Tuesday, March 11, 2008

This is for certain and its not taxes

____________________________
GOOD MORNING FLINT!
BY Terry Bankert 3/12/08
http://attorneybankert.com/
You are invited to join me at Face Book
http://www.facebook.com/people/Terry_Bankert/645845362
___________________________
Full article at http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/
Summary at Flint Talk with discussion

__________________________

I have spent time with a friend watching a parent die. How unprepared we are for this certainty. Just what is it. The following are several articles morphed to give me insight, mabey you also[trb]

Definition: WHAT IS DYING

The active process of or associated with the process of ceasing to be or passing from life. Drawing to an end or declining.
Dying is a part, but only a part of our entire life experiences.
Death is the outcome of dying. Death is not the same as dying--an active process.
To be dying is still to be alive. People who are dying are living human beings; they continue to be living persons as long as they are dying. [ac] The best gift we can give a loved one is death with dignity and respect.[trb]

Death is the end of the life of a biological organism. Death may refer to the end of life as either an event or condition. Many factors can cause or contribute to an organism's death, including predation, disease, habitat destruction, senescence, malnutrition and accidents or physical injury. The principal causes of human death in developed countries are diseases related to aging. Traditions and beliefs related to death are an important part of human culture, and central to many religions. In medicine, biological details and definitions of death have become increasingly complicated as technology advances. Sometimes death can be caused naturally, or by other things such as gang violence or chronic sexually transmitted diseases.[w]

No amount of knowledge can prepare us for bereavement. Grief is the most intense and enduring emotion we can experience. No quick fix. No short-cut. An ancient African saying is “There is no way out of the desert except through it.” Knowledge of the grief process gives us a very generalized map of the terrain we have to cover. Each of us will take a different route. Each will choose his own landmarks. He will travel at his own unique speed and will navigate using the tools provided by his culture, experience, and faith. In the end, he will be forever changed by his journey.[h]

Signs of Dying with Suggested Cares[a]

Appreciating the preciousness of human life, based on the understanding of one's body constantly changing, ageing, moving toward death since birth and the uncertainty of life helps us appreciate life and prepare for death.[a] The process of dying is a naturally progression of failure or inability to perform basic life routines of life.[trb]

THE BODY DECAYS NATURALLY

It is natural for one's body to decay especially when accelerated by disease processes. In the final stage when life-sustaining systems begin to shut down, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual changes may occur over weeks, days or hours. Each person's experience is unique, but there are some general similarities. [a]

FINAL STAGES OF LIVING

The following is a very simple account of the normal changes that may occur in the final stage of living, commonly called "dying", with some suggested ways of caring. It is intended to help the dying and their loved ones to understand and be prepared for these changes, in order to provide appropriate safe support and comfort holistically.[a]

Physical Weakness / Lack of Energy / Loss of Interest in Everyday Things [a]

As the body's systems weaken less oxygen is available to the muscles, the life force weakens, and more effort is needed to complete everyday tasks and one may become embarrassed, discouraged, ambivalent, depressed, irritable and/or just naturally become more interested in matters that seem more important: matters of the mind, heart and spirit. This is often a time of self-examination, of questioning, of looking for the meaning of life. [a]

DIGNITY

Caregivers can best help by assisting the person with physical tasks, while being sensitive to their feelings, maintaining their dignity and attending to their comfort as much as possible, especially with regard to symptom control and protection from injury. Love and humour can take the tension away from a stressful situation. Laughter opens the heart and can free one to see past appearances and circumstances, leaving the burden of self and entering into a instant oneness with another, that is blissfully rewarding. Psychological and spiritual support means being along side as a good friend: patient, non-judgmental, compassionate, allowing the person's own wisdom to evolve. When regrets appear, see them as lessons learned, encourage memories of meaningful events and practice rejoicing, by seeing the benefits of the kind actions of one's life, allowing whatever faith, hope and love
the person has, to exist and develop freely. [a]

Withdrawal from Family and Friends / Increased Sleepiness / Coma [a]

