Clancy Tucker's Blog, page 131

21 December 2018 - ABANDONED TRAIN STATION IN PARIS

ABANDONED TRAIN STATION IN PARIS
G'day folks,
You might think I'm obsessed with abandoned buildings. Maybe. Here's another one; right in the middle of Paris.

O n the outskirts of Paris proper, at the back of a parking lot down a side street in a quiet residential neighbourhood of Clichy, there sits an old forgotten train station; crumbling at the edges, blackened in the corners and scarred on its facade.

But it wasn’t always sitting here, hidden away and withering in an inconspicuous corner of Paris. La Gare Lisch once had a very prestigious placement in the heart of the city of light, proudly standing at the foot of the iron lady of France, its trains rolling into the station giving passengers a front row seat to the gargantuan arches and pillars of the tallest structure in the world of its time– last stop, the Eiffel Tower.



In March of 1878, a new Parisian train station was born. The Gare Lisch, named after its architect, Juste Lisch, who built several other stations in the city (including the currently standing Saint-Lazare station), was debuted for the World Fair of 1878, the third time Paris would be hosting the expo. The station served as a terminus for four stations connecting passengers commuting from the Western suburbs to Paris at a time when public transport consisted of little more than horse-drawn buggies. 
Equipped with four platforms (including one for welcoming boats on the Seine), decorated with colorful tiles and an intricate glass facade, the station was proudly flaunted in the press for the World Fair, praised as the station that helped build the expo, transporting the construction materials as well as the spectators that came to see it. Unlike most of the buildings constructed temporarily just for the world fair, Lisch was saved from the post-expo demolition and went on to play a pivotal role in the next expo again in 1889– the very same one that saw the Eiffel Tower go up.



There’s Lisch to the right, looking on at the iron giant rising before it ↑. For the eight months of festivities in 1889, commonly regarded as the most impressive of the world fairs with the opening of the Eiffel Tower and its electric lights (the first time electricity was used at the expo), the Gare Lisch was once again connected to the fairground by railways as the main supplier of goods and construction materials for the exhibition. A lot of the materials used to build the Eiffel Tower would have arrived at Gare Lisch. More than 2 million travellers passed through its doors during the exposition and on June 10th 1889, more than 70,000 arrived at the station to see the Eiffel Tower.




As the next Paris world expo approached however, the city was ready for a new station at the foot of the Eiffel tower, with plenty more platforms than Lisch could offer. She wasn’t demolished but was taken apart brick by brick in 1897, moved up the river and rebuilt in its new location, where it currently stands in  Asnières-sur-Seine . 
Although situated in a less glamourous location, for a few years there it had a good run as a terminus station for the new electrical trains that were replacing steam engines and starting to run regularly through, to and from Paris. But as the railway network expanded, newer, bigger and better stations were built and Lisch once again lost its purpose in an ever-expanding city of the future.
By 1983, left abandoned, Lisch was ready for demolition but thankfully saved at the eleventh hour by a campaign lead by the Parisian newspaper, Le Figaro, initiated by a local who lived nearby the historic building. It was added to Paris’ list of protected historic monuments in 1985. For a moment there, things were once again looking up for this old station of the Belle Époque.





But twenty five years later and Gare Lisch is still a sorry-looking building, sitting lifelessly at the back of a dreary parking lot, a distant memory from its days alongside the Eiffel Tower, now the most-visited paid monument in the world.
All attempts to revive the building (there were apparently quite a few) failed to get off the ground and in 2012, the building was declared entirely off-limits after a fire broke out, further damaging parts of the already decaying roof.




After countless failed attempts to save Lisch and find it a new purpose, perhaps 2014 might finally be the start of a new beginning for the forgotten station. Enter “ Operation Renaissance “. Bringing together local residents and lovers of Parisian heritage, the organization is proposing to restore the station into what they’re calling a “Cité du Voyage”, a sort of cultural centre dedicated to travel, adventure and exploration. With 1000 square meters, they would hope to welcome the public with social activities, exhibitions, a library, a world travel boutique, conference centre, concert space, restaurant/ café and host festivals and all sorts of travel-related events.



