Tibet you’re glad you don't live in Tibet.

China issued a "Most Wanted" list of 21 rioters Friday — shown in grainy photos waving knives and fighting during last week's violence over Chinese rule in Tibet. Thousands of troops continued to push into western China to contain unrest.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave support to the Tibetan cause on a visit to the Dalai Lama, calling China's crackdown "a challenge to the conscience of the world."
She dismissed China's claim that the Dalai Lama was behind the violence in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, as making "no sense."

Man, you gotta love China! A No-BS, eat your cold rice and shut the hell up, Six Flags Over Tyranny Theme Park.

And even though it SEEMS like a very oppressive society, it IS interesting to note that they regularly offer the average native Joe (or should I say average native "Cho") several life options.

For instance:

• Fall in line or die
• Love the government or die
• Work yourself to death or die
• Enjoy rice or die

Ahh Communism! Sucks don’t it? But wait... Can a political system that gives certain people more power and privileges than others truly be called a "Communist" society?

Or is it simply a dictatorship with a more jazzy title?

Which is not to say things would be all tickety-boo if they were in a “purer” form of Commie-ness, but at least when you looked at the violence in the place, you could say, "Well, wasn't Karl Marx a gigantic putz! What were they thinkin'?"

As it stands, you cant figure out if the problem lies in the system, or the venal corruption of one.

If we could only consult Chairman Mao... What do you think he would say?

Sure, first he'd probably order a large Beef and Broccoli to go, (I mean, have you seen pictures of that guy? He had more Chins than his own roladex) But what then? Would he exile the Lama? Order mass executions? Or reorganize his government?

Would he call a man who stands for peace "an evil sprit with the face of a man and the heart of a beast?"

Would he believe in the integrity of an individual who says,"If things become out of control, then my only option is to resign... We must build good relations with the Chinese, We should not develop anti-Chinese feelings. We must live together side by side?"

Or would he still profess that the Party was engaged in "...a fierce battle of blood and fire..." and brand the Lama as "...a jackal in Buddhist monk robes?"

Hard to say, seeing as the old porker is now taking a dirt-nap and recalling that, when he was alive, he had precious little sympathy for the well-being of his own people.

Still, you'd like to believe that at least someone in that country still has the ability to think clearly.

Even though apparently, the constant starch diet clearly dulls the senses and drives them to accept the patently absurd.

Here's an idea - appoint a house cat to the position of Chairman... it would probably do a better job.