Tuesday, February 03, 2026
From wiki--just read this--excellent--Maggie O'Farrell--
In 2022, she published The Marriage Portrait, a novel based on the short life of Lucrezia de' Medici, who may or may not have been poisoned by her husband, Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara. O'Farrell has said that she got the idea for the novel after seeing Lucrezia's portrait, attributed to Agnolo Bronzino, and from reading Robert Browning's poem "My Last Duchess", in which Lucrezia makes a brief, silent and unnamed appearance. The novel was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.[14]i
Monday, February 02, 2026
Demands of Kronstadt Sailors' Revolution--1917.
In view of the fact that the present Soviets do not express the will of the workers and peasants, immediately to hold new elections by secret ballot, the pre-election campaign to have full freedom of agitation among the workers and peasants;
To establish freedom of speech and press for workers and peasants, for Anarchists and left Socialist parties;
To secure freedom of assembly for labor unions and peasant organizations;
To call a nonpartisan Conference of the workers, Red Army soldiers and sailors of Petrograd, Kronstadt, and of Petrograd Province, no later than March 10, 1921;
To liberate all political prisoners of Socialist parties, as well as all workers, peasants, soldiers, and sailors imprisoned in connection with the labor and peasant movements;
To elect a Commission to review the cases of those held in prisons and concentration camps;
To abolish all politotdeli (political bureaus) because no party should be given special privileges in the propagation of its ideas or receive the financial support of the Government for such purposes. Instead there should be established educational and cultural commissions, locally elected and financed by the Government;
To abolish immediately all zagryaditelniye otryadi (Bolshevik units armed to suppress traffic and confiscate foodstuffs);
To equalize the rations of all who work, with the exception of those employed in trades detrimental to health;
To abolish the Bolshevik fighting detachments in all branches of the Army, as well as the Bolshevik guards kept on duty in mills and factories. Should such guards or military detachments be found necessary, they are to be appointed in the Army from the ranks, and in the factories according to the judgment of the workers;
To give the peasants full freedom of action in regard to their land, and also the right to keep cattle, on condition that the peasants manage with their own means; that is, without employing hired labor;
To request all branches of the Army, as well as our comrades the military kursanti, to concur in our resolutions;
To demand that the press give the fullest publicity to our resolutions;
To appoint a Traveling Commission of Control; To permit free kustarnoye (individual small scale) production by one's own efforts.[74] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronstadt_rebellion#
Meaning--Kyrie--
text
Kýrie, eléison (Κύριε, ἐλέησον)
'Lord, have mercy'
Christe, eléison (Χριστέ, ἐλέησον)
'Christ, have mercy'
Sunday, February 01, 2026
Place names I came across in reading DGE Hall--Mainly a history of the rivalry between the French, the British and the Dutch in S and SE Asia from the 16th century onwards.
I'm only reading the reigns of Naresuan,his brother Ekathasarot and his great grandson Narai--
Narai was very progressive and sent the first mission to the W--Court of the Sun King, way before Burmese King Mindon--
However, as often happens, liberals are often followed by regressives--I saw the remains of the room where he died--or was killed, in Lopburi.
Hall is a useful book as it shows the whole region--not isolated by "nations" which did not exist then.
Read up on Toungoo Dynasty, Pegu/Bago/Hanthawaddy, Naresuan, Maha Thamaracha,
Ekathatsarot, Narai and the elephant keeper who succeeded him.
Also Arakan chapters in Hall--including exile of Shah Shuja by Aurangzeb--
the bad son of Shah Jahan--and the killer of his brother Dara Shikoh.
Also check out Philipe de Brito,Natshinnaung,Yaza Datu Kalya.
It's good to know world history.
Don't be the frog in the well.
KM Kaung
2-1-2026
I have a copy of the Hall book--it's a very thick paperback-so--hard to read in one sitting and I prefer print books.
I have an almost identically thick compendium of writings in Ceylon/Sri Lanka--called The Sri Lanka Reader.
I read a bit at a time as I need to.