Neither family, friends nor wealth can be taken with us when we leave this world. Much of the packing it all up and leaving it behind is a solo job and one needs time and privacy to do it. Visitors can be very exhausting and the person may feel they have to entertain their guests even if they can't get up out of bed. Too many visitors one day will often result in the person being more tired and/or more withdrawn the next day. Sometimes the person may sleep more, be difficult to arouse or uncommunicative. This may be due to disease processes, medication, or the person's desire to withdraw from social contact.[A]

COMFORT SAFETY AND PEACE

Simply being a loving presence near the person, holding their hand, sending loving thoughts, silently praying, meditating, just being there for them provides a comforting, safe and peaceful atmosphere that facilitates the person's inner work. The caregiver should try to respect the person's wishes and be aware of what personal desires come up in their own mind and how these can be addressed without disturbing the mind of the dying. Be careful of what you say over their body while the person is asleep or unconscious, they may hear you and it could upset them. Many people who have recovered from a coma (a state where there is no response to voice or touch stimuli, though eyes may still be open) have reported being aware of what others said and even thought in their presence. [a]

COMMUNICATION

Random jerks or twitches can be due to dreams or nightmares, you can reassure them with your kind tone of voice and/or a gentle touch on their hand or arm. The dying are very sensitive to what is communicated by the caregiver's body, speech and mind and the caregiver can become more aware of reactions and messages from the person by watching and listening. The eyes, facial expressions, and breathing changes often indicate what the person is feeling or thinking. The reason why communication is possible on this level and why you can trust your deepest intuition is because the basic nature of every being is pure and knowing, as Christians may say God-like or as Buddhists say having all pervasive, indestructible wisdom nature. Awake or asleep this is always present and available if one is relaxed, open and receptive, but it is much more familiar and easy for those who are habituated to this awareness through meditation practice. The depth of one's spiritual practice is communicated by its own power and has remarkable benefits for others. Stripped of dogma and doctrine, reputation and position, sex, age, and relationship, leaving one's 'self' to enter nakedly with no agenda, into unity with the person, even for a brief moment liberates both parties from the bondage of duality temporally and is profoundly comforting.[a]

Loss of Appetite [a]

Food is a fuel that helps sustain life. As the digestive system gets weaker, food may become more of a discomfort than an enjoyment, some medications may change the tastes of food, and finally the energy required to process the food becomes greater than the energy derived it. Any of these may produce a loss of appetite. Eating habits change. The person may become overwhelmed by a "normal size" meal. He/she may take a few mouthfuls of their "favourite" meal and feel full. Small attractively presented meals may tempt them. But consider who is getting the satisfaction - family and friends who want to nourish their loved one, so that the person can get better and live longer? It's often the hardest thing for the family to face; but the refusal to feed the body is not a refusal for nourishment. It is a sign that priorities have changed to nourishing the soul/spirit/mind. Forcing the person to eat or making them feel guilty if they don't, only isolates and distances them even further. The person approaching death needs to know that it is OK not to eat. Respect and acceptance brings people closer together which comforts the dying person and the caregiver too. [a]

Difficulty Swallowing[a]

As the swallowing reflex weakens, swallowing becomes difficult. It may become frightening for the person to attempt to eat or drink or the person may be slipping into unconsciousness. It is best to offer very small amounts (half a teaspoon) and observe the throat to see if swallowing has taken place.

SOFTER FOOD

Tolerance of food generally progresses from solid to soft to liquids (soups and dietary supplements), to ice chips and spooned or sucked water. It is safer to feed a person who is upright, but if the person is used to eating in an incumbent position, it is generally easier to swallow if their head is kept straight, not turned to the side. The sucking reflex seems to last a long time as the caregiver will see when attempting to clean the person's mouth or teeth. Mouth care is important for comfort and dignity. Medications can be crushed and capsules opened and mixed with jam, jelly, yoghurt or like foods. Do not crush time-release or long acting medications. Discuss with your nurse or doctor any problems with medications; alternative medications or modes of delivery are available. Do not give food or liquids to a person who is unconscious. It may cause the person to choke or to inhale the foreign matter. [a]

Confusion [a]

