First Elected Gup after Democarcy -- His Majesty felicitates gup elects

In a historic first, kabney and dhar were awarded from the Throne

Awarding Tashi Delek khadar and kabney to 190 gups elected in the first local government elections His Majesty said that local government is not the lowest level of government, but it is the nearest and closest level of government for the people.

“Gups are important, as they deal with people every day, and know the needs of the people well,” His Majesty said, adding that the present gups being awarded the kabney and dhar from the throne for the first time was a symbol of independence and importance of local government.

His Majesty reminded the gups that, as they carry out their duties, they should remember that they are not there to seek status, wealth or fame. “Your primary goal is to serve the people and, as citizens of a spiritual nation, be compassionate and fulfil the aspirations of the people with the highest standards of integrity,” His Majesty said.
His Majesty also said the gups are important to keep the community closely knit, put forward the nation’s security as a priority and preserve culture.
Democracy, His Majesty said, was a carefully planned process by the fourth Druk Gyalpo, with the establishment of dzongkhag yargay tshogdus way back in 1980, and gewog yargay tshogchungs in 1990.
Decentralisation and empowerment of the grassroots has been a constant process, culminating in the transfer of powers from the Throne to the people under democracy. In the exercise of these powers, local governments are invaluable to the people, His Majesty said.

His Majesty congratulated the representatives of the gewogs of 20 dzongkhags, and thanked them for having come forward to serve their communities. His Majesty also said he was grateful to the Election Commission of Bhutan, all civil servants, teachers and armed forces, and the dratshang. “With your hard work and prayers, we have conducted the historic first local government elections under democracy.”
His Majesty also expressed his appreciation to people, who had left all their important work aside and come forward to participate in the election.
Thanking all 2,185 participants, who took part in the recent election, His Majesty said winning is not important but participation is. “Those, who are capable and desirous of serving their country and people, should come forward and stand for elections. Those, whom the people choose, must then serve without fear or favour,” His Majesty said.

The gups, led by the Yangbi lopen, offered Tashi Moenlam to His Majesty.
Gups from 15 gewogs were missing yesterday. Three gewogs, Goenshari in Punakha, Bjacho gewog in Chukha and Gongdue gewog in Mongar are without gup candidates. Talo gewog in Punakha could not elect their representative after the result ended in a draw, and 11 gup elects have ongoing court cases related to the election.
 By Tashi Dema
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20099

Princess Diana’s Wedding

The first British citizen to marry an heir to the British throne in over 300 years, Lady Diana Spencer’s nuptials to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 was called the “wedding of the century.”

 

Read more: Princess Diana’s Wedding Photo Retrospective - Pictures From Princess Diana's Wedding - Harper's BAZAAR

Diana remembered at 50, as mom

On her 50th birthday, honoring Princess Di's proudest achievement: motherhood

"She's always there," Prince William said in an interview with Matt Lauer, 10 years after his mother's tragic death. "She was massively strong and gave us both reservoirs of strength."

William was just 15 when Diana died in a car wreck at 36. If she were alive today, she would be celebrating her 50th birthday with William, his new wife Kate, and her second son Harry, just 12 when she passed away.

"It still upsets me now, the fact that we didn't have much of a chance as children to spend time with her," the young prince told Lauer in 2007. "The time we did spend with her was amazing."

In 1980, she was a Kindergarten teacher, beloved by her students. But in the months that followed, her engagement to Prince Charles prohibited her from pursing a career in teaching.

William was born in 1982 and by 1984 he had a brother named Harry.

Much of Diana's philanthropic efforts focused on the health and education of children.

"She didn't want praise for it," said William. "She did it because she cared. And it was a massive quality of hers which was why she became so big. She wanted to give so much love and give so much care to people who really needed it."

 "After our mother's death, there was so much of us being in the public," recalled Harry in the NBC interview. "And then seeing stuff on TV and reading stuff saying, 'Oh, they show no emotion,' that sort of stuff. You know, that's our public side. If we don't feel comfortable pouring our eyes out in front of thousands of people, then that's our problem. You know, we got each other to talk to."

They still do. Harry was William's best man at his wedding and continues to be his closest confidant, sharing each other's friends, triumphs, and milestones. Their friendship is one of the greatest gifts she gave them and part of the legacy she left behind.

Princess Coocoola of Sikkim

Princess Coocoola of Sikkim, who has died aged 84, was the beautiful widow of a Tibetan governor and a champion of the distinct culture of the northern Indian state of Sikkim.

