PhumYeung

Sihanoukville

2009-12-15T13:40:00.001-08:00

Geography

Sihanouk Ville is located at the south-west of Cambodia that has land area about 1,283 km2. There are 2 national road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville.If we travel from PP to Sihanoukville along the national road No 4, there are 230 km long and we have to spend 3h 30mn or 4h.If we travel across national road No 3, there are 238 km long, we have to spend 5 hours. In Sihanoukville, besides the national road there is a railway from PP to Sihanouk that has 264 km, we have to spend 12 hours, moreover, there is an airway that fry from Por Chentong International Airport to Sihanoukville, we have to spend 45 mn.Sihanouk Ville was built in 1956 along the Kompong Som coast that the eastern border is next to theKompot province, northern next to the Koskong province, southern and western next to the Gulf of Thailand.This province divided into adminisrative regions that has 3 Districts, 22 Sangkats, and 94 Villages. The population is about 162,317 that 84,561 are ladies and 77,756 are men, and there are 30,210 families.This province there are many peoples came to live such as Khmer, Cham, Saouch, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other peoples.

About Sihanoukville

"Beach town" , "port community", "fledgling resort estination" , all describe about Sihanoukville , Cambodia's premier beach town. Sihanoukville, known locally as Snooky is called Kampong Som by the Khmers.It's probably the best value beach resort town in Asia, where you can live like a king for a pittance!

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's Premier Beach Resort with Casinos, new bars and restaurants and hotels springing up everyday, but one thing remains constant...the beaches are beautiful with their crystal clear aquamarine waters. Tropical sun is intense so be sure to pack your sun screen. On those days you might be recovering from a sunburn check out Angkor Brewery, KbalChaiwaterfall, ReamPark, or The sleepy port village of Stoung Hao to the north where workers spend hours shelling crab. Ream Park is on the outskirts of town and one can take a riverboat from the highway, through mangroves to the mouth of the river.

This coastal city is beautified by white-sand beaches that include OChheuTeall , Sokha , PramPiChan , Deum Chrey. These beaches are known for their quiet, cosy atmosphere and the large stretches of white sand and clear waters and these make them popular spots for families on vacation. These seaside paradises with the refreshing coolness of the fresh water streams can be enjoyed all year round. Business opportunities in Sihanoukville are varied from financial activities to tourist and travel-related industries in conjunction with the government’s objective of making Sihanoukville a major tourist destination besides its status as an International Offshore Financial Centre. The government welcomes both foreign as well as local investors to participate on a joint-venture basis.

Sihanoukville's white sand beaches and warm Gulf of Thailand waters combine with a laid back, beachy atmosphere to provide a great little tropical getaway. Sihanoukville is a place to unwind by the beach, enjoy the fresh from-the-ocean seafood, take in a snorkeling or scuba trip, and generally slow-down, lay back and chill-out.

Cambodian's only deep-sea port is located here and considerable international aid has been spent to improve the infrastructure in the province. Although tourism has increased over the past few years, the beaches of Sihanoukville are some of the most unspoiled in all of Southeast Asia . It is a prefect tropical getaway, filled with lovely beaches and facilities for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving or just sunbathing. Boat trips are also available to many of the nearby islands. There are several hotels and local restaurants serving fresh, delicious seafood on the beach. On the weekend, there are many local visitors from Phnom Penh to relax, swimming and enjoy fresh seafood.

How to go to Sihanoukville

Coach/bus

Long-distance buses operated by Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company (tel: (23) 210 359) travel to destinations such as Kampot, Sihanoukville, Battambang and Siem Reap.

Getting to Sihanoukville is made convenient by local express Bus from the capital city of Phnom Penh. It takes around three and a half hours to reach Sihanoukville from the capital city by National Road No 4 which is one of Cambodia’s best roads. . Traveling to Sihanoukville is quite comfortable by bus. You can avail air conditioned buses which depart from Phnom Penh several times a day. The passengers availing the bus route are let off at the bus station near the center of Sihanoukville. There are regular bus services and you will never have to face a problem as such.

Transportation in Sihanoukville is quite convenient. You can hire a shared taxi from the capital city of Phnom Penh’s Central Market. It will cost you about $25 -40.It takes about 2 ½ to 3 ½ hour ride to reach Sihanoukville. You can also avail Sihanoukville bound private taxis which wait at the south west corner of the central market.

Taxi

Taxis can be hired in main cities, although they are not metered so the price has to be fixed in advance. Tips are appreciated.

Car hire

It is really only possible to hire a car with a driver. Car hire can be arranged by private negotiation with a taxi waiting outside the hotels or through tour operators.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

There are no public buses in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Taxis wait outside hotels and restaurants but, as they are unmetered, the fare should be fixed before leaving. Cyclos (tricycles) or motodops (motorcycle taxis) are an efficient and inexpensive way to get around and some of the drivers, especially those found outside main hotels, speak a little French or English. Siem Reap also has motorised tuk tuks.

Places of Interests

Kbal Chhay Waterfall

Locates in Khan Prey Nup in seven Kilometers distance from the Sihanouk Ville, then turn left more nine Kilometers by a red soil road. The waterfall of Kbal Chhay has many souces from the mountain range at the seaside. The history of Kbal Chhay waterfall was found in 1960. Until 1963 Kbal Chhay was arranged as the clean-water sources to give Sihanouk Ville, but the arrangement failed. It became Khmer Rouge hideout . In 1997,Kbal Chhay was turned into the developing zone. In 1998, it was bid by Kok An Company on constructing road and changing this site for tourist resort for local and international tourists. Nowadays, the Royal government of Cambodia has changed this site to the clean-water sources for giving clean water to Sihanouk Ville.

Ochheuteal Beach

Ochheuteal Beach , known as UNTAC Beach in the early 1990s, is now the most popular in Siha-noukville, offering the full spectrum of beach venues from upscale hotels and dining to laid-back budget beach bars and bungalows. Ochheuteal is long, sandy and narrow, with ‘ Serendipity Beach ’ at the northern end, a golf- course development at the southern end, and a cluster of mid-range hotels and restaurants near the MP base in the middle. Little shack style restaurants and bars, grass umbrellas, rentable beach chairs line the beach from one end to the other. The mid section of Ochheuteal just south of the MP base appeals to visitors seeking middle to upper range facilities near the beach. It offers several nice hotels including the Golden Sand, the mid-range Holiday and Orchidee Guesthouse, as well as some of Sihanoukville’s better seafood restaurants, (Sea Dragon, Susaday, and Les Feuilles), within walking distance of the hotels. Bucking mid-Ochheuteal’s upscale trend, several relatively inexpensive guesthouses have sprung up, including the Susaday and a few more along the second road back from the beach. Further south along the beach near the golf course development, a number of budget traveler/backpacker oriented bar/restaurant/beach hangouts have sprung up, (including the well-known Chiva’s Shack and Chaimoy’s Frog Shack), all offering chairs, umbrellas, drinks and a chill-out atmosphere. Locates at Sangkat No 3, Sihanouk Ville. The beach has the most beautiful characteristics-large beautiful sand beach, shallow water and quiet sea. We found the beach has specific either geographical aspect or the arrangement.

Sokha Beach

Occupying all of Sokha Beach , the new Sokha Beach Resort, Sihanouk-ville’s first full resort complex, is offering upscale accommodation, restaurants, water sports, and more. Sokha Beach is about 1 kilometer long and comparatively wide so that there is plenty of sand left during high tide. It is perfectly groomed these days, fairly quiet by comparison to Ochheuteal, and is open to the general public as well as guests of the resort.

Independence Beach

Independence Beach gets its name from the deserted hulk of the 7-storey Independence Hotel at the north end. Locals call this beach ‘otel bram-pul chann (hotel 7-stories). It is labeled ‘7- Chann Beach ’ on the in-town street sign. Independence is more than a kilometer long, but the sandy area is quite narrow, making the beach best when the tide is low. The beach is wider and moretouristed toward the northwest end, near a small fresh water lake (which is the source of the town’s fresh water and is rumored to contain crocodiles). At the other end is the beach’s only hotel, Sea Breeze. Grass umbrellas and drink vendors now line the beach from end to end but Independence is still much less frequented than other beaches. The road up to the old Independence Hotel is often frequented by a small troop of Rhesus monkeys but is currently closed while the hotel undergoes renovation.Independence Beach is located next to Sokha Beach on its west. The beach was named after the old Independence Hotel. This beach offers a good stretch of clean sand. Situated at the northern end of the beach is Independence Hotel and Koh Pos Beach, the nice tiny island only 800m off the coast. Koh Pos offers cool shades but rocky waters.

Victory Beach

At over two kilometers, Victory Beach is quite long, but like Independence Beach , the sandy area is narrow, making low tide the best time. Victory is really two beaches divided by a rocky point and a small hill. The southern beach is sometimes referred to as ‘King’s Beach,’ ‘ South Channel Beach ’, or ‘ Lamherkay Beach ’, but ‘ Hawaii Beach ’ seems to be catching on as the appellation of choice. Like the other major beaches, southern Victory is now lined with umbrellas and little drink huts, though not as densely as Ochheuteal. There are a few boats on the beach that take tourists out to the nearby islands for a fee. Victory Beach north of the rocky point is a park at one end and a port at the other. It is a great place to watch sunset and the big ships come and go from the port. Chney Molop Chhrey seafood restaurant is right on the beach and the Holiday Palace Casino and Hotel is on the beach road. Weather Station Hill (a.k.a. Port Hill, Victory Hill, Backpacker Hill, ‘The Hill,’ etc.) between north and south Victory beaches just above the Victory Monument is the budget center of Sihanoukville. The Hill is home to dozens of guesthouses, restaurants of all types, bars, and shops, a couple of travel agencies, a scuba shop and more including such as Bungalow Village, MASH/Melting Pot, Sakal Bungalows, Mealy Chenda, Chez Mari-yan, Blue Frog, Indian Curry Pot, and Corner Bar. The beach sits just 50 meters from the base of the hill and is fast growing in popularity. Umbrellas, beach chairs and a few beachfront restaurant/bars dot the edge of this part of Victory Beach , which also offers excellent sunset views as well as a generally pleasant alternative to the sometimes overcrowded Ochheuteal Beach .Victory beach is situated at the furthest north of the peninsula of Sihanoukville. It was the original backpacker beach and still popular with budget travelers. At the northern end of the beach is located the deep sea port. Thus, apart from white sand and blue sea, this beach offers a good spot to enjoy the scenes of sunset. At the further south of Victory Beach is another small strand of sand called Lamherkey Beach where the Hawaii Seaview Restaurant is located. It is the place where a French/ Cambodian construction team laid groundwork for the construction of the new Port of Kampong Som during 1950s. At this beach, you can hire a boat to nearby islands.

Places for Dinning

Sokha Beach Resort

Range: $160 - $1000 SRF By far Sihanoukville’s finest accommodations - a luxury beach resort located on picturesque Sokha Beach. 188 rooms, suites and bungalows. All rooms finely appointed. Meeting facilities for up to 300. Three fine restaurants, two bars and a night club. Excellent service. Swimming pool. Groomed, white sand beach. Water-skiing, paddleboats, jet ski, scuba, gymnasium, tennis courts, playground, etc. Visa/MC

Tel: +(855) (0)34-935999
Fax: +(855) (0)34-935008
E-mail: info@sokhahotels.com
Web Site: http://www.sokhahotels.com/

Ana

Bar/Restaurant/Internet Cafe

New location for the popular, western-managed internet cafe and travel agency now serving Khmer food with an outside patio and comfortable bar. Laptop and wifi hookups. Rooms from $5 with fan and a/c. Full service travel service including visa extensions, air ticketing and tours.

