"Dalai Lama Shot and Killed" and Other Thoughtlessness Not Appreciated

"UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS RELOCATES TO BEIJING" - AND OTHERS...

For those who do not know this already, the People's Daily (Renmin Ri Bao) is the official broad-blanket mouthpiece used by mainland China's government for dissemination of general news items. The internet has recently been seeing the passing around of a Chinese-language satirical spoof of the newspaper whose main headline (in red) states:

· "China Successfully Tests Nuclear Bomb on San Francisco"

This mock news issue, supposedly to have been written in the future, shows other such fallacious headlines as:

· "United Nations Headquarters Relocates to Beijing"

· "Governer Ma Ying-jeou accompanies Premier Wen Jiabao on visit to Taiwan" - This headline assumes that Taiwan's government and people finally acceded to becoming a part of China - where in reality for decades Taiwan has defied China's threats upon mention of any hints of independence.

· "Yao Ming recovers from injury, spurs Rockets to championship"- This article may be interpreted as a forthcoming announcement of the Houston NBA team's ownership by a Chinese entity.

· "Chinese government Apologizes for Accidentally Bombing Pentagon"- No need for comment here.

· "Earthquake hits Japan's Islands. Chinese government Sends Rescue Teams. No Survivors Yet..." - The not-so-hidden animosity shown here more recently stems back from wounds suffered by China at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army.

· "China Plans Construction of a Second Patriot's Military Base on Moon" - This is a politically and militarily sensitive issue now shared by both China and the USA. With a recent renewal of concerns over a new "Space Race", which includes "killer satellites" and information wars tailored to decimate or disable other countries' information networks, words such as these are bound to raise a few hackles.

· "Dalai Lama is Shot and Killed" - Any personal feelings I may have on spirituality and the Dalai Lama'sendless work for peace on this small earth, this is perhaps the most undermining instance of carelessness in this parody.