TettoeAung comments

Well, war is war and whether you called your war 'just wars' for 'just causes' and so on they all are subjective. Had Japan won the war then those names enshrined in the shrine may not have become 'war criminals' but what they have done be still war crimes - win or lose. In spite of all those apologies, unlike Germany, Japan seems to linger on to its past and that will be bad for not just the neighbours but for the whole of humanity. But why do we still allow any 'mass murderers' to be worshiped as heroes? If Mao is allowed to be worshiped like he is now shouldn't Pol Pot be too? Which is worse, murdering your own people or people from other countries. Murder is murder, isn't it? Whether you use a nuclear bomb, AK47 or a machete?

Its not just the 'Big Brother's on TV shows now. Welcome to the new digital age and the age of nano technology. In Buddhist thought there is no such place as where one can keep his or her secrets. The important thing is how do we upheld trust.

I guess it's the only way plausible to remove the controversial articles in the constitution. If she cannot be president then where is the reason for foreign investment to come. If a constitution that was not only drafted in such a way that defies any constitutional law but also was adopted under duress where is the rational to abide by the terms created by the illegality of the so called legal document. It does not even deserve to be used in the toilet. Go my Lady go, the force is with you (military or otherwise).

Symbolism? The people on Easter did not recover, aren't they? I rather have the replica of the 'capsule' used to save the miners trapped in the mines.

Those who have the power to make laws are not looking 'out of the box' type of solutions for gun control. They don't have to ban any type of guns or to whom they should be sold (since the NRA chairman said it's the people and not the guns). All they have to do is make the gun companies pay for the damage. Sure they can make lethal weapons and sell it to whoever they want to but whoever abused 'their guns' (not using for self protection - as they were meant to be under their constitutional rights) then they should be slapped with a BIG compensation bills for the lives their product has caused. Money will talk and there won't be money for the NRA to buy politicians.

Sure, the leaders in China have lifted millions of people out of poverty but also there are people (poor people) who have been robbed of their land. Isn't it the result of China's 'Compatilism' (neither Communist nor Capitalist). I'm sure that you're aware of the Chinese proverb 'ji quan sheng tian' (chicken and dogs also rises to heaven)?

That's part of the millions who have been lift out of poverty - when your son became a premier then you can be 2.7 million richer. The loans you are talking about has nothing to do with the people being irresponsible. It's China which helped the military regime to stay alive that the loan has incurred. It's because dealing with China that all the revenue that Myanmar has obtained from the sale of gas and other resources disappeared. Their philosophy is related to the real world where there's no 'right or wrong' if you can make a profit you may even sell your soul (I won't say their mother as some mothers could be millionaires) thus - to be rich is glorious. Tell that to Bo Xilai.

One has to be naive d to think that something of Mao is still left in China's 'Communism with Chinese Characteristics'. When Deng Xiao-ping introduced 'To Be Rich is Glorious' (and not mentioning how to become rich) is the end of Mao's Thought. Chinese leaders without the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will have no legitimacy. It's more like committing a criminal act like 'rape' with the use of a 'condom' - it doesn't legalize an act which is crime in the first place. How would you ever call an economic policy of letting the invisible hand of the Market dictating and not the Communist philosophy of 'to each to his own ability and to each to his needs' . If you consider the hidden wealth of those leaders it's more like 'to each to his relative's fortune and to each in accordance to his own greed'.

As to the Republican policies in the US, the super rich will be protected from paying more tax while at the same time people like Donald Trump will be willing to throw away millions of dollars for something which is ridiculous. While they called themselves pro-life they don't want anyone to restrict them from owning guns and not allowing same sex marriage. How can same sex marriage leads to the need for abortion.? It's not just abortion that kills but guns also kill. I'm glad that some people still have their senses in not electing Mitt Romney.

Without the cooperation of the banks overseas the 'stolen millions' cannot be hidden whether it's the leaders in China or Myanmar. The sad thing is that 'ordinary people' in China have been led to believe that Grandpa Wen is an honest and compassionate man, which he is not. They too have learnt the 'Art of Spin' and with the instantaneous communications of today they don't have to use Sun-tzu's 'Art of War'. The military regime in Myanmar has learnt a lot from the Chinese but Indonesia has wrestle out of that culture quite recently. It matters greatly not just for China but all of us who the next lot of leaders are going to be - less or more corrupt.

