Is the Dalai Lama a Religious Nut Job?

A new book is being released in America claiming the Dalai Lama, one of the most beloved fellas in recent history, is not such a great guy.  "Not So 'Zen': The Hidden Side Of The Dalai Lama" by Maxime Vivas puts forth the view that the ideas about Tibet the Dalai Lama and his followers have been putting forth are incorrect or dangerous.  Citing modern life in Tibet versus the view of an impoverished and Chinese-ruled Tibet, the book suspects that rule under a religious leader unaccustomed to leading the people of the land. xinhuanet.com

Shit, the French lady kinda has a point.  I am not saying either side is right, but... I cringe in thinking of any religion ruling anything.  As history has pointed out to us multiple times, saving a civilization's soul and collecting its money are two different things.  There is nothing wrong with believing in an afterlife, but we all got to live in this one.

Google Books to Deal with Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys

French publisher Hachette Libre has agreed to allow Google Books to scan tens of thousands of their french language books. The deal comes after years of work by Google to get U.S. publishers to scan their materials since 2005.

Hachette said it will make these e-books available to the Bibliothèque Nationale de France as well as other libraries to "contribute to the advancement of French culture." PCMag

 So, Google, could not get what you wanted here in America so you saunter off to be with your French hussy, huh?  I get it.  Good for you.  All the best things are French.  Maids.  Kissing.  Fries.  But when I think technological revolutions of the modern age, I don't think France.  This is a place that will not allow new words to be created without Frenching them up.  That in itself is backwards, having to use old rules on new things.  Hell, Google, don't worry with the scanning.  Just hit the translate button and go about your day.

I have to point out that I have been to Paris and greatly enjoyed my time there.  The people were kind and supportive of the goofy American kid on holiday and I hope no one is offended by the whole "cheese-eating surrender monkey" thing.  The title of this post is a gentle jab because, quite honestly, that is one of the best phrases in the English language.  Just say it out loud without smiling.  I dare you.

Happy Birthday, Jules Verne!

Today is Jules Verne's 183 birthday!  We all know he died fighting his invisible evil half morlocks self in the future!  Wait, no.  I'm thinking of H.G. Wells.  Verne died the way of the French, in a submarine journeying to the center of the Earth dying of diabetes.  Or did he?

Yep, he did.

Check out Google's cool memorial by way of browser submarine.