It's worth it like all reading.
kmk
2-1-2026
2 Important papers--DNA of Tibeto-Burmans--+ migration period of Ancient Burma (wiki)
https://genomicatlas.org/2022/01/01/tibeto-burman-expansions-high-altitude-adaptation-and-paleolithic-legacy-in-the-tibetan-plateau/
We all came out of Africa in spite of Burmese/Myanmar ingrained prejudice about "kala"--black people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migration_period_of_ancient_Burma
Saturday, January 31, 2026
I would not live there--woman who renovated a lighthouse.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/31/flatiron-building-apartments-for-sale.html?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
Then you have to get there in the summer and maintain another home on the mainland--and got back in the Fall.
I knew a gay man who was a millionaire and had a villa in Bali and a farm in Virginia. Not a working farm as far as I could tell.
He died,I read "at his home in the Phillippines."
It's for people who have money to throw around.
Greenland wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland
Including decline in ice sheet (graph) and high suicide rates.
Greenland's ice sheet has a volume of ~3,000,000 cubic kilometres (700,000 cu mi). If it were all to melt, global sea level would increase by ~7.5 m (25 ft) from this cause alone.[126] However, research shows that it will take at least 1,000 years for the ice sheet to disappear even with very high rates of global warming,[121] and around 10,000 years under lower rates of warming (which still cross the threshold for the ice sheet's disappearance).[127][128] This threshold likely lies between 1.7 °C (3.1 °F) and 2.3 °C (4.1 °F). Reducing the warming back to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) or lower above preindustrial levels (such as through large-scale carbon dioxide removal) would arrest the losses but still cause greater ultimate sea level rise than if the threshold had never been exceeded.[129] Further, 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) appears to commit the Greenland ice sheet to 1.4 m (4+1⁄2 ft) of sea level rise.[130] A study published in January 2025 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports an "abrupt, coherent, climate-driven transformation" in the states of lakes in Greenland from "blue" (more transparent) to "brown" (less transparent) after a season of both record heat and rainfall drove change in these systems, which may have reached a tipping point .[131] These changes are said to alter "numerous physical, chemical, and biological lake features", and are said to be unprecedented.[131]
Like high suicide rates and Alchoholism among Native Americans.
Social issues
The rate of suicide in Greenland is very high. According to a 2010 census, Greenland holds the highest suicide rate in the world.[223][224] In 2021, a study reported that there were 45 suicides, corresponding to a rate of 81 per 100,000 inhabitants annually. This was approximately eight times higher than in Denmark.[225] Another significant social issue is a high rate of alcoholism.[226] The rate of alcohol consumption peaked in the 1980s, when it was twice as high as in Denmark; by 2010 it had fallen slightly below that of Denmark. Alcohol prices are far higher in Greenland than in Denmark, meaning that consumption has a large socio-economic impact.[227][228] The prevalence of HIV/AIDS has been high, reaching a peak in the 1990s when the number of AIDS-related deaths was also relatively high. Through a number of initiatives, the prevalence (along with the death rate, through efficient treatment) has fallen and is now low, about 0.13% in the 2010s,[229][230] below that of most other countries. In recent decades, unemployment has generally been somewhat above that of Denmark;[231] in 2017, the rate was 6.8% in Greenland,[232] compared to 5.6% in Denmark.[233]
Compulsory contraception of Inuit women
Main article: Spiral case
In the 1960s and 1970s, at a time when the population was increasing, 4,500 Greenland Inuit women and girls (roughly half of all fertile females) were fitted with intrauterine devices (IUDs) by Danish doctors. Sometimes girls (as young as 12) were taken directly from school to have these devices inserted, without their parents' permission. The procedure was also carried out on some Inuit girls at boarding schools in Denmark. In 2022 Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke announced an investigation into the decisions leading to the practice and its implementation.[234] Greenlandic doctors also carried out the same illegal procedures on several Inuit women after Greenland took control of its health care system in 1991.[235]
LGBTQ rights
LGBTQ rights in Greenland are some of the most extensive in the world, relatively similar to those in Denmark. Transgender people may change the gender designation on their official identity documents. A law passed in 2016 by decree allows legal gender changes based on self-determination.[236][237] Since 2010, Greenland has had laws prohibiting hate speech against LGBTQ+ persons. Parliament passed a Law on Equal Treatment and Anti-Discrimination in 2024, which prohibits all discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, [and] gender characteristics", among other characteristics. The law also creates an Equal Treatment Board to manage discrimination complaints and an Equality Council to promote non-discrimination.[238]
Culture
Comstylish clothes--including Monks walk for Peace--many designs, including Greenland not for sale.
