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18 December 2012

Making Money Pay.


Breaking News – KSG Exclusive
From: XXX Ace Disgraced Underground Reporter Head Teaser
To: Editor, Kampot Survival Guide
Subject: Economic News

“Obama was in Cambodia last month to speak about far more than human rights.” This statement comes from a highly placed source in the US Treasury department who spoke to Head Teaser anonymously because he is not authorized to speak to the gutter press. He went on to say, “President Obama was in Cambodia to inform the government of a daring new plan to avoid the Fiscal Cliff our country is approaching at a gallop.”
Another conversation with a board member of the Federal Reserve Bank fleshed out the story. “As you know, we have been printing greenbacks at an horrendous rate. What do we get for that? A devalued dollar, that’s what. The dollar needed some added value, so we put our thinking caps on and came up with an idea that’s so American it makes me want to get up and salute the flag.”
He continued to drop a bomb shell nearly as explosive as all the munitions dumped on Cambodia during the secret war. “We have close to one Trillion Dollars of paper money in circulation around the world. Our beloved dollar has a life expectancy of between 4.8 and 17.9 years, depending on the denomination. From the day our first dollar went into circulation and our imposition, no sorry could you change that, since the dollar was accepted as the global reserve currency; around the world the Yankee greenback has promoted our brand as a benevolent though paternally stern nation of rampant capitalists.”
Pausing to wipe a patriotic crocodile tear from his eye he went on to say that advertising is as American as apple pie and advanced weaponry. “Most of the biggest companies in the world are American, and they all have immense advertising budgets. We can guarantee the likes of Apple, Microsoft, Coke and Monsanto huge exposure on a global scale by buying ad space on good old American dollars.”
The interest in buying ad space is so great that not even Feds ability to crank out money is able to supply the anticipated demand. That is why the American government is planning to auction off the one inch by one inch ads to the highest bidder. Space on a five year print run of one hundred dollar bills is expected to fetch in the neighbourhood of five billion dollars a year for the next twenty years.
“There are a few bugs to iron out. Like of someone goes into a Burger King and decides to pay with a McDonalds five and they refuse to take it do we send in the Treasury Department Police, the FBI, Homeland Security or the CIA to enforce the legality of our currency. There’s some talk of creating jobs by legislating a new level of bureaucracy with an armed, international force of Money Police.”
He went on to say that the technology was ready at the mint to start circulating the new ad-bucks. He also noted that other than the advertising on the bills, they are to remain the same dull green they have always been. “Can’t mess with the brand image too much,” he muttered.

 

25 October 2012

The Mayor's Office

1960's

2000's

 2010's


Update.  The past couple of months have been hectic, hence no new posts.  We have been busy working on Issue 25 as it's our five year anniversary issue.  

This new issue will have quite a lot of new bits within it, such as QR codes for the peeps equipped with smart phones, they will allow readers to scan the QR code and directly download extra media such as maps and the eBook version of the guide, which the code below links to, well a rough proof of what the eBook will look like.


Advertising has been wild, the guide is now full with the exception of the front page which is currently up for auction, the closing date being tomorrow midnight.  Further spaces are available on Alan's center page pull-out, it will carry a max of 8 ad's and sport a totally new city map, get hold of Alan if you want in.



22 August 2012

The Rose of Bokor - Re-visited

This post is about what I call the "Slate Floor" house on Bokor, and as you must have guessed it was used in the film "The Rose of Bokor".  A film made by HM King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia back in 1969.  The film starred both Sihanouk and his wife and is set in 1945 when for a short time, Cambodia managed to free its self from the French and became a republic.

This shot is from the film, I know it's not very high quality but it shows you that the house was made to look like, a "log cabin".  All you can see of the log cladding now is the nails that once fixed it in place. Inside was also all wood paneled, there are shots of it in the film and it looked good, a little like the interior of Canadia bank or the foyer of the Borey Bokor Hotel.


This is what it looks like today, not quite as pretty but it still has charm.  Notice the wooden batons running horisontally where the vertical log cladding was nailed on.



This is the view from the other side of the house.  Notice the remains of the slate flooring that must have cost a bomb, again you can see the batoning both inside and out.


This is a series of clips from the film that shows both these views, albeit from different angles.


This is a snippet of my video from the back of the house, the opposite camera angle from that in the film.  Notice the nails still standing proud in those batons.


If you are interested in the film you can view it on HM King-Father Norodom Sihanouk's own website.



