It's been a schizophrenic time for the U.S. solar industry. On the one hand, about $11 billion worth of solar power is set to be installed in 2012, with more than five times that figure in the investment pipeline. Demand for solar power rose eightfold between 2006 and 2011 — from 200 MW to 1,600 MW. Nationally, the solar industry employs some 100,000 Americans, a number that rose by nearly 7% last year — even as overall employment barely grew at all.
Despite those rosy numbers, many U.S. solar companies — especially those that manufacture solar panels and modules — are struggling to survive. Most notably, the solar start-up Solyndra went under in 2011, taking with it over $500 million in government loan guarantees. The Bloomberg Large Solar Energy Index of 17 top solar companies lost more than two-thirds of its value in 2011.
In other words, if you're buying solar panels or running a business installing them, life is good, but if you own a company that actually makes solar equipment in the U.S., you're looking at a lot of red ink. That's because solar power is getting much cheaper — prices for modules have dropped 40% over the past five years. According to some U.S. solar-panel manufacturers, that drop in price is due largely to low-cost imports from Chinese panelmakers. It's not that their manufacturing methods are necessarily better than ours. It's that government support from Beijing and low-cost labor make it easy for China to undercut its U.S. competitors. The result is more and cheaper solar power for Americans — but perhaps less market share for U.S. manufacturers. (See TIME's video "When the World Didn't End, the Solar-Power Boom Began in Stelle, Ill.")
Those concerns prompted the U.S. arm of the German manufacturer SolarWorld AG to file a complaint on behalf of companies that say they're being harmed by unfair Chinese trade policies. The U.S. Department of Commerce has been investigating the complaint and is scheduled to make a decision by March 2 (though the announcement has already been delayed twice). If investigators conclude that Beijing has been unfairly aiding its solar exporters, the government could slap hefty tariffs on imported Chinese panels — as much as 50% to 100% of the modules' value.
It's not yet clear where the U.S. government will come down on the complaint, though it's notable that President Obama announced during last week's State of the Union address that he would create a new Trade Enforcement Unit to speed investigations of unfair trading practices. He specifically mentioned China as a target, noting that his Administration has brought trade cases against Beijing at nearly twice the rate of his predecessor. "I will not stand by when our competitors don't play by the rules," Obama said.

That kind of aggressive posture may be needed, because U.S. solar manufacturers and their workers are indeed getting their butts kicked by China, which already accounts for three-fifths of the world's solar-panel production, most of which is exported to the U.S. and Europe. But while tariffs could help domestic panelmakers — not to mention appealing to an America-first impulse that is especially acute as the economy struggles — the move would raise the overall price for solar power in the U.S. (See "The China-U.S. Solar War Heats Up.")

That, in turn, would hurt consumers who want solar power as well as the U.S. companies that install and maintain the modules. In fact, there's a bit of a civil conflict brewing within the U.S. solar industry over the impending trade war. Many renewable-energy advocates argue that tariffs could backfire, stopping the growth of solar installation in the U.S. just as it's set to really take off, not to mention harming the environment and destroying American jobs.
That's the conclusion of a study commissioned by the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy (CASE) — which opposes the tariffs — and put together by consultants at the Brattle Group. The analysis found that a 100% tariff on imported modules would result in a net loss of as many as 50,000 jobs in the U.S. over the next three years and would cost consumers between $700 million and $2.6 billion. A 50% tariff would eliminate up to 43,000 jobs and cost consumers from $600 million to $2.3 billion. "The analysis makes it clear that tariffs on polysilicon solar cells would be devastating for American workers," says Jigar Shah, the president of CASE and a renewable-energy veteran. "We can't allow one company's anti-China crusade to threaten the U.S. solar industry and tens of thousands of jobs." (See "How an Artificial Leaf Could Boost Solar Power.")
As the range of the forecasts indicates, it's difficult to predict just how major tariffs would affect the U.S. solar industry, and in a statement, a coalition of U.S. solar manufacturers called the study "highly speculative." But we know the impact of tariffs wouldn't be pretty — and you can bet that China, which has already launched its own investigation into U.S. renewable-energy policy, would take measures against U.S. solar exports. "These are not trivial numbers," says Mark Berkman, the author of the report and a principal at Brattle.
Here's the unfortunate truth: for all the talk about renewable energy recharging U.S. manufacturing, the cheapest solar panels will probably be made in China. (Solar panels are quickly becoming a commodity, and China tends to dominate commodity manufacturing.) If solar is going to become more than a rounding error in the global energy budget, it needs to get extremely cheap — but that may leave U.S. factory workers out of luck, although there are plenty of good domestic jobs available in installing and maintaining panels. Solar may still be the energy source of the future — but it might not be made in the USA.

Benchmarking for success

Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation February 1, 2012 1:00 am

The Thailand Productivity Institute is setting up a "benchmarking centre" to encourage networking Thai organisations to share their best practices.

"While [conducting] TQA [Total Quality Award] is a way to 'know oneself', benchmarking helps you to 'know the others', said the institute's executive director Phanit Laosiri, citing ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu who said: "Know yourself, know your enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles".
According to the latest survey by global consulting firm Bain & Co, benchmarking continues to be the most popular management tool for small and big firms all over the world. In Thailand, however, this tool has not been widely utilised as most firms are reluctant to disclose information and have not collected their data systematically, he said.
"Benchmarking is the best short-cut tool for learning but it's not a tool for one to copy from the others. Organisations should not fail to innovate and continuously improve, said Phanit.
To encourage Thai organisations to benchmark and share their practices, FTPI will serve as a one-stop venue for providing training, consulting, and database on benchmarking. The pilot project started last year to benchmark production processes, human resource processes, and product development processes of firms in the Thai fashion industry. The second project that will be implemented sometime this year involves benchmarking of "customer service excellence" of TQA and TQC (Total Quality Control) firms, and other participating companies.
Bruce Searles, accredited delivery partner for benchmarking with the Australian Quality Council (AQC) who advises FTPI on the project, pointed out four challenges for firms when pursuing a benchmarking project:
-Focus on practices, not the numbers
This is because "statistics are not telling you how to improve things, they only tell you what to improve." Moreover, it's often not relevant to compare one data to the others.
-Focus on the most important things
Remember the 80:20 rule - a small portion of your business is generating the bulk of productivity and profitability.
-Identify who has the best practices.
Experience tells us that having six or more partners in a benchmarking consortium will help each other the most.
-Implementation
There is a so-called "not invented here" mentality that prevents companies from implementing an improvement programme after learning the best practices of other firms from a benchmarking study.
FTPI's Phanit said Thai firms lagged behind other companies in Asean in making use of benchmarking due to the "culture" of price-cutting and fierce competition against each other. Nonetheless, some Thai companies have recognised the benefit of sharing their best practices such as Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding, Khanom Electricity Generating, and two other power firms. They came to the FTPI a few years ago and asked the institute to conduct a study to benchmark among themselves and also with other power companies in the region, to learn how to run their generators at optimum efficiency.

One woman pro-democracy activist who took the Burma government’s invitation to return home seriously is Daw San Dar Win, a teacher, who works at Burma Migrant Education Department in the Thai border town of Mae Sot.
Saw San Dar Win said that she returned to Burma for family reasons and not because of political motivation.

“I contacted the Burma Embassy in Bangkok prior to my returning. The main reason of my returning is to be reunited with my family. At moment, I don’t want to comment on the political situation here or there. After I have returned to Burma, I will share my political feelings.”

Daw San Dar Win is the first Burma pro-democracy activist living and working in Mae Sot, to return home to Burma. She said she discussed with her colleagues before making the decision to return to her husband, U Myint Oo, who came to the border to collect her.

Daw San Dar Win worked in Mae Sot at a number of jobs - the officer-in-charge for the Committee for Protection and Promotion of Child Right (CPPCR), as secretary of the Burmese Migrant Teachers Association (BMTA) and as a teacher in Amay Eain and Hle Bee migrant schools.