Sure it matters, because it depends on how greedy they are; how much suffering ordinary people have to endure and how far they can stretch Deng Xiaoping's maxim 'To Get Rich is Glorious' . As you may see how Premier Wen Jiabao and his lot have got from an 'extremely poor' background. No wonder only in China they have a saying, ji quon sheng tien; chickens and dogs also ascend to heaven - referring to anyone who promotes his relatives or friends to high positions simply because he has the clout and power. Just imagine, he was the one who was talking about income disparity among the haves and have-nots. What a hypocrite! Well on the other hand would one prefers personality like Bo Xilai? Not only the people in China but also people in China's neighbouring countries and people around the world would be unfortunate to have the choice between the bad and the evil.

For someone who's been known for sowing his wild oats it's possible that he hadn't got an extra cot therefore spreading his oats somewhere.

One thing that makes me wonder about the Honorable Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi's remarks was 'how he tends to get 'consent' from the animal and which language he would be using'. I hope not Italian.

Well, you may bet your life on it that Mitt would not be helping you out of his pocket. The only certainty of winning that bet is to put money on him losing the presidential race.

What evidence? Even when another Japanese Cameraman was shot at point blank in Burma during 2007 which was televised all over the world brought not much fuss by the Japanese Government is anyone should be surprised that they happened in Thailand? Shame on you.

I think Ayaan Hirsi Ali was not wrong when she wrote in her latest book "The Nomad" that we in the West are too accommodating or even bending over backwards when it come to relations with Muslims immigrants. Do we ever tried to build a church in Saudi Arabia or a woman from the West free to drive around on her own or clad 'immodestly' in accordance to them, I guess not. Didn't they say Islam is a 'peaceful and tolerant religion'? If President Obama's intention is to assure that the mosque built near ground zero will deter another plane crashing in, then so be it.

Isn't it more like 'culturally or religiously sanctioned' pedophilia? This is the age of globalisation and here we are saying that because it's their culture we cannot say what's wrong is 'WRONG'. If religion teaches that as right and if so-called 'God' of whatever name he is known, if that is what he taught then he should just have created 'man' and let him do what he likes with his pecker.

The world seems to have catch this nastry disease called 'Sino-phobia'. If China makes a protest that so-and-so shouldn't be allowed in most government complied without much fuss, some defied and apologised later. What is worse, South Africa seems to have forgotten that it will not be what it is today if people around the world has stood up in defiance of gross injustice such as Apartheid. Have we lost our humanity because of our greed?

How will the Pope know about using condom? Has he tried it? If not, why should he be the one to be giving that advice. Religion itself is good but when it comes to the extreme it's not good anymore. How about fair thinking, condom wasn't available at the time and God didn't make them when He created man (and later woman). The simple answer is when 'sex' is meant for and used for pleasure alone then to avoid the other issue that the so-called religious people are so concerned about - abortion - has to be allowed to an extent. Therefore shouldn't same sex marriage be their anwer for less 'abortion'. Didn't they say that "you can't have the cake and eat it too?"

The BBC, trying to justify its refusal to air Gaza appeal on impartiality sounds more like the military regime in Burma blocking international aid into the country after Cyclone Nargis. To me, the decision makers of that corporation must have lost either their common sense or their humanity.

Americans should be thankful that Mr and Mrs Bushes have just 'twiddle dee and twiddle dum' for sons. Hasn't Double You's eight years cause enough destruction to a super power such as America? No wonder they say that every mother's goose is a swan.

I would like to know if this is not a failure of the Bush's presidency then what is it? The testimonials of the two women, Mrs Bush and Dr Rice, sounds more like a joke we used when one is unbelievable, "Ask my wife if you don't believe me!".

It also reminds me of this joke where the surgeon declared that the operation was a success, but the patient died.

I'm sure the military regime in Burma will provide a home for Thaksin and his wife. Shouldn't there be honour among thieves?

I agree with your comment ImperiumMundi. Lucky for them they are not working for private enterprise otherwise many heads would have rolled including Ban Ki-Moon's. The world should take a hard look at the organisation and come up with something that will be more relevant for the twenty-first century. The ideals that we all hold dear can never be realised under such incompetent organisation.

What a pity, we wouldn't have another debate. Should there be one, McCain should say, "When I look into Putin's eyes, what do I see - NY and ET!" This is more balanced for the eyes.

Is is a sequel? We have 'Sex in the City' then 'Sex in the Clergy' and now 'Sex in the Monetary'? Soon one of the criteria for the appointment of Directorship to such institutions might be that:'he shall be a castrati'.

More like the surgeon declaring, "the operation is a success, but the patient died". For China and the officials at the International Olympic Committee, a success in terms of the amount of money they could make out of the game but at what cost? If money alone is the measure of success then you could call it as one but in life it's not money alone that counts. How about asking this question to those who lost their homes, their livelihood and the rest which we take as human dignity, so as to make Beijing a place that the Chinese Communist authorities want people from outside to see, I don't think you will like the answer you would like. Hitler called his Olympics a success too and wasn't it then the tourch relay began?