https://www.comstylish.com/collections/womens-clothing?show_page=first_page&ids=788777aa-4f89-4e4b-8901-45386f9ccfaa&CS01-GDN-US-24429-BS=&gad_source=5&gad_campaignid=21241892849&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs7C-pI23kgMVypXRBB2OyAdGEAEYASAJEgKJFvD_BwE
I have no connection with this clothing outlet.
I have no plans to move to any warm place.
Chinese C-drama--at least it's interesting--the actor is from Romance of Tiger and Rose--
Beautiful costumes, interiors and landscapes and conflict starts early.
Like another hate to love rom com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FIPjsvDWDo
Old general has dementia.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Tom Hiddleston played Richard Pine--The Night Manager--in of course, The Night Manager--
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399664/fullcredits/
He looks better in the movie close-ups than in these stills.
Good portrayal of the stiff upper lip Englishman and really beautiful eyes and thin face, sunken blue eyes.
kmk
1-29-2026
Iranian demonstrations--from AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests has killed at least 6,221 people while many others still are feared dead, activists said Wednesday, as a U.S. aircraft carrier group arrived in the Middle East to lead any American military response to the crisis. Iran’s currency, the rial, meanwhile fell to a record low of 1.5 million to $1.
https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-deaths-crackdown-aeaeb26493d25d86d5169f8ae455e405
Movie based on John Le Carre--The Night Manager--I used to be a real Le Carre fan--in Burma--40 years ago.
Every book has been made into a movie--maybe I shld just watch the movies.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
War Horse--the movie--based on Morpurgo book--both highly recommended --
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Horse_(film)
I think it's just lovely, remember every shot.
Like Black Beauty--see the illustrated book.
You can read about almost all the Khans--in fictional form in Conn Iggulden's Genghis series--highly recommended--
You can read about Queen Saw in She was a Queen by MauriceCollis.
You can read about the reign of King Thibaw--the last king fBurma in The Lacquer Lady by F Tennyson Jesse--
You can read about all the Burmese-siamese wars in Prince Damrong's Our Wars with the Burmese.
Nasr al din who led the Mongol forces.
Nasr al-Din (Yunnan)
Article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Nasr al-Din (disambiguation).
Nasr al-Din
Governor of Yunnan (Karadjang)
In office
1279–1292
Preceded by Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar
Succeeded by Husayn (Hussein or Hussain)[1]
Personal details
Born
Bukhara, Khwarazmian Empire
Died 1292
Yunnan, Yuan China
Nationality Khwarazmian, Yuan
Children twelve sons in total, the names of five of which are given in his biography, viz. 伯顏察兒 Bo-yen ch'a-r, 烏馬兒 Wu-ma-r, 答法兒 Dje-fa-r (Djafar), 忽辛 Hu-xin (Hussein) and 沙的 Sha-di (Saadi)
Military service
Allegiance Yuan dynasty
Battles/wars Mongol invasion of Burma, Mongol invasions of Vietnam
Nasr al-Din (Persian: نصرالدین; Chinese: 納速剌丁, pinyin: Nàsùládīng) (died 1292) was a provincial governor of Yunnan during the Yuan dynasty, and was the son of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar.
Life
Nasr al-Din was of Central Asian origin, being a Muslim Khwarezmian from Bukhara. His father was the prominent leader Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar.[2] When Genghis Khan attacked the city during the war between the Khwarizmi shah and the Mongols, Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar's family surrendered to him. Sayyid Ajjal served the court of the Mongol Empire. Later, Sayyid Ajjal was in charge of Imperial finances in 1259,[3] sent to Yunnan by Kublai Khan after conquering the Kingdom of Dali in 1274.
