HlaMin

Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

  • Homonym

    Homonyms are words which sound the same. Examples:
    rain, rein, reign
    air, heir
    throne, thrown

    A 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).

  • 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?

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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?

  • Neikban Zaw (3)

    A Question an an Answer
    • The article “A Question and Answer” was published in the Dhammananda Newsletter many years ago.
    • “Neik Ban Zaw” is the pen name of my beloved spouse.
    Article by Neik Ban Zaw

  • RU Centennial (2)

    BCS

    • ICS gave way to BCS.
    • BCS exams were administered by PSC.
    • Rosie Gyi (Mai Khin Nyunt) posted about her father U Khin Maung Gyi BA, BCS, BL
    • The comments mentioned two other BCS : U Sein Maung (father of Austin) and U Maung Maung Kyi.

    Old (some rare) Photos

    • Prome Hall Soccer Team (winner of Inter-Hall tournament for two years in the early 1950s)
    • Final Year Engineering Students in 1948 and 1949 (taken at their Reunion at Inya Lake)
    • Soccer teams
      Which played friendly match with a visiting Indian team
      Which won the Merdeka Tournament
      Which won tournaments at various levels
    • SEAP Games
      RU Athletes who represented Burma in the Second SEAP Games in 1961
      RU Belles who carried the Placards of the competing nations in the Fifth SEAP Games in 1969
    • RUBC
      Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi in 1948
      Four brothers and cousin (who are all Past Captain and Gold)
      ARAE Champions in 1958 and 1960
    • Some Sayas who are GBNF
      Saya U Pe Maung Tin
      Saya Dr. Maung Maung Kha
      Saya U San Tha Aung
      Saya Mr. Kangyi (English)
      Saya U Kaung Nyunt
      Saya U Wun (Minthuwun)
      …
      see Albums

  • Feature

    Requirements

    During the design phase, the product manager and the developers categorize the requirements as

    • Must have
    • Nice to have.

    During extensive testing and often much later, bugs (of varying severity) show up. Some subtle errors are dubbed “features”.

    Facebook

    In group photos with Yours Truly, Facebook would tag me as my brother. The error might be due to the

    • Imperfect facial recognition system
    • Unintentional tagging by some user hitting the wrong key when asked to tag
    • Guesstimate (“guess estimate”) algorithm to “match” faces and names (in the post)

    I would often get friend requests from questionable Facebook users.

    • There are several who belong to 50+ groups.
      Not sure whether they are Robots, Spammers or People with lots of free time
    • The meaning of a friend (e.g. A friend in need is a friend indeed) has been “downgraded”.
    • Some have no photos and bare info on their timeline / profile.

    The “View As” feature contributed to an opportunity for data miners, hackers and crackers.