Sopheakmongkol and Street 109
8:00AM - Late
Tel: 012-372018
E-mail: anainternet@yahoo.com
Web Site: http://www.anainternet.com/

The Bavarian

Restaurant/Bar: German/Thai

Restaurant and bar on the ground floor of the Bavarian Guesthouse near the bus station. Good German, Thai and some Khmer dishes including Schnitzel, goulash, pork fillet with dry plum and more. Eat in or take away. By night The Bavarian Restaurant becomes the Coyote Ugly Bar offering full bar, draft beer, sports TV, music and friends.

Street 109
7:00AM - 4:00AM
Tel: 012-964503

Cantina del Mar

Beach Bar/Restaurant: Mexican/Khmer Cambodia's first beachfront-fish taco stand serving fresh Mexican and Khmer seafood. Top shelf tequilas and spirited margaritas served on one of Cambodia's most pristine beaches. As with its sister bar Cantina on the riverfront in Phnom Penh, Cantina del Mar make their tortillas and salsa daily. Simple accommodations available.

Otres Beach

10:00AM till interest fades

Tel: 012-702502

Cloud 9 Seaside

Restaurant / Beach Bar
From the point at the quiet end of Serendipity Beach you see the stars awaken from the day while enjoying sundowners. A full bar service includes cocktails, fine wine and champagne. Dine in romantic settings, open deck or covered areas. “The thoroughly enjoyable cuisine is Khmer with a touch of genius, western dishes and vegetarian fare.”

‘Serendipity Beach’ or via Sokha Beach
8:00AM - Late
Tel: 012-479365Website: http://www.cloud9bungalows.com/

For more information goto http://www.canbypublications.com/sihnoukville/ksrest.htm

Photographic Shops

Not the highest quality film processing in Cambodia but it will do in a pinch. Fresh film, disposable cameras.

Konica Photo Express on 7 Makara St T#015-912303

Ana Internet and Travel Digital camera to CD or print. On Ekareach St. 034-933596

CD World Digital camera to CD or print. Opposite Phsar Leu. 012-840455Konica Photo Express Film processing, photocopies, film sales. Opposite Phsar Leu.

Lucky Web Digital camera to CD or print. Three locations: downtown opposite Bamboo Lights, Seaview Villa on ‘Serendipity Beach’, and on Weather Station Hill.

Markets

Traditional Markets

Phsar Leu (Upper Market)

When people refer to ‘the market’, they mean this one. There is a particularly good selection of fruit and flowers in the back section. Traveler’s sundries such as shampoo, toothpaste, razors, etc. are available on the central aisle. Opens and closes with the sun. On 7 Makara near Omui.

The night market

Is made up mostly of noodle soup, sandwich, and fruit and drink stands. Sets up in the evening along Ekareach through the center of town and near Phsar Leu. Slowly shuts down from 1AM-4AM.

Psah Pinichecom

On corner of St# 109 & Boray Kamakor St

Central Night Market

Corner Ekareach St & Sopheakmongkol E St (24hr)

Convenience Stores

There are really only four shops specializing in imported foods and drinks

Samudera

Good stock of foreign foods, drinks, spirits, cigarettes, imports. Good business connections. Visa services. Air tickets. Foreign exchange. On 7 Makara. Open 7:00 - 20:00. Tel: 034-933441 Visa / MC

Shell Shop

Cold drinks, beer, spirits, soda, canned good, soft drinks. Foreign exchange. Visa services. Boat/bus tickets. Sitting area with cable TV, snacks, hot dogs. Located is the Shell station in the center of town. Open 24 hours. Tel: 034-933882 Visa / MC

Sovann Phoum

Beer, soft drinks, spirits, sundries, snacks. On Ekareach Street in the middle of town. 7:00AM - 11:00PM Tel: 034-9334780

Star Mart

Caltex convenience store offering drinks, ice cream, chips, hot dogs, etc. Ekareach Street in the center of town. Open till midnight

Bakeries

Like most of Indochina, local bread comes in the form of baguettes, freshly baked each evening. Bread is sold from sandwich carts and by ‘bread boys’ who roam the town calling “num-paan” and hawking baguettes from oversized baskets.

Aux Delices

French bakery, restaurant, pizza. On Ekareach in the middle of downtown.

Starfish Bakery

Cafe (see map) Excellent, fresh baked, western style breads and pastries. Rave reviews.

7 Jan Bread Shop

Cambodian style baguettes and cakes. Next to the Phnom Meas Hotel on 7 Makara.

The Bakery

located on unpaved road off Ekareach St at turn

Sokha Beach Resort

Freshly baked, finely prepared desserts, pastries, cakes, pies and more.

Climate

The best beach weather begins with the end of the rains in November. The dry, warm, breezy weather that follows lasts through January. Night temperatures can get down to a chilly 20° but the days hover around 28°-30°. Many think December and January are best with their balmy temperatures and blue skies.

At the end of January, Sihanoukville begins to warm and continues to get hotter through July (maximum 35°). After February, cool 'mango showers' occasionally blow in from the north. December through June is said by some local outfitters to be the best scuba weather with clearer (though cooler) waters than the rest of the year.

Practically speaking, Cambodia has four seasons: 1) December-February, cool/dry; 2) March-May, hot / dry, 3) June-August, hot/wet; 4) September-November, cool/wet. The hottest days of the hot season rarely climb above 35°C and the cool season may push the mercury as low as 20°C. Sihanoukville tends to be breezier and a bit cooler than the rest of the country

Where to Stay

Crystal Hotel

Star Rate: * * *
Room : 47
Address: Mithona Street , Ochheuteal Beach, Sihanoukville , Cambodia
Telephone: +855 34 933 523

The Crystal Hotel , Sihanoukville, is located just 2 minutes walk from the white sands of Ochheuteal beach. Built in the shape of a boat, the Crystal Hotel is a beach lovers paraside. A stroll away are some small beach restaurants and some sunbeds under the shade of some large straw umbrellas. Rooms are simply decorated with blue tones and mahogany furniture.

Rates-per room per night

Hotel rates per night are inclusive of 10% service charge, 7% tax and American breakfast. Single room = One person, Twin/Double room = Two persons, Triple room = Three persons, including extra bed. Extra beds are unavailable.

Room facilities

Standard Facilities

Air-Conditioning, Telephone, Minibar, Room Service, Television

Standard Room

Standard Rooms are 27 sqm, located in the main building. Rooms are fitted with 2 single beds. Bathrooms have a bathtub with an overhead shower.

Seaview Room

Seaview Rooms are 39 sqm, located in the main building and have sea views. Rooms are fitted with a king size bed. Bathrooms have a bathtub with an overhead shower.

hotel facilities

Air-Conditioned Rooms, Air-Conditioned Suites, Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Banquet & Conference Facilities, Business Services, Wireless Internet, Laundry Service, Car Park.

Seaside Hotel

Star Rate: * * *

Room : 83
Address: 4th Mittapheap Section, Ochhoeteal, Sihanoukville , Cambodia
Telephone: +855 34 933 641/662

The Seaside Hotel, Sihanoukville, is located only 2 minutes walk to the beach across a small road. The Seaside Hotel is built like a palatial pagoda in a contemporary Khmer style. Rooms are well presented and comfortable. Enjoy eating at one of the small local seafood restaurants which are only a short stroll away or hire a boat to explore and discover the nearby islands.

Other 3 Stars Hotels

- CCS Hotel between beach & town RM $20/$35, Bungalow $40 Tel: 034-320071

- Chher Molop Chrey on Victory Beach RM $20/$40, S $50/$60 Tel: 034-933737

- Crystal Hotel on Ochheuteal Beach RM $25/$35 T#034-933523

- Hawaii Hotel in town center RM $15/$20/$25 T#034-933750

- Indra Hotel between beach & town RM Up $35, Down $15 T#034-320101

- New Hong Kong Hotel near traffic circle RM $20/$30012-842089

- Orchidee Hotel near Ochheuteal Beach RM $15/$20/$25 T#034-933639

- Seaside Hotel, Ochheuteal Beach S-$25/$50 D-$30/$50 T-$40 T#034-933641

Other 2 Stars Hotels

- Chez Mari-yan near Victory Beach RM $6, Bungalow $10 T#034-933709

- Coasters Resort Bungalows & Restaurant at Ochheutal Beach $10 Tel: 012 964 170

- Cobra Bungalows on Ochheuteal Beach $15/$20 T#034-933643

- Colap 1 Hotel between beach & town RM $15 T#034-320175

- Colap 2 Hotel town center RM $13/$15 T#015-343004

- Holiday Hotel off Ochheuteal Beach,$15/$25 T#034-933658, F#034-320113

- Kampong Som Hotel town center RM $10/$15 T#034-933551

- Kampuchea Hotel near town RM $15/$25 T#034-933681

- Kamsab Hotel on Victory Beach RM $15/$25 T#034-933742

- Koh Pos Hotel between Indep/Vic Beach RM $15/$20 T#015-340067

- Koh Rong Hotel town center RM $10/$15 T#034-933456

- Loun Heng Hotel between Ochheuteal & town RM $15 T#034-933536

- Marlin/Semsak Hotel town center RM $10/$15 T#034-320169

- Mohasal Hotel near town center RM $15/$30 T#034-933488

- Nasa Hotel between beach & town RM $10/$15 T#034-320132

- New Okynawa Hotel in town near market RM $5/$10/$20 T#015-347721

- New Paris Hotel town center RM $15/$20/$25 T#034-933750

- New York Hotel town center RM $10/$20 T#034-933595

- Phnom Meas Hotel in town near market RM $10/$20 T#015-913459

- Royal Hotel town center RM $10/$13 T#034-320046

- Sampo Meas Hotel town center RM $15 T#034-933700

- Semsak Hotel town center RM from $10 T#034-320169

- Sea Breeze Hotel Independence Beach RM $15/$35 T#034-320217

- Sokha Bungalows on Sokha Beach Bungalows $20 T#015-34762

-2 So Nguon Hotel near the port RM $15/$25 T#034-320289

- Star Hotel near town center RM $13/$20 T#012-340159

- Tai San Hotel town center RM $10/$15 T#034-933455

- Victory Hotel in town near north hills RM $10/$20 T#034-933468

- Vimean Tao Meas Hotel near traffic circle RM $10/$15 T#015-345381

- Yang Chou Hotel town center RM $10/$15 T#034-933522

The easiest way to get rich

2009-12-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

Judging by their behavior, most people have an obsession with wealth. Politicians promise to create it, most popular magazines are filled with gossip about those who have it, and the average person spends much of their adult life trying to obtain it. We are creatures obsessed with money, partly for what it can buy, but also as a thing of value in itself.

But most people misunderstand money. They don't really know how to obtain it, or how to hold onto it once they have it.