Coming soon, the Kings (Sihanouk) old house.

20 August 2012

Deadlined.


Issue 24 is almost ready but will not be available for proof reading, because...  we want the errors left in!  There is a reason for this, it's cos this is the 101 error issue, if you manage to find all the errors you will be entitled to a prize of some sort.


So here we go again, this time we have to thank...  

Bar-Red
Blissful
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Cambo Ecotour
Farm Link
Full of Beans
Ganesha
Green House
Indochine
Kampot Souvenirs & Handicraft
Kampot Riverside Hotel
Keplers Books
Le Soleil d'Or
Magic Sponge
Mea Culpa
Oh Neil's
Rikitikitavi
Srey Mom's Cafe
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

Even more thanks go out to this months submitters...

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)
Max Crow



We are just waiting for the last couple of bits of artwork to come in, then it's off to print again, copies available from Sept first.

25 June 2012

Auction apologies.


Dear Precious Anointed Fearless Leader:

I throw my worthless, ignorant, (although fatly substantial) body at your feet and beg your most exalted magnificence pardon for failing you in your honourable charge to my insignificant self. You may do with me as you choose is as your right in your fearsome position as my most revered, infinitely wise and know to be brutal when provoked, Emperor. Should, as you may choose to have me disposed of, may I most humbly beg that I be smothered to death beneath 50, naked, extra virgin oil coated, virgins.

Obviously I have no aptitude for running an auction. My list of errors is legend. My ability to alienate both current and prospective advertisers in your tightly controlled mouthpiece, The KSG, is inexcusable. For this alone I deserve to be flogged. No one enjoys a good flogging as much as I do. I do once more beg that the flogging be done with a cat of nine tails using real cat’s tails, administered by aforementioned virgins.

I do hope that your Stirling reputation is not further tarnished by my series of errors and insults to winging bidders who thought the entire exercise a farce. Little do they know how close to the truth they are? I have made amends as best I could, placing blame directly where it belongs, squarely on your shoulders. The common knowledge that you are in fact a mad man helps me in my quest to divert blame away from me. In fact it evokes a deep sympathy when they believe my every move is dictated by the big guy behind the bar.

Mr. Stirling has been offered a free pint because his feathers got ruffled by my saying his bid was rejected because he “was not one of us” assuming of course my Evil Leader stands the shout and nails him as an advertiser when he moves here in two weeks time.

Humbly,

Head Teaser

X Ace Underground Investigative Reporter

(this apology was submitted in .docx format, a format banned by the KSG, hence the X)   

23 June 2012

Introducing...


Yes, we are printing again, this time it's the fifth generation of the KSG, the Condensed!

This little fella is a twelve page export only edition of the guide, intended to draw people from the hell of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville to the comparative paradise of the Pot.

Anyway, for this fella we have to thank,

Blissful Guest House
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Jonathan and his hand drawn art
Mea Culpa
Rikitikitavi
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

The next issue of the condensed version is all but ready, we are currently auctioning the front page advert in order to raise beer money, it will follow as soon as all the ad spaces are filled and be delivered to bus stations, taxi ranks, travel agents and selected businesses, so it makes sense to be in it!

11 June 2012

printing again...


Issue 23 will be on its way to the printers tomorrow, I know it's a month or so late but we have had issues, yous guys don't want to know about them!  Anaway after all we have got to the print stage of yet another issue, another one that we have enjoyed putting toghether, we also hope you enjoy it.

So here we go, this time we have to thank these sponsors...  

Abduction Tours
Bar-Red
Blissful GH
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Cafe Expresso
Cambodia Beer
Cambo EcoTour
Farm Link
Full of Beans
Ganesha
Green House
Indochine
Kampot Pie and Ice Cream Palace
Kampot Riverside Hotel
Kampocchino
Magic Sponge
Mea Culpa
Monkey Republic
Oh Neil's
Rikitikitavi 
Scuba Nation
Steve Ho's
Srey Mom's Cafe
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

Even more thanks go out to this months submitters...

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)
Uncle Fran 


Download on the right as usual. 

08 May 2012

Why ponds are sometimes difficult to find.

It has come to our notice that pond delivery systems were not always as accurate as they could have been, cop some of this...




