Friday, October 26, 2007

Prime Minister To Meet With The Dalai Lama



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The Gaden Tangka Of Tibet ( Coinage And History Series)


This is part of an ongoing series about coinage and history. I thought since the 14Th Dalai Lama will be visiting Canada soon it might be interesting to see a Coin from Tibet.

The coin pictured above is from 1880-1894 the following below is a description for this coin type.

Gaden Tanka Circa 1880-1894 All Classes Have the following types:

Obverse: Stylised Lotus design within circle surrounded by the eight Buddhist lucky symbols in radiating petals.

Reverse: Eight petalled flower within star surrounded by inscription broken up into eight oval frames. Inscription in Tibetan reads as: "Ga-den Pho-dang chhog-le rnam-gyal" The Golden Palace Victorious on all sides.

This Gaden Tangka I believe to be a Class B Type IV using Rhodes Classification system.

This coin is from the time of the 13Th Dali Lama a brief biography follows below in an attempt to put the coin into an historical perspective.

Thubten Gyatso (born February 12, 1876; died December 17, 1933) was the 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet. He was an intelligent reformer who proved himself a skillful politician when Tibet became a pawn in the great game between Imperial Russia, China, and the British Empire. He was responsible for countering the British expedition to Tibet, restoring discipline in monastic life, and increasing the number of lay officials to avoid excessive power being placed in the hands of the monks.

Legislation was introduced to counter corruption among officials, a national taxation system was established, and a police force was created. As a result of his contacts with foreign powers and their representatives (e.g., Pyotr Kozlov and Gustaf Mannerheim), the Dalai Lama showed an interest in world affairs and introduced electricity, the telephone and the first motor car to Tibet. Nonetheless, at the end of his life in 1933, he saw that Tibet was about to enter a dark age.

The 13th Dalai Lama predicted before dying:

"Very soon in this land (with a harmonious blend of religion and politics) deceptive acts may occur from without and within. At that time, if we do not dare to protect our territory, our spiritual personalities including the Victorious Father and Son (Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama) may be exterminated without trace, the property and authority of our Lakangs (residences of reincarnated lamas) and monks may be taken away. Moreover, our political system, developed by the Three Great Dharma Kings (Tri Songtsen Gampo, Tri Songdetsen and Tri Ralpachen) will vanish without anything remaining. The property of all people, high and low, will be seized and the people forced to become slaves. All living beings will have to endure endless days of suffering and will be stricken with fear. Such a time will come."

Furthermore, the 13th Dalai Lama went on to predict the invasion of Tibet and announced that he would die early, in order that his successor would be old enough to act as a leader for the Tibetan people at the time of this invasion. He died several months later.

I hope you find this interesting please let me know what you think any feedback would be great.


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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Microsoft addresses new reports of forced Windows updates and reboots

This seems to be an ongoing story that keeps changing as Microsoft seems to be trying to spin it it, maybe I'm just dense, but what part of no does Microsoft not understand? To make it plain and simple no means no and whatever way Microsoft wants to spin it people still have the right to choose what they want updated or not updated. Microsoft can spin it any way they want, either way they have broken peoples trust, and I think most people will see that. Microsoft spin away, how stupid do you really think people are?

Microsoft has posted a long and complex explanation to its Windows Software Update Services (WSUS) blog, explaining the latest case of why software updates are being pushed to users who believe they've turned automatic updating off. Here's the abridged version of what the Redmondians said.

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Thursday, October 11, 2007

The Ontario Election The Day After The Vote


















Well the official count is in and the Liberals won a majority government the first one back to back in over seventy years. This gives the government a clear mandate to start working on the issues like health care, taxes, infrastructure and education.

It should be interesting though as those issues were overshadowed in the election because of the debate on faith based schools. John Tory really put his foot in his mouth on that one and killed any chance of seeing a minority government or even a Conservative majority.

I suspect John Tory will not be around for long, as he did not even win a seat in Parliament, that's not a good thing when you are the leader of a party. This though I think will open up the doors for the more extreme member's of his party. So we will probably see an surge for new leadership from the neo-conservatives in the party, and a an attempt by them to move back to those policy's that were so popular under The Harris regime. This is not a good thing.

Dalton McGuinty's majority government has it's work cut out for it as voters have either forgotten all his broken promises from the last election or they have become so cynical that they no longer care. Thias could be a possibility as we saw the lowest turnout for an election ever at only Fifty Percent of eligible voters.

The Liberals this time around though will have no one to blame for their woes, this time they can't claim they did not know what the debt is or use all the other excuses they made to explain away why they could not keep their promises. This time around it's all on their heads, remember everyone you get the government you deserve in the end.

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

The Ontario Election

Hmm, what to say it looks like the Liberals won a majority government with probably at least 70 seats in Provincial Parliment Giving them a strong majority. I'm completly disgusted, it seems like everyone forgot all the broken promises and lies, I guess in the end you get the government you deserve and if voters are that stupid, well they are going to get what they deserve for at least four more years, hope you enjoy it.



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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

The Storm A Minimalist Production



The Storm A Minimalist Production By R.Mac. This is my first short film let me know what your thoughts and impressions are.


If you would like to use my Film for Derivative Works or other use please contact me for permision. I can also provide Higher resolution if needed.




This
work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Licence.


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Village People and Sen. Craig: A Real Toe-Tapper!







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Saturday, October 06, 2007

George V (6 May 1910 - 20 January 1936)


This is a shilling of George V Spink 4013 and is part of the ongoing series of Coinage and History. I hope you find it interesting.

HOUSE OF WINDSOR Formally Known As The House Of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

George V (6 May 1910 - 20 January 1936) - born 3rd June 1865 - one marriage with five offspring

Second son of Edward VII, George Duke of York was a fine naval officer and pushed his career until the death of his elder brother Albert made him heir to the throne. He married Mary of Teck in 1893 who bore him four sons and one daughter. George saw Britain through the crises of World War I and even visited the front, one occasion at which he broke his pelvis after falling from his horse, the injury would pain him for the rest of his life.

George suffered badly from Bronchitis in the early thirties and spent a lot of time in Bognor on the south coast of Britain to take in the good air, and henceforth the town has been known as Bognor Regis. The King was still in ill health by the time of his Silver Jubilee in 1935, and it was bronchitis that eventually killed him in January 1936 aged 70.


Under George V's reign paper money was issued by the treasury to replace internal gold usage though branch mints remained open at Australia and South Africa continued striking Sovereigns until 1930 to 1932. The steep rise in silver prices at around 1919-1920 led to the issue standard of .925 silver being discontinued and coins of .500 silver were minted.

In 1918 as half sovereigns were not being minted farthings were issued with the ordinary bronze finish. Crown pieces had not been issued for awhile for general circulation but were struck in a small number around the Holidays for people to give as gifts. There was also a special commemorative crown issued in 1935 using an Art Deco design of George and The Dragon to celebrate George V's Silver Jubilee and is sometime affectionately called the Rocking Horse crown, because George V died on January 20Th it is most likely that coins dated 1936 were struck under Edward VIII.




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