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13 October 2011

Accurate Pond Deployment?

Pond delivery has always been a problem, ponds dropped from the air in wartime are doubly difficult as operatives run the risk of being shot at. Deployment from high altitude also reduces accuracy but was safer for the crews.

Below are pic's of a rare site near Takeo, rare in the way that there was only one target for pondage in the area, strangely we have marked the target with the words "target", the dropped ponds are clearly visible and marked accordingly as "misses", the best of them being the four 2000lb babies dropped nearly 1km away from the intended pond site.  Theory is they used these big ponds in areas where accuracy may be a prob, therefore a big pond would serve more peeps for longer, sort of humanitarian ponds delivering fresh water and fish to the poor folks, all at a small price of 10% of their rice production.

Anyway, lets have a look.



These are the four 2000lb ponds, 23m in diameter, 950m from the intended target.



These are the boring little 500lb ponds only 750m from where they should be, nice spread though.


Interested in ponds?  Check out "Abduction Tours" as they know where they are!  Tours are bookable though availability is limited.



Here are some details of these pond drops.
 
1 Mon, 25 Jun 1973, 1 F111 dropped 24 MK82 GP Bomb(500)LD 500LB GP-M-82 to Confirm Enemy Location

2 Thu, 21 Jun 1973, 1 F111 dropped 24 MK82 GP Bomb(500)LD 500LB GP-M-82 to Confirm Enemy Location 

3 Wed, 27 Jun 1973, 1 F111  dropped 4 MK84 GP Bomb 2000LB MK-84 on  Personnel/Any 

4 Wed, 27 Jun 1973, 1 F111 dropped 24 MK82 GP Bomb(500)LD 500LB GP-M-82  on Personnel/Any 

5 Mon, 25 Jun 1973, 1 F111 dropped 24 MK82 GP Bomb(500)LD 500LB GP-M-82  to Confirm Enemy Location

07 October 2011

It's out, almost...

Issue 21 is at the printers and a limited number of copies will be available tomorrow, rugby permitting, some may even be delivered.  

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


ABC  
Abduction Tours
Bar-Red
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Blissful 

Bungalow Kampot River
Dogs Bollocks
Frangipani
Ganesha
Green House 
Jonathan's Books
Kampot Souvenirs & Handicraft
Kep Gardens Ass. 
Le Soleil d'Or
Mea Culpa
Madi's Bar
Playboy Pizza
Ray's Estate Agency
Rikitikitavi 
Salt + Pepper 
Siam Orchid Restaurant
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

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

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)
Fran 


Download on the right as usual.

09 September 2011

C'mon 21

Update time...

Well we has been workin again, submittions are almost all in and the new map is sort of complete, the one for the hill that is. 

On those lines we have to thank the "Parrot" for his work in producing the long lasting and most useable map of the hill to date, I could not better it but settled for getting it GPS accurate.

Advertising is nowhere near full but thats no prob, we go ahead regardless this time, spare space will be filled with something.

Anyway, have a look at the latest effort, a proof as ever.


02 September 2011

Red Review.


Bemused Canadian Julia Colterjohn submits review of favorite bar in Kampot (and possibly the world).

Julia lives and works in Phnom Penh and has trouble thinking of anything nice to say about anyone, so this is actually quite a stellar review.