What makes these guys different and the likelihood of the project succeeding more credible this time round, is that they’re not waiting around for the government to help. Relying on their pretty savvy social networking skills and internet crowd-funding . They’ve already smashed their goal of €2000 to get the project on its feet, but looking at the state of the place, I’d say they’re going to need all the extras they can get.  


Clancy's comment: Man, what would the land be worth?
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20 December 2018 - JOHN HICKMAN - GUEST AUTHOR

JOHN HICKMAN - GUEST AUTHOR -
G'day folks,
Well, here is an author who is one of the most prolific commenters on this blog. His comments are usually humorous, and often spot on.
Welcome, John ...

1.   WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
After retirement in 2003 I found myself adapting to not having to work. Unable to play golf, I discovered a latent passion for writing, which over time became almost an obsession.

2.    WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
I do plan but then the plan changes, and changes. My first book RELUCTANT HERO was the most difficult. From commencement to completion it took me seven years! I made many mistakes all of which I hope were rectified.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZzG95riUkM

YouTube DC: https://youtu.be/LyONBQFCu4A



3.   WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Frankly, finishing a manuscript and finally holding the completed book in my hand is a big rush. Most fulfilling. 
However the journey, particularly as I have chosen comedy, is a great adventure for me. 
Jerry Lewis was an American comedian, actor, director, producer, screenwriter and humanitarian known widely for his slapstick humour in film.
Once in an interview in Sydney, Australia he described being a successful comedian as being a very serious business.



4.   WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Finishing a manuscript and finally holding the completed book in my hand but again there is that journey; how to make people laugh is an art form, and one that I am working at very hard from many different perspectives.
James Alfred Wight, known by the pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and writer, who wrote a series of books about animals and their owners. His books are considered as works of great comedy. In his autobiography he explains how comedy can be seen in most situations depending on the writer’s perspective.
5.   WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?
Bank clerk, hotelier, driving a 42 seater coach for Scientologists  - see SEX, LIES & CRAZY PEOPLE …pest control, fumigation, and timber preservation specialist, company director, and deer farmer.


SEX, LIES & CRAZY PEOPLE - A true life Fawlty Towers! But without Basil.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9qZUEAIpNU


6.   WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
Self-publishing four books to date.

7.   WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
My fifth book another comedy: Working title: OH, DEER ! Again fiction – but Inspired by a True Story
8.   WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Besides true stories, other writers, my family, close friends and sometimes what I call my SIXTH SENSE or subconscious mind.
9.   WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
I’ve changed from True Stories to Fiction – but Inspired by True Stories.Gran used to say, “Fiction’s a waste of time unless you can get a laugh out of it.”

10.       DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Try and get yourself a contract with a legitimate traditional publisher – but be careful. It’s a jungle out there! Difficult but worthwhile. I came close with RELUCTANT HERO – had a draft contract in my hand but then the publisher withdrew at the very last moment on the basis that a) I was an unknown author, b) the story was about someone who wasn’t famous – and c) the clincher; they might not sell enough copies. 
It’s fair to say that none of this was a revelation to anyone, including myself, and at times I wonder what publishers’ are seeking with unknown authors, or if maybe they even know themselves? 
Remember publishing is a business same as any other – the bottom line is all-important – the author’s style and writing ability are secondary  to the profit motive - in my opinion.
11.       DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?
All of the time. Particularly as I enjoy writing comedy. How to make a sentence funny? It’s not always easy or obvious, but that’s my challenge.
12.       DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?
I prefer mornings to afternoons so as not to interfere with our Happy Hour…Happy Hour has been known to be flexible, depending upon our mood, the weather, and what’s on the menu for dinner.



13.       DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
Yes – my wife calls it, “Your bunker” – it is in fact my study – because I have everything there to hand and so it’s most convenient. I often use my SONY note taker for ideas.

