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Burma: The Full Moon Day of Thadingyut or Lighting Festival of Burma.
Burma: The Full Moon Day of Thadingyut or Lighting Festival of Burma.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
- By Ashin Mettacara.
Today is the Full Moon Day of Thagingyut, the seventh month in the Burmese calendar and the end of Lent (waso) for Buddhist monks. The Full Moon Day of Thadingyut is the Lighting Festival of Burma. The Lighting Festival falls over a period of three days; the day before full moon, full moon day itself and the day after .
The celebration of this festival is to illuminate the anniversary of Buddha's return from heaven (Savatimsa) where He had spent lent. Lent covers a period of three months when Buddhist monks retreat. During Lent monks may not travel anywhere.
Why did the Buddha spend Lent in heaven?
Queen Mayadevi died after giving birth to Buddha. She was reborn in heaven. Seven years later, the Buddha went to heaven in order to express gratitude to His mother. He spent Lent (three months) there, preaching the Abhidhamma (the profound teaching of Buddha) to His mother goddess and the other gods.
After end of the Lent (Full Moon Day), the Buddha returned from heaven to the human world, people from all over the country lit candles to welcome Him back. As years passed by, it became a tradition and a festival. When this festival takes place in a small town and villages it is more enjoyable than it is in cities. In small towns people fill small earthen saucers with sesame oil and pieces of cotton are used for wicks. Donations are collected for charity, decoration and entertainment purposes. Roads and streets brim with amateur dancing groups, music troupes, stalls and spectators for free entertainment. On the festival day itself, groups of young people and children can be seen walking with candles and gifts in their hands, paying respect to elders. In Burmese we call this Kadaw, actually it is more than paying respects or doing obeisance. For Buddhists, the Buddha, His teachings (Dhamma), Monks (Sangha), Parents and Teachers are the first to receive this honour, next are those who are older and then those to whom we owe gratitude.
Weddings are taboo during the Buddhist lent, therefore weddings during this period are rare. Though is more fun to begin one's married life amidst festivities. Thadingyut, therefore, is not only replete with festivities, but is also an auspicious time for Burmese to practice the custom of remembering gratitude.
Younger people pay homage to elders during this season. They ask for forgiveness if they have committed any harm and in return, the elders return love and forgiveness.
October 13th, 14th, 15th of 2008 is Lighting festival, practiced country-wide in Burma.************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *****
Where Would Burma Be without Aung San Suu Kyi?
http://www.morungexpress.com/analysis/5664.html
Source: The Irrawaddy
Let's imagine a situation: Burma without Aung San Suu Kyi. Undoubtedly, the ruling generals would see this as a dream come true. But for the majority of Burmese, it would come as a great disappointment to lose the leader of the country’s pro-democracy movement.
Suu Kyi may be a prisoner, but she still has immense power. She strikes fear into the hearts of heavily armed men, while giving moral strength to the powerless. She is the hope of the people of Burma, who have struggled to survive under the boot of their military rulers for the past 46 years. Her recent refusal to receive food deliveries raised serious concerns about her health and worries about the country’s future without her.
According to her lawyer and her doctor—the only two people who were able to meet her during her month-long ordeal, which began in mid-August—Suu Kyi’s protest against her continued unlawful detention had left her thin and malnourished. It was the first time in two decades that Suu Kyi had subjected herself to a hunger strike. Soon after beginning her first period of house arrest in 1989, she refused food and demanded to be placed in prison alongside her colleagues. After several weeks, she won guarantees that her fellow pro-democracy activists would not be tortured, and ended her protest. Her weight had dropped from 48 kg (106 lbs) to just 40 kg (90 lbs), and she suffered hair loss, impaired vision and a weakened immune system.
At the time, Suu Kyi was still in her early forties. Now she is in her sixties, and the impact on her health has presumably been much greater, even if she merely restricted her intake of food to the barest requirements for survival. What would happen if Suu Kyi died or became so unhealthy that she couldn’t continue her role as the political leader of Burma’s pro-democracy movement? It is something we need to ask in light of the fact that she has spent 13 of the past 19 years under house arrest, without regular access to proper medical treatment and under immense psychological pressure.
Most people would prefer not to think of Burma’s future without Suu Kyi. Her absence from politics would probably be a death blow to the already weakened democracy struggle, because she has no obvious successor as leader of the movement. On the other hand, the ruling generals would probably see Suu Kyi’s demise as an end to an era of trouble. After all, she is even now regarded as a threat to their hold on power. From the generals’ viewpoint, there are many reasons to believe that the future without Suu Kyi would be very bright indeed. For one thing, they would not have to fear a repeat of the non-violent confrontation that she initiated in early 1989, when she called on people to resist unlawful decrees imposed by the junta. The movement continued for months, until July 19, when the regime used an overwhelming show of force to stop a planned Martyrs’ Day march. The next day, Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest for the first time.
Another reason the generals would be happy to see the back of Suu Kyi is that it would probably mean no more electoral upsets like the one the world witnessed in 1990. Despite the regime’s efforts to ensure a victory for the pro-junta party, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy inflicted a stunning defeat, winning more than 80 percent of seats in parliament. It was Suu Kyi who urged her party to contest the election, despite the fact that she was still under house arrest at the time and not permitted to participate herself. Even within the confines of her home, she showed the generals that she could make life difficult for them. It was also Suu Kyi who called for a boycott of the National Convention in 1995. She made this decision a few months after being released from six years of house arrest because she deemed the convention convened to draft a new constitution as undemocratic. The generals have never forgiven her for continuing to resist their plans even after they were good enough to give her back her freedom. In 1998, Suu Kyi once again proved to be a thorn in the side of the generals. That was the year she spearheaded the creation of the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament, a body that directly challenged the junta’s right to rule. The generals wasted no time in arresting members of the newly formed group.
Since then, Suu Kyi has enjoyed a few brief interludes of relative freedom. Each time, she demonstrated that her immense appeal was in no way diminished by her long absence from the public eye. She campaigned around the country, drawing crowds of thousands eager to hear her speak. Her engaging and courageous speeches inspired hope in the hearts of countless ordinary Burmese—and intense anger among the country’s military rulers, who watched her every move and did everything they could to keep her away from her adoring audiences. All of these episodes have only served to convince the generals that they need to keep her on a tight rein if they want to carry through their agenda. Last year, they finally succeeded in completing their constitution, which they will use to usher in a new era of military-dominated “democracy” that excludes a democratic opposition. It is doubtful that they would have been able to achieve this long-pursued goal if they hadn’t kept Suu Kyi confined within the walls of her residential compound for the past five years.
Suu Kyi’s reputation as a troublemaker within the military government’s ruling circles has earned her a further—illegal—extension of her current period of house arrest. Although she should have been released in May under Section 10 (b) of the State Protection Act, which only allows for a maximum sentence of five years, she is still in detention. The regime is now preparing for the next stage in its transition to quasi-civilian rule—the 2010 election, which is intended to undo the damage of the 1990 vote. But in order to reverse the tide of history, the generals know that Suu Kyi must remain detained and silenced. If Suu Kyi’s health were to fail prior to the election, it would probably deliver the regime the victory that has eluded it for the past two decades. Her death would not spell the end of the democracy movement, but it would leave it greatly weakened.
Although Suu Kyi has spent most of the past two decades almost completely cut off from the outside world, she is still Burma’s single greatest hope for democratic change. She is also a leader who is widely trusted by people of every ethnicity in Burma, and one who is respected by the international community, which will have a major role to play in helping to restore the country’s economy. She has the rare ability to speak to the generals in a straightforward, unflinching manner. Indeed, her power derives almost entirely from what she calls “plain honesty in politics.” Her courage, dedication and steadfast adherence to the truth have empowered her to speak for the people of Burma in a way that no one else can at this point in the country’s history.
After 46 years under military rule, Burma is very lucky to have someone who can still command such immense power through the sheer force of her convictions. Without her, life would go on, but the country would be impoverished in a way that makes even its current circumstances seem tolerable by comparison.
Source: The Irrawaddy
Safe Shelter Reconstruction Trainings Launched in Myanmar
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/seeds/122396751226.htm
14 Oct 2008 06:41:00 GMT
Source: Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) - India
SEEDS
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
Cyclone Nargis
A series of training programmes for safer shelter reconstruction has been conducted in the areas devastated by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. The training programmes are based on appropriate technologies using local materials and suited to the local environment, culture and technological capacities. The training is being conducted by a partnership initiative of SEEDS Asia, Myanmar Engineering Society and Japan PlatForm, with overall support from the Myanmar Government. A repository of appropriate technical resources was created, and one national and two district level training programmes were successfully conducted with 200 participants.