Dr. Cynthia Maung, founder of Mae Tao Clinic, a close colleague of Daw San Dar Win, said that her friend went back to Burma because of the positive political changes in Burma.

“Before she went back, Daw San Dar Win told me that now that Daw Aung San Su Kyi is running in the election and because of the political developments in Burma - that’s why she went back.”

Daw San Dar Win before she left Burma in 2005 worked as the chairperson of the National League for Democracy’s (NLD) Women Affair in Magwe Division. When she got to the border she worked in education for seven years.

Since Burma’s President U Thein Sein’s invited Burmese exiles to return, 15 pro-democracy activists based along Thai-Burma border have contacted the Burma Embassy in Bangkok and have since left to live in their country of birth either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Karen Women’s Organization released a statement today to say they had formed a peace committee, in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Recommendation 1325, to ensure women are represented during the peace process with the Burma Government.

The Karen Women Organization statement was issued as a result of discussions held during its 5th congress that started on the 26th January and ended on 28th. The meeting was attended by 40 representatives from seven Karen State districts and held at a location on the Thai-Burma border. The KWO statement explained.

“The on-going peace process was discussed, analyzed and representatives decided to participate in the Karen peace process as KWO believes that women's participation is important. KWO formed a peace committee to represent the needs, concerns and suggestions of women and children and to ensure women's voices are heard and recognized during the peace process.”

The KWO delegates at the 5th congress meeting reviewed and improved the KWO's current constitution, policies on different issues, management structure and implementation of tasks at all levels.
“KWO also plans to raise awareness about the possible refugee repatriation process in the refugee community and to advocate for women and refugee participation in the process.”
The KWO was formed in 1949 and now has 49,000 members.
A KWO spokeswoman said.

“We mainly work on women's capacity building, the special needs of women and children, documenting human rights violations and advocating justice for women who have been sexually abused by the Burmese military along with other woman related issues.”

As Burma’s Parliament prepares for its next session, the London based pro-democracy advocates, ‘Burma Campaign UK’, called on the international community to scrutinize Burma’s upcoming annual budget as a sign of its commitment to implement reforms that benefit the people.

Last year’s, President Thein Sein’s government allocated just 1.3 percent of the government budget to health, and just over 4 percent on education. Almost 25 percent was allocated to the military a figure many international human rights groups dispute including Burma Campaign UK in a media statement released last week.
“There is believed to be additional military spending outside the official accounts.”
Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK said.
“Thein Sein has promised reform and to prioritize development. This budget will be a test of how serious he is - there needs to be substantial increases in spending on health, education and agriculture, and major cuts in military spending.”
The Burma Campaign UK statement stressed the importance of a shift in military spending in the country, which faces endemic poverty, a chronic lack of infrastructure and a series of wars in ethnic areas, such as Karen and Kachin State.
“Thein Sein’s government has asked for more international support to tackle poverty, promote development, and build the capacity of government departments.”
The Burma Campaign UK in their media statement said they had pushed Britain to give more international aid to impoverished country, but warned.
“Support for increased aid to Burma could be undermined if the government continues to spend almost 20 times more on the military than it does on health.”
Burma Campaign UK noted decades of military rule Burma had turned the country into an economic and social wasteland.
“Burma’s health, education and agriculture sectors have been neglected for decades. They need substantial upfront investment to build basic infrastructure and train professionals, in addition to a general long-term increase. Given the desperate state of health and education, the government should be laying out a plan for the next few years on how the balance of spending between health and education, and the military, will be reversed.”
Mr Farmaner said the coming budget will be a real test of the Burma’s military dominated government commitment to making education and health programs a budget priority at the expense of the armed forces.
“If we see increases in health and education budgets of just one or two percent, and no significant reduction in military spending, it will raise real concerns about how serious Thein Sein’s government is about turning promises of reforms into concrete change.”
The Burma Campaign UK come March this year will be keeping a close watch on parliamentary proceedings to make sure President Thein Sein honours his promises to reform the welfare sector.
“The ability of Parliament to make significant changes to any proposed budget should also be watched closely. Constitutionally, the Parliament has very little power, but does have to approve the budget.”

Following ceasefire talks with the Burma Government last week in Pa-an the Karen National Union issued a statement today to make clear their commitment to the peace process.

The KNU, 19-member delegation, met with Railways Minister, U Aung Min, and representatives of the Burmese government on Thursday last week. The KNU statement explained that the two parties had agreed in principle to a ceasefire.
“The KNU delegation reached an initial agreement with the Burmese government's representatives towards a ceasefire agreement. When the delegation returns to our headquarters, the KNU leadership will discuss about subsequent steps required in this dialogue with the Burmese government.
The KNU also presented at the meeting its 11 point proposal that the KNU says the Burma government delegation agreed in principle to.
“The KNU leadership will take further steps to continue concrete discussions on how the terms and conditions of the proposal will be materialized on the ground, in detail, before both sides can agree on the final ceasefire agreement.”
The full list of the Karen National Union 11-point proposal is printed below.

1. Establish a nationwide ceasefire and immediately cease military operations in ethnic areas.
2. Guarantee the human rights and safety of all civilians.
3. Build trust among the people.
4. Support the basic needs of the people and ensure that development projects have the full participation and support of local villagers.
5. Allow national media outlets to participate in the peace processes, in order to provide accurate information about developments.
6. Immediately stop forced labor, arbitrary taxation and extortion of villagers.
7. Release all political prisoners and provide solutions to settle land rights issue.
8. Set out principles for all parties to ensure a genuine peace process.
9. Ensure the legitimacy of representatives involved in negotiations, provide adequate time for their consultation with respective constituencies and establish a clear role for third parties.
10. Initiate a plan for monitoring and ensuring the transparency of the peace process.
11. Establish a flexible process that guarantees progress towards sustainable peace, and in which all parties speak straightforwardly and avoid using words that may be misinterpreted.

The Karen National Union's general secretary Naw Zipporah Sein and a member of the KNU’s Peace Committee said further talks would be needed with the Burma government representatives after yesterday’s meeting in Pa-an town, Karen State.

Naw Zipporah Sein

KNU general secretary Naw Zipporah Sein told Karen News.
"We signed an agreement with them [government] at the state level. This signed agreement is only that we agreed in principle. We need to have a lot more discussions about the politics involved in the detail."

A 19-member delegation, led by General Mutue Sae Poe and Padoh David Taw, under the supervision of the KNU Peace Committee, met with representatives of the Burma government led by Railways Minister Aung Min -according to government staff a State level ceasefire agreement paper was signed.

During the ceasefire meeting, the KNU demanded 11 key points be agreed to - the Burma government stop military operations in ethnic areas, start a nationwide ceasefire as soon as possible, to guarantee the human rights and safety of civilians, to build trust, to plan development projects that have the full participation and decision making of local villagers, to immediately stop forced labor and to stop excessive taxation and extortion of villagers.

The KNU are also stipulated that the Burma government release all political prisoners, provide solutions to settle land right issues, to set out principles for a genuine peace process, to open a liaison office for peace talks, to allow unrestricted unarmed travel and movement in Karen State and to draw clear lines of controlled territory.

It was agreed by both sides at the Pa-an meeting In the state that they will continue to discuss the details of the ceasefire, opening a liaison office, allowing unrestricted unarmed travel and movement in Karen State.

The KNU leaders at the meeting acknowledged to Karen News that their delegation didn't have a mandate to sign the ceasefire at this initial meeting and the KNU will release a media statement on the issue.

According to a KNU source at the Pa-an meeting, KNU delegates plan to continue their trip to Mon State, Pago (Pegu) Region and to the Burma capital Nay Pyi Daw.

A source told Karen News that the Burma representatives also signed a paper that agreed in principle to the  KNU's 11-key points and both delegations will open discussion within 45 days.

Naw Zipporah Sein said "We are welcome to government signing our [KNU] 11-key points, even if it is agreed only in principle."

