Tag Archives: herself-on-fire

What In The Hell On Earth??? 35-Year-Old Tibetan Nun Dead After Setting Herself On Fire, And She’s Not The First

What in the fawk is going on, Tibet and China??? A Buddhist nun in southwest China has died after setting herself on fire, the 11th Tibetan — and second nun — to self-immolate since March. The death of the nun, identified as Qiu Xiang, was reported by state-run Xinhua and confirmed by exile groups. The 35-year old set herself on fire at a road crossing in Dawu County, in the Ganzi region of Sichuan Province, the South China Morning Post said, citing Xinhua. It was unclear why she killed herself, though Tibetan campaign groups say it was in protest against Chinese rule. But China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed the incident related to “pro-Tibetan independence forces” overseas. “Everyone knows that nowadays, except for the very few evil cults and extremist forces, all religions advocate respect for human life and oppose violence,” said spokesperson Hong Lei. “It is a challenge to the moral bottom line of all human beings if, instead of condemning the extreme act of self-immolation, some people are hyping or instigating it.” According to the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), which advocates Tibetan independence, Palden Choetso — Qiu’s Tibetan name — called for freedom and the return from exile of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, as she was burning. London-based Free Tibet also confirmed the incident. Her body was then taken by fellow nuns into the Ganden Choeling nunnery in Tawu, the ICT said. Six of the 11 Tibetans — all monks or former monks — who have set themselves ablaze died from their injuries. Most of the suicide attempts occurred in Aba Prefecture and the Kirti monastery, also in Sichuan, which has become a focal point for ethnic Tibetans angry at the erosion of their culture. Last month, a nun in Ngaba County, Sichuan Province, became the first Tibetan woman known to have killed herself. Free Tibet said Tenzin Wangmo, 20, died outside the Dechen Chokorling Nunnery. The State Administration for Religious Affairs in Beijing told CNN they were not aware of the incident. Activists and exiled Tibetans say the disturbing acts reflect an increasingly repressive environment under Beijing’s control. “The incidents are a clear indication of the genuine grievances of the Tibetans and their sense of deep resentment and despair over the prevailing conditions in Tibet,” said new Tibetan leader in exile, Lobsang Sangay, in quotes carried by Free Tibet. “It is therefore of the utmost urgency that every possible effort be made to address the underlying root causes of Tibetan grievances and resentment.” Yikes. Yeah, y’all need to work that out. We can’t even imagine feeling like this is the only way to bring attention to a cause. Source More On Bossip! Careers From The Crib: Top Ten Work From Home Jobs That Make The Most Money He Wants That Old Thang Back! Is Reggie Bush Pining For Kimmy Cakes??? Making It Rain On The World: Where Does Obama Rank As One Of The 10 Most Powerful People On The Planet? Maino Had A Busy Summer: Check Out The Two Other Jawns With Whom Olivia Shared His Loving, Plus Pics Of Her New Boo Ho Go Away: People That Are Rich And Famous Even Though They Have NO Talents Whatsoever

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What In The Hell On Earth??? 35-Year-Old Tibetan Nun Dead After Setting Herself On Fire, And She’s Not The First

Lady Gaga’s ‘Alejandro’ Video Might Not Top ‘Telephone,’ But Why Should It?

Gaga may have reached a point in her career where not even she can top herself, in Bigger Than the Sound. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga in “Alejandro” Photo: Interscope Records Sometimes, being Lady Gaga must be a bummer. Take the Tuesday premiere of her much-anticipated “Alejandro” video : Though it features more odes to Brecht than a six penny opera and singlehandedly broke Twitter when it debuted, it’s being called a Madonna knockoff by some (check the comments on this Entertainment Weekly story ), “pretentious” by others (see the comments on this CNN.com piece ) and even a “disappointment” by some fans. While I don’t think those reactions are particularly warranted (or particularly fair), they prove what Gaga is up against these days. After a meteoric, improbable rise to the top of the pop universe, she may have finally reached the point in her career where not even she can top herself. It happens to all the greats — it’s just never happened this quickly. Case in point, people’s biggest qualm with “Alejandro” seems to be that it’s not “Telephone.” They complain that it’s long, redundant and self-indulgent — and all these things are funny to me, because they’re the same problems people had with “Telephone” when it was first released. Only now (in the span of just three short months), it’s viewed as her classic, the one against which all other Gaga clips shall be judged. Shoot, “Alejandro” doesn’t even have the product placement “Telephone” did (remember how much people raged about that ?), and yet folks are already rushing to bury it. Of course, the “Telephone” comparisons aren’t fair. After all, the videos have nothing in common aside from the fact that they were released consecutively. But they do carry some weight, because it’s entirely possible that that video represented Gaga at the absolute peak of her powers and abilities. After months of hype, it premiered live on E!. It stretched past the nine-minute mark. It was violent. Gratuitous. Insane. Not to mention awesome. Certainly the most memorable video in recent memory. People talked about it for weeks. Analyzed every frame. Debated its content. It was sensational. And a sensation. “Alejandro,” although a fine, arty and expensive-looking thing, drew the unenviable task of having to follow all that. Which is not to say that it’s not a great video, because it certainly is. And to that end, if any other artist released it, they would have been lauded as brilliant for breathing life back into music videos. But since it’s Gaga’s name at the top, “Alejandro” was greeted with muted applause, perhaps even a stifled yawn or two. This is what happens when you’re (arguably) the biggest pop star on the planet, and you’ve made a career out of titillating, tweaking and breaking boundaries. People are always going to be wondering what’s next. And eventually, well, you reach a point where nothing you do can top your last stunt. And, yes, I realize that the majority of Gaga’s “little monsters” positively loved “Alejandro.” But then again, they love everything she does. They don’t really count in the grand scheme of things. Take a look at the bigger picture. It really seems that, for the first time I can certainly remember, a fair amount of critics and fans — be they casual or die-hard — are willing to step forward and say that they were less-than-impressed. This is a key moment in Lady Gaga’s career. Short of setting herself on fire in her next video — probably something she’s considered — I don’t know what she can do for an encore. And even then, people will probably say she’s just doing the same thing she did in the “Bad Romance” video. It’s not really fair, nor is it justified, but one day after its premiere, for all its gloss and glamour, “Alejandro” is already looking like it could be Lady Gaga’s first shark-jumping, fridge-nuking moment. Perhaps even her first misfire. This is the downside to continually churning out jaw-dropping work. Eventually, the jaws just don’t drop as far as they used to. Gaga has spent the past two years becoming an international icon, the first truly massive star of the 21st century. Now, she might have to deal with the reality that she just can’t impress forever. Then again, let’s just wait three months for the premiere of her next music video — I can’t wait to hear what people will be saying about “Alejandro” then. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Or steampunk-inspired harness. Whatever. Questions? Concerns? Hit me up at BTTS@MTVStaff.com . Related Photos The Evolution Of: Lady Gaga

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Lady Gaga’s ‘Alejandro’ Video Might Not Top ‘Telephone,’ But Why Should It?