National level programme was organised on 22-23 September at Yangon, which was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Reconstruction Major General Maung Maung Swe. Initial remarks were given by Myanmar Engineering Society (MES) president U Than Myint and the honourable ambassador of Japan to Myanmar, Mr. Nogawa. There were about 110 participants for this training programme from different government departments that are involved in reconstruction efforts, private construction companies and the civil society. The main focus of the workshop was to communicate the importance of safer reconstruction for future risk reduction. The deliberations were around the options and approaches available for Myanmar, and the appropriateness criteria to be adopted for ensuring safe yet rapid shelter construction in the areas devastated by Cyclone Nargis. Different experience of reconstruction and rehabilitation from past disaster of India were shared by SEEDS-India representatives, while reconstruction situations were shared by MES. Different learning of reconstruction from Japan were shared by SEEDS-Asia, a Japanese Non Profitable Organization based in Kobe.ction situations were shared by MES. Different learning of reconstruction from Japan were shared by SEEDS-Asia, a Japanese Non Profitable Organization based in Kobe.
Two district level programmes were held on from 24 to 27 September for engineers and artisans/masons. The first training programme was held at Yangon and the second one was held at Kungyangon Township which was affected by Cyclone Nargis. With supports from the Ministry of Energy, the Kungyangon Township workshop was held. There were about fifty participants in each programme, drawn from construction groups and relevant government departments that are currently involved in reconstruction of shelter and infrastructure under the ongoing post cyclone rehabilitation programmes. During these workshops the basics of disaster resistant construction were communicated in easy to understand presentations using case studies and illustrations. For the local artisans the presentations were translated into Burmese. For better understanding of various types of cyclone inflicted damages in buildings a working model was also used, which was highly appreciated by the participants. Based on local construction practices a prototype shelter unit was also constructed and the participants were briefed about the importance of different disaster resistant features. ype shelter unit was also constructed and the participants were briefed about the importance of different disaster resistant features.
About SEEDS:
SEEDS is a non-profit voluntary organization working to make vulnerable communities resilient to disasters. SEEDS adopt a multi hazards locally based approach seeking to empower communities through awareness generation, training and action, equipping the most vulnerable with appropriate tools and technologies, sharing knowledge and skills, and promoting linkages among stakeholders to prevent loss of life and suffering.
Towards safer communities, SEEDS takes an integrated and interlinked approach to disaster management and environmental conservation within the overall umbrella of human security, to ensure safer communities in the Asia Pacific region. A registered non-profit organization registered both in India and Japan, members of SEEDS come from a broad range of backgrounds that are collectively pooled to promote community-based disaster management.
Contact information
Eriko Kobayashi
Email: rep@seesdasia.org
Address: 2-11-21-401 Okamoto, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan 658-0072 Tel: +81-78-766-9412 Fax: +81-78-766-9413
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Arrest in abduction of Myanmar teenage girl
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=376768&type=Metro
THE Minhang District Prosecutors Office has arrested a women who allegedly abducted a 16-year-old girl from Myanmar and brought her to Shanghai to marry a local man.
The ordeal of the victim, who was identified only by her surname, Puji, began in June when she left home to find her older sister after her father died and her mother departed.
On her way, she met a man who claimed he could get her a job, authorities said. The man passed Puji to Zheng Qinglan, a 45-year-old woman, at the border between Myanmar and China, and the girl was sent to Shanghai.
Puji later told police she felt helpless after finding herself in a strange place where she couldn't speak the language.
On August 19, prosecutors said Zheng introduced Puji to a cousin, Wei Xiangle, 33, who trades in scrap steel in the city and is unmarried.
Although Wei was puzzled that the girl couldn't speak Chinese, he was told she was from a village in Yunnan Province and didn't like to talk, according to the authorities. Wei married Puji on the night they met, and Zheng was paid 30,000 yuan (US$4,389) as matchmaker, the authorities said.
Two days later, Wei found his new wife had locked herself in a room and began breaking things. Wei called Zheng saying he wanted to end the marriage and asked for his money back. Zheng came to his residence and beat Puji, authorities said.
Police were tipped to the incident by a passer-by. After she was detained, Zheng claimed she was only a matchmaker and received the money as a wedding present.
Police said Zheng had abducted a 17-year-old girl and brought her to Shanghai in May for 30,000 yuan, but the girl fled the next day.
Zheng confessed she took Puji to two other men before meeting with Wei, but neither were willing to marry the girl.
Puji was sent to her sister's after being released by the police, according to police.
dreams and hopes
http://filmografik.livejournal.com/36235.html
Current location: Suntec, Singapore
Current mood: calm
Entry tags: burma, education, news, singapore
[Article] Of dreams and hopes
They just hope that their children will make it in Singapore, find good jobs and enjoy the life they never had. Mr Myint Han says: 'My wife and I will miss our children, but we will be so happy. At least in Singapore, they will have a future.'
Read here to find out how parents in Burma strive to ensure their children have a shot at making it in Singapore. I think this attractiveness of Singapore towards the Burmese will have a long-term impact in terms of improving lives in Burma. Sometimes, what use are sanctions when there is little rule of law for them to be effective? Better to bootstrap the populace, educate their young and give them what their own state has failed to do.
Sometimes, we tend to take for granted our own universities and schools (due to familiarity and contempt of nonsensical bureaucracies), and we realise that people from lesser-off places actually fight tooth and nail, sell their businesses and property just to get their kids into our schools. While I'm not saying our schools are perfect, but.. you know.. others view them with some unadulterated hope and expectation.
Food for thought..
Solar Power And Solar Power Systems
http://www.renewable-energy-news.com/solar-water-heating/solar-power-and-solar-power-systems-205.php
The trend toward homes that are powered by alternative energy sources, ranging from wind turbines and solar power to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases, is one that needs to continue into the 21st century and beyond. We have great need of becoming more energy independent, and not having to rely on the supplying of fossil fuels from unstable nations who are often hostile to us and our interests. But even beyond this factor, we as individuals need to get “off the grid” and also stop having to be so reliant on government-lobbying giant oil corporations who, while they are not really involved in any covert conspiracy, nevertheless have a stranglehold on people when it comes to heating their homes (and if not through oil, then heat usually supplied by grid-driven electricity, another stranglehold).
Solar power now seems to be roughly where wind was a decade ago. At the moment it contributes a mere 0.01% to the world’s output of electricity, but just over a decade of 50% annual growth would bring that to 1%, which is where wind is at the moment. Collecting sunlight and converting it into electricity produce solar power. This is done by using solar panels, which are large flat panels made up of many individual solar cells. Solar power is produced by using photovoltaic (PV) cells to capture the energy of the sun and convert it into electricity. The basic unit of the system is the solar cell, which are connected together into modules.
Solar power can be used in both large-scale applications and in smaller systems for the home. Businesses and industry can diversify their energy sources, improve efficiency, and save money by choosing solar technologies for heating and cooling, industrial processes, electricity, and water heating. Solar power works well for most items except large electric appliances that use an electric heat element such as a water heater, clothes dryer and electric stove - for example - or total electric home heating systems. It is not cost effective to use solar power for these items. Solar power is energy, which comes from the sun. This energy is very powerful and hits the earth regardless of whether or not we take advantage of it.
solar power
Solar powered electricity generation is certainly good for the environment, as this alternative form of producing energy gives off absolutely zero emissions into the atmosphere and is merely utilizing one of the most naturally occurring of all things as its driver. Solar collection cells are becoming slowly but surely ever more practical for placing upon the rooftops of people’s homes, and they are not a difficult system to use for heating one’s home, creating hot water, or producing electricity. In the case of using the photovoltaic cells for hot water generation, the system works by having the water encased in the cells, where it is heated and then sent through your pipes.
solar power
Solar power now seems to be roughly where wind was a decade ago. At the moment it contributes a mere 0.01% to the world’s output of electricity, but just over a decade of 50% annual growth would bring that to 1%, which is where wind is at the moment. Collecting sunlight and converting it into electricity produce solar power. This is done by using solar panels, which are large flat panels made up of many individual solar cells. Solar power is produced by using photovoltaic (PV) cells to capture the energy of the sun and convert it into electricity. The basic unit of the system is the solar cell, which are connected together into modules.
Solar power can be used in both large-scale applications and in smaller systems for the home. Businesses and industry can diversify their energy sources, improve efficiency, and save money by choosing solar technologies for heating and cooling, industrial processes, electricity, and water heating. Solar power works well for most items except large electric appliances that use an electric heat element such as a water heater, clothes dryer and electric stove - for example - or total electric home heating systems. It is not cost effective to use solar power for these items. Solar power is energy, which comes from the sun. This energy is very powerful and hits the earth regardless of whether or not we take advantage of it.