In 2011 the KNU held three preliminary ceasefire meetings with Burma government delegations in Thailand on October 9, November 19-20 and on December 21.

Yesterday, a 19-member Karen National Union delegation held talks with Burma government representatives, led by Railways Minister, Aung Min, in Pa-an, Karen State to discuss a ceasefire agreement. A KNU spokesperson confirmed to Karen News what the talks had achieved.

U Aung Min and Saw Mutu Sae Poe

“The KNU delegation reached an initial agreement with the Burma government's representatives towards a ceasefire agreement. When the delegation returns to our headquarters, the KNU will continue to discuss about subsequent steps in this negotiation with the Burmese government.”
The KNU spokesperson said the KNU welcomed the Burma delegation’s agreement-in-principle to the 11 key points they presented at the Pa-an talks.
“We welcome the report by our delegation that the Burma government's representatives agreed in principle to the eleven-point proposal that the KNU presented in the talks. We will take further steps to continue discussions about how to materialize these points when both sides finalize the ceasefire agreement.
The KNU’s 11 key points agreed in principle by the Burma government’s delegation include – a demand for the Burma government to stop military operations in ethnic areas, start a nationwide ceasefire as soon as possible, to guarantee the human rights and safety of civilians, to build trust, to plan development projects that have the full participation and decision making of local villagers, to immediately stop forced labor and to stop excessive taxation and extortion of villagers.
The KNU also demanded the Burma government release all political prisoners; provide solutions to settle land right issues, to set out principles for a genuine peace process, to open a liaison office for peace talks, to allow unrestricted unarmed travel and movement in Karen State and to draw clear lines of controlled territory.
KNU leader refutes today’s media stories that the Karen had signed a ceasefire with the Burma government.

U Aung Min and Saw Mutu Sae Poe

Saw David Thrackbaw, the Karen National Union vice-chairmen told Karen News that no ceasefire agreement has yet been signed with the Burma government delegation despite numerous media stories.
Burma’s Railway Minister, U Aung Min is in charge of the government’s delegation while the Karen National Liberation Army chief of staff, General Mutue Sae Poe, leads the KNU delegation.
“It is disingenuous of the Railway Minister, Aung Ming, to say so. He does not have the mandate to sign anything. He is overstepping his authority and at this stage is talking too much - only Burma’s President Thein Sein can ratify a ceasefire agreement and for the KNU it is our Central Committee.”
Saw David Thrackbaw questioned the rational and the timing behind the Railway Minister’s statement to the media claiming the ceasefire is a done deal.
“It’s easy to promise everything, I question why he’s {Railway minister] is such a hurry to get a ceasefire with the Karen. We are now entering the dry season and with a ceasefire in place, I imagine the Burma Army will be in hurry to resupply their 200 army camps in Karen State.”

A position statement from the Karen National Union strongly stressed that today’s peace talks in Pa-an Town with the Burma government are just a first step. The KNU statement said.

KNU vice president Pado Saw David Tharc Kabaw - Photo: KIC

“These talks are being initiated as preliminary discussions towards a ceasefire agreement, which would be a first step towards solving the longstanding political conflict between the ethnic nationalities and the Burmese government.”
The KNU, vice chairman, Saw David Tharc Kabaw, explained to Karen News his concerns about the talks.
“I’m cautious, very cautious, there is no certainty, we’re still not sure of the real agenda. We hear the [Burma] President has good intentions towards moving the country to democracy, but the indicators we have say something different, especially the military offensive against Kachin civilians.”
Saw David Thrac Kabaw warned that the reforms in Burma have delivered little for ethnic people or the government’s political opposition.
“The changes so far have been only cosmetic; they failed to deliver on their promise to release all political prisoners. By keeping political prisoners locked up, they are removing key political opponents who have for years struggled for democracy. There is no rule of law.”
The KNU position statement said that a 19-member delegation, led by General Mutu Sae Poe and Padoh David Taw under the supervision of the KNU Committee for Emergence of Peace, would begin talks in Pa-an Town with representatives of the Burmese government.
Saw David Thrac Kabaw told Karen News that knowing what the Burma government’s ‘real agenda’ was is difficult to understand.
“Our past experience has been that the real power always lies in the hands of the ‘military hardliners’ and the in the past they have not hesitated to use guns against ethnic people. The [Burma Army] offensive against the Kachin is very brutal. The Burma Army has moved almost two thirds of its soldiers there.”
The KNU’s Saw David Thrac Kabaw said the fact the Burma Army is attacking the Kachin now and talking peace to the other ethnic groups such as the Karen have made him suspicious of what the Burma government’s real objective is.
“It could be a strategy of ‘good cop bad cop’, we witness this before in 2004 when General Khin Nyunt made all sorts of promises to ethnic groups only to find himself locked up and under a lifetime of house arrest.”
Saw David Thrac Kabaw said the KNU stood strong behind the Kachin people.
“We regard all [Burmese] ethnic people as our allies; they have suffered just as the Karen has. The ethnic alliance is still strong despite the rumors being spread by the government, mischief makers and black propaganda – we still believe ethnic unity is strength.”
The KNU position statement reinforced the organizations commitment to a genuine peace process.
“The KNU believes that in order to achieve genuine peace and an end to the civil war in Burma, the underlying political conflict must be solved by political means, beginning with earnest dialogue. The KNU is committed to this process for the wellbeing of the Karen people and the people of all of Burma.

To coincide with ceasefire talks between the Burma’s government and the Karen National Union (KNU), Karen communities around the world are holding traditional peace ceremonies in front of Burmese Embassies.

In a media statement issued today an alliance calling itself the Karen Communities Worldwide said.
“The traditional peace ceremonies are being held to call on the military-backed government to not only to agree a ceasefire, but also engage in dialogue to solve the political problems behind the conflict.”
The media statement noted tomorrow’s ceasefire talks will be the sixth time in the past 63-years that official talks have been held.
“Past negotiations have failed because the Burma government has always effectively demanded surrender, and has refused to seriously discuss the political problems which are the cause of the conflict.”
Karen Communities Worldwide said that as refugees it is not secure for them to return to their homeland.
“We know it is not safe to return to our homeland without a political solution that ensures there will be peace and where our rights and culture will be protected. We have seen how human rights abuses have continued in other areas of Burma where there are ceasefires. A ceasefire alone tackles the symptoms, not the causes. There must also be political dialogue for a permanent political solution.”
Karen Communities Worldwide in their media statement said, “the military backed government says it wants to talk peace but it is still attacking Karen villages, still executing unarmed villagers, and has recently jailed Mahn Nyein Maung, a senior KNU leader.”
Karen Communities Worldwide alliance called for tomorrow’s peace talks to include - “a nationwide ceasefire, dialogue for a political solution that guarantees ethnic rights and culture, stop attacking Karen and all ethnic people, stop military actions in ethnic areas, stop human rights violations and to free all political prisoners, including Mahn Nyein Maung.”
Karen Communities Worldwide acknowledges that “all Karen want peace, but not peace at the price of surrender that leaves us defenseless against human rights abuses and oppression. There must be a political solution that guarantees ethnic rights and protects ethnic culture. There must be a political solution where the people of Burma can live peacefully side-by-side - different but equal.”

A network of Karen community–based-organisations on the Thai Burma border on the eve of official ceasefire talks between the Karen National Union and the Burma government have issued a media statement calling for third party observers to be involved.

Saw Eh Htoo Soe

The group calling itself the Karen Community Based Organisations (KCBO) issued a media statement today that said.

