Category: Concept

K – O
by Hla Min

Updated : Aug 2025

Kha Lay

In Burmese, it means child.

Kha Lay Ba Wa means childhood. The days of the innocent childhood became a theme of the song composed by Sai Kham Leik and sung by Sai Htee Saing.

We had a Kha Lay Ah Thinn (Children’s Club).

Kindness

Random acts of kindness may be reciprocated even by seemingly bad people.
My father volunteered at a “Bain Phut Ah Thin” for rehabilitating opium addicts. He gave a rehabilitated addict some money to pay for the fare back home. It was an act of random kindness.
During the Second World War, my parents and his siblings decided to take refuge at Neikbeinda Hills in Prome. My father sent his assistant ahead of him. Unfortunately, the assistant encountered a group of bandits. He pleaded the bandits not to take away his saya’s possessions. When the bandit leader learned that the saya was my father, he decided to guard the assistant on the way to the Neikbeinda Hills.
The leader also offered a surprise gift — a box of condensed milk — for my father.
Language
- Burmese language
  Spoken language : Myanmar Sagar
  Written language : Myanmar Sar
  Burmese language processing
- Chomsky hierarchy of languages
- Classification
- Computer language
- Dictionary
- Font — Zawgyi (not Unicode compliant); Pyidaungsu & others (which are Unicode compliant)
- Grammar — Myanmar Thadda by U Pe Maung Tin
- Idiom
- Keyboard
- Language processing
- Natural language
- Natural language processing
- Programming language
- Proverb
- Syntax
  Abstract syntax
  Concrete syntax
- Semantics
  Axiomatic semantics
  Denotational semantics
  Operational semantics
- Pragmatics
- Spelling
  Spelling checker
- Thesaurus
- Typewriter
- Word processor
Leader
- Do not repeat the same mistake
- Ego-less leader
- Lead by example
- Make as many mistakes as possible (to gain experience)
- Pull (instead of Push)
- Servant leader
Learning
- Fun with Learning
- Life Long Learning
- Tips
Level
- Advanced : High
- A-level (GCE) : Advanced Level
- AP : Advanced Placement
- Basic : Beginner : Introduction : Low : Primary
- General Honors
- Intermediate : Medium : Middle
- O-Level (GCE) : Ordinary Level
- Special Honors
Library
- Private
- Public
- University
- National
Like
- Before Facebook introduced emojis, some users overused the “Like” button.
- I was puzzled to see Likes in an Obituary posting.
  Shouldn’t one be sad?
- Are some users clicking “Like” without reading if the posting is current or old, and if the contents are really likeable.
Literary Talks
- Myanmar
- Irrawaddy Literary Festival
Logic
- 2VL : Two Valued Logic
- 3VL : Three Valued Logic
- ALU : Arithmetic Logical Unit
- Fuzzy Logic
- Logic Theorist
- Logical constant
- Logical expression
- Logical variable
- Predicate : Predicate Calculus
- Proposition : Propositional Calculus
Lokathana, Venerable

U Lokanatha
- U Lokanatha (1897 – 1966) was an Italian Chemist in USA.
- He received a book (containing Dhammapada) from his supervisor for Christmas present.
- After reading the Dhammapada, he decided to quit his job and become a Buddhist monk in Asia.
- He spent his life practicing and preaching in Burma & going on Dhamma Duta missions to neighboring countries.
- My grandmother donated a monastery in Bawdigone, Rangoon.
Loss
- Loss of manuscripts
  Daw Khin Mya Mu
- Lossless compression
- Lossy comprehension
- Win-Lose
- Win-Tie-Lose
- Agony of some second place finishers
  Buzz Aldrin
  Post-doc in Physics at the University of Iowa
Malware
- Malicious software industry is responsible for losses (in down time, data corruption, identity theft) in the billions.
- According to one report, the industry is more profitable and safer than the drug dealing.
- The penalty of offenders for malicious software is “peanuts” (e.g. little or no jail time) compared to drug dealers (e.g. life imprisonment and death penalty) in most countries.
Mathematics
- Discipline
- Curriculum
- Development (Concrete Mathematics, Computational Mathematics)
Mechanical Engineering
- Discipline
- U Aung Khin
- U Ba Than
- U Kyin Soe
- U San Tun
- U Tin Hlaing
Medical Pioneers
- U Ko Gyi
- U Maung Maung Gyi
- U Ba Than
Memory
- Short term memory
- Long term memory
- Associative memory
- Memory Feats (Tipitaka Sayadaw)
Metallurgy
- Discipline
- U Thit
- Dr. Saw Pru
- Dr. Khin Maung Win
Mining Engineering
- Discipline
- U Soe Khaw
- U Soon Sein
- U Win Kyaing
Models
- Physical model
- Mathematical model
- Computational model
Movies
- Myanmar
- Foreign
- Myanmar Movies Centennial in 2020
Music
- Discipline
- Musical Instruments
- Computer applications
My Dreams
- Dream big; Others can fulfill
- RIT Alumni International
- Saya Pu Zaw Pwe / SPZP
- Oral and Written History
Myanmar
- Myanmar Sagar : Spoken Burmese
- Myanmar Sar : Written Burmese
- Word Processing
- Unicode compliance
National Foreign Language Center
- Projects
- Burmese Language Project (Reading, Listening)
News
- Breaking news — Stop Press in early newspapers
- Censorship
- Current news
- Does not stand for “North, East. West, South” or “Notable Events, Weather, Sports”
- Facts
  Fact checking
- Fake news
  Biased report
  Rumor
- Internet
- News Agency
  AFP
  Reuters
  UPI
- News Agency Burma (NAB)
  Burmese section
  English section
- News Media
- Newspapers
  Burmese Newspapers
  English Newspapers
- Noun (not plural of “New”, which is an adjective)
- Online
- Radio
- Reliability
- Television
Number
- Binary number
- Complex number
- Decimal number
- Exponent
- Fermat
- Hexadecimal number
- Hindu-Arabic numeral
- Imaginary number
- Index
- Integer
- Irrational number
- Logarithm
- Mantissa
- Negative number
- Non-negative number
- Notation
- Number Systems
- Number Theory
- Numbered lists
- Octal number
- Positive number
- Power
- Prime number
- Quotient
- Ramanujan
- Rational number
- Real number
- Remainder
- Roman numeral
- Signed
- Symbol
- Ternary number
- Unsigned
- Value
- Zero
NorCal RITAA
- The EC and BOD of Northern California RIT Alumni Association met (at least) quarterly for face-to-face meetings.
- The photo is taken together with spouses and supporters.
- The background vinyl displays our alma mater.
November
- Background
- Events
Obsolescence
- Technical Obsolescence
October
- Calendars
- World Teachers’ Day
- Saya U Ba Than’s birthday
- Halloween and Pumpkin Festival
- Ockoberfest
- Occasional (Thadinkyut and Deepavali)
Option
- One should be aware of “opt-in” versus “opt-out” options.
- Many do not read “fine print”.
August 5, 2025
Notes 2
by Hla Min

