Mad Monks and Karma Power

Having been in George W. Bush survival mode for far too long, I'm not easily moved by much of anything these days - until the Burmese Monks protests. "Freedom" has become a BS word thrown about by the Bush Admin to seemingly define the antithesis of the OED definition - except for those lacking Halliburton glasses.
However, the situation in Burma and the bloggers have honestly cracked through my cynical shell. Their cause reminds me of those who founded this country George W. Bush et al. have dragged through the mud.

As they marched through the streets of Myanmar’s cities last week leading the biggest antigovernment protests in two decades, some barefoot monks held their begging bowls before them. But instead of asking for their daily donations of food, they held the bowls upside down, the black lacquer surfaces reflecting the light...

NYT: What Makes a Monk Mad

Hey Guyz, I'm also concerned about the Golden Hello Kitty Cards Costs.

8888 Ultimatum to China

Reposted from Burma-Myanmar Genocide 2007:

Ultimatum to China (due Oct 2, 9:00am)
Ultimatum to the Government of People's Republic of China

We are the 8888 student activists overseas who have been relentlessly seeking for the freedom of Burma from the military rule in Burma, side by side with the 8888 generation in Burma since 1988. As you have already known, Burma has become the most important trouble spot in Asia quite sometime. That was why the Burma's crisis drew the attention of the UNSC to do something about it. And, the US and EU's effort to take action against the regime in Burma under the mandate of UNSC was vetoed by China and Russia on Jan 12, 2007.

Nowadays, we have been calling on you to render full and strong support in our cause – restoration of freedom and democracy in Burma – by co-sponsoring with the US for an urgent agenda in the Security Council but we don't see any profound and immediate assistance in this matter from your Regime. Moreover, China and Russia gave a green light to a slaughter of the monks and activists at the last meeting of the U.N. Security Council emergency meeting by simply saying "just an internal affair". As a result, we have no alternative route to gain your sympathy as a fellow Buddhist country or intervention as a good neighbor but declare a war by any all means possible in non-violent ways.

Chinese government always insists that Burma crisis was not a threat to international peace and security, and it is just its own internal affairs. How dare you to say such a thing like that when the whole world has deplored such horrible crimes against the Buddhist Monks, who are in their peaceful procession chanting the hymns about love, forgiveness and reconciliation. What the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a blunt warning to Burma's generals, noting, as he put it," the age of impunity is dead" is absolutely true. We Burmese dissidents and people all over the world have no more vulnerability. Our patience for China is wearing thin. After we defeat China, Russia is to be next if Russia also fails to comply accordingly.

Here is our demand. Chinese Government must play a leading role to stop killing spree in Burma and support UNSC intervention to Burma. The ultimatum for China to join the world's body will be 72 hours starting from September 29, 2007 9:00 am to October 2, 9:00 am US Eastern Time. If China fails to meet our demands, we have decided to wage you the following global campaigns.
1. Boycott 2008 Olympic campaign
2. Boycott China's products.

Please visit our campaign at this link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc2za8K1RUs

We, all Burmese around the world will organize global action against China allied with Tibetans Dissidents, all religious organizations, any government organizations including all Chinese and Russian friends around the world to participate with us.

Victor Naing (88 Generation)

Date: September 29, 2007

P.S. All Oversea Burmese must show the China that we Burmese are how much smart and sharp and unite when we need to do so.

CCs:
H.E. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, New York
UNSC MEMBERS NATIONS
EU MEMBERS NATIONS
ASEAN MEMBER NATIONS
ALL RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
USCB US CAMPAIGN FOR BURMA
INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET
DASSK and National League for Democracy (Burma)
National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (Washington, DC)
National Council of Union of Burma (Thai-Burma border)
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
Mr. George W. Bush, President of United State of America
All Burmese Citizens in exile

Boycott Total Oil!

Angry Dreamer

Dreaming Clouds by `serpentinekiss

Marching Monks Saffron Revolution!

Download marching monk stencil images and get creative!

Download the marching monks pattern at Saffron Revolution Worldwide and spread the saffron revolution!

How about signing the human rights first petition?

Here are some additional links I was unable to add to the previous post. Blogger doesn't seem to appreciate too many updates.

Blogs
www.xanga.com/dawn_1o9
burmesedayze.blogspot.com

News
http://www.dvb.no/
weunite-weblog.blogspot.com

Help the People of Burma — Post this on Your Blog!

Note: This is a new kind of online protest that uses blogs to spread a petition globally. To participate, just add your blog by following the instructions in this blog post.

