Before I found this Farmville strategy guide, I wanted to be a master of crop growing, but I didn’t even have a clue on how to start, what seeds to buy, or even where and when to plant them. I had no idea how often I should log back into my Facebook account and check my Farmville status. Once you master growing crops such as soybeans, bell peppers, squash, watermelon, wheat, artichokes and even eggplant. All these things help make you a successful farmer in Farmville.

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The future of the American people was gauged by modernism. Through modernism Americans stood a good position of predicting the future which was perceived as being bright by a majority of them. It predicted the innovativeness and creativity of the people within America. American modernism clearly represented all categories of people in America as per the 19th century. It represented the romantic, those who wanted to remain with their old traditional beliefs and those who supported the changes that where taking place.

American modernism made most Americans to believe that money was the answer to everything. Most people in America related to each other in terms of money rather than with their families and community at large. American modernism made most Americans relate themselves with the resources that they owned. One basically defined himself with the resources he owned. American modernisms were not keen with the changes that were taking place within their community. They were greatly detached from their own community.

American modernism further gave rise to new ways of viewing issues to its citizens. First the sense of belonging to the family was done away with. A person could not get the necessary moral support and assistance from his family members because of its outcome. Likewise also that kind of belonging and bond to the nation was lost; Americans citizens did not have good relationships among themselves. They were not attached to their traditional believes.

A serious problem arose as a result of this believes. The Americans started thinking of ways of doing away with modernism because of the negative side effects it had given rise to within the society. Both family and communal relationships had been greatly affected. They thought of ways of altering their attitudes and

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The Apsara dance is also peculiar because of the colorful and elaborate costumes worn by the Apsara dancers. The most noticeable part of their costume is the traditional Crown or Mekot, which complements the three-pointed decorative crowns as depicted in the
bas-relief dancers as recorded on the walls of the Angkor Wat. The silk skirt or the Charabob is as important in its symbolism, and the dancer wearing the white Charabob would be leading the group, while the supporting dancers appear in colors like red and green. Apart from that, the dancers are also donned by various adornments in the shape of flowers and jewelry.

The origins of the dance are deep-rooted in the culture and religion of the Cambodian people. In the Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Apsara is the feminine spirit of the water and the clouds, which is more equivalent to the Western concept of a nymph. In short, an Apsaras are manifested and expressed in art as beautiful girls, who are skilled in dancing and dance to the tunes played by their husbands. In fact, the history of the Apsara dance can be traced back right to the time of the Royal Angkor Courts, when Angkor Wat used to be active in its full glory.

Even today, you can track the trail that Apsara Dance has covered over the centuries to the present day, as you can find the depictions of the Apsara dance on the walls of the Angkor Wat itself The modern day Khmer Apsara dance is performed to commemorate and revere the same traditions that hold a central place in the local culture and legend, and is so deep-rooted and inspirational, that its echoes are also found in the classical dance of Laos and Thailand.

The dance was probably first introduced to the masses in the West in the 1960s. The Princess Bhopa Devi was probably the first ever Apsara ballet dancer known to the rest of the world outside Cambodia, and this beautiful art form made its mark on the global audiences worldwide, now even having its presence in the United States. The dance is very pleasant to the eye and can offer the right tone to your mood as you set out to explore the oriental cultures.

On your next visit to Cambodia, don’t forget to miss the Apsara Dance, which is the living representation of the Cambodian culture in its purest and most ancient form. You can catch the shows in local hotels, if not the Apsara theaters, especially in the city of Siem Reap, which lies right next to the Angkor Wat.

Khmer music attained its bloom during the Angkorskaya period. No religious, temple celebration or a wedding is complete without it. The walls of the ancient temples of Angkor showcase the beautifully carved celestial dancers and the different musical instruments used in those times, standing as witness to the centuries old past of the music.

Originally Khmer music was not meant for entertaining, but the combined sound that emanates from the instruments was used as a means of communication with God and the spirits.

Khmer music is five-tone or pentatonic with a rhythm determining the structure. This is the reason the shock instruments, such as the drums, double kettle-drums and gongs hold the main place in an orchestra. To the westerner, it may seem to lack harmony, as the music from one musician may give a different tune from that of the others.

Classical Khmer music is divided into three categories: Pinpeat, Phleng kar and Mahori. Pinpeat, which consists of both stringed and percussion instruments, is associated to all classical performances, prayers and other ceremonies. This ensemble dates back to more than a thousand years ago, to the Angkor era. The beginnings of this ensemble are traced back to the courts during that era. It holds the pride of place in Khmer music and is the strongest ensemble of all. There are said to be more than 250 theme melodies in this ensemble. Each and every piece is associated with relevant actions performed on the stage. The sound from these instruments is one of the most enchanting, with the capacity to make people happy.

