6 December 2010
6 December 2010
BAT-SHIT CRAZIES AND STILL A DEVIL…
1608 by Jeff Hess6 December 2010
LARRY SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSPECTIVE…
0630 by Jeff HessFrom my dad, of course…
The math teacher saw that Larry wasn’t paying attention in class. She called on him and said, “Larry! What are 2 and 4 and 28 and 44?”
Larry quickly replied, “NBC, FOX, ESPN and the Cartoon Network!”
5 December 2010
ALL FOR ONE OR ALL FOR EACH OTHER…?
2130 by Jeff HessMYANMAR/BURMA — One tragic legacy of British colonialism is the struggle between distinctly ethnic peoples cobbled together in artificial nation states that must then struggle find an identity that allows them to achieve cohesion or fly apart into non-colonial states based on local and not European models. The ultimate separation of colonial India into three states — India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is but one example.
Colonial Burma, now Myanmar, is another deep within the fight to decide if a post Second World War union can survive.
From the Asian Tribune:
[Aung San Suu Kyi’s] courage and sincerity, inherited from her father can be vividly seen when she tackle the most crucial and sensitive question of the Union of the country, which the Burmese Tatmadaw [military] since under Ne Win has try to wreck it by imposing the Mahar Bama/Myanmar spirit on the ethnic nationalities and endeavour to treat the ethnic nationalities as a conquered race rather than an equal partner.
One could recollect that it was Aung San’s vision of a federal union, shared by the ethnic leaders of that time, which gives birth to the modern Union of Burma, to be exact on Feb.12th 1947, better known as the Panglong Conference. But with the early death of Aung San, this Concordat was never realised and instead was followed by more than half a century of civil war that still goes on to this day. Furthermore, successive military regimes have identified the federal movement as a threat to their hold on power. This was also a major pretext for the military coup in 1962 by late dictator Ne Win, who claimed that he supposedly saved the country from disintegration. Many interpreted as the by product of conflict of interests over constitutional principles between Myanmar and non Myanmar nationals.
Now, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s efforts to organize “an ethnic conference in conformity with the 21st Century.” which is label as “second Panglong”—a meeting of ethnic leaders and other relevant stakeholders will not only solve the problem of Burma of laying down the basic democratic principles but will also guaranteed the rights of the ethnic nationalities, somewhat like killing two birds with a stone. It is on this bold and correct platform she has place herself. However, many of the Myanmar/Burman, even among the pro democratic groups, still harbours the Mahar Myanmar spirit and are trying to prevent it by giving a lame excuse that it was too delicate and touchy. Hence she will have to take on, the evil Tatmadaw, the Mahar Burman/Myanmar spirit and of course some of the racist ethnic leaders at the same time.
The West cannot, indeed must not, have a dog in this hunt. The various ethnic people’s, working from positions of equality, must decide if union is in their own best interests. I can’t begin to consider how they might ultimately decide.
Do what you can to make this a good morning, Myanmar.
5 December 2010
5 December 2010
4 December 2010
ONLY THE UNLOVED HATE… REALLY…?
2130 by Jeff HessMYANMAR/BURMA — On the brink of what would be a great darkness in human history, not the greatest certainly, but great nonetheless, Charlie Chaplin attempted to use ridicule to turn a tsunami. He failed. People who found violence repugnant picked up the weapons of war and defeated those Chaplin rightly called brutes and were changed for the worse as a result, their sacrifices extending far beyond VE and VJ days.
David Calleja sees a model for Aung San Suu Kyi in Chaplin’s anonymous Jewish barber.
From Foreign Policy Journal:
In Charlie Chaplin’s satirical look at World War 2, The Great Dictator, the comic genius lampoons Adolf Hitler in his memorable role as Adenoid Hynkel, leader of the Double Cross. More touching, however, is his character of a Jewish barber fleeing a German concentration camp for the Austrian border and getting mistaken as Hynkel. Refusing the title of emperor, all he wants is peace and an end to unnecessary fighting. His impassioned plea of asking everybody to stop fighting is not only a cinematic masterstroke for its time, but is still relevant today. Chaplin’s final call for everybody to lay down their arms for the true meaning of democracy is moving.
