Realm of the Shadow Redux

Here is the photos of my dad’s headstone. I will place more about it here later today or tomorrow.

Tags: Family, Uncategorized by shadowchaser
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Title: McFreecycle Free For All
Location: Anderson Park, Normal, IL
Description: McLean County’s Freecycle” rel=”homepage”>Freecycle event (semi-annual) held at Anderson Park in Normal, IL. Bring your items to gift to whomever needs them and take something home with you as well. Remember that Freecycle is about finding a new uses for your unwanted items. See you there!
Start Time: 09:00
Date: 2009-09=19

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My first official website for my Digital Media class has been submitted. I have also placed the site online for your perusal. The requirements for this site were as follows:

• Five pages in length
• Easy navigation on all pages
• At least one image per page (could be more)
• Must provide the appropriate DTD (Declaration statement) for XHTML 1.0 Strict
• Provide a valid email link with the appropriate fields already filled in (the to: and possibly the subject: fields)
• title each page
• validate each page according to W3C standards for XHTML 1.0 Strict

So far this class has been a rewarding experience. Where I have been coding in HTML for many years (since about 1994 or so) I have had little actual coding experience with XHTML and not really spent much time worrying about validating my code. I am learning the newer XHTML standards and am looking forward to the next few weeks as we start to delve into CSS. There have been a few gaps that this course has now covered for me and I suspect that I will find more as I have been self-taught up til now.

I am also finding it rewarding to be able to share my knowledge with my fellow students. I’ve been able to find most of my answers that I need through my discussions with fellow students and/or google searches on the Internet (searches has been my usual mode of learning code until my decision to take this class). I am currently considering continuing in the design field as a secondary course of study to better round out my education in the IT field. I figure that more knowledge and abilities can only be a plus when I go to an interview for my career change.

But anyway, here’s the linky to my first OFFICIAL DMED 110-96 Website. Be certain to leave a comment and let me know what you think. Remember, this is supposed to be a plain jane style of webpage, the fancy stuff will come later on.

Tags: Tech, Uncategorized by shadowchaser
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In an interview on NBC this morning the once Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has once again claimed that he is innocent of the accusation that he tried to sell the vacated Barrack Obama Senate seat. It is my opinion that this interview was more about the sale of his new novel The Governor for it’s monetary value than it has ever been about his supposed innocence.

In his interview and his book he claims that “there is nothing in my private conversations that would verify I was trying to sell the senate seat” but when challenged on this issue he verified that he made the following two statements:

1. “I want to make money on the senate seat” and…
2. “I got this thing and it’s (bleeping) golden and I’m just not giving it up for just nothing”

Blago claims that these statements were taken out of context, that they were in the “context of politics.” Now I ask, just what the heck is this “context of politics” he is referring to? I am postulating that this means he was just doing business as usual. Keeping up with the status quo. Performing the infamous behind closed doors shady politics that has plagued our state’s political entity for almost as long as I can remember. Does this make it right? Heck NO! But it seems as if Blago believes it is ok for him to work in this manner.

So, let’s take a look at this political context that the EX Governor is referring to. According to Blago, his supposed deal is not unlike President Obama‘s deal with Hillary Clinton

where the President wished to commit fund raising events to eliminate Mrs. Clintons campaign debt if she agreed to step out of the presidential race. For some reason I just don’t equate this with opening up a senate seat for sale. According to Blago, the deal would have been to place Lisa Madigan into the senate seat if her father (Speaker of the House Madigan) would pass Blago’s bills concerning 500,000 new jobs from investment of Public Works, Healthcare to working and middle class families, and a written guarantee to not raise taxes. This comes from a person who has proved himself untrustworthy by not raising taxes but instead raising all types of fees on such items as hunting and fishing licenses, gas price taxes, “sin” taxes, service fees of all types and other shady money gubbing tactics. This is the man who tried to hold our state government hostage by threatening and subsequently shutting down numerous state parks, historical, and recreational sites in order to get his bills passed. He is also attempting to bring other people in to this scheme of his in order to share the blame. He specifically names Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Dick Durban, Head of Senate Campaign Congressional Committee Senator Menendez, and Harry Read claiming that they all knew about his inside deal with the Madigans. No one to date has verified any of this information.

Oh and lest we forget, he is still harping on the issue that the prosecution won’t release the full tapes of his conversations before the trial. Gee, I wonder why? Could it be that releasing those tapes could lead to a mistrial or possibly make it so that the justice system would be able to choose an unbiased jury? Blago is a highly skilled lawyer and is well aware of the reasons why certain evidence needs to remain out of the public view until after justice is served, don’t every forget that. He claims that part of his motive behind writing his book was to prove his innocence. In what way could this prove his innocence, the most it could prove is that lot’s of people will read it, essentially excluding them from being able to serve on a jury in his trial. Evidence is going to come from other sources than his book. I personally feel that the book is merely a means to an end, that being able to eliminate a large number of potential jurors and a method of providing some much needed funds for his defense.
The biggest question is this, will the U.S. Attorney turn the book publishing around and use it against Blago? This and the question of wether or not justice will be served only time will be able to tell. It is my desperate prayer that Blago will find himself in a jail cell in one of the institutions he attempted to shut down in order to “save” our state some money. Pontiac would be a good choice I think.

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Tags: Uncategorized, politics by shadowchaser
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Many people have asked me about my knives and in particular about the curved knife known as the Khukuri (or Ghurka knife), the following is an explanation on the history of this particular blade. This history was posted by Yangdu Martino, proprietor of Himalayan Imports on the HI forum on Bladeforums.com. It is reprinted here in it’s entirety with permission from Mrs. Martino:

I have received the Khukuri history from my cousin Kelsang Lama from Kathmandu Nepal. I would like to share the history with you.
Enjoy!