If you're interested in getting rich, I'm going to give you the simplest formula for doing so. In fact, if you follow it you're virtually guaranteed to build enough wealth to get you into the top 5% of society. As the shampoo advertisement says: "It won't happen overnight, but it will happen".

The hardest way to get rich

Before I go into my formula, let me tell you about hard ways to get rich.

One of the hardest is to be born into it. Of course, if you happen to enter this world as a Hilton, a Gates or a Windsor, then life is sweet. But since 99.9999% of the population aren't that lucky, I'm assuming you didn't win that particular lottery.

And speaking of lotteries, gambling is another very difficult way to get rich. Sure, some people buy a lottery ticket and win big, but most don't. You can gamble your entire life and you'll most likely end up broke rather than wealthy.

When I was younger, I thought the easiest way to get rich was to become famous through some kind of creative act. Stephen King got rich writing horror novels, so why not me?

I'm now much wiser and realize that the vast majority of novelists never even get published. Of those who do, most wallow in obscurity. Only very few make it anywhere near the best-seller list, and only one in a million will achieve any kind of serious wealth.

The same fate awaits the majority of musicians, software company founders, sportspeople and website creator. For every Google that makes its owners billions, there are a million websites that lose money. Creativity is the most fun and rewarding way to get rich, but it's also a very difficult way.

The reason the media raves about and idolizes those who've built wealth through creativity is because they're so rare. You don't hear about the vast majority who wallow in obscurity and poor pay, because they're not interesting. "Young genius makes $1 billion from website" is a great headline "Ten thousand young geniuses make nothing from their hard work" isn't.

I'm not saying you shouldn't keep your dreams alive. It's one of the best parts of life. But this article isn't about the most fun way to try and get rich - it's about the easiest way.

Okay, here's the system.

Step 1: Get a well-paid job

This is a reasonable amount of work, and takes a few years, but it's a virtually guaranteed way to make a good income. If they're willing to put in the work, almost any intelligent person can get a job paying $100,000 or more within the space of a few years. While it's not easy, it is by far the easiest and most likely way to secure a good income. In fact, I've already written an entire article on how to get a job paying more than $100,000 a year for those who wish to pursue this avenue.

Step 2: Get good tax advice

However you make your money, your number one expense is likely to be funding the government. In most developed countries, the average worker pays around 30% of everything they earn straight into the taxman's pocket. If you've taken my job advice, you'll most likely pay even more than that.

While taxation is necessary to fund the good things governments provide, you don't do yourself any favors by paying more than your fair share. If you're serious about building wealth, get a good accountant who understands how to legally minimize your tax bill.

Step 3: Save 20% of everything you ever earn

As soon as you get paid, arrange to have 20% of your income removed into a savings account. Many banks can do this automatically for you. Keep your savings account separate from your spending account, and you'll barely miss this money.

There's a saying in economics "expenses rise to meet income". This means money that's easily available to you is certain to be spent. That's why most people's paychecks disappear before their next payday. They get used to having a certain amount to spend, and habitually run down their bank account.

Have your savings moved somewhere it's a hassle to get them out of to avoid this risk. Many high interest accounts require you to give them a few days notice, which is ideal for this purpose.

Step 4: Conservatively invest the funds that build up in your savings account

Once a month, go into your savings account and divide the money by investing it into the three core conservative assets: shares, property and cash. Open a mutual fund account for shares, a property fund for property, and a money market fund for cash. Look for share and property funds that invest in a broad range of assets and most importantly charge very low fees. An index fund is ideal for the shares. An index of property funds is ideal for property.

Put an equal amount into each account. This will diversify you against risk in any one particular asset. If you're younger, this rule is a little bit flexible, allowing you to take a little more risk and put more into shares and property if you like.

Step 5: Reinvest any income you get from your assets straight back into buying more assets

Mutual funds and property funds pay dividends. Money market accounts pay interest. Don't take this income into your spending account. Instead, select the option to have it reinvested into the fund that generated it.

Step 6: Never touch these funds and do your best to ignore them

The business press, like the mainstream press, loves a crisis. "Shares to skyrocket" or "Property to plummet" headlines will sell many more copies than "Things to continue steadily". All markets go up and down. Every day, some speculation will be published about some crisis or opportunity.

Ignore it all.

Just keep putting the 20% into your assets. Sometimes they'll go up and sometimes they'll go down in value. But over the long term, they'll almost certainly go up.

Step 7: Wait a decade

Do what I've outlined above and in a decade you'll be rich. Sure, you won't be Bill Gates, but you'll almost certainly be in the top 20% of wealth holders. Wait another decade and you'll be in the top 5% or higher.

That's the plan. It's not the most exciting or glamourous way to build wealth, but it's the easiest. Quite simply, this is how most rich people got there.

You too can join them, if you follow it.

Modern marriage

2009-12-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

A Joint Account That Underwrites Our Marriage

I HAVE been married forever.

Well, not since the Big Bang but since the Nixon administration — 35 years — a stretch long enough to startle new acquaintances or make talk-show audiences applaud. Recently one of my wife’s college students kept pressing us, with baffled curiosity, for our secret, as if there had to be some trick to it, like wearing each other’s clothes on Tuesdays.

Back when we became engaged, our news was also greeted with baffled curiosity. It was the ’70s, after all, when the freedom to be able to hop from one relationship to the next was as essential as anything in the Bill of Rights. Our friends were profoundly perplexed; nobody, they thought, could want a fondue set that badly.

We had already been together three years at that point, pretty much ever since I turned around at the orientation meeting for new history graduate students and saw her in her granny dress. (As I say, it was a long time ago.) Our feelings about marriage may have been shaped by our pursuit of such a traditional area of study. Perhaps our attitudes would have been different had either of us been in gender studies.

Of course, back then no one had heard of gender studies.

The surprise that now greets us at the fact that we’ve managed to stay married so long — as opposed to having shaken hands at some point and decided who kept the ice cream maker — is even more extreme. Friends you haven’t seen for a long time often inquire delicately about the spouse you had when they last saw you.

I once explained to a colleague that I was looking for a job change because of something going on with my wife. His eyes widened with the assumption that our situation involved a family law specialist instead of a fellowship that required me to follow her across the country.

Since our wedding, the numbers have increasingly turned against us. Fewer people marry. Fewer stay married. And when it comes to having and raising children, being married has become as optional as the color of your baby’s onesies.

Throughout the ’80s so many of our married friends broke up that it started to seem as if the married demographic consisted largely of us and the Huxtables. Since then, Hollywood has wisely shifted the base of many of its sitcoms to work and friendship rather than the nuclear family, situations younger viewers can better identify with.

Anyone who has been married for a long time starts to feel like a soldier surrounded by heavy casualties. In graduate school, a couple who married when we did failed to make it through a year. In my first job, we were one of four couples who got together almost every weekend; a few years later my wife and I were the only ones still together. Deep into our married life, five couples we knew, each together at least two decades, came apart in a single year, shells of separation bursting all around us. Like surviving soldiers, we like to think we were a little better prepared, maybe a little better suited for it. But we also know we’ve been lucky.

Anyone with an anniversary in the precious-metal range knows what it’s like to support friends whose marriages have fallen apart. That newly disconnected friend sleeping on your couch who came to dinner with a tight smile and a greater interest in red wine is like a walking cautionary tale, the image pressed permanently into any marriage’s mental photo album.

And making all those changes in your address book affects your own marriage. When a close friend left his wife for someone much younger, my wife intensified her exercise regimen. Watching other couples break up also reminds me that divorce causes friends to choose between the two parties, and I would not like my chances.

The appeal of the alternative is everywhere. In popular culture, predictability seems like a bear market compared with possibility, and falling into a pattern is the opposite of falling in love. But if you stay married long enough to make people speculate about your religious beliefs, you come to see that patterns are the point; there’s a reason the heart is an organ measured in rhythms.

Being single is all about the future, about the person you’re going to meet at Starbucks or after answering the next scientific compatibility questionnaire. Being married, after a certain point, is about the past, about a steadily growing history of moments that provide a confidence of comfort, an asset that compounds over time. What you share is what you’ve shared, and measuring your communal property in decades puts you in a freakishly high bracket.

So experiences such as my being fired from my first job — I’ll tell you the story sometime; my wife has heard it often enough — or the long years when it seemed my wife would need to undergo complicated and scary spinal surgery transform over time from life’s low points into promontories of reassurance.

A writer’s capital, it is calculated, is his experience. After a while, the same applies to marriage, and a couple draws on it for what they need, a checking account of life’s checkpoints.

Our largest deposit was a long and painful stretch of infertility, ultimately producing two happy outcomes. It sounds self-evident to say that a husband and wife couldn’t have made it through infertility without each other; presumably they couldn’t have gotten into the situation without each other, but it has a particularly intense effect on a relationship. When the whole point of a condition is the absence of a third person, the two who find themselves alone together — a phrase that seems contradictory, except to an infertile couple — look at each other very closely, and look to each other very closely.

It was a major bonding moment when, in our early 30s, a fertility doctor told us that new discoveries were being made all the time, and that there was no reason we couldn’t make use of such discoveries until we were, say, 55.

Parents for the first time at 55?

We looked at him, and then at each other. Mutual resentment of authority figures can provide a powerful pillar for marriage.

I’ve heard it said that pain is something people can’t remember or accurately express to others. But those years of monthly meltdowns and longing looks at other people’s children come right back, all of our time spent on that barren island. Holidays were hard, especially the family-centered ones — Thanksgiving, Passover.

I have now been a father for the last 23 turkeys and Seders but I can still instantly call up the agony of those earlier occasions, that feeling of being forever outside the circle.

Some infertile couples we knew tore under the strain; others became more or less numb. We spent years living in a weirdly inverted world where an unwed teenage mother was envied for her facility. And while the wife of legend may explode in anger on coming home to find her husband in bed with somebody else, my wife did when she found me alone in the bathtub, having forgotten the effect of hot water on sperm count.

When our sons appeared, and the years of shared pain turned into a fund of shared experience, it was like coal being crushed into a diamond.

Even as marriage itself has taken a battering, it’s been eagerly seized as a symbol. Some who fervently endorse it are those with whom you may not agree on anything else. Marriage these days seems not only less effective in uniting people, it also appears to be playing a growing role in dividing them, particularly when it comes to what seems to be the last group actually excited about the idea — gay people. For an institution that these days can use all the support it can get, their application should not be easily dismissed.

And when I hear people explain that gay people shouldn’t be allowed to marry because the purpose of marriage throughout history has been to produce children, and they can’t do that, I envision decades of our anniversary cards being shredded.

During those years when our marriage was clearly failing in its natural assignment of procreation, were we not, according to these people, really married? If marriages have to be about children — rather than about affection and respect, or even the kind of endurance that leads teenagers to marvel at any marriages that have lasted longer than they have been alive — then gay people aren’t the only ones whose unions are somehow unsanctified.

LOOKING for something profound to tell my wife’s student, I mumbled something about respect. She nodded reflexively; sure, respect, human beings deserve respect. I couldn’t quite make my mouth move fast enough (I’ve been married since before the Bicentennial) to explain that that wasn’t it. It wasn’t a matter of basic human respect in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights sense, but of respect for someone who is in some way better than you.

