To the FutureAug 31, 2004
I read this news today.
Burmese Factory Workers Suffer Food Poisoning
http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=3871&z=24
Check this out if you want to know how much phones we have in Burma.
Burma Aims to Triple Number of Phones by 2006
Aug 26, 2004
Si Baw Mi's 19th birthday. The following picture was taken at the Yangon Zoo. (from left-right: Samuel, Naing Thit Sar, Si Baw Mi, Sui Dawt Men)
Aug 25, 2004
Aug 24, 2004
I have been talking to my friends in the US and Germany using Skype VoIP software. The technology is changing fast and the cost for me to talk to them is free.
Aug 21, 2004
I read this news (Terror no-fly list singled out Kennedy: Senator was stopped 5 times at airports). The American government is starting to get as bad as the Burmese military in the name of homeland security. The same is true in Burma. Everybody's rights have been stripped in the name of national solidarity. :-) In America, in the name of homeland security --- In Burma, in the name of national solidarity. If you think that the American government is good, think it twice. But at least, the American citizens have the American Civil Liberties Union trying to protect their rights. In Burma, who do we look up to for our rights? :-)
Hotmail to Go 2Gig, Will Apple's .Mac follow?
Read this article:
I am just wondering when yahoo or hotmail will be available in Burma. :-) Or BaganMail (the only ISP in Burma) will improve its service or allow competitors. :-) So much for the homeland security, huh? Not much different than the States. All the governments are bad. Both the States and the Burmese military.
Aug 18, 2004
One of the nice things about working at the Myanmar Institute of Theology (MIT) is occasional gifts from friends outside and inside Burma. An annonymous friend donated a gift of 25,000 kyats (US$ 25) to all the staff a few months ago. It really helped.
I had about 100 Kyats in my wallet a few days ago. Paul Aita walked into the computer lab where I was working. He had an envelope. Written on it was:
To: Lwin Moe
From: Gail & Paul Aita on behalf of American Baptist Women
Inside the envelope was 22,000 kyats (US$ 22). It was the right time I needed some money. It is still the middle of the month and my paycheck won't come until the end of the month. I am still surviving with that 22,000 kyats so far :-) :-) probably until the end of the month :-) Thanks to the Aitas and the American Baptist Women.
Anyways, MIT is really thriving with the staff who are overworked and underpaid. It's really amazing how people can work so hard just in faith. Occassional gifts really makes a difference in their lives, especially those with kids and wife. It is also true in many seminaries and churches in Burma.
Aug 17, 2004
I read this article from the Irrawaddy. I don't know if this is true. It sure is something to think about, though.
The Boss is Cribbing
Myanmar Times editor Ross Dunkley has taken plenty of heat for claiming that his weekly newspaper is “exercis[ing] responsible journalism” to “creat[e] a more favorable environment for all of the media” in Burma—a dubious assertion perhaps, but not altogether unfounded. The Times is one of the country’s most reliable and readable journals.
The above quotes are taken from his Guest Column for The Irrawaddy in March [“A Parallax View”, Vol 12, No 3], about the Times’ role in improving journalistic standards in Burma. But Dunkley committed a blunder that casts doubt on his professed achievements. The first four paragraphs of his opinion piece for The Irrawaddy were lifted directly from a front-page article written by former Times Time Out section editor Hanna Ingber. The article originally appeared in the February 9-15 edition of the Times.
A former Times staffer said Dunkley also cribbed some passages from an article written by the paper’s columnist Ma Thanegi, for an art competition in Rangoon.
Ingber first learned of the plagiarism on May 5 from a colleague at the paper and confronted Dunkley the next day. Nine days later, she received an apology letter from her editor.
The highest form of flattery, or irresponsible journalism? We report, you decide.
Another news is the death of pop star, Htoo Ein Thin. The following is the news from Democratic Voice of Burma.
Burmese pop star dies
The famous Burmese pop star Htoo Ein Thin died from heart attack on 14 August at a private clinic in Rangoon.
He is survived by his wife Ma Thwe Thwe Htway and their eight year old daughter Mi Gwan Htaw.
Htoo Ein Thin became known in artist circle in early 1980s with his series of songs called ‘Teardrops from the Clock’ and won the hearts and support of young people in Burma.
He actively got involved in the 1988 nationwide uprising demanding human rights and democracy in Burma, and fled to the Thai-Burma border when the army seized power in September of that year.
He suffered several bouts of malaria attack while he was living in the jungles and was said to be missing his mother more than anyone. There, he wrote several revolutionary songs for Burmese students.
He returned to Burma legally in September 1989 and continued his artistic profession.
He was known to be a very friendly and quiet person who craved for no material gains devoting his whole life to art and the freedom of Burma.
May he rest in peace!