The level of awareness and cognition can change frequently and unexpectedly, due to many causes (i.e. disease processes, tiredness, medication). When a person becomes confused, there can be a decrease of oxygen to the brain and they may not recognise familiar people, places, the time of day or year etc. or they may hear voices or see visions. [A]

ALTERED REALITY

Do not negate what they say or argue with them. This is their personal reality, which can be a pleasant comforting experience for the person and could also be a sign that the person's mind is peaceful or joyful with happy expectation. But if their experience upsets or disturbs them, gently touch or stroke their arm or hold their hand and speak calmly with a soft reassuring voice and remind them of who you are, where they are, what day it is etc. Aromatherapy and their favourite music or chanting of their faith, is also helpful. [a]

Restlessness[a]

A person may become restlessness and make repetitive motions like picking at the bed linen, their clothing or the air. This can be a sign of less oxygen available in the brain or of being distressed due to having pain, nausea, constipation or a full bladder or could be due to being confused or anxious about something. Or if the person is throwing or kicking bed covers off even in a cool room, it can be the first stage of the death process when one feels like being buried under a great weight. Before rushing in to do something about it, be calm and still. Observe and listen with your mind and heart to what the person could need. Do not try to interfere with their restless motions but protect from injury and check out the physical side first. Pain doesn't conform to schedules. After the physical problems are controlled, by using a soothing voice, remind them of their goodness and virtues, along with music, aromatherapy or reciting the person's favourite spiritual practice may help calm and reassure them. Likewise one can distract the person's mind away from the disturbing thought or nightmare even if the person is unconscious by verbally describing a favourite place or special experience. And even simply by giving the person assurance that it is OK 'to let go', could address the real problem that the person is unable to articulate. [a]

SPIRITUAL CRISIS

Restlessness can also be a sign of spiritual crisis which needs urgent attention, not waiting for the minister or religious person although they could of course be called to attend, but there is no time to lose, one needs to know what the dying person believes or what prayers or meditations practices that they do and also to remind them of the positive things that they have done in their life, remind them of their faith, their heaven or Amitabha pure land, recite these prayers etc for them and whether the person has religious belief or no faith, he or she can be encouraged to generate universal love and to feel and be that love (forgiving oneself and all others and to generate love and good-will for all without exception). Universal Love replaces fear with calm and confidence. [a]

Elimination [a]

As the person gets weaker and is no longer able to get out of bed, the muscles that control the bowel and bladder may relax and "incontinence" or involuntary loss of urine or faeces may occur. Often the person will feel embarrassed and/or may awaken if asleep. Attend to them with dignity and respect and avoid exposing their private parts to others. Its important to keep the skin clean and dry or the skin could develop a rash or open sores and cause more discomfort. Use plastic gloves and soap and water or a disposable skin wipe. Often when a person needs a bowel movement they will get grumpy, irritable or restless. It's a good idea to keep a record of the bowel movements to tell the nurse or doctor. One can't expect a normal daily bowel motion but too many days between eliminations can signal a problem. However, with little food intake there is less reason for a bowel motion. [a]

ITCHING

As the kidneys shut down and the skin takes on more elimination work; the person may experience itching over different parts of their body and also combined with increased sweating from failing thermal regulators it is difficult to provide comfort. Different things work for different people: some like warm bed baths, others cool tepid sponging, or even a cool compress to the forehead and pulse areas can cool down and soothe. Tea tree oil, calendula or lavender oils or other commercial products can give relief, but usually strong perfumes are not tolerated. Change the bed linen if soiled with sweat. This is a good opportunity to give a back rub and reposition the person into a more comfortable position. [a]

Body Temperature and Colour [a]

Mechanisms that control the body's ability to control its temperature will start failing. The skin may sweat and still be very cool or may be hot. The person may kick off the bed linen but be cold to touch. As the heart becomes weaker, circulation fails to adequately reach the hands and feet and they will become cool to touch and the nails maybe bluish, while the arms and legs maybe pale, grey, mottled or purplish. At this time its best to follow the wishes of the dying to keep them comfortable even if it's against reason (like trying to keep a person covered when they keep kicking the blankets off). However it's important to avoid drafts that may cause the body's temperature to fall too fast and cause shivering. [a]

