Jan 17th, 2007 by Jinja
We see CIC
After some technical and organizational changes, Vutha notes that the Cambodia Community Information Center site is back up.
Previously www.CambodiaCIC.org, it’s now www.CambodiaCIC.info.
Looks like it still needs a few tweaks here and there, but it’s good to see it back online.
Jan 16th, 2007 by Jinja
Tonight: Anon. Thursday:
Lights and Shadows
paintings by Chath Piersath
Opening: 6 – 9pm Thursday, January 18
Java Café & Gallery
56E1 Sihanouk Blvd
info@javaarts.org
www.javaarts.org
Jan 15th, 2007 by Jinja
Anon: Art Installation
Art in progress and open to the public from 1 December 2006 to 31 January 2007
Opening: Tuesday 16 January, 2007 from 6pm.
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Meas Sokhorn, Vandy Rattana, Philong, Pes Ratha, Bunna Chhea, Tan Vanno,
Khmen Sambo, Vong Daravy, Soumey, Nemh Deth, Kong Villak, Chinn Taingchhea,
Mao Soviet, Mak Remissa, Ouk Chim Vichet, Proeung Moulin, Bo, Soly, Vinthy,
Pheak, Prom Vichet, Phorn, Heng Ravuth, Chhai Kakkada, Nhem Sopaul, Sa Veasna
Opening: Tuesday 16 January, 2007 from 6pm
Sala Art, 339 E2 Sisowath Quay
(above Mekong Web)
Phnom Penh Cambodia, HP: 012 849 180
Sala Art: Monday-Saturday 8am-10pm
More at www.javaarts.org
[from What's On]
Jan 14th, 2007 by Jinja
As per yesterday’s writing, what was I in the Russian Market to buy? Among the many items on my shopping list:
A number of friends have been complaining about mosquitoes so I went in search of Cambodia’s answer to avian pest control. It’s a racquet with an electrically charged grid, which you can wave in the air to electrocute mozzies and anything else in its way.
I’m sure this is banned for any number of safety reasons in the States, and I’d probably get the device confiscated at the airport if I brought one on a visit. But an electric shock is pretty minor compared to the diseases you can get from these little menaces – dengue fever and (in rural areas) malaria.
There is a gratifying ‘pop’ as you hit a mosquito and a little fizzle as it expires. It’s a Buddhist country so I just think, ‘Better luck next life’.
I’ll see if I can take some pictures of the racquet in action. (Easier said than done.)
Tags: cambodia,technology
Taped Up
I walked right into it. A low hanging roof at the Russian Market, just the right level to hit my head.
Psaa Tuol Tom Poung (on its periphery) is a patchwork of different stalls and there are plenty of low-hanging obstacles to avoid. I’ve been around this particular market hundreds of times, but there are always surprises to be found.
I nearly fell over but caught myself, and standing up from a crouch, felt something dripping on my head. Some water from the corroded old metal roof was falling on me.
Or was it? The market vendors at the stalls nearby were looking alarmed. The water was still dripping, on the ground and on my clothes. I removed my hands from my pounding head and saw it wasn’t water, it was blood.
The ladies at the stalls quickly handed over tissues and I put pressure on what I now realized was some kind of head cut.
They urged me to sit down, but I didn’t know how bad it was and didn’t want to go into shock. Since the Russian Market is ringed by pharmacies and clinics I thanked them for the tissues and walked outside. I took a moto (for one block) to the nearest clinic. The clinic owner’s wife gave me some gauze for the bleeding, and phoned for her husband.
After ten minutes the clinic owner arrived, applied disinfectant and an anti-coagulant, and cleaned the cut. He noted that head cuts can really bleed, even small ones. Next up? Stitches. I thanked him for his time but told him I’d prefer a different doctor for that. Small clinics can be a roll of the dice – this one would have been cheap and the owner seemed to have some decent training, but I look at health as a pragmatic investment. That roof looked pretty grungy, a good approximation of a serrated knife edge.
I hopped a moto over to SOS clinic, one of the longest running (and most expensive) clinics in Phnom Penh. A friend was also in the waiting room, filling out his paperwork for a check-up. “Tertiary syphilis – I think I’m going blind,” I deadpanned as the nurse led me off.
A second cleaning and two stitches later I had tape on my head and tape on my mind. I went home, cleaned myself up, and got another moto back to the market. I scoured the bike parts section for a roll of strong duct tape, and headed back to where it all began.
In the States or Europe? This would be a matter of liability for lawyers. In Phnom Penh I’m a little more pragmatic. If I was Khmer the most obvious thing to do would be to hassle the stall owner (or market administration) for some compensation, but it would involve the same sort of dramatic argumentation you see in motorcycle accidents.
The stall owners were surprised at my return and relieved to hear all was OK. I asked them if I could use the duct tape to cover the edge of the roof. That way, the next person who hit it would get a nasty bump instead of a nasty cut.
The vendors smiled at the idea, helped me cut and stick the tape, and asked if they could keep the remainder to apply to some other places as well. I thanked them for their help earlier and headed off to look for some music CDs.
Who knows? Maybe it was a dumb idea – I’d just gotten whacked in the head, after all. Maybe the tape will come down after the next rain. But sometimes you’ve just gotta go with your impulses.
Tags: Cambodia
Jinja
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