roses and yellow ribbons have become the kingdom’s hottest tourism draw, with Thais and foreigners vying for the best spot to take pictures.

This is certainly a big contrast of how a war should be. Although what happened was quite negative to democracy, I truly admire how they managed the situation. At least it’s evident enough that their democracy is a lot more mature than the Cambodian one.

Bravo the Coup!

Let me borrow your gun, buddy!

Happy Coup!

Mr. Lucky​ with pretty gals.

We are crazy about you!

C’mon! This is once in a lifetime.. Say cheese, dear!

ចំរើនពរ ញ៉ូម!

Buddhist monks prepare to start their routine morning tour to collect offerings from Wat Bencha marble temple with tanks still parked there on the fourth day of a bloodless military coup in Bangkok.

Dragostea Din Tei: Personalized Version

A creative version of Dragostea Din Tei from my Thai friend Neil Nattavee.

The funny thing is that all the people acting funny in this clip are no superstars but Neil’s friends and colleagues.

Mr. Lonely

Cambodia’s Modern Moral Crackdown

By Guy De Launey
BBC News, Phnom Penh

To save its culture from “pernicious modern influences”, official action is currently being taken against everything from adultery to video phone calls in Cambodia. But some argue that Cambodian society was actually a lot more permissive in days gone by.

I have just got back from Siem Reap, gateway to the ancient temples of Angkor.

While I was there I started to see one of Cambodia’s national symbols in a new light.

The Apsara is a bare breasted dancing nymph – and there are thousands of them carved into the walls and lintels of the ancient monuments.

Lithe of limb, generous of bust, and with a cheeky, come-hither expression, the Apsara certainly has a lot more sex appeal than other female national symbols like Britannia or the Statue Of Liberty.

But it is just as well that Apsara’s got hundreds of years of history to fall back on because there is not much chance of a topless dancer being celebrated in modern Cambodia.

If the Apsara had made her debut in the past year, she would have been labelled as “against the culture”.

In fact these days going topless would be unthinkable.

សំរាន្តភិមានរបស់ខ្ញុំ–My Room

My working table and bookshelf..

My most favorite place in the room.. You should know why…

My monthly planner.. :p Got it for free from school.. :p It’s quite useful. I can find out about all the important school breaks and on-campus football match here.. :p

Also my favorite books and stuffs.. A source of entertainment and misery for me.. Hmmm.. I am so tired of reading.. Been buried enough during the past week.. What’s worse, I gotta finish a term paper by this weekend.

Picture of the Day

Where is this?

Cambodia could have had a Filipina queen named Josefa

I surprisingly found this article on the website of a Filipino daily today. Could this be true?

In 1872 the Philippines had a royal visitor. King Norodom I of Cambodia arrived in Manila on August 8, 1872, as part of a goodwill tour which took him to Da Nang and Hue in Vietnam and to Hong Kong, Macau and Manila. He arrived in Manila with an entourage of 85 retainers aboard the French warship the Bourayne.

The King, then 38 years old stayed at a mansion of the Count of Aviles on San Sebastian Street, now Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo Street in Quiapo. Later on August 12 the King wished to meet the people whose men fought bravely in Vietnam. Filipino troops under Carlos Palanca helped the French conquer Indo-China and were greatly respected as palace guards and artillerymen.

Upon arriving in Bulacan, the King and his party were met with much festivities by the leading citizens. Their daughters and ladies were in their best clothes and were presented to the King who acknowledged each lady with a gift.

9/11 5 Years Later: The World Remembers

Click on the picture to see a slideshow of photos taken during 9/11 and five years later.

May the world be in peace!

Cool Job, Federer!

A big Congratulations to our Swiss tennis superstar Roger Federer for making another history at the US Open 2006 in New York. He is the first man since Ivan Lendl in 1985-87 to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles — and the only man in tennis history to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back-to-back three years in a row.

I am so proud of you…

Engineer’s Description of Women…

Miss ASEAN to Miss World 2006. Who is the most beautiful?

