Foreign
GUARDIAN Apology, Out of Contact
February 11, 2012 
For all those who have wondered why so little new material has appeared, it’s because the day job has the GUARDIAN in Asia.
We paid a brief visit to Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma) where we stopped by Aung San Suu Kiy’s home. She was under house arrest for nearly 13 years, but it was hardly a cramped cottage. The walled estate at 54 University Road is next to the U.S. Embassy.
She offers “hope” to the impoverished nation, but is by no means a shoe-in. Everyone we talked to had a very specific “wait and see” attitude. She is on the front page of newspapers and draws rock star-type crowds–a far cry from Romney!
At the moment we have internet connection over breakfast on the beach at Koh Samui Island in Thailand. We visited a school and found that elementary kids are getting computer training.
The island is full of Russian, Swedish, and Aussie tourists who have Totally outstripped its capacity to offer infrastructure like sewer, water, and internet connections.
We will be back early next week.
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Comments & Discussion
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Feb 13, 2012, 11:07 am
All of this world unrest boils down to a tremendous number of young and intelligent people unemployed and not satisfied with their lot in life. Infant survival rates have gone up due to the wonders of modern medicine.
We see it with the “occupy” people in this country and dictators overthrown in other parts of the world. People require a niche in the scheme of things and when that doesn’t happen … the worst is sure to follow.
We tend to compare incumbent politicians and leaders to the “ideal” and they all come up short. We have a worldwide over-population problem and too few jobs for people exacerbated by globalization following the cheapest labor costs and dehumanization of people along the way.
Burma will not see any meaningful changes in quality of life with changes in the power elite.
Feb 13, 2012, 12:28 pm
If I were you I would stay there until the end of April. Things should be a lot warmer by then.
Feb 14, 2012, 12:11 am
Hope you had a good trip! It’s always fun and eduational to see other places in the world. So many people have no idea what all is out there. I am sure you have some good memories! I have read abit about Aung San Suu Kiy’s 13yrs. of house arrest for speaking out against the government. Be glad you live in a democracy.
Feb 14, 2012, 1:11 pm
Never been to Rangoon, but Crab Rangoon is one of my favorites.
By the way I know a guy in Burma, his name is Bill, did you happen to run into him?
Feb 14, 2012, 1:12 pm
I would take a breakfast on the beach in Koh Samui anyday.
Feb 15, 2012, 5:11 pm
In other news, the owner of the Boise Hawks wants GBAD to dump the new convention center plans and pour $10 million of the hotel tax dollars to a new facility. Preferred site being 27th and Fairview.
Feb 19, 2012, 8:40 am
Was the “island is full of foreign tourists” a negative observation? And which are you? The Russian, Swedish or Aussie that is currently doing the damage?
EDITOR NOTE–Don’t know “where you’re coming from,” but I was just making an objective statement. It is without sufficient resources to cope with the masses. Also folks are coming from all over the world. Thailand is #1 destination for Swedish travel, replacing Spain.