Khemara English-Khmer Dic for iOS4 is now in the App Store!!!

This is fucking awesome!!!

Khemara English-Khmer dictionary application delivers the most trusted reference content available. It is one of the largest English-Khmer Dictionary and has the most comprehensive content with a fast, intuitive interface. Providing concise definitions as a quick guide to meaning, the application helps users on matters such as spelling and usage.
This dictionary can help foreigners learning Khmer and is also of use to Cambodians learning English.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/khemara-english-khmer-dictionary/id391286790?mt=8#


Features:
* Professionally designed to be easy to read and understand.
* Instantly look up accurate and extensive definitions and meanings.
* Bookmarks for selected words.
* Find definitions, spelling and word suggestions in this searchable dictionary.
* Sample sentences show words in use.
* Does not require an internet connection.
If you have any comments about this Dictionary, please leave your
feedback at www.khemarasoft.com.

The ugly face of tourism development in Cambodia - and CBRE's role in it

Must read: Big bucks hype Cambodian beaches


Excerpts:

Tourism will eventually overtake all the islands in the Rong Archipelago dislodging villages and possibly offering work for today’s school children as maids and porters. They will live on the perimeters of luxury holiday villas on island they once called home, knowing that the their elected government leased their island home to foreign investors without a single public hearing to gather local feedback or opinion.

Forbes magazine joins other consumer publications such as Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure in identifying Cambodia’s tourism as “Asia’s next big thing” and “a place to watch”.
This level of publicity raises concerns that the hype and promise of “big buck” tourism will ultimately rob local residents of their livelihood, raise land prices and evict fishing communities from their traditional beachside villages.

As much I like tourism and development I also like public involvement. Cambodia is a country for sale, or to be more specific, that is already sold. The money goes to the CPP and the corrup government. and the ordinary people have still to suffer.
Yes, it creates job, but the price is that CB Richard Ellis and other are just stealing the land of Cambodians.

Geeks on train - join us

Some people - in particular @3105, Jan and me - are tinking about having Geeks on a train in the next weeks or months. Some more information is on 3105.com.

The basic idea is to book a coach from BKK to Vientiane in Laos (or at least to Nong Khai). We set up our own network there and then lets hack or what ever.

If you like the idea, send commenst, emails or tweet. Hastag is #geeksontrain.

Democracy and shoes

My friend Kounila just won a contest organized by the United States Embassy with this video:



Tharum interviewed her

TED conference in Phnom Penh

I was very excited when Tharum posted on the Barcamp Phnom Penh Mailinglist that he is considering organizing TEDxPhnomPenh. He is one of the most prominent bloggers, writers, journalists in Cambodia, and also organizer of the Barcamps. Many people supported him on the list and were excited too.
I was then wondering about an Email, that a foreign NGO in Cambodia already owns the licence for TEDxPP. And I was wondering even more when people on the list were told to contact the licence owner soon.
Yes, legally its clear: You have the licence, you have the rights. Maybe it's just a big communication problem, and everything will be fine at the end. My concern is just that NGOs take over a small flower that was just planted by the Cambodian Internet community.
Yes, TED is more than a Geek event, but it is also clearly not just an NGO event. So let's hope that the local community will be involved in TEDxPP.

Please vote for my podcast

Please vote for me: http://www.thebobs.com/index.php?l=en&s=1155503109924847OMDFOOVR-NONE "Wanhoffs Wunderbare Welt der Wissenschaft". I was nominated as Best Podcast for the Bobs, an award by The Deutsche Welle. Thanks for voting!

500 Entertainment places in Phnom Penh - at night

The Mirror re-published a story about the entertainment business in Cambodia, in particular the nightlife. People already know the bars and restaurants near the riverside, and probably some of the beergardens. But there is a hidden nightlife as well. What looks like a beauty salon offers also beautiful girls, and a restaurant might have a "special" room.
Please note that the sex tourists are not (only) white men, most are actually from Asian countries like Korea, China, Vietnam.

Phnom Penh: At present, there are nearly 500 entertainment places in Phnom Penh, such as beer gardens, karaoke parlors, night clubs, discotheques, restaurants or other places where alcohol and some meals are served, accompanied with music, and female beer seller [often called "Beer Girls"].

The above report went on to say that in Phnom Penh there are 142 hotels, 353 guesthouses, 8 [mainly poor people's building blocks, 54 massage shops, and 233 tourism agencies. 303 places were provided with tourism licenses, 91 new sites were opened, the validity of 266 sites was suspended, and 17 sites were closed because of armed clashes, sex trafficking, rape, and other disturbing offenses.