The Pinpeat ensemble is said to be the basis of other ensembles, such as the phlaeng mahaori, phlaeng knong schoor and khlang chnak. Mahory uses only stringed instruments. Today’s music ensembles are found everywhere in Cambodian villages, like the pinn, skor yol, chhing, which are similar to those of the old.

Since Khmer music did not have any notation and was handed down from teacher to student just through memory, there has been a lot of improvisation with major influences of the American music; especially rap. The modern Mahori or Mahori Samai uses the organ, flute, guitar and other western musical instruments.

Most Khmer musicians become highly proficient on one instrument, but learn to play several other instruments. This multi-instrumentalism depicts musicianship. In the absence of a single person conducting the orchestra, every musician has to understand the other musician’s music.

For Cambodia, coming to terms with the violent past is not easy, but the hypnotic Khmer music, which has survived those tragic years; brings the glory of the past to the present and fills the hearts with joy. Khmer music is the soul of Khmer; it soothes the mind and heals the heart of every Cambodian.

His rise to fame

Sin Sisamuth was born in 1933 and the youngest of four siblings.  His father tragically died of disease while Sisamuth was a young boy.  Around the age of 6, Sisamuth started to take interest in the guitar.  At a very young age he became popular for his overall musical and lyrical talent.  In 1951 Sisamuth moved to Phnom Penh to begin medical school.  While he was in school, he managed to teach himself how to write and sing songs.  Sisamuth first public performance was at the age of 18 and was at an elder Khmer statesman’s wedding.  In 1953 he became a regular singer on the national radio, while still studying in medical school.

His fame

Sisamuth composed his work on a mandolin.  His lyrics were always of a sentimental nature as a reflection upon desires, heart breaks, and the pleasure of romance.  He truly had a natural ability for composing music, but at the same time he worked extremely hard.  It is said that he used three different dictionaries when writing his lyrics.  He used a combination of the Khmer, Sanskrit, and Pali languages in his songs.

Along with the writing talent, Sisamuth had the perfect soothing voice for the lyrics he wrote.  He wrote and sang many ballads, rock numbers, and Latin-jazz songs.  The earliest songs he became popular for were Oudom Duong Chett, Prek Eng Oss Sangkhim, and Chau Dork.  In 1963 Sisamuth became even more popular with his song Champa Batdambang.  Sisamuth was able to keep his popularity by re-inventing himself in new ways.  He was able to make his music appealing to multiple generations.

In the 1970’s Sisamuth became too popular for his own good.  He could no longer keep up with the demands of his listeners.  He had to end up using other writers and musicians lyrics to keep up with his work.

The obliteration of Khmer music

As you can see the Cambodian music is an extremely influential part of the Khmer culture.  The Khmer people worship through their music, and their music is almost everything to them.  The Khmer culture is very passionate about the preservation of their traditional music.  Unfortunately, in the 1970’s this came back to haunt them.  The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia from 1970-1979.  While the Khmer Rouge ruled they attempted to completely obliterate the Khmer culture, including their music.  In an attempt to abolish the Khmer music, Khmer Rouge went as far as to kill musicians, which sadly included Sin Sisamuth.

Before Sin Sisamuth’s death he tried to do some good for the Khmer people suffering under the Khmer Rouge’s rule.  He started singing propaganda songs.  Then in 1971 Sisamuth appeared in military fatigues while performing numerous pro-republican songs; the most popular song being Mae Owy Ao Yoann.

The after death of Sisamuth

Legends were made about Sisamuth’s death.  It is said that Sisamuth was to be executed, but before his execution he asked to be allowed to perform one song.  His hope was that the song would move them, and they would not kill him.  The cold-hearted communists were not moved and executed him after his performance.

His influence on the Khmer music was tremendous.  So tremendous, that his name is used as a very common household name in Cambodia.  Also, his only surviving son is now a singer on the Cambodian Radio, but he has said himself that he cannot compare to his father.

While some of Sisamuth’s works have been recovered after Khmer Rouge’s rule, not all of it has been.  It is feared that all of his earlier works have been lost forever.  Some of his hits though have been brought back to life by a Khmer-American rock bank, Dengue Fever, based in Los Angeles.

This ensemble has been recorded to date back to the Angkor era, more than a thousand years ago, with its beginnings in the Angkorian courts.  The instruments carved on the Angkor Wat temple walls stand as testimony to its long and glorious past.