 

 

កម្ពុជា Cambodia

SUN Srey Mom (22, Student, 173cm)

ឥណ្ឌូនេស៊ី Indonesia

Kristania Virginia BESOUW (21, Student, 171cm)

ម៉ាឡេស៊ី Malaysia

Adeline Wan Ling CHOO (23, Student, 170cm)

Miss Cambodia to Miss World 2006

SUN SREY MOM (22, Student, 173cm)

Srey Mom was born and grew up in Kompong Cham, which is approximately 124 Km from Phnom Penh. She has completed high school with a secretarial diploma and is currently studying management at a local university. Her ambition is to become an air hostess. Srey Mom has also been a tour leader, cashier at a supermarket and basketball trainer for children. Her hobbies and leisure interests are basketball, traditional Khmer dancing, reading magazines and cooking. She also enjoys listening to romantic music. Her favourite food is stir-fried vegetables.

Personal motto is: ‘Work hard for the future’.

Miss Hong Kong China Janet Ka Wai Chow (L), Miss Indonesia Kristania Virginia Besouw (2nd L), Miss Cambodia Sun Srey Mom and Miss Australia Sabrina Houssami (R) applaud after a Chopin concert at the Lazienki park in Warsaw September 2, 2006. More than 100 candidates will take part in the 56th Miss World in the end of September in Poland.

Source: Miss World 2006 Official Website

 

Interesting Facts…

Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, never telephoned his wife or mother because they were both deaf.

Like fingerprints, everyone’s ‘tongue print’ is different.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The world’s youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910.

Our eyes remain ‘more or less’ the same size from birth onward, but our noses and ears never stop growing.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV.

If you leave Tokyo by plane at 7:00am, you will arrive in Honolulu at approximately 4:30pm the previous day.

Scientists in Australia’s Parkes Observatory thought they had positive proof of alien life, when they began picking up radio-waves from space. However, after investigation, the radio emissions were traced to a microwave in the building.

Strange-but-true The average four year-old child asks over four hundred questions a day.

Hun Sen bans Miss Cambodia contest! What do you think?

(Kyodo) _ Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday that he will not permit a Miss Cambodia contest until the country’s poverty rate drops to 15 percent from the current 35 percent.”As long as I remain as prime minister, a Miss Cambodian contest will only be permitted until the poverty rate drops to 15 percent or GDP (gross domestic product) per capita reaches $1,000 a year from the current $448,” he said.

Hun Sen earlier this year acknowledged his government’s failure to reduce poverty, saying it will likely affect at least 28 percent of the population even in 2015. Cambodia’s population currently stands at 14 million.

In July, Planet Communication Ltd., a local private events management company, and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts announced that a Miss Cambodia beauty pageant would be held in mid-August.

But it was subsequently called off after Hun Sen opposed it in a Cabinet meeting.

On Tuesday, Hun Sen said a beauty contest would produce no benefit and adversely affect the government’s budget.

“There is no need to show a Miss Cambodia at the international arena. The Angkor Wat temple should be a better choice,” he told villagers while in Svay Rieng province, about 115 kilometers east of Phnom Penh.

Kem Tola, marketing manager at Planet Communication, confirmed the cancellation of the event, but said his company would seek permission again next year.

There were Miss Cambodia competitions in 1993 and 1995 but no contest has been held since then.

In Lowell With Beth

Walter, Harry, Beth, Sara and Me

It’s been a couple of months since I first started communicating with Beth Kanter, an American blogger based in Boston.. I could land in such a good place as where I am living now partly because of Beth’s help. It has always been my wish to one day meet and thank her in person. Finally the day has come, and I got to meet her and her wonderful family last Sunday.

 

Understanding how much I’ve been missing Khmer food, Beth and her husband Walter, along with their Cambodian adopted kids Sara and Harry, took me to Lowell, a little town around 40 minutes outside Boston. Formerly an important city during the American Industrial Revolution, Lowell has the second largest Cambodian population in the US, only after Long Beach in California.

The closer we got to Lowell, the more speechless I became as nostagia was strengthening itself inside me. Seeing all the Khmer signboards, stores, supermarkets and restaurants, I felt as if I was back in Cambodia. Lowell is truly a Cambodia outside Cambodia for me. It’s been weeks since I last saw a Cambodian. Now, here were the Cambodians..