Updated : July 2025

Academic Year
- An academic year usually spans two years.
  e.g. 1968 – 1969 academic year
- To save space and time, I use the end year instead of the start year and end year
  e.g. Class of 1969 (or simply Class of 69)
Early Days at Rangoon University
- The Faculty of Engineering accepted students who had completed I.Sc. (two years of Intermediate of Science) with the “Pure Science” option with reasonable marks.
- The engineering classes are named 1st year of Engineering to Final (4th year of Engineering).
- There were no “Instructors” .
  There were Assistant Lecturers, Lecturers and Professors.
  They are “Gazetted Officers”.
- Saya U Ba Hli, first native Dean of Engineering, proposed the Twinning Program between the Faculty of Engineering and prestigious universities in the USA.
U Ba Hli (Right)
- Some engineering students (e.g. Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun, U Maung Maung Than, U Khin Aung Kyi, U Soe Paing) applied for “States Scholar” before graduation. They joined the Faculty upon their return to Burma.
- Some engineering students (e.g. U Sein Hlaing, U Tin Swe, U Allen Htay, Dr. San Hla Aung, U San Tun) joined the faculty upon graduation. They were selected to do post-graduate studies in the USA.
- Saya Dr. Yan Naing Lwin (Professor Emeritus, WIU) e-mailed me a copy of the “Burmese state scholars in the USA ’54”. There were about 400 state scholars including Saya U Sein Hlaing and Saya U Tin Swe.
Sports
- The Halls (e.g. Prome) would aggressively seek outstanding athletes (footballers, tennis players, rowers, …).
- U Chan Tha is Past Captain and Gold of RUBC Gold.
  He was Captain of the Prome Hall Soccer Team which won the Inter-Hall Trophy for two consecutive years.
  Saya U Tin Swe was a member of that victorious team.
New Education System in 1964
- The Rangoon University was reorganized into RASU (Rangoon Arts and Science University) and several Institutes (Economics, Education, Engineering, Medicine …).
- Burma Institute of Technology (BIT) was renamed as Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT).
  U Yone Mo, Dean of BIT, became the Rector of RIT.
- Matriculates were admitted to the 1st BE class using the controversial ILA (Intelligence Level Aggregate).
- Those who had passed I.Sc.(A) examination were admitted to the 2nd BE class based on the total marks.
- Those who had passed I.Sc.(B) examination were admitted to the 3rd BE class (equivalent to the Old 1st Year Engineering class).
- The positions for “Instructors” were created. It meant, most sayas have to wait to become Assistant Lecturers.
Memories
- Ko Benny Tan (M 70) lent me a copy of the “RIT Handbook” for 1966 – 67. I published the list of permanent and part-time sayas and sayamas in one of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” updates.
- Saya U Moe Aung (EE) has old copies of “Hlyat Sit Sar Saung” and RIT Annual magazines.
  He served as Chief Editor for both publications.
- Saya Charlie Kaw (Tex, GBNF) brought to USA projects of his final year students.
GBNF for UCC sayas and alumni
- Dr. Chit Swe (Founder / Director)
- Dr. Tin Maung (Director)
- U Ko Ko Lay (Co-founder)
- U Hla Min (EP70, Chief Operator)
- U Soe Myint (M72, Operations)
- U Maung Maung Gyi (Operations)
- U Maung Maung Lay (Operations)
- U Aung Myint (Systems)
- U Mya Thein (Business Applications)
- U Soe Thein (Business Applications)
- U Kyaw Nyein (Scientific Applications)
- U Win Naing (Scientific Applications)
- U Khin Maung Aye (M73)
- U Shein Soe Myint (EC83)
- U Aung Aung Thein (EE 8x)
- U Thein Tan
- U Hla Aye (Bhaimyar)
- U Myint Aung (Admin)
- Daw Win May Thaung
- Daw Kyu Kyu Lwin
- Daw Hla Hla Win
- Daw Khin Lay Myint (Admin)
- Daw Khin Mya Swe
- Daw Khin Toe Nyein
- Daw Thida Aung
July 24, 2025
Joys of Life
by Hla Min

Update : July 2025

Good Health
- Contemplation
- Diet
- Exercise — May vary with person; Avoid over-exercise
- Good Sleep — Quality is more important than duration
- Meditation
- Rest
- Vacation
Mobility
- Best: No need for walking aid — Cane, Crutches, Wheel chair
- Not bed-ridden
Vision
- Best : No need for eye glasses
- Correction via simple treatment / surgery
- No reliance on special eye drops, magnifying glasses …
Hearing
- Best : No need for hearing aid
- Correction via simple treatment /surgery
Memory
- Good Long term memory
- Good Short term memory
- No Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
Critical Thinking
- Decision Making
- Logical Reasoning
Vitamins F & M

With Saya & Friends
- Family
- Fellowship
- Friendship
- Memories
- Mother
- Myee
Contentment
- Avoid being a Perfectionist
- Do not set unrealistic Goals
- Be a Realist (rather than Optimist or Pessimist)
Alobha အလောဘ
- Non-greed
- Philanthropy
- Sharing is Caring
Adosa အဒေါသ
- Non-hatred
- Loving Kindness, Unbounded Love
- Compassion, Sympathy, Empathy
- Altruistic Joy
Amoha အမောဟ
- Non-delusion
- Data Validation & Processing
- Information Processing
- Knowledge Processing
- Cultivate Wisdom
Comments