14.       WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?
It’s a bit like hunting for the Holy Grail…those occasions when you lose track of time and the morning flows so quickly because you’re on a roll…suddenly it’s Happy Hour time…
  15.       WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
I don’t really have a favourite author over others but I do enjoy the work of many.
16.       WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
I was flattered when told by a traditional publisher that Reluctant Hero was that rare creature, a book not afraid to be honest about war, but immensely readable and entertaining as well. Unfortunately, despite that compliment they passed on my work.  Many readers have praised it as one of the best anti-war books they’ve ever read. 
I’m very happy with that. What a tribute that is to the aircrews that never came home.
Both Tripping Over and Sex, Lies & Crazy People are so entirely politically incorrect throughout. So much so that readers are encouraged to read the PREFACE before the books. 
That’s to avoid accusations of me being in breach of the Racial Discrimination Act, which by now I believe should have been revised, to better suit Australians! 
With Tripping Over I’ve been told it’s hilarious! I’m very happy with that.
Sex, Lies & Crazy People . One reader told me that she laughed so much that she nearly fell out of bed!
17.       WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
Someone read Reluctant Hero and wrote to say that my Dad was not patriotic enough to King and Country. He took the trouble to point out that people trudged miles in Australia just to sign up and salute the flag and that my Dad’s attitude was entirely wrong. I wrote back and thanked him for taking the trouble to comment, and apologised on behalf of my Dad if he’d been offended. I also suggested that as my story was based in England, the thought processes there might have been different to down-under? Thankfully, that was the only detrimental comment I’ve ever received about Reluctant Hero .
Although the Beenleigh RSL banned Reluctant Hero from their history shelves for the same reason – too honest about war and not Rah Rah enough.
A friend read Tripping Over and asked me where the funny bit was? I scored him “0” on the giggle scale. He hurried to tell me that he thought Reluctant Hero was the best book that he’d ever read but emphasised how disappointed he was with Tripping Over . Again, I thanked him for his honesty and expressed my sorrow that my humour in Tripping Over had not appealed to him.
Humour is a very subjective emotion. What makes one person laugh might not appeal to another.
To date I’ve had little or no feedback about Sex, Lies & Crazy People , which is not overly encouraging, but understandable with global sales of less than 300 copies.
18.       WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Very much so. That is why my fiction is inspired by true stories.
I would like to pay a special tribute to my Gran, Lily, who never lived to see any of my published work, but who if she had would have been 120 this year. You were always the spark, Gran. 
You lit the flame that burns in these books with that Remington typewriter on my tenth birthday.



19.       OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
Does eating and drinking alcohol count? I love my family. I’m devoted to Carole, my wife of 52 years. She has always been there for me, and our two children, who are grownup people now. We are all foodies.
Carole tolerates my obsession, which is writing. She’s been a model of calm and reassurance. She once said, “Being married to you was nothing like I expected - but has been interesting.” I have never delved into that remark. Maybe some things are best left unsaid? 
We love where we live and I enjoy my life. Our friends are supportive of what I do.
As I’ve become older I’ve also mellowed some. Maybe become more tolerant? I do enjoy peace and quiet. 
I don’t like too much noise, too many crowds, or queuing.
  20.       DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
Yes. I have had two editors. The first was Tricia Eban. Tricia is Fiction Editor for SCOPE a monthly magazine of Fellowship of Australian Writers (Qld) Inc - of which I was a member.
More recently I met Linda Daniel when she was Editor for In House Publishing. 
Linda has proved not only to be honest and sincere with her criticisms but her integrity, consistency, and fairness have easily brought out the best of details that I’d missed. 
Linda really has put her heart and soul into editing draft after draft after draft – ad nauseam.
21.       DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
Besides banking a huge Lotto cheque – I wish, or having to turn down repeat invitations to appear as an author guest on ABC TV – waking up in the morning best qualifies.Otherwise, besides dreaming of writing the world’s finest novel, which of course I may already have done – we’re back to a perfect day, begins with waking up!
22.       IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?
Captain James Cook.Because I’m sure he’d get us home.
23.       WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?
I don’t think that there’s much that can be said that hasn’t been said already.
Why not quote a line by my Gramps from Reluctant Hero about WW2? He said, “It’s been proven throughout history, it’s not a real war unless someone’s making a good profit. I’ll bet this one will turn out to be a real doozy.”
24.       WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
To keep writing for as long as I’m able. That depends to a very great extend on the gift of time.
My Dad used to tell me everyone has one book in him or her. I’ve written four to date; Reluctant Hero , Tripping Over , Sex, Lies & Crazy People and Living Upside Down .
My next working title is Oh Deer! After that hopefully more books!
25.        WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
I don’t know. I have four book trailers on YouTube but I haven’t noticed any conspicuous spikes in sales. Maybe they’re the wrong book trailers?



