tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post7515490657521098961..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: Appreciation of Multiple ArmsAviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-65851244757075277742010-12-14T02:45:25.403+00:002010-12-14T02:45:25.403+00:00I should clarify they were chinese miners not mino...I should clarify they were chinese miners not minors, although I'm sure some kids cam over too!Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700770166312453319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-44691192140333818702010-12-13T21:33:56.279+00:002010-12-13T21:33:56.279+00:00You will find a lot of Australians and and Austral...You will find a lot of Australians and and Australian donations in Cambodia and Vietnam. After the vietnam war a large number moved here as refugees, in fact they were the first major group of non-european settlers to be allowed in, in around 100 years thanks to the White Australia Policy (prior to that lots of chinese minors were around for the gold rush).<br /><br />Australia has a large Cambodian/Vietnamese population, the current generation (20-40 years old say) are starting to even contribute to the celebrity chef, comedian and acting world of Australia. I think there is also a bit of a sense of guilt (being involved in the war) and so people feel the need to fix the mess!Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700770166312453319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-43955383013895206802010-12-13T06:27:15.980+00:002010-12-13T06:27:15.980+00:00as to landmine victims, I'd guess you'd fi...as to landmine victims, I'd guess you'd find more of them the further away from the cities you go, and especially towards the border with Vietnam and the old Khmer Rouge fortresses where they held out last.<br /><br />Usually education and cleanup after wars and other disasters start in and near cities after all, so the majority of mines in and around Phnom Penh would have been removed decades ago (one way or another).<br /><br />It's much the same in Europe after WWII (and even WWI). There are still, even today, forest areas in countries like the Netherlands and Belgium where unexploded bombs, artillery shells, and mines are sometimes discovered (including in Belgium poison gas cannisters from WWI, rusting away in hillsides and fields since 1918).<br /><br />If we can't clean up the debris from WWII in 65 years, how is Cambodia, far poorer and less congested, going to clean up from the Khmer Rouge?jwentinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03231225414960320582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-24770735014305080992010-12-13T00:59:46.558+00:002010-12-13T00:59:46.558+00:00Jim: I saw compressors in Phnom Penh being fuelled...<b>Jim</b>: I saw compressors in Phnom Penh being fuelled from the operator's pop bottle gasoline supply, but given the state of the power lines it's very possible that some were jacked in to the overhead wiring.Aviatrixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-71895185528722731142010-12-13T00:28:24.401+00:002010-12-13T00:28:24.401+00:00I have the good fortune to be in Saigon in Februar...I have the good fortune to be in Saigon in February 1996, during the Chinese New Year. Everybody, their brother, sister, mother, father, friend's aunt and children came out and drove up&down main street on their mopeds (a family of 4 on a moped - quite the sight!).<br /><br />And we saw the same roadside garages - gasoline in 1 gallon glass jars, some wrenches but no parts, and the items needed to fix a flat tire.<br /><br />Your roadside garage was very well equipped - he has a compressor (probably hotwired into the overhead electrical wires). All the ones I saw had manual pumps - the ones that you step on and then pump up&down.<br /><br />And everyone was smiling. It is a beautiful part of the world.<br /><br />Verification word: Wastee. As in "no wantee, no wastee".Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11726267862761677407noreply@blogger.com