U Aung Myaing (ChE72) wrote :

မျက်စိ အရှုံး နားအဆုံး တဲ့။အဓိပ္ပာယ်ကို စူးစမ်းခဲ့တယ်။ အဓိက သံသရာလွတ်ကြောင်းတရားတော်တွေနဲ့ ဒီအဆိုအမိန့် ဆက်စပ်နေပါတယ်။ က်စိမကောင်းလို့ စာမဖတ်နိုင်တော့ရင် စိတ်ရှိတိုင်း မလေ့လာနိုင်တော့တာမို့ ဘဝမှာ “ရှုံး” ပြီလို့ သတ်မှတ်လိုက်တယ်။ ဒါပေမယ့် နားကောင်းသေးတော့ လုံးဝ ဆုံးတာမဟုတ်သေးဘူး။ တရားတော်တွေကို ကြားနာလို့ရသေးလို့။ ဒါပေမယ့် နားလည်းမကြားတော့ဘူးဆိုရင်တော့ တရားတော်တွေကို ဖတ်လို့လည်းမရ။ ကြားနာလို့ မရတော့ ဘဝဆုံးပြီပေါ့။ ကျနော့် ညာဘက်မျက်လုံးက ဆယ်နှစ်ကျော်ကြာ ဆေးထိုးဆေးကုတဲ့ကြားက AMD Age-related Macular Degeneration ဖြစ်သွားတယ်။မှုန်ဝါးဝါးဘဲမြင်ရတယ်။ စာဖတ်မရဘူး။ ဘယ်ဘက်ကို သုံးလတစ်ကြိမ် checkup လုပ်ပြီး ထိန်းသိမ်းနေရတယ်။ စာဖတ်တာ လျှော့လိုက်ရတယ်။ နားကတော့ အလွန်ကောင်း။ တရားတော်တွေကို ကောင်းကောင်းနာကြားနိုင်သေးတယ်။ မရှုံးတရှုံး မဆုံးသေးတဲ့ ဘဝ။

Notes by Hla Min :

Most have Cataracts removed from one or both eyes. A few had Full or Partial transplant of the Cornea. Some had Retina Tear repaired. Glaucoma and several other factors can cause impaired Vision.

Saya U Ba Toke played soccer and was active in the RU Sports Council. In his 70s and early 80s, Saya took weekly walks from his house to the Shwe Dagon pagoda. Aging gradually restricted Saya’s mobility, hearing and eye sight. Saya passed away on December 2, 2020 (the day following the RU Centennial), but a few days short of his Centennial Birthday.

When Saya U Moe Aung encountered problem with his knee during a trip to Upper Burma to attend Ah Hlu of a Khamee Khamet, he composed a poem on “Stationary & Movement” with philosophical musings about Life, Illness and Death. A surgery relieved Saya from the use of wheel chair, but as a high school goalkeeper he values Mobility, Agility & Strength.

Sayagadaw appreciated Saya U Moe Aung’s “Poem Gift” on her birthday.

Bagyee Myat Myo Myint gave “Pon Tu” of the then Marla Hall Thu as a birthday present for his beloved spouse.

Ko Aung Min (M69) used the term Vitamin F in an invitation to the 69er Annual Dinner and Entertainment.

Saya U Moe Aung wrote :

Actually, before suffering from knee pain, I had cataract removed from my left eye some 30 or so years back (couldn’t recall which year) and then from my right eye after a lapse of about 10 years. But, I was lucky, so to speak, that up till the present, haven’t yet encountered any problem whatsoever except the need to change the power lens for a better viewing focus.

U Aung Min (M69) wrote :

I had right eye cornea transplantation 19 years ago, but unsuccessful .
Again cataract removal on left eye
It’s OK up to now.
July 18, 2025
Advice & Thoughts
by Hla Min & Friends

Update : July 2025

Slow Down
- U Aung Min (M69) was worried that I might burn out. He asked me to slow down.
- Completed five decades as a Volunteer. Spent 26 years as an Organizer & Messenger for the RIT Alumni. Want to slow down, but have things to do.
Take Rest
- Some said, “You write more & faster than we can read. Take some rest”.
- Paying back to my benefactors, mentors & alma mater while I am physically & mentally OK.
EAFF 1

EAFF 2

Find Young Helpers
- Some suggested to find young volunteers to help.
- Easier said than done. Not easy to find even paid volunteers. Much difficult to get unpaid volunteers.
Memory
- Some friends & even young people had memory lapses. My young cousin said, “I forgot what I wanted to say”.
- Saw people with various levels of memory problems. At first, one could not recall names & faces of friends. Then, he could not remember his children. Finally, he could not recognize his spouse. Some time later, he passed away.
- Compared to geniuses with phenomenal memory, I am at a lower rung. I am glad that I recall people & events more than the average person. I know thousands of names & people.
Story Tellers
- From Thin Sayas, Myin Sayas and Kyar Sayas, I learned interesting episodes that cannot be read from the history books. Sadly, many good story tellers are GBNF.
Dream
- If one can dream, others can (help) fulfill.
- My first dream was to get sayas and alumni get reconnected physically & virtually. RIT Alumni Newsletter and SPZP-2000 are some realization of that dream.
- My second dream is to compile and publish Oral & Written Histories. As a member of the HMEE project, I was able to realize a part of that dream.
- Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, Dr. V Nyunt Wai, Dr. Khin Maung U, U Khin Maung Zaw & several others have added valuable insights to my posts. I hope the “Tumbleweed effect” will help turn my raw thoughts and writings into memorable articles and may be even e-books and books. It will be a fuller realization of the second dream.
SPZP-2000 Organizers