This not an issue of partisan politics, this is an issue of basic human rights and democracy. Please help to prevent a human tragedy in Burma by adding your blog and asking others to do the same.

By passing this meme on through the blogosphere hopefully we can generate more awareness and avert a serious tragedy. As concerned world-citizens this something we bloggers can do to help.

How to participate:

1. Copy this entire post to your blog, including this special number: 1081081081234

2. After a few days, you can search Google for the number 1081081081234 to find all blogs that are participating in this protest and petition. Note: Google indexes blogs at different rates, so it could take longer for your blog to show up in the results.

THE SITUATION IN BURMA AND WHY IT MATTERS TO ALL OF US

There is no press freedom in Burma and the government has started turning off the Internet and other means of communication, so it is difficult to get news out. Individuals on the ground have been sending their day-by-day reports to the BBC, and they are heartbreaking. I encourage you to read these accounts to see for yourself what is really going on in Burma. Please include this link in your own blog post.

The situation in Burma is increasingly dangerous. Hundreds of thousands of unarmed peaceful protesters, including monks and nuns, are risking their lives to march for democracy against an unpopular but well-armed military dictatorship that will stop at nothing to continue its repressive rule. While the generals in power and their families are literally dripping in gold and diamonds, the people of Burma are impoverished, deprived of basic human rights, cut off from the rest of the world, and increasingly under threat of violence.

This week the people of Burma have risen up collectively in the largest public demonstrations against the ruling Junta in decades. It’s an amazing show of bravery, decency, and democracy in action. But although these protests are peaceful, the military rulers are starting to crack down with violence. Already there have been at least several reported deaths, and hundreds of critical injuries from soldiers beating unarmed civilians to the point of death.

The actual fatalities and injuries are probably far worse, but the only news we have is coming from individuals who are sneaking reports past the authorities. Unfortunately it looks like a large-scale blood-bath may ensue — and the victims will be mostly women, children, the elderly and unarmed monks and nuns.

Contrary to what the Burmese, Chinese and Russian governments have stated, this is not merely a local internal political issue, it is an issue of global importance and it affects the global community. As concerned citizens, we cannot allow any government anywhere in the world to use its military to attack and kill peacefully demonstrating, unarmed citizens.

In this modern day and age violence against unarmed civilians is unacceptable and if it is allowed to happen, without serious consequences for the perpetrators, it creates a precedent for it to happen again somewhere else. If we want a more peaceful world, it is up to each of us to make a personal stand on these fundamental issues whenever they arise.

Please join me in calling on the Burmese government to negotiate peacefully with its citizens, and on China to intervene to prevent further violence. And please help to raise awareness of the developing situation in Burma so that hopefully we can avert a large-scale human disaster there.

Burmese Pro-Democracy Blogs

Since the topic didn't quite fit fishnets and the "Losingest" horse, this post is reserved for Burmese info, commentary and links.

OPENED LETTER TO MR. GEORGE W. BUSH, MR BAN KI-MOON AND ALL LEADERS OF THE WORLD

DEAR MR. GEORGE W. BUSH, MR BAN KI-MOON AND ALL LEADERS OF THE WORLD
I have written this letter in regards to current political situation of Myanmar.

First I would like to thank you on behalves of all brave people of Myanmar for taking your valuable time to read this.

I am sure you have heard and seen most of the stuff that is currently going on in Myanmar so I will not bore you with a long story.

What media is still not telling the world is that people of Myanmar are now in the great hope for your help and the help of UN.

They have no one else to turn to and their own army is killing them brutally.

And since all their leaders were secretly detained without any warrant, people and sangas are leading the very dangerous demonstration by themselves without proper leadership.

That is exactly what that government wants. They are creating fake chaos activities with their own people impersonating as sangas and civilians in order for them to tell the world that they are just controlling the situation.

Please Mr. Bush and the UN, all the starving and abused people of Myanmar are crying for your help now. I’ve been contacted by many kids from the streets of Myanmar to ask United States and UN to take actions to protect their lives.

Please do not look into this manner as a simple foreign political issue.

What Myanmar is going through now is the crime against human rights.

If you can help in the Middle East issues where people are killing each other using guns, you should absolutely help our people with their bare hands, who are being tortured and shot to death on the city streets and in their own homes.

We understand you have sent a few sanctions to Myanmar Juntas before but they always lied as if they would correspond but ignored to the whole world.

Even thou they have began to communicate with UN now, yet they are still giving orders to shoot the peaceful sangas and innocent people on the streets.