Kai Overdance

I was browsing through youtube.com today.. So glad to find most of favorite Khmer songs there.. More special than that, I could even find my Lao friend Kai’s music video too.. For your information, Kai is a member of Overdance, one of the most popular pop bands in Laos. Besides having great beauty, Kai also has a great voice.. SSEAYP people are always cool.

Let’s check out one of her hot songs, Hoo Wa Huk Gun (ដឹងថាស្រឡាញ់គ្នា)…

ស្រក់ទឹកភ្នែកមិនមែនគ្មានបញ្ហា

គ្មានអូនបងនៅជាបង

Cambodia makes adultery a crime

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Unfaithful spouses in Cambodia face up to a year in prison after the country’s lower house of parliament passed a law that bans adultery as well as polygamy and incest.

The law would punish Cambodians for extra-marital relations or incest with between a month and a year in prison, plus a fine of up to 250 dollars.

Formally marrying a second spouse would be punishable by between six months and one year in prison, plus the same fine.

The Senate still must approve the law, which then goes to King Norodom Sihamoni for signing, but both are considered formalities.

The law was approved by 64 of Cambodia’s 123 MPs, with opposition parties boycotting the vote on a law they consider to be draconian.

“This law will be good only on paper, but it won’t be properly enforced,” opposition party leader Sam Rainsy told reporters.

“The real aim is that they will use this law as a tool against people they want to politically mistreat.”

Royalist lawmaker Monh Saphan warned the law would “interfere in the private lives of individuals,” and said the nation would be better served by toughening anti-corruption laws.

But national assembly president Heng Samrin said the law would help strengthen the kingdom’s morals.

“This law can also help to reduce corruption, because if a government official has many wives or mistresses, he will become greedy for the state’s money,” he said.

The opposition has denounced the law as a throwback to the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime that ruled the country from 1975-1979, when extra-marital affairs were punished by execution.

Prime Minister Hun Sen proposed the law five months ago, after he publicly grumbled about government officials bringing their mistresses instead of their wives to official functions.

Although polygamy is a common practice in traditional Khmer families, the law would notably affect the leader of the royalist FUNCINPEC party, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who is often seen in public with his mistress.

Prince Ranariddh was the president of parliament until early this year, when it changed the requirements for a parliamentary majority and handed control of the legislature over to Hun Sen’s party.

Angkor-Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2006

អព្ភូតហេតុចម្លែកនាទន្លេបួនមុខ

រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ : អព្ភូតហេតុខែ្សទឹកកួចនៅចំចំណុចកណ្តាលនៃទនេ្លបួនមុខ ​ ឬចតុមុខពិតជាអព្ភូតហេតុដ៏កំរបំផុត​ហើយក៏មិនធ្លាប់កើតមានទាល់តែសោះតាំងពីដើមមក។ ពិតណាស់ថា មានការនិយាយទៅតាមការយល់ឃើញរៀងៗខ្លួន ដែលអ្នកមានអបិយជំនឿ​បានចាត់ទុកហេតុការណ៍នោះថា ជាព្រឹត្តិការណ៍នាគលេងទឹក តែសំរាប់អ្នកសិក្សាបែបវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តវិញ​បានចាត់ទុកព្រឹត្តិការណ៍នេះថា ជាអព្ភូតហេតុធម្មជាតិមួយ មិនមែនជានាគហោះមកលេងទឹក ឬជាប្រផ្នូលអ្វីនោះឡើយ។

មានការកត់សំគាល់ថា មួយថៃ្ងក្រោយពីកើតមានអព្ភូតហេតុធម្មជាតិនេះ ពិតជាមានការភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលមួយ ដែលមិនធ្លាប់មានពីសំណាក់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ពិសេសប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ នៅក្នុងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ និងតំបន់ជាយក្រុង បាននាំគ្នាមកមុខព្រះបរមរាជវាំង​ហើយសំលឹងទៅចំណុចដែលកើតមាន​ហេតុការណ៍ចំលែកនេះ ជាមួយគ្នានេះដែររូបថតដែលជាងថតរូបមុខព្រះបរមរាជវាំងថតបាននោះ ក៏មានហាងឆេងត្រូវប៉ាន់គ្រប់ៗគ្នា តាមសេចក្តីរាយការណ៍ពីមុខព្រះបរមរាជវាំងបានឲ្យដឹងថា ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋមានកេ្មង មានចាស់ ស្រីប្រុសរាប់រយនាក់បាននាំគ្នាមករកទិញរូបថត បង្អាញពីអព្ភូតហេតុខែ្សទឹកកួចឡើងលើ ចំកណ្តាលទនេ្លចតុមុខ កាលពីរសៀលថៃ្ងអង្គារកន្លងមកនេះ​បណ្តាលឲ្យមានការកកស្ទះចរាចរ​ តាមបណ្តោយវិថីព្រះស៊ីសុវត្ថិមុខ ព្រះបរមរាជវាំងកាលពីព្រឹកថៃ្ងទី30 សីហា 2006។