Solar powered electricity generation is certainly good for the environment, as this alternative form of producing energy gives off absolutely zero emissions into the atmosphere and is merely utilizing one of the most naturally occurring of all things as its driver.The what is solar power cells are becoming slowly but surely ever more practical for placing upon the rooftops of people’s homes, and they are not a difficult system to use for heating one’s home, creating hot water, or producing electricity. In the case of using the photovoltaic cells for hot water generation, the system works by having the water encased in the cells, where it is heated and then sent through your pipes.
US finds smart way out for energy crises
http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/newsPopup.php?fileR=20081013141314179&dir=2008/10/13&secID=livenews
Fluctuations in the crude oil prices have both direct and indirect impact on the global economy. Therefore, the prices of crude oil are tracked very closely by investors over the globe.
An increase in oil prices results in an inflationary situation, negatively impacting the global economy, particularly oil-dependent economies such as the U.S. Higher crude oil prices directly affect the cost of gasoline, home heating oil, manufacturing and electric power generation in America. Apart from increased transportation, heating and utility costs, higher oil prices are eventually reflected in virtually every finished product, as well as food and commodities in general.
The US has enjoyed inexpensive oil-based energy for nearly a century, and this is one of the prime factors behind the prosperity of the U.S. economy in the 20th century. While the U.S. accounts for only 5% of the world`s population, it consumes 25% of the world`s fossil fuel-based energy, in particular, oil. About 75% of this consumption it imports from other major oil suppliers.
It wouldn`t be wrong if said that US along with other oil producing- consuming countries has been responsible for dragging the oil prices to levels of uncertainty and risk.
Crude oil prices have continued their downward trend in the month of September 2008 with the OPEC Reference Basket declining more than USD 42/b or roughly 30% in the space of two months from a peak of almost USD 141/b reached in early July (Source :OPEC Monthly oil market report).
By the second week of September, the Basket price had fallen below the USD 120/b mark and currently stands close to USD 100.64/b pressured further by the fallout from the financial sector. Futures market activity has declined in parallel. The strengthening of the US dollar, with a strong correlation to crude oil prices, was also an important factor in relieving some of the upward pressure on oil and other commodity markets. This shift to bearish market sentiment has been precipitated by a growing awareness of weakening fundamentals, mainly due to deteriorating economic prospects, the continued decline in oil demand growth and improved supply situation.
Financial sector turbulence continued leading to a government takeover of troubled US mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the sale of Merrill Lynch as well as to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the fourth largest US investment bank. Recent data in the US show a sharp rise in the unemployment rate in August, while the housing sector downturn is still to reach bottom as seen from the recent fall in pending home sales in July.
Propelled by mounting anxieties over soaring oil costs, the US government is researching on alternatives sources which would make the US economy self sufficient in terms of energy generation. The US policy makers have marked bio fuels as an alternative energy option against gasoline keeping hope that it might help reduce the dependence on imported oil in the long run. Ethanol boom has created rural jobs alongside enriching some farmers in the agribusinesses in America.
According to United states Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. ethanol production stood at 3 billion gallons in the first half of 2007 which was 32% higher in comparison to the corresponding period last year. As on Aug. 29, 2007 there were 128 ethanol plants with annual production capacity totaling to 6.78 billion gallons, and an additional 85 plants were under construction. U.S. ethanol production capacity is expanding rapidly and is expected to exceed 13 billion gallons per year by early 2009. There were over 6 million flex-fuel vehicles (FFV`s) on the road which are using E85 technology in the United States and research is going for E65 and E100.
Most of the oil producing countries import food from US, Australia, European Union (EU) and all these countries are converting their energy base from Petrol, gasoline to E15, E65 and E100. This rising biofuel production will generate food demand for corn and rapeseeds oil, in particular, spilling over to other foods through demand and crop substitution effects. Likewise the macro economic factor, the growing demand will make food commodities costly for the importers, thereby indirectly benefiting the US economy as it will gain leverage by becoming self sufficient in generating more and affordable energy.
Emerging economies such as China and India would be least influenced by it. Though these counties are developing, they lack in terms of modernized technologies of ethanol and other energy sources. Though India has sufficient oil reserves and a huge source of ethanol from sugarcane, the country fails to utilize it optimally. Out of the total oil consumption of India 70% is met through imports. Despite of availability of ethanol, India is way behind in becoming self sufficient on energy grounds due to lack of ethanol development and car technology.
Looking at the volatility in prices, it is difficult to predict the trend for the near to medium term period. One group of analyst`s expect that the increasing usage of alternative energy and on going economic turmoil may cap the demand for crude oil in coming future. Another group is of the opinion that the energy price would moderate in future on geopolitical uncertainty among Middle East counties, US economic slowdown concern and anticipatory actions by market speculators.
But the energy sector is still lighting hopes as India, China and other emerging economies have recently entered the energy-intensive phase of their economic growth cycles, and they are all investing in producing more energy and infrastructure that go along with it.
So there will still be money to be made by investing in oil producers, drillers and support companies. But the biggest growth and the best opportunities will be in alternative energy resources as it will drive the future growth.
MUFG invests $9 billion in Morgan Stanley on new terms
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20081014a1.html
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008
Kyodo News
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. said Monday it has bought a 21 percent stake on a fully diluted basis in U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley for $9 billion after making revisions to the terms of the acquisition.
The new terms allowed the largest Japanese banking group to make the entire investment in the purchase of only preferred shares in Morgan Stanley, compared with a previous agreement that called for the purchase of both preferred and common shares.
MUFG renegotiated the terms of the deal, which helped save Morgan from going bankrupt, on the back of a plunge in the share price of the major U.S. brokerage. The stock plunge could have caused huge unrealized losses at MUFG if it implemented its planned investment based on the initial deal.
Morgan's share price plummeted on the New York Stock Exchange amid the current financial crisis, dwindling to $9.68 per share Friday, less than half its value as of late September when the two financial firms clinched the $9 billion deal.
On Sept. 29, MUFG agreed to buy $3 billion worth of common shares in Morgan for $25.25 per share, and invest an additional $6 billion through the purchase of preferred shares that can be later converted into common shares.
Under the new agreement with Morgan, MUFG said it has spent $7.8 billion of the $9 billion investment to purchase convertible preferred shares and the remainder for acquiring nonconvertible preferred shares.
The new terms also lower the price at which preferred shares can be converted into common stock to $25.25, down from $31.25 in September's agreement.
Myanmar: Garment Industry Slumps
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/17318?tid=5
Business 2008-10-14 15:05
YANGON, MYANMAR: Myanmar's vital garment industry could suffer factory closures and layoffs because orders are sharply down due to the continuing global financial crisis, an industry executive has said.
"Since the financial crisis, orders for new consignments have reduced and we will see serious impact by the middle of December," Myint Soe, the chairman of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, told reporters Monday (13 Oct).
The success of the country's apparel industry is largely tied to global demand, so the fall in orders could lead to workers being dismissed and the closure of some production facilities, Myint Soe said.
Myanmar's textile industry experienced a downturn after the United States imposed economic sanctions in 2003, but rebounded two years later when the European Union imposed limits on imports from China, Myint Soe said. Those restrictions led to increased European textiles orders for Southeast Asian nations, including Myanmar, he said.
About 30% of Myanmar's garment exports go to Japan, another 30% to the EU and the rest to Latin America, Turkey, South Africa, Mexico and Argentina, Myint Soe said.
Myint Soe said the industry suffered a setback early this year when South Africa's biggest clothing retailer canceled orders, citing a military crackdown on massive anti-government protests in September last year.
That ban led to the closure of about 35 factories in Myanmar, he said. About 100 garment factories remain, employing between 80,000 to 100,000 workers, compared to more than 270 factories before 2003, he said.
According to official statistics, Myanmar earns US$282 million from garment exports in the 2007-2008 fiscal year. (AP)
MySinchew 2008.10.14
How to Ace Your Performance Review
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/findingajob/How_to_Ace_Your_Performance_Review__20061205-121241.html?subtopic=Other+Job+Search+Topics
By Margaret Steen
IM Bookmark del.icio.us
Digg In many workplaces, the end of the year brings not just the holiday party but also the dreaded annual ritual of performance reviews. Experts say preparation is the key to making yours productive rather than painful.
* Gather your evidence. List your accomplishments for the year -- and have documentation to back them up. "Very often managers getting ready to do reviews can't remember everything that the employee has done," says Ann J. Willson, a human resources consultant and owner of Human Resource Directions in Raleigh, N.C.