In the thirteenth century the influence of individual Muslims was immense, especially that of the Seyyid Edjell Shams ed-Din Omar, who served the Mongol Khans till his death in Yunnan AD 1279. His family still exists in Yunnan, and has taken a prominent part in Muslim affairs in China.[4]
Nasr al-Din is identified as the ancestor of many Chinese Hui lineages in Yunnan's Panthay Hui population as well as in Ningxia and Fujian provinces.
Marco Polo claimed that Nasr al-Din was a commander in the 1277 Mongol invasion of Burma and defeated the Burmese in the war.[5] Marco Polo recorded his name as "Nescradin".[6][7]
The widespread presence of Islam in Yunnan is due to Nasir Al-Din and his father Sayyid Ajall.[1]
Nasr became Yunnan's governor after his father, the first governor of Yunnan, died.[8] served in his office from 1279 to 1284.[9] He was sent to participate in the 1284 Mongol invasion of Burma, which caused his term as governor to end.[10]
Nasr also battled the native "Gold Teeth" people in Yunnan, and the Vietnamese during the Mongol invasion of Annam. Marco Polo had been wrong in claiming that Nasr had participated in the 1277 attack on Burma, Nasr fought in the 1284 invasion in reality. He was transferred to Shaanxi and appointed as its governor.[11] Nasr al-Din's son Omar 烏馬兒 (Wu-ma-r) participated alongside him in the invasion of Annam (Vietnam).
His service as Governor there ended in his death in 1292, when he was charged with corruption and executed[12] (Husayn, a brother of his, then became the next governor of Yunnan).[13]
Family
Nasr al-Din's father was the Governor of Yunnan, Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar, whose Chinese name was Sai-dien-ch'i. Nasr al-Din's name in Chinese was "Na-su-la-ding". Five sons of Sai-dien-ch'i are mentioned, viz. 納速剌丁 Na-su-la-ding (Nasr-uddin), 哈散 Hasan (Hassan), 忽辛 Hu-sin (Hussein), 剌丁 兀默里 Shan-su-ding wu-mo-li and 馬速忽 Ma-su-hu. All these held high offices. Na-su-la-ding has a separate biography in the same chapter. He was governor in Yunnan, and distinguished himself in the war with the southern tribes of 交趾 Kiao-chi (Cochin-china) and 緬 Mien (Burma). He died in 1292, the father of twelve sons^ the names of five of which are given in the biography, viz. 伯顏察兒 Bo-yen ch'a-r, who had a high office, 烏馬兒 Wu-ma-r, 答法兒 Dje-fa-r (Djafar), 忽先 Hu-sien (Hussein) and 沙的 Sha-di (Saadi). The Sai-dien-ch'i of the Chinese authors is without doubt the same personage spoken of by Rashid (D'Ohsson, torn, ii, p. 467) under the name of Sayid Edjell. According to the Persian historian, he was a native of Bokhara, and governor of Karadjang (Yunnan) when Kubilai entered the country, under the reign of Mangu. Subsequently, he was appointed vizier, and in the beginning of Kubilai's reign he had charge of the finances. His son Nasruddin was appointed governor in Karadjang, and retained his position in Yunnan till his death, which Rashid, writing about A. D. 1300, says occurred five or six years before (according to the Yüan shi, Na-su-la ding died in 1292). Nasr-uddin's son Abubeker, who had the surname Bayan Fenchan (evidently the Boyen ch'a-r of the Yüan shi), was governor in Zaitun at the time Bashid wrote. He bore also his grandfather's title of Sayid Edjell, and was minister of Finance under Kubilai's successor (D'Ohsson, torn, ii, pp. 476, 507, 508). Nasr-uddin is mentioned by M. Polo, who styles him Nescradin (vol. ii, p. 66).[14][15][16] A Hui legend in Ningxia links four surnames common in the region - Na, Su, La, and Ding - with Nasr al-Din (Nasruddin), who "divided" their ancestor's name (Nasulading, in Chinese) among themselves.[17][18] The Ding family of Chendai, Fujian claims descent from him.[19] The Ding family has branches in Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia among the diaspora Chinese communities there, no longer practicing Islam but still maintaining a Hui identity. Na Zhong, a descendant of Nasr al-Din, was one of the students sent to Al-Azhar in 1931, along with Zhang Ziren, Ma Jian, and Lin Zhongming.[20] Besides the Han majority, the Muslim Hui also widely employed generation names, which they call lunzi paibie; for instance, in the Na family, the five most recent generations used the characters Wan, Yu, Zhang, Dian, and Hong. This practice is slowly fading since the government began keeping public records of genealogy.[21] Footnotes
Battle of Ngasaunggyan--1277--
AI Overview
The
Battle of Ngasaunggyan (1277) was a pivotal conflict between the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China and the Pagan Kingdom of Burma (present-day Myanmar).