“There must be third-party international community observers to monitor the peace talk process.”
A KCBO spokesperson, Saw Eh Htoo Soe, told Karen News.
“We issued this media statement to support our Karen leaders at tomorrow’s ‘peace-talks’. We hope the peace is not only for the Karen, but all people in Burma.”
KCBO spokesperson, Saw Eh Htoo Soe explained to Karen News why his organization wants independent international observers at the ‘peace talks’.
“In the past there were [ceasefire] agreements that were easily broken this time we want to see credible and independent witnesses to ensure the agreements are binding. With independent witnesses at the talks we will know who has not honored the agreements. It is normal practice between warring sides to have independent third parties to keep everyone honest.”
The KCBO media statement welcomed Thursday’s official ‘peace talks’ between the KNU and Burma government representatives, but urged in a number of bullet points that the outcome of the talks must be for all Karen.
“The peace talk must benefit the overall Karen population and other ethnic nationalities of Burma, both parties must recognized and mutually respect the agreements which result from the peace talks and, in addition to a ceasefire, the overall goal of the peace talk is for a long-term and genuine political dialogue so that there will be sustainable peace in Burma.”


The Karen National Union’s 19-member ‘peace talk’ delegation left the border town of Myawaddy this morning for official ceasefire talks in Pa-an Town,  Karen State, with Burma government representatives on Thursday, January12.
The KNU delegation is led by the Karen National Liberation Army chief of staff, General Mutue Sae Poe - Karen News understands that the KNU delegation have prepared 11 key points for discussion with their Burmese counterparts.
The KNU 11 key points include – a demand for the Burma government to stop military operations in ethnic areas, start a nationwide ceasefire as soon as possible, to guarantee the human rights and safety of civilians, to build trust, to plan development projects that have the full participation and decision making of local villagers, to immediately stop forced labor and to stop excessive taxation and extortion of villagers.
The KNU are also demanding the Burma government release all political prisoners, provide solutions to settle land right issues, to set out principles for a genuine peace process, to open a liaison office for peace talks, to allow unrestricted unarmed travel and movement in Karen State and to draw clear lines of controlled territory. The KNU have prepared a six-page document detailing their demands that are to be discussed at tomorrow’s Pa-an meeting.
Padoh Saw David Taw, secretary of the KNU Peace Committee and also a member of the delegation spoke to Karen News and said that the mood of the delegation is positive.
“I don’t think there will be any big problems arising at the meeting since we are only discussing with the government about what we have set out. To get a ceasefire agreement this is the first step and we know both sides want to have ceasefire agreement.”
The KNU main delegates are General Mutue Sae Poe, Padoh Saw David Taw, Padoh Saw Ah Toe, Brigadier General Johnny, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Khin, Major Shisho, Major Ei Tha, Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, Padoh Saw Lay Law Hsaw, Padoh Saw Aung Maw Aye, Padoh Saw Shwe Maunn and Padoh Saw Eh Wah. The delegation team will start their talk on January 12 with representatives from Burma government in Pa-an Town.
The other seven members of the delegation led by Padoh Saw Thawthi Bwe includes a medic, two officers from the KNLA and three security personnel responsible for the safety of the delegation team.
The Burma government representatives led by General Chit Than (retired) and U Ko Ko Maung  from Myawaddy collected the KNU delegation team at 8:00 am this morning to drive them to Pa-an.
The KNU delegation is also scheduled to meet with the Pa-an based Karen Peace Committee leader Abbot Ashin Pyinyarthami from Taungalay Temple and visit the Burma Army’s South Eastern Command Headquarters in Mon State.
The Burma government peace emergence group led by Minister U Aung Min had met with Chin National Front on January 3 at Hakka Town and they signed ceasefire agreement on January 4. Burma’s media are predicting that the ‘peacetalks’ with the Karen on January 12 and with the New Mon State Party on January 20 will reach the first objective - ceasefire agreements.
The KNU has been struggling for equal right and self-determination since January 31, 1949 and has been fighting against the Burma military regime’s for more than 60 years.

Pythons linked to Florida Everglades mammal decline

By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website

Pythons occasionally eat alligators, which can end badly for both animals

Burmese pythons, originally kept as pets, are the likely cause of a severe mammal decline in Florida's Everglades.

A team studied road surveys of mammals in the Everglades National Park before and after pythons became common.
Researchers found a strong link between the spread of pythons and drops in recorded sightings of racoons, rabbits, bobcats and other species.
In PNAS journal, they report that observations of several mammal species have declined by 90% or more.

“Start Quote

They are a new top predator in Everglades National Park - one that shouldn't be there”

End Quote Prof Michael E Dorcas Davidson College, North Carolina

The national park covers the southern 25% of the original Everglades - a region of subtropical wetlands that has been drained over the last century to reclaim it for human use.

As Burmese pythons have made it from captivity into the wild, the absence of natural predators has allowed populations to balloon. Intermittent sightings were recorded for 20 years before the snakes were recognised as being established across the Everglades in 2000.
The pythons are now established across thousands of sq km in southern Florida. Although there are no accurate figures for how many there are, the numbers removed from the Everglades reached nearly 400 in 2009 and has been increasing year-on-year (apart from a slight drop in 2010 due to a cold spell).

Restoration of the Everglades remains a divisive issue in Florida

"Any snake population - you are only seeing a small fraction of the numbers that are actually out there," said said Michael Dorcas, one of the study's authors, from Davidson College in North Carolina.
He told BBC News: "They are a new top predator in Everglades National Park - one that shouldn't be there,"
"We have documented pythons eating alligators, we have also documented alligators eating pythons. It depends on who is biggest during the encounter."
Earlier this month, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that the US was poised to approve a ban on importing Burmese pythons. But some observers at the time remarked that the move was about 30 years too late.
Getting ambushed
Prof Dorcas and his colleagues looked at data on mammals found during roadkill surveys from 1993-1999, and on live and dead mammals encountered during nighttime road surveys from 1996-1997.
They then compared these results with similar data collected between 2003 and 2011, after the pythons were recognised as being established.
They found that observations of raccoons and opossums had dropped by about 99%. There had been a 94.1% fall in observations of white-tailed deer and an 87.5% decrease in sightings of bobcats.
No rabbits or foxes were seen during the more recent survey; rabbits were among the most common mammals in the roadkill survey between 1993 and 1999.
The majority of these species have been documented in the diet of pythons found in the Everglades National Park. Indeed, raccoons and oppossums often forage at the water's edge, where they are vulnerable to ambush by pythons.
Observations of rodents, coyotes and Florida panthers had increased slightly, but the overall number of sightings remained low.
The researchers also found that the declines in mammals coincided geographically with the spread of Burmese pythons. Mammal species are more common in areas where pythons have only been recently introduced, and are most abundant outside the snakes' current range.

Bill Nelson holds up the 5m-long skin of a Burmese python at a hearing on Capitol Hill in July 2009

Prof Dorcas said more research was needed to assess the impact of such large declines. But he added: "It's not unreasonable to assume that any time we have major declines in mammals like this it's going to have overall impacts on the ecosystem. Exactly what those are going to be, we don't know. But it's possible they could be fairly profound."
The ban on importing Burmese pythons has come after five years of debate and lobbying in Washington DC. Florida's Democrat Senator Bill Nelson was among those who campaigned for a ban, unravelling the skin of a 5m-long Everglades python at a 2009 Senate hearing to make his point.
But reptile breeders and collectors had disputed that the tropical snakes posed much risk beyond south Florida and argued that any ban would harm a multi-million dollar industry.
Although the ban is unlikely to have much impact in southern Florida, where the reptiles are already established, scientists say it could help prevent their spread to other suitable habitats in the US, such as southern Louisiana and south Texas.

New book praises Suu Kyi’s nonviolence

Thursday, 26 January 2012 11:58 Mizzima News

(Mizzima) – A new book “Evolving the Spirit – From Democracy to Peace” by Anthony Russell praises Aung San Suu Kyi as one of the leaders who uses a religious spirit in her efforts to establish democracy and peace in Burma.

Author Russell writes: “What fascinates me is the single belief-system that runs through all the great religions. Cut away the political fat and they all throb with a single spiritual beat.”

The book, launched by Burma Campaign UK on Wednesday, describes 10 steps to help reach peace, the understanding that once we change personally, none around us can remain unaffected. “This change can then ripple out to affect the world beyond,” said Russell.