At many companies, employees are given a form to fill out before the review, listing their accomplishments and goals. Take the time to prepare this document carefully, says Diane Foster, principal of executive coaching and consulting firm Diane Foster & Associates in Alameda, Calif. When listing career goals, Foster advises focusing on "what you see as your next career step within this next year."
* Know what you want. Performance reviews aren't just a time for you to listen to your boss. "In every performance review, you are directly or indirectly coaching your boss," Foster says.
If you have a particular skill -- public speaking, for example -- that you'd like to improve, ask your boss for help. Perhaps you could take a class, or maybe your boss could coach you. "It's up to the employee to really kind of push on the boss for commitment on that," Foster says. After outlining your request, you can say, "I'd love to have that be one of our goals for next year on the performance review," Foster says.
* Face problems in advance. Perhaps you were part of a team whose project wasn't exactly a glowing success. Glenn Shepard, a management consultant and owner of Glenn Shepard Seminars, says it's best to bring up the issue yourself. Some situations are complicated: Perhaps you weren't able to complete your part on time because someone else missed a deadline for getting you crucial information, for example. If you broach the topic, you can explain the part you played, what you could not have changed and what you would do differently next time.
"If the manager brings up that marginal performance first, then the employee looks defensive," he says.
* Expect to hear criticism. It's part of managers' jobs to point out areas where their employees could improve. "Even if they're happy with you, they strive to find something to make better," says Debra Benton, executive coach and author of "Executive Charisma."
If your boss says you lack leadership, for example, ask your boss to describe a time when you didn't demonstrate leadership. Then ask for examples of situations that will come up in the upcoming year when you can practice and demonstrate leadership.
Finally, as long as the criticism is balanced with praise, be glad your boss has taken the time to tell you how to improve. "If they have nothing negative, I think that's a bad sign, because they don't care," Benton says.
Make Your Workplace More Democratic
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-make_your_workplace_more_democratic-55
Initiate Change from the Bottom (or Middle!) Up
by Traci Fenton, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Imagine a workplace where relationships are peer-to-peer, where management transparently shares financial data, where you have a say in the decisions that impact your work, and you feel 100 percent engaged each day. Sound utopian?
Actually, I'm describing characteristics of a democratic workplace, and some of today's most successful companies -- such as Great Harvest Bread Company, Whole Foods, Linden Lab, and Southwest Airlines -- already operate like this. They realize it's a powerful way to attract and retain top talent, stimulate innovation, and boost the bottom line.
Admittedly, organizational democracy usually begins at the top. But what about those of us who are junior or mid-level employees working in companies that aren't democratic? Can you bring democracy to your workplace, too? You may not have the power (yet) to turn your company democratic overnight, but there are some things you can do now to start creating change.
10 Principles for a Democratic Workplace
After a decade of research, here are the 10 principles I've discovered that all democratic companies practice, along with ideas for how you can implement them in your organization.
1. Get naked.
Be as authentic, open, and as transparent as possible. In your next meeting, don't have a "hidden agenda." Be open and share what you might otherwise keep secret. Watch how it helps build trust with others.
2. Have a conversation.
Don't perpetuate the dysfunctional silence that characterizes most companies. Invite people to engage in a dialogue about the issues that matter.
3. Loathe rankism.
Treat others fairly and with dignity. Forget the high school clique mentality of treating people like "somebodies" or "nobodies."
4. Understand the meaning of life.
Understand what your purpose and vision is for your life and make sure it's aligned with the work you are doing. If it's not, think about changing or finding a new job.
5. Point fingers.
Not in a blaming way, in a liberating way! Get crystal clear about who is responsible for what and then hold yourself and others accountable.
6. The individual is as important as the whole.
Each person has unique gifts. Overcome the feeling of being a cog in the machine by recognizing the value each person plays in achieving collective goals.
7. One size doesn't fit all.
Do what you can to make sure you and your colleagues have a choice regarding the kind of work they do and the schedule they work. Choices keep people from feeling trapped.
8. Have backbone.
Integrity is the name of the game, so make sure all work is done ethically. Freedom takes discipline.
9. Be vain.
Commit yourself to looking in the mirror each day and asking, "How can I be better?" Reflection leads to improvements that help you and your company perform on a whole new level.
10. Say no to pyramid schemes.
Although there are times where we all want to pull a power-trip, don't. Do what you can to empower your colleagues by distributing power rather than hoarding it.
Get a buddy, start practicing these principles, and watch the results. The best way to win at work is to create an environment in which everyone can thrive. Find a way to make progress in a democratic direction each day, and your workplace will never be the same again.
Traci Fenton is the founder and CEO of WorldBlu, Inc., the world's only business design studio specializing in organizational democracy. She is currently at work on her first book on the topic. Learn more at www.worldblu.com
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Find Your Career Passion
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker/tools/ept/careerArticlesPost.html?post=126
by Debra Davenport, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Ever wish you were one of those fortunate people who knew -- at the age of 6 -- exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up? If you find yourself as an adult still searching for your passion, don't despair. Many people -- too many to count -- share your career conundrum.
The key is not wasting any more precious time in a career that doesn't fit and finding the livelihood that's a natural extension of the real you. Here's how:
Retrace your steps. Often, career passions are formed in childhood. What did you enjoy as a child? What were your hobbies and interests? What games did you play? What were your early career fantasies?
Identify what really matters. Your values are the map to your perfect career. Identify those that are most important to you. Time freedom, perhaps? Creativity? Travel? Working alone? Being your own boss? Make a list of everything you deeply value and want in your career.
Get deep. Are you seeking to make a difference or contribute to society through your work? Is there a spiritual component to your career? How do see yourself effecting positive change?
Explore. Many people feel stuck because they simply don't know what exists in terms of career possibilities. Research careers on the Internet, network, ask questions, read voraciously, and jot down every idea.
Try it on for size. Internships and apprenticeships are great ways to try on careers. Use vacation time to "shadow" someone whose job interests you. Volunteer or get temporary jobs in the fields that interest you.
Listen to your heart. What do you enjoy doing so much that you'd do it for free? What activities give you the most joy? Cooking? Singing? Writing? Inventing? You really can make a career out of the things you love -- that's what finding your passion is all about.
Get tested. Seek out a certified career counselor and request a comprehensive career assessment. There are many validated assessments available. At the minimum, you should complete a personality profile (such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator), a career interests assessment, and a work values assessment.
Peel away the layers. Working in an unfulfilling career can cause you to make adaptations to your behaviors and belief systems which can impact confidence and self-esteem -- two things you need in order to make smart decisions for yourself. Strip away the false and/or negative belief systems ("I can't do that." "I'm not smart enough." "You have to have a lot of experience to do that.") and get to your truth. That's where your passion lies.
Remember: Skills can be learned, but your passion is a part of who you are. The reality is you can do whatever you want to do and set your mind to do. The old adage, "Do what you love, the money will follow" is actually very good advice. It may take some work to reveal what you're truly meant to do but, if loving your career is important to you, your efforts will be a valuable investment in your future happiness.
Debra Davenport is president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Phoenix and Los Angeles that provides career counseling, Certified Professional Mentoring and executive search services. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor(R) designation, and you can contact her at debra@davenportfolio.com.
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Get Serious About Your Career in Four Steps
by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs
Summer and all its trappings -- reduced hours, vacations, lazy days -- are terrific. But did you know you can still get serious about your career while you're having fun in the sun?
Follow these four steps to be prepared to reach new heights this fall.
1. Draw the line online.
Social networking sites can be fun, but if you're serious about getting serious about your career, it's time to move your online networking to a more purposeful level. Delete any profiles that exist on sites catering primarily to adolescents, and migrate to a structured professional networking site. You may lose a thousand "friends" or so, but you'll likely gain much more viable business contacts.
2. Take a trip with purpose.
Unplugging from work can make you a more productive professional, but you may consider combining business and pleasure on your next getaway. Instead of just sitting on a beach for a week, why not visit a city or site that is critical to your vocation? You may even arrange a tour of an industry leader's facilities. Newspapers, television studios, and manufacturers are just a few of the types of businesses that offer an inside look at their workings.
Or use your vacation as an opportunity to fill out the "Volunteer Activities" portion of your resume by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity or another worthy cause.
3. Do a little academic planning.
You can take it easy this summer, but if you want to get ahead come September, get a catalog from your local university and enroll in a class for the fall. Choose a course that will help you do your current job better or one that helps you move into management. Involve your supervisor so that she knows you're serious about advancing your knowledge -- and so that she may help you get reimbursed for the course.