Dearest Aunt,
I hope you are fine and healthy.The story is prepared today.I have sent you on.

Kelsang lama 8: 13 PM 19/08/2009

Khukuri (National Weapon of Nepal)

The origin of Khukuri (National weapon) has an ever unknown and mystery tale. Moreover it is the recorded distinct history of Gorkha (Northern part of Nepal) and the whole Nepalese that it indeed successfully gave shape so. Nepal, the Gurkhali (United People of Gorkha), and the khukuri(national weapon): The three of them joined at the hip in reputation, and the Gurkha Soldier keeps his khukuri for his honor– bright and keen.

The mystery tale of khukuri began with the history of ancient Nepali weapons and the Gorkha unification. Not a single person was known about its uncertain born and distinct character early. Some evidence had shown that its origination was centuries older than the history of Gurkha Nepal. By It is all-purpose knife of the hill peoples of Nepal, especially the Magars and Gurungs in the west, and the Rais and Limbus in the east. These peoples are called the Gurkhas who form the alarming Brigades of Gurkhas both in the British and Indian Armies, not talking of the Royal Nepal Army itself. The blade shape descended from the classic Greek sword or kopis, which is about 2,500 years old. The Machira, the cavalry sword of the ancient Macedonians which was carried by the troops of Alexander the Great when it invaded north-west India in the 4th Century BC and was copied by local black smiths. Some knife exports have found similarities in the construction of some khukuris to the crafting method of old Japanese sword. Thus the making of Khukuri is one of the oldest blade forms in the history of world, if not in fact the oldest.

By the time a Gurkha joins the army, the Khukuri has become a chopping extension of his dominant arm. Some believed that it has a strong linked with the historical courageous, bravery, honorable past pages of Gurkha soldiers’ campaign during the period of unification. Meantime Gorkhalis were very skillful and intelligent on using any types of weapons .Later after the prolonged period of struggles the Gorkhalis successfully united Nepal into one Hindu kingdom in the late 18th. It is reasonable to suppose that this was the beginning of the universal custom of Nepalese troops carrying the khukuri a custom that spread in time to Gurkhas serving in the British and Indian Armies. It was carried also by many other hill units, regular and irregular: Assam Rifle Regiments, Burma Military Police, the Garhwal and Kumaon Regiments. In the Burma campaign of World War those British troops who did not carry a machete carried a khukuri and nowadays the Singapore Police Force also carries them.

The khukuri distinctness and powerful became so extraordinary and wide during the time. Then time and again it gave a new eloquent and powerful history to the whole nation in fact to the world that it became a proud symbol of Nepal and weapon and tool of the Gorkha people. The people a crossed the world are keen to know buy and sell the khukuri. The people have become more commercialized, taking advantages of its popularity. It has become so powerful beyond the limit that nobody can avoid it. Almost 88% persons all around the corners of world have huge demand of khukuri unbelievably besides the Gorkhali people have the huge demand all around the corners. According to the estimated data the British Gorkhali army are occupied with 3 9% in the Britain .Where as there are 22% and 13% in some other parts of country. Their bravery, sacrifices and the art of courage invokes the strengthened of their weapon khukuri.

After the uncertain successful attempt in the unification the Gorkha people became very large and fascinated towards the weapon. Especially Gorkhalis were very happy to be able to unite own nation by only weapon. For the time being the people seemed very proud and fascinated that they keep khukuri in every houses of Gorkha. Even the children are likely to have his own khukuri in the age of five to six years and necessarily become skillful in its use long before his manhood.

More than being just a revered and effective weapon the Khukuri is indelibly identify with the experienced of legend and romance throughout the history of world. It is indeed of slashing extraordinary edge. Whatever the khukuri has a remarkable social, cultural, Hindu religious and phallic symbol which has not only gained the primitive unification history of Nepal rather also successfully had achieved the extraordinary recorded history throughout the world. Likewise it is very notable that the people at the World War II have also used Khukuri to separate their enemies as a protection weapon. During the time it was said as grenade and non-exploded bomb. Now it is seen in every part of the world as a world strongest weapon and used enormously.

The scenario has steepened much more than forward .The atmosphere has changed, the people have developed, and the worlds have exactly altered but the people were very much religious that another thing which adds to the magic of the khukuri is the cultural and religious significance. The people had no idea of khukuri original shape and content with various meanings early. The time being changed all. The people became more liable and educated. The people assumed that khukuri curve is like a crescent moon, a symbol of Nepal. The notch or Kaura () in the blade near the hilt of the khukuri is said to look like a trident of the Hindu god, Shiva, the god of destroyer and war. It has many other meaning beside as the sun and moon, the sexual apparatus of Hindu gods and goddesses, a cow tract because the cow is sacred to the Hindus. So, the religious meanings that have been worked into the knife make it magic.

Whatever be the roots Nepal, the Gurkhas and the Khukuri are inseparable in reputation at that time. Where as the people used khukuri and worshipped it as the symbol of Shakti. Apart from the fact the khukuri symbolizes Nepalese Cultural icon as well as the bravery and valor of the Gurkhas. Moreover, the Khukuri represents an exquisite piece of Nepalese Craftsmanship.

The development of generations of any countries has always something very special such like peculiar shape khukuri for Nepal. The value, prestige and respect for the motherland by khukuri is intolerable before and now besides its nutritious of social, economy, religious and cultural values are deep inside its meaning and lengthened name. The history of the Nepal says it (Khukuri) was born to give freedom early, used for the welfare of national integrity, protect the national values and prestige at all in anyhow, no matter what.
__________________
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno

Yangdu Martino
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Shopping Site

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• The astonishing history of a 200-year-old British-Gurkha friendship (guardian.co.uk)

Tags: Uncategorized by shadowchaser
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