HR Manager

After 2 years of selfless service, a man realized that he has not beenPromoted, no transfer, no salary increase no commendation and that the Company is not doing any thing about it. So he decided to walk up to his HR Manager one morning and after exchanging greetings, he told his HR Manager his observation. The boss looked at his employee, gives big him a pretty smiling and asked him to sit down saying; my friend, you have not worked here for even ONE day. The man was surprised to hear this, but the HR Manager went on to asking some question as following:

HR Manager: How many days are there in a year?
Employee: 365 days and some times 366.......SIR

HR Manager: how many hours make up a day?
Employee: 24 hours.......SIR

HR Manager: How long do you work in a day?
Employee: 8:00 am to 4pm. i.e. 8 hours a day.......SIR

HR Manager: So, what fraction of the day do you work in hours?
Employee: He did some arithmetic and said 8/24 hour! s i.e. 1/3 (One third)

HR Manager: That is nice of you! What is one-third of 366 days?
Employee: 122 (1/3x366 = 122 in days)

HR Manager: Do you come to work on weekends?
Employee: No .......SIR

HR Manager: How many days are there in a year in those weekends?
Employee: Hmmmmmmm 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays equals to 104 days

HR Manager: Thanks for that. If you remove 104 days from 122 days,how many days do you now have?
Employee: Yes! 18 days .......SIR

HR Manager: OK! I do give you 2 weeks sick leave every year. Now remove that 14 days from the 18 days left. How many days do you have remaining?
Employee: Yes, 4 days.......SIR

HR Manager: Do you work on New Year day?
Employee: No sir!

HR Manager: Do you come to work on workers day?
Employee: No sir!

HR Manager: So how many days are left?
Employee: 2 days sir! ]

HR Manager: Do you come to work on the National holiday?
Employee: No sir!

HR Manager: So how many days are left?
Employee: 1 day sir!

HR Manager: Do you work on Christmas day?
Employee: No sir!

HR Manager: So how many days are left?
Employee: None SIR.......

HR Manager: So, what are you claiming??????
Employee: I have understood, Sir. I did not realized that I was stealing Company money all these days!

Thanks for your time!!!

WHERE IS CAMBODIA?

Welcome: The Kingdom of Cambodia is home to one of the ancient wonders of the world, Angkor Wat, the largest religious building in the world. The land was called Kampuchea by Cambodians, where the Khmer Empire flourished and reigned over much of Southeast Asia, from the 9th to the 13th centuries. It was colonized by France in the 1860s, and granted independence in 1953. In 1970, a conflict began with neighboring Vietnam, during which time the Khmer Rouge came to play a major role. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge began a massive, radical, and brutal forced restructuring of the entire country, with the goal of making Cambodia a perfect agrarian communal society. This effort resulted in nearly 20 years of disastrous civil violence. Today the country is a constitutional monarchy, with elected government officials. Cambodians, ranging from officials to common people, are eager to establish Cambodia as a stable, safe environment in which to live, work, and travel.
This website will present information and pictures collected about the Kingdom of Cambodia, primarily from the Fulbright Study Tour in the summer of 1999. It is organized according to the State of Oregon Geography Standards.

Cambodia's Absolute Location:
Cambodia's capitol, Phnom Penh, lies at 11.5 degrees north, 105 degrees east. Cambodia, a country about the size of Missouri (69,898 square miles, or 181,036 square kilometers), is located in Southeast Asia, on the Indochinese peninsula. It is bordered on the North West by Thailand, on the Indochinese peninsula. It is southeast by Vietnam. To the southwest is the gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia is located only 11.5 degrees above the Equator, so it is a tropical country. The climate is warm and rainy with monsoon rains coming twice a year. From November to April, days are sunny and dry, but from May to October, it rains almost every day. On the coast, during these monsoon seasons, Cambodia receives up to 200 inches of rain a year. Inland, rainfall amounts to about 55 inches. Temperatures range from 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Cambodia is dominated by a mighty lake, the Tonle Sap, located roughly in its center. Once a year, due to the enormous amount of rain, the level of the Mekong River rises so much that the Tonle Sap River can no longer flow into it. The river reverses its direction and flows north into the lake, causing it to swell to triple its size. The Tonle Sap Lake then covers one-seventh of Cambodia! Fish abound, and silt created by the river's reversal, make soil quite fertile.

