Life with no freedom...

That would be the easiest way to describe what is happening in Burma after reading this Newsweek Article, even things we take for granted like a several hundred dollar junker car would have to be something bought in secret that would cost up to $20,000. The amount of control and the lack of privacy that those who live in Burma hits home when you discover what it takes to be able to get a cell phone:

Burmese who want cell phone service must first apply to the government for a SIM card. The process often takes years and costs about $1,500, in a country where many earn about $50 a month. Those who can afford it often buy the coveted SIM card from a person who acquired it through the lottery, as some Burmese dub it, or the black market. They generally pay that person a virtual fortune of about $2,500. Having a land line or a cell, mind you, does not entitle owners to call anywhere they want. Many use their phones only for local calls. If they want to be able to call outside the immediate area—say from Rangoon to Mandalay—they must first ask the government. Calling outside the country requires further clearance. And it is highly likely that some government apparatchik will be listening in. Phoning a diplomat from one of the best hotels in the country, I'm cut off midsentence. "Better not to get into that," the man says sharply.