- Lew Alcindor (UCLA basket ball champion, NBA champion with LA Lakers) changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
- Cassius Clay Jr. (Olympic Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion, three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion) changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
- An Italian American Chemist (named Salvitore) received a book from his supervisor as a Christmas gift.
After reading a chapter (on Dhammapada), he left for Burma to be ordained as a Buddhist monk named U Lokathana. - The Buddhist Archbishop of Latvia and Lithuania (named Tennyson) and his discipline (named F. Ludvig) were offered a monastery in the Ah Lei Pyitsayan on Shwe Dagon Pagoda. Ludvig succeeded his mentor as the Buddhist Archbishop.
He was known as “Moke Seik Phone Gyi”.
He became a Theravada monk with the name “Ashin Ananda”.
He is a Laureate Poet. - Maung Paw
Saya U Htin Paw aka Maung Htin Paw in his early years - Khin Zaw (KMZ)
Khin Maung Zaw’s middle name is ignored by his colleagues - San Lin Maung
Some were assigned “Maung” as the last name (due to P/P) - Several monks have to explain to immigration that U, Ashin and Venerable are prefixes for monks.
- Some have hyphenated names. e.g. Maung Tin-Wa
- Some modified the names so that they can be pronounced easily by non-Burmese.
e.g. Kai (for Khine), Kin (for Khin)
Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)
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Name changes
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E and Aye
During our younger days, some Burmese spell their name as “E” instead of “Aye“.
U E Maung served as Professor and Head of the Burmese Department at the University of Rangoon. Saya’s book “Kabyart Pann Kone” (Garland of Poems) was a prescribed text.
His spouse Daw Khin Mya Mu (aunt of Sayama Daw Khin Saw Tint, U Nay Oke Tint, Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint) was a Kyauk Sar (stone inscription) expert.Dr. Nyunt Wai wrote :
Dr U E, Professor of Medicine, Rangoon General Hospital and Medical College; later served as the Rector of the Medical College 2.
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Sad Loss of Manuscripts
by Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint
Before U E Maung [Professor of Burmese, University of Rangoon] died, he asked me to bring out exercise books with writings by [my paternal aunt] Daw Khin Mya Mu. In the books were transcript of many “Kyauk sar” and translation into Burmese of hundreds of stone scriptures from all over Burma. When I asked him why they were not published, he told me that no printing press [in those days] have fonts for the ancient writings. [Thus] they were all unpublished.
The sad thing was when Dr. Htin Aung [Rector, University of Rangoon, Ba Dway] left Burma, he had also left not only his books but drafts of books he wanted to finish and publish, mainly in history.
U E Maung donated his house and belongings to Tipitaka Sayadaw. When he passed away Dr. Tha Hla was given the task of selling the property and have as cash donation for Sayadaw. We were not informed but later on when I asked, I was told that except for some books, the handwritten documents were not saved anywhere. Felt very sad about losing the handwritten books.
Only some books were chosen to be donated to the Burmese Department of Rangoon University.
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Homonym
Homonyms are words which sound the same. Examples:
rain, rein, reign
air, heir
throne, thrownA puzzle based on homonyms : “What is the difference between the Prince of Wales and a cricket ball?”
The Prince of Wales is HEIR to the THRONE.
A cricket ball is THROWN to the AIR. -
Checkers
Board Game
* Played using only 32 Black Squares on a 8×8 board
* Each player has 12 pieces
* Known as ကျား
* Mandalay had a ကျားဘုရင်
His famous assistant was ကျားဘညိမ်း who was also a National Boxing Champion and founder of a Boxing Club with ကျား (Tiger) Logo
Type of Games
* Traditional
Player wins when opponent has lost all pieces
* Unconventional
Player who loses all pieces first wins.
* Showmanship
Choose 12 pieces or Single piece
Player who loses all pieces first wins.
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
* Early AI projects include the development of a Checkers program by Arthur Samuel (IBM)
The program learned from the Rules Book as well as actual play against humans
* Checkers is not as complex as Chess and Go.
With the advent of powerful computers, specialized Chips and highly skilled players, AI Community now have World Class Chess & Go programs.
* IBM Deep Blue beat Gary Kasparov (then World Champion in Chess).
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Okasa
Supplication
Variants of the KADAW GYO
At some ceremonies, hand out the preferred variant of OKASA so that the devotees can pray in unison
Should/could you ask for forgiveness?
Misdeeds => (1) Physical (2) Verbal (3) Mental
Does it matter if you present you wish at the end of the prayer?
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Daw Than Yi (EP70)
- Pen name : Maubin Ma Shwe Than
- Spouse : Dr. San Oo (EP67).
- They and U Myo Myint (EC68) served as Associate Editors of the Hlyat Sit Sar Saung published by RIT Electrical Engineering Association.
- Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) was the Chief Editor.
- During her student days, Working People’s Daily (WPD) selected one of her short stories, and published the English translation in the “WPD Sunday Supplement”.
Received an honorarium of fifty kyats for her article. - Blogged about her classmates, G-Hall Thus and her teachers. The blogs were compiled into a book.
Daw Than Yi and her spouse Dr. San Oo share hobbies and passion.
- Wrote articles for the commemorative Swel Daw Yeik Magazine
- Reprinted “Kaba Phyu” — science fiction by Journal Gyaw Tint Swe (Dr. San Oo’s father)
- Encouraged their grandson William to write a book
- Established “East and West Parami” hospital, and offered monthly soon dana with the staff members
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Library
Saya Dr. Maung Maung Kha (Interim Dean) asked U Ba Than to help with the Engineering Library.
Sayama Daw Myint Myint Khin was Assistant Librarian at the Faculty of Social Science Library. She became Librarian at the Rangoon Institute of Technology.
The Library was located on the Ground Floor.
Several years later, the Library was relocated to a two-storey building near A Block.
Sadly, it was not maintained well.
The YTU Library Upgrading / Modernization Project was initiated as a Requirement for Certification of YTU.
Phase One was completed.
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Ripley
- Ripley was a correspondent.
- He created an illustrated column called “Ripley’s Believe it or not“.
- There are “Believe it or not” museums.
- U Khanti Kyauk Sar in Kuthodaw Phayar, Mandalay was mentioned as the “Largest Book in the World”.
- They are inscriptions of the Tipitaka (Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma) that were re-affirmed at the Fifth Buddhist Council (Synod).
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Reforestation
Guideline
- There was a guide line for reforestation (e.g. for teak).
- Every year, only 1/40th of the teak trees can be cut down for local use and export.
- An equal number of re-planting must be made assuring that the resources will never be depleted.
- Moreover, the quality will not be degraded.
Ignoring the Guideline
- Many years ago, I attended a meeting at the State Timber Corporation.
- Surprised and sad to learn that the reforestation rule was not being followed.
- Due to budget shortage (at that time), more trees were being felled every year.
Loss of trees and Climate Change
- During Cyclone Nargis, many large trees fell.
- According to eye witnesses, large trucks came in to collect the fallen trees [for making furniture?] and left the debris for the locals to clean up.
- Is it possible that the loss of trees (by nature and due to greedy persons) contributed to the climate change (e.g. flooding)?
Paraphrase an old song
“Where have all the teak wood gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the teak wood gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the teak wood gone?
Gone to far away land
When will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?Dr. Nyan Taw (SPHS63) wrote :
Now gone !
Dr. Nyunt Wai (SPHS63) wrote :
What is forestry department doing now? Could there be a public participation in reforestation?
HlaMin 