These little gems come straight from the horses mouth and can be read in entirety here

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32071219/Linebacker-Operations-September-December-1972



Another little gem on a similar vein,

Missions to the east and south, closer to and around Phnom Penh, were either radar synchronous (using the aircraft bomb-nav system), or by LORAN (PAVE BUFF or PAVE PHANTOM), or depended upon a ground-based SST-181 WET SNOW beacon. The opening scene in the movie, "The Killing Fields", is based on a true incident, in which one of the B-52's in an Arc Light mission did not offset the target from the WET SNOW beacon resulting in about 20 tons of bombs being dropped across the beacon's location. The beacon was set up in the town of Neak Luong, about 40 miles southeast of Phnom Penh. This "short round" incident, on August 6, 1973 resulted in more than 400 friendlies killed or wounded.


This one can be read here...


Some detailed info is in this file.

Pathfinded operations in the Khmer Republic.



LORAN was a system used extensively in the bodge, and as they say above, if they couldn't find all their ponds then, how am I supposed to find them now.


23 April 2012

Casino confusion.

It's time to put this one to bed.

This is the Bokor Palace Hotel.



This is the old casino that Sihanouk built.



This is the review of Cambodia's first casino from the Asia Magazine June 1963 (pictured directly above).


This is the new casino that has just opened.



On a side note Kep had a casino built by Sihanouk too, it was equally unsuccessful.


Nuff said.




16 April 2012

WE are still looking for ponds.

The KSG pond discovery team recently stole a set of maps from the railway workers, here is one of the maps that combines the US bombing and known mine fields.


Hopefully these will help us find ponds much quicker.


Issue 23 update.  Well submittions are pouring in and the proof is almost ready, so expect to see one of us around town selling ad space soon.

17 March 2012

Mail.

Hello KSG
Just back from another trip to Kampot. Once again your guide was a great read. One day I’ll figure out the ‘Local Characters...’

I had a crack at making a video of your gorgeous town (and Kep)...just wanted to share it with you

https://vimeo.com/38245875

Cheers!
Joel

BTW thanks for the link to the Kampot of the Belle Époque... Fantastic reading.

31 January 2012

Tomorrow we Print!

Issue 22 is going to the printers tomorrow with a limited number of copies available a day or so later. The Condensed version will follow shortly and even e-book formats.
So here we go, this time we have to thank... 


ABC  
Bar-Red
Blissful 
Bluestar Real Estate
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Cafe Expresso
Farm Link
Frangipani
Ganesha
Green House 
Hour Kheang Guest House
Jonathan's Books
Kampot Pie and Ice Cream Palace
Kampot Souvenirs & Handicraft
Kampocchino
Le Soleil d'Or
Le Niam Bay
Magic Sponge
Mea Culpa
Monkey Republic
Ollie's Place
Rikitikitavi 
Salt + Pepper 
Srey Mom's Cafe
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

Even more thanks go out to this months submitters...

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)
Uncle Fran 


Download on the right as usual.

29 January 2012

Map

As a few folks have noted I have neglected to post an up to date map of the Pot for some while, here is the latest effort for Issue 22.



Issue 22 update.
Well as per usual we are still waiting on a couple of lazy folks, though they are rapidly running out of luck as we go print in 2 days, expect the usual thank you post when we finalise the ad's.

18 January 2012

Red Sales Update

Kampot Survival Guide has moved HQ, here follows a few pic's leading up to the handover of Bar-Red to Michael (an English guy but he's OK).

Both the KSG and the old Red crew wish Michael all the luck in the world in his new Cambodian adventure.


Here be Steve j on his run down period, the draught Cambodia beer being a lot easier to chuck out than the old cans.




Zee, a former Red shows off the rice harvest, around a ton and a half of rice was eventually stored at Red.




Dick Man had his bro over from Thailand who was sadly hit by unusually large measures, he recovered later that night but failed to consume any more pop.

 

 

Iris was the last victim of the sleeping policy, ironically she was decorated by Zee who holds the record for being face painted at Red.




Srey Mom tries her hand at pouring the draught, she was on tip toes to do this!
 



Steve J and Michael seal the deal on the riverside, sometime just before dawn, can you see his redness coming out?




Handover night brings new thrills to Michael as he pours his first Cambodia beer for Steve.




Michael soon gets the hang of pouring and finds the draw of the pop.
 




Kampot Survival Guide is now located in the old Farm link premises and has started a new business called Farm Inc, selling top quality Vietnamese pepper to the masses and serving the odd beer to old friends, pop in some time.


Issue 22 Update
Due to the sale and handover of Red this issue has been delayed by one month. So if you still want inclusion in the guide please hurry and get some artwork done, we will be printing before the start of Febuary!