Embodying a combination of oriental charm and western sophistication, she relayed messages to the outside world as the Chinese invasion of Tibet began in 1950, then devoted 10 years to running a rehabilitation centre for Tibetan refugees in Sikkim. Twenty-five years later, when Sikkim became an Indian state, she played an active role in trying to retain its separate political status and unique character, giving a press conference in Hong Kong to protest at its loss of independence.

Acting as the hostess for her brother, the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim, at State functions until he married his American wife, she travelled widely to lobby politicians in New Delhi. She mixed with John Kenneth Galbraith, Senator Edward Kennedy and presidential aides in Washington and presented an 18-in high Buddha to a Tibetan children's village at Sedlescome, Sussex.

When the Indian president Pandit Nehru offered her a pension, the princess turned it down, and asked instead for trading rights. Working from a single room in Calcutta, she and her younger sister Kula started a business importing turquoise from Iran. Later she joined the boards of a company which produced jewels for watches and of the State Bank of Sikkim.

Princess Pema Tsedeun Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho (known as Coocoola) was the daughter of Sir Tashi Namgyal, KCSI, KCIE, the 11th Chogyal, and the granddaughter of a Tibetan general. She was born at Darjeeling on September 6 1924, when the Himalayan kingdom, which had been established in the 1640s, was a protectorate of the British Empire.

Young Coocoola was educated by the nuns of St Joseph's convent at Kalimpong, a hill station near Darjeeling. The Tibetan Pheunkhang family then wrote to the palace, saying that they wanted a Sikkimese princess to marry their 23-year-old eldest son. Her father did not force her to accept, and she asked a secretary to reply that she wanted to go to university first. On being pressed, she accepted Sey Kusho Gompo Tsering Yapshi Pheunkhang, the governor of the Tibetan city of Gyantse and a son of one of the four ministers of Tibet. But she broke precedent by declining to marry both the bridegroom and his brother, as was the custom. "I replied that I would only marry the eldest," she recalled in later life.
In 1941 the princess duly set off on the three-week journey to Lhasa with two maids, one bearer and two horses. She rode while going through the countryside, but retreated to her palanquin when passing through towns. When she arrived she found the two sons sitting next to her at the wedding ceremony, but repeated to her intended that she would marry only him. She and her husband settled down to enjoy the leisured life of the Tibetan gentry, with parties, picnics and festivals. The few visitors who arrived in Tibet – known as "the roof of the world" – were mesmerised by her.
In his book Seven Years in Tibet Heinrich Harrer hailed her as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and more interesting than her husband: "She possessed the indescribable charm of Asian women and the stamp of age-old oriental culture. At the same time she was clever, well-educated, and thoroughly moderne_SLps In conversation she was the equal of the most intelligent woman you would be likely to meet in a European salon. She was interested in politics, culture and all that was happening in the world. She often talked about equal rights for women… but Tibet has a long way to go before reaching that point."
Another visitor compared her to an exotic butterfly, saying her qualities showed in the quizzical way she looked up through her long lashes, and in the slow manner in which she exhaled her cigarette smoke or murmured a few words in her low, clear, musical voice. She entertained far more regally than her homely brother, the Chogyal, offering sparkling conversation as the best French wines were poured from heavy decanters. Her place at table was set with golden coasters and cutlery to remind even the most honoured guests of their inferior rank. Nevertheless, she liked to say: "Money didn't make me – I made money."
When travelling the dangerous trade route between Tibet and Gangtok, the largest town in Sikkim, with her small children bundled up in windowed boxes on horses or mules, she insisted on riding a horse with a rifle slung across her shoulder and a revolver in her pocket to repel bandits.
Princess Coocoola and her husband were founding members of the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, to which they donated manuscripts and a large silver-plated stupa to hold the relics of two Ashokan monks, which were a gift from the Indian government. She allowed the institute to scan her photographic collection.
In her last years she lived in a modest cottage on the outskirts of Gangtok, keeping up with events in Sikkim and world politics and continuing to enjoy discussions with scholars who came knocking at her door. When one completed a book on Sikkimese village religion she insisted they celebrate with a bottle of champagne. Princess Coocoola was widowed in 1973, and is survived by three of her children. When she died on December 2 four tremors were felt in Sikkim, which, according to local belief, signals the passing of a great soul.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/3709947/Princess-Coocoola-of-Sikkim.html

