Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

  • Cards

    Video Broadcast on October 1, 2020

    Different kinds of Cards

    • ID : for identification
    • Credit Card
    • Debit Card
    • Cash Card
    • Prepaid Card
    • Greeting Card
    • Playing Cards

    Standard Deck

    • 52 cards
    • Jokers / Wild Cards

    Four Suits

    • May signify the four seasons or the four quarters of a year
    • Usually called Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades
      (Implicit ordering of the suits in some games such as Bridge)

    13 cards in a Suit : may signify the number of weeks in a season or quarter

    52 cards in a Deck : may signify the number of weeks in a year

    2 colors

    • Usually Black and Red
    • May signify two-valued concepts (e.g Ying and Yang)
    • Model for Deque (Double Ended Queue)
    • Data structure
    • Items can be added to both ends of a Deque, and can be retrieved from both ends.
    • With restrictions, a Deque can be used as FIFO (First In First Out) Queue and LIFO (Last In First Out) Stack.

    Bridge

    • Card Game requiring intellect, communication and finesse.
    • Championships
    • Ivan Lee (Khin Maung Oo, M69) is a Life Time Platinum in Bridge (after completing Bronze, Silver and Gold).

    Solitaire

    • Collection of Card Games that can be played by a person.
    • May be played on a computer.
    • I spent a lot of time (several months) to earn and defend “Daily Challenge” title (five games of varying complexity every day for the whole month).

    Card Games (involving betting)

    • Games in Myanmar
      (e.g Koe Mee and variants)
    • Casino
      (e.g Black Jack, Poker and variants)
    • Computers and Online
  • Calamity

    Video Broadcast on August 27, 2020

    Types of Calamity

    • Famine
      e.g. caused by natural disasters
    • Disease / Pandemic
      e.g. COVID-19
    • War
      e.g. Second World War

    Miscellaneous

    • Prevention
    • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
      See related posts
  • Volleyball

    Video Broadcast on December 22, 2020

    SEAP Games Volleyball Champions

    by U Aye (M62, RU Selected), HIC/FAO/UN(Retired)

    Ko Kyaw Han from RU Forestry was Burma selected player in 1961 SEAP Games in which Burma won gold medal. The team was led by Ko Kyaw Nyunt (1), we called him Ah Kogyi.

    • Ko Kyaw Nyunt (1), Record Office, Defence Services, Captain
    • Ko San Aye, 5th Buriff.
    • Ko Soe Myint, RODS
    • Ko Ohn Shwe, RODS
    • Ko Maung Ni, RODS
    • Ko Kyaw Nyunt (2), Insein, (Burma Railways)
    • Ko Tin Ohn, Insein, (Burma Railways)
    • Ko Kyaw Han, RU
    • Ko San Dwe, 5th Buriff
    • The Coach was U Myat Tun Aung.

    Burma selected team came to practice with our RU team almost daily before the game.

    Ko Nay Aung (RU), Ko Shwe Kyaw (M63), and I (Ko Aye(M62)) were called in to participate in the team of judges for the volleyball in the SEAP games (in December 1961).

    Scoring

    • Side Out Scoring
      15 points per game
      Best of Three
    • Rally Scoring
      25 points per game
      Best of Five
      5th game : 15 points
    • Outdoor (Beach)
      21 points per game
      Best of Three
      3rd game : 15 points

    Competitions

    • World Championship
    • Olympics
    • National
    • Inter-Institute

    Game

    Volleyball is played by two teams of six players each. Players may have roles (e.g. striker, lifter). Some teams had four strikers and two lifters. Some teams prefer to have five strikers and a lifter. A few teams have all players do the spiking and lifting.

    There are rule changes over the years. In the early days, only the serving team can score. Later, any team (serving or defending) can score, but the game score was raised to 25.

    We saw a documentary on how Japan selected and trained tall and/or strong females with no [international] experience to compete in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Japan won the gold medal for Women’s Volleyball.

    Beach Volleyball is played by two teams of two players each. Each player has to lift and strike.

