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The Daily Dose/October 19, 2007
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
Notes from around the human experience...
HE DIDN'T WEAR BLACK GLOVES ON THE MEDAL STAND, DID HE? Congress awarded the Dali Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism who has been living in exile since the Chinese overtook his country, the Congressional Medal of Honor this week. Also, President George Bush became the first sitting president to appear publicly with the Dali Lama. Previously presidents, including Bush on two previous occasions, had met with His Holiness locked away in the White House somewhere.
FunFact: The Congressional Gold Medal was first awarded to George Washington in 1776, and was initially a military award, and remained so until the establishment of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. Two have won it twice and former president and then Major General Zachary Taylor won it three times. Recipients can be of any nationality and awards are made for both singular acts and lifetime achievements.
This Is Not A Bulletin: China, as usual, issued the standard condemnations of the week's events, accusing the US of butting in on China's internal affairs even though the Dali Lama lives in India and for decades has said he isn't looking for independence for Tibet, merely genuine autonomy. China even went so far as to demand the medal ceremony be cancelled.
For The Record: The Chinese historically have maintained that by overtaking the defenseless Tibetans in 1951 they were merely retaking a province that had historically always been part of China.
You've Got To Be Kidding Me: The staff of the Writer's Shack encourages you to do your own research on the matter and not take our word for it, but any substantive inquiry into the matter shows there is no historical basis for this.
Those Zany Communists: Relations between China and Tibetan monks are never good, but they're a bit testier than normal after China this summer passed a law - and we are not making this up - preventing exiled Tibetan monks - and, again, we are not making this up - from reincarnating without government permission!
Imagine The Paperwork: Although the effectiveness of human legislation on sacred, religious phenomena is not yet clear, the staff here at the Writer's Shack is hoping further legislation by the Chinese will clear matters up.
Uh-Oh: Reincarnation is key in the selection of a new Dali Lama. The short pour version is when the Dali Lama dies Buddhist leaders spend a few years seeking his reincarnation, who, invariably, is a small boy. The boy is taken from his parents to a monastery, where he is trained as monk, and, years later, actually becomes the Dali Lama.
The Fine Print: However, this was back when Tibet was independent and monks could freely roam Tibet looking for a reincarnated small boy. Exactly how they would do this under the communist Chinese isn't clear, but the selection of the second-in-command of Tibetan Buddhism, the Panchen Lama in 1996 provides some insights, and it ain't pretty, friends.
The tenth Panchen Lama died in 1989. In 1995 the Dali Lama named a successor, who, along with his family, was promptly arrested and they haven't been seen since, and, given the Chinese communists penchant for bullets in the back of head, it is not entirely unreasonable to conclude they are dead, though the Chinese insist they are merely being held in secret, for their own protection, of course.
A Timely On This Date: On 10/19/50 a town in eastern Tibet, Chamdo, is overtaken by the Chinese army.
TODAY IN THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: October 19, 1962. Day four. Or five. We had this discussion yesterday. As recon flights show continued show four operational missile sights in Cuba, six army divisions are placed on alert and B52 nuclear bombers are sent airborne.
Too Bad Power Point Wasn't Around: Showing humans will be humans, Kennedy's advisors, unable to come to a consensus on what to advise the president, break up into working groups focusing on their various options, from air strikes to a naval blockade to what to have for lunch.
Bullet Points Had Been Invented Then, Right? As the day progresses though, support for air strikes diminish, and the working groups begin to focus on a naval blockade, and a speech President Kennedy will give to the country.
GOOD FOR YOU: Joe Torre, left dangling in the wind like a non-roster invitee, told George Steinbrenner to stuff it, rejecting an insulting offer to return for a 13th season as manager of the New York Yankees. The offer was for one year, with a full one-third pay cut, and, most insultingly, was stacked with performance bonuses designed to get Torre off his duff and the Yankees back into their natural habitat, the World Series.
For The Record: In twelve years Torre made the playoffs 12 times, won 10 Easter Division titles, six American League pennants and four World Series. If he's working for a team whose owner isn't a completely megalomaniac, Torre has the job for as long as Torre wants the job.
The Nerve: The Yankees haven't won the World Series in, shockingly, seven years, a streak which followed four World Series wins in five years, but isn't even the longest streak in the Steinbrenner era. The Yankees like to blow a lot of smoke about trying to win the World Series every year, but they actually went 18 years between their 1978 and 1996 World Series titles.
Consider This: I mean, after winning consecutive World Series in 1907-08, the Chicago Cubs haven't won it since and you don't see them getting too worked up about it, do you?
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