Worry
- Someone wrote in my autograph : “Worry is like sand in an oyster. A little produces a pearl. Too much kills the animal”.
- I do not worry about Longevity.
- I have seen some people live long lives, but a few were not physically or mentally active for some time. I prefer to have quality of life for our moment on this earth.
Last Journey
- I was emcee for the Last Journeys of Dr. Htay Lwin Nyo and Sayadaw U Silananda.
- There will be no service for my last journey.
HLN

U Silananda
- I gave several Eulogies. I prefer to acknowledge the good deeds of people while they are still alive.
Sharing is Caring
- I am delighted to share my thoughts and experiences — with mentors, colleagues, friends, former students & those who value dissemination of knowledge.
July 12, 2025
Terms used in my posts
by Hla Min

Update : July 2025

A
- A : Architecture
- AAA : Access, Authorization, Accounting
- ABM : American Baptist Mission
- AC : Alternating Current
- ACB : Advanced Communicator Bronze
- ACG : Advanced Communication Gold
- ACS : Advanced Communicator Silver
- ACM : Association of Computing Machinery
- AD : Anno Domino (In the year of our Lord); CE : Common Era
- ADC : Analog to Digital Converter
- AFPFL : Anti Fascist Peoples’ Freedom League (ဖဆပလ)
- AFAIK : As Far As I Know
- Ag : Agricultural Engineering (sub-department of Mechanical Engineering)
- AG : Attorney General; Auditor General
- AGI : Artificial General Intelligence
- AGM : Annual General Meeting
- AI : Artificial Intelligence
- ALB : Advanced Leader Bronze
- ALS : Advanced Leader Silver
- AQ : Adversary Quotient
- ARAE : Amateur Rowing Association of the East
ARAE Regatta
- ASAP : As Soon As Possible
- Auto : Automobile Enginering (sub-department of Mechanical Engineering)
B
- BA : Bachelor of Arts
- BAPS : Burmese American Professional Society
- BARB : Burma Astro Research Bureau (later MARB)
- BASES : Burmese American Society of Engineers & Scientists
- BBS : Burma Broadcasting Service (မြန်မာ့အသံ)
- BC : Before Christ
- BCE : Before Common Era
- BCM : Boston Computer Museum
- BCom : Bachelor of Commerce
- BCS : Burma Civil Service; British Computer Society
- BE : Bachelor Engineering; Burmese Era
- BEA : Burmese Engineers Association
- BEco : Bachelor of Economics
- BERB : Burma Education Research Bureau (later MERB)
- BFF : Best Friends Forever
- BFHA : Bound For Higher Abode
- BIT : Burma Institute of Technology
- BL : Bachelor of Law
- BMH : Base Military Hospital
- BMRI : Burma Medical Research Institute
- BOD : Board of Directors
- BPI : Burma Pharmaceutical Industry; Bits Per Inch
- BS : Bachelor of Science
- B.Sc : Bachelor of Science
- BSPP : Burmese Socialist Program Party
- BTW : By The Way
C
- C : Civil; Celsius
- CA : Chartered Accountant
- CE : Common Era; Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Chief Engineer
- Ch : Chemistry; Chapter; Channel
- ChE : Chemical Engineering
- CHM : Computer History Museum
- CLC : Calcutta Lake Club
- COE : Center of Excellence
- ConBro : Convent & Brother Schools
- CS : Computer Science
- CT : Computer Technology
- CURC : Calcutta University Rowing Club; Cambridge University Rowing Club
D
- DAC : Diploma in Automatic Computing; Digital to Analog Converter
- DC : Direct Current
- DCA : Directorate of Civil Aviation
- DCS : Department of Computer Science; Dr. Chit Swe
- DG : Director General
- DHE : Directorate of Higher Education
- DLS : De La Salle
- DST : Daylight Savings Time
- DTM : Distinguished Toastmaster
E
- E : Electrical; Exponent
- EC : Electrical Communications; Executive Committee
- Ece : Electrical Communications; Electronics Engineering
- Eco : Economics Department; Institute of Economics
- EE : Electrical Engineering
- EI : Electrical Inspectorate; Emotional Intelligence
- EP : Electrical Power
- EPC : Electric Power Corporation
F
- F : Fahrenheit
- FEARA : Far East Asia Rowing Association
- FERD : Foreign Economics Relations Department
- FYI : For Your Information
G
- G : Giga
- GBNF : Gone But Not Forgotten
- GJ : Golden Jubilee (Shwe YaDu)
- GWTF : Go With The Flow
- GWYW : Gone With The Wind
H
- HCF : Health Care Fund
- HIC : Heavy Industries Corporation
- HMEE : History of Myanmar Engineering Education
- HSF : High School Final
I
- I.A : Intermediate of Arts
- I. Com : Intermediate of Commerce
- I.Sc : Intermediate of Science
- ICS : Indian Civil Service; Institute of Computer Science
- ICST : Institute of Computer Science and Technology
- ILA : Intelligence Level Aggregate
- IM : Institute of Medicine
- Intake : mostly 1st BE Intake
- IP : Intellectual Property; Internet Protocol
- IQ : Intelligence Quotient
J
- J : Justice (as in CJ : Chief Justice)
- JDK : Java Development Kit
- JIT : Just in Time
- Jr : Junior
K
- K : Kilo
- KB : Knowledge Base; Kilo Byte
- KIS : Keep It Simple (formerly KISS : Keep It Simple Stupid)
L
- LLB: Bachelor of Law
- LLM : Master of Law
M
- M : Master; Mega; Mechanical
- M/Ag : Agricultural (sub-department of Mechanical Engineering)
- M/Auto : Automobile Engineering (sub-department of Mechanical Engineering)
- MA : Master of Arts
- MARB : Myanmar Astro Research Bureau (formerly BARB)
- MASU : Mandalay Arts and Science University
- Matric : Matriculation
- ME : Master of Engineering
- MEHS : Methodist English High School
- MEHSA : MEHS Alumni
- Met : Metallurgy; Metallurgical Engineering
- Min : Mining Engineering
- MIT : Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mandalay Institute of Technology
- MOGE : Myanmar Oil and Gas Exploration
- MS : Master of Science
- M.Sc : Master of Science
N
- N : Nano
- N/A : Not Applicable; Not Available
- NASA : National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- NLD : National League for Democracy
- NorCal : Northern California
- NorCal RITAA : Northern California RIT Alumni Association
O
- OMA : Old Members’ Association
- OPA : Old Paulians’ Association
P
- PBRS : Private Boundary Road School
- Pet : Petroleum Production
- Phy : Physics
- PPBRS : Private Primary Boundary Road School
- PSO : Personal Staff Officer
- PTC : Post and Telecommunications Corporation
- PTS : Pali Text Society
- PWD : Public Works Department
- PZP : Pu Zaw Pwe
Q
- Q&A : Question and Answer
- QE : Queen Elizabeth
- QMC : Queen Mary College
R
- RASU : Rangoon Arts and Science University
- RBC : Rangoon Boat Club
- RC : Recreation Center; Regional College; Roman Catholic
- RGC : Rangoon Golf Club
- RIP : Rest In Peace
- RIT : Rangoon Institute of Technology
- RITAA : RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association
- RU : Rangoon University
- RUBC : Rangoon University Boat Club
- RUESU : Rangoon University Engineering Students’ Union
- RUSU : Rangoon University Students’ Union
S
- Sc : Science
- SDY : Swel Daw Yeik
- SDYF : Swel Daw Yeik Foundation
- SPARK : Society for the Promotion and Advancement of Radio Knowledge
- SPHS : Saint Paul’s High School
- SPZP : Saya Pu Zaw Pwe
T
- T : Tera; Textile
- TBA : To Be Announced
- TBD : To Be Decided
- TBSA : Theravada Buddhist Society of America
- TDS : Theravada Dhamma Society
- TM : Trade Mark; Turing Machine
- TMC : Tathagata Meditation Center
- TTC : Teachers’ Training College
U
- UBA : Union of Burma Airways
- UBARI : Union of Burma Applied Research Institute
- UCC : Universities’ Computer Center
- UCSY : University of Computer Studies Yangon
- UN : United Nations
- UNDP : United Nations Development Program
- Update : RIT Alumni International Newsletter Update
- UTC : University Training Corps
V
- VM : Virtual Machine
- VNW : Victor Nyunt Wai
- VR : Virtual Reality
W
- WP : Word Processor; Word Processing
X
- XP : eXtreme Programming
Y
- YIT : Yangon Institute of Technology
- YTU : Yangon Technological University
- YUBC : Yangon Universities’ Boat Club (formerly RUBC)
- YUFL : Yangon University of Foreign Languages (formerly IFL)
Z
- Z : Zillion
Alphanumeric
- 69er : Class of 69++
July 7, 2025
Stamps, Notes & Fees
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Stamps
- For Postal Service
- For Legal Documents
- For commemorating Events
Sample Stamps

