Sinkholes. Ooh.

"Sinkholes form in places where the underlying ground layer consists of limestone, salt beds or other soluble rock, which dissolves in water. Groundwater coursing beneath the surface eats away at the rock, slowly eroding and destabilizing it. Often, new underground caves are created, which then collapse in catastrophic scenes like this one."

Article about this sinkhole in Guatemala here.

The Leonard Lopate Show: Kashmir - WNYC

The Leonard Lopate Show: Kashmir - WNYC

Two Women with different ties to Kashmir make a film about identity and conflict in the region.

Their film aired on May 18th.

Ex King Speaks

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Nepal's most recent king, finally spoke out about his being ousted two years ago.  The articles focus on the king living as an ordinary tax-paying citizen.  Gyanendra drops hints that he was betrayed by the political parties jockeying for power.  This betrayal ended his reign, also ending the 239-year Hindu monarchy rule of Nepal. 

Here's a Reuters article

Here's Sudeshna Sarkar's take from the blogosphere.

Looks like Facebook is a way the ex-king passes his time, in addition to walking his dog. 

Image from rednepal.com

Barry Schwartz on the paradox of choice | Video on TED.com

Barry Schwartz on the paradox of choice | Video on TED.com

Record Year for Everest Summits

It's the time of year for Everest summits - this month (and April, sometimes) is the best time for teams to try for a summit.  If teams go earlier, the weather is too cold and unpredictable.  The snow is too thick to cross the crevasses in the winter.  If they go later, the monsoon is an issue creating mudslides and more unpredictable weather.  

Times of India article talks about this seasons's summiters in this article. This year, a 13-year-old from the US broke the youngest person record. 

"However, while climbers continued to try to overcome human limitations on Mt Everest and make the impossible happen, in Nepal, the gateway to the magic mountain, its wizardry failed to make any impact on the greedy politicians who continued to push the country on the brink of disaster."- TOI


The article concludes with this and another paragraph addressing the political situation in Nepal these days.  It's not a pretty picture.

Buddhist-Muslim Relations in Ladakh

(click the title for the articles)

Something I have always been intrigued by, yet is so difficult to talk with anyone about.  Many deny there is any conflict. .

What EXACTLY did the Buddha say?

The world may never know.  But many scholars thinks he or she know.

Here's an article from an organization that I am not yet familiar with briefly explaining how teachings became text - three months after the Buddha passed away, a First Council happened deciding what should be preserved from his teaching.  The same source talks about how, even though Sanskrit was the language of the educated and priestly caste, Pali is the language of the region at the time when the Buddha lived, his native tongue is said to be closer to a village language called Magadha.

The Pali Cannon is the first collection of the Buddha's teachings, the result of the First Council.