មានតនៅគេហទំព័រកាសែតកោះសន្តិភាព

Master of Develpment Studies

The Royal University of Phnom Penh is pleased to announce the launching of our new program, Master of Development Studies. After years of preparation and collaboration with national, international experts, various organizations and universities, the program is ready to run starting this academic year.

Please refer to http://rupp.edu.kh/mds for more information.

A Sketch of Me

After our farewell party this evening, Felix, a new friend of mine from Germany, draw me a picture of myself. I was so impressed at how talented he is.

Felix concentrating on the sketch.

This is me after 15 minutes. What do you think?

Thanks a lot, Felix.. Keep up the great job, bro! I know you will soon be the modern Picasso of Germany.. By the way, Felix is going to do a master of illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Inconsistent Decypherment

I went to Puthearoth’s blog today and found quite an interesting post about the decypherment of his name he got from a website. I did follow his and here is mine.. There is only one me though, yet I got three different meanings..

Somongkol:

Having confidence in yourself and integrity you have your emotions under control and are rarely ruffled. You have a quiet and reflective manner and are responsive to the needs of others giving you the ability to be a mediator. You are extremely successful in the material world being organised, financially astute and pursuing realistic goals. Your caring attitude and compassion certainly makes you a loved individual.

Mongkol:

Creative, versatile and imaginative you appreciate beauty in all forms. You have great inner strength and courage and have the ability to accept large responsibilities or challenging situations with patience and humility. Others admire these qualities and follow your lead. You are honest, discerning and self-disciplined and need to have a peaceful environment. Putting others before self your talents are used to make life better for everyone.

Somongkol Teng:

With a quick mind, versatility and the courage to take risks your life is colourful and adventurous. In order to balance this you enjoy a tranquil retreat at times for your emotional wellbeing. Idealistic and humanitarian you have strong convictions and are prepared to stand up for them in pursuit of positive social change. Leadership ability is well marked. Your charm and sparkling personality wins people over and brings you many admirers.

Which one should be the real me then??

Trendy HandyDrive

512 Mb HandyDrive Wristband

Aren’t they sup3rcool? Who knows that these wristbands are actually what they seem to be?

Where do you think this is?

Phnom Penh, Cambodia with Mongkol

By Lee LeFever

Before we left Seattle, I had a call with a fellow Blogger named Beth Kanter who has strong ties with Cambodia. Beth has been a wonderful contact and hooked us up with a young Cambodian guy and blogger named Mongkol who is moving to the US in a month on a Fulbright scholarship and attending Boston College. Yesterday Mongkol was our gracious tour guide to Phnom Penh.

For those that may have seen what I said on a local news story, it was that guidebooks are great, but we’d prefer to meet locals who can give us another perspective on a city and our day with Mongkol did just that.  He said “So, do you want to be with the other barangs (foreigners), or go where Cambodians eat?” We left town to “eat boiled corn”.

After about 30 minutes of driving we arrived at a strip of restaurants right on the edge of a marsh.  This was no regular restaurant.  The kitchen was on the land, but the tables (sitting areas) and roof rambled out over the marsh for about 80 yards on bamboo stilts.  With every step, the floor bounced and swayed. Each little sitting area was square and included three hammocks and a bamboo mat.

The boiled corn and pickled radish was fine, but one part of the meal will always stick out in my mind- the boiled “baby duck” eggs.  Mongkol mentioned them on the way and I remember seeing something similar on the TV show Fear Factor (not a good sign).  He ordered a few eggs and I was on the fence as he explained that some are some eggs that are more “mature” then others. He opened the first egg and I couldn’t believe my eyes – it contained a baby duck with eyes, a bill, feathers and feet.  He didn’t say it, but I think it was more mature than he wanted too.  He ate it and I found myself doubting I would do the same.

