Shangri-La no more? The Dalai Lama has "concluded that to achieve genuine happiness, it is important to understand both inner consciousness and external phenomena," so he's asked that science and math be incorporated into monastic teaching. More at (I love this URL!) Science for Monks Dot Org. If that's not enough science for you, go see Dr. Fox's Cool Science Links.
Here's a little-known fact: the US Patent Office is self-funding. Taxpayers don't pay a dime for it; it pays for itself with patent fees, and if ABC News is to be believed, it receives 1,000 applicatiions a day. Congress has used some of its revenue as a piggy bank, apparently; it diverts some of the money to pay for other things, which seems typical but unfair.
Posted by Linkmeister at February 12, 2004 11:38 AMScience for monks! How great! And thanks for the linkback. :)
Regarding the patent office--I never knew that, and it does sound unfair. Their revenue should be their own! Bah. Bureaucrats.
And it reminds me of a quote from the most excellent 'Ghostbusters'--
(Bill Murray as Peter, brushing off concerns about the fact that they just lost their grant.) "Einstein did his best stuff when he was working as a patent clerk."
(Dan Ackroyd as Ray, frothing anxiously) "Do you know how much a patent clerk earns?!"
I'd forgotten that line. Ha!
But don't blame the bureaucrats for this one; it's your and my elected representatives diverting money this time.
Posted by: Linkmeister at February 12, 2004 01:34 PMWell, that hardly surprises me. After all, one of the people representing me in our nation's governance is Santorum.
(My opinion on the man is about the same as Dan Savage's.)
Posted by: Fox at February 12, 2004 04:08 PMI just read about the Dalai Lama approving tests to be performed on monks while they are in a meditative state. The Dalai Lama finds this stuff quite interesting. So do I. I have something in common with the Dailai Lama!
(however, I cannot count on Richard Gere coming to my aid anytime soon.....)