4. Put a little business in your beach reading.
Society has become more than a little obsessed with pop culture. While it's fun to be in the know about Paris Hilton's jail stint when you're standing around the water cooler, it's better to be in the know about the most recent business and management trends when you're trying to be taken seriously.
So instead of taking a celebrity tabloid to the beach, start tackling the latest and the greatest business books or magazines. If you're not sure where to start, ask your boss what his management must-reads are. Also, consult the New York Times Book Hardcover Nonfiction Best Seller list, which is updated every week. Or get in the habit of reading the business section of your local newspaper as a way to stay more informed.
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Search for a new job near you
Opportunity Knocks for the Prepared
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker/tools/ept/careerArticlesPost.html?post=158
by Caroline Levchuck, Yahoo! HotJobs
If you're between jobs and looking for your next opportunity, borrow a mantra from the Boy Scouts of America and always "be prepared." Recruiters are busier than ever, and when they come calling, you may only have one chance to engage them.
Use these tips to make sure you're ready whenever opportunity knocks.
1. Don't sleep in ... unless it's the weekend.
It's tempting to take advantage of your time off by sleeping in, but if you're serious about finding work, keep regular business hours. Lauren Milligan, president of Resumayday, a career management services firm, believes you must make yourself available from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. "When you're not employed, your job is to get a job," she says.
2. Suit up.
Each day, make sure you're ready to go on an interview at the drop of a hat. That means, have a suit at the ready at all times -- or, depending on your industry, business casual attire in good quality. Hiring managers usually want you to come in at their convenience, and that may mean a same-day interview.
Career coach and resume expert Milligan reminds job seekers, "If you're not working, you've got to be responsive to recruiters reaching out to you. If you're not going to jump at that chance, they will move on to another person."
3. Answer with care.
Always answer your phone assuming a potential employer is on the other end. If you sound sleepy or irritated, don't pick up. Also, if you're in a place where conducting a business-related conversation is difficult, let the call go to your voicemail. It's better to return a call than ruin your chances by yelling into your phone, dropping a call, or worse.
Milligan agrees, "You don't want to have to backpedal into professional mode. You get one chance, and the damage may already be done."
4. Keep your resume close.
If you think there's a chance you'll be speaking with recruiters, it's a good idea to have a copy of your resume handy. Even the most confident professionals can get flustered when surprised by a call from a recruiter and fumble their words. Milligan says, "You have to be able to immediately carry on an intelligent conversation about what is on your resume. Even if it's not in front of you, it's best to say, 'I'm just going to grab my resume so we can go over it together.'"
5. Keep your applications closer.
Keep a running record of all the jobs to which you've applied -- either on your BlackBerry, computer, or in a small notebook so you can easily recall the parameters of every position and talk up your specific strengths and qualifications.
Milligan reveals, "I'm hiring for my company right now and when you phone a candidate and he asks, 'Which job is that again?' -- it's a turn off. It sends a message to a hiring manager that you're just desperately shooting out resumes everywhere rather than conducting a targeted search."
Milligan advises her clients to use written records to track their applications, but admits that if enough time elapses between when you applied and when a company contacted you, it's easy to be confused. She instructs job seekers, "Ask some sly questions, such as, 'Exactly what department was this position in?' to help jog your memory."
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How to Recession-Proof Your Job
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-how_to_recession_proof_your_job-320
by Tara Weiss, Forbes.com
Whether we're actually in a recession or not is the subject of debate.
What is certain is the rising unemployment rate. U.S. unemployment rose to 5% for the first time in two and a half years in December. That's likely a result of the fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis -- and there's probably more to come.
Don't wait for the alarm bells to sound. Recession or just a temporary slowdown, there are things you can do to keep your job as safe as possible. "You have to be proactive," says Dale Winston, CEO of the executive recruiting firm Battalia Winston International.
Tips to Boost Your Value
The first step: Make yourself indispensable. Show up early and stay late. Now isn't the time to slack. If your boss needs someone to volunteer for a project, raise your hand to do it, then do it well. "Prove you're a contributor no matter what level you're operating at," she says.
If possible, take on projects for other divisions. It's hard to fire someone when they're valuable to several areas of the business. But be prepared to be stretched. Open jobs might go unfilled for long time periods and you will have to take on extra work. Don't start sleeping at the office, but don't complain about working extra hours for several managers.
"Also, look for ways to save the company money," says Bill DeMario, chief operating officer of Ajilon Consulting, a staffing firm that specializes in accounting, finance, consulting and human resources management. That includes everything from telecommuting to a faraway meeting to gently encouraging colleagues not to print all 100 pages of a document unless they absolutely need them. (You can even make the reduced printing targets a competition between different departments so it seems less like a company mandate and more like a silly office game.)
Take a broader view, too. Be aware of your profession's and your company's financial well-being and act accordingly. In other words, people who work in industries that are clearly suffering, like print media, should ramp up their job search and consider ways they can use their skills in similar fields. Look for signs to determine how healthy your company is. Are they tightening the purse strings by limiting travel? Are they asking employees to bring their own lunches to previously catered staff meetings? These may seem like small things, but they can be indications of tight financial times.
If you notice those signs, do more than just work hard. Talk to people in your industry to find out which companies are thriving and make contact with employees there. Use your professional network to accomplish this.
Know the Broader Perspective
On the bright side, if there is a recession, it likely won't be as severe as the last one. Back then there was a confluence of factors, including the dot-com bust and Sept. 11, 2001, that took a severe toll. Also, the demographics of the workforce are evolving. Large numbers of baby boomers are about to reach retirement age, and while they won't necessarily leave the workforce entirely, they will look to slow down or switch careers. That means there is opportunity for younger employees to fill those gaps.
In the immediate future, if there are widespread layoffs, younger generations will likely handle it differently than their older peers, says Mary Crane, a career consultant who specializes in bridging the generation gap. "They've come into the workplace never suspecting they'll take one job and have it for life," says Crane.
"Lots of them will look at it as an opportunity to explore career opportunities. They might take six months off-- that's how long recessions last -- and work on a political campaign because they can build their resume and make great contacts. Or they'll teach. They look at this as opportunity."
We can all learn a lesson from that attitude.
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5 Salary Secrets Your Company Won't Tell You
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/salary-articles-5_salary_secrets_your_company_won_t_tell_you-22
by Joy Victory, PayScale.com
It's normal to wonder how and why you get paid the salary you do. After all, it's not a decision process most employers are willing to disclose, at least not without a little prodding. So what are the best-kept secrets when it comes to salary decisions at most companies? And how can you use them to your advantage? Let's take a look.
1. For most companies, 3.9% is the average budget increase for salaries.
Yes, sad but true. According to the 35th annual WorldatWork Salary Budget Survey, the "actual increase in salary budgets was 3.9% in 2008." The number is expected to stay the same in 2009.
This means, that for most U.S. workers, the average raise will be about the same, with "high performers" receiving about a 5% raise, and "low performers" receiving 2% or less, the survey authors note.
"When people are looking for 6-8%, well, very few people are getting it," says Rebecca Mazin, co-founder of the HR consulting firm Recruit Right and author of "The HR Answer Book: An Indispensable Guide for Managers and Human Resources Professionals."
Knowing this can make it easier to stomach a 4% raise -- while it may not equal big money, it actually means your employer values you. Anything more means you're likely considered a top performer, and anything less means you may be underperforming.
2. Your employer (or future employer) may not know the current salary averages.
Just because a whole wealth of salary information is online these days doesn't mean your company has any idea what the normal salary is for a person in your field and in your city. If you do your research and discover your salary is abnormally low, it can be a great negotiation tool when you talk to your boss about your annual raise -- or when you're accepting a new job offer. He or she will realize they could easily lose you since many competitors nearby are paying better.
"You need to go in with some data behind you; you at least need to know what the going rate is," says Dawn Rosenberg McKay of About.com Guide to Career Planning. "[That way] you'll know if you're being outlandish or asking for something ridiculous."
3. Most managers have a short memory.
Raises are given annually, and so it's important to keep track of all your achievements within the past year -- don't expect your boss to remember your big project from eight months ago. Using a spreadsheet or a special email folder, keep track of your accomplishments as they happen, so when the time comes, you have a strong case for a raise.
Accomplishments that show you've either saved the company money or earned the company money are the best ones to highlight, especially if you can specify an exact figure. If that's not possible (which is the case for most employees), take note of any extraordinary praise you received from managers or fellow coworkers, any special thanks from clients, and any other ways that demonstrated you went above and beyond your normal job duties.