Admittedly, the place is a bit backwards, you might say. If you tell English speakers that you went there, and recommend it, they will not have an easy time finding it (even though it's quite easy to find), because there is no such place in Kampot as what they assume that you meant. In English, the adjective should go before the noun. In Khmer, the nouns generally go before the adjectives, but that's when you are using Khmer nouns and adjectives. If you are going to name your bar in English, then maybe you should follow the English conventions, eh? But no. It's called BAR RED, not RED BAR, and until you wrap your head around that, you will never even have a chance to get properly thwarted.
In general, before you recommend a room, you should probably be allowed to stay in it, right? Screw it. I'm recommending the rooms anyway. Maybe next time, I will be allowed to stay in one of the rooms! At least I got to actually look at one this last time. The food on the menu should be available on roughly the same day as the menu is posted, right? Whatever. The menu is mouthwatering. Wait until you actually get to TRY the food! That should be good enough, you whinging tourist. What, are you in some kind of HURRY? Instant gratification is emphatically not what Cambodia is about. This is the Kingdom of Wonder. If you should be so lucky as to get close enough to see the menu at BAR RED, you will also notice (or not) that the clock on the wall keeps perfect time… exactly backwards. Maybe you're early. Maybe you're too late. Best just relax and congratulate everyone and buy a round. This will help, guaranteed.
By the way, if you are a backpacker, you might as well forget about BAR RED because they have a sign with a picture of a backpacker and a big X through it, saying "NO BACKPACKERS" on it. However, you have to be already sitting at the bar, if it happens to be open, before you can actually see the sign and slink out. In my experience they are not that fussy about the backpacks themselves, and if you are already drinking (especially if you have bought a round and claim to have only a fifty dollar bill on your person) they probably will not throw you out until your tab reaches at least thirty bucks. But they might. I don't know about that for sure. If the space between the letters disappears, then you are BARRED and should go to your room (if they have let you have one).
Another nice thing about BAR RED, should you be able to actually get in and stay long enough to feel nature's call, is that BAR RED will disabuse you of your bourgeois assumption that you need toilet paper for anything. There is nothing wrong with the toilet (although for some reason one of the resident cats won't use it and prefers the floor in the corner beside the sink), but I'm afraid I used up the last six squares of the toilet paper on the first night of my last visit to BAR RED, and although I mentioned it, no moves had been made three days later to replace the roll. So what? Who needs toilet paper? The bum gun works fine and it's easier on the trees.
So anyway, it is not necessarily true that you can't get served, eat or sleep at BAR RED, but then again it's not necessarily true that you CAN get served, eat or sleep there, either (at least, on purpose). If you have seen any of the ads for BAR RED, you will have noted that it advertises itself as a bar and restaurant with good music and guest rooms. You probably didn't take special notice of the fact that it does not advertise itself as being, say, OPEN. So what? What is your problem, you whinging tourist? The rooms are fine, they have cable TV, and they are clean. The food is absolutely fantastic. Hey. Good food takes time to prepare. The music is great. The company is unfailingly amusing and the staff is charming and helpful. You came all the way to Kampot just to complain about the fact that you can't HAVE any of those things right away? So take a pill. BAR RED does things the Cambodian way. It puts its adjectives after its nouns. Personally, a lot like Bar Red I.

Julia Colterjohn   (new KSG review team leader)


Many thanks Julia, sorry I can't squeeze it in the guide but I am sure it will be seen here.  Keep up the good work n visit again soon.




11 August 2011

40 Year old Ponds.

Ever wondered what a B52 strike looks like 40 years later?


These Ponds are near Tuk Meas, a faveorite pond deployment area in the early 70's.

Fire up Google Earth and open this file to see some more B52 ponds near Tuk Meas.

04 August 2011

Progress Report

Issue 20.02 is being printed and will be delivered later today.

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

ABC
Bar-Red
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Blissful 
Fragrance Massage
Ganesha
Kampot Souvenirs & Handicraft
Kep Gardens Ass. 
Mea Culpa
Olly's Place 
Rikitikitavi 
Salt + Pepper 
Sunflower Orphanage
The Magic Sponge
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

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

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)


anyway


Issue 21 Progress Report
We have been working again, well on the guide anyway and can report it's going nicely, the pages are in place and only await the articles and updates.  We have added eight pages to make space for the new advertisers and new writer, we have made a separate section for projects and volunteer work where we hope to add many listings, well, we have been doing things!

Down to the advertising, we are aiming for 30% of the guide being advertising space, that gives us 38 quarter page adverts to fill, some are promised
already but to avoid disappointment, get in quick!  (with artwork and $$)

Sadly the new map has been scrapped/shelved again, we don't need it, GPS accurate is too much for the Pot.  Also the property guide has died, well all the property got sold already.  So the KSG will carry on in similar style as before, but slightly bigger and heavier at 32 pages.

Submitters are always welcome, so if you have a story about the Pot you think may fit in the KSG, please do get hold of us.

18 July 2011

1957 videos?

Yeah 1957, it was a vintage year for the palm wine industry in Cambodia, it was also an interesting year as the University of Pennsylvania sent a team here to do some filming, have a look at their efforts thanks to the Internet Archive.


http://www.archive.org/details/upenn-f16-0127_1957_23_Laos-Cambodia

http://www.archive.org/details/upenn-f16-0128_1957_24

http://www.archive.org/details/upenn-f16-0129_1957_25_Cambodia-Thailand


On each page you will be given the choice of streaming the video or downloading it, have fun!

04 July 2011

23 June 2011

Another proof to check.

Yes we are rolling again with another print run of Issue 20, if you have time please scan through the pdf and let us know of the horrors that lie inside.

Issue 20.02 proof

Many thanks in advance.

20 June 2011

City Centre

Kampot's Origin.  “Chinese Kampot”, which local people called Prey-Srok and Europeans called Kampot, was on the right riverbank of the west branch of the Prek-Thom River. Its inhabitants were exclusively Chinese. The village consisted of two ranges of houses running parallel with the river and two roads. In January 1888, there were two pagodas of brick, a market, 75 houses, and a Chinese school. The number of inhabitants was 267 (65 men, 65 women and 137 children). Most of them were merchants and some had sea junks.

14 May 2011

Sad times...

Be warned!  Here be an email warning.