MOVEMENT NEEDED EVERY FEW HOURS

Normally, repositioning is advised every 3-5 hrs, but closely monitor whether it becomes too painful to turn or if one position is not tolerated. If possible give extra pain relief before a necessary turn (like when cleaning incontinence). If close to death it is not necessary to turn for circulation. It is only necessary to turn the patient if it helps breathing or provides more comfort. Always observe how well a person settles into a new position and if they don't settle, try another position, or gently return them to the previous position, and/or give pain relief. This is a difficult judgement that can be a great challenge for the caregiver because things are always changing. One position favoured one day will not necessarily be tolerated the next day. A loose sheet from the shoulders to the knees (called a "draw sheet"), under the person's body will help turn or lift the person up the bed (One person on each side of the bed, holding their side of the sheet, rolled up close to the body). [a]

Breathing [a]

If breathing is difficult with or without oxygen being given, sometimes a fan blown over the body to give the sensation of being in fresh air, combined with the mental suggestion of visualising sitting on a beach in the wind or the top of a high hill can give relief. Keeping the head elevated will help breathing, be careful to maintain support of the lower back. A lubricant on the lips will help prevent cracking. And mouth care with mouth swabs can help keep the tongue and mouth moist and less dirty. Although this will not be necessary or may not be tolerated by someone close to death.[a]

A change in breathing pattern is significant during the dying process. When the exhalation (out-breath) is longer than the inhalation (in-breath) this is a sign that the dying process has begun (even weeks before actual death). Next the breathing becomes irregular, although irregular breathing can occur at anytime when someone has a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. Closer to death, the breathing involves the whole rib cage and is fast (up to 30-50 breaths per minute) mostly through the mouth and then may pause for even 10-15 seconds before the next in-breath. This period of no breathing is called "apnoea". This pattern (called Cheyne-Stokes breathing) of shallow quick breaths followed by spaces of no breathing can continue for a few days, hours or minutes before the person actually stops breathing, but rarely does a person improve from this stage. [a]

There may be a rattling noise (often called the "death rattle") at the back of the throat, caused by the accumulation of saliva because the person can no longer swallow. This is often distressing for the helpers but it doesn't seem to bother the dying person. The pool of secretions is too far down the throat to be suctioned. Sometimes turning the person with their head to the side can help drain the secretions from their mouth. Dying people breath better when they are not completely lying on their side, as a health person would sleep. Lying towards the right side is favoured because the heart is not obstructed and according to Buddhist medicine it supports a happy peaceful mind, by blocking the right channel. The Buddha passed away lying on his right side. Buddhist scriptures say to block the right nostril with the ring finger, face resting on the right hand. But if there is a medical reason or the person just can't tolerate the right side, comfort is the priority, to keep the person's mind happy.[a]

Unexpected Alertness and Increased Energy [a]

Often a day or two or even a few hours before death, the person has a surge of energy, wakes up, becomes alert, can sometimes eat or talk and can spend some quality time with loved ones. This is a very special time for final spiritual practices and mental preparations, which can be shared with loved ones if it is the dying persons wish. This is a very precious time because it normally doesn't last long, as most people become unconscious (unresponsive) hours or days before they stop breathing.[a]

Signs of Imminent Death[a]

Eyes have glassy fixed stare with large pupils
Pasty grey, or blue greyish colour present especially on lips, hands and feet
Hands and feet can be cold
Jaw open, breathing through mouth very rapid or very slow (often with rattle) with pauses of 20-50 seconds between breaths

Unresponsive to voice or pain [a]

It is most important not to do or say anything that might disturb or anger the person, like speaking abruptly, arguing, crying, rough handling; maintain a peaceful atmosphere with people praying, meditating or chanting according to the dying person's wishes or as instructed by their spiritual guide/teacher. Any supporters can generate limitless universal or devotion in their hearts and the wish for the dying person to be released from suffering with this love or devotion/faith and become unified with love, with god or with their source of inspiration and virtue.[a]