Please do not think that the generals are ungrateful. The donors should have known that in hot weather like Burma, chocolate bars melt and they can't be pocketed. With all the natural resources like trees, gas, jade and all other wealth disappearing into their pockets how could they forgive the donors for donating 'chocolate bars'.

Sarge should just persuade the US Pacific fleet to just turn the 'Cobra Gold' exercise into the real one. Mr Bush and his lot in the White House will all be forgiven for their past mistakes. Who knows, the US might have found oil in the Gulf of Martaban already?

Whether they like it or not the people will always try to overthrow the military that hasn't got a shred of legitimacy nor the capability to good governance. The soldiers cannot and will not be made to follow their orders to shoot all the time. Nicolae Ceausescu and his powerful wife Elena would have never thought that their soldiers would turn on them ever. A time will come when the military regime, Than Shwe and his PaO wife Kyaing Kyaing have to face a similar fate. Where can anyone find such evil persons on earth? To let their own people die of a slow death by denying aid (which was at hand, ready and forthcoming from all corners of the earth)is indeed nasty, wicked and conscience shocking beyond imagination. It's worst particularly when the military regime, unlike any military, would not try to save the naval personnel and their families. Aren't they one of their own? They have done bad things throughout their rule since 1962 but their response to this natural disaster top them all. It's neither human nor civilised behaviour to regard themselves as such. If the extermination of 6 million Jews at Auschwitz-Birkenau was for Hitler and his Nazi Regime's the extent to which one's cruelty and wickedness towards fellow humans, then what the military regime in Burma did to the survivors of the victims of Cyclone Nargis was much more evil than what the world have witnessed before. They may get away with this for a time but according to the law of kamma, 'they will have to reap the evil they have sown.' The victims may not get the justice they deserved but justice shall be done in their name. Why do the scientists in Britain bother to create 'hybrid embryo' when we already have 'part animal part human' like Than Shwe and their lot amidst us? The only difficulty they may have is that Than Shwe might have more 'animal part' than anyone can imagine.

As Studs Terkel said, "Hope Dies Last", then the victims of Cyclone Nagris in Burma's delta region should at least have to hope that their long and agonising ordeal should be over soon. However, if the United Nations and Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon just bring 'message of hope' with no meaningful actions to follow, then the victims will have to contend with "a package of soap." It is obvious that the Burma issue has been unresolved because of, what Mark Baker once wrote, "the UN's amnesia". There may have been a succession of three UN Secretary-Genarals, Dr Boutros Ghali, Mr Kofi Annan and now Mr Ban Ki-Moon; let alone a number of special envoys, we have nothing to show as a 'tangible success'. The military regime had been telling the world and the United Nations that it has no intention of either bowing to the UN's demands, to hold dilogue with the opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or to work towards democratising the country. What was the response to such defiance? The UN and its three successive Secretary-Genarals expressed their 'disappointment' at the lack of progress on political reform in Burma and 'regret' that the regime had not opened talks with Aung San Suu Kyi. Geoffrey Robertson QC criticised the UN agencies operations 'as being circumscribed by "diplomatic politesse" - which generally takes to mean uncritical and unspecific comments couched in weasel words. As the first step, Mr Ban has been given a 'run around' before he was given 'an audience' with 'the animal'. If there is no tangible outcome soon, the 'message of hope' he said he brings may turn out to be just 'packages of soap'. Don't they say, "Pray a lot and you'll have hope in your hearts; bathe a lot and you'll have soap in your arse." In the delta, there's lots of water to do the latter.

The world may hopefully see through what a uncaring, evil regime we have in Burma but there still are those naive like, British Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown, to suggest that, Britain and Myanmar had reached a kind of consensus over the direction of the aid operation under which Asian countries such as India, China, Thailand and Indonesia would take the lead in conjunction with the U.N.

If Asia and particularly those countries in ASEAN have compassion in the first place the suffering of the people in Burma couldn't have been prolonged as much. These countries and a few international businesses are the ones that is giving the military regime a lifeline where they feel that they could continue on repressing their people.

The author of the book, "A Problem from Hell", Samantha Powers questioned despite the American leaders vowing 'never again' repeatedly have failed to stop genocide, the answer is quite simple. If international community allow 'creatures from hell' as leaders and accept them amongst their mist how and why can the problem be solved. When it comes to take decisive actions against such regimes, they just debated about the legality and not about the 'legality of the regime'.

We have to remember that it was a Burmese sitting in the chair of the UN Secretary General that the world was saved from the brink of nuclear war. What a pity when leaders act like 'sissies'?