This just in - the Socio-Cultural Research Congress dates have been postponed. I believe the new dates are November 10, 11, 12.

Beta testing a new site for Osmose. (No, I can't take credit for the design...I don't know 'flash' or 'shockwave'!) Went to Phnom Kraum last night for the Loy Pratip festival. Complete carnival atmosphere, completely fun. Opening of Foreign Correspondents Club Siem Reap this Saturday. If you're local, see you there!

It's ASEAN Culture Week in Siem Reap, 23 October - 01 November 2002. A heap of art's gonna happen. Click above for more details.

Back from Phnom Penh, seeing old and new friends. Lots going on as the dry, cool season begins. Lots of seasonal folks are returning. Everyone in the NGO world is writing a proposal. A new 'Foreign Correspondents Club' has opened on the riverside. Siem Reap is changing, all right... ASEAN Culture week is coming up in Siem Reap, 23 October to 01 November. Music, dance, arts from all over Southeast Asia. and Jose Carrerras will be singing at a $500 a plate charity fundraiser at Angkor. I might just have a karaoke night for us poor unfortunates who can't go... December 6. Mark your calendar.

Phnom Penh Players present ...... An Evening of Improv. The celebrated Canadian director, writer and drama teacher, Keith Johnstone, is known as 'The King of Theatre Sports'. He stresses that our surreal, hidden and forbidden impulses thrive and grow within our subconscious, and that they need to be realized. Improvisation facilitates this. There must also be a place where we can play and accept. That's why the players perform, and the audience comes to the theatre; here everything is accepted, and the bounds to the fantasy are only the bounds of our imagination. Improvisation has at its heart these concepts of the hidden fire, of forbidden play and of ultimate acceptance. Enjoy the fun and excitement of theatre sports played out at Sovanna Phum Theatre, #111 Street 360 Crn Street 105. Full bar opens 1 hour before performance starts. Friday the 18th October at 9.30pm Saturday the 20th October at 8.30pm Sunday the 20th October at 4.00pm Tickets $5 per person For more information please call 012 925 528. Hope to see you there. Belinda Jones / Producer

Works by Cambodians and also overseas Cambodians in the 'Spirit of Cambodia' project at Providence College in Rhode Island. Looks like some good stuff! http://www.providence.edu/art/cambodian/index.html

SOVANNA PHUM presents Folk and Classical Khmer Dance Friday 18 October 2002 at 7.30 P.M. Entrance fee 5 U$ No. 111a Street 360 (corner St 105) Boeung Kang Kong III, Phnom Penh - HP 012 84 60 20 or 012 857 437- e-mail: art@sovannaphum.com

BBC World News Thursday, 10 October, 2002 Cambodia to act on acid attacks Cambodia is drawing up new laws to combat acid attacks. Such attacks have commonly been used by women to take revenge in cases of marital infidelity. The victim usually survives, but is severely disfigured. Under the new proposals, which should become law next month, offenders will receive between five and 10 years in jail. Human rights groups have welcomed the law but have questioned whether it will be enforced. There have been 43 attacks within the past three years and, so far, no-one has been convicted. The most notorious case occurred in 1999 when the wife and bodyguards of a senior government official poured litres of acid on the face of the man's lover, an 18-year-old actress. Ouch. Why don't they just divorce the guy instead?

Casting Call: Pathe Films is looking for western extras for filming in Phnom Penh during February, for the film 'The Two Tigers'. Men, women and children of all ages can apply. They are also looking for 'beautiful Khmer women' for filming in Mondolkiri. Saturday 12 October 9:30 to 20:00 at Sovanna Phum, #111, Street 360

Lot of viruses floating around lately. Here are some tips if you're in cambodia and want your computer to stay healthy. http://jinja.apsara.org/virus.htm

Slide Show & Shadow Theatre Projection Photographique de Stephane Janin's work Sovanna Phum7:30 PM Friday 11 October Entrance Fee $4 No 111 St. 360 Corner 105 012 84 60 20

Some pictures of crocodiles here. And they ain't wearing any clothes.

Coming to Cambodia? Staying at a guesthouse? Here's an article about the whole milieux. Also, try Tales of Asia.com for updates, as well as Lonely Planet and of course Bayon Pearnik.

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