    Burma Selected

    Ko Thar Din (EC79), who represented RIT and Burma, moved to the USA.

    Other non-alumni who represented Burma include Ko Than Soe (3rd of 9 Wan brothers from St. Paul’s) and Ko Ohn Shein.

    Early selected :
    Members of the SEAP Games Championship Team,
    U Tin Maung Swe,
    U Khin Maung Htwe,

    RIT

    Ko Aung Khin (M67), Saw Edison (EP69) and Saw Orson (A) represented RIT.

    Per Ko Hla Kyi (EC77), RIT Volleyball team was Insein Township champion for 3 times around 1975 – 77. More than 2/3 of RIT students are Insein Township Volleyball selection.

    Ko Aye Thein, Sa Maung Maung, Ko Myint Maung (Bu) and Saw Edison (all EP69) represented EE in the Inter Department tournament.

    UCC

    UCC staff (Saya U Ko Ko Lay, U Kyaw Nyein, U Thein Oo, …) and some users played friendly matches. Ma Judy (Nwe Nwe Win) was often the sixth player on the men’s team.

    Rangoon University Volleyball activities from 1958-62
    Contributed by U Aye (M 62), HIC, FAO/ UN (Retired)


    I arrived first year Engg. in 1958-59, playing for Prome Hall. Team members – Ko Hla Aye (M59) Capt. ( Also Capt of Moulmein district volleyball team and Capt of RU football team), Ko Tin Nyunt (Mr RU and Mr Burma, junior), Ko Aye (M62), Ko Ba Swe (C 60), Bran Dev (C 59) (RU football forward), Ko Than Aung, (Prome hall football team), and Ko Boon Hoke. Our team was one of the strongest teams during 1958-59.

    Toungoo Hall- Team members- Ko Aung Than (Capt), Ko Tin Ngwe, Ko Nyi Nyi, Ko Tar, Ko Shwe Kyaw, Ko Hla Thein. Toungoo Hall won the Inter- Hall tournament during 1958-59.

    Ava Hall- Team members – Ko Tin Mg Swe, Ko Kyaw Han, Ko Soe Myint (Also RU football team), Ko Tin Myint, Ko Nay Aung, Ko Thein Han, Ko Soe Nyein.

    Ko Aye led the Ramanya Hall team in 1959-60 and 1960-61, in 1961-62, he played for BIT team along with Ko Shwe Kyaw, Ko Tin Win, Ko Aye Kyu, Ko Ohn Kyaw, Ko Aung Myint, Ko Soe Myint, Ko Kyaw San Win.

    Inter district volleyball tournament followed after inter hostel tournament.

    Moulmein district team- Ko Hla Aye (Capt), Prome Hall, Ko Tin Nyunt (Prome Hall), Ko Aye ( Prome Hall), Ko Aung Myint , Ko Ang Ku, Ko Kyaw Win (Amara Hall). Ko Aye (Capt) led the Moulmein district team in (1959-60, 1960-61, 1961-62). From 1959-62, Ko Tun Lwin (Thaton Hall), JK Sinha (Medical) and Ko Thein Ngwe were selected for the team.

    Prome district team- Ko Tin Mg Swe, Ko Kyaw Han, Ko Soe Nyein, Ko Soe Myint, Ko Tin Myint, Ko Thein Han. ( Prome District won the Inter-district tournament during 1958-59).

    Mandalay Hall became a prominent team in later years, led by Ko Pyone ( also RU footballer), Saw Bio Sonny ( also RU footballer). Ko Pyone and Bio Sonny also played for Pyapon district team.

    Thanlyin District team- Ko Nay Aung, Ko Tar, Ko Hla Kyi and co.

    Tharawaddy District team- Ko Nyi Nyi (Toungoo hall), Ko Thein Han and co.

    Mandalay Hall – Ko Pyone, Ko Bio Sonny, Ko Kyaw Oo and co.