Two Kyat Stamp

U Thant Stamp

RU Diamond Jubilee Stamp

50th Anniversary National Day

First Day Cover

Notes

One Rupee (ကျပ်)

One Rupee (ကျပ်)

Ten Kyat Note
- After Independence, Burma transitioned from the use of Rupee to Kyat.
- Before inflation, small value notes — K1, K5 & K10 — were used in daily transactions (e.g shopping).
- After hyper-inflation, large value notes — K5000, K10000 — are needed in daily transactions.
- A hospital bill or even a restaurant bill may show several Lakhs .
Fees
- During our student days and even in our early working days, we had to sign and affix a fifteen-pya stamp to a receipt.
- Some legal documents need stamps of Two Kyats (or more).
School Feed
- School fees was 15 Kyats or less per month.
- At RIT, we had to pay 30 Kyats every two months. Since I received Collegiate Scholarship of 75 Kyats per month, I had 60 Kyats pocket money every month.
- That changed slightly, when we we asked to buy “Thuda Padetha Magazine” for 5 Kyats.Still, it was good enough.
Cost of Lunch
- We would collectively order food. Without voracious eaters, each person would pay about one kyat.
- Lime juice costs 15 – 20 pyas.
- Butheegyaw 5 – 10 pyas.
- Banana one for 15 pyas; two for 25 pyas.
A Decade Ago
- My elder sister took me on a pilgrimage trip to Upper Burma.
- There were different kinds of fees : bridge tolls, fees to enter a town.
- The price depends upon the type of car. In one instance, the fee was K400. We gave a K500 note and got back a “tha-gya-lone” (သကြားလုံး candy supposedly worth K100).
Decline of Purchasing Power
- I received 15 to 50 kyats for my writings — poem, article, translation
- How things have changed.
- Sad to note the declining worth of money and disappearance of Bogyoke Aung San’s picture (during the Adhamma Era) and signatures of Maung Kaung & San Lin to guarantee the notes.
Exchange rates
- When we were young, 1 US$ was exchanged at 5 – 6 kyats. We bought books (text books & magazines) at the rate of 6 Kyats.
- In the late 80s, one $ was exchanged at 50+ kyats.
- The exchange rate ballooned to several thousand kyats.
June 30, 2025
Aging

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Senior

I felt uncomfortable to be addressed as “Ah Ba”, “Pho Pho” and to be offered assistance (e.g. wheelchair).

I now feel OK to use wheelchair at air ports and to have people assist me when I climb up & down hill slopes. I had a couple of bike rides on dirt roads.

I enjoy senior discounts for trains, buses & restaurants.

I hope that my mental faculties will remain sharp and strong.

Jara (old age) caught even the sport stars like Sayagyi U Ba Toke.

Sayagyi U Ba Toke

Phwa Bet Taw

Saya is a Phwa Bet Taw of Rangoon University and the first Rangoon University Students’ Strike in December 1920.

SPZP-2000

In 2000, Theingi (Saya’s youngest daughter) conveyed us Saya’s wishes to attend SPZP-2000. U Maung Maung Than (M79, Texas) had donated a round trip ticket. Several sayas & alumni donated expenses. Details can be found in “Count down to the Reunion” articles.

SPZP-2000

Birthdays

Saya 2

He celebrates his birthdays with his children, grandchildren & great-grandchildren.

