Tricycle | Awake in the World

Burma finishes up a draft of their new constitution and not surprisingly Aung San Suu Kyi won't be allowed to run for election in 2010. This is part of their faint pretense at moving toward democracy. ASEAN, criticized for lack of action throughout the Burmese crisis, expresses concern. Burma's junta could give two figs what the world think, but China cares, and China controls the purse strings. So when the junta kicks, make China, specifically the effort to mount the Berlin 1936 Bejing 2008 Olympics, feel it. More »

Invasive species are a serious and growing problem. The Telegraph (UK) describes the situation around the world and in Britain, where they are now worried about the infamous snakehead fish, which has also been found in the U.S. This is the monster-movie nightmare fish that can survive out of water for extended periods of time, walk on its fins, and apparently, if big enough, kill people. An editorial in the New York Times describes the common practice of ships dumping their ballast water in-harbor rather than out at sea, whichis largely responsible for carrying invasive species across oceans. Global warming may also play a role. More »

You may have heard about or seen the sickening video from the Westland/Hallmark meatpacking plant in California. It's been all over the news. James at the Buddhist Blog has a great post on it. 143 million pounds of beef were recalled due to cruelty and slaughtering sick animals at this plant. Do a little bit of reading on the beef industry, just a tiny bit. It will make you sick and it will make you angry. U.N. More »

Danny Fisher follows up on Burma with a depressing report from avaaz.org. An unlikely pairing: Amnesty International and John Rambo. Quick: what's the capital of Burma? The zoo is being moved there. The Karen National Union, a rebel group on Burma's border with Thailand, saw their leader Mahn Sha assassinated recently. More »

If you're going to be in New York City, check out The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito at the Milk Gallery starting February 21st. More about it here. More »

In honor of Valentine's Day, two poems by Tsangyang Gyatso (1683-1706): 92. When people say this about me, It is no mistake: I have more lovers than there are Bees buzzing above this lake. 1. From the peaks of the eastern mountains A bright white moon has risen, And a young girl’s face Shines round in my mind. - From White Crane: Love Songs of the Sixth Dalai Lama, translated by Geoffrey R. Waters More »

A post on shogi (Japanese chess), which sounds very cool. And a funny Worst Horse piece riffing off one of Brad Warner's proposed book titles. More »

Mia Farrow's campaign against the Beijing Olympics is gaining ground (Spielberg wil not be the "Leni Riefenstahl" of the '08 Olympics) but the Chinese embassy in Washington complains that linking Beijing to Darfur is unfair, and others say Darfur is not Beijing's only sin. Rambo IV may not be garnering Oscar nods in the West, but Burmese activists thank Stallone for calling attention to the junta's crimes, and the DVD is said to be a hot seller on the ground in Burma. Why does the Burmese junta lie about its supposed reforms? More »

More on the Burmese junta's roadmap to democracy. Saturday's statement from the military leadership, broadcast on radio and television, announced: "Multi-party democratic elections will be held in 2010, according to the new constitution. "It is suitable to change the military administration to a democratic, civil administrative system, as good fundamentals have been established. "The country's basic infrastructure has been built, although there is still more to do in striving for the welfare of the nation." NLD spokesman Nyan Win expressed surprise that the election had been planned before the results of the constitutional referendum were known. "According to my understanding, the election date should be set up after the referendum results. More »