26.       DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I appeared at the end of Reluctant Hero . I’m pretty well the central character throughout Tripping Over , and Sex, Lies & Crazy People . That could be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective of my writing. 
It’s fair to say that since I decided to fictionalise - people I have known seem to bear some remarkable similarities to my characters.

27.       DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
Yes – but it’s much the same as any industry in that it revolves around turnover and profits and much of its success, or otherwise, is based on subjective viewpoints. 
At least with some other professions – their opinions tend to be more objective.
28.       DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
All the time – but what else would I do with my time? 
My golf remains erratic at best and if I get too close to the ground as in playing lawn bowls – I may have trouble getting up again.
29.       WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?
I’ve enjoyed all four manuscripts to date but I don’t enjoy the process of getting started. I do enjoy the journey, but would prefer boarding the train, halfway to my destination.
30.        HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?
Ultimately, dosh or financial reward must figure in there somewhere. 
I suppose it’s fair to say that the more books you sell, the more popular you think you are. Being a writer if no one reads your work isn’t being much of a writer, is it?
31.       WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
I don’t write to educate, I write to entertain. One reader of Reluctant Hero expressed the view that it was amazing how the Allies ever won the war! I agreed with her that if it hadn’t been for the sacrifice of the USA we may have all ended up speaking German or Japanese!
Many wars are like that. Case in point the Spanish Armada in 1588 during the reign of Elizabeth I of England. If the wind hadn’t changed direction when it did…?
Then, again, and it’s a frightening thought that both Japan and Germany have prospered economically and are both more successful today than we are in OZ.
Not much of a legacy for all the poor bastards who made the ultimate sacrifice, is it?
Since then I have switched my attention to writing comedy.
32.       WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
Very few authors would not want to see their work on the big screen, but I’m sure there are probable pitfalls; what if the movie bears little or no resemblance to your book or disappoints? 
Beggars the question of motivation – are we talking art or money?
I’ve not yet written a screenplay but I am writing a stage play.
It’s a comedy production to be held at our Palm Lake Resort, Eagleby in March 2019. I hope that the audience approve of my writing and refrain from throwing rotten vegetables at me. Here’s to not buggering it up!

33.       HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
Heaps of thought and effort and money.Besides input from family and friends - the main work of my cover designs was undertaken by professionals.
Reluctant Hero was designed by the talented Andy McDermott at Publicious. Tripping Over was the inspiration of Luke Harris at Chameleon Print Design. Sex, lies & Crazy People was the graphic design team at InHouse Publishing. Living Upside Down was by Working Type Design, and the cover illustration was by Pawel Nowacki.
34.       WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?
To continue enjoying the gift of life and being happy.

35.         WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
I’m told that marketing books today is all about social media. 
My brand is me - John Hickman. I’m still trying to understand Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and quite where they fit in.


  36.        ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?
Yes.
  37.       DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.
Another older failed human being.

38.       WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
Politicians, liars, cheats, thieves, dishonesty, criminality…actually I’m repeating myself.Politicians sum it up! Self-serving, egoistical, toe rags! What we want in OZ are more unemployed politicians.
And the politicians that we do have should get less perks. Because they have served – why do we support them until they die? It’s a rort.


39.       WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?
Truth or Die by James Patterson & Howard Roughan.

40.        WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
Can I go around again, please? But knowing then what I know now.

41.        WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?
I’m a pretty grumpy bloke who tries to be happy.
I’d be over the moon if we found a cure for cancer. My mother was taken at 39 years of age, which was before she finished her dance. Tragic. (See TRIPPING OVER )
World Peace would make me cry with gratitude but that’s not likely to happen due to the greed and corruption involved on such an enormous scale.
In the meantime let’s do unto others as others would do unto us - but get in first!
OR make love - not war, people! Laughter is the best medicine!

42.        ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
Thank you for interviewing me, Clancy. My editor asks, “Please LIKE Books By John Hickman on Facebook!”