I am somewhat better with words than my wife is; she is infinitely better with people. In different ways, we translate each other to the rest of the world, and admire each other’s contrasting language skills. Being married to someone you respect for being somehow better than you keeps affection alive. That this impressive person chooses you year after year makes you more pleased with yourself, fueling the kind of mutual self-esteem that can get you through decades.

The other part, about how those decades change over time from obstacles into assets, is something my wife’s student will have to figure out for herself. It could take awhile.

Like, forever.

source: nytimes.com

Good Advice H1N1 Preventive Methods

2009-12-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

This is worth the couple minutes it will take to read.

Some new points that haven’t yet been drilled into us thru the media (yet):

Apparently it is a similar strain to the flu of 1918, which took over 50 million.

It also targeted women and children. So I guess we’ll get in line

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.

Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fullyhighlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead offocusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)
3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don’t trust salt).

*H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.

Simple gargling prevents proliferation.

In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one.

Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide.

*Not everybody may be good at JalaNeti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cottonbuds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viralpopulation.*
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C(Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can.*Drinkingwarm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction.

They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
Pass this on to your entire e-list. You never know who might pay attention to it – and STAY ALIVE because of it.

Make Money Writing Articles for Infobarrel

2009-12-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

As how writing is my passion, I’m sure there are many who belongs to this category. I love writing and at the same time wishes to make money writing online. Do you like to integrate Google AdSense to make money writing online? Why are you waiting then; start to make money with InfoBarrel, one of the good online writing websites like Triond.

Source: thefrugalhome

When reading the title, you might think “Aah…yet another writing site paying peanuts.” This is how I thought when I came to know about InfoBarrel. Anyways, as I love writing and want to earn more money to pay my bills, I thought of giving InfoBarrel a try. There is no harm in trying out; I slowly read through their FAQs and the way they work. How did I start making money?

Writing is my passion and I love writing about anything under the sun. I already write for few online writing websites including Triond. InfoBarrel is an online writing website where you can post articles, videos, audios or presentations. I am not that savvy in creating videos or audios and therefore I decided to stick on with writing articles. The entire signing up process is pretty simple.

How do you sign up with InfoBarrel and start making more money writing articles? The sign up form is pretty simple; you just have to fill in the required details and have to verify the e-mail that is sent by InfoBarrel. Once you are done with this step, set up your profile. You are now all set to earn money. Oh…I forgot to mention one step; you have to link your Google AdSense ID to make money. They share 75% of the revenue generated. I think majority of the websites share only 50%. Start writing articles that will fetch more traffic and I would say you have already started making money with InfoBarrel.

Few important points you should remember when writing for InfoBarrel:

Articles should be written by you and you should not have posted this article in any other place earlier.
It takes about 24 hours to approve the article you wrote.
You should not submit the article to various other websites after InfoBarrel approved your article.
If you do not wish to wait for 24 hours to get your article approved and published, you may have to get the pre-approved status. To do so, you must have:
10 approved articles
Been a member for a minimum of 14 days
Should not write articles for the sole purpose of creating backlinks
Should write on a variety of topics rather sticking to one particular category
Should have good knowledge in English and your articles should be free from spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
You can also earn by referring other writers to InfoBarrel. You get 2% of what they earn.
I think it is always better to have more than one channel to earn money. I’m happy writing for both InfoBarrel and Triond.

If You Can’t Differentiate Between Your and You’re, You’re in Trouble

2009-12-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

Who cares? English teachers and grammar police cares. Even, 7th grader too. Really.

If you heard about the thread on facebook that says, “If you can’t differentiate between your and you’re, you deserve to die”, you would definitely think that this phrase is too much for a curse. And, That’s where this post came from. Is the curse too much for just two different things? That’s why I change the title for a better one. Maybe, friendly. And, yes. Anyone should know how to differentiate that.

In English grammar, your and you’re are two different things. It’s like when you say, “You’re cool”. You are contracting ( combination) ”you and are” and if you say, “That’s your cool sweater”, you are indicating an ownership or something.

Your is a possessive form of you and should be use to imply ownership. Referring to something that a person has.
Example:

1. Your phone is ringing.

2. That’s your pen, isn’t it?

3. Where is your book?

You’re is a contraction of you and are. If you can’t contract that, you’re in trouble. If you have doubt, consult a dictionary or grammar book.
Example:

1. You’re beautiful. (You are beautiful)

2. You’re right. (You are right)

3. I know that you’re very good in tennis.

How to Increase Traffic to Old Articles and New Ones?

2009-12-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

Five tips on How To Increase Traffic To Your Articles- both, old and new ones.

How To “Increase Traffic” To Your Articles? A question most of us ask and an answer we have received from various writers. I read most of these articles, and apply the ‘traffic increasing’ tricks. By trial and error, I narrow down the list. I then make the most of my time and effort. This helps Increase Traffic.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have seen something. I made some changes that have helped Increase Traffic, Pagevisits and earnings. I hope it helps you Increase Traffic too.

1.Update your older articles: On days when you don’t write anything due to lack of time and/or motivation, play with your old articles. Use your current knowledge of SEO and keywords to update your older articles. Once you do this, you can ping the articles to pingomatic.com, pingoat.com,submitexpress.com etc. Since your older articles have been updated, they will be crawled again my Google and other search engines they get submitted to. This helps Increase Traffic to those older articles.

2.Increase Google Pagerank, by using Backlinks: Backlinks play a vital part in increasing your pagerank. Using Backlinks, you can increase the number of viewers for sure. I have explained the two types of backlinks that can be used to Get Backlinks and Increase Your Pagerank. Use these methods and see how it helps Increase Traffic- slowly, but surely.

3. Few good Social networking/Bookmarking sites: There are too many social networking/ bookmarking sites. It is a waste of time to submit to all, to Increase Traffic.. Some people may disagree, but this is what my personal experience has taught me.My maximum traffic comes from traffic.outbrain, Google and Stumbleupon.

I suggest, use Stumbleupon for sure, as it helped me Increase Traffic. It may take a while, but if you start connecting with a few people on Stumble, it really does help.Twitter, facebook and digg help, but not too much. I am doing something new with Twitter. I started just yesterday, so I want to be sure it works first. If it works I will let you all know.

Drop me a message. I shall give you details of more sites. I am not giving the details here, as I am not sure these guys here will be happy with me talking about other sites. LOL

4.Get 5+ ‘diggs’ or ‘I like it’ on bookmarking sites: When you submit an article link to any bookmarking site like Stumbleupon, Digg etc. try to get 5+ thumbsup (diggs/likes). If more people ‘like’ your link, search engines like Google will think that your link/article is rich in content. Your pagerank goes up in time. Search engines take bookmarking sites seriously, as it is a direct input from readers.

Try to get hold of a few fellow- writers on such sites, and exchange ‘diggs/likes’. This again will help Increase Traffic.

5. Setup A blog: If you have the time, set up a Blog. I say time and not ‘know-how’. Anyone who knows to use google can set up a Blog. Search google and all the information is there. Link your articles from your blog. By placing article links smartly in your blog, you can get more views to your articles. Check my blog Healthy Life Today and see how I went about it. Set up a blog and Increase Traffic to your articles on this site.

10 Commandments of Dialogue

2009-12-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

1.- You shall love the use of dialogue, and use every opportunity in writing to make others to dialogue among themselves.

2.- You shall love to dialogue, instead of simply writing just boring and undue narration.

3.- You shall not use complicated images or figures of speech when writing a dialogue. Stay simple, and remain simple in your dialogue. Don’t make a dialogue too long. After every character’s intervention simply say: –he said, or –she said.

4.- You shall not be inclined to be pompous or too much ambivalent in your dialogue.

5.- You shall always be careful and love and keep the tracking of your dialogue, so as not to lose your perspective of things.

6.- You shall not overuse the name of your characters in vain when you place them in direct dialogue, except when there are more than two personages exchanging their views.

7.- You shall rest from dialogue by placing bits of narration in between.

8.- You shall write six days a week for at least an hour and shall do your writer’s work therein.

9.- You shall try to earn some money by writing, so you shall take care of your family. Otherwise, see that you shall do some extra work on the side.

10.- The rest is just narration.

Healthy Teeth Tips

2009-12-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

1. Avoid sweets! Too much sugar can cause cavities, yellowing of the teeth and other problems. Plus, more than an occasional indulgence is bad for you anyway. Pass on the sweets.

2. Brush morning and night. The dentist tells you to do it for a reason! It's important to scrub those chompers once in the morning and once again before bed.

3. Don't smoke! We understand this is a tough one for many of us, but it's important for your teeth and important for your body. It can be tough to quit, but the rewards are well worth it.

4. Try to minimize coffee consumption. We're not telling you to kick your daily cup of coffee--just advising that you might want to reconsider cups 3, 4 and 5. For your teeth's sake.

5. Floss! Often times small pieces of food are trapped between your teeth and manage to evade the truth brush. Pick these off with some good dental floss.

Top 10 Tips on How to Have a Happy and Successful Marriage

2009-12-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

These will help you live a happy life together and keep your marriage strong.

1. Respect.

This is the most important element and foundation of a strong, happy and successful marriage. When there is respect, then the rest will follow naturally. Respect your spouse, including your spouse’s family and friends. The more respect you give, the more respect you will get in return.

2. Communicate.

Listen attentively and show your spouse that he/she is important. Find the time to discuss issues that are important to both of you. Unresolved issues that are put aside and grudges kept deep inside can hurt a marriage. When a problem arises, discuss on how to solve it together instead of putting the blame on each other. Open communication, honesty and trust are keys in building a happy and successful marriage.

3. Treat your spouse the way you want to be treated.

If you want to be treated extra special, then make an extra effort to make your spouse feel the same way. The kindness, sweetness, affection and love that you give will be reciprocated. Every day do at least one nice thing for your spouse. A marriage will not flourish if you do not exert time and effort. Give love, care and attention and you will be nurtured in return.

4. Recognize each other’s positive traits.
There is no denying that every person has positive and negative traits.

People get married to boost each other up and not to put each other down.

The marriage becomes healthy if you offer words of encouragement and focus on the positive traits of your spouse. If you feel something could be improved then say it in a constructive manner. Constructive criticism is helpful in maintaining a healthy marriage.

Happy and successful marriages happen when couples help each other improve and become better people.

5. Show appreciation.
Our schedule may be hectic and life may be chaotic with the daily chores that need to be done, but it doesn’t really take much to pause for a moment and say “thank you” to our spouse for the part that he/she has done. When people feel appreciated, they feel more inspired, and it just gives them a good overall feeling. This is true for any relationship in life. In marriage this promotes an even more closeness to each other. Marriages thrive when couples acknowledge each other’s efforts.

6. Work as a team.

Happy and successful couples work as a team whether it is in raising children, house work, managing finances, and balancing work and home. It is really tough to find time to get all the housework done, especially if both spouses are working and come home exhausted at the end of the day. Decide on how you can divide the job fairly in terms of cleaning, laundry, dishes, meal preparation, etc. Support each other and live as true partners.

7. Spend time with each other.

Go for a walk hand-in-hand in the park, or even just around the block. Watch a movie together. Pick a new recipe that you can explore and cook together. Play a sport together. Listen to your favorite music. Tell jokes. Play a card game. Pack along your favorite food and go for a picnic. Drive somewhere special. Have fun. Cherish each moment together.

When you make an effort to spend time together, the marriage remains strong and healthy.

8. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

There are always little things that get in the way and cause annoyance, irritation or anger.

Each person is different and one of the challenges of marriage is accepting and understanding each other’s differences. Try to come to a common understanding to avoid arguments. Be flexible and more open-minded. Don’t hold grudges in your heart for the small misunderstandings as this will impact your marriage in the long run.

9. Small gestures go a long way.

There are many small easy things you can do to really lighten up your spouse’s day and make him/her happy. Some examples are: write a little note for your spouse and leave it on the bathroom counter so he/she can see it first thing in the morning. Write things like “Good morning honey, take care. I love you”, or “Drive safely to work, see you later. I love you”. Give your spouse a random hug or kiss when he/she least expects it. At the end of the day when you see each other, greet warmly and ask how his/her day went. Help pack your spouse’s lunch and include a little note. Set up the table nicely so you can enjoy your meals together more. Or give little surprises such as a nice magazine of your spouse’s favorite topic or hobby. Most women love flowers. Surprise her with a bunch of flowers, or even a single stem of rose. These little gestures of love and affection work wonders in making the marriage really happy.

10. Don’t forget the blissful beginnings.

During the courtship, dating days and honeymoon stage, everything is blissful & life is full of roses. As time goes by and we encounter the daily challenges in life, the enthusiasm and excitement may subside. The love is there, but you may just be too tired to exert more effort in making the relationship as sweet and refreshed as it was in the beginning. There are many ways to maintain the marriage sweet and fresh. Enjoy looking at your photo albums together and for sure you will find memories to smile and laugh about together. Treasure the memories you created. Maintain the closeness by connecting throughout the day if possible, even for just a few minutes of phone call. Show affection such as a random hug. Say things that will touch your spouse’s heart, like “I’m really blessed to have you as my wife/husband, or “I can not imagine my life without you”, or “You are really my soul-mate and I’m glad to have you in my life”. These words will forever be remembered…

I hope you enjoyed these tips on how to have a happy, strong and successful marriage. Just remember that marriage is a complex thing and involves effort from both spouses to make it succeed. Marriage is a blessing to have. You can find much happiness if you put in the time and effort to make your marriage thrive. Enjoy each other’s company and help each other grow.

Fun Persuasive Essays and Speeches

2009-12-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

Fun topic ideas for persuasive speeches and persuasive essays

Are you trying to think of a good topic for a persuasive essay or a persuasive speech? For help thinking of good persuasive topics, here's some tips on finding topics for persuasive speeches and topics for term papers. If you're looking for more specific ideas about how to find a good persuasive topics, here are some great persuasive speech topics and essay topic ideas-- or keep reading!

Here's a tip about finding a great persuasive topic: have fun. You don't have to use a tired persuasive topic that college students everywhere have used before. And unless you're told otherwise, you don't have to chose a topic that sounds professional or "scholarly." Instead, find fun persuasive speech topics and essay topics that you would enjoy working with. It's much easier to be persuasive if you're arguing about something that interests you!

Here are some fun ideas for persuasive speech topics and persuasive essay topics. I've focused on two popular categories: popular culture and sports. Be creative and come up with your own fun topics as well.

POPULAR CULTURE TOPICS

* Reality television as a positive or negative cultural phenomenon
* Plastic surgery programs
* Makeover programs
* Hip-hop music lyrics
* Disney films
* Images of women in the media
* Images of minorities in the media
* Images of homosexuals in the media
* Illegal music downloading
* Violent video games
* Violent movies
* Television, movie, music, or video game ratings
* Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction"
* Sexual imagery in the media
* MySpace and Facebook as a cultural phenomenon
* Internet cyberstalkers
* Internet pornography
* Internet filters
* Internet privacy issues
* The effect of cell phones on society
* The effect of iPods on society
* The amount of television and other media used by children
* Advertising in the public schools
* Advertising that targets children
* Alcohol or cigarette advertising
* Requirements for children's educational programming
* Public radio/public television
* Celebrity gossip and the paparazzi

SPORTS TOPICS

* Salary caps for professional athletes
* Sports and steroid use
* Funding issues for women's sports
* Publicity for women's sports
* The use of the Olympic basketball "Dream Team"
* Professional athletic strikes
* Drafting of athletes out of high school
* The rising price of tickets to professional games
* Public funding of professional stadiums
* Public funding of community sports programs
* Academic expectations of college athletes
* College sports recruitment practices
* The benefit of team sports to children
* Alcohol sales at sporting events
* Athletes as role models
* Beer commercials
* Sports gambling
* Violence and sports (hockey, boxing, etc.)
* The commercialization of sports
* Youth athletic participation in sports like gymnastics and figure skating

Good Christmas Presents for Teenage Girls

2009-12-13T07:45:00.000-08:00

Best Gifts for Teen Girls – Juicy Couture, Coach, Marc & Forever 21

Anyone around teen girls has seen these trendy fashion items, though grandmas and divorced fathers may not have a clue. Unfortunately, the really good Christmas presents are not cheap.

However, remember that a girl is only in high school for a brief time and clothes make all the difference in the world. Grandparents in search of presents for their teen granddaughters may want to check out the following gift ideas.

Juicy Couture Tracksuit

Why has this velour sweat suit been so popular for the last few years? Well, it looks good on almost every teenage girl. The velour is richly colored in trendy hues, and the fabric is beautifully thick but not bulky. For a tracksuit, it’s the tops.

But why is this ridiculously expensive tracksuit worth its crazy price?

It stretches, so it fits a girl even if her body changes a bit. It’s warm, but not too warm for class. It’s comfy and feels like jammies, though it doesn’t look too casual because the details are all there.

Also, the monotone head-to-toe color makes the girls look taller and thinner. On the other hand, the great fabric looks good on skinny Minnies because it hangs right.

While wearing a Juicy Couture Tracksuit, a high school (or middle school or college) girl can cram all night, fall asleep in bed for an hour or two, and run to make her 8am exam. And still, this magical jogging suit will look good. So, really, it’s practical.

The tracksuit styles include:

* Cable-Knit Velour Tracksuit in Pine (Good color for reddish blondes, redheads, and almost all girls. Cute textured fabric.)
* Velour Tracksuit in Teal (Good with almost all skin tones. Dark enough not to show dirt.)
* Extra Juicy (Plus sizes)
* Tracksuits with rhinestones or sequins (Sequins are big in California. Check with family members to see if tomboys and shy gals will wear these sparkly styles or if they prefer a more classic look.)
* No monogram unless a child or grandchild asks for this.

Because these outfits are so expensive, it’s probably best to go with a darker color. Black is cute on many girls, and the rosy, purple, and blue hues look good on young skin colors. Most of the time, there are tracksuits on sale, so look around online, though girls in ritzy, competitive neighborhoods and schools are better off with current styles.

Coach Purses

A purse is a big deal to some girls, while others would rather just stuff everything into a backpack. These Coach handbags seem to go with everything, though grandmas should check with family members to see what kind of purse, if any, would be a good gift.

Shopping Online

One of the cool things about shopping online is that a mom and a grandma (or a girl and her mom) can explore styles and prices while talking from two different cities. After all, picking out a gift only takes two phones, two computers, about half an hour, and a credit card.

Here are some possible Coach purses that a teenage girl might like:

* Coach Tartan Glam Tote or Tartan Groovy Bag
* Coach Poppy Art Glam Bag
* Coach Poppy Glam Tote – cute for a trendy artsy type or rocker chick
* The Signature Coach C print fabric is what most girls like.

Different body types and sizes need different handbag shapes and sizes. Some girls like to carry their small shoulder bags closely under their armpit. Other girls like bigger and longer shoulder bags in which they can stuff all their girlie junk.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Most of Marc is too expensive for teenagers. However, Marc by Marc Jacobs is really hot for younger gals in LA. And, of course, anything by Marc is always gorgeous. Places like ShopBop.com have his tee shirts.

Oh, it’s too bad that his Fractured Plaid Scarf is so expensive. Scarves are everywhere in Europe, as always.

Forever 21

A good place for tees, tops, hats, and other stuff is Forever21.com. And, its tees, though not as blisteringly beautiful as things from Marc Jacobs, are priced according to reality. Some possibilities are:

* Geo Sequin Front Top
* Fab Chiffon Plaid Top (with ruffles) or Plaid Chiffon Top (Plaid fabric should be lightweight not heavy like grunge)
* Fab Striped LS Top (It’s only a matter of time before stripes drift over from Europe)
* Self-Tie Plaid Tunic
* Ruffle Front Knit Tunic (Ruffle fashions are current)
* Heart Sleeve Top
* (Note return policy at Forever21.com)

Nordstrom

Another good place for tees is, of course, Nordies. See its Caslon Sequin Tee (cute under a sweater) or its Caslon Satin Appliqué tee.

Remember that it's really difficult to know what a teen girl is going to love. So keep the receipt and make sure the gift can be returned or exchanged for another size. Every area of the country, well, every middle school and high school has its own "dress code". Use these ideas as a starting point and ask family members, or the teen herself, what the coveted fashion items are.

Gift certificates are nice, but what's wrong with the good old-fashioned wrapped present, along with a gift receipt? It's so retro.

Find this interesting?

Find cheap cruises then get great cruise wear.

Credit Card Fraud Protection Tips

2009-12-13T07:34:00.000-08:00

Take Steps Against Identity Theft and Card Scams

Despite the advent of Chip and Pin systems, credit card fraud scams are on the increase all over the world. Chip and Pin may give consumers protection when they make a purchase in person but it can do little to prevent scams when the 'cardholder is not present.' Buying stuff over the phone or online can be risky with Internet credit card fraud a particular problem at present.

The databases that store these details online are rich pickings for card fraudsters- this month saw a team of hackers arrested for what is held to be the biggest identity theft to date. According to a BBC report the team managed to get hold of the details of 130 million credit and debt card in a massive merchant credit card fraud attack. So, what measures can help here?

Is Credit Card Fraud Preventable?

Given the way that consumers pay for goods and services nowadays there is no cast-iron credit card fraud protection that will give a 100% guarantee of safety. Consumers should, however, be aware of the issues here and should make it hard for fraudsters to strike. For example:

* Consumers paying for something on a card in person shouldn't let their card out of their sight. There is no reason for a waiter, for example, to take a card away to make a payment. They should bring a Chip and Pin machine or an alternative payment method to the customer.
* Don't give out a card number over the phone unless it is to a trusted source. Watch out for phone based credit card scams where a caller pretends to be from a bank or credit card company and asks for sensitive data such as card security numbers, PINs and passwords in full. If in doubt, call the bank/card company back to check if the call was legitimate.
* Don't buy anything online from a site that has no security during the payment processing system. Buy from trusted sites with established reputations and avoid sites that have no address or contact details listed.
* Don't carry PIN numbers in the same place as credit cards.
* Sign all credit cards as soon as they are received. Old cards should be cut into small pieces as soon as they are no longer used.

How to Spot a Credit Card Fraud Alert

Sometimes consumers will fall victim to a scam of this kind because of carelessness or inexperience. It is perhaps more likely, however, that many will have problems based on the actions of professional hackers. Merchant credit card fraud is big business. After all, hacking into a database that contains thousands of credit card details is worth a lot more than targeting individuals. This can lead to problems with identity theft as well as credit card usage.