Saya‘s birthday

Longevity

Saya gave a speech in SPZP-2007 about “Longevity”. He visited a house in USSR where the 80+ year old host explained about the noise up stairs. “Don’t worry. It’s my 100+ year old uncle quarelling with his fourth wife. They will make amends.”

Garawa

During my visits to Yangon, I paid respect to Saya.

U Ohn Khine (M70) gave me a ride in 2012. Saya gave us autographed book. We enjoyed Sayagyi’s accounts. He was a football star, a leader of the Burma Olympic Delegation, and an excellent teacher. Up to his early 80s, he could walk to the Shwe Dagon pagoda with his friends. In his 90s, Sayagyi lost some mobility, eye sight and hearing, but he was determined to attend SPZPs.

Book

In 2016, Saya’s son U Ye Myint and daughter Daw Thynn Thynn (Pansy) made arrangements to give us rides to and back from Saya’s house.

U Ba Toke

In 2018, I called Ma Theingi and asked about Sayagyi. She mentioned that Sayagyi is healthy but because he had lost most teeth, she has to listen carefully to grasp his message.

Saya passed away on December 2, 2020. It was the day after RI U Centennial. It was a few days short of his Centennial Birthday on December 26.

U Ba Toke 2

U Ba Toke 3

U Ba Toke 5

June 29, 2025
Notes 9
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

U Lun (Thakin Kodaw Hmaing)

National College
- Principal of Ah Myo Tha Kaw Leik (National College)
- See posts (e.g Dec 1920)
U Than Tun

U Than Tun 1

U Than Tun 2
- Father of Errol (Bobby, Myo Tun, Ashin Pannagavesaka, A69), Harold & Archie
- Passed away in his late 90s.
- See posts (e.g Than (Names))
U Ba Khin

U Ba Khin
- Matriculated from St. Paul’s High School and was First in the whole of Burma.
- First native Auditor General.
  Managed four Directorates.
- Renowned Vipassana teacher from Ledi Dhamma Lineage.
  His teacher : Saya Thet.
  His disciple : S N Goenka.
- See posts (e.g Matriculation, Vipassana)
U Thein Oo

U Thein Oo
- Ttransferred from Commerce Department, Institute of Economics to Universities’ Computer Center (UCC)
- Founded MCC with U Tin Win Aung & Ace with his spouse Daw Than Than Tint.
- Past President of Myanmar Computer Federation (MCF)
- See posts (e.g Memories of UCC)
Dr. Thein Htut & Dr. Nyunt Win

Drs. Nyunt Win & Thein Htut
- Dr. Thein Htut is the son of Colonel Min Sein and Dr. Daw Yin May (first Triple Fellow).
  He is RUBC Gold.
- Dr. Nyunt Win (Eddie Tha Win) is the grandson of U Po Sa.
- They moved to Australia.
- Dr. Nyunt Win is now GBNF.
- See posts (e.g Doctors, Rowing)
Theikpan Maung Wa

Theikpan Maung Wa
- ICS U Sein Tin
- First student in Masters course for Burmese at Rangoon University
- Author
- Co-founded Khit San Sar Pay with Zawgyi (U Thein Han) and Minthuwun (U Wun)
- See posts (e.g Burmese Language)
San Shwe Myint

San Shwe Myint
- Character created by Cartoon Myint Thein
- See posts (e.g Cartoons & Cartoonists)
Pathan (Relations)

Pathan
- By Ashin Nandamarlabhivansa (Ph.D)
- See posts (e.g Abhidhamma)
Pediatricians

Pediatricians
- Credit: Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint
- See posts (e.g Pioneers)
RASU Rowing

RASU
- Credit: Dr. Nyan Taw
- See posts (e.g Regattas)
Roll of Honor

Donors
- Donors for YTU Library Modernization
- See posts (e.g Dana, Library)
UNSG (United Nations Secretary General)
- U Thant was the 3rd UNSG and the First Asian UNSG.
- See posts (e.g Burma’s Son)
University Athletes

RU Athletes
- They represented Burma in the Second SEAP Games (Rangoon, December 1961)
- Credit: Dr. Richard Yu Khin
- See posts (e.g Mra Brothers)
U Wun

U Wun 1

U Wun 2
- Laureate Poet — Minthuwun
- Lexicographer — မြန်မာအဘိဓာန်
- Co-founder of Khit San Sar Pay with Zawgyi (U Thein Han) and Theikpan Maung Wa (ICS U Sein Tin)
- Head, RU Translation
- Burmese Professor at RU
- Visiting Professor at Osaka University
- See posts (e.g Three Kavi)
U Kyaw Mya Thein

U Kyaw Mya Thein
- Taught at Physics Department, Rangoon University.
- Wrote “Kar Ku La Thinchar” (Calculus text in Burmese).
- Retired as Pro-Rector of ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology)
- See posts (e.g Memories of UCC)
U Kyaw Myint (DHE)

Foundation
- Retired as DG of DHE.
- The photo was taken at a fundraiser for his Foundation.
- See posts (e.g Foundations)
June 19, 2025
Uniform
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Meaning & Usage
- It may mean “one form”.
- One may study Uniform Distribution in Probability & Statistics.
- Some schools may mandate their students to wear uniform on specified days (and may be every day).
- Bogyoke Aung San and U Thant had a debate on Uniform during their University days.
SPHS

SPHS Uniform

During our younger days, we had to perform drill at the School Sports and at the Aung San Stadium for specified events (e.g. Education Day Celebration). We had to dress up in uniform.

The full uniform consisted of
- Kakki pants
- Long sleeved white shirt
- Necktie
- Badge
- Coat
SPHS Blazer & Badge

Burmese Dress for Males
- Pasoe ပုဆိုး (or Longyi လုံခြည်)
- Taik Pon တိုက်ပုံ
- Gaung Baung ခေါင်းပေါင်း
The formal dress may be worn at functions (e.g. Award Presentation Ceremony).

U Nu

PPBRS Concert

Sailor
- Aung Myint (later Thamankyar Ko Myint) & Toe Nyunt were wearing Sailor uniform
Engineering College

C58

Sayagyi U Ba Hli is seen in photos wearing a uniform.