“Taking the principle of non-violence to the wider world is even today political dynamite,” he writes. “Aung San Suu Kyi represents that spirit to perfection. There is nothing naive about her. She is sophisticated, knowledgeable and deeply grounded in her morality and common sense. She has every chance of leading Burma out of the morass in which it finds itself.”

However, the book carries a warning, made clear by Gandhi’s writings as well as his sudden demise, that nonviolence is not the passive, easy approach traditionally portrayed. To Russell, “It is as controversial and threatening today as in Roman times though just as relevant.”

The book includes contributions from the BBC’s World Affairs Editor John Simpson, the conservationist Chris Darwin, and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Russell has been involved with the Burma Campaign UK promoting awareness of human rights. A staunch advocate of nonviolence and an anti-war campaigner, he is a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and has said he would like the West as to promote democratic principles more strongly. He believes that only strengthened international law, in the form of the UN, ICC and the IMF, can bring lasting peace.

All the great faiths of the world, he argues, share a “golden threat” of truth, which is all that really matters, as the rest is “mere politics.”

In “Evolving the Spirit',” he argues that peace in the world comes from international cooperation on one level but just as importantly, from each of us as individuals. Each person’s ultimate power is achieved by assuming the “dignity of the mature,” he has said, “acting not reacting,” having no enemies and not judging others or taking revenge.

------------------------------------------------------

Press freedom ranking

Wednesday, 25 January 2012 18:58 Mizzima News
(Mizzima) – Burma ranked 169, slightly higher than China and Vietnam, in the ranking of countries with a free press in an analysis by Reporters Without Borders. Burma was in the bottom 10 in countries with the most restrictive free speech and press.

In 2010, Burma was ranked seven places lower, reflecting a slight improvement in a loosening of prior censorship laws. However, newspapers and journals are still required to have all articles approved by censors before publication.

In its assessment of Burma, the report said: “Burma showed signs of beginning to carry out reforms including partial amnesties and a reduction in prior censorship, but it remained largely under the control of an authoritarian government run by former members of the military junta reinvented as civilian politicians. Less than 10 of its journalists remain in prison at the start of 2012.”

Many arrests were made in Vietnam (172nd), the report said. In China (174th), the government responded to regional and local protests and to public impatience with scandals and acts of injustice by “feverishly reinforcing its system of controlling news and information, carrying out extrajudicial arrests and stepping up Internet censorship.”

“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world,” said a press release. “Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news.”

 “This year’s index finds the same group of countries at its head, countries such as Finland, Norway and Netherlands that respect basic freedoms,” said the report. “This serves as a reminder that media independence can only be maintained in strong democracies and that democracy needs media freedom.”

The United States (47th) also owed its fall of 27 places to the many arrests of journalist covering Occupy Wall Street protests.
Assessing China, the report said: “China, which has more journalists, bloggers and cyber-dissidents in prison than any other country, stepped up its censorship and propaganda in 2011 and tightened its control of the Internet, particularly the blogosphere. The first protest movements in Arab countries and the ensuing calls for democracy in China’s main cities set off a wave of arrests with no end yet in sight.”

Its ranking of the Philippines said: “In the Philippines (140th), which rose again in the index after falling in 2010 as a result of the massacre of 32 journalists in Ampatuan in November 2009, paramilitary groups and private militias continued to attack media workers. The judicial investigation into the Ampatuan massacre made it clear that the response of the authorities was seriously inadequate.”

For Indonesia, the report said: “In Indonesia, an army crackdown in West Papua province, where at least two journalists were killed, five kidnapped and 18 assaulted in 2011, was the main reason for the country’s fall to 146th position in the index. A corrupt judiciary that is too easily influenced by politicians and pressure groups and government attempts to control the media and Internet have prevented the development of a freer press.”

-------------------------------------------------------

BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese leaders on Saturday offered festive greetings to people across the nation as well as overseas Chinese around the world at a gathering to mark the Lunar New Year that falls on Jan. 23.
President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and top political advisor Jia Qinglin attended the gathering, organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Hosting the gathering, Hu, also General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, extended regards to Chinese people at home and abroad and foreign friends on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the Cabinet.
Premier Wen delivered a speech at the gathering, saying that the country has made a good start to the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) at a time of an austere and complicated international economic situation.
Wen said the government would maintain stable prices and steady, rapid economic development, accelerate the transformation of development patterns and adjust the economic structure in a bid to enhance sustainable development, as well as place more importance on people's livelihoods, letting the people share the achievements of reform.
"We are going to face bigger challenges in the new year," Wen said. "We have the will, determination, courage and ability to overcome any difficulties. We have confidence in the motherland's successful and bright future."
Wen said the country will resolutely take the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, and promote economic growth and social progress, as well as improving people's livelihoods, and democracy, rule of law, equality and justice.
"We need to keep a clear head and thoroughly apply the scientific outlook on development, so to advance the reform and openning up policy and the socialist modernization construction.
Wen called for excellent achievements in a bid to put the country on a firm footing for the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
Other leaders, including Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang, also attended the gathering.
The Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important traditional festival for China.

Amid the jubilant scenes of political dissidents walking free from prisons across Burma, the release of former premier Khin Nyunt is somewhat more controversial.
Behind closed doors in Naypyidaw, several discussions have taken place among government officials on how to handle this delicate matter. Many feel that dropping the condition of house arrest on the former prime minister is dangerous—like opening a Pandora's box. After all, they say, the ex-spy chief still holds official dossiers and can recount the full extent of corruption and abuses of power among top ministers from during his time in office.
The ex-general was known to be highly ambitious and one of the architects of Burma's political “Road Map.” He was the protégé of late dictator Gen Ne Win and named Secretary one at the ruling council soon after a bloody coup in September 1988. But controversy was never far behind him: he and his subordinates were accused of creating anarchy in order to pave the way for the army to take power in 1988. In October 2004, Khin Nyunt was purged in a power struggle between intelligence and infantry units.
Now in his 70s, Khin Nyunt is believed to have secured and hid official dossiers which detail gathered intelligence on other top officials and ministers. It was his intelligence units that were responsible for arresting and detaining dissidents, and it was through the offices of Khin Nyunt, Snr-Gen Than Shwe and Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye that orders were dispatched to crack down violently on the pro-democracy movement.
During his heyday Khin Nyunt was seen as close to China and was the main architect of the regime's foreign policy. He also took a personal interest in creating public relations exercises to placate Western nations and Asean.
That's why his release was received with mixed blessings among most Burmese people, and with a sense of trepidation among the government and the military. Khin Nyunt will have to prove quickly and publicly that he has no desire to rock the boat.
To appease President Thein Sein and his allies' concerns about Khin Nyunt and his secret files, authorities pinned Article 401 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to his release. This article states that if a person released from prison does not fulfill his conditions in the opinion of the president, then “the President of the Union may cancel the suspension or remission” and the person in question can be re-arrested and “remanded to complete the un-expired portion of the sentence.” 
This ensures that the former general—who had been serving a 44-year suspended sentence inside his own home—keeps quiet. He is forbidden from making any remarks other than to say that he supports the government and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Several of his former colleagues and retired senior leaders went to greet him as he walked out his elegant residence for the first time in seven years. Khin Nyunt looked fit, but when asked by reporters whether he harbored an interest in returning to politics, he indicated firmly that he had washed his hands of the whole business.
He received friends and allies who had once served in the ruling council and in the military. They were retired now. He also invited a famous monk from Sittwe into his house to offer a blessing.
Among the guests last week were several film producers and the comedian Zarganar, which quickly prompted a rumor that they were planning to shoot a film about the former premier.
To the amusement of many of the reporters present, Khin Nyunt stated that he wished that the press in Burma would enjoy more freedom—the irony being, of course, that under his rule, the official censorship board was one of the most repressive in history.
It can be assumed that Thein Sein pondered carefully before releasing Khin Nyunt as the amnesty did not include several of his key allies from the intelligence services. Brig-Gen Thein Swe and Brig-Gen Than Tun were two of those not freed.
Speaking to the media outside his house, Khin Nyunt expressed sadness that his subordinates remained behind bars. But then again, perhaps that was the price he was forced to pay.