My new website is coming soon: www.authorjohnhickman.com 

You can find John at: www.authorjohnhickman.com
OR send John an email at: authorjohnhickman@gmail.com
OR follow John on FACEBOOK at:
AuthorJohnHickman@facebook.com

OR Books By John Hickman on FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/JohnHickmanAuthor/

OR on TWITTER at: WriterJohnH



Clancy's comment: Great to have you onboard, John. Keep writing. I must grab a few of your books and have a chuckle.
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19 December 2018 - STEINWAY AND SONS – PIANOS

STEINWAY AND SONS-  PIANOS -
G'day folks,
Ever wondered who made the famous Steinway pianos? Read on ...

I f you were to guess what the most intricate thing being made in America today is, chances are you wouldn’t imagine that it’s a piano. Almost entirely still hand made and assembled in Queens, New York after 160 years, Steinway pianos are known the world over. Lesser known, is the fact that Steinway & Sons shaped the history of Queens when they created an entire utopian village out of the marshlands we now call Astoria. At the Steinway factory, where a combination of decades old machines, and new, cutting-edge ones are still producing a 1000 instruments a year, discover the remarkable history of the family that made so much more than just pianos.




Walking into the elegant Steinway factory in Astoria, one of the first things you notice is what is missing– the sound of a piano. What does hit you however is the smell of sawdust, and the distant sounds of sanding, delicate hammering and wood being sawn. It’s more like walking into a master craftsman carpenter’s guild in old Europe rather than a modern factory in Queens.
It takes half a dozen careful hands to gently coerce the wood into the shape of a grand piano, using presses invented by Steinway & Sons themselves. The making of the rim is just the beginning of a journey from the lumberyard, to trimming the wood, making the bridge, notching, stringing, key weighing, regulating the action before being sent to the pounding room, where the piano is first played and endlessly tweaked to ensure perfection, before the case is finished. The entire process takes nearly a year.



Often, the secret techniques used to make a Steinway are passed down in the age old tradition from master craftsman to apprentice, generation after generation. Each stage of making the piano has the creator’s name written on it. Story has it that one old Steinway sent to Astoria for renovation was taken apart, only for one of the craftsmen to see his grandfather’s name chalked on part of the piano that been hidden from view since it was written there decades before. 
The company had a remarkably humble beginning. An illiterate orphan from Wolfshagen, Germany called Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg started as a carpenter and cabinet maker. He began making his own instruments, particularly pianos, before migrating with his family to New York in 1850. He changed his name to Henry Steinway, creating Steinway & Sons the same year.From 1996 through 2013 the company traded on the stock exchange under the ticker symbol LVB, which stood for Ludwig van Beethoven. In 2013, the company was acquired and taken private by current owner Paulson & Company.



When the younger Henry Steinway reported on his first day at work to his father, he was told: “Henry, I am glad you are here. You are going to get a start where I did.” Henry, initially ecstatic, was soon puzzled as his father led him to the basement where he stopped by the maintenance foreman’s office, laconically stating “he’s yours” and walked away.



In 1866, Henry Steinway’s son William opened Manhattan’s grandest music venue. ‘Steinway Hall’ was four stories tall, faced in immaculate white marble, and designed by the Steinway’s themselves without hiring architects. It could house a full orchestra, had seating enough for 2,500 people, and was adorned with gas lighting throughout.


 It became New York’s principal concert hall, home to the New York Philharmonic and was also used for public events such as lectures by Charles Dickens when he first came to America. Cleverly, concert goers had to walk through the showrooms en route to their seats, passing by the range of Steinway pianos for sale. As William Steinway remarked, “one concert on Saturday night sells pianos on Monday morning.”


  









Clancy's comment: Amazing, eh? Where are the old crafts of yesteryear?
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18 December 2018 - MEGHAN MARKLE

MEGHAN MARKLE
G'day folks,
We've just had Prince Harry and his lovely wife visit us in Australia for the Invictis Games. What an impressive duo they are, but who is Meghan Markle?
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is a retired American actress who became a member of the British royal family upon her marriage to Prince Harry. Markle was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is of mixed-race heritage. 
Who Is Meghan Markle?
Born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, Meghan Marklepursued a career as a screen actress, appearing in a number of TV series before landing the recurring role of Rachel Zane on the USA Network show Suits. Markle was the subject of international headlines in 2016 upon the revelation of her romance with Prince Harryof Great Britain. The two announced their engagement late the following year and married on May 19, 2018. Markle also ran the lifestyle blog The Tig from 2014 to 2017.