    Pyapon District team- Ko Pyone, Ko Bio Sonny, Ko Kyaw Oo and co.

    After I graduated in 1962, Ko Shwe Kyaw told me that a new RUVC was elected with Ko Tin Ngwe ( Toungoo hall) as President and Ko Kyaw Oo as Secretary for 1962-63. Probably Ko Shwe Kyaw was also in the EC.

  • University

    Video Broadcast on August 28, 2020

    • College
    • Institute
    • School
    • Multi-disciplinary projects

    Early Universities

    • Europe (e.g. Italy)
    • Later in UK (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge)
    • In USA (e.g. Ivy League Schools)

    Professor

    • Assistant Professor
    • Associate Professor
    • Professor
    • University Professor
    • Tenured Professor
    • Visiting Professor
    • Emeritus Professor

    Rangoon University

    • Started with two constituent Colleges in 1920
    • Rangoon College
    • Judson College

    Faculties and Deans

    • Arts
    • Science
    • Social Science
    • Law
    • Engineering
    • Medicine
    • Notes :
    • Mathematics Department was initially under the Faculty of Arts.
      Saya U Aung Hla served as Professor of Mathematics and Dean of Arts.
      Later, it was under the Faculty of Science.
    • In November 1970, a new Education System was implemented.
      Most of the Faculties of Rangoon University became autonomous Insitutes.
      e.g. Institute of Economics
      Institute of Education
      Institute of Medicine
      Rangoon Institute of Technology
    • In the 1990s, there were more renaming.
      e.g. University of Medicine
      Yangon Technological University
  • Time

    Video Broadcast on August 29, 2020

    • Concept of Time and Time Arrow
    • Calendar
      See related posts
    • Clock
      See related posts
    • Sun dial
    • Water clock (old Myanmar)
    • Time management
      See related posts
  • Sayas

    Video Broadcast

    U Pe Maung Tin

    U Pe Maung Tin
    • Pali and Burmese Scholar
    • First native Principal, Rangoon College
    • Proposed Burmese Department as a separate language
    • Early students include
      Theikpan Maung Wa (ICS U Sein Tin)
      Zawgyi (Saya U Thein Han)
      Minthuwun (Saya U Wun)
      Daw Khin Saw Mu

    Dr. Htin Aung

    Dr. Htin Aung
    • Scholar and Prolific Writer
    • First native Rector, Rangoon University
    • Burmese Ambassador to Ceylon

    U Aung Hla

    • First native Professor of Mathematics
    • Dean, Faculty of Arts
    • Compiled notes for Burmese music

    Dr. Maung Maung Kha

    Dr. Maung Maung Kha
    • First native Professor of Physics, RU
    • Interim Dean, Faculty of Engineering
    • Rector, Rangoon University
    • Rector, Rangoon Arts and Science University
    • Rector, Rangoon University Distance Learning
    • Patron, Tekkatho Ah Nu Pyinnya Ah Thinn
    • Centennial (Celebrated by former colleagues and students)

    U Ba Toke

    U Ba Toke
    • Phwa Bet Taw of 1920 RU Act and First RU Students’ Strike
    • Professor of Mathematics, RASU
    • Rector, MASU
    • Professor of Engineering Mathematics, RIT
    • Associate Dean, Assumption University
    • Vice Chair, RU Sports Council
    • Leader, Burma Olympic Team for 1964 Tokyo Olympics
    • Passed away on December 2, 2020
      The day after RU Centennial Celebrations
      A few days short of his 100th Birthday

    U Ba Hli

    • First native Dean of Engineering, Rangoon University
    • Proponent of “Twinning Universities” with prestigious universities in the USA
    • Professor, Civil Engineering, Rangoon University
    • Principal of GTI
    • Son : Dr. Freddie Ba Hli, Sc.D, MIT
  • Statistics

    Video Broadcast

    Department

    • Statistics was offered as an Option at the Economics Department, Rangoon University.
    • Statistics became a separate Department under the Faculty of Social Science.
    • Statistics later became a Department of the Institute of Economics.
    • In the early days, some Rangoon University students (e.g. U Soe Myint, Chief Editor of Guardian, GBNF) graduated with the Triple Mathematics Option taking Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

    Professor

    • Dr. Sundaram was the first Professor and Head of the Statistics Department.
      He was a contemporary of Dr. Aye Hlaing and Saw William Paw.
    • Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt succeeded Saya Dr. Sundaram.