Friday the 13th will go down as an auspicious day in Burmese history. It was the day the government opened its prison gates and released over 600 political prisoners in an amnesty.
Among those who walked free were 88 Generation leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi and several of their colleagues. Another very notable name was Shan leader Hkun Htoon Oo who had served nearly seven years of a 91-year jail sentence.
Even a jailed ex-prime minister was freed—former spy chief Gen. Khin Nyunt who had been under house arrest since late 2004 when he was ousted from office in a power struggle by Than Shwe.
Such an amnesty is no stranger to some of the activists freed today. This was the third time Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi have been released from prison. They were freed in 2005 after each had spent nearly 15 years in jail. Dedicated to their cause of democracy, they refused to be silenced, and found themselves back behind bars again in 2006 and 2007.
It must always be remembered that their political activities injected political vibrancy into an otherwise dormant political arena in the absence of Aung San Suu Kyi who was then under house arrest.
The major question currently confronting these two dissidents is whether to follow Suu Kyi and participate in formal parliamentary politics or to continue playing the role of informal activists outside mainstream politics.
It is almost certain that Suu Kyi will attempt to persuade many of the dissidents freed from jail today to participate in the formal political arena.
The clear results of today's prisoner release can be defined as: putting greater pressure on the US-led Western bloc to dramatically relax or lift punitive economic sanctions on Burma; and a greater push on Naypyidaw to accelerate its process of reform or otherwise face a new wave of dissent led by national heroes such as Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi.
Activists inside Burma are watching these scenarios unfold with caution. Many who have followed Suu Kyi's lead over the past few months in favor of cooperation with Thein Sein's government can now look to the alternative strategies of Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, who are described by many people in the street as “our leaders.”
Just after his release from prison this morning, Min Ko Naing, 49, said he will support Suu Kyi's political work, but exhibited a reluctance to commit himself to joining a political party.
“I have no thought about party politics,” he told reporters soon after he emerged from Thayet Prison in Magwe Division. “But politics should not be limited to party activities. We can work outside party politics—a field I have never been involved with,” he said.
He added that today heralds “the return of roaring peacocks,” in reference to the most popular symbol traditionally sported by Burmese political movements.
As Min Ko Naing crossed the Irrawaddy River, hundreds of local people—some of whom were in boats—waved and shouted to him in jubilation. He waved back, then went to the bus station to travel home to his family in Rangoon.
Having had a chance to read local news journals in prison, many freed dissidents appear somewhat familiar with the current political landscape and expressed a degree of optimism about the reforms initiated by the new government.
“I think the current changes are movements in the right direction,” said Hkun Htoo Oo, speaking to The Irrawaddy. “If we're to keep going down this path with determination, then it should be all right. I am so glad about this situation.”
It should be remembered, however, that the government move to release political prisoners was a somewhat belated decision given that it has been in office for nearly a year. Thein Sein's administration has clearly shown reluctance to take this step, being apprehensive of any act that would impact the still fragile political system dominated by former army generals.
That's why it released the dissidents on the condition of Section 401 of Burma's Criminal Procedure Code, a mechanism to provide suspended sentences to jailed political activists, but which states that they can be re-arrested and forced to serve their time if they resume political activities that infringe on existing laws.
However, if the program of reforms continues at its current rate, today's freed dissidents may never again have to spend another night in a damp crowded prison cell.

Minister Aung Min seeks talks with Thailand-based groups

Thursday, 19 January 2012 20:13 Ko Wild

 

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Burmese presidential special peace envoy and Rail Transportation Minister Aung Min has offered two exile-based democratic groups to meet for political talks the first week of February, said group leaders.

General-Secretary Dr. Naing Aung of the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB), which consists of seven organizations, said that peace facilitators Hla Maung Shwe and Dr. Kyaw Yin Hlaing conveyed the message verbally. The same message was given to Aung Moe Zaw, the chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS).

“They told me that this was an official offer from the government minister and special envoy for peace…for informal talks,” Naing Aung told Mizzima.

Naing Aung, who is also the director of the Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), said that he had informed member organizations.

The FDB was formed to work for the “emergence of a democratic transition which will lay down foundations for good government, rule of law and justice” in early 2004 with a core group of seven member organizations which fled to the border after the then-military regime brutally suppressed the 1988 popular uprising.

DPNS Chairman Aung Moe Zaw told Mizzima, “They informed us that Aung Min would meet with us, but the date for the talks will be set later. Meeting with him is good, but we must call a central committee meeting within days for deliberations on the details of this talk.”

The DPNS was formed during the 1988 popular uprising. It had about 100,000 party members at the time of the 1990 general election. It was abolished in January 1991 by the then military regime and various party leaders fled to the border.

Though President Thein Sein and his cabinet colleagues invited Burmese nationals in exile to come back home, precise and specific laws and regulations are still needed for people who left Burma because of their political objectives and beliefs, said Min Ko Naing, 88 Generation leader who was released on 13th Janaury.

“They just called us to come back, but there should be practical and specific opinions and steps taken for this purpose,” said Aung Moe Zaw said.

Recently, the government reached cease-fire agreements with five ethnic armed groups (the KNU, SSA-S, CNF, UWSA and Mongla group). This is the first time the government has extended an offer of political talks to democratic forces outside Burma.

Thein Sein gives interview to The Washington Post

Friday, 20 January 2012 17:06 Mizzima News

 

(Mizzima) – Burmese President Thein Sein has given his first-ever foreign interview to the The Washington Post, which was published on Friday, January 20. Reporter Lally Weymouth spoke with him in Naypyitaw in a wide-ranging interview that covered Aung San Suu Kyi as a possible cabinet minister, establishing peace in ethnic areas, North Korea and other issues.

Her first question was why did Thein Sein undertake a reform process that has moved Burma toward democracy in a series of governmental laws and decrees during 2011.

“The reform measures are being undertaken based on the wishes of the people [who want] to see our country have peace and stability as well as economic development,” he said. “To have internal peace and stability and economic development, it is important to have good relations with the political parties that we have in our country. That is why we have had engagement with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In my meeting with Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi, we were able to reach an understanding between the two of us.”

Thein Sein, who is a former general, said he wanted “to shed some light” on cease-fire negotiations with ethnic armed groups and the series of peace negotiations that have taken place during the past six months. An end to the violence is a key demand among Western nations, which have called for peace and free access to ethnic area of the country.

“First of all, we need to build confidence between the two sides,” he said. “We have reached agreements on certain things.

“This requires the two sides to sign an agreement and return to the legal fold without carrying arms. There are a total of 11 armed groups in our country. We have engagement with all the armed groups. We also have agreements with some of the ethnic armed groups. But this is not over yet. We are continuing negotiations.” He said he wanted to achieve “eternal peace in the country,” but that it would take time.

Asked if Suu Kuy could be picked as a cabinet member, Thein Sein appeared to dance around the question, saying, “All of the cabinet ministers that we have now are appointed based on the agreement given by the Parliament. If one has been appointed or agreed on by the Parliament, we will have to accept that she becomes a cabinet member.”

Looking at U.S.-Burma relations, he said he hoped the U.S. would upgrade relations to the ambassadorial level, and that U.S. sanctions would ease and eventually be eliminated, a point he returned to in the interview several times.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) responded to Thein Sein’s statement by saying it would be too early for the U.S. and its allies to lift economic sanctions because the reforms aren't complete yet, according to The Associated Press. A spokesperson said they welcomed the notion of a Cabinet post for Suu Kyi, while saying it was too early to discuss the matter, but she “is a very capable leader and she could take any leading position.”

Regarding the Burma and North Korea relationship, he told the The Washington Post: “These are only allegations. We don't have any nuclear or weapons cooperation with (North Korea).”

Freezing weather coincides with Spring Festival

Updated: 2012-01-21 19:08

BEIJING - A cold front sweeping across China will bring down temperatures in some parts of the country to their lowest levels this winter and many parts of the country will see snow over Spring Festival, the National Meteorological Center forecast Saturday.