Romance with Prince Harry
Previously best known for her role on the TV series Suits, Markle made international headlines when it was revealed in 2016 that she was seriously dating Prince Harryof Great Britain. The two met while Harry was attending the Invictus Games in Toronto, where Suits is filmed. Much speculation ensued about the direction of their romance, with Markle becoming the most Googled actress of 2016 as a result of the relationship. Yet some of the scrutiny was toxic, with Kensington Palace issuing a statement calling for the couple’s privacy to be respected and pointing out the indecency of racist and sexist online trolling directed at the actress.
 On November 27, 2017, Markle and Prince Harry revealed that they had secretly gotten engaged earlier in the month. Among the congratulatory messages, Prince Williamand Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, said, "It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together." 

A few weeks later, Kensington Palace announced that the royal wedding would take place May 19, 2018, in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The news came shortly after Google's announcement that Markle had topped the year-end rankings for most searched actress for the second year in a row, finishing only behind fired TV personality Matt Lauer for 2017's most Googled person. On December 21, fans found another reason to hit their search engines with the release of the couple's official portrait photographs.




In January 2018, it was confirmed that Markle was adhering to royal tradition by shutting down her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Through Kensington Palace, Markle said she was "grateful to everyone who has followed her social media accounts over the years."
On February 10, more details about the royal wedding emerged: After the marriage ceremony, scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. U.K. time, the newlyweds will ride in a carriage along the High Street through Windsor Town, before returning to Windsor Castle along the Long Walk. Later, following an afternoon break, Prince Charles will host a private evening reception.

Markle made headlines by breaking royal protocol — albeit in adorable fashion — during a visit to Birmingham on International Women's Day in March 2018. Introduced to a 10-year-old student, who told the soon-to-be princess that she wanted to become an actress, Markle gave the girl a hug, violating the handshake-only rule in place for the royal family.

 News soon leaked that the couple would not sign a prenuptial agreement before the big day, despite their hefty individual assets. Insiders pointed to the lack of prenup enforcement in U.K. courts, as well as Prince Harry's steadfast belief that the marriage would be a lasting one.

In late March, it was reported that the duchess-to-be and her family would receive a specially designed coat of arms from Kensington Palace before the wedding. Markle's father, a U.S. citizen residing in Mexico, reportedly needed to prove one of his ancestors was a subject of the Crown in order to receive his gift. Markle's coat of arms was expected to be completed in time to feature on the souvenir program for the royal wedding, with elements from that design and Prince Harry's to be incorporated into the coats of their future children.




  On May 19, 2018, the couple married at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. She wore a dress designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. Shortly before the wedding, Queen Elizabeth conferred Meghan with the title of Meghan, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.

On October 15, 2018, Markle and Prince Harry announced that they're expecting their first child in Spring 2019. "Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public," Kensington Palace said in a statement.

 Life as the Duchess of Sussex Following the wedding, the couple attended a birthday party for Prince Charles before heading off for their honeymoon. It was then on to more formal activities, with Meghan making her Buckingham Palace balcony debut at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 10.
Two days later, Kensington Palace announced plans for Meghan and Harry's first royal tour: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will undertake an official visit to Australia, Fiji, the Kingdom of Tonga, and New Zealand in the Autumn," read the announcement. "Their Royal Highnesses have been invited to visit the Realms of Australia and New Zealand by the countries’ respective governments. The Duke and Duchess will visit the Commonwealth countries of Fiji and Tonga at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office."



