Daily Archives: 18 December 2011

Seattle welfare recipient lives in million-dollar home

open quoteA Seattle woman who is receiving welfare assistance from Washington state also happens to live in a waterfront house on Lake Washington worth more than a million dollars.

Federal agents raided the home this weekend but have not released the woman or her husband’s name because they have not officially been charged with a crime.

However, federal documents obtained by KING 5 News show the couple currently receives more than $1,200 a month in public housing vouchers, plus state and government disability checks and food stamps. They have been receiving the benefits since 2003.

The 2,500 square-foot home, which includes gardens and a boat dock, is valued at $1.2 million.close quote (Read more)

Chinese government cites self-immolation as an act of terrorism

open quoteTenzin Phuntsog – a Buddhist monk in his forties from the Monastery of Karma – set himself on fire this week as an act of self- immolation. He is the twelfth Buddhist monk to attempt self- immolation this year, an observance that the Chinese Communist government describes an act of terrorism. Tenzin Phuntsog survived his voluntary religious ceremonial act of setting his body on fire, now he is identified by the Chinese government as a terrorist. Self- immolation is an expression of prayer in self- sacrifice intended to spread the message that the ideals of Buddhism are being brutally suppressed by the government of China.close quote (Read more)