There may be little that can be done on an individual level to avoid this happening but it is important to spot the signs that it has happened quickly. If a card is being used fraudulently then a card holder can spot signs and then take action. Typical signs include:

* Card statements stop being sent out- this is often due to fraudsters changing an address to try and carry on spending on a card for as long as possible.
* Strange purchases appear on accounts- many fraudsters will start with small purchases to see if they can get round the card company and the card holder. Check online and postal statements every month to make sure that all purchases are correct.
* Calls from card companies- don't ignore calls from card companies on the basis that they must just be trying to sell something. They may well have found a suspicious transaction and, as part of their credit card fraud protection processes, may be trying to check it out.

Credit card fraud detection should be reported to the card company immediately. They will then be able to give advice on the steps to take to prevent any further damage. If the fraud involves identity theft then this may also mean involving the Police and credit reference agencies to minimise damage as quickly as possible.

Avoiding Credit Card Fraud

2009-12-13T07:29:00.000-08:00

Avoiding credit card fraud can help consumers keep their excellent credit rating, or keep their decent credit rating from getting any worse. There are many steps consumers can take in order to prevent identity theft, which leads to fraudulent credit card purchases. Taking care with personal records, maintaining secure practices with credit cards, and verifying information frequently are all effective methods of avoiding credit card fraud.

Personal Record Maintenance Reduces Credit Card Fraud

Carefully maintaining personal records, including bank statements, credit card bills, and store receipts, is absolutely necessary in order to prevent identity theft. Identity thieves can gather enough information from discarded papers to open a new credit card account in someone else's name. A credit card bill or receipt provides the thief with the ability to request a new credit card, or to make charges online, or by phone, using the consumer's credit card information.

Preventing the exploitation of personal papers is a simple task. Consumers must simply keep track of all of their personal papers, including store receipts. Any papers that are not needed should be shredded, in order to eradicate any traces of personal information.

Credit Card Security can Save an Excellent Credit Rating

Consumers who wish to maintain an excellent credit rating should keep credit cards secure by keeping physical custody of credit cards at all times. When a credit card is handed to a server in a restaurant, for example, and whisked out of sight for 10 minutes or more, a consumer has no way of verifying the security of the card. In order to prevent identity theft in this situation, a consumer should consider paying with cash, or walking the card to the register.

Verifying Credit Information Prevents Identity Theft

Reading credit card statements each month, and immediately disputing any questionable transactions can help consumers avoid credit card fraud. Credit card companies have dispute resolution processes that take identity theft into consideration, so consumers will not be liable for charges that were made by unauthorized individuals.

Frequent evaluation of a credit report is another important aspect of avoiding credit card fraud. Any credit cards that have been opened by an identity thief on behalf of a consumer will show up on a credit report. This allows the consumer to take steps to close the card, and dispute the charges.

Proactive Action Helps Save Credit Ratings

A credit rating can be seriously affected by credit card fraud, and the longer a consumer waits to take action, the worse the damage will be. Preventative actions, such as maintaining records and credit cards securely, can prevent identity theft in most cases. Immediate action on the part of the consumer, disputing charges to a credit card or accounts on a credit report, can help the consumer avoid the damage in the event that credit card fraud takes place. Combining preventative action with reactive action can help to maintain a consumer's excellent credit rating.

How to Prevent Identity Theft

2009-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

How Identity Fraud Occurs

Although fraudulent transactions have become easier to execute online, the actual methods used by thieves in identity theft are more likely to be of the old fashioned kind.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research, only 12% of identity fraud cases involved identity theft via online methods such as phishing, spyware or hacking.
How Identity Fraud Occurs

Most cases of identity theft are carried out via 'old fashioned' methods, 'in the flesh' so to speak, where the perpetrator is able to obtain hard copies of identification documents, look over someone's shoulder at the automatic teller machine (ATM), steal wallets and checkbooks, or simply steal mail.

Surprisingly, Javelin Research reports that 17% of victims knew their offenders through family, friends and work colleagues.
How to Prevent Identity Theft

The following points are designed for consumers as a guide to assist in identity protection.

1. Change pins and passwords regularly and keep them private. Be aware of who is in the queue at the ATM and make it difficult for them to see pin numbers being entered.

2. Online passwords should be at least 6-8 characters long, include 2 numbers and at least 1 capital letter.

3. Reconcile credit card and bank accounts regularly or at least review all transactions in each statement. Any unfamiliar transactions should be investigated further and reported immediately.

Although many victims find out that their identity has been used fraudulently within three months of the crime, almost 20% do not find out for several years. (spendonlife.com)

4. Do not provide copies or details of photo identification such as a drivers licence, passport, student card or even of bank account details to anyone who is not an employee of a reputable organisation and without any good reason.

Unfortunately, in this age of technology, criminals need little more than a drivers licence number, expiry date and one other form of identification to set up a debt facility online with a stolen identity.

5. Do not make purchases over the internet with a credit card unless it is a reputable company.

Furthermore, when entering that company's webpage to make a purchase, ensure the URL is typed in rather than clicking on a link.

Facilities like Paypal are highly recommended to make online purchases as credit card and bank details remain hidden from the merchant.

6. Do not click on emails allegedly from banks or financial institutions asking for confirmation or renewal of online access usernames or passwords. These emails are always fake and should be forwarded to the institution's fraud department for investigation. Most companies have an email facility to receive these reports at hoax@companywebsiteaddress.

Banks and financial institutions never ask their clients and customers to make such changes via email.

7. Destroy all unwanted paper communications with a shredder. Thieves only need a full name, address and a couple of other details easily found in mail communications to be able to access an account.

8. Pay attention to the time and date of when online banking accounts were last accessed. Lost and stolen cards, wallets and checkbooks and anything unusual should be reported immediately to the financial institution.

9. Put a lock on the mailbox or use a secure locked mailbox at the post box to receive mail which could potentially contain sensitive information useful to identity thieves. Alternatively, change all communications to be received electronically and purchase appropriate computer software protection for the office and home computers.

10. Keep all wallets, checkbooks, handbags, purses and mail in a safe area of the house and office which is inaccessible by visitors.
No Method of Identity Protection is 100% Safe

Unfortunately, there is no 100% guaranteed method of identity protection, but if these basic precautions are taken, consumers and investors can make it more difficult for identity thieves.

How Safe Is Online Banking?

2009-12-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

Keep Online Banking Details Safe and Protect Money From Wrong Hands

When it comes to managing one’s finances traditional banking methods are deemed the safest and most favourable. Traditional methods involve safe-to-face interaction with the bank staff who can handle simple transaction queries or clarify other simple matters such as how long a cash deposit will take to clear into the account.

However, there may be times in a day or even a week when a trip to the local bank is hampered by other daily activities. This, among other reasons, is why online banking has been introduced – conveniently. Over the years there has been much scepticism surrounding the safety of online banking. This is partly because some people are still unfamiliar with the internet.

But mainly, as reports suggest, it is because of rising number of customers’ personal banking details being stolen and misused on the internet. There are various reasons for this misfortune but learning to keep sensitive information secret can eliminate many of these and ensure an easy, safe and convenient experience of banking on the internet as is intended.

Keep Online Banking Details Safe

This includes any passwords, pin numbers and other security information needed to access bank accounts online. Banks would normally send the customer’s pin and log-in Ids in a secure mail and advise the customer to memorise and then destroy the letter on which the information was provided or keep it in a safe place.

Similarly, never leave written notes of password reminders or hints lying around the house or near the computer as, if found, they can facilitate unauthorised access to online accounts. Instead keep them in a home safe where there is only limited and controlled access.

Always completely log out of online banking page by clicking the ‘log out’ button located on the page once finished. This ensures that all temporary files are deleted and there will be no chance of anyone re-logging in.

Safety Online for All

All banks offering online banking facilities have plausible security measures in place to protect customers from online criminal activities. One such measure is the introduction of card readers which help to combat fraudsters’ sophisticated methods used in attempting to obtain security information from online banking customers.

Card readers work along with the bank card and its corresponding pin number. Without any one of these, it would not possible to access online banking. If in possession of a card reader then always use this method to log on to online banking as they add extra levels of protection to online banking.

Respond to Phishing E-Mails Can be Unsafe

Sometimes fraudsters are able to obtain information through phishing e-mails (e-mails, claiming to be from a legitimate company, sent to someone in an attempt to get their personal information). These e-mails usually contain a link that would redirect the recipient to a fake website where they will be asked to submit, ‘update’ or ‘confirm’ information such as their date of birth, passwords and bank details. So avoid clicking on links in e-mails that are asking for banking information; always use the methods recommended by the bank to log in.

Online banking on the whole has proved to be a safe and convenient facility for banking customers the world over. Law enforcements in different countries have also helped to alleviate internet crime, making online banking safer.

In the UK, for example, the law states that it is an offence for any business or firm to send unsolicited e-mails to an individual’s e-mail address. Therefore, if the individual has not given their e-mail address to the sender then any received correspondence must be treated as phishing mail and deleted immediately.

The Best Breakup Songs

2009-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

Angry, Empowering, and Sad Songs to Help You Mend

Having a bad breakup? We've all been there! Here's a collection of fabulous breakup songs that you can use as your angry or sad soundtrack right now.

What's the best therapy a nasty breakup? A date with Jack Daniels? No, that's a bad idea. A date with Ben and Jerry? A slightly better idea, but still a bit on the self-destructive side. Instead, drown your sorrows with that age-old, alcohol and calorie free remedy-- the breakup song. Make yourself a mix CD or an iPod mix and blare the heck out of it in your car or on the treadmill.

Breakup songs are not hard to find. When you think about it, there's probably more of them out there than romantic love songs for weddings and such. Here's an eclectic list of breakup songs for you to choose from to suit your mood.

Angry Breakup Songs. We all have those moments when we blare angry music at full volume on our stereo in an attempt to release those toxic feelings. Here are some awesome angry breakup songs:

Tori Amos-- Precious Things
Pat Benatar-- Love is a Battlefield
Ben Folds Five-- Song For the Dumped
Black Eyed Peas-- Shut Up
Ray Charles-- Hit the Road Jack
Sheryl Crow-- Anything But Down
Ani DiFranco-- Outta Me, Onto You
Elton John-- Love Lies Bleeding
Evanescence-- Call Me When You're Sober
Fleetwood Mac-- The Chain
Fleetwood Mac-- Go Your Own Way
J Geils Band-- Love Stinks
Green Day-- Good Riddance
Greg Kihn-- The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)
Avril Lavigne-- So Much For My Happy Ending
Alanis Morisette-- You Oughta Know
Pearl Jam-- Black
Tom Petty-- You Got Lucky
The Police-- Can't Stand Losing You
The Postal Service- Nothing Better
REM-- The One I Love
Sad Love Songs. Sometimes you just want to cry and feel sorry for yourself after a breakup. That's probably not a good long term habit, but we've all been there, and a pity party now and then never hurt anyone. Here's some fabulously sad and pathetic breakup songs when you just want to feel down for awhile:

The Beatles-- Yesterday
Michelle Branch-- Goodbye to You
Toni Braxtron-- Unbreak My Heart
Coldplay-- The Scientist
Neil Diamond-- Love On the Rocks
Guns N Roses-- November Rain
Lauryn Hill-- Ex-Factor
Thelma Houston-- Don't Leave Me This Way
Jewel-- You Were Meant for Me
Carole King-- It's Too Late
Barry Manilow-- Can't Smile Without You
Sinead O'Connor-- Nothing Compares 2 U
Righteous Brothers-- You've Lost that Loving Feeling
Roxette-- It Must Have Been Love
Roy Orbison-- Crying
Elvis Presley-- Heartbreak Hotel
U2-- With or Without You
Usher-- Burn
Wham!-- Careless Whisper
Empowering Songs. These are the inspirational songs you play yourself when the initial pain has subsided and you're trying to make sense of things. The message of these songs is, "You hurt me, but ha! I'm strong and I don't need you." Here's some great empowering breakup songs:

Cher-- Believe
Cher-- Strong Enough
Christina Aguilera-- Fighter
Destiny's Child-- Survivor
Lara Fabian-- I Will Love Again
Gloria Gaynor-- I Will Survive
M People- Moving on Up
Scandal-- Goodbye to You
Nancy Sinatra-- These Boots are Made For Walkin'

Christmas Song List

2009-12-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Best Ever Christmas Songs

Before you pick your class song for the Christmas concert decide on what the song can teach the students. Instead of opting for the more traditional songs such as Frosty the Snowman or the Twelve Days of Christmas, chose a song that will start a discussion.