Please help us Mr. Bush, Mr. Ban Ki-moon and all leaders of the world,

We have no weapons or protections.

Please…..

Give us a right to live freely.

With all due respect

People Of Myanmar

Posted by Myo Chit at 10:06 PM

Blogs
http://mizzimaburmese.blogspot.com/
http://soneseayar.blogspot.com/
http://www.oppositeye.blogspot.com/
http://www.niknayman.blogspot.com/
http://mmedwatch.blogspot.com/
http://www.yoma3.org/
http://www.hittaing.org/
http://picasaweb.google.com/myanmarhistory
http://www.thitsarforce.org/
http://www.khitpyaing.org/

English Language
http://www.ko-htike.blogspot.com/
http://dathana.blogspot.com/
http://burmamyanmargenocide.blogspot.com/
http://www.myochitmyanmar.blogspot.com/

Burma-Related News
http://www.mizzima.com/
http://www.irrawaddy.org/

Myanmar: Soldiers back down in Mandalay
Soldiers from #33 Battalion knelt down and requested the protesting monks to stop the protest.
Monks from Mandalay monasteries including those from “ThaTaNa” monk college marched for protest and were blocked at 42nd street by soldiers of #33 battalion.
Many of the monks replied, “You may shoot but we will still march”, and carried on with their marches.
The soldiers knelt down, shed tears and finally they stepped down to let the monks go, reported the witnesses from Mandalay.

Friday Fishnets

My biggest fan and Lure by ~h-o-p

Butterfly Legs by *pinkeye

To Sheila. by ~lights-out

Caught by `FixMeKnow

I just came across this article about Haru-urara, the World’s “Losingest” Horse, and couldn't help but think of Casey Serin. While he didn't exactly win our hearts, there are some similarities in the dynamics.

...Until then she’d been just another unknown loser, but Haru-urara turned out to be just the right horse at just the right time: Japan had been on a losing streak of its own - the economy had been in bad shape for more than a decade and unemployment was high - and the losing horse that kept on trying was an inspiration to Japanese workers worried about their own economic futures. Attendance at the race track soared from an average of 1,600 fans per day to 5,000 on Haru-urara’s 100th race (she lost.) Thirteen thousand showed up on her 106th. Japan’s top jockey rod her … and she lost again.
Haru-urara has become the most famous horse in Japan. Fans expect her to lose but bet on her anyway, just to get a ticket with her name on it - it’s considered good luck. So many people place bets on her, in fact, that she’s usually favored to win, even though everyone knows she will lose.

Repent by ~HorrorClub

Blow up your Bubbles

with Bust Up gum!
...according to B2UP, the special ingredients, "extracts from the Pueraria mirifica (Kwao Krua) plant, makes a woman's breasts grow as well as improving their shape and tone." I didn't know breasts HAD a tone - unless it's High C (or B Flat). Still, it's amazing... boob-enhancing gum. They could call it Double Bubble if the name wasn't already taken.
Bust Up gum is just the latest Japanese food product containing Pueraria extracts - others include F-Cup Tea and F-Cup Cookies. Can't say they're not confident in their products! Y'know, Bust Up gum has the potential to replace Ex-Lax chocolate as the snack schoolyard pranksters offer their unsuspecting targets. Can you imagine the expression on some poor proto-geek's face after being told he just chewed Bust Up gum? Let's hope that scenario remains in the field of imagination!
The Top Ten Strange and Unusual Japanese Chewing Gums also describes a sex and "man smell" gum among other intriguing chewing options. For those who prefer candy, it appears that Bust Up makes that as well.

Speaking of chewing gum and big boobs this portrait of Marilyn Monroe was created out of chewed bubblegum. It is part of Jason Kronenwald's "Gum Blondes" series.

Yvonne Fishnet 0070 by ~ericdev2005

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes isn't so bad after all!

Too bad I didn’t have this information on hand as a kid when I was eying all of the fun breakfast cereals seen on TV like Cap'n Crunch and Froot Loops, but was stuck with the healthy crap lacking a Junior Undercover Agent code ring.

For many kids, commercial breakfast cereal is the main source of daily vitamins and minerals. Take a look at Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes reduced-sugar cereal. A serving provides 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of seven essential nutrients, including iron, folic acid and other B vitamins. It also provides 10 percent of the recommended intake for vitamins A, C and D.
Now look at its organic equivalent: EnviroKidz Organic Amazon Frosted Flakes. The only ingredients are organic cornmeal, organic evaporated cane juice and sea salt. A serving gives kids only 2 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A and iron, according to the label.