    Transfers

    • U Thet Tun and U Kyaw Myint were key personnel at National Planning and CSO.
    • Dr. Myint Tin transferred to Central Statistical Organization (CSO)
    • U Htin Kyaw (Peter Wun) and U Tun Shwe transferred to UCC as Application Programmer/Analyst.
    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is u-htin-kyaw.jpg
    U Htin Kyaw

    Terminology / Concepts

    Types of Statistics

    • Parametric Statistics
    • Non-Parametric Statistics.

    Statistic used to mean an item of measurement or information.

    Datum used to be the singular form of Data.

    Basic Operations on Data

    • Collecting
    • Organizing
    • Summarizing
    • Presenting
    • Analyzing

    Measures

    • Mean (Average)
    • Median (Middle)
    • Mode (Highest occurrence)
    • Standard Deviation
    • Skewness

    An old joke: “Have you heard about the Statistician who was drowned while trying to cross a river with an average of three feet?”

    Tests and Tools

    • There are Statistical Tests.
      The tests use “significance level” to accept or reject a hypothesis.
      There may be Positive and Negative Errors.
    • An early program is called SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science).
    • Several programming languages (e.g. Python, R) have libraries, modules and functions to perform statistical calculations and tests.
    • Machine Learning (a branch of Artificial Intelligence) uses various Statistical Programs and Tools.
  • Data

    Video Broadcast on December 31, 2020

    Data Types

    • Raw data
    • Clean data
    • Processed data
    • Field data
    • Experimental data
    • Structured data
    • Semi-structured data
    • Unstructured data
    • Data representation
    • Data format
    • Database
    • Data Processing (Scientific, Business)
    • Data storage
    • Data science
    • Data integrity
    • Data accuracy
    • Data validation
    • Fact check
    • Fake news
    • Deep fake
  • Dictionary

    Video Broadcast August 30, 2020

    Dictionary Types

    • Buddhist Dictionary
    • Burmese Dictionary
    • Burmese to English Dictionary
      Judson
    • English Dictionary
      Chambers
      Funk and Wagnall
      Merriam Webster
      Oxford English

    • English to Burmese Dictionary
      Dr. Ba Han
      Judson
      Modern
      Tet Toe

    • Free Dictionary
    • Lexicon
    • Lexicographers
    • Online Dictionary
    • Pali, English, Myanmar Terms
      Myat Kyaw and San Lwin
    • Rhyming Dictionary
    • Scrabble Dictionary
    • Subject-specific Dictionary
      Medicine
      Music

    • Technical Dictionary
  • Chinlon

    Video Broadcast on December 29, 2020

    Background

    • Chinlon might be played in Myanmar since the Pyu Khit
    • Mentioned in Bagan Khit
    • Highly probable in Kone Baung Khit

    Game

    • Talent display at festivals and goodwill events
    • Competition
      Typical : five players in a team
      Some rounds require specific style
      A few could be free style (mix and match)

    Proponents

    • Myanmar Chin Ah Phwe
    • U Aung Koe
    • Saya U Ba Toke (as College student)
    • Saya U Maung Maung Than (RIT Sports Council)

    RIT Chinlon

    • Won Inter-Institute Tournament
    • Ko Tin Shein (M69)
    • Ko Htin Aung (C69, later Dr. )
    • Ko Soe Tint (M70, Secretary)

    Miscellaneous

    • Pike Kyaw Chin
      Two teams play Chinlon over a net
    • Artifacts
      Small Ngwe (Silver) Chinlon found at an excavation site
      Ivory Chinlon (single and nested) displayed at some museums