If students are studying Medieval times, chose a Medieval Christmas song. Teach students a familiar song such as Silent Night but sing it in all of the different languages your students speak. If there are too many languages incorporate the different languages into the original song. Christmas in the Trenches is a song written by a soldier in the World War, many children can not relate but it is a testimony of love between all.

Also, you can sing Cowboys for Christmas and change the lyrics to correspond with a different lifestyles. Or you may wish to see Do They Know Its Christmas and do a unit on Africa and on their struggles. Lastly, have primary students sing The Friendly Beasts to learn about the birth of Jesus and who was a part of the story. Be creative in your song list and teach a social or educational concept at the same time.

I Want A Hippomatus For Christmas

Mele Kalikimaka

Medieval Christmas Songs

Christmas in the Trenches

Feliz Navidad

The Friendly Beasts

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

Jingle Bell Rock

Up on the House Top

Sign Language Christmas Songs

American Sign Language Christmas Songs

English Christmas Songs

Translated Christmas Songs

Silent Night in 100 Languages

Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas

All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Christmas For Cowboys

Beautiful Christmas

Calypso Carol

Do They Know Its Christmas

Grown Up Christmas List

I'm Getting Nuttin For Christmas

Your a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Phnom Penh Plans to Build ‘Skytrain’

2009-12-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Phnom Penh will boast a state-of-the-art solar powered ‘skytrain’ similar to the elevated trams of Bangkok if plans discussed in a meeting on Monday are put into action. The developer claimed the new skytrain could carry over 600,000 people per day, with a possible capacity of over 1 million people by 2043.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) held a meeting presided over by MEF Minister Keat Chhon with the GREENCAMECO Company, according to MEF reports.
About 39 km of rail would be built around Phnom Penh, Richard Rory of GREENCAMECO said.
An addition 34 km would be covered by buses and solar power would be integral to the project, he added.
The four year project would take until at least 2014, with the first stage from 2011 to 2013. The total budget will be over US$3.6 billion, GREENCAMECO said. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the MFE Keat Chhon recommen- ded that “Before starting project, the company should survey extensively first, to protect any impact to the related railways of Cambodia.”
All designs and planning should be clear and support ease of access for all disabled Cambodian people, as well as children,” Keat Chhon added.
Rory said the project would support Cambodian development, inclu- ding public transport, road safety and less traffic jams.
The company should cooperate with the Ministry of Land Manage- ment, Urban Planning and Construc- tion together to better serve the public, Keat Chhon added.

King pardons Thai man jailed for spying

2009-12-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

King Norodom Sihamoni has pardoned a Thai man jailed for seven years for spying on fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a visit to Phnom Penh, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Friday.

Sivarak Chutipong, 31, an engineer who had been working in Phnom Penh for seven years at Cambodia Air Traffic Services, will be released from prison Monday to his family and a delegation from Thailand's main opposition party, Puea Thai, with which Thaksin is associated.

"The king just signed it this morning," Khieu Kanharith said, explaining that the royal pardon was issued after Prime Minister Hun Sen requested it Thursday.

"This morning Hun Sen said that if the man wants to continue working in Cambodia, he is welcome," he added.

Sivarak received a seven year jail term and a 10 million riel (US$2402) fine in Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday for passing Thaksin’s flight schedule to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. At his trial, Sivarak denied stealing any documents and told the court that although he had informed the Thai embassy's first secretary by telephone of a flight arrival, he had not been aware that Thaksin was on board.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters the pardon was a "good sign" for relations between the two sides.

"I have received an initial report of a royal pardon, which was an internal matter for Cambodia, but the Thai government congratulates Sivarak's family," Panitan said.

"The pardon is a good sign as Thai people have been very focused on this case and it could ease bilateral relations with Cambodia," he added.

Thai diplomats and the defendant's mother, seen crying in court, had attended Sivarak's trial.

Cambodia expelled the first secretary of Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh after alleging that Sivarak had passed information to the diplomat. Thailand expelled the first secretary of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok shortly afterwards, with the countries having already withdrawn their respective ambassadors in the dispute over Thaksin's appointment as government economics adviser.

Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 coup. His visit to Cambodia last month was the closest he has come to his native country since fleeing last year to avoid a jail term for corruption charges.

source AFP

What to do in Sihanoukville ?

2009-12-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sihanoukville, or Kampong Som is the only maritime port of Cambodia - lies on the southern coast on the Gulf of Thailand. The city was founded in 1964 and named after King Norodom Sihanouk. Sihanoukville is considered a great base for exploring the nearby Ream National Park, tropical islands and its tranquil beaches have made it popular as a tourist attraction. This port city attracts holidaymakers with its easy going beachside atmosphere when compared to other Thailand's more developed beach destinations. For leisure, tourists can take water taxis to the nearby islands for diving, snorkeling, and game fishing.

Beaches that line the west contour of the Sihanoukville city from North to South are Victory Beach, Koh Pos Beach, Lamherkay Beach, Sokha Beach, Independence Beach, Occheuteal Beach, Serendipity Beach and Otres Beach. The most popular ones are Occheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory where luxury resorts are situated with their own private beaches. Hotels, guesthouses, bars and restaurants are concentrated in Downtown area, Occheuteal Beach/Serendipity Beach and Weather Station Hill.

Getting There:
From Phnom Penh, most people travel to Sihanoukville by bus, taxi or motorcycle. There are several daily buses operate between the two cities.

There are flights between Sihanoukville and Siem Reap which will encourage visitors to Angkor temples in Siem Reap to extend their stay in this coastal city.

The international border crossings at Had Lek, Thailand/Koh Kong, Cambodia allow overland access to southern Cambodia. The Had Lek/Koh Kong crossing allows the most convenient access to Sihanoukville as it is a long-established crossing and regular transportation between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong are also well established by ferry or road.

What to do in Battambang ?

2009-12-12T09:27:00.000-08:00

River trip

Just to the north of the new bridge a cluster of boats is moored. This is where the ferries to Siem Reap depart, but you can also hire one of the smaller wooden boats just to explore the river. Rates are around $4-5 per hour depending on your bargaining ability. The river in both directions weaves through stunning rural scenery. Admittedly if you come from Siem Reap by boat you will have seen much of it already, but seeing it from the comfort of a small wooden boat rather than an overloaded death trap is far more enjoyable.

Wats within town

Several wats lie on the far bank of the river, but to the casual visitor they are probably just of passing interest. The most interesting is Wat Kandal, just to the north of the iron bridge. It has an unusual arched entranceway and out the back in the far corner nestles a model of Angkor Wat. If you have already seen the real thing, it is hardly worth the effort.

Battambang Museum

On again off again, this museum has never been open when we've been in town. The ticket seller/custodian apparently doubles as a fruit seller down the road, so if you stand around long enough she'll wander over and open up for you. We've been told it contains a small collection of Angkorian items and a Tonle Sap display. Admission is $1 when open.

Outside town

The countryside surrounding Battambang is simply stunning, especially when the rice fields are sprouting. It's easy to spend two to three days exploring, while someone determined to see everything the area has to offer could spend a week here. Despite its proximity to Thailand and the good road to Phnom Penh, relatively few tourists make it here, which is a shame for them, but no doubt good for those who make the effort. Best seen by motorbike, hunt down a motodop who speaks reasonable English (not too difficult) and get a copy of Ray Zepp's Around Battambang. Although we cover some of the attractions Ray does, if you're spending a chunk of time here the book is certainly worth getting, and in purchasing it you're supporting a very worthy cause. Motodops will be able to give you good advice on what to see and in what order to see things. It's best to avoid travelling in the middle of the day as the heat is oppressive. Instead, leave early in the morning, see a couple of sights, return to Battambang for a few hours' siesta, then head out again around 3pm. In the late afternoon light, the rural scenery is simply breathtaking.

Ek Phnom

Ek Phnom dates back to the 11th century and is one of the most-visited attractions around Battambang. If you've already seen Angkor Wat you'll probably find it to be a bit of a disappointment, but if you haven't been there yet, it's a fine taster. On weekdays, you're likely to have the entire place to yourself, while on weekends, it is a popular excursion for those from Battambang. The ruins have been heavily looted and look to have partially been collapsed on purpose to get at some sections of it. Out the front of the ruins is a new temple known for its murals. Ek Phnom is best reached from Battambang by motodop along the river road and takes around 45 minutes, passing through some beautiful scenery.

Rice paper making

En route to Ek Phnom you'll pass a group of houses dedicated to making the rice paper used in wrapping spring rolls, with the workers quite happy for you to stop and take a look. What's interesting is the steam-driven mechanics of the process, which is created by the heat from rice chaff. It's mesmerising to watch them being made then laid out to dry. The houses are in the midst of some of the best of the river road trip. Keep an eye out for the abandoned French villas, lush forest and emerald paddies.

Phnom Banan

Just over 20km to the south of Battambang, Phnom Banan is the best kept of the remaining Khmer ruins in the area, though again, when compared to Angkor Wat it isn't so impressive. Dating back to the 11th century, Phnom Banan has also been heavily looted but it remains mostly upright. What is impressive from here are the superb views of the surrounds in all directions. A large field gun kept at the site once has now been removed. It's a rather steep climb from ground level up to the ruins. Luckily at the top a few industrious drink sellers emerge, who will also be happy to show you around the temple and then the caves below on the left (when looking at the ruins from the stairs). These are well worth exploring, though note the cave entrance is almost at the base of the hill, so be sure you are finished with the ruins before you agree to go down. Also note if it is a slow day -- very common here -- all the children here will offer to come with you, but they will all expect something for coming along. Be warned that the entrance to the caves is so small you need to wriggle through on your belly.