May they live peacefully

In support of the Burmese protesters, add your name to a petition to Chinese Premier Hu Jintao and the UN Security Council:
Click Here to Sign Now

Spread the word!

May all beings be free from enmity.
May all beings be free from ill treatment.
May all beings be free from troubles.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings protect their own happiness.
May all beings be happy.
May I be happy.

China has consistently implemented a policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. As Burma's neighbours, we hope to see stability and economic development in Burma. We hope and believe that the government and people of Burma will properly deal with the current problem.
- CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY

We consider any attempts to use the latest developments to exercise outside pressure or interference in the domestic affairs of this sovereign state to be counterproductive. We still believe that the processes under way in Myanmar do not threaten international and regional peace and security.
We expect the country's authorities, as well as the participants in protest marches, to exercise mutual constraint not to allow further destabilisation of the situation.
- RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Other international reactions: In quotes: Burma reaction

Fishnets, Credit Crunchies and Geek Logik

Miscellaneous intriguing finds of the morning...

Lovely Fishnets by sweet-X-december. For more (NSFW) fun with fishnets check out Zillow Book.

From Credit percentage of GDP - all time high of 340% at Bay Area Housing Bubble (quoting Richard Duncan):
"Credit growth drives economic growth. Total credit in the US as a percentage of GDP has grown from 150% in 1969 to 240% in 1990 to 340% today. It is not difficult to understand that rapid credit expansion boosts consumption and investment and employment and asset prices. However, excessive credit growth also eventually causes economic overheating and asset price bubbles. So long as additional credit is forthcoming everyone can simply borrow more this year to pay interest on the money they borrowed last year. Those bubbles pop when the individuals and/or corporations who borrowed the money are unable to pay it. That is the situation we are experiencing today."

Latest Political Calculations Geek Logik calculator: Should you lie?

NYT: The Loan That Keeps On Taking
Without realizing it, the Torralbas had taken a $74,000 “down payment assistance” loan from the man, Pablo Curiel, who now wanted them to pay $679 a month.

In related news this is also worth reading: A Clockwork Mortgage
You can, of course, assume anything you want in a "perfect world," but I notice these helpful economists are not proposing a massive educational campaign designed to teach lenders and servicers and investors not to be greedy, sociopathic cretins. We are proposing that "we" spend "our" money to teach "you" to understand that what is in our best interest--all the options on our side, none on yours, except your "option" to get deeper in debt each month--is really in your best interest.

In other news: Worldwide protests target Japan's porpoise hunts.
Andy Ottaway, director of pressure group, Campaign Whale, said: "Dolphins and porpoises are being slaughtered in their thousands in Japanese water, and unlike the larger whales, this secret slaughter continues with little being done to stop it. Even the Japanese public are largely unaware that these appallingly cruel hunts are taking place."

The manner in which the Dall's porpoises are slaughtered is particularly horrible.
"...females with calves are targeted as they are slower and easier to catch. The calves are inevitably left to die as their mothers are cruelly killed."

Fun Shui and Coercive Joviality

I have never been a big fan of those workplace team building events where one builds balloon sculptures, bowls, etc. and theoretically “has fun” for the sake of team building. Perhaps a funsultant would have made all the difference...

Are We Having Fun Yet?
The infantilization of corporate America

I particularly liked this quote:

"When you and I were born, there were 2 billion people in the world. Today there are 6 billion. Maybe there are only 2 billion real jobs and all the rest of us are being relegated to bullshit jobs, like fun coaches and creative directors. If we took away all the bullshit jobs, our economy would collapse."

Bestiality Restaurant

BREAKING NEWS update! When I was a kid this song kept me going (who didn't want Julie Andrews as a mom?)...Generally, not much of a musical fan, but this one caught my attention.

Personally I do not eat pigs (or any other animal except fish), but this takes it to a whole different level and thoroughly nauseated me this morning: Japan: Land Of Wonder.
Warning: do not read this while eating.

...Once the customer feels prepared, they will be presented with beast of their choice. In the lawyer's case, it was a sow.
"I'd been told what to expect, but when I actually saw what was happening, it was as shocking as you'd imagine it to be," M tells Jitsuwa Knuckles. "Later, the lawyer told me the appeal of the place just came about because when people have got money and done everything else, they turn toward bestiality."
Once the lawyer had finished porking the pig, the couple returned to the first floor and sat at a table to dine. M says she was totally shocked when staff members carried in roast pork -- made of the same sow the lawyer had earlier been with.
"I was about to vomit," M says. "It was the same pig that had been squealing just moments before. Now, it had been roasted whole. I managed to avoid eating it by only having salad..."

