Toby Nunn: I was recently invited to speak at Brown University for a Watson Institute forum involving frontline media, writers and filmmakers. I was honored by the invitation, but it was hard to attend since I am over here. I did participate via webcast and found that in itself very entertaining. I was able to watch the panel before the one I…
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and other Internet comedy that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. So for your morning blog chuckle I present: From My Dad.
Part of being a good citizen of the blogosphere is visiting, reading and, most importantly, taking the time to leave a comment on other’s blogs. It’s all about the conversation. In the interest of setting an example I’ve decided to link to those blog posts that have compelled me to leave a comment.
World events may lead news organizations to cover the next big story, but I’ve decided to stay focused on Myanmar. A nukeless military dictatorship there seems less sexy than one with nuclear weapons in Pakistan, the suffering and brutality goes on in Southeast Asia and we need to pay attention, to not become slaves to news fashion.
Today the Associated Press reports on the continued de-monking of a country where every male is expected to spend at least part of his life in a monastery.
The monasteries of Myanmar used to teem with saffron-robed Buddhist monks, revered as spiritual guides and moral authorities in a country in the grip of a repressive military regime.
Then the junta turned its troops on the monks, beating them in the streets for leading pro-democracy protests. They also raided their monasteries, leaving bloodstains on the floors, chasing anyone who had participated in the rallies.
Now, nobody knows how many of Myanmar’s more than 500,000 monks are left in their monasteries.
Has such a religious cleansing occurred since Kristallnacht?
In this devoutly Buddhist country, every male citizen has to be a monk for at least a short time.
But many parents are keeping their children out of the monasteries for their safety, several abbots said in interviews.
The junta has lifted a nighttime curfew, restored Internet access and ended a ban on assembly. But monks remain targets. The junta said recently it was still pursuing four monks who led rallies.
One of them, U Kovida, spoke to The Associated Press from the Thai border, asking that his location be kept secret for fear Thai authorities would send him back.
“At the moment you will hardly find a monk in Yangon. Monks are running away from danger. They are being arrested and sent to labor camps, tortured and killed,” said U Kovida, 24.
And what was Kovida’s crime?
Kovida is officially accused of having hidden 48 blocks of TNT in his monastery before moving them elsewhere. He was hunted for three weeks by authorities and arrived at the border Oct. 18. He says the allegations are false.
“Whenever they want to arrest a leading monk, they have to make up some story because they know people have such great respect for monks and Buddhism,” he said.
Anyone who knows about the tenets of Buddhism, understands how ludicrous an idea it is that a monk would keep even a single stick of TNT in a monastery.
Yes. Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan all demand our attention. But we must not forget tiny Myanmar.
My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Rational Mysticism: Dispatches from the border between science and spirituality by John Horgan.
“…finally there is no belief, doctrine or dogma that can justify God”s ways. Our mutual compassion is our only real consolation.” p. 31
Today, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: Any time we are preoccupied, we are out of touch with reality. We are not in a position to manage our time well. p. 114
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and sometimes serious stuff that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. To honor all veterans of all wars today I present: From My Dad.
Now, imagine doing this at night, in a storm and getting it right every time. There are no better pilots in the world
I’m doing my best to stay on top of events in Myanmar/Burma and it’s not surprising that the best sources are not inside the United States. I’m reading The Independent, The Guardian, The BBC, Irrawaddy, New Mandala and the Asia Times. I’ll daily post a digest of headlines from stories I just couldn’t get to.
Today’s batch includes:
Pakistan must not become another Burma: Asma Jahangir
Vietnamese, Myanmar PMs hold talks
North East swaying to Myanmar tunes
Myanmar closer to our hearts than Pedra Branca
Myanmar reforms in India’s interest: US
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi meets with her party
JAPAN: APF president looking to push Myanmar
Video Dateline: Myanmar:
And from the blogosphere:
Burma Crisis Update 11-10-07: Amnesty International
Burmese bloggers are whistle blowers
New York Times: Burma
Burma’s Suu Kyi discusses sanctions with party
Aung San Suu Kyi & Burma Official Paper
“Blood Bought Diplomatic Progress”
AIDS, aids needed
Suu Kyi Is Front-Page News in Myanmar
700 Political Prisoners Detained In Myanmar
Singapore is 2nd largest supplier of weapons to Burma
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and sometimes serious stuff that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. To honor all veterans of all wars today I present: From My Dad.
Many people know the name of Paul Tibbetts (1915-2007), the pilot of the Enola Gay, but too few know the name of the man who pulled the lever that dropped the bomb that changed the world. Tom Ferebee (1918-2000). And the Army had kept him in the dark about the mission.
I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is Executive Order Overturns US Fifth Amendment.
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and sometimes serious stuff that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. To honor all veterans of all wars today I present: From My Dad.