The central half of Cambodia is a flat rolling plain. Surrounding the plain is a savanna; bordering it are low mountains. The Dangrek Mountains are located on the northern border with Thailand. South of these lie the Cardamom Mountains; south of the Cardamoms along the coast are the Elephant Mountains. Sandy beaches dot the south coast. Highlands lie to the east along the Vietnamese border.

Natural vegetation grows lush and thick in Cambodia. Its eastern highlands are covered with thick tropical rainforest. Out of a plane it looks like a bumpy, woven green blanket completely covering the ground. Mahogany and teak trees form a canopy over shorter palms and vines. Seventy-five percent of Cambodia was once covered with rainforest; now, that amount has been reduced to forty percent due to excessive logging by foreign and local companies. Mangroves, trees which grow in salt water, join palm trees bordering much of the coast.

Movement in Cambodia:
In ancient times, Cambodia was influenced by Indian traders in both religion and art. Variations of the Indian Hindu Ramayana are part of Cambodian, Thai, and Javanese cultures. These influences can be seen in temple sculptures. Today, as a result of ancient marriages, most of the country is Buddhist.

In addition to the French language, which is spoken mainly by intellectuals who survived the Pol Pot regime, France has influenced the architecture of Cambodia. A visitor would see its extensive use in buildings in Phnom Penh, but decay set in during the four years of desertion. Restoration of these architectural treasures is an ongoing, long-term process in a country with very little means, but there is ample evidence of rehabilitation. French bread can be bought at most market stalls.

Tourism is another industry which is developing slowly. There are now direct flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), so unfortunately travelers can avoid spending money and time in Phnom Penh. New hotel construction is exploding in Siem Reap in anticipation of a tourist boom at the temples. Duty free shops are in the planning stage. Ecotourism is in its infancy, and a visitor can take fishing boats on a tour of Ream National Park, southeast of Sihanoukville. Kirirom National Park is another excursion on the road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville.


Interaction in Cambodia
People of Cambodia are very closely tied to their land. More than three-fourths of the workforce is employed in agriculture. Rice is the main crop, but some export crops are pepper, cassava, corn, rubber, sugarcane, and soybeans. Fruit is also an important subsistence crop. This includes: banana, durian, grapefruit, mango, orange, breadfruit, and papaya. Livestock includes water buffaloes, cattle, and pigs. Most of Cambodia's fish comes from the Tonle Sap Lake. Mining of gemstones (rubies and sapphires) is an industry located along the Thai-Cambodia border. Illegal logging is still a problem, and charcoal kilns dot the countryside near Sihanoukville. Of concern is human and animal waste pollution in Tonle Sap Lake, one of the world's richest sources of freshwater fish. Shrimp farming on the coast is a growing commercial industry, but this necessitates the clearing of mangroves to create artificial ponds; fertilizers and chemicals create pollution problems in these areas. Hydroelectric power has potential, but could cause ecological problems. There seemed to be a lack of wildlife.

Regions of Cambodia:
In Cambodia's northeast corner is its most primitive and remote province, Rattanakiri, one of four provinces home to several hilltribes. These groups are not ethnic Khmer as are most Cambodians, and they occupy a mountainous and isolated area of rainforest. They are mostly subsistence farmers and rubber plantation workers. People also raise tobacco. This is an area of poverty and high infant mortality. The south coast is an area of mangroves and palm studded sandy beaches. Cambodia's only port, Sihanoukville, is located there. Islands in the area are beautiful and accessible by boat and most people fish or work at the port. Tourists stay in small hotels along the beach. Ream National Park protects the mangrove ecosystem from extinction, and tourists can explore this resource using local guides.