Clinical Death [a]

No breathing (chest does not move)
No heart beat (no pulse)
Pupils large, do not change
Sometimes release of bowel or bladder [a]

According to Buddhism, death is a process with stages: after conception, formation proceeds from subtler to grosser, but at death there is dissolution from grosser to subtler. The four elements: earth (hard substances of the body), water (fluids), fire (heat), wind/air (energy, movement) degenerate and dissolve in sequence and there are external signs and internal visions at each stage. In the final stage of death all the gross consciousnesses dissolve into the emptiness of clear light, where with previous training one can discover the fundamental innate reality. Because of this continuity of mind moments, the state of mind at the time of death is vitally important, it's most important to die with a calm and peaceful mind; with strong spiritual/ positive thoughts prevailing.[a]

Friends and family can best help the dying continue their journey after "clinical death" by generating calm, accepting, supportive thoughts for the deceased, each other and expanding into altruistic, universal good-will and love through their prayers and meditations. Buddhist masters recommend maintaining a peaceful atmosphere and if possible allowing the death process to proceed undisturbed, by not touching the body until all the heat has left (indicating that the most subtle consciousness has left the body). If the body needs to be cleaned or moved it is advised to touch the top of the head first so that the consciousness abiding in the heart chakra becomes aware of this and leaves the body through the crown. Beginning with the facial muscles, "Rigor Mortis" (Latin for stiffness of death) develops, then wanes from 3 hrs to 36 hrs depending on muscle mass and environmental conditions, (cold retards rigor mortis) with a maximum stiffness at 12-24 hrs. If there is not too much disease, physical damage or medication in the body, a small amount of blood leaves from the nose and a small amount of white fluid leaves from the sexual organ, which is a certain sign that the most subtle consciousness has left. This can take up to 3 days and even longer in documented cases of very accomplished meditators. According to Buddhist texts, death is the separation of body (physical form) and "mind" formless, clear, luminous and knowing. (Only the most subtle level of mind transmigrates.) After the consciousness leaves, the body will soon begin to smell from the decomposing process and all that is left is a corpse. [a]

WHAT THE END LOOKS LIKE

One to Three Months of life left

Withdrawal
decreased food intake
increase sleep
less communication

One to two weeks left

*disorientation
agitation
talking with unseension

*physical
decreased blood pressure
pulse increase or decrease
color changes, pale, bluish
increased perspiration
respiration irregularities
congestion
sleeping but responding
complaints of body tired
body temperature hot/col
eating, taking fluids
body temperature

Days or Hours left

intensification of sign above
surge of energy
decrease in blood pressure
eyes glassy
irregular breathing
restless
purplish knees, feet, hands, blotchy
pulse weak
decreased urine output
may wet bed
minuets left
fish out of water breathing
cannot be awakened [g]

Posted here by
Terry Bankert ...GOOD LUCK
http://attorneybankert.com/
Join my political party of preference,
http://www.michigandems.com/join.html

—where did this stuff come from—

[a]
Amitabah Hospice Service
http://www.amitabhahospice.org/hospice/signs_of_dying.php

[ac].
About.com

http://dying.about.com/od/allterms/g/dying.htm

[m]
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21643646/
[w]
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death
[trb]
Comments of Terry Bankert and CAP headlines
http://attorneybankert.com/

[h]
HOSPICE
http://www.hospicenet.org/html/knowledge.html
[g]
Gone From My Sight
The Dying expierence by Barbara Karnes


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MONKS,PROTEST,TIBET,& SUMMER GAMES

Monks, Protest, Free Tibet, Threats to Summer Games!