Background and Early Career
Meghan Marklewas born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Doria, a clinical therapist and yoga instructor, and Thomas, a television lighting and photography director. 
When she was 11, Markle wrote a letter to various notables, including then First Lady Hillary Clinton, about a TV advertisement featuring the idea of women being bogged down by greasy cookware. The youngster deemed the ad sexist when male classmates started yelling, upon seeing the commercial, that the kitchen is where women belonged. (The language of the ad was subsequently changed.) Markle went on to study theater and international relations at Northwestern University School of Communication, graduating in 2003.
  In 2002 Markle landed her first TV role with a guest spot on General Hospital, and she went on to appear in a number of other series that included Cuts, The War at Home, CSI: NY and 90210. As a biracial actress, Markle would eventually talk about the challenges of navigating Hollywood’s check-a-box casting landscape while also finding her voice as an actress. 
 Starring Role in 'Suits' In 2011, Markle had her big break, landing the role of paralegal Rachel Zane on the USA network series Suits, co-starring Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams and Gina Torres. The legal drama centers on the shifting intrigues of a Manhattan corporate law firm, with the savvy Zane attending Columbia Law School to pursue her own dreams of becoming an attorney. The show became a top performer among USA Network’s scripted programs and began taping its seventh season in 2017, though the network announced that Markle would be leaving the program following the news of her engagement to Prince Harry.
Markle has done big-screen work as well, appearing in such films as Get Him to the Greek (2010), Horrible Bosses (2011) and Anti-Social (2015), as well as the TV movies When Sparks Fly (2014) and Dater’s Handbook (2016).



 Personal LifeMarkle dated producer Trevor Engelson for several years before the couple married in 2011. They divorced two years later. 
Markle has a number of passions that include yoga (following in the footsteps of her mother), calligraphy and cuisine. She is also an essayist and has written for Elle UK, and ran her own lifestyle blog The Tig from 2014 to 2017. Markle's philanthropic efforts include being appointed a U.N. Women’s Advocate and working with the World Vision Clean Water Campaign, among other activities.


Clancy's comment: I reckon Harry has done alright. Meghan has also.
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17 December 2018 - BRILLIANT PHOTOGRAPHY

BRILLIANT PHOTOGRAPHY

G'day folks,
Time to check out some brilliant work by worldwide photographers. You might see a few familiar faces.























Clancy's comment: I just love the black and white photographs.I'm ...

16 December 2018 - ORESHEK FORTRESS - 1323 to 2018

ORESHEK FORTRESS - 1323 to 2018 -
G'day folks, Oreshek Fortress is an abandoned 14th-century castle and prison complex on a small island in the Neva River. 


The Oreshek Fortress, also called Shlisselburg, was first built in 1323 as a fortified outpost of Veliky Novgorod, one of the earliest cities in Russia. In 1478, it was incorporated into to the state of Moscow. Now abandoned, this island fortress situated at the head of the Neva River has played witness to some of the most important events in Russian history.



Over time, the initial 14th-century wooden structure was replaced by heavy stone walls. The bastion towers were also widened and rebuilt. The fortress, guarding the Baltic Sea, changed owners many times with the wars over the years, belonging first to the Russians, then to the Swedes. In 1702, Tsar Peter the Great captured the area once again and Russians regained access to Baltic. A year later he founded the city of St. Petersburg as the new capital of Russia, and the front line of defense was moved to the Finnish gulf.





The island fortress was deemed a perfect place for a political prison, and insubordinate solders, or on occasion, more famous personalities, were sent to the penitentiary cells in Oreshek. Most famously, the brother of Vladimir Lenin was imprisoned here and later hanged for treason. The complex was expanded year after year and by 1911 it could hold about a thousand prisoners.




 The fortress was abandoned after the Russian Revolution in 1917, and barely survived the Second World War. The island was defended by Red Army soldiers during the siege of Leningrad and the structure was badly damaged. Today only 6 of the original 10 towers remain in tact. The historic site and castle remains are now open to visitors as a museum. 



To get to the fortress take a train from St. Petersburg, Finlandsky railway station to Petrokrepost. The lake and ferry dock are short walk away from the railway station (the way is not marked with any signs). You can take a ferry to the island from there. Plan your time; it's better to arrive early than late. Within the complex is a memorial to its defenders and a prison museum.


Clancy's comment: Mm ... I don't think I'd want to be an inmate back in 1323. 
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15 December 2018 - A BUNCH OF TOP QUOTES

A BUNCH OF TOP QUOTES
G'day folks,
Yep, time to be inspired.

