4. Your manager probably has little influence over your salary.
Decisions about salary increases for all employees at a company are often made at a high level of management. So, even if you follow all the tips above, your manager may have minimal control over your raise. Case in point: Mazin recently worked with a nonprofit organization whose board decided to give every employee the exact same raise.
There's not a lot you can do in this situation, but if it leaves you feeling dissatisfied or taken for granted, it may be time to look for a new job.
5. Threatening to quit can result in a big wage increase (but it's risky).
If you're hoping for a big raise, or were disappointed by a recent raise, you may want to start job searching. For most people, the biggest salary jumps they have in their careers occur when they get a new job or threaten to quit because of a tantalizing job offer.
Sometimes, telling your current employer about your new gig can be a potent bargaining chip -- they may be willing to match the new offer just to keep you. But not always, as Mazin points out, so don't let your plan backfire. Make sure you really want that new job -- and are ready to quit your current one -- before threatening to quit.
"If you do decide to do it, do it for the right reasons," Mazin says.
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Burma's Mass Migration Reveals Junta's Ever-Diminishing Power-Base
http://www.ncgub.net/article.php/20081010231939922
Friday, October 10 2008, 11:19 PM EDT
Contributor: Admin Views: 47
Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister of the NCGUB, says "most are unfortunately exchanging extreme hardship and an inability to make a living at home with poorly paid jobs and lonely, insecure lives elsewhere. Some go into unsustainable debt to pay agents and others still, most tragically, become commodities in people trafficking markets."
BURMA'S MASS MIGRATION REVEALS JUNTA'S EVER-DIMINISHING
POWER-BASE
Washington DC: Burma's military junta is driving out its own citizens, reportedly making money in the process, as citizens fed up with 46 years of dictatorship enact the only vote they have left: with their feet. It is a stark indication of the junta's increasing irrelevance as well as the strength of the people's will for freedom, says the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
According to estimates, up to 10% of Burma 's population of 55 million is already living outside the country, mainly in neighbouring countries as well as in Japan and in the Gulf countries. Burma is already the third highest source of refugees in the world, confirming the exodus is not just economic.
Recently, in the wake of price hikes, crackdowns and the cyclone disaster, many more have been leaving Burma . One recent report put the number of daily passport applications in one central office alone at around 10,000 a month. The majority are between 18 and 38 and most are male.
Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister of the NCGUB, says "most are unfortunately exchanging extreme hardship and an inability to make a living at home with poorly paid jobs and lonely, insecure lives elsewhere. Some go into unsustainable debt to pay agents and others still, most tragically, become commodities in people trafficking markets."
Says Sein Win, the 'Freedom Exodus' underlines just how serious the Burmese military is about holding onto its own increasingly limited power-base. "It is also a sign of just how much the military has become a state within a state, a self -perpetuating force which has no enduring ties with its own population," he notes.
There are reports the junta is actually commercially involved in the practice. Media investigations have claimed that at least two migration agencies holding regional monopolies are state-run. Others not directly connected to the regime are obliged to pay exorbitant fees and taxes.
The NCGUB says that if the 'Freedom Exodus' continues, the only Burmese left who are not in cahoots with the military will be in prison or so horribly destitute and marginalised that they cease to register in any of the regime's policy deliberations. "This is precisely where this self-absorbed administration is heading," says Sein Win. "It will end up existing only for its own purpose."
"It is hollowing out its own nation, forcing out many of those citizens it should be relying on to build the future of Burma , to serve its own myopic political ends. Driving, and possibly profiting from, such a national tragedy as mass migration shows just how much the regime has lost touch with its own population," argues Sein Win.
"The only possible positive to come out of this is that here is evidence of just how far many Burmese are prepared to go to create even a semblance of freedom in their lives, and a sense of hope for the future. So dire have things become in what should be one of Asia's wealthiest countries, that Burmese will consider leaving their families for long periods, risking all, just to scratch out something like a living and aspire to freedom."
"The 'Freedom Exodus' is further confirmation that the people of Burma are ready and willing to embrace freedom and democracy and to be rid of a regime that has become irredeemably dysfunctional."
HACKER? BEWARE
Dear Ko Kyaw Thu,I am very appreciate for your excellent advice for us. With Best Warmest,Hla Aye Maung.
--- On Tue, 10/14/08, kyaw
From: kyaw
Subject: RE: [jacjapan] phate sar
To: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 12:55 AM
Dear Ko Hla Aye Maung and all,
I am so surprise after reading your second mail. Please be careful when someone use your account as you. Sometime it is not because of your account password weakness. It could be Cross Site Script attack (CSS Attack), cookies hijacking and re-routing site link attack. Even you have extra strong and secure password, your account could get hack.
I would recommend not to use IE 8 Beat, rather use IE 7 (Stable version) and Mozilla Firefox 3. Because Beta version is only good for developers and it's like "Use it as your own risk". So for ordinary Internet user, it is better to use stable version than Beta version.
I would recommend for Firefox browser because of it's "No Script" add-on. Your browser usually keep all the cookies from the sites you were visited. Cookies include not only site and your connection information, but also include your personal information (including password). So it is very popular stealing cookies so called "Cookies Hijacking" and access your account as you and do bad thing.
Another problems with cookies are script, it keep Java scripts inside your browser and hacker could retrieve it by using Cross Site Script (CSS) tools.
And when you log-in to your mail account, please check your browser address bar, it should be like :
https://www. google.com/ accounts/ ServiceLogin? service=mail&passive=true&rm=false&continue=http% 3A%2F%2Fmail. google.com% 2Fmail%2F% 3
" https " use secure socket lsyer (SSL) and encrypted all of your information including password. But please be ware to check where it is redirected ??? At here you can see it redirected to "continue=http% 3A%2F%2Fmail. google.com% 2Fmail%2F% 3" that means it is redirected to mail.google. com. So it is safe. But sometime hacker use such log-in page to cheat you and redirected your log in to their site not mail.google. com.
This is the same to all Yahoo, MSN hot mail and G mail. And never click the link in a mail which ask you to change your password, just go to the site directly and do it manually.
I hope these information would help you all. Thanks
Best Regards,
Kyaw Thu
--- On Sun, 10/12/08, hla aye maung
From: hla aye maung
Subject: RE: [jacjapan] phate sar
To: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008, 1:19 PM
Dear Respected All,
Please do not hasitate . Who is took and used with my ID, please do not mix problem among us. JAC yahoo mail group is only for information share to fight to SPDC.Now I have already changed my password.
Sincerely,
Hla Aye Maung.
--- On Sun, 10/12/08, Tin Win Akbar
From: Tin Win Akbar
Subject: RE: [jacjapan] phate sar
To: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008, 8:23 AM
Dear Ko Thu Kha,
Early periods after the 1988 People’s uprisings and after the political parties were formed, DPNS was regarded by many including local and international media as the second largest party based on their influence and number of the party members. DPNS has been regarded by its founder and many others as the political wing of Student Unions who led the 1988 uprisings and their influences were immense. After the split in the leadership and later deviation in whether to contest in the general elections or not, DPNS became weaker.
So it is correct to say that DPNS was the second largest party at those periods.
After the 1990 general elections and based on its result, as you had correctly mentioned in your letter, SNLD and ALD become second and third party in Burma.
Therefore, let me please allow to advice that it is better not to blame each other on one’s observation and be rather look the events in the broader perceptions and broad mindedness.
With best regards & fraternity,
Tin Win,
Federation of Workers' Union of the Burmese Citizens.
From: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com [mailto:jacjapan@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of hla aye maung
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 4:09 AM
To: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com
Subject: Re: [jacjapan] phate sar
Dear Mr ye nyin,
Who is you? I am an ethnic youth from Japan.Please read again your phate sarr, the second most largest party is not DPNS. Shan National League for Democracy and Arakan League for Democracy are the most second and third largest parties in Burma according to 1990 election result.Don't you know? Please do not try to play politic, if you not so that you will be Bagar.
Sorry! Take care!
Best,
Thu Kha.
--- On Sun, 10/12/08, ye nyin
From: ye nyin
Subject: [jacjapan] phate sar
To: jacjapan@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008, 1:20 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get your new Email address!
Grab the Email name you've always wanted before someone else does!
US Remains World's Most Competitive Economy, By Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels
http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/US_Remains_Worlds_Most_Competitive_Economy_xxxx32963.html
The United States tops the overall ranking in the World Economic Forum's latest Global Competitiveness Report, covering the year 2008-2009.
The new report, released on October 8, puts Switzerland in second position, followed by Denmark, Sweden and Singapore. European economies continue to prevail in the top 10 with Finland, Germany and the Netherlands following suit. The United Kingdom, while remaining very competitive, has dropped by three places and out of the top 10, mainly attributable to a weakening of its financial markets.