Key Details of the Battle:
Context: The conflict arose as part of the Mongol invasions of Burma under Kublai Khan, following a dispute over tribute and the submission of border states.
Combatants: The Yuan army, which included Mongol, local Achan, and Ginchi troops, was commanded by Qutuq (Khudu). The Burmese army was led by Narathihapate, the King of Pagan, who used a vanguard of war elephants with archer towers.
The Fighting: Initially, the war elephants caused panic among the Mongol horses. The Mongol commander ordered his troops to dismount, fight on foot, and use concentrated arrow fire against the elephants.
Outcome: The wounded elephants stampeded, destroying their own lines. The Yuan army secured a victory, and the battle was famously recorded by Marco Polo.
Aftermath: Although the Mongols won this battle, they initially withdrew due to the heat and casualties. However, the battle marked the beginning of the end for the Pagan Empire, which was later reduced to a vassal state.
Mingalazedi Pagoda built by Narathihapate--just before the Mongol invasion by Kublai Khan's forces, 1274.
Mingalazedi Pagoda
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Coordinates: 21.161368°N 94.857729°E
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mingalazedi Pagoda
Mingalazedi Pagoda
Religion
Affiliation Theravada Buddhism
Location
Location Bagan, Mandalay Region
Country Myanmar
Mingalazedi Pagoda is located in Myanmar
Mingalazedi Pagoda
Shown within Myanmar
Coordinates 21.161368°N 94.857729°E
Architecture
Founder King Narathihapate
Completed 1284; 742 years ago
Mingalazedi Pagoda (Burmese: မင်္ဂလာစေတီ, pronounced [mɪ̀ɰ̃ɡəlà zèdì]; also spelt Mingalar Zedi Pagoda) is a Buddhist stupa located in Bagan, Burma. Construction started in 1274 during the reign of King Narathihapate.[1]: 183 The pagoda is one of few temples in Bagan with a full set of glazed terra cotta tiles depicting the Jataka. The pagoda was built in brick and contains several terraces leading to large pot-shaped stupa at its centre, topped by a bejewelled umbrella (hti). Mingalazedi Pagoda was built a few years before the First Burmese Empire (Bagan Kingdom) was pillaged by the Mongols.
References
AI Answer--
These are results for why are the designs of the Shwedagon, the shwe maw daw and the pagoda built by Anawrahta so similar
Search instead for why are the deisgns of the Shwedagon, the shwe maw daw and the pagoda built by Anawrahta so similar
AI Overview
Hti umbrella hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy
The Shwedagon, Shwemawdaw, and Shwezigon (built by Anawrahta) share similar designs because they are all rooted in the same Theravada Buddhist symbolism and Mon architectural styles that emphasized colossal, gilded bell-shaped stupas to house relics. These structures, built to represent the Buddha's teachings (Dhamma) and honor his relics, adopted the traditional Indian-influenced stupa design.
Shared Religious Symbolism: Each pagoda serves as a reliquary for sacred items, featuring a similar structure designed to honor the Buddha.