Wouldn’t’t it be great if such a storyline could be replicated so that a country like Burma could be rid of its tyrants and dictators? Imagine the country’s military leaders and armed forces agreeing to lay down their arms for the sake of peace, and begin talking openly with monks, civilians, and political opponents — particularly the recently freed Aung San Suu Kyi — about developing a real framework for democracy; one acceptable to all Burmese, where the constitution would allow for the military to serve Burma in the spirit intended by the nation’s founding father of independence, General Aung San, rather than have the national army fighting several wars at once with its own people. If Senior-General Than Shwe would take the time to watch The Great Dictator, he may just learn something about the consequences of his vanity and obsession with ruling with an iron fist.
Burma is a land with resolute, friendly residents who can do little more than watch as their once bountiful lands are stripped bare of its natural resources. Its ‘new’ parliament will be dominated by the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party after their emphatic victory in farcical circumstances, claiming more than 75 per cent of the votes. The few parties representing ethnic minorities will not be able to forge an effective alliance, although the possibility of the USDP courting an ethnic party for token representation may yet still arise. A quarter of the seats in Burma’s parliament are reserved for the military, where a minimum of 75 per cent parliamentary majority must be secured for any changes to the constitution must be made. Yet there is one voice of hope that gives us all something to savor – the release of Aung San Suu Kyi on November 12.
I don’t see it.
Do what you can to make this a good morning, Myanmar.
4 December 2010
4 December 2010
3 December 2010
GONE THINKING…
1730 by Jeff Hess
From 1730 today until 1830 tomorrow, I will be off-line. There will be no new posts during this time, nor will I be checking email. Go for a walk. Have coffee with a friend. Read a book.
3 December 2010
WORKIN’ THE TAGS…
0727 by Jeff Hess
Back in September I began to make serious use of Tags as part of my strategy for increasing readership at Have Coffee Will Write. Based on a three-month test, Tags are well worth the extra few seconds it takes to put together a decent string. For the three month prior to the beginning of my test, Have Coffee Will Write averaged 7,433 unique visitors per month. For the three most recent months that number has jumped to 11,000, a nearly 50 percent increase.
For the record, my other blog, The Writing On The Wal, has seen similar results.
Thank you to all who took the time to stop in, to read, and the very special friends who invested the time to share a view so that I can keep Have Coffee Will Write a place for dinner-time conversation with a few good friends.
Remember, we build our communities with our conversations.
3 December 2010
3 December 2010
2 December 2010
WHY IS THE WORLD NOT BUYING…?
2130 by Jeff HessMYANMAR/BURMA — Myanmar has a thriving rice, bean and fishery product export econonmy. At least it did before the 7 November sham election which a silly attempt was made to remove the uniforms from the military dictators makng up the power structure and lay a mantle of civilian legitimacy on their shoulders. The world didn’t buy the election and now the world isn’t buying Myanmar’s major exports.
The link is a weak one, however, with a falling United States dollar and general economic conditions in the aftermath of the Great Recession, more likely causes.
From The Irrawaddy:
The export of rice, beans and fishery products in Burma has dropped sharply in the aftermath of the country’s November election, according to business sources.
“We have to send samples of rice, beans and sesame to foreign countries before we can actually export them. But, since late November we haven’t been able to send as much as before—the order has dropped by half,” the manager of an export business told The Irrawaddy.
He said that the steady fall in the value of the US dollar has impacted earnings from exports and some businessmen have chosen to temporarily stop or reduced the amount of exports while waiting for a better opportunity to engage in trade.
Do what you can to make this a good morning, Myanmar.
2 December 2010
1 December 2010
SETTLING FOR LESS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE…
2130 by Jeff HessMYANMAR/BURMA — America’s socialist left died of old age and Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement is in danger of the same end.
This may be the greatest challenge for Aung San Suu Kyi.
Do what you can to make this a good morning, Myanmar.