Aug 16, 2004
A Great Poet and Scholar, Min Thu Wun, Died
Min Thu Wun died yesterday on Sunday. Here is his obituary from the Irrawaddy. Min Thu Wun is a legend in Burma’s literary circles. He is a great poet and scholar. He was born in Mon State, Burma. He graduated from Oxford University.
Burma's Garment Industry
The pictures from this article were taken by my friend whom I helped keep up with the IT knowledge. The article is about Burma’s garment industry and whether the sanctions has done damages or not.
Brain Drain for Burma
This article, the Road to Riches, has touched on the future of the educated people in Burma. The smart kids are leaving Burma, seeking better future in developed countries. If our country does not change its political and economic system, the future remains bleak.
Aug 15, 2004
The following picture was taken in Mandalay on July 30, 3:44 PM Burmese Standard Time. That's a university building on the water due to the recent flood..
This is a picture of an old Lisu lady from Mogok in the northern Burma. Mogok is the city of gem mines. It is also called the land of rubies. Lisu is hill-tribe people who live in Burma, China and Thailand.
The following is a beautiful scene of Mandalay. The moat surrounding the Mandalay Palace.
Aug 11, 2004
The electricity has been really good lately. We are having almost 24 hour electricity now. It's been raining hard lately, too. Many places have suffered from floods. Myitkyina, up in Kachin State, was badly hit by the flood. The following news is confirmed to be true to the best of my knowledge. I checked with my students from Myitkyina.
Aug 10, 2004
My Sermon
I had to preach at the chapel service at the Myanmar Institute of Theology today.
Here is the note I wrote for it.
Accidents in Life
It was raining heavily outside. I was on a bus on the way back home from downtown. When I got off the bus, it was still raining and I didn't have my umbrella with me. I thought "Well, I should wait at the teashop for the rain to stop." I went into a teashop near the bus stop. Sitting in the teashop, I finally had a chance to do some thinking.
First of all, it was by chance that the rain started right after I got off the bus. It wasn't planned either that I would go into the teashop to get shelter from the rain. It was just a coincidence.
Accidents happen all the time in our lives. I had a car accident. Accidents happened and we broke our legs while playing football, right? Coincidence is just like events that happen at the same time by accident. Even in history, a lot of great things have come out because of accidents. Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin because of an accident.
Besides, think of Isaac Newton. He thought out the law of gravity because an apple fell onto the ground. A cartoon said he was able to figure out the law of gravity because it was an apple that fell on his head. An apple! If it were a fruit from the tree in front of our house that fell on his head, he would be dead before he could write up the law of gravity. You know what that fruit is? It's Durian. It has all the prickly rinds. Therefore, Newton would probably be dead if it were Durian that fell on his head. Anyway, this example taught us a lot.
In addition, accidents, coincidences and small things later tend to become important in our lives. Accidents will happen in our lives. We just can't avoid them. Small things that we wouldn't even notice might have some big impacts on somebody else's lives.
Moreover, I would like to tell you one example. It was six years ago. I was about 20 something at that time. I had to speak at a church in Michigan. It was like a month after I got to the States. I was so scared and nervous. My listening skill was great. But my speaking skill? It was lousy. Even in Burmese, let alone in English. I think I did quite a lousy job that Sunday. But after the service, an old lady came to me and said "Lwin, wonderful, you were doing a great job!" You know how much it had helped me at that time. I was afraid to speak. But after that, I wasn't afraid any more. I spoke again and again and again. I still do a lousy job but I am getting better. J J What I am getting at is that small and kind gesture from the old lady has helped me move on. That's how a small thing has done to somebody's lives in a good and positive way.
However, there can also be negative things. To illustrate that, I would like to tell you another story of my own. I usually walked home after my classes at the Myanmar Institute of Theology. The buses were usually crowded. I chose to walk for exercise and for doing deep thinking while walking. One night, it was really dark because there was no electricity. About half way home, I stepped on a frog and it was dead. I thought to myself. Well, I didn't mean to step on that frog. Yet, it was dead. Was if my fault? Or was it its fault? I don't think it was mine because I didn't mean to kill it and I didn't mean to step on it. I just didn't see it because it was dark. It was just an accident but I killed the frog. It had a big impact on the frog's life.
Eventually, accidents will happen in our lives. Those accidents or small things will have impacts on others either in a positive or negative way. The frog that I stepped on was dead even though I didn't mean to kill it. It was just an accident. We won't just know the consequences of an accident because two people can look at the same thing and see it differently. All we can do is pray and hope for the best. Whatever you do, please ...
- Do it with love for God.
- Do it with love for the people around you
- Do it with love for yourself.
In conclusion, please remember accidents will happen. It will lead to positives or negatives. Yet, please do everything in love.
May God bless you all!
Love in Christ, Lwin Moe