Clancy's comment: There ya go. I hope one of these was inspirational.

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14 December 2018 - Massive Guatemalan Sinkhole

Massive  Guatemalan SinkholeG'day folks,
Guatemala City has had experience with sinkholes before: In 2007, three people and a dozen homes here suddenly disappeared into the earth. But no one was prepared for anything like this.



On Sunday, May 30, 2010, an enormous hole, 60 feet wide and 30 stories deep, opened up in the middle of Guatemala City, swallowing a three-story building, a home, and local reports claimed that one man was killed when the building was swallowed.
Generally, sinkholes are caused by underground rivers or stores of water which erode bedrock and cause the ground above to collapse. Guatemala City is largely built on weak materials such as volcano pumice, however, and as such its sinkholes open extraordinarily quickly, leaving little time for escape.


 Most geologists are chalking the new sinkhole’s opening up to Tropical Storm Agatha. At least one specialist thinks the sinkhole may have been caused by broken underground pipes gushing water underneath the building, and Guatemalan officials are rushing to find the pipe, stop the leak, and fill in the hole, or else risk the hole widening. But getting construction crews to fill in a hole this large could take years, especially in the slums of Guatemala, where transportation is slow at best.


With the risk of other sinkholes opening in the city “high,” according to National Geographic, Mayor Álvaro Arzú may have his hands (if not his sinkholes) full for awhile.


 The sinkholes have largely been filled in.


  Clancy's comment: Gulp!I'm ... 

13 December 2018 - MOVING PICTURES

MOVING PICTURES
G'day folks,
Welcome to some stunning pictures that rock and roll.




























Clancy's comment: I love the cat and the kitten. 
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12 December 2018 - STEFAN VUCAK – GUEST EDITOR & AUTHOR

STEFAN VUCAK – GUEST EDITOR & AUTHOR -


G’day folks,Today, I am featuring a man who has helped me with my manuscripts, and also to prepare my e-Books for publication on the Internet. Not only is he an excellent editor, but also an award-winning author, and I would highly recommend him. Stefan recently published his latest novel – ‘Lifeliners’. Here is the blurb, and also some background notes on Stefan.




Book blurb:
When everybody is against them, it is tough being a lifeliner, as Nash Bannon found out. Lifeliners are ordinary people…almost. 
 They can draw energy from another person; they live longer and are smarter. Scientists claim that Western high-pressure living and growing sterility in developed countries has triggered the rise of lifeliners, and homo sapiens will replaced by homo renatawithin ten generations. So, what’s not to like about lifeliners? Protest marches by extremist groups, riots, attacks against lifeliners, repressive laws enacted by governments everywhere, were portents of a dark future. Young, successful, Nash Bannon did not like what was going on, but he thought he had the world at his feet and life in Australia was good, provided no one found out he was a lifeliner. 
 A chance encounter with Cariana during a lunchbreak develops into something he considered important. The Australian government calls a snap election, and Nash stands as a Senate candidate on the Lifeliner Party ticket. Unless lifeliners rise up and fight for their rights, they can expect sterilization, incarceration, and possible extermination as democracies everywhere turn into autocracies. To survive, the Lifeliner Party must employ the same dirty tricks the government used against them, but they were not prepared for what awaited them.
 Author bio:
Stefan Vučak has written eight Shadow Gods Saga sci-fi novels and six contemporary political drama books. He started writing science fiction while still in college, but did not get published until 2001. His Cry of Eagles won the Readers’ Favorite silver medal award, and his All the Evils was the prestigious Eric Hoffer contest finalist and Readers’ Favorite silver medal winner. Strike for Honor won the gold medal.
 Stefan leveraged a successful career in the Information Technology industry, which took him to the Middle East working on cellphone systems. He applied his IT discipline to create realistic storylines for his books. Writing has been a road of discovery, helping him broaden his horizons. He also spends time as an editor and book reviewer. Stefan lives in Melbourne, Australia.





LIFELINERS

WEBSITE





Clancy's comment: Well done, Stefan. Good luck with the new release. And, I highly suggest that you aspiring authors contact this top editor. Don't be shy. It could make the difference between your manuscript ending up on the slush pile, or being an acclaimed published book. 
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