The Unlikely Buddha

Introduction Chinese  Authorities in Tibet are engaging in preventive repression towards their population. As part of their nationwide 'stability maintenance' strategy, they are detaining, persecuting and convicting Tibetans for non-violent forms of protest and other expressions of dissent such as assisting or supporting self-immolations and carrying pictures of the Dalai Lama. The precise workings, nature and scale of the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to imprison and detain Tibetans, however, remain poorly understood. In contrast with the body of knowledge on the detention and imprisonment of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, the Tibetan detention system is still very much a black hole to the international community. The lack of evidence on many issues, especially on the so-called 'vocational training centres' and detention through the criminal justice system, is not evidence of the absence of repression. Rather, it highlights a need for further ...

In a breakthrough that could revolutionize our understanding of superconductivity, physicists have discovered a mysterious "demon" particle inside a superconductor. The particle, called a Pines' demon , is a transparent, chargeless quasiparticle that could shed more light on the underlying mechanics of superconductivity . Pines' demons were first predicted by Nobel Prize-winning physicist David Pines in the 1950s. They are thought to be created when electrons in a superconductor form a collective state. This state allows the electrons to move through the material without any resistance. The researchers who discovered Pines' demons used a technique called angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study a superconductor called strontium ruthenate. They found that the spectrum of the electrons in the superconductor showed a clear signature of Pines' demons . It consists of electrons in different energy bands moving out of phase with each other, such that...

There have been four Trump indictments since he left office in January 2021: In March 2022, Trump was indicted by a grand jury in New York in connection to a hush money payment to a porn actress. In June 2022, Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., for alleged mishandling of classified documents. In January 2023, Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Georgia for allegedly interfering with the 2020 election results. In July 2023, Trump was indicted by a grand jury in New York for allegedly defrauding his supporters through his "Save America" PAC. Polls were conducted after each of these indictments to gauge the impact on Trump's popularity among Republicans. The polls were conducted by a variety of organizations, including: The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research CBS News/YouGov NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll Quinnipiac University Reuters/Ipsos The polls were conducted among different samples of Republicans, but they generally fo...

In 2013, a large wildfire burned over 25,000 acres of land on Maui. The cause of that fire was never determined, but it is believed to have been started by humans. Since then, there have been several other large wildfires on Maui, including the 2019 West Maui fire, which burned over 10,000 acres. The cause of that fire was also never determined, but it is believed to have been started by a campfire. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increase in wildfires on Maui, including: • Drought: Maui has been experiencing more frequent and severe droughts in recent years, which makes the vegetation more dry and flammable. • Human activity: Human activity, such as campfires, discarded cigarettes, and fireworks, is a major cause of wildfires. • Failure to clear flammable plant over-growth. The 2023 Maui wildfires were the deadliest in U.S. history, killing at least 96 people. The fires were caused by a combination of factors, including dry conditions, strong winds, and huma...

Arbitrage is a risk-free investment strategy IN THEORY, but there are a number of problems that can arise in practice.  Here are some of the most common problems with arbitrage: √ Market inefficiencies: Arbitrageies only exist when there are price differences between different markets. However, these inefficiencies can be quickly exploited by arbitrageurs, so they tend to disappear quickly.  √ Transaction costs: Arbitrage transactions involve buying and selling assets in different markets, which can incur transaction costs. These costs can eat into the profit margin of an arbitrage trade, making it less profitable. √ Leverage: Arbitrageurs often use leverage to amplify their profits. However, this can also increase their risk exposure. If the price of the asset moves against the arbitrageur, they could lose more money than they invested. √ Regulatory risk: Arbitrage strategies may be subject to regulatory scrutiny. This is because arbitrageurs are essentially taking advantage ...

The recent criminal indictments of former President Donald Trump have reignited calls for a constitutional amendment to bar criminals from becoming president. Trump is facing charges in New York for allegedly falsifying business records and defrauding investors. He is also facing charges in Georgia for allegedly pressuring election officials to overturn the results of the 2020 election. If Trump is convicted of any of these crimes, it is likely that he will be disqualified from holding public office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States from holding office. However, some legal scholars argue that Section 3 is too narrow and does not apply to all crimes. They believe that a constitutional amendment is needed to explicitly bar criminals from becoming president. A constitutional amendment would be a difficult process, but it is possible. It would require two-thirds of both houses of Congr...

Social engineering is a type of cyber attack that relies on human interaction to trick individuals into giving up their personal information or taking actions that compromise their security. It is a very effective attack vector because it is often easier to exploit people than it is to find a network or software vulnerability. The negative effects of social engineering can be far-reaching, both for individuals and organizations. Here are some of the most common: • Identity theft: Social engineering attacks can be used to steal personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and passwords. This information can then be used to commit identity theft, which can have a devastating impact on the victim's financial and personal well-being. • Financial fraud: Social engineering attacks can also be used to commit financial fraud, such as wire fraud or phishing attacks. In these attacks, the attacker tricks the victim into sending money or providing sensitive fin...