Phnom Penh is the largest and most developed city in Cambodia. This once beautiful capitol city is in the process of rebuilding. Architecture is a mix of Khmer and French, with several markets in the middle of town. People play soccer and volleyball, and fly kites on the plaza. Two large rivers converge here, the Tonle Sap and the Mekong. There are modern hotels, largely owned by foreign companies; one of these hosts a large gambling facility. Like many big cities in Asia, prostitution and poverty are problems. As the government becomes more stable, agencies will be able to address solutions to these situations.

The Tonle Sap (Great Lake) is a huge lake in central Cambodia. It swells from 3000 square kilometers in the dry season to over 7500 square kilometers during the monsoons, due to a rise in the level of the Mekong River which flows into it. Soil is extremely fertile along its banks, and the vast majority of Cambodians live here. In addition to ethnic Khmers, backgrounds of farmers and fisher people here range from Vietnamese, who fish, to Chinese, who are successful farmers.

Battambang, Cambodia's second largest city, is located in the west. It used to be the country's rice bowl area, but the problem with landmines which were placed during the many years of war, makes it hazardous to farm and discouraging to tourists. In the past, there have also been problems with refugees returning from camps along the Thai border. See http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.brouwer/batt99.htm for more recent pictures and information.


END

A Refugee Remembers Cambodia

Looking Back: A Refugee Remembers Cambodia

by Jim Yost

For thousands of Cambodian-Americans, April 1975 has many connotations. One such Khmer is Salatha Mok. Salatha, or Sally, is a resident of Houston, Texas, and has adapted well to her American home and society since her resettlement there in 1981. But, like many Cambodian-Americans who are old enough to remember life before and during the days of the "killing fields," she lives every day with emotional complexities that few non-Cambodians will ever understand.

Now an office manager, and a part-time college student nearing her Bachelor's Degree, Sally was a college-trained primary school teacher in Phnom Penh in 1975. She still utilizes those skills as a Sunday school teacher, something she enjoys very much. But there are times when her teaching brings back memories of a former life.

"I can be teaching a lesson, looking at my class, in their American clothes, and speaking English, and then I look at their little faces... they are the same faces that I looked upon as a young teacher in Phnom Penh," she says. "The memories come back... riding to the school in the military dump-truck to protect us from Khmer Rouge grenades and rockets, the terrorist attacks on the schools, and the day the American flag was lowered at the U.S. Embassy in April of 1975. Sometimes I wonder and dream about my children in my classes... did they survive?
"But then again, perhaps sometimes I think it is better that I do not know... I keep them always in my prayers."
There are many places around Houston and the Galveston Bay area that bear a strong resemblence to some parts of Cambodia. "Bay Area Park in the spring and summer looks very much like some of the beautiful park areas on the lakes and near the Mekong river in Phnom Penh," Sally says. "On a summer evening, when a warm wind is blowing across the lake, I can visualize the happier times of my youth, picnics, outings with family and friends, and the festivals. We had such good times, and such simple pleasures. The culture shock of America was a drastic change for many of us. Here, society drives for more, faster, bigger, and more expensive. The trips to the park help me to relax sometimes, but here, too, a sense of sadness sometimes fills me when my mind journeys back in time."

For most Americans, grocery shopping is considered a necessary burden. But most Cambodian-Americans, like Sally, look at a trip to the market from a different perspective. She says, "Going to the market was always fun... the variety, the smells, the bargaining, I look forward to all of these. Although Houston has some well-stocked Asian markets, nothing will ever compare to the markets back in Phnom Penh, at least as far as sentimental value is concerned. Nowadays, much of what we buy is canned or frozen. That's OK for convenience, but sometimes I really miss the liveliness of the open-air markets around Phnom Penh, especially before 1975. After early 1975, the war began to affect our market food stocks very severely. It was a very ominous sign of things to come. Soon we would all be grateful for even a spoonful of rice. I think that is why survivors of the 'killing fields' appreciate food so much. Because we went so long with so little we don't take food for granted. A full stomach is a blessing. I can never forget what starvation feels like or what it does to a human being."