Phnom Sampeau

This hilltop temple on the road to Snong and Pailin is one of the main locations of Battambang's "Killing Fields", with a large cave where victims were thrown into the caves either to their death or after being bludgeoned or had their throats cut. Children hang around the base of the temple and will walk up with you and act as your guides, some of them speak very good English. They will expect some money in return for showing you around. According to our guides, there was one cave for women, one for men and one for children, though other sources differ in this regard. There are two ways to the summit, one by stairs, the other by a sweeping trail with a far easier incline that runs around the hillock to the summit. Phnom Sampeau is best visited in early morning or late afternoon when the light and the spectacular views are at their best. We've encountered some problems with motodops who have expressed an unwillingness to drive out to Phnom Sampeau, claiming that it is a bad place that tourists shouldn't see. If you want to visit here, don't feel uncomfortable about insisting you visit. The road out is partially sealed. Ask your motodop to take the main road out, but come back via one of the many back dirt-routes that meander through the paddies. In the late afternoon light, it is beautiful.

Nori Ride

Nories, also know as bamboo trains, are one of the "must sees" of Battambang, if only for their novelty value. Formed by two sets of railway wheels, a bamboo mat and a generator, these are an impromptu way of travelling up and down the railway line in lieu of a real train. (When the real train shows up, all the nories disappear). Aside from a rather peculiar way of getting around, they are also a great way of seeing rural Cambodia well off the road network. When two nories meet coming in opposite directions, the one with the lighter load is dismantled and removed from the tracks, allowing the other to pass. Powered by a small motor, the speed seems quite reasonable and while interesting for an hour or so, anything longer will give you a very sore backside. They can carry motorbikes, so a nori ride is easily combined with a motodop trip to say Phnom Banan. Just let your motodop know before you leave Battambang that you want to do one of these trips and he'll suggest the best point in your journey to do it. A nori trip will cost extra -- be sure to agree on the price before you get on.

Snong

Just over 20km from Battambang on the road to Pailin, Snong has a group of small Angkorian sites just on the left side of the road in the centre of the village. Best visited en route to Pailin, these are not worth heading out to see unless you are continuing to Pailin anyway or want to see every single Angkorian site in Cambodia.

What to do in Cambodia ?

2009-12-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

There are so many exciting sights in Cambodia that you’ll hardly find yourself without things to do. The country is beautiful, and even more incredible for rising out of the intense history of war and genocide.

There are so many exciting sights in Cambodia that you’ll hardly find yourself without things to do. Just scrambling around the ruins at Angkor can keep you busy for days if not weeks, or you can climb up for a bird’s-eye view of the complex by hot-air balloon. The country is beautiful, and even more incredible for rising out of the intense history of war and genocide. Take time to visit major sites that give you a glimpse into the history of the country, but also make sure you get to meet some of the friendly and positive people who have weathered through the history.

Cook Khmer-style curry or other cuisine.
There are plenty of Khmer cooking classes in the capital, held in English or French. The Frizz restaurant on Sisowath Quay operates some of the most popular courses and will have you creating an amok fish curry to die for.

Explore the temples at Angkor
You could spend oodles of time watching the sunrises and the sunsets at this amazing temple complex. Especially if you’re interested in photography, there is so much to see and so many nooks to explore. Hire a guide for a day or two to hear the stories behind the temples.

Fire a rocket launcher or M-16.
You won’t find a lot of places in the world where you can go crazy firing weaponry. There are two venues that offer this bizarre form of entertainment, one in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap.

Get high over Angkor.
The best way to see Angkor by far is from the air. It’s a spectacular sight that you will remember for the rest of your life. The tethered hot-air balloon offers a budget way to soar above the temples for about 15 minutes; or you can go all out with a helicopter tour.

Hold you nose at Stung Meanchey Garbage Dump.
Your entire outlook on life will change in this one visit. Shocking, alarming and filled with despair, this garbage dump is an example of how many of Cambodia’s children spend their time – sifting through garbage all day long to survive. If your kids complain about going to school, they probably won’t after they see this. Donations can also be made to the humanitarian organisation Pour Sourire D’un Enfant at their onsite office.

Ride an elephant.
If you’ve never ridden an elephant, there’s no experience quite like it. The activity is most popular in Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri. Be sure to go with a reputable company and take a guide as land mines and other dangers may spoil your day. You can also ride an elephant around Angkor or at the zoo on Mekong Island, a daytrip from the capital.

Take a sunset cruise along the Mekong river.
One-hour cruises are available and will give you great insight on the lives of the people living on and around the river. The sunset is especially brilliant from the boat and this is a relaxing way to end your day.

Visit the Memorial at Choeung Ek.
Located 15kms from Phnom Penh, this is a memorial to those who died in the infamous Killing Fields. Here you can view around 8,000 skulls arranged by sex and age behind a glass panel.

Visit the Stone and Woodcarving School in Siem Reap.
This is a great place to see how stone and wood is carved into reproductions of the ancient Khmer temple carvings. Prices are cheap and you’ll be supporting a good cause.

Volunteer for a good cause or donate blood.
There are numerous NGOs and charity organisations doing good work in Cambodia. Additionally, only about one-third of the country’s requirement for blood is being met, so you can make a donation at the Cambodian Red Cross to help.

Watch traditional Khmer theatre.
A few different venues in the city offer the chance to watch Khmer performances with the most popular being the Aspara Theatre at the Angkor Village Resort, which is also a restaurant. The evening shows feature a wealth of traditionally dressed performers, meaning there is lots of gold finery on display and the chance to experience classical
Khmer music and dance.

Watch traditional Khmer kickboxing.
Khmer traditional boxing, or Pradal Serey, has made a huge comeback since it was banned by the Khmer Rouge. The biggest fights are held at the Olympic Stadium, but you can find smaller bouts at other venues too, so ask around.

12 frugal tips for the holiday season

2009-12-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the holiday season on a limited budget can occasionally feel like working for Mr. Scrooge! But take heart: the true joys of the season are there to be enjoyed no matter what your budget. Here are 12 tips to inspire a frugal holiday.

Decorate on a budget

Use the decorations you have, but in new ways. A large glass bowl filled with glass ball ornaments -- all of the same colour or mix them up -- is a trendy look this year. Group similar ornaments to create displays. Place nutcracker ornaments in one area; Santas in another.

Bread dough ornaments: mix 2 parts flour, 1 part water, and 1 part salt into a dough. Colour with food colouring if desired. Roll out with cookie cutters or use like clay to shape into ornaments. Pierce with a hole for hanger (if hanging) before baking. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Cool and paint or use permanent markers to decorate. A coating of acrylic shellac will preserve colour.

Spray pine cones, whole walnuts, and branches with gold or silver spray paint and scatter them around your house for a touch of shine.

For an inexpensive and stunning centerpiece (caution: will only last a few hours): Line a large plastic or metal bowl with cedar or other evergreen branches and a ring of cranberries around the bottom. Carefully fill 1/3 full of water; place smaller bowl inside and fill with stones or other freezable weights until water is almost at lip of large bowl. Freeze overnight. Remove from freezer and remove first small bowl and then larger, using warm water to warm bowls if necessary. Place ice bowl on tea-towel lined platter (platter must have a lip) and fill with fruit.

Boil cinnamon sticks with cloves on the stove to give your home that holiday scent -- purchase spices for this purpose from discount stores.

Wrap it up

Start with inexpensive brown butcher's paper, paper bags, newsprint, tissue paper from purchases, or even newspaper. Use stencils (available at dollar stores) and poster paints to decorate the surface.

Or for a more sophisticated look, use brown paper and then glue the front of an old Christmas card, or layer different-sized Christmas cutouts (from the same stencils, or go freehand) onto the middle of the gift.

Rubber stamps are also in again and sometimes can be found at dollar stores -- but beware: these can also be a premium item you think will save you money, but will actually cost you more than inexpensive wrapping from a dollar or discount store.

Gifts galore

Gifts from your kitchen provide holiday warmth to friends and loved ones. Choose recipes that are heavier on time than on expensive ingredients - sugar cookies are a great example. Use tins purchased from thrift stores or dollar stores, or recycled from purchases last year, or baskets found at thrift stores or garage sales. Other presentation ideas: wrap in inexpensive tea towels from dollar stores, or fill mugs from the same with small cookies and candies. (SeeHeart smart gifts from your kitchenfor more ideas and recipes.)

Give the gift of time. We've all heard of the babysitting or handyman time gift coupons. (Other ideas include housekeeping, cooking, and gardening.) One of the secrets to making this work is to make the certificate really beautiful -- use gold or silver gel pens and markers or your computer and tasteful clip art and print on heavy paper. But another secret is to actually take the initiative to call after giving the certificate and set up a time to come and make the gift happen. Put a note in your calendar to give recipients a call in January or February to set the date (or spring, in the case of gardening gifts!)

The gift of memories is a large one: create a photo CD or scrapbook; write family stories and create a book, or make a recipe book of family favourites.

For children you can also give the gift of time and create memories. Give a small gift under the tree and link it to a special time with them - for example, you can give an inexpensive magic wand and then host a "fairy tea" at your house; give a small fire engine and take a grandchild to the local fire station (call in advance), or give art supplies and then visit a local museum and gallery. Parents may well also appreciate the babysitting! (Check with them in advance to set up the time, as kids will need a concrete date to look forward to.)

Most of all, take the time out to enjoy the company of each other this season. All the best!

Govt sets tariffs in bid to end telecoms feuds

2009-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

New regulations also designate limits on promotional tariffsTHE government has taken what it considers a conclusive step Wednesday to end a price war it says has been undermining profitability in the mobile-phone sector and eroding government revenues by setting a minimum tariff operators can charge customers.

Under the terms of an inter-ministerial prakas, or edict, signed Monday by the telecoms and finance ministries but not released until Wednesday, operators will not be able to offer calls below US$0.045 per minute, not including taxes.

Calls across networks cannot be offered at less than $0.0595 per minute under the edict signed Monday by Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun and Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhun.

So Khun said the prakas will also bring to an end dominant mobile-phone operators’ practice of blocking calls from customers of competitors, although he refused to name those most responsible for the practice.

Those blocking calls from other operators risk losing their licence and being forced to pay compensation to affected parties and the government for any revenues lost as a result, he said.

“This directive is absolute and makes sure that all operators live together in harmony,” So Khun said.

However, the prakas allows operators to offer discounted rates and calling specials, including free minutes, during special promotions with prior permission from the ministry.

Each promotion is limited to 30 days in duration, and prices cannot drop below 50 percent of the minimum tariff for within network calls during offers. Promotions on cross-network calls will not be allowed, according to the prakas.

Ministry Director General Mao Chakrya said there are no limits on the number of promotions each operator can offer each year. “There are a lot of holidays in Cambodia,” he said.

Operators have been given 15 days from Monday to ensure all advertising and calling plans are in line with the new rules, and all advertisements must be cleared by the ministry in future.

So Khun said the ministries developed the prakas only after efforts to mediate between operators over ongoing issues of pricing and interconnection failed.

“We have exhausted all means to resolve the problems, but it has not been successful,” he said. “These challenges could not be addressed if the government did not intervene.”

The government has taken a raft of measures to bring order to the sector this year after new operators – Beeline in particular – began winning customer share from incumbents through discounted calls.

The incumbents accused the newcomers of price-dumping, while the new entrants in turn accused the major players of blocking access to their networks.

Measures include a prakas on interconnectivity issued on October 5 setting out a new framework for calls across networks, a September 29 inter-ministerial circular warning operators to desist from any activities that destabilised the sector, and a government order signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on October 21 threatening to revoke the licences of operators found guilty of blocking calls.