CULTURE BUZZ: When he was 14 months old, the Dalai Lama declared that Osel was the reincarnation of a spiritual leader called Lama Yeshe. Now he's 24, calls himself Oz, and wants to be a filmmaker, not a monk. Growing up, he was only allowed to hang out with other reincarnated souls. When he was 18 he went to a dance club for the first time. His reaction: “What were all those people doing, bouncing, stuck to one another, enclosed in a box full of smoke?” I bet he'd make pretty interesting movies.

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The Best Links:

1. Boy chosen by Dalai Lama as reincarnation of spiritual leader turns back on Buddhist order
2. Reincarnation Lie? Dalai Lama’s Empowerment Rejected by Young Spaniard
3. Boy named by Dalai Lama as reincarnation of spiritual leader turns back on Buddhist order
4. Spanish Lama renounces his reincarnation
5. This article is in Spanish, but there’s a picture of “Oz” looking non-monkish and angsty
6. Tenzin Ösel Rinpoche - Wikipedia

POLITICS BUZZ: The Tibetan leader threatens to step down if the violence worsens in Tibet. Don’t worry, he’s not going to stop being the Dalai Lama, as that would probably create some kind of world-destroying rift in the time/space continuum. Says a spokesperson: “He would resign as the political leader and head of state, but not as the Dalai Lama. He will always be the Dalai Lama.” Phew!

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The Best Links:

1. Dalai Lama to Resign if Violence Worsens
2. Dalai Lama: Dalai Lama threatens to resign
3. Here’s the Latest on What’s Happening in Tibet
4. The March 18 Press Release is Strangely Silent About Possibility of Resignation
5. The Chinese Government Would Likely Regret This, Someday
6. Tenzin Gyatso FAQ