The People’s Republic of China continues to lead the way among large developing economies, improving by four places this year and joining the top 30. All of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies figure in the top half of the ranking, with China followed by India, Russia and Brazil.
Several Asian economies perform strongly with Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Republic of Korea and Taiwan in the top 20. In Latin America, Chile is the highest ranked country, followed by Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico.
A number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are in the upper half of the rankings, led by Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Tunisia, with particular improvements noted in the Gulf States since last year. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa, Botswana and Mauritius feature in the top half of the rankings, with several countries from the region measurably improving their competitiveness.
“Rising food and energy prices, a major international financial crisis and the related slowdown in the world’s leading economies, are confronting policy-makers with new economic management challenges. Today’s volatility underscores the importance of a competitiveness-supporting economic environment that can help national economies to weather these types of shocks in order to ensure solid economic performance going into the future,” said Xavier Sala-i-Martin, Professor of Economics, Columbia University, USA, and co-author of the report.
The Global Competitiveness Report’s main competitiveness ranking is the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), developed for the Swiss-based WEF by Sala-i-Martin and originally introduced in 2004. The GCI is based on 12 pillars of competitiveness, providing a comprehensive picture of the competitiveness landscape in countries around the world at all stages of development. The pillars include: Institutions, Infrastructure, Macroeconomic Stability, Health and Primary Education, Higher Education and Training, Goods Market Efficiency, Labour Market Efficiency, Financial Market Sophistication, Technological Readiness, Market Size, Business Sophistication and Innovation.
The rankings are calculated from both publicly available data and the 'Executive Opinion Survey,' a comprehensive annual survey conducted by the World Economic Forum together with its network of Partner Institutes (leading research institutes and business organizations) in the countries covered by the report. This year, over 12,000 business leaders were polled in a record 134 global economies. The survey is designed to capture a broad range of factors affecting an economy’s business climate. The report also includes comprehensive listings of the main strengths and weaknesses of countries, making it possible to identify key priorities for policy reform.
“In an uncertain global financial environment it is more important than ever for countries to put into place the fundamentals underpinning economic growth and development. The World Economic Forum has for many years played a facilitating role in this process by providing detailed assessments of the productive potential of nations worldwide. The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 offers policy-makers and business leaders an important tool in the formulation of improved economic policies and institutional reforms,” noted Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.
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China Will Adopt `Prudent' Economic Policy, Li Yong Says
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=arw9Hg2qNM24&refer=home
By Nipa Piboontanasawat
Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- China will adopt ``prudent'' economic policy to cope with the global slowdown, Vice Finance Minister Li Yong said.
``The institutional constraints and structural imbalances in China's economy, the inflationary pressure and the uncertainty of external shocks by the U.S. financial crisis subject China to immense economic challenges,'' Li said in a statement today in Washington, where he is attending the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group. ``To cope with these complexities, China will adopt a prudent economic policy.''
Chinese policy makers have shifted their focus from taming inflation to sustaining economic growth as food prices cool and while weaker exports threaten company profits, jobs and social stability in the world's most populous country.
China ``will enhance the foresight, pertinence and flexibility in its macro economic management,'' Li said. ``It will take measures to maintain stability in the economy and in financial and capital markets so as to achieve sound and rapid economic growth.''
China, the world's fastest-growing major economy, cut interest rates twice this year. It has also lowered the proportion of deposits lenders must set aside as reserves, trimmed the pace of currency gains, raised export rebates, increased banks' loan quotas and reduced stamp duty on stock transactions.
``The dynamics of China's growth has evolved with an improved balance between domestic and external demand and an enhanced ability to resist economic risks,'' Li said. ``Sustained, stable and rapid growth in a country with 1.3 billion people itself represents the biggest contribution to world economic stability and development.''
China's economy grew 10.1 percent in the three months ended June 30 from a year earlier, slowing for a fourth straight quarter as exports cooled. The benchmark CSI 300 Index of shares has fallen 64 percent this year.
``Financial institutions have witnessed an overall improvement in strength and profitability,'' Li said. ``The financial system is both safe and sound.''
In response to the financial turmoil, ``developed countries should adopt responsible macro-economic policies to maintain international macro-stability,'' Li said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Nipa Piboontanasawat in Washington at npiboontanas@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 12, 2008 17:23 EDT
Thailand's embattled prime minister has dismissed calls for his resignation
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jus7iv1rbyPdlAhJVD4awQfBSF3Q
Thailand PM rules out resigning
11 hours ago
Thailand's embattled prime minister has dismissed calls for his resignation, saying that stepping down would not resolve the country's deepening political crisis.
Anti-government protesters have demanded that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resign to take responsibility for violent clashes last Tuesday between protesters and riot police that killed three people and wounded nearly 500 protesters. It was the worst political violence in Thailand in over a decade.
"Many groups in society are calling for me to resign or dissolve the Parliament," the Prime Minister said in a nationally televised address.
"I am not attached to my position," he said. "However, I am not confident that is the right solution."
The clashes turned violent after police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who were trying to block Parliament to keep Mr Somchai from delivering his first policy statement to politicians. Mr Somchai was sworn in on September 25.
Protesters have accused riot police of using excessive force and say they will stage a large demonstration later in the week outside Bangkok's police headquarters.
The rally was initially planned for Monday but was postponed to pay respect for two victims whose remains were to be cremated that day, protest organisers said.
Mr Somchai said he had ordered a fact-finding committee to investigate "what really happened" and another committee would be set up to determine compensation for families of victims.
The anti-government protesters, led by a group that calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, has occupied the grounds of the prime minister's office since Aug. 26. The protests have virtually paralysed the government and forced Somchai to operate out of a makeshift office at Bangkok's old international airport.
The protesters regard Mr Somchai as a proxy of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a former telecommunications billionaire who was ousted by a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption and misuse of power. Somchai is a brother-in-law of Thaksin's.
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UN Court To Rule On Georgia Bid For Protection From Russia
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THE HAGUE (AFP)--The U.N.'s highest court will rule Wednesday on a Georgian bid for protection against what it claims was a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" by Russia in their clash over two breakaway regions.
After Russian troops entered Georgia in August to repel a Georgian military campaign to regain control of South Ossetia, Moscow and Tbilisi found themselves pursuing the argument before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Georgia took Russia to court over alleged breaches of the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. Russia rejected the claims.
Georgia instituted proceedings against its neighbor on Aug. 12, alleging a Russian campaign of "ethnic cleansing" against Georgians in areas under Russian control.
Georgia said the war over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia forced up to 150,000 ethnic Georgians to flee.
As it can take months for the court to decide whether or not to take on a case, Georgia then brought another application on a more urgent basis, asking for interim protection measures.
In the interim application, Georgia sought an order compelling Russia to protect ethnic Georgians from violent discriminatory acts, and to allow the return of refugees to South Ossetia, Abkhazia and adjacent "occupied" areas.
It is this matter on which the court will rule Wednesday.
Moscow has denied the accusations, rejecting claims that the conflict had an ethnic character or that it was an occupying force.
Russia said the Georgian assault on South Ossetia had left it no choice but to send in tanks and troops.
Russia halted its offensive after five days, but has yet to withdraw all its troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both of which it has since recognized as independent states.
Moscow has challenged the court's jurisdiction to hear the case, asking for a dismissal.
The ICJ settles disputes between sovereign states in line with international law.
It has no power of its own to enforce its rulings. That would fall on the U.N. Security Council, in which Russia - as a permanent member - wields veto power.
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China Announces Land Policy Aimed at Promoting Income Growth in Countryside
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/world/asia/13china.html
BEIJING — Chinese leaders said Sunday that they would adopt a rural growth policy aimed at vastly increasing the income of China’s hundreds of millions of farmers by the year 2020, setting in motion what could be the nation’s biggest economic reform in years.
Reuters
A new land policy is aimed at lifting the income of China’s more than 800 million farmers.
Related
China May Let Peasants Sell Rights to Farmland (October 11, 2008)
Times Topics: ChinaThe new policy is intended to stimulate market-driven economic growth in the countryside and to narrow the enormous income disparity between rural and urban Chinese, one of the largest such gaps in the world. Its adoption is another significant step away from the system of communal farming and collectivization put in place under Mao.
The announcement, made through reports in state news organizations on Sunday night, came at the end of the Communist Party’s annual four-day planning session. The reports did not give details of the reform, nor did they say when the plan would take effect. Policy decisions made at the planning session are often given pro forma approval by the National People’s Congress in an annual meeting the following March before details are unveiled and implementation begins.