____________________________
GOOD MORNING FLINT!
BY Terry Bankert 3/11/08
http://attorneybankert.com/
You are invited to join me at Face Book
http://www.facebook.com/people/Terry_Bankert/645845362
___________________________
Full article at Flint Talk with discussion
http://flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=26051#26051
_____


HUMAN RIGHTS , SERIOUS OR A GAME(SUMMER)

Bystanders cheered the group Tuesday as they walked along the mountain roads. Police were not around.[afp]

A simple act of defiance by an oppressed people.[trb]

Tibetan monks have defied Chinese authorities by staging a protest in the remote Himalayan region's capital Lhasa, provoking Beijing to respond that it would strike hard against such illegal activities.[g]

China still practices summary execution.[trb]


U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia cited a source as saying at least 300 monks marched from a monastery outside Lhasa to demand the release of monks detained last year after the Dalai Lama was awarded a Congressional medal in the United States.[g]

HUMAN RIGHTS CHINA AND WILL WE BOYCOTT THE GAMES?

Tibetan advocates say the protests are part of a worldwide effort to call attention to China's record of human-rights violations and to urge nations and businesses to boycott the upcoming Olympics in Beijing if China does not improve the situation in Tibet.[VOA]

THE SUMMER GAMES BEGIN

“For nearly six decades Tibetans have had to live in a state of constant fear under Chinese repression,” the 72-year-old said from his base in Dharamshala, India. Meanwhile, hundreds of Tibetan exiles defied an Indian police ban on an historic six-month trek to their homeland as part of pro-independence protests ahead of the Beijing Olympics. [t]

This is an act of courage.[trb]

In protest of Beijing's hosting of this summer's Olympic Games, hundreds of Tibetan exiles in northern India resumed a march to Tibet and planned to defy a police order restricting them to a single district.[ap]

The demonstrations coincided with the 49th anniversary of the crushing of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule by the People’s Liberation Army of China. Exiled Tibetans staged high-profile protests around the world to mark the day. [t]

EXILES ARE COMING HOME

"Tibetan refugees have the right to return to Tibet, the land from where we come," said Tsewang Rigzin, leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress.[afp]

The exiles' planned six-month march began on Monday, the anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet that forced the Dalai Lama into exile in 1959.[ap]

The marchers had stopped for the night near the northern Indian city of Dharmsala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Local police chief Atul Fulzele said the marchers were banned from leaving the Kangra district, which contains Dharmsala, following a recommendation from the Indian government.[ap]

But Tenzin Tsundue, one of the march leaders, said Tuesday the protesters would ignore the police order.[ap]

WORLD WIDE PRO TIBETIAN MOVEMENT

Tibetans all over the world took to the streets yesterday to commemorate the 49th anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule and to press their demand for independence ahead of the Beijing Olympics. [t]

Among them, according to a report on Radio Free Asia, were up to 300 protesters who tried to march from Drepung monastery on the outskirts of Lhasa to the symbolic Potala Palace in the city centre. [t]

Paldin says he hopes the protests in New York and others that took place around the world, will encourage people to take action on local, national and international levels. In Greece, a Tibetan freedom torch-lighting ceremony was held, and pro-independence exiles in northern India began a months-long march, hoping to cross the Chinese border into Tibet.[VOA]

One protester who came to New York for the demonstrations says she sees the upcoming Beijing Olympics as a chance for her to voice her opposition to China's policies. Pema Yoko is the national coordinator in Britain for Students for a Free Tibet, another group that helped organize the event.[VOA]

"I think we can make a difference, especially on an occasion like this. For me, growing up and being born in exile, I have not had this kind of opportunity and I feel like the Olympics is my time to fight China finally," he said.[VOA]

Yoko says China should not be allowed to glorify itself on the world stage as long as Tibet is oppressed and illegally occupied.[VOA]

FUNZIES

"This is the fun part now," he said. "We are ready for any kind of obstruction. We will be very peaceful but when so many people are determined to give their lives up, no police can stop us."[ap]

Chinese troops killed tens of thousands of Tibetans as they quashed the 1959 uprising, according to the Tibetan government-in-exile’s website. Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled his homeland following the uprising. [t]

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending troops in to “liberate” it, and continues to denounce the Dalai Lama for what it says are his efforts to seek independence for his homeland. [t]

"If stopped, we are going to practice non-violence," one of the coordinators of the campaign, Lobsang Yeshi, told Reuters. "If arrested we will try to resist." [g]

"If they detain us, we will start again as soon as we are released," added veteran Tibetan activist Tenzin Tsundue.[g]