In the end, the next egg was much less mature (much more amorphous than duck-like) and I ate the whole thing.  Truthfully, the taste was not bad at all, but the idea of eating a duck fetus was not a nice image – a vegetarian’s worst nightmare I’m sure.

We both think a lot of Mongkol and look forward to hearing about his experiences in the US, where we’re sure he’ll do well.  We appreciate so much the time he spent with us answering our myriad questions and introducing us to his Cambodia, baby ducks and all.

The Coming of the Rainy Season

While taking Lee and Sachi LeFever–an American blogger couple who are currently on their visit to Cambodia as part of their around-the-world journey–to the Royal Palace two days ago, something there captured my attention.

Right in the palace compound, workers were busy preparing for a procession of the Royal Candle to a Wat in Kampong Speu. All of a sudden, I realized that I had almost forgotten something important. Bonn Chol Vorsa (បុណ្យចូលវស្សា), a Buddhist festival marking the arrival of the rainy season, is soon coming up..

Anyways, អបអរបុណ្យចូលវស្សា!

My House from Google Earth

ពិតជាឡូយមែនទែន ដែល Google បានបង្កើតនូវ Google Earthនេះឡើង! ដូចឃើញក្នុងរូបនេះស្រាប់ សូម្បីតែផ្ទះខ្ញុំ ក៏មានដែរ។

រូបជិតជាងមុនបន្តិច។  តាមមើលទៅ រូបថតនេះ ត្រូវបានផ្កាយរណបផ្តិតយកប្រមាណ១ឆ្នាំមុន ដោយហេតុថា នាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ នៅម្តុំប្លុកខ្ញុំ មានផ្ទះសង់ទើបតែរួចរាល់ថ្មីៗច្រើនជាងនេះ។

សាករកមើលផ្ទះអ្នកតាម Google Earth មើល! ប្រយ័ត្នស្តាយក្រោយណា៎!

Colors of FIFA World Cup 2006

What amaze me during each world cup tournament are not only the matches but also the artistically colorful fans.. Remarkably, this year's is no different… Thousands of flashy fans of all races are rocking the German stadiums to cheer their national teams…

តើអង្កាលបានខ្មែរយើង បានទៅលេង World Cup ដែរទៅហ៎្ន?​អាលនឹងខ្ញុំបានទៅ Cheer នឹងគេដែរ…​

Excited Angolan fans

Sexy and colorful supporters from Trinidad and Tobago (L) and Sweden (R)

Enthusiastic South Korea supporters cheers on their heroes as they train at the Bay-Arena, Leverkusen

England's little kiddie fan

World cup trophy

Portuguese fans.. Colorful mother and daughter

An Argentinean supporter blows a whistle inside the Hamburg stadium.

Big Mexican fans

Shots from World Cup 2006

 

World Cup 2006 hair style. Isn't it cool?

 

The flags of the 32 countries participating in the 2006 FIFA World Cup

 

Brazilian legend Pele (L) and German supermodel Claudia Schiffer in the opening festivities at Munich's FIFA World Cup™ stadium

Germany's Philipp Lahm (L) scoring the first goal of the 2006 World Cup

Ecuador forward Agustin Delgado (top) fires the ball past Poland’s Artur Boruc to give the South Americans a 2-0 lead during their Group A match at the Gelsenkirchen stadium

Source: FIFAworldcup.com

The World Cup Is Here!!!

The world of football is rocking in 6 hours' time… Are we ready?

Germany Vs. Costa Rica… WHO WILL WIN?

Let's Bet! I'd say Germany.. How about ya?

SPECIAL HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING

In order to assure the highest levels of quality work and productivity from employees, it will be our policy to keep all employees well trained, through our program of Special High Intensity Training (S.H.I.T.).

We are trying to give our employees more S.H.I.T. than anyone else. If you feel that you do not receive your share of S.H.I.T. on the job, please see your manager. You will be immediately placed at the top of the S.H.I.T. list, and our managers are especially skilled at seeing that you get all the S.H.I.T. you can handle.

