Saturday 4 August 2007

I was taking a look around the Blogsphere last night and here is what I found. Go, peruse my lovely readers.

This week at Crushed by Ingsoc there is the giving out of awards, which presents his readers with five links to explore. Apparently one of his mates is getting married and Crushed is (forgive me) crushed. He is also cruising about for late night clandestine smoking and free beer. An interesting post that spawned a girl’s version over at Sicily Scene is all about “the Artifacts that are Part of Us”, what you don’t leave, or stay at home without? To round things out there is some politics.

From the Sudan, Kizzie tells us about Arab coverage of Dafur, a Sudanese refugee in Cairo, being blocked in China, and some great photographs of a country most of us have never seen.


The Russian Wolfhound
is having cream tea in Devon and I am pea green with envy. My kingdom for real tea NOT from a teabag and proper scones! He is slowing down for the month, as are many, but has posted a hilarious taste of England.

Ordovicius is giving us the political heads up in Wales, and the employment woes of a teenager, as well as the unfairness and inconsistency of mobile phone operators.

And over at Westminster Wisdom there is a summary of the possibility of a deal between Benazir Bhutto and General Musharaf.

“To make a deal with the PPP would enable Musharraf to gain broader political support for his government. However, it is a risky business. Bhutto may herself want to take over the reigns of power and may thus want him to stand aside in order to make any deal work. Or, alternatively, the risk could be one for her. She could lose the support and she and her father built up for the PPP by siding with a military regime. It could go either way and I do not know how people would react to news of such a deal.”
Followed by a guest post “From Russia with Love” from the one, the only Lord Higham aka, I am many names.

Finally, Go over to Stay at Home Dad for a touching story about his Polish aunt that will leave you smiling while the tear slides down your cheek.

To see why I am incensed today go to the London Times to read about China’s latest attempt to destroy the Tibetan culture.

“China tells living Buddhas to obtain permission before they reincarnate”
Tibet’s living Buddhas have been banned from reincarnation without permission from China’s atheist leaders. The ban is included in new rules intended to assert Beijing’s authority over Tibet’s restive and deeply Buddhist people.

“The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and invalid,” according to the order, which comes into effect on September 1.

t is the latest in a series of measures by the Communist authorities to tighten their grip over Tibet. Reincarnate lamas, known as tulkus, often lead religious communities and oversee the training of monks, giving them enormous influence over religious life in the Himalayan region. Anyone outside China is banned from taking part in the process of seeking and recognising a living Buddha, effectively excluding the Dalai Lama, who traditionally can play an important role in giving recognition to candidate reincarnates.
Related Links


For the first time China has given the Government the power to ensure that no new living Buddha can be identified, sounding a possible death knell to a mystical system that dates back at least as far as the 12th century.


Ciao

correction: 30 July was not the King's birthday, but rather Throne Day. A celebration of Mohammad VI taking the throne. Thank you to houda, and Fasil; albeit it was another Moroccan who told us it was his birthday, so we were not alone. The good wishes stand.

19 comments:

I Beatrice said...

How absurd it is - and yet how terrible and profoundly sad! - when governments take it upon themselves to intervene in strictly spiritual matters.

I don't know whether to laugh bitterly - or throw back my head and howl!

Neither activity would benefit the oppressed Tibetan people by one iota of course - but still, one feels one has to register SOMETHING.

Sparx said...

Ooh, thanks for the bloggotour, I'm really enjoying it. Have you tried www.nbt.com? It's called 'Nothing But Tea' and I bet they'll deliver to you. They have the most amazing selection of teas from around the world.

The china article is very blood-boiling. It's so Orwellian - as if the government had the power to control reincarnation or people's belief in it. It's easy (for me anyway) to forget that things are still so restrictive in China, we hear so much about it's emerging prosperity and capitalism and the politics tend to get glossed over.

Maude Lynn said...

"Obtain permission before reincarnation!" That would be hysterically funny if it wasn't so tragic and horrible.

lady macleod said...

i beatrice

all true, the frustration is overwhelming.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

sparx

thank you for the tip, but it is very difficult to get ANYONE to deliver here. Fortunately, a friend from Ireland is sending me both tea and the Harry Potter book - thank is what I call a perfect set!

thank you for your comments, and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

mama zen

That was exactly my reaction!

thank you for coming by.

Omega Mum said...

Thanks for the recommendations. I'd visited Stay at home dad and, like you, was very moved by his acccount but will go off and look at the others, too.

jmb said...

Lady Mac's Blog Focus too. I always love good recommendations, although I have been blogpower-hopping the past few days so most of this is not new. I will visit Stay at Home Dad and check out the what would be nonsense, if it wasn't so serious, perpetrated on Tibet by China.
regards
jmb
PS I saw your interview at Bloginterviewer.com

aminah said...

they were interesting blogs to choose and worthwhile reads to!! thank you!

lady macleod said...

omega mum

enjoy, and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

jmb

you saw the interview?! I just was notified today it was up, they wrote me last week to ask me. Thank you for reading it.

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

aminah

I'm glad you enjoyed them. and thank you for coming by.

dulwichmum said...

Thank you so much for the tour! I think that was a terrific idea. DM

jeanie said...

Yes great tour.

The China article was in our little-town local newspaper also - absolutely absurd.

lady macleod said...

DM

If it meets your high standards my dear, I have indeed done well! I am pleased you enjoyed the tour about.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

jeanie

I'm glad to hear the article is getting coverage. Perhaps there will be some fallout for the Chinese.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

Oh and Sparx

I am going to check out that site!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thanks again for the mention, Lady M!

lady macleod said...

welshcakes

always.

thank you for coming by.