Violent protests after monks arrested at motorcycle shop

by Jane Macartney, The Times

Beijing, China — Monks and animal herders rampaged through a remote Himalayan town, smashing government offices, cars and shops owned by Han Chinese, after police arrested and reportedly beat three Buddhist monks.

Chinese officials said that the monks had tried to rob a motorcycle maintenance shop in Paingar, a remote Tibetan town, but Tibetan sources said that the shopkeeper, who was not arrested, had lashed out at the monks. The contradictory accounts expose the rivalry in the deeply Buddhist Himalayan region, where the majority of Tibetans owe their allegiance to the exiled Dalai Lama rather than to the Communist Party leaders in Beijing.

Businessman Helps Family, Others with Phone Calls From Santa Idea

Hickory, NC -(PR.com)- A Hickory, North Carolina man refuses to become just another statistic in his city’s high jobless rate. Determination, an enterprising spirit, and the desire to help others while helping his family encouraged Brian Keller to become his childhood hero: Santa Claus–at least on the telephone.

Keller, who is self-employed, decided to start the seasonal business of making calls to children as Santa Claus after traditional employment prospects in his town, rated by Forbes magazine as one of the worst places in the country to find jobs, seemed bleak.

Over 200 Monks and locals protest in Gaya

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com) - Over 200 monks and local residents in India’s eastern city of Bodhgaya, in Bihar state, today held a protest rally in commemoration of the monk-led protests in Burma in September and to condemn the Burmese junta’s blasphemous act on Buddhism where it killed and arrested monks.

As an honor to the fallen monks and to protest against the junta’s acts, monks from at least four countries Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka, and India held a four day sit-in protest in Bodhgaya, the historic place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.

China: U.S. ties ‘disturbed and harmed’??

Ed. Note- I know people are probably getting tired of the postings here about China doing this or that, but the fact of the matter is, I as a citizen of the world am concerned with the actions the country has taken that violate human rights around the world. I am not talking about the people of China, I’m sure many of them would love a free China. I am talking about the maniacal leaders the “run” that country, and the regions surrounding it, with an iron fist. I am talking about a country so vested in their Atheism, yet they are so concerned with the traditions and values of one of the regions oldest religions. From time to time I rant, and I could go on here, but I think all the reposted news articles, recalls, etc speak for themselves. Aaaah!

BEIJING, China (AP) — China’s last-minute cancellation of a U.S. Navy visit to Hong Kong was no misunderstanding, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Spokesman Liu Jianchao said ties between the U.S. and China had been “disturbed and harmed” by Congress’ honoring of the Dalai Lama and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Buddhist prayer opens state Senate to show diversity

By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (USA) — A Buddhist leader, making a first-ever appearance before the state Senate yesterday, said he’s OK with opening legislative sessions with a prayer as long as leaders of all faiths get a chance to speak and they don’t try to proselytize.
Anthony Stultz of Harrisburg, who for 20 years has been a Buddhist “sensei,” meaning “venerable priest or teacher,” opened the Senate session yesterday with a brief prayer, the first time an official of that faith has been asked to do so. He is the leader of the Blue Mountain Lotus Society in Harrisburg.

Talking with the Burmese refugees of Bridgeport

By Chandra Niles Folsom and Sean Corbett, Fairfield County Weekly

The Burma we hear about on the news today was once the “rice bowl” of Asia. Rich with all the natural resources and beauty a country would ever need, it is sometimes referred to as the Venice of the East. Today, Burma is a place where the “children have no future,” according to Eh Lay, 34, and Po Ya Ko, 36, two Burmese refugees living in Bridgeport.

Keep up human rights pressure on China in the run-up to 2008 Olympics

Original text from EU here

With next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing just around the corner, the world must keep up the pressure on China over its human rights record, a hearing of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee attended by over 200 people was told on Monday. Several NGOs, including a Chinese dissident speaking live via internet telephone conference, described the widespread human rights violations still being perpetrated by the authorities.

Dalai Lama seeks meaningful autonomy for Tibet

By Ravinder Singh Robin, Andhra News - Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama sought meaningful autonomy for Tibet, but expressed disappointment over not much progress being made on this issue with China.

“We are not seeking independence from China because of our own interests. Everybody knows that Tibet was a materially backward area and needed modern development,” he said at the circuit house here.

Vatican bows down to Chinese demands

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Monday Pope Benedict did not have any plans to meet the Dalai Lama next month, contrary to a previous announcement that had irked China and raised concern about efforts to improve relations.

A Vatican official who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters in October the Pope would meet the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism on December 13. The Dalai Lama is considered a traitor by Beijing since leading a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

India’s ‘pink’ vigilante women

By Soutik Biswas - BBC News, Banda

They wear pink saris and go after corrupt officials and boorish men with sticks and axes.
The several hundred vigilante women of India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state’s Banda area proudly call themselves the “gulabi gang” (pink gang), striking fear in the hearts of wrongdoers and earning the grudging respect of officials.

Being a Buddhist is not “labelling” oneself

I was thinking, while driving, about some recent things I’ve read and how it’s not important to label yourself a Buddhist. There are articles out there that talk about who really is a Buddhist, who is not Buddhist, what is a Buddhist, etc…

And than I began to ask myself, what do I say to someone who maybe asks what religion or philosophy I follow? Am I supposed to say I don’t? Or say something like His Holiness and that my religion is kindness? Why not call myself a Buddhist, the person asked the question, they want an answer right?!

Dalai Lama plans leader referendum

AMRITSAR, India (AP) — The Dalai Lama said Tuesday the Tibetan people will hold a referendum before he dies to decide whether a new system of leadership is necessary for the Himalayan people.

China has accused the Dalai Lama of defying its sovereignty of Tibet by pushing for independence.

Quiet Riot singer passes on

So why read about it here? If you haven’t noticed, I am a die-hard metal fan. See the original article that spawned this blog and you’ll understand why.

I remember watching Quiet Riot for the first time on Friday Night Video Fights (an old, awesome show when MTV played videos). I spent lots of weekends at my grandmother’s growing up, and although my parents hated metal music she always let me watch videos at her house. I remember that night it was Quiet Riot “Cum On Feel The Noize” going against the Talking Heads “Burning Down The House”. I thought how great the band was, and they really drove my metal passion to greater heights.

As a small tribute, I’ve dug up the video for “Cum On Feel The Noize” from YouTube and have posted it below, as well as the article that follows it from CNN. Metal fans, pump the fist in the air and remember this metal icon!

Swat Militants Attack Buddha Carvings and Relics

by Adil Najam (Blog)
Islamabad, Pakistan — There are times when it is not enough to feel outraged. One has to speak out. To express the outrage. To speak out, and to be heard, against that which is wrong.

Indeed, there are times in life when it is difficult to determine exactly what is right. Reality, after all, is complex and nuanced. However, there are also times - more often than we think - when there is no ambiguity about what is wrong. Just plain wrong. Silence, at such moments - especially in the face of violence - cannot be justified. The least one can do is to call the wrong, wrong.

Video section updated

With videos such as the story of Buddha’s previous life as a quail (from one of the many Jataka Tales), an hour long movie about the Life Of Buddha, a BBC News piece about the protesting monks in Burma (posted as a reminder that they still need the rest of us to help them stand up), one with Sogyal Rinpoche and a few other videos. I only took down a couple, and have left most of the previous videos up. Got some time? Stop by the videos area and watch a few.