The Dalai Lama would be so proud

CLASH OF CULTURES: Days later, we're still having trouble coping with the concept of the Dalai Lama spreading his message of peace, openness, serenity, transparency and clarity of thought to a chamber packed with members of the New York State Legislature. Not that those worthies didn't need to hear that, of course. But it must have been a little like Jean-Francois Champollion staring at theand wondering what all those funny little squiggles meant. Oh, well. Theunlocked something. Here's hoping the Dalai Lama did, too. BRASS TROPHY: Tranquility may have descended briefly upon Albany (see above, but don't worry about it lasting), but not upon Rome. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi gets the best defense/good offense award for his reaction to wife Veronica's demand for divorce because of his roving eye for young women. He demanded a public apology. And then added that even that might not be enough. Talk about chutzpah. As Rosetta Stone outrageous as that was, Italy's leader apparently needs no lessons from President Obama on audacity. IMAGINATIVE DEFENSE: We understand shifts in power, and the desire of new leaders to fill support staffs with members of their own team. But the recent settlement of a case involving longtime Senate photographer Joseph Maioriello, who charged that his replacement with an African-American photographer by then-new Senate minority leader David A. Paterson years ago was an act of discrimination, caught our attention. Now-Gov. Paterson offered the defense that because he's legally blind, he did not know for certain the races of the two men. The Dalai Lama would be so proud. MORE TROPHIES: We've been a bit harsh on State Sen. Antoine M. Thompson these days, figuring some of his legislative actions earned that. So we should note a few recent pluses for the senator as well. The Buffalo Democrat this week garnered a public service award from the Buffalo Audubon Society and was named Legislator of the Year by the Adirondack Council. Thompson chairs the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, and went to bat this budget-strapped year for the Environmental Protection Fund.

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