Sally has returned to Cambodia twice, as a missionary worker, in 1991 and 1992. In addition, she and her younger sister have saved enough to pay for a trip by their only surviving sister to come to visit them in Houston, a reunion that took twenty years to come about. Sally and Salany did not even know that their sister, Mok Lach, was even alive until 1983.
"I have known what it is like to live in relative paradise, and I have also known what it must be like to live in hell," she says. "All that is precious to a Cambodian, our culture, our tradition, our ancient history, was almost lost forever at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. I saw innocence itself die, along with millions of innocent people who committed no crime but to be alive and in the path of a genocidal movement.

"As a Cambodian-American I have learned the importance and the value of freedom, that it must be protected and cherished, and never taken for granted. When your freedom is lost, the soul dies, the body is but a hollow vessel. Cambodia and its most precious resource, her people, were brought down to absolute emptiness by what transpired between 1975 and 1979. I pray that we, the Khmer-Americans, can help fill the reservoir of the soul of our homeland, with the essence of freedom, wisdom from the past, and hope for the future."

Often, the proclamation "Never again," is associated with the Nazi holocaust. The Cambodian holocaust was the test of the world's committment to "Never again." The free world failed the test, and the Cambodian people paid, and continue to pay the price to this very day. Listen to the Cambodian survivors, and to the echoes of the killing fields.

It's good to know but not to learn....!!

1. Never walk without a document in your hands
People who have some documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meeting. People who have nothing in their hands look like they’re the canteen. People who have newspaper in hands look like they’re heading for the rest room “WC”. So all above, please make sure that your carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hour that you do.


2. Use computers to look busy all times
Any time you use a computer, it look like “work” the casual observer. You can send and received personal email, chat and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. These aren’t exactly the societal benefits that the proponents of the computer revolution would like to talk about but they’re not bad either. When you get caught by your boss – and you *will* get caught--your best defense is to claim you’re teaching yourself to use new software, thus saving valuable training expenses.

3. Messy desk:
Top management can get away a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like we’re not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your workplace. To the observer, last year’s work looks the same as today’s work; it’s volume that counts. Pile the high the wide. It you know somebody is coming to your desk, bury the document you’ll need halfway down in an existing stack rummage it when she/he arrives.

4. Voice Mail:
Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don’t call you just because they want to give you something for nothing – they call because they want you to work for them. That’s no way to live. Screen all your calls through voice mail. If somebody leaves a voice mail message for you and it sounds like impending work, respond during lunch hour when you know they’re not there – it looks you’re hardworking and conscience even though you’re be a devious weasel.


5. Looking Impatient and Annoyed:
Always try to look impatient and annoyed to give your bosses the impression that you are always busy.



6. Leave the office late:
Always leave the office late, especially when your boss is still around. You could read magazines and storybooks that you always wanted to read but have no time late before leaving. Make sure you walk pass the boss’ room on your way out. Send important emails at unearthly hours (e.g: 9: 35 pm or as 7:05 am) or and during public holidays.

7. Creative Sighing for Effect:
Sigh loudly when there are many people around, giving the impression that are under extreme pressure.


8. Stacking Strategy:
It is not enough to pile lots of documents on the table. Put lots of books on the floor etc (thick computer manual are the best).


9. Build Vocabulary:
Read up on some computer magazines and pick out all the jargon and new project. Use the phrases freely when conversation with bosses. Remember they don’t have to understand what you say, but you will sound impressive.


10. Must have 2 Jackets:
If you work in a big open plan office, always leave spare of jacket draped over the back of your seat. This gives the impression that you are still in the premises. The second jacket should be worm while swamping around somewhere.


11. Most Important Point:

** Please DON’T forward this to your boss by mistake!!!!!!!!! Be careful ok???