U Ba Hli

UTC

Those joining UTC (Universities’ Training Corps) were two sets of old uniforms. Most prefer to buy or order their own.

UTC

RUBC

Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) awards Half Green, Full Green and Gold. RUBC specifies Dress Code for the award winners.

RUBC 1

RUBC 2

Graduation

The Admin, Staff and graduates dress up in specified uniforms (e.g gown & cap)

USA Sports

In the USA, sports team have at least two sets of uniforms: one for playing at Home, and another for playing away.
June 18, 2025
Notes
by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Alphabet

Burmese Alphabet
- Ka, Kha, Ga …
Burmese

English Alphabet
- Upper case; A to Z
- Lower case : a to z
Greek Alphabet
- Alpha to Omega
- Used in Science texts
Pali
- Spoken language
- Written in various scripts including Burmese, Thai and Sinhalese.
- PTS (Pali Text Society) uses Romanized Pali.
Pali Dictionary

Pyu Alphabet

Pyu

Bhamaso Taya
- Metta
  Loving Kindness, Unbounded Love
- Karuna
  Compassion
- Mudita
  Altruistic Joy, Sympathetic Joy
- Uppekkha
  Equanimity
Buddhism

Buddha
- The Blessed One, the Worthy One, and the Fully Enlightened One
- Nine Qualities of the Buddha
Dhamma
- Teachings of the Buddha
- Tipitaka (Three Baskets) ; Vinaya, Sutta, Abhidhamma
- Five Nikayas
- Six Qualities of the Dhamma
Sangha
- Monastic Order of the Buddha
- Nine Qualities of the Sangha
Vinaya
- Monastic Rules of Conduct
Sutta
- Discourses
Abhidhamma
- Ultimate Reality
Pali Texts
- Canon
- Commentary
- Sub-commentary
Buddhist Councils
- Six — According to the Theravada tradition
- First, Second and Third — Oral tradition (held in India)
- Fourth — Written texts (Compiled in Ceylon / Sri Lanka)
- Fifth — Mandalay (to celebrate 2400th Sasana Era)
- Sixth — Kaba Aye, Rangoon (to celebrate 2500th Sasana Era)
Books
- What the Buddha Taught
  by Dr. Rahula Walpole
  Translation by U Kelasa
- In His Own Words
  by Bikkhu Bodhi
  Course / book by U Silananda
Burmese
- Burmese Language
  Spoken Burmese (Myanmar Sagar)
  Written Burmese (Myanmar Sar)
- Burmese Department
  Myanmar (Burma)
  Overseas
- Burmese Sayas
  U Pe Maung Tin,
  U E Maung,
  U Wun
  U Thein Han
  U Chan Mya
- Khit San Sar Pa
  ICS U Sein Tin (Theikpan Maung Wa)
  U Thein Han (Zawgyi)
  U Wun (Minthuwun)
- Burmese Language Commission
  Bohmu Ba Thaung
  U San Lwin
- Text books
  Kindergarten
  Primary School
  Middle School
  High School
  University
- References
  Dictionary (Abhidan)
  Encyclopedia (Swel Sone Kyan)
  Grammar (Thadda)
  Proverbs (Sagar Pone)
  Spelling (Thutt Pone)
- Publications –
  Cartoons
  Comics
  Journals
  Magazines
  Newspapers
  Novels
  Sar Saungs
Calendar
- Old Roman Calendar
  Ten “working” months (from March to December)
- Later Roman Calendars
  Twelve months (from January to December)
- Julian Calendar
- Gregorian Calendar
Child
- Khalay
- Khalay Ah Thinn (Association)
- Child Psychology
- Piaget
Fun
- Fun with Learning
  Facebook group
- Fun with English
  Definitions
  Palindrome
  Tongue Twister
  Word Games (Crossword puzzle, Lexicon, Scrabble, Anagram, Jumbled phrase)
- Fun with Mathematics
  Paradox
  Puzzles
- Fun with Physics
  Online course
Maths
- Saya U Aung Hla
  In 1950 – 52, Saya U Aung Hla was Dean of Arts. He was also Professor of Maths. He is an expert in music, and wrote notes for selected Burmese songs. His spouse Daw May Than is a vocalist. His son U Mya Than is a Guitarist and Pianist.
- Maths Department
  In the early days, the Maths Department was under the Faculty of Arts. Later, Maths Department was under the Faculty of Science.
- Options (offered in different periods) at Rangoon University
  Pure Maths
  Applied Maths
  Double Maths : Pure & Applied
  Triple Maths : Pure, Applied & Statistics
My Contributions
- Five decades as Volunteer of various organizations and projects
- 26 years as Founder & Chief Editor of RIT Alumni International Newsletter
  Silver Jubilee in 2024
- Member, HMEE (History of Myanmar Engineering Education). U Ohn Khine and I compiled the CD Supplement for the HMEE Book in 2012
- 220+ Videos (on selected topics) : Broadcast in 2019 and 2020
- 3000+ Articles
  in my web site hlamin.com
- Former Moderator of RU Centennial Facebook Group
  Overview of RU Centennial Group (Posts)
  Countdown to RU Centennial (Posts)
  Photo Essays and Photo Albums
- Memories
  Memories of PPBRS (Private Primary Boundary Road School)
  Memories of SPHS (St. Paul’s High School)
  Memories of RIT (Rangoon Institute of Technology)
  Memories of UCC (Universities’ Computer Center)
- Contributor
  Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife
- Language Expert
  Burmese Language Project, NFLC, University of Maryland at College Park
- Contributing Editor, Dhammanda Newsletter
- Contributing Editor, “Homage to U Silananda”
- Contributing Editor, Souvenir Magazine for RUBC 90th Anniversary
- Contributing Editor, BAPS Newsletter
- Bilingual Author
- Wrote and translated Poems and Articles
- Interpreter, Meditation Retreats
- Edited books of Sayadaws and colleagues
New Year
- Gregorian Calendar
  January 1st
- Lunar New Year
  aka “Chinese New Year” and “Tet”
  January or February
- Persian New Year
  aka “First day of Spring”
  around March 21
- Myanmar New Year
  aka “Thingyan”
  Mid April
  cf : Songkran in Thailand
- Karen New Year
- Bringing in the New Year
  Celebrations of New Year’s Eve (December 31)
