Banning “Dzongkha” – Microsoft hates the Dalai Lama and Bhutan, but Loves Chinese Money!

Oh, Microsoft!

In October 2005, an internal Microsoft proposal blocked the term “Dzongkha” from all company software and promotional material, substituting the term “Tibetan – Bhutan” instead. The International Campaign for Tibet cites the memorandum as saying Dzongkha “implies affiliation with the Dalai Lama, which is not acceptable to the government of China”. The Bhutanese, who have never been under the rule of the Dalai Lamas, even if they revere the 14th Dalai Lama, were dismayed by the decision. Linguists have pointed out that the word “Dzongkha” has no particular association with the Dalai Lama. Ironically, the government of the People’s Republic of China continues to use the term “Dzongkha” in its official publications.

Oh well, Chinese gold still glitters I suppose… And Microsoft isn’t exactly known for taking the ngyen khag* route.
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* risky (Dzongkha phrasebook)

Successful Ambush

Turning Tables, U.S. Troops Ambush Taliban With Swift and Lethal Results

“Sergeant Reese gave his rifle to another sniper to cover him while he tried to cut away a Taliban fighter’s ammunition pouches with a four-inch blade. The fighter had only been pretending to be dead, the soldiers said. He lunged for Sergeant Reese, who stabbed him in the left eye.”

Sometimes it’s easy to forget we’re still fighting a war with a defined enemy and objectives.