The Half-There House

 When Bob Stansel and Tammy Marek were planning their new luxury home here, they didn't want to overwhelm the neighbors. So they buried half of it.
Except for its arching corrugated metal roof, the unadorned modern structure built of concrete and glass barely rises higher than the grassy slope into which it's built. More than 3,200 of the four-bedroom home's roughly 6,400 square feet are located in a lower level, making the house appear more than twice as big from the side as it does from the front.
Using subterranean construction to avoid restrictive building codes is a popular option in places like California's Napa Valley, where home owners burrow underground for more space. But the couple here said their decision wasn't driven by regulations; instead it was their own desire for a pared-down aesthetic.
"I don't think I'd want people thinking that was my dream of retirement, to build some monster," said Mr. Stansel, a 65-year-old former mortgage banker who moved into the East Hampton home with his wife this winter. "We didn't want a bunch of expensive decorations on the outside."
On the property, Japanese maple and copper beech trees sit near a planted flat-roofed garage and grass driveway whose wide-set cobblestones look like part of the landscaping. Mr. Stansel took a 1,200-pound glacial rock, which he bought for $2,000 after becoming intrigued by its Alaska history, and trucked it from storage in Portland, Ore. to use outside as a garden feature.
The interior is simple, reflecting the desires of Ms. Marek, a 52-year-old day trader and horse lover—the couple has four horses that are boarded away from home in Connecticut and Holland. "It's more like a loft," she said. The front door leads to an open plan living area with flooring made of Oregon black walnut and white Bulgarian limestone. A concrete slab marks the staircase, which is held up with a harpsichord-like row of steel cables. Arched glass walls surround the modern living room and lacquered wood kitchen, hugging the curve of the roof.
Downstairs, a sitting area and den are lit by three pairs of 9-foot tall glass French doors around a lower courtyard. Mr. Stansel's study and a general storage area, however, are in rooms without any direct light.
Architects are seeing more houses with unassuming façades that explode in size when viewed from the back, or homes split into multiple buildings so they'll look less massive, or even homes that New York architect Lee Skolnick calls "McRanchions"—1950s ranch houses given luxury makeovers. "There's a trend we're seeing—it's called 'perceived thrift,'" said Chris Rose, an architect based in Charleston, S.C. "It's kind of like the ladies going to Bergdorf's and still buying stuff, but putting it in a brown bag."
Mr. Stansel had his fill when it came to towering properties: In 2009, he and Ms. Marek bought Canterbury Castle, a 1930s landmark in Portland, Ore. with a moat, drawbridge and turret, for about $290,000. They were already living in the house next door and bought the site as an investment. The city had deemed the crumbling edifice structurally unsound, clearing the way for the couple to raze it. Some locals were opposed, but the couple considered it unsafe and an eye sore.
At the same time, Mr. Stansel and Ms. Marek were beginning construction on the Long Island house. East Hampton-based architect Maziar Behrooz had come up with a design for the land's previous owner, who was inspired by a photo of an F-16 fighter jet nosing out of an airplane hangar for the building's shape. Mr. Behrooz dubbed it the Arc House, after the curve of the galvanized aluminum roof. Mr. Stansel was drawn to the home's low-slung profile.
The couple paid $1.25 million for the property down a long road lined with tall pines, and another $2.2 million for the building, Mr. Stansel said. Nearby, in a subdivision with meadows and fields for polo matches, a home is on the market for $2.9 million.
The couple moved to New York because they thought it would make it easier to travel to Europe in their retirement, though they are considering spending the winters in Portland if they don't find a buyer for their property there.
Outside their Long Island home, a memento from their Portland past is now set into the ground. Two heavy stones serve as steps to a soon-to-be-built Zen garden—pieces of the castle they once owned.

By Ellen Gamerman, WSJ.com

Jun 29, 2011

A 90 year old man wrote:

 
 Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland ,
 Ohio .

 "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
 It is the most requested column I've ever written.

 My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once
 more:

 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
 parents will. Stay in touch.

 5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

 8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
 journey is all about.

 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God
 never blinks.

 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is
 up to you and no one else.

 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no
 for an answer.

 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
 Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

 24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will
 this matter?'

 27. Always choose life.

 28. Forgive everyone everything.

 29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

 33. Believe in miracles.

 34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did
 or didn't do.

 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

 36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

 37. Your children get only one childhood.

 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
 grab ours back.

 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

 42. The best is yet to come...

 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

 44. Yield.

 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

  GOOD DAY ..!

Quotes

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.”

Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.