  e.g. Dropping the ball at Times Square in New York
Olympics
- Ancient Games
  Mount Olympus, Greece
- Modern Olympic Games
  proposed by Pierre de Coubertin
  Early period : amateurs only
  Later : commercialized (sponsors, hosts, professional athletes …)
- Summer Olympics
  Breaks during the World War
  Postponed during the Pandemic
- 1936 Berlin
- 1948 London
- 1952 Helsinki
- 1956 Melbourne
- 1960 Rome
- 1964 Tokyo
- 1968 Montreal
- 1972 Munich
- 1976 Montreal
- 1980 Moscow
- 1984 Los Angeles
- 1988 Seoul
- 1992 Barcelona
- 1996 Atlanta
- 2000 Sydney
- 2004 Athens
- 2008 Beijing
- 2012 London
- 2016 Rio de Janerio
- 2020 Scheduled for Tokyo
  Postponed to 2021 due to pandemic
- 2024 Paris
- Winter Olympics
Sleep
- Conventional
  8 hours (for adults)
  more (for infants)
- Could/ should vary with person
  e.g. my uncle slept 4 hours, but he had power naps in the day
- Rationale for sleep
  Rest
  “Clean up garbage” in the brain
  Activities by the Subconscious (e.g. problem solving)
- Sleep studies
  Dream
  Sleep Apnea (Breathing difficulties)
  Monitor brain (for a specified period)
  Effect of duration (too little, too much)
  Effect of rhythm (specified time to go to sleep)
- Miscellaneous
  Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise
  The story of Pauk Kyaing
Thet Kyee Sayas and Alumni
- Sayagyi U Ba Toke
  Phwa Bet Taw of Rangoon University in December 1920
  Book about his life and achievements by Dr. Khin Maung Swe (Maung Thin Char, GBNF)
  Saya of our sayas
  Passed away on December 2, 2020 (the day after the RU Centennial Celebrations) but a few days short of his Centennial on December 26.
U Ba Toke
- U Thein Han (96 years)
  Worked as Systems Engineer for IBM Burma
  Active doing exercises and sharing memories / posts
U Thein Han
- U Tin U (96 years)
  Joined Rangoon University in 1946 along with Dr. Pe Nyun, Dr. Pe Thein and U Sein Hlaing.
  Former part time Lecturer at Civil Engineering Department;
  Oldest and Most senior among Past Captains of Rangoon University Boat Club that are still alive;
  Opened the RUBC Centennial Ceremony in December 2023,
  Past Captain of Rangoon Golf Club;
  Lost his beloved spouse Dr. Daw Khin Nyunt, his eldest son Dr. Khin Tun (Peter, MRCP, Former Associate Dean of Oxford University) and his son-in-law U Tin Tun within a few months (late 2019 to May 2020)
U Tin U
- U Ba Than (94 years)
  Won Collegiate Scholarship in 1947;
  Gold Medalist for highest score in Intermediate Examinations for 1948 and 1949;
  Retired as Professor and Head of Mechanical Engineering;
  Early supporter of HMEE-2012 (History of Myanmar Engineering Education)
  Now GBNF
U Ba Than
- Other Thet Kyees
  Several of my sayas, sayamas, relatives and friends are 90+ years young.
Time
- Clock / Watch
  Mechanical, Electro-mechanical, Electrical, Atomic
- Calendar
  Various types
- Time and Motion Study
  Kenneth and Lillian Gilbraith
- Time Management
- Five minute biographies
- One minute manager
- Early responder
  within 4 or 5 minutes
- Gettysburg Address
  less than 2 minutes
- TED Talk
  less than 18 minutes
- Toastmaster Speech
  typically 5 to 7 minutes
- Sports
  Timing
  Records
To Err Is Human
- “To err is human, but to make blunders use a computer indiscriminately.”
- Some software “auto-corrects” words incorrectly.
- In our younger days, there was a good Scrabble player named James Thet Wai (Proof Reader for the Guardian newspaper).
- Burmese publications have language experts (Burmese, English, Pali).
- Before the Internet, the production of a good book requires the expertise of editors and reviewers. Even then, some typos and discrepancies can appear.
  e.g A reference book described Rajiv Gandhi as the “younger” son of Indira Gandhi.
- Note that articles on the Internet / Social Media — with lax reviews — can have typos and errors.
  An entry on Dr. Ba Than lists Dr. Aung Than as his son.
  Another article claimed that Prof. U E Maung was “Bagyi Aung”.
  One author did not know the time line / order of Arzani Nay and the assassination of ICS U Tin Tut.
- It is important to check facts (especially historical dates & events) and provide correction.
YMBA
- Young Men’s Buddhist Association
- Illustrated History of Buddhism
  Mahagandayone Sayadaw Ashin Janakabhivamsa (Author);
  Saya U Ba Kyi (Artist)
  First edition : Myanmar text
  Supplement : English text
  Reprint: Theravada Buddhist Society of America
YMCA
- Young Men’s Christian Association
- N. Smith — Invented Basketball
- Dale Carnegie — How to win friends and influence people; How to stop worrying and start living;
  How to improve your diction
- Dr. Ralph Smedley — Public Speaking and Leadership; Precursor to Toastmasters International
Zero

Numerals
- Hindu-Arabic numeral : 0
- No such Roman numeral
Miscellaneous
- The Dawn of Nothing
- Positional number system
- 0-based numbering
- Nil; Null; Nothing
- Often used to represent “False” in two-valued logic.
- Absolute Zero (temperature)
- Ground Zero
- Zero in
Zoom

Lens
- Photographers and Videographers often use Zoom lens for special effect.
- The more we grow older the more we have to avoid “zoom camera” to our face.
Zoom In and Zoom Out
- We zoom in when we want to see things in detail.
- We zoom out when we need to see things in the bigger picture.
Teleconferencing
- Zoom is a system for teleconferencing.
- Usage grew dramatically during the pandemic
- Free version; Deluxe version
June 16, 2025