CAPT Benjamin Tupper: Veterans Day 2007 marks the six month anniversary of my return to the United States. A week doesn’t go by but that I repeatedly catch myself saying I “just got back”. My internal fact checker buzzes in and reminds me that this is not an accurate thing to be telling people, but I rarely correct myself. It feels accurate. It feels honest. It still…
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and sometimes serious stuff that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. To honor all veterans of all wars today I present: From My Dad.
My name is Jeff Hess and I’m a biblioholic. I own hundreds of books. Not valuable books, mostly Science Fiction paperbacks and text books, tomes rescued by the bag from library book sales. A few years ago, in the interest of not burying myself, I began reading more books from the library and taking notes. My electronic chapbook was born.
This is a passage I copied from Rational Mysticism: Dispatches from the border between science and spirituality by John Horgan.
“…the miracle, moment by moment, of naked existence.” Aldus Huxley, “The Doors of Perception.” p. 25
I could never bring myself to forward all the email jokes, cartoons and sometimes serious stuff that land in my inbox. But then I started posting the ones my dad sends me. Judging from my comments and emails, my dad has become one of my greatest blogging assets. To honor all veterans of all wars today I present: From My Dad.
Today, as I go about my tasks, I’ll think about: Whenever a useful idea comes to mind, never drop it, no matter what else you”re doing. Take a few moments to write it down in your datebook organizer.
There are two appropriate places: the first is the grass-catcher list, and the other is in the to-be-done-today section of the datebook organizer on the particular day you think it best to work on that particular project.
Which of these two lists has the greater sense of urgency? The daily action list, of course. Therefore higher-priority ideas goes there; the lower-priority ideas on the grass-catcher list. p. 92
I’m doing my best to stay on top of events in Myanmar/Burma and it’s not surprising that the best sources are not inside the United States. I’m reading The Independent, The Guardian, The BBC, Irrawaddy, New Mandala and the Asia Times. I’ll daily post a digest of headlines from stories I just couldn’t get to.
Today’s batch includes:
UN: Push Burma for Real Reform
Jadeite Dealers Doing Business in Burma
Burma democracy leader Suu Kyi allowed to meet party colleagues
Burma’s PM visits Vietnam
UN envoy to address East Asian leaders on Burma
Suu Kyi ‘optimistic’ on change in Burma
Burma roundup
Burma: fresh evidence of mass detentions, hostage-taking, deaths
ASEAN MPs express concern about events in Myanmar
Vietnam urges Myanmar junta to work with UN
Laos, Myanmar set to enhance relations
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi says ‘time for healing’ after junta meeting
Why pressure PRC over Myanmar?
A deafening silence descends on Myanmar
Suu Kyi said optimistic on Myanmar talks
Video Dateline: Myanmar:
And from the blogosphere:
New York Burma Friends: Can You Help Us in Congress
Around the world: Somalia, Georgia, and Burma
Will Pakistan Politics overshadow Burmese Struggle?
A Keyhole into Burma – Robbie Williams owes me
Praise for Myanmar Prayers Answered Again!
MYANMAR No Return to “Normal”
More action needed over Myanmar: MPs tell ASEAN
Myanmar liaison minister meets Aung San Suu Kyi
Others simply died. Of how many places in the World can this be said? Are there too many to comprehend? Do our minds seize and go blank because no human can grasp the immensity of the horror? Rabbi Tarfon (in Pirke Avot 2:16) teaches: It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work; yet, you are not free to desist from it. Don”t turn away.
One of the blogs I’ve been reading since the monks marched in Myanmar is A Keyhole Into Burma; series of cultural screen captures not associated directly with that country’s unrest but telling all the same. Written by Lief Pettersen and hosted at Gadling, each post allows us to put our eye against the cultural keyhole.
Today I came across this exchange:
“Please, may I ask you a question?” Kusala preceded every question with this solicitation of permission, like he hadn’t already been putting me through the question-answer ringer for 15 minutes.
“Yes Kusala. And you don’t have to ask me if you can ask me a question every time. I give you everlasting permission to ask me questions until we get back to my bike, OK?”
“I thank you. What is ‘McDonald’s'”?
I hesitated for a moment, staring at the sky as the young monk patiently waited for my reply. We were walking across U Bein’s Bridge, a 1.2 kilometer wooden bridge that connects Amarapura to Kyauktawgyi Paya, 11 kilometers outside of Mandalay. How do you explain a world famous franchise restaurant that sells questionable food, which may or may not be physically addictive, hawked by a clown with gender identity issues?
How indeed.
I’m constantly tossing interesting websites into what I call my blogpile. Some of them find their way here in the form of regular posts, but more often than not they languish and get buried deeper in the pile. The end result is that I have to go back and do a bit of shoveling. Today’s item is The “Missing” 13th Amendment.
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