Architectural Influence: They reflect the Mon influence on early Burmese (Bagan) architecture, which favored a circular, bell-shaped form that developed into the iconic "paya" shape. Design Elements: Base: Features seven angular projections representing the folds in the Buddha's robe. Bell Shape: Represents the core relic chamber. Hti (Umbrella): The pinnacle serves as a staff or protective umbrella. Cultural Standardization: King Anawrahta, after unifying Burma, promoted Theravada Buddhism, leading to the standardization of this, which became the model for many, including his own Shwezigon.
From Shwemawdaw Pagoda wiki--copied and pasted--
Shwemawdaw Pagoda
Coordinates: 17.3368744°N 96.496954°E From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Shwemawdaw Pagoda ရွှေမောဓော စေတီတော် Religion Affiliation Buddhism Sect Theravada Buddhism Region Bago Region Festival Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival (Tagu) Status active Location Municipality Bago Country Myanmar Shwemawdaw Pagoda is located in Myanmar Shwemawdaw Pagoda Shown within Myanmar Coordinates 17.3368744°N 96.496954°E Architecture Completed c. 500 BCE (tradition) 982/83 (tradition)
by 1390 1796 1954 Specifications Height (max) nyandaw architectural height 22 m (72 ft) (982/83) 90 m (295 ft) (1796) 114 m (374 ft) (1954) Spire height hti spire height inclusive 98.8 m (324 ft) (1796) 125 m (410 ft) (1954) The Shwemawdaw Pagoda (Burmese: ရွှေမောဓော စေတီတော် [ʃwè mɔ̀dɔ́ pʰəjá]; Mon: ကျာ်မုဟ်တ [tɕaɪʔmṵtú]) is a Buddhist stupa located in Bago, Myanmar. At 125 m (410 ft) in overall height, the Shwemadaw is the tallest stupa in the world.[note 1] The annual pagoda festival is a 10-day affair that takes place during the Burmese month of Tagu.[3] History According to tradition, the original version of the pagoda was built during the lifetime of the Buddha. Two merchant brothers Kullasala and Mahasala had received two strands of hair from the Buddha himself, and upon their return to their native land, built a 22 m (72 ft) tall stupa, with the two strands in the relic chamber.[3][4] In 982/83 CE (344 ME), a sacred tooth was added to the collection.[4] According to Donald Stadtner, this tradition emerged only in the late 18th century (between 1754 and 1795), perhaps to elevate the stature of the pagoda to that of the Shwedagon Pagoda.[5] The historical pagoda dates from at least the late 14th century when Pegu became the capital of Hanthawaddy. Successive monarchs added additions to the pagoda and/or its premises. King Razadarit built 160 small stupas around the pagoda in 1390[6] while King Dhammazedi donated a bell in the late 15th century. In 1556, King Bayinnaung installed a hti spire umbrella with jewels from his crown, and built 52 stupas, signifying his age at the time.[4] In 1796, King Bodawpaya raised the pagoda to 90 m (295 ft), and added a new hti spire umbrella for an overall height of 98.8 m (324 ft).[7][2] The pagoda had been severely damaged several times due to earthquakes, including one in 1912, another in 1917 and another in 1930. Portions of the fallen pre-1917 version of the pagoda remain at the site.[3] Repair work began in 1951 and completed in 1954.[5] The new stupa itself stands at 114 m (374 ft). Its overall height (including the hti spire) is 125 m (410 ft).[2]
AI Overview
The
Shwemawdaw Pagoda Festival in Bago is an annual 10-day celebration held during the Burmese month of Tagu, which typically falls in April. It is one of the most prominent festivals in the region, featuring traditional performances,, market stalls, and, extensive pagoda, homage, activities,.
Key details about the festival:
Timing: Usually occurs in early April, often aligned with the lead-up to the Burmese New Year (Thingyan).
Significance: It is the festival of the tallest pagoda in Myanmar, standing at 114 meters.
Activities: Includes typical evening entertainment involving Zats, Anyeints, and, stage shows and local product markets.
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