Hello

We were in Kampot a few days ago and absolutely loved it there.  Your guide was very, very funny and useful.

Unfortunately one night we were cycling home by the waterfront and 3 boys on a moto drove up to us and asked where we were going, then they drove into my path and stole a bag out of my bicycle basket.  It was just $5 worth of toiletries so no worries but it was a bit shocking in such a lovely, peaceful town.  I wondered whether you might want to warn people not to store anything in their bicycle baskets in the next edition.  Our guesthouse owner was really shocked and upset - apparently it never happens in Kampot.  It didn't taint our view of the lovely town and I know I probably shouldn't have had the bag in the front but just wanted to try and prevent it happening to anyone else.

Congratulations on living in such a lovely place!

Lizi


Yo Lizi,

sad to hear about your bog bag, as you noted it's not a common thing here, bog bags or theft.

we will be updating the KSG for the next print run and this point is already penciled in, actually we update it on every print run and issue, until reciently we thought the theft problem to be so minor we have neglected to change the listing, feel assured the loss of your toiletries has truly shaken us to the core and we can no longer ignore this growing menace.

Theft will be updated in the next run of the KSG, feel assured.

yours sincerely,

steve j (with a "P")

03 May 2011

Pre-fabricated Ponds

We, or me at the KSG have found a new passion, mapping the remains of the American Pre-fabricated Pond Project that ran from 1965 to the early 70's. Many fine examples of these drop in ponds survive in working order and that's what we are surveying now, have a look at the beautiful examples below.

These babies live just outside our fair city towards the not so secret lake.

Sadly since the project ceased in 1973 and its funding never budgeted for maintenance, these may well be the last ponds the Americans give us, therefore we should look after them.

12 April 2011

Tiny Kampot Maps?

While Irvin is away, we play!  Well not really, it is a thing thats happening and it's now advertised in the guide.





We at the KSG would also like to welcome Fran to the writing team, he is already at work on a startling revelation that will affect everyone within the next year, needless to say this is all very under wraps at the mo but we totally look forward to his contribution.

Anaway, welcome to the KSG Fran, me is sure you will enjoy your new position (seated).

08 April 2011

Issue 20 hits... something?

Issue 20 has sadly been well delayed, steps have been taken to stem these delays, but with Pot businesses opening and closing at such a pace we cannot keep up, sorry.  Even our last map release was outdated a day after posting, sad times.

Sod all that we are going to print!

We are however proud of our latest offering, fork knows why but you may find it useful and our hours of toil will (may be ) not in vain.

Anaways...

We are off again and this time have to thank... 

ABC
Bar-Red
Bokor Mountain Lodge
Blissful 
Farmlink 
Jonathan 
Ganesha 
Green Star 
Kampoccino 
Kep Gardens Ass. 
Mea Culpa
Olly's Place 
Rikitikitavi 
Salt + Pepper 
Tiny Kampot Pillows
Utopia

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

Irvin Savage
Alan (Head Teaser)

Download on the right as usual...

06 April 2011

GPS Findings.

We have been GPSed for only a short time but have already made good use of this new toy, below is a snippet of a map from the Yale uni with the US bombing sites marked on it, after calibrating this map we managed to confirm Utopia was bombed during the troubles, we may also speculate that they have a true American pond.

28 March 2011

French Quarters.


Much confusion reins in the Pot since the map below was issued, it's from the Canby guide, probably the best guide books for Cambodia but sadly it seems they have been misled. Notice the highlighted area showing the so called "French Quarter". Below this map is a chunk of the 1964 map of the Pot, made some 11 years after the French left, now look at what was on the east side of this so called "French Quarter", yep it's a swamp!


















Canby Publications Map of the Pot 2011
















American map of the Pot 1964.

19 February 2011

Chaly!

Way back in 1972 these baby's hit the streets, they are still on them streets and lookin good, well some of them do.


 The KSG's new baby needs a little attention but still has its good looks.

12 February 2011

Pirates!

We all know Kampot has a rich pirate history, so much so that many islands round here are named after them.

Here is a first effort of a map we are working on for some folks in Kep, any input would be app.

23 January 2011

21 January 2011

The French Correction!

It's no big deal but we have been asked before for translations, so we have run the guts of the guide through Google translate and offer the output here for correction.

Is anybody interested in translating the KSG into French?  Please let us know in the usual ways.  By the way, it will need a lot of formatting.

Download "The French Correction"

On the print front, we are waiting on only one ad, so expect to see copies about before the end of the month.

10 January 2011

Calling all Proofta's

It's time to find nasties again, and unusually I can't credit all the advertisers yet, cos a few of them aren't in yet. Best those wanting to be in hurry up as soon I shall start looking for advertisers with artwork, you have all been warned many times, this one goes out in January, with or without you.

Issue 20 Proof