Pinpeat is considered to be one of the strongest ensembles of all Khmer music ensembles with approximately 9 to 10 wind and percussion instruments.  Pinpeat sounds beautiful and is sweet on the ears, with a rich and strong rhythm that has the power to make people feel cheerful. This music is used in many of the Cambodian daily rituals.  It is played as an accompaniment to masked play, court dance, shadow play and at religious ceremonies.

This ensemble has a vast number of theme melodies, more than 250 of them. It has earned the name of being the dance music (phleng laim) or the drum music (phleng skor.)  All the pieces are associated with some action or the other, with relevant patterns of drums that are used as a support to the action performed on stage. We can take the example of “Reamker,” where the Pinpeat music is played in coordination with the different nuances of the story.

The instruments which are part of the Pinpeat ensemble are: high bamboo xylophone (roneat ek), low bamboo xylophone (roneat thung), quadruple-reed instruments (sralai tuch and sralai thom), high-pitched metallophone (roneat dek), low-pitched circular frame gongs (kong thomm), high-pitched circular frame gongs (kong tauch), Two huge double-headed barrel drums (skor thomm), small finger cymbals (chhing), small double-headed barrel drum (sampho) and vocals (chamrieng.)

Pinpeat was the basis of many other Khmer ensembles, including the phlaeng mahaori orchestra related to temple ceremonies; phlaeng knong schoor and khlang chnak orchestras, which as both related to funeral rites.

The hypnotic beats of the Pinpeat ensemble with waves of beautiful sound driven by a strong pulse, gives the listener a feeling of inner joy.

No religious temple celebration or traditional ceremony like a wedding is considered complete without Khmer music.  Even the ancient temples of Angkor, which are an archeological treasure, reveal this aspect of Cambodian culture through the numerous musical instruments depicted on the walls.

During the Angkor period, when the Khmer civilization was at its peak, the walls of the great temples were carved with beautiful celestial dancers complete with their musical instruments.  The music ensembles are similar to the ensembles performing today, such as the pinn – an angular harp; skor yol – suspended barrel drums; and chhing – small cymbals.  As a testimony to the ancient tradition, these Khmer musical ensembles are found in every Cambodian village today.

Khmer music is predominantly based on the five-tone or pentatonic scale. When compared to the Western music, it may seem to lack harmony.  One musician’s xylophone will most likely give out a different tune from the others. Each musician imposes their very own tune in the ensemble. All musicians in the ensemble have a single melody in their minds that is not actually played by any single musician.  It is like they just have the road map leading to a common destination.  The drummer usually regulates the ensemble’s pace.

Now there is a modern music ensemble that uses Western instruments to play traditional Khmer music, called modern mohori or mohori samai, which uses the flute, guitar, organ, mandolin, violin, accordion, banjo and violoncello.  With this ensemble, the only traditional musical instrument that is continued to be used is the thaunrumanea drums.

In Cambodian tradition, music has always been passed on to the student from the teacher from memory.  Notation of the musical pieces is a fairly recent phenomenon. Khmer music has a mythical feeling about it, just like the Khmer people.

By consuming less energy at home, the workplace, and in our automobiles, we can make a noticable impact on emissions. You can also accomplish this by installing a homemade solar cell. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds. Besides that, you are going to save money as well. If everyone makes an effort in their lives, it can make a huge difference on a global scale. Here is some advice on how you can cut down on your energy usage.

In the home

• Switch to energy-saving light bulbs. While you’re at it, put in a homemade solar cell. It’s not as hard as you probably are imagining it to be. Depending on many factors they may be a little more expensive but over the long haul they will save you about 10 times their cost.
• When you are boiling water, or heating anything, only boil the amount you need. Boil just enough water for the amount of tea you plan to consume. After all, is it necessary to boil a pot for one cup.
• Switch off appliances when you are not using them to save money and energy. Turn off your computersm stereos, videos, and TVs when you aren’t using them. They consume a lot of energy even when in standby mode.
• Recycle everything that you can. We throw away our own weight in rubbish every month, but bottles, cans, paper, card, plastic and aluminium can all be reused or recycled which saves energy. For instance, the quantity of power required to produce 20 cans from recycled material is the same amount of energy it takes to produce one can from unrecycled raw materials. If you recycle enough, your monthly garbage bill will go down if you reduce the service needed.
• If you live in a sunny area you could potentially meet all your energy means using solar panels.
• Turning down your thermostat by just three degrees will save you 10 per cent in energy costs. Additionally, ensure that your house has enough insulation to keep as much heat in as possible.
• Make sure your dishwasher and washing machine appliances are full before you start them. You can also try warm water instead.
• Keep the lid on pots and pans when you are cooking.