- Excerpted from The Cook, the Beast, the Vice and its Lover

Burmese Monks Stage Fresh Protests Against Doubled Fuel Costs

NYT UPDATE: The monks gave authorities a Monday deadline to apologize for beating hundreds of them two weeks ago when they marched peacefully in Pakokku, a center of Buddhist learning, to protest the rising fuel and consumer prices. The apology never came.

While we have been wasting billions of dollars "bringing democracy" to Iraq, Burma has been largely ignored* for nearly 20 years despite their activism.

...It is the latest in a wave of protests across Burma that began last month, when authorities doubled fuel prices.
Monastic leaders have threatened to hold more demonstrations, starting on Tuesday, unless the military apologises for beating monks at an earlier rally.
The monks at that protest, in the town of Pakokku, held about 20 security officials captive for several hours to complain about their treatment.
The group planning protests on Tuesday - The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks - has urged its followers to boycott the military government.
The monks have been asked to refuse alms and offerings from anyone connected to the military.
Analysts say the boycott will be taken very seriously in Burma, because the nation's 400,000 monks are held in high esteem.
A similar protest by monks in 1988 led to a big uprising against military rule...
Burma monks stage fresh protests, BBC News

*Note: Rare U.S. meeting occurred this summer.

UPDATE!
In other news I really liked this short Irish film...

AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos Funny Cartoons Comedy Central

Funny Blog Comment of the Day

In reference to Beyond the Groovy Age of Horror: LITTLE GIRL LOST by Richard Aleas (Hard Case Crime 2004):

Brian Lindsey said...
Weird cover... The chick's foot is twice as long as her head. Looks like Ann Coulter! (Eeeeeeew!!!)
10:32 PM

A Visual History of the Cigarette

lamarde has quite an impressive collection of vintage smoking related advertising.

In other strangely appealing aesthetic news, this image below sure reminds me of the early '90's. For similar images sans fig leafs check out Zillow Book for cash back at close.

BTW, for sweet anime wallpaper (somewhat NSFW) go here.

Vampirella Meets Carmina Burana (in comic book bondage)

Download the Orff mp3's and such at dadanoias.

P.S. I cannot sleep due to end-result of jury duty. While I respected all of the jurors and their opinions, etc. my general answer for all questions could be summed into Zero or No.

Aside: Is justice served by fatigue and cold soda....?

I Want a Nietzsche Family Circus Widget!

One often contradicts an opinion when what is uncongenial is really the tone in which it was conveyed.

Gotta love this ad too:
Life is pietzsche Shirt
A Shirt For Ironic Nihilists, Or Just Fans Of Friedrich Nietzsche


Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.

UPDATE: Forgot to add source!

Yet another Breaking News Update!

I love the image at the left and it can be found with some NSFW material over at Zillow Book.

Something about the infinite reflection of mirrors has always intrigued me. When I was a kid I always wondered what it would be like to escape to the tiniest (last one I could see) reflection at the end.

Mapping on the Run, Kafka Tattoo and Database Art

It used to be that updated editions of world atlases mainly tracked the shifting of borders and changes in the names of cities and countries determined by politics, diplomacy or war.

The surface of the planet itself was a relatively constant template in the background. You could render it in more detail with, say, better satellite data, but the basics didn’t change much.

Now, though, the accelerating and intensifying impact of human activities is visibly altering the planet, requiring ever more frequent redrawing not only of political boundaries, but of the shape of Earth’s features themselves...

The Metamorphosis.

Database Art.

In other news, I enjoyed this favorite word thread.

Sweet Biofuel Options!

“I thought it was a plant for old ladies to make soap,” he said.

But now that a plant called jatropha is being hailed by scientists and policy makers as a potentially ideal source of biofuel, a plant that can grow in marginal soil or beside food crops, that does not require a lot of fertilizer and yields many times as much biofuel per acre planted as corn and many other potential biofuels. By planting a row of jatropha for every seven rows of regular crops, Mr. Banani could double his income on the field in the first year and lose none of his usual yield from his field.

BTW, this is my favorite Velvet Underground song....

Strange Architecture, Books, Maps, Wyoming, etc.

The image above reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright and his aesthetically pleasing, but problematic buildings (on the utilitarian front).

I love this BibliOdyssey blog, though - and this post in particular reminds me of an intriguing old map/book/art store in Wyoming that disappeared a month later...

Mass Deaths of Bees...

Thoughts...



Interesting BibioOdyssey post: Stark Masonic Theosophy