The observatory maintained a blizzard alert for heavy snow in regions south of the Yangtze River Saturday, issuing traffic warnings as people rush home for Chinese Lunar New Year.
Meteorological experts warned drivers about the extreme weather likely to hit many parts of the country, saying road conditions will deteriorate after the expected snow and rainfall.
Forecasters said blizzards will hit some parts of Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces while some areas in Guizhou and Hunan will likely experience freezing rain.
Meanwhile, temperatures in the country's central and eastern parts will fall by 4-8 degrees Celsius in the coming three days. Thermometers are expected to plunge by over 10 degrees Celsius in some of these regions, the observatory said.
Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on January 23 this year while the holiday runs from January 22 to 28.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

พระสมเด็จวัดระฆังพิมพ์ใหญ่เนื้อปูนเปลือกหอย

บรรยายภาพ

๑.พระสมเด็จองค์นี้เป็นพิมพ์ใหญ่เนื้อปูนเปลือกหอย
๒.ด้านหลังเป็นหลังกระดานเรียบให้สังเกตลอยครูดของการปราดเนื้อพระออก
๓.เนื้อพระแก่ปูนเปลือกหอยจึงทำให้สังเกตเนื้อพระได้ดีของการแยก/ย่น/หด/เหี่ยว/ยุป/กระเทาะ/แห้งสนิท
๔.พระองค์นี้สังเกตดูจะเห็นมวลสารบดละเอียดของมวลสารศักสิทธิ์ทีใช้ผสมทำพระเครื่องกระจายไปทั่วแต่ไม่มาก
๕.ฐานรองพระทั้งสามชั้นยังสวยงาม/ติดเนื้อพระคมชัดดี
๖.องค์พระได้ส่วนและติดเนื้อพระชัด
๗.พื้นพระยุปทำให้พระและฐานพระเด่น
๘.ครอบแก้วองค์พระไม่หนาแต่ได้สัดส่วนกับองค์พระดี
๙.เนื้อพระออกสีเทาๆตามลักษณะเนื้อปูนเปลือกหอย ภาพถ่ายเหมือนของจริง ๙๙ %
๑๐.พระองค์นี้ถือได้ว่าเป็นพระที่ถูกหลักการที่ว่า พิมพ์ถูก/เนื้อใช่/ธรรมชาติเนื้อพระถึงยุค

หมายเหตุ: การเล่นพระสมเด็จนั้นต้องศึกษาให้ดีๆ นอกจากศึกษาเรื่องพิมพ์ทรงแล้ว/เนื้อพระถือเป็นปัจจัยสำคัญที่จะต้องศึกษาให้เข้าใจสภาพของเนื้อพระนั้นๆ พร้อมทั้งส่วนผสมน้ำมันตังอิ้ว/น้ำผึ้ง/น้ำตาลที่ผสมลงไปในเนื้อพระเพื่อให้เนื้อพระเนียนเกาะติดกันดีและติดพิมพ์ได้ชัด อายุกาลเวลาที่ผ่านมาต้องอ่านให้ออกเพื่อให้ได้ถึงยุคของท่านสมเด็จโต การแยกตัวของมวลสารกับเนื้อพระหลักจะต้องมีเสมอแต่ไม่ทั่วไปหมดร้อยเปอร์เซ็นต์ทั้งนี้ย่อมขึ้นอยู่กับความละเอียดของมวลสารที่ผสมลงไป ลอยน้ำลดต้องมี/ลอยฝุ่นเกาะ/ลอยเม็ดผดคล้ายๆขี้ไคล/เนื้อพระมีลอยพรุน/ถ้าเคาะกับฟันเบาๆมีเสียงกังวาล/เนื้อพระอาจมีหลายสี/พระต้องไม่มีกลิ่นใดๆ/มวลสารต้องมีไม่มากก็น้อยแล้วแต่บางองค์/ขอบพระต้องมีล่องลอยยุป/แยก/ย่น/หด/พรุนของเนื้อพระ  ถ้าศึกษาไม่ดีท่านจะได้พระสมเด็จที่ไม่ใช่ของพระพุทธจารย์โต พรหมรังสี แต่เป็นของพระรูปอื่นที่ใกล้ชิดท่านหลังจากท่านได้มรณะภาพแล้ว

Costa Concordia

Photograph from Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

The cruise ship Costa Concordia lies partially sunk just a few hundred yards from the rocky coast of the Italian island of Giglio on Monday. Though the fallout from the disaster remains unclear, past luxury liner accidents—the Titanic shipwreck being the most infamous—have sparked new measures for keeping passengers safe and dry.

The Costa Cruises-run ship's hull was ripped after the liner ran aground Friday. Capt. Francesco Schettino had steered the 126,000-ton vessel dangerously close to shore, purportedly to salute people on the island.

Eleven people are confirmed dead from the accident, and 23 people are still missing. Accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship, Schettino is now under house arrest.

Cruise historian John Maxtone-Graham said the decision by the Costa Concordia's captain to leave the sinking ship early was shameful.

"He wasn't the last man off," he said. "That is horrendous behavior. He's obviously a man of very lax principles and he'll never be on the bridge again."
—Ker Than

A new dinosaur species.

Timeline: Reforms in Burma

Analysts agree that the political opening in Burma has gathered pace over recent years. Here is a timeline of key developments.

2010

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has enjoyed greater physical and political freedoms

November The main military-backed party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), claims a resounding victory in the first elections for 20 years. Opposition groups allege widespread fraud and many Western countries condemn the vote as a sham. The junta says it marks the transition from military rule to a civilian democracy.
A week after the election, Aung San Suu Kyi - who had been prevented from taking part - is released from house arrest.

2011

January The government authorises internet connection for Aung San Suu Kyi.
March Thein Sein is sworn in as president of a nominally civilian government and the transfer of powers to the new government is complete.
May The new government frees thousands of prisoners under an amnesty, but few political prisoners are among them and the move is dismissed by one rights group as "pathetic".
August Aung San Suu Kyi is allowed to leave Rangoon on a political visit; days later she meets President Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw.
September President Thein Sein suspends construction of controversial Chinese-funded Myitsone hydroelectric dam, in move seen as showing greater openness to public opinion.
October More than 200 political prisoners are freed as part of a general amnesty. New labour laws allowing unions are passed.
November The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) agrees that Burma will chair the grouping in 2014. Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says she will stand for election to parliament, as her party rejoins the political process.

Hundreds of political prisoners have been freed as Burma pushes ahead with reforms

December US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits, meets Aung San Suu Kyi and holds talks with President Thein Sein. The US offers to improve relations if democratic reforms continue.
President Thein Sein signs a law allowing peaceful demonstrations for the first time. The NLD re-registers as a political party in advance of by-elections for parliament due to be held early in 2012.
Burmese authorities agree a truce deal with rebels of Shan ethnic group and orders the military to stop operations against ethnic Kachin rebels.

2012

January The government signs a ceasefire with rebels of Karen ethnic group.
A day later, hundreds of prisoners are released - among them the country's most prominent political prisoners, including veterans of the 1988 student protest movement, monks involved in the 2007 demonstrations and activists from many ethnic minority groups.

Is Burma's political landscape changing for good?

By Rachel Harvey BBC South East Asia Correspondent

Aung San Suu Kyi's party is rejoining the political process amid signs of change

 

If there was any lingering doubt about whether or not there is a process of change under way in Burma, this past week will surely have dispelled it.

On Monday opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi marked a year since her release from house arrest by delivering an overtly political speech. She described the past 12 months as "eventful, energising and to a certain extent encouraging".
Four days later she and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), backed that cautious optimism with concrete action by voting to re-register as a legal political party. The move opens the way for party members, including Aung San Suu Kyi, to contest a slew of forthcoming by-elections.
Just over a year after boycotting a process it rejected as a sham designed to perpetuate military rule in civilian guise, the NLD and its iconic leader are choosing to move back inside the official system.
It was, according to NLD Vice-Chairman Tin Oo, "a difficult decision taken after hard discussions". That may be an understatement.
The decision to boycott last November's elections, the first since the NLD's unconsummated landslide win of 1990, led to a faction breaking away to form their own party to contest the poll. What must they be thinking now?