In the office

• Where at all possible, store all documents in digital format on your computer or another storage device. If you must print something, use both sides of the page.
• There is no need to fly half way around the world for a meeting. Online audio and video conferencing has effectively cut out the need for face to face meetings and conferences. The amount of energy that can potentially be saved here is huge.
• Completely power off your computer or put it in sleep mode when it is not in use. When your computer is in screensaver mode, it is still using a lot of energy.

In the car

• For shorter journeys, leave the car at home and use a bike instead. Bikes are a healthy, quick and enjoyable way to get around, and a great way to avoid congestion if you live in a big city.
• You may get to work faster and it will even save you money.
• Get a hybrid and join the millions who have. Ask yourself if you really need your polluting sports utility vehicle. If not, trade it in for a hybrid? Buy a hybrid and use a fraction of the energy for your journeys.
• Use the bus. Public transportation uses less energy than driving. Also, remember that air travel is a major polluter so use ground transport wherever possible.

In the shops

• Do not accept plastic bags from shops. Always bring your own reusable bags.
• Try to buy organic food that is grown locally. Organic food is farmed less intensively and usually requires less energy to produce. Because it is produced locally, there is a savings in transporation expense.
• Try to eat less meat. One of the biggest contributors to the greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere is surprisingly farm livestock.

Water

• While water isn’t strictly energy, it is a finite resource that we need to preserve and take care of. Here are some tips on how to cut down on your water usage:
• Always use the shower instead of the bath.
• Never leave the tap running while brushing your teeth.
• Make sure you have a full load before using the washing machine or dishwasher.
• Put in a system to reuse your water run-off and prevent water waste in your garden. This will also encourage you to use non-harmful soaps and washing powders.
• Water your garden when the sun is not at its peak like before sunrise or at sunset.This gives the water a chance to get absorbed into the soil rather than just evaporating into the heat if you do water during the day.
• Water butts or large water containers are a good idea for the garden. Situate them under the edges of your roof so they receive run-off when it rains.

These are just a few of the simple, yet effective, ways that you can help cut down on energy usage and reduce your carbon footprint. Even if we all follow just a few of these steps it will make a big difference and save us money as well.

Ralph Somers, editor

Homemade Solar Cell Forum

The first two days consists of a ritual of ceremonies at the bride’s family home.  There is giving of this and taking of that.  The community brings bowls of fresh fruit in the morning and all throughout the day.  The entire time Khmer wedding music, or Phleng Kar as they call it, is playing beautifully in the background.

When I say, “playing beautifully in the background,” I do not mean off of cassettes or the radio.  For wedding ceremonies a seven person ensemble is present making the beautiful music with seven of their traditional instruments.  The wedding ensemble is performed by the oldest and talented of musicians due to the seriousness and importance of a wedding.

The wedding starts late, around 6 or 7, on the third day.  Everyone in the community comes and the best of Cambodian food is served throughout a ten course meal.  The women all look their best, wearing silk dresses, make up, and their hair done up nicely.  The aroma of the room is amazing.  It is full of pure happiness.  Everyone is full of smiles, dancing, and full of politeness.  The music is amazing and adds to it all, and in some say it fuels the Khmer culture and happiness.

There are many different rituals going on within the ceremony, and there is a specific Phleng Kar song for each one of them.  Rituals include: the leading of the bride’s groom to the bride’s house, asking for the breaking of the fence to get into the house, and the beginning of the ceremony.  Within the ceremony there are many traditions such as the hair cut, the cutting of betel flowers into pieces and scattering them on heads of the couple, the drawing of a sword, the binding of thread around the wrist, the kowtowing of the sun god, the entering into the wedding room, the sweeping of the wedding mat, and the greeting of parents and relatives.

The Khmer wedding music is played obnoxiously loud, to a level that most people would not enjoy, but the Khmer people absolutely love it and enjoy it.  It is a way to show off their happiness and celebrate the beginning of their new life with everyone.  The music to them is completely peaceful and magical, but to others who are not accustomed to it, it may sound a little obnoxious due to the high pitched sounds of the traditional instruments.

While the music may sound chaotic, the people are not.  The Khmer people are extremely polite and a marriage ceremony is a very somber, emotional event.  Marriage to the Khmer is more than about the bride and groom’s life together, it is about their lives, how they were raised, reflect upon their parent’s good deeds, and of course, the journey they are going to have together.

The Phleng Kar is played extremely from the early morning of the wedding day to the conclusion of the ceremony (the thread-tying and the blessing) early next day.

Learn more about Khmer karaoke and music a KhmerPortal.com.