Scholars and government advisers said in interviews during the four-day session that the new policy would allow China’s more than 800 million peasants to engage in the unrestricted trade or sale of land-use contracts, good for decades, that are given to them by the government. Adopting such a system would be a significant move toward privatization.
Since early October, state news media have run stories extolling the virtues of a system in which farmers would be able to trade, purchase or sell their land rights.
State news reports on Sunday night described the rural reform package in general terms, but said that a new land management system would be put in place. A draft of the new policy that had been written up by the Central Committee began circulating on Thursday in the planning session, which was attended by 368 Communist Party members and overseen by President Hu Jintao.
Xinhua, the state news agency, cited an official statement that said Chinese leaders had agreed at the session that the country “will stick to and improve its rural basic economic system.” To do so, the agency reported, the government will “set up a ‘strict and normative’ land management system in the countryside, expand policy support for agriculture, establish a modern rural financial network and a system to balance the development between rural and urban areas, and improve the rural democracy.”
The government’s goal is to double the per capita disposable income of rural residents by 2020, according to Xinhua.
While China’s cities have profited enormously from economic reforms first announced in 1978, the countryside has lagged further and further behind. Protests in rural China are a big source of social unrest these days, and the most common grievance centers on the seizure of land by corrupt government officials.
“With rapid industrialization and urbanization, the violation of farmers’ land rights happens all the time, as local governments make decisions for farmers instead of allowing farmers to decide for themselves,” Song Hongyuan, the head of the Research Center for the Rural Economy in the Ministry of Agriculture, said in an interview. “Thus the government needs to improve the policy to fully protect farmers’ interests.”
In theory, the new policy would grant peasants more land security and lead them to make better use of the small fields that they now manage under 30-year contracts. The ability to sell the contracts would also lead to the establishment of large-scale farms, which some economists say would help China’s agricultural industry better compete in a global marketplace.
For those farmers who decide to move to the cities, as many are doing now, the policy discussed at the planning session would allow them to cash in on their land assets and relocate to the cities with some savings.
In theory, the farmers would also be able to use the land rights as collateral for loans.
Policy makers were also discussing whether to increase the contracts to 70 years, but it was unclear on Sunday night whether that measure had been adopted in the reform package.
A law passed in 2002 allowed peasants to engage in limited trades of their land-use contracts but still kept many restrictions.
In some parts of China, especially in coastal provinces like Guangdong or Zhejiang, farmers engage in robust trading of land. Peasants who move to cities to become migrant workers often informally give up or swap their farmland to family members.
Advocates for land reform say that in order for any new system of land use to work properly, the Chinese government still has to ensure that the rule of law is established and followed, especially by local government officials.
“Implementation of the law is the key,” said Keliang Zhu, a lawyer with the China research division of the Rural Development Institute, a Seattle-based group that pushes for land reform for poor people around the world. “You have a much greater test in the future. We need to make sure to establish supporting institutions that will help to carry out laws and policies.”
Mr. Zhu said the government needed to educate farmers and local officials about the legal aspects of land rights. In addition, farmers should be given full documentation ensuring their rights to a piece of land, he said. Officially, the government says that 80 to 90 percent of peasants have proper documentation, but in reality only half do, he said, citing recent statistics compiled by the Rural Development Institute.
Under the new policy, companies buying land-use rights from peasants will probably still not be able to easily convert the land to some use other than farming. Senior Communist Party officials often express reservations at allowing businesses unfettered access to China’s land
ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Illegal Trade Decimating Wildlife
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44232
By Malini Shankar*
The endangered Blue Tiger butterfly is the target of poachers in India. 
Credit:Malini Shankar/IPS
BANGALORE, Oct 13 (IPS) - A great variety of endangered wildlife species end up feeding the illegal market for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) thanks to poor enforcement in stopping the trade, say experts and activists.
"The Chinese market is like a 'black hole' sucking in wildlife products from neighbouring countries," said Peter Pueschel, head of global Wildlife Trade Programme at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), in an e-mail interview with IPS.
India, China's neighbour to the south, is most at risk with its vast biodiversity and poorly enforced laws.
According to the wildlife crime database maintained by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), 846 tigers, 3,140 leopards and 585 freshwater otter (skins) were poached between 1994 and Aug. 31, 2008 and another 320 elephants were poached between 2000 and 2008 in India.
"Although many species used in TCM are now protected by national and international laws, illegal trade and poaching have increased to crisis levels as TCM's popularity has expanded over the last two decades," says Samir Sinha of the Indian chapter of the TRAFFIC, the Britain-based wildlife trade monitoring network.
"The problem is widespread, and mostly boils down to lack of political support," says Belinda Wright of the WPSI.
Elephants, tigers, leopards, mongoose, black bears, rhinos, snakes, butterflies, gorillas, otters, musk deer, antelopes, reptiles and products such as caterpillar fungus and porcupine quills form the bulk of the raw material for the TCM industry that, according to Interpol, is worth 20 billion dollars per year.
"We believe there is organised wildlife trade but it is difficult to identify," said Xu Hongfa, director of TRAFFIC – China in e-mail responses to queries from IPS.
According to most wildlife experts the illegal trade is helped along by the fact that Chinese authorities do little to curb the TCM industry because it is regarded as a part of East Asian culture. But Beijing can and does vigorously protect certain species such as the Giant Panda which has iconic status.
"Poaching the Giant Panda will result in severe punishment. According to Chinese law, anyone found poaching one Giant Panda will get at least a ten-year term of imprisonment,'' Xu said. ‘'Chinese government has taken action to improve the TCM market management but it is not very successful,'' he admitted.
"During a five-day period in June 2008, EIA (Environment Investigation Agency) investigators observed five traders who have been documented selling Asian big cat skins in previous years,'' said Debbie Banks of the London-based EIA, adding that Chinese authorities failed to act on information passed on to them.
"We pass sufficient information to enforcement authorities so that they take appropriate action. It is apparent that the authorities have failed in effective enforcement against persistent offenders,'' Banks said. ''It would not be appropriate for us to publish their details,'' she added.
Pueschel referred to a stock of 110 tonnes of ivory that disappeared from Chinese government custody in July 2008. "The main point here is that these incidents have not been taken seriously. It remains totally unclear where this ivory has gone. Nevertheless China has been designated an ivory importing country ("trading partner") supported by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) secretariat."
In May 2006 a consignment of 3,900 kg of ivory tusks was found concealed in a container of timber logs seized by customs officials in Hong Kong, revealing the ingenious methods used by wildlife racketeers. "The 'standard sizes' of cut ivory pieces make it easier to hide them inside any kind of packaging material," says Pablo Tachil a wildlife investigator based in Bangalore.
According to Tachil, Burma has emerged as a major staging point for the wildlife trade because of its location close to India and Burma and the major markets of South-east Asia. ''Burma is also an ideal hideout for poachers and traders, because of weak policing," he said.
What troubles activists is the continued demand for wildlife products around the world.
The popularity of ivory objects, for example, has grown in spite of the clear danger it poses to elephant populations and this, says Pueschel, is partly due to commercial sites on the Internet like eBay facilitating rampant trade. ''We continue to campaign for their banning all wildlife trade.''
An IFAW report in 2007 revealed that at least 90 percent of all investigated ivory listings on eBay were legally suspect. While eBay claims that its site allows 'shoppers to see the positive social and environmental impact' of each purchase, including whether it 'supports animal species preservation', activists say nothing is done by way of monitoring.
The animal most at risk of ending up as raw material for TCM is the tiger because it has long been revered in China as a symbol of power and strength and the belief that its products have potent medicinal properties. Only a century ago there were eight kinds of tigers, with over 100,000 wild tigers in the world. Today only five tiger subspecies exist, with fewer than 5,000 wild tigers in the world.
For India, the good news is that such events as the complete decimation of the tiger population in the Sariska reserve of Rajasthan state between 2002 and 2005 has caught the imagination of the public and helped authorities to ensure that traffickers are caught and brought to book.
Also in India several high-profile individuals have been caught in recent years and booked for poaching resulting in pro-wildlife wide publicity. These include the well-known film actors, Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan and India's former cricket captain, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
In June 2008, two Czech nationals were convicted for trying to smuggle out 'Delias sanaca', an endangered butterfly species listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in the Singalila National Park near Darjeeling. And by September one of them was handed down a fine of Rs 60,000 (1,300 US dollars) and three years of simple imprisonment.
Such exemplary cases go a long way in helping authorities to prevent wildlife crime,'' Utpal Kumar Nag, forest officer in Darjeeling, told IPS.
(*Malini Shankar is a well-known wildlife photojournalist and documentary film maker).
Project Tiger (http://www.projecttiger.nic.in/sariska.htm)
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