Clancy Tucker's Blog, page 233

30 January 2016 - GREAT QUOTES FROM BONO

GREAT QUOTES FROM BONO
G'day folks,
U2 frontman and self-proclaimed celebrity statesman Bono was born Paul David Hewson on May 10, 1960, and recently turned 55. 

Whether or not this event holds cultural significance to you most likely depends upon your own age and your tolerance for overly talkative, occasionally pompous, rock stars. But let's give the leather-clad, sunglasses-loving lead singer of U2 his due. Compared to most rock stars, he's a model world citizen. Instead of a living a life consumed by the excesses of sex, booze and drugs, he keeps busy writing, performing and leading international relief efforts. And he's been married to the same woman for decades.

So, happy birthday Bono. In honor of your 55th, I scoured the Worldwide Web -- to find 50 of your best quotes about music, God, politics, fashion, and, of course, yourself. Not surprisingly, it didn't take me that long finish the task. 



1. Religion can be the enemy of God. It's often what happens when God, like Elvis, has left the building. 

2. I'm not in a position to be seen as a spokesman for a generation. I mean, how can you be a spokesman of a generation if you've nothing to say, other than 'Help!' 

3. To touch is to heal, to hurt is to steal. If you want to kiss the sky, better learn how to kneel. 

4. I want to play the guitar very badly, and I DO play the guitar very badly. 

5. I'm the Imelda Marcos of sunglasses. 

6. Teenage kids have no sense of mortality - yours or theirs. 

7. We actually aren't able to play other people's songs. The one Stones song we tried to play was Jumpin' Jack Flash. It was really bad. So we started writing our own - it was easier. 

8. You put on the leather pants and the pants start telling you what to do. 

9. The right to be irresponsible and stupid is something I hold very dear. And luckily it is something I do well. 

10. I have electrical storms of a different kind now. 

11. Making records is like making hot dogs. You'll probably enjoy them more if you don't see how it's done. 

12. To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater. 

13. Even though I'm a believer, I still find it really hard to be around other believers. They make me nervous, they make me twitch. I sorta watch my back. 

14. Perspective is the cure for depression. 

15. Whenever I see grace, I'm moved. 

16. There's a point where you find yourself tiptoeing as an artist, and then you know that you're in the wrong place. 

17. The Clash was the greatest rock band. They wrote the rule book for U2. 

18. You know, on a long tour you do hear people saying they miss their pets. I never have. But last night I started really missing my dog. It's very odd, 'cause I don't have a dog. 

19. There's no retirement for an artist,its your way of living so theres no end to it. 

20. As a rock star, I have two instincts, I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both. 

21. It's stasis that kills you off in the end, not ambition. 

22. Music can change the world because it can change people.

23. Rock 'n' roll is ridiculous. It's absurd. In the past, U2 was trying to duck that. Now we're wrapping our arms around it and giving it a great big kiss. 

24. I`m the Fidel Castro of speechifying. We`ve got a few hours, don`t we? 

25. Look, I`m sick of Bono and I AM Bono. 

26.You have permission to call me anything you want - except sir, all right? Lord of lords, your demigodness, that`ll do. 

27. Great music is written by people who are either running toward or away from God. 

28. Everyone argues, then we do what I say. 

29. Marriage is this grand madness, and I think if people knew that, they would perhaps take it more seriously. The reason why there`s operas and novels and pop tunes written about love is because it`s such an extraordinary thing, not because it`s commonplace... 

30. Never trust a man who tells you it`s from the heart, never trust a man smoking a cigar, never trust a cowboy or a man who wears shades. 

31. At a certain point, I just felt, you know, God is not looking for alms, God is looking for action. 

32. It's not enough to rage against the lie...you've got to replace it with the truth. 



33. U2 is sort of song writing by accident really. We don`t really know what we`re doing and when we do, it doesn`t seem to help. 

34. I think ABBA have a pure joy to their music and that`s what makes them extraordinary. 

35. There`s the country of America, which you have to defend, but there`s also the idea of America. America is more than just a country, it`s an idea. An idea that`s supposed to be contagious. 

36. It costs a fortune to look this trashy. 

37. Brian Wilson believes in angels. I do too and you only have to listen to the string arrangement of `God Only Knows` for fact and proof of angels. 

38. Overcoming my dad telling me that I could never amount to anything is what has made me the megalomaniac that you see today. 

39. Don't get me too excited because I use four letter words when I get excited. 

40. The less you know, the more you believe. 

41. Actually 1978 was a really exciting time for U2. We had just discovered F sharp minor. So we had the fourth chord and we'd only had three up to then. 

42. How long, how long must we sing this song? 

43. Don't believe in the 60's, the Golden age of Pop. You glorify the past, when the future dries up. 



44. I want to run. I want to hide. I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside. I want to reach out and touch the plains, where the streets have no names. 

45. To touch is to heal, to hurt is to steal. 

46. It's not about politics, or religion, or the economy. It's not about borders, history, trade, oil, water, gas, mineral rights, human rights or animal rights. It's not about global warming, global pandemics, globalization, GDP, NATO or Kyoto.

