Monthly Archives: March 2008

Dalai Lama’s threat shakes Buddhism

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If he quit as political leader but still headed the faith, it would go against his religion’s centuries-old tenet of church-state unity.


BEIJING — As the world’s most famous Buddhist, the Dalai Lama is a monk juggling two jobs. One is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, and the other is the political head of his government in exile.

He was chosen to serve these dual callings through an arcane process based on signs that he was reincarnated from a long line of Dalai Lamas who were considered embodiments of the Buddha of Compassion, the holder of the White Lotus.

So when the 14th Dalai Lama threatened last week to resign in response to the violence in Tibet, he seemed to throw into question the ancient process that gave him power.

Dalai Lama’s threat shakes Buddhism – Los Angeles Times

FlashGet’s Security Hole Delivers a Trojan

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Steve Bass, in his Tips and Tweaks blog, relates the following:

I just uninstalled FlashGet, my favorite downloading program. It’s got a big, inviting security hole that can — and did — let a nasty Trojan worm its way onto my system. I’m not the only one having to fend off the attack. Users on the FlashGet and Kapersky Labs first raised the flag.

FlashGet’s Security Hole Delivers a Trojan

Lack of Political Will Impedes Sanitation Improvements

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“Poor sanitation combines with a lack of safe drinking water and
inadequate hygiene to contribute to the terrible global death toll. Those who survive face diminished chances of living a
healthy and productive existence. Children, especially girls, are
forced to stay out of school, while hygiene-related diseases keep
adults from engaging in productive work.”
~ UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon

Lack of Political Will Impedes Sanitation Improvements

Poor people in poor countries have nothing to offer. Why spend money on them? They’ll just get “uppity” and want a piece of our pie.

Setting aside the sarcasm, there are viable answers, and they’re being addressed, but slowly and without the backing that every caring person should be willing to provide. Did you give to UNICEF this year? See the article.

QUOTE OF THE DECADE?

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“I must say, I’m a little envious. If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed.

“It must be exciting for you … in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger. You’re really making history, and thanks.”

The Commander in Chief, George Walker (Little George) Bush, speaking to troops in Afghanistan

Well, I suppose it’s understandable that he would feel that way. After all, he was cheated of his chance to experience Vietnam by his duty to go be a “fighter pilot” in the Texas Air Force, or whatever it was, flying obsolete jets and helping politicians in his spare time. I understand he actually accumulated more than 200 hours of flying time! Just gritted his teeth and did his duty, like Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rove. Whattaguy!

Are you Republicans feeling the love? Still glad your guy got in? Tell the truth, now.

Let’s set the record straight on this Buddha and Jesus thing…

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Several times over the past week, friends and acquaintances have wished or started to wish me a happy Easter, then felt it necessary to qualify it somehow: “if you celebrate it,” “I don’t know how you feel about it, but…” and so forth.

I find this touching, but at the same time a bit appalling. Touching because my friends want to share the good wishes of their holiday with me, and appalling, not because it calls my beliefs into question (although that was implicit in a couple of cases) but because it demonstrates how little people actually know about one of history’s great thinkers and his teachings. It also demonstrates the unfortunate lack of information about other beliefs in general for which Americans, in particular, are well-known. That, however, is probably best left for another time. For the moment, let’s stick to the Buddha, his teachings, and Jesus. Continue reading →

Here’s What They Said (Who knows what they knew?)

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“Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance, largely finance the reconstruction of their own country. And I have no doubt that they will.”
Richard Perle, chair, The Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, July 11, 2002
  Continue reading →

And The Winner Is…

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Human beings have never lacked for things to fight over, but for the last two millennia, they have fought the most over ideas involving the divine. Politics, technology, military capacity, and diseases have all played decisive roles in shaping history, yet it is impossible to understand the rise and fall of empires, the clash of civilizations, and the evolving balance of power without appreciating the unique fervor that religion inspires, and the speed with which new religions can spread.

And The Winner Is…

But will this ever be the case? Are believers destined to devour each other like the Killkenny Cats? Alan Wolfe thinks not.

The Secret Life of Shabbos Goys

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No matter how strict the prohibitions against, say, turning on lights or starting a fire, Jews don’t spend Shabbat in cold, dark rooms. The Sabbath puts Jews in a divine paradox. “On the one hand we have to be away from the mundane world,” says Rabbi Levi Garelik of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. “On the other hand, we have to eat on Shabbos. It’s a mitzvah to eat. We have to eat meat and fish and soup and challah and wine, right?” Someone needs to warm the soup.

Heeb: The Goy Issue: The Secret Life of Shabbos Goys