“Start Quote

There is bound to be some occasional backsliding, but provided the general trend is in the right direction, that is the best we can hope for”

End Quote Derek Tonkin Former British diplomat

The NLD points to recent developments, including amendments to electoral laws which had prohibited serving prisoners from participating, and the continuing dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the new nominally civilian government, as justification for its decision.

Whatever the rationale, the move changes the political landscape in Burma.
'Travel down the road'
Where Aung San Suu Kyi leads, others follow. Even the president of the United States felt he should call her - his first direct contact with the pro-democracy icon - before announcing that he was sending America's top diplomat, Hillary Clinton, to Burma in December.
President Barack Obama outlined what he called the "flickers of progress" in recent weeks, making sure credit went in large part to his counterpart, Burmese President Thein Sein, seen as the main driving force behind recent reforms.

Continue reading the main story

REFORM IN BURMA

• 7 Nov 2010: First polls in 20 years
• 13 Nov: Aung San Suu Kyi freed from house arrest
• 30 Mar 2011: Transfer of power to new government complete
• 14 Aug: Aung San Suu Kyi allowed to leave Rangoon on political visit
• 19 Aug: Aung San Suu Kyi meets Burmese President Thein Sein
• 6 Oct: Human rights commission established
• 12 Oct: More than 200 political prisoners freed
• 13 Oct: New labour laws allowing unions passed
• 17 Nov: Burma granted Asean chair in 2014

"We want to seize what could be a historic opportunity for progress, and to make it clear that if Burma continues to travel down the road of democratic reform, it can forge a new relationship with the United States of America," Mr Obama said.

But there are several steps that need to be taken before that point is reached - the release of all remaining political prisoners, resolving the armed conflicts which persist in some areas, addressing the rights of Burma's ethnic minorities and ensuring the fair and independent application of the rule of law.
Regional body Asean clearly thinks Burma is moving in the right direction. Its decision to award its historically recalcitrant member the rotating chair of the organisation in 2014 is both reward for steps taken thus far and encouragement to keep it up.
Derek Tonkin, a former British ambassador in the region says: "They (Asean) have also made it clear that they are looking for steady progress from now on. They are taking a risk, but they feel they have good reason to do so."
Sceptics will view all this with alarm, arguing that nothing that has changed in Burma so far is set in stone. The hawks, the military, could still bring these nascent signs of reform to a shuddering halt.
"You are never going to get that 'irreversible' assurance which Western countries say they are seeking," says Derek Tonkin. "There is bound to be some occasional backsliding, but provided the general trend is in the right direction, that is the best we can hope for."
'Practical help'
There appears now to be a consensus developing around that view and on the need to bolster and encourage the direction of travel.
Aung San Suu Kyi seemed to offer some guidelines towards the end of her speech earlier this week.
In it she appealed to all those who wish Burma well, to help by "criticising us when necessary, encouraging us at the right time and, if I may request it, providing us with practical help when we need it".
The first and second steps are being fulfilled. The challenge now is how and when to follow through on the last.

Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi says she felt compelled to act on behalf of the people of Burma

Like the South African leader Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi has become an international symbol of peaceful resistance in the face of oppression.

 

The 65-year-old has spent most of the last 20 years in some form of detention because of her efforts to bring democracy to military-ruled Burma.
In 1991, a year after her National League for Democracy won an overwhelming victory in an election the junta later nullified, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The committee chairman, Francis Sejested, called her "an outstanding example of the power of the powerless".
She was sidelined for Burma's first elections in two decades on 7 November 2010 but released from house arrest six days later.
Thousands of supporters gathered to hear her issue a call for Burmese people to work together for change.
Political pedigree
Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of the country's independence hero, General Aung San.

 

Profile: The woman who has become the face of Burma's democracy movement

He was assassinated during the transition period in July 1947, just six months before independence.
Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old at the time.

In 1960 she went to India with her mother Daw Khin Kyi, who had been appointed Burma's ambassador to Delhi.
Four years later she went to Oxford University in the UK, where she studied philosophy, politics and economics. There she met her future husband, academic Michael Aris.

After stints of living and working in Japan and Bhutan, she settled in the UK to raise their two children, Alexander and Kim.
But Burma was never far from her thoughts.
When she arrived back in Rangoon in 1988 - to look after her critically ill mother - Burma was in the midst of major political upheaval.

Ms Suu Kyi was a toddler when her father was assassinated

Thousands of students, office workers and monks took to the streets demanding democratic reform.
"I could not, as my father's daughter remain indifferent to all that was going on," she said in a speech in Rangoon on 26 August 1988.

Ms Suu Kyi was soon propelled into leading the revolt against the then-dictator, General Ne Win.
Inspired by the non-violent campaigns of US civil rights leader Martin Luther King and India's Mahatma Gandhi, she organised rallies and travelled around the country, calling for peaceful democratic reform and free elections.
But the demonstrations were brutally suppressed by the army, who seized power in a coup on 18 September 1988.
The military government called national elections in May 1990.
Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD convincingly won the polls, despite the fact that she herself was under house arrest and disqualified from standing.
But the junta refused to hand over control, and has remained in power ever since.
House arrest
Ms Suu Kyi remained under house arrest in Rangoon for six years, until she was released in July 1995.

Aung San Suu Kyi

• 1989: Put under house arrest as Burma junta declares martial law
• 1990: NLD wins election; military disregards result
• 1991: Wins Nobel Peace Prize
• 1995: Released from house arrest, but movements restricted
• 2000-02: Second period of house arrest
• May 2003: Detained after clash between NLD and junta forces
• Sep 2003: Allowed home after medical treatment, but under effective house arrest
• May 2007: House arrest is extended for another year
• Sept 2007: First public appearance since 2003, greeting protesting Buddhist monks
• May 2008: House arrest extended for another year
• May 2009: Charged with breaking detention rules after an American swims to her compound
• August 2009: Sentenced to 18 months further house arrest

She was again put under house arrest in September 2000, when she tried to travel to the city of Mandalay in defiance of travel restrictions.

She was released unconditionally in May 2002, but just over a year later she was put in prison following a clash between her supporters and a government-backed mob.
She was later allowed to return home - but again under effective house arrest, where she has since remained.
During periods of confinement, Ms Suu Kyi has busied herself studying and exercising.
She has meditated, worked on her French and Japanese language skills, and relaxed by playing Bach on the piano.

In more recent years, she has also been able to meet other NLD officials and selected diplomats.
But during her early years of detention, she was often in solitary confinement. She was not allowed to see her two sons or her husband, who died of cancer in March 1999.
The military authorities offered to allow her to travel to the UK to see him when he was gravely ill, but she felt compelled to refuse for fear she would not be allowed back into the country.
She has grandchildren she has never met.
'Can't stop freedom'
In recent months she has been criticised in some quarters for her decision to boycott the November 2010 elections, Burma's first in 20 years.
The NLD said the election laws were unfair and decided not to take part in the polls. Under new election laws, it then had to disband.
But a group of NLD members formed a new party to contest the polls, arguing that some representation in the new parliament would be better than none at all.
The polls - described as "neither free nor fair" by US President Barack Obama - appear to have left military-backed parties firmly in control.
So much so, in fact, that they freed the pro-democracy leader six days after the elections, to a jubilant reception.
Ms Suu Kyi has often said that detention has made her even more sure that she should dedicate her life to representing the average Burmese citizen.
In a rare interview in 2007 during the uprising that was brutally put down by the military, she said democracy was "not finished in Burma".
"No matter the regime's physical power, in the end they can't stop the people; they can't stop freedom," she told British journalist John Pilger. "We shall have our time."