Warning: this Dharma-Burger may haunt your dreams

Reader Norbert Huebner (from Frankfurt am Main, Germany) sent this one recently:

I do not know if this 2005 Dharma Burger is fresh enough for your purposes but I consider it a must-have: the infamous Dalai Lama doll.

The story: The German retailer and designer of toy dolls Marcel Offermann had launched a "Pope" doll in a limited edition of 999 pieces to honor the newly elected pope Benedict. The dolls were manufactured by the renowned traditional toy manufacturer Schildkroet, apparently using existing molds with just custom coloring and clothing. The pope doll gained considerable media coverage and became a much sought after collectors item. In 2005 when H. H. the Dalai Lama turned 70 a "Dalai Lama" doll followed (at a retail price of EUR 165,-).

I do not believe the doll is blasphemic, particular bad taste or something -- to me it's just, well, utterly pointless. Sorry if you know the thing already and I just bored you to death. Of course I am a big fan of TWH which ranks in the top of my dharma bookmarks-- please keep up the great work!

Norbert was kind enough even to provide some weblinks:
The story (and readers' reactions) on Phayul.com:http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=10828&t=1&c=1

Discussion at German Tibet Movement where the designer is quoted being acquainted with H. H. the Dalai Lama and having made a donation to a child support project of H. H. The designer did not mention any approval of H. H. though: http://www.tibet-wuerzburg.de/lokales/lokales54.html

Official press images from the Marcel Offermann'site (the author demands a copyright note placed with the picture but nobody seems to bother): http://www.puppenklinik.biz/presse/images/index.html

Thanks, Norbert!