Employees who do not take their S.H.I.T. will be placed in Departmental Employee Evaluation Programs (D.E.E.P. S.H.I.T.). Those who fail to take D.E.E.P. S.H.I.T. seriously will have to go to Employee Attitude Training (E.A.T. S.H.I.T.). Since your managers took S.H.I.T. before they were promoted, they do not have to do S.H.I.T. anymore, because they are full of S.H.I.T. already.

If you are full of S.H.I.T., you may be interested in a job, training others. We can add your name to our Basic Understanding Lecture List (B.U.L.L. S.H.I.T.). Those who are full of B.U.L.L. S.H.I.T. will get S.H.I.T. jobs, and can apply for promotion to Director of Intensity Programming (D.I.P. S.H.I.T.).

If you have any questions, please direct them to our Head Of Training Special High Intensity Training (H.O.T. S.H.I.T.).

Royal Ploughing Ceremony 2006

រូបភាពពិសេសប្រចាំថ្ងៃ

ដកស្រង់ចេញពី​ទស្សនាវដ្តី STUFF

Are you ready for World Cup 2006?

Are you ready for World Cup? The fever is in me now.. :p Which team do you think will win?

Click on the picture to get your personal Word Cup wallchart…

Vietnam’s Miss Capitals Contest

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures courtesy of VietnamNet Bridge

Cambodia among the top ten Great Escape 2005

 

Top Ten Memorable Sunrises:
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Bagan Plains, Myanmar
Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Grand Canyon, North Rim, USA
Guilin, China
Ipanema Beach, Rio, Brazil
Machu Picchu, Peru
Masada Nat Park, Israel
Pokhara-Anaupara range, Nepal
Terraced rice paddies of Ubud, Bali
Wailia Volcano, Maui, USA

Top Ten Missing Wonders of the World:
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Bagan Plains, Myanmar
Borobudur, Java, Indonesia
Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Machu Picchu, Peru
Petra, Jordan
Portala, Lhasa, Tibet
Terra Cotta Army, Xi'an, China
Tikal, Guatemala

Top Ten Watering Holes (Okay, Top Twenty!):
Africa House, Zanzibar
Bird House Bar, Anchorage, Alaska
Bloody Mary's, Bora Bora
Cafe Commercial, Madrid, Spain
Cafe Hungria, Budapest, Hungary
Cafe Kazze, Tel Aviv, Israel
Cafe Santa, Diea, Mallorca, Spain
Caribou Club, Aspen, Colorado, USA,
Chaya Venice, Santa Monica, USA
Dragon Room, Pink Adobe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
FCCC, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Most Memorable Sights:
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Bagan Plains, Myanmar
Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Chartres Cathedral, France
Delphi, Greece
Gap of Dunloe, Ireland
Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
Himalayas Sunset/Sunrise
Meknes, Morocco
Machu Picchu
Monument Valley Sunset
Petra, Jordan
Portala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Serengiti Wildlife Migration, Kenya & Tanzania
Venice, Italy

Favorite Ruins:
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Bagan Plains, Myanmar
Borobudur & Pramhbaum, Java, Indonesia
Egypt, the whole country!
Forum & Coliseum, Rome, Italy
Great Wall, China
Hampi, India
Machu Picchu, Peru
Petra, Jordan
Pompeii, Italy
Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
Source: http://www.globalscavengerhunt.com/topten.htm

 

អបអរសាទរព្រះរាជពិធីចំរើនព្រះជន្មសម្តេចព្រះបរមនាថ នរោត្តម សីហមុនី

សូមក្រាបថ្វាយព្រះពរព្រះករុណាជាអរម្ចាស់ជីវិតតម្កល់លើត្បូង ឲ្យមានព្រះជន្មយ៉ឺនយូរ និង គង់ជាម្លប់ដ៏ត្រជាក់ដល់សព្វប្រជានុរាស្ត្រទូទាំងព្រះនគរ។

រូបភាពពីៈ http://sopheak.wordpress.com/​

Amazing Sewing Skill

All these might look really yummy.. But I’m sorry they can’t be eaten.. They are all pieces of clothes.. New design and creativity from Japan…