47. Every Artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief. All kill for inspiration and sing about their grief. 

48. It's a beautiful day...Don't let it get away.

49. The heart that hurts is a heart that beats. 

50. I still haven't found what I'm looking for.


Clancy's comment: Both he and Bob Geldof have achieved heaps for the world's poor in the past 30 years. 

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29 January 2016 - BRITISH SLANG

BRITISH SLANG
G'day folks,
Time for some more slang from the UK.

Full monty - Since the movie has come out of the same name I have heard some odd Texan descriptions of what the full monty means. It really has nothing to do with taking your clothes off. It just means the whole thing or going the whole way. That's it. Clearly when applied to stripping it means not stopping at your underwear! The origins of the expression are still under discussion. There are many theories but no conclusive evidence at the moment. 
Full of beans - This means to have loads of energy. It is a polite way of saying that a child is a maniac. I was often described as being full of beans as a kid and now it is my wife's way of telling me to keep still when she is trying to get to sleep. Strangely the same expression in some parts of the US means that you are exaggerating or talking bollocks! 
Her Majesty's pleasure - When visiting England, try to avoid being detained at Her Majesty's pleasure. This means being put in prison with no release date! 
Hiya - Short for hi there, this is a friendly way of saying hello. 
Honking - Honking is being sickor throwing up. Presumably this is a problem in New York where there are signs on the streets that say "No Honking". 
Horses for courses - This is a common saying that means each to his own. What suits one person might be horrible for someone else. If my Dad was trying to understand why my brother had wanted to get his ear pierced he might say "Oh well, it's horses for courses I suppose"! 
How's your father? - This is a very old term for sex which plays on our apparent British sensitivity. Rather than saying the actual "sex" word you could refer to having a bit of How's your Father, instead - nudge, nudge, wink, wink. The sort of old fashioned saying dragged up by Austin Powers. 
Hump - If you have got the hump it means you are in a mood. If you are having a hump, it means you are having sex. Care is advised when you try using these words for the first time. It could be embarrassing! 
Hunky-dory - My English dictionary tells me that hunky-dory means excellent. We would generally use it to mean that everything is cool and groovy, on plan, no worries and generally going well. 
I'm easy - This expression means I don't care or it's all the same to me. Not to be confused with how easy it is to lure the person into bed! 
Irony/sarcasm - The cornerstones of British humour. This is one of the biggest differences between the nations. The sense of humour simply doesn't translate too well. 

Clancy's comment: I like a few of these. Many are quite common in Australia.
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28 January 2016 - A TOUCH OF WISDOM

A TOUCH OF WISDOM
G'day folks,
Time for some more reminders; some serious, some humorous.




















































Clancy's comment: I always enjoy the humorous ones.

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27 January 2016 - A PICTORIAL VIEW OF HANOI

A PICTORIAL VIEW OF HANOIG'day folks,I've just been to Hanoi to take hundreds of photographs, and a what a great city it is for a photographer.  English is rarely spoken, and it's certainly a Communist country. The national flag flies everywhere, and twice a day the government provides a message to its people via a loud speaker system. What's it like as a city? Very cold, but the people don't seem to mind. Even at night, they walk around most areas, eat, drink and enjoy themselves. So, check out these photographs and you will get the picture ... So to speak.












































Clancy's comment: Hope you got some idea of Hanoi.
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25 January 2016 - LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
G'day folks,
Here is a list of women who followed in their mother's footsteps.
Printers:
Sarah Goddard was a printer in colonial America. Her daughter Katherine was the first to print the Declaration of Independence.
Feminists:
 Lucy Stone , one of the leaders of the nineteenth century women's suffrage movement had a daughter, Alice Stone Blackwell (Blackwell was her father's name). Alice was also a feminist and very active in the women's rights movement.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton 's daughter, Harriet Stanton Blatch, organized the Equality League of Self-Supporting Women in 1907. Elizabeth was one of the leaders of the mid-nineteenth century women's movement.
Bandits:
Belle Starr was dubbed the “Bandit Queen” of the Wild West. She was an outlaw who was killed under mysterious circumstances. Her daughter, Pearl, also became an outlaw.
Scientists:
Both Marie Curie and her daughter Irene Joliot-Curie were Nobel Prize-winning physicists.
Betty Rozier and her daughter Lisa Vallino invented a device that made intravenous procedures safer and and more comfortable for patients.
Soldiers:
Leola Hopkins was the first woman to enlist in the U.S. Navy after the outbreak of World War II. Her mother was a corporal in the female Marine reserve unit during World War I.
Performers:
Liza Minnelli is a performer who sings and dances. Her mother, Judy Garland , was a singer, dancer, and actor.
Maybelle Carter was an original member of the Carter Family, an American country and folk singing group. After the group broke up, Maybelle and her daughters, June, Anita, and Helen, became regulars at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Later, “Mother” Maybelle and her daughters founded a country music dynasty.
Michelle Phillips was a member of the '70s singing group The Mamas and the Papas. Her daughter Chynna Phillips was recently a singer in the popular trio Wilson Phillips.
Keisha Jackson started singing backup for her mother, soul singer