ONE COUNTRY: LEGAL ACTION IS ANOTHERS :EXECUTION SYSTEM

Fulzele said police would take "legal action" against the marchers if they attempted to breach the Kangra boundary. He did not elaborate.[ap]

Tsundue said the marchers were expected to reach the district boundary, 34 miles away, by Wednesday.[ap]

The Foreign Ministry spokesman did not say what fate the protesting monks in Lhasa may face, but other people voicing dissent against Chinese rule in Tibet have previously been handed long jail terms. [t]

Among the high-profile cases, a number of nuns were given jail terms of up to 15 years after they secretly recorded songs in 1993 about the Dalai Lama on a tape that was smuggled out and reached the West. Human rights groups say that even carrying images of the Dalai Lama in Tibet can lead to harsh punishments[t]

In Nepal, many protesters were hurt on Monday when police used batons to break up a march on the Chinese embassy, while in Greece activists complained of harassment by police when they lit a torch at Olympia, site of the ancient Olympic Games.[g]

MONEY TALKS PROTEST WALKS

India has been sympathetic to the Tibetan cause in the past. It has clamped down on public protests in recent years, however, fearing they could embarrass Beijing and damage burgeoning relations between the two Asian giants.[ap]

Fulzele said the march went against an agreement between New Delhi and the Tibetan government-in-exile.[ap]

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Protesters rallied Monday in the Indian capital, New Delhi and in Katmandu, Nepal, where hundreds of activists clashed with police. Pro-Tibet demonstrations also took place in San Francisco and in Olympia, Greece — the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.[ap]

Monday marked the 49th anniversary of the spiritual leader's escape from Lhasa after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.[afp]

FIRE PROOF?

In Lhasa, Tibet, as many as 300 monks marched in the city center to mark the anniversary of the uprising, and Chinese authorities detained 50 to 60 monks, reported Radio Free Asia, a private broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress.[ap]

The report by the US government-funded broadcaster said between 50 and 60 of the marchers were arrested as police and paramilitary police blocked roads and encircled other monasteries around Lhasa to prevent the protests from growing.[t]

AMERICANS JOIN IN THE PROTEST

Waving Tibetan and American flags, hundreds of demonstrators marched from the U.S. Federal Court House in downtown New York up to the United Nations building. At the same time, hundreds of other protesters rallied outside the city's Chinese Consulate. [VOA]

NOW HERE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

Meanwhile the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, accused China of "unimaginable and gross violations of human rights" in the Himalayan region. He was speaking at a separate event in India.[ap]

However, none of the groups taking part in the protest walk were affiliated with the government and neither the Dalai Lama nor Tibet's government in exile have issued any official statement on the march.[ap]

ONE OF MANY

The exile groups said the march was to be one of several protests around the world before the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games.[ap]

STAMP DANCE

The groups say Beijing's preparations for the Games come at a time when China is attempting to stamp out Tibetan Buddhist culture and to increase the government's presence in Tibet.[ap]

HISTORY OR ILLUSION

Beijing maintains that Tibet is historically part of China, but many Tibetans argue the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries.[ap]

"We will continue on our homeland march despite the order that has been served on us," said B. Tsering, head of the Tibetan Women's Association, one of five organisations sponsoring the march.[afp]

The Dalai Lama last week rejected a Chinese accusation that he was trying to sabotage the Olympics, saying he always supported Beijing's right to host the Games. [g]

Posted here by
Terry Bankert ...GOOD LUCK
http://attorneybankert.com/
Join my political party of preference,
http://www.michigandems.com/join.html

–where did this stuff come from---
[ap]
The Associated Press
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8RkM4F8_R23FgMJ7F-y5joBrgAwD8VB55380
[TRB] Comments of Terry Bankert to include Cap Headlines
http://attorneybankert.com/
[t]
Times Online
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3528078.ece
[afp]
AFP
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpMrtJDxeVCyeIjF_paruDPykSlQ
[g]
Guardian
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7374799,00.html

[v]
VOA
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-03-10-voa65.cfm


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