https://www.salon.com/2018/08/11/you-know-who-is-paying-very-very-close-attention-to-the-manafort-trial-president-trump/ Makes you wonder about the plethora of Burma consultants post 2011. I hear or heard a lot of gossip, 10 acres from the junta, 20 car import licenses. Hope to live long enough to see it all go to International Criminal Court. Even the highly-born one in charge of "historic restoration" is said to have received a sarr pauk (eating hole) as in charge of licenses. Other "rumors" including by eye witness who actually saw ancient Buddha images carried out of Bagan temple wrapped in jute bags by soldiers was about wholesale "legalized" looting of ancient artifacts. But why am I upset? I have seen more old Burma statues overseas than in Burma. First the British colonials, then the 1960s and 1970s, students in orals for Diploma in Economic Planning telling me of certain minister who took home an antique, Buddha images without heads in Mandalay, seen by myself, even a joke told by a poet. Black marketeer calls Burma. Hi, have any old Buddhas? There is one. Does it have a nice head Send it. How about hands, shapely? Send them. How about feet? Send them. Meanwhile in Burma, plastic Buddhas and copper sheathing (supposed to be gold)-- also "renovation" of smaller Bagan temples, sort of license to loot artifacts and jewelry inside. I am sick of it. kmk 8-11-2018 1st photo taken by me, supposed to be 10th century Bagan image, and I think it is. Photo taken with permission in antique shop in Thailand. I don't know the price, did not ask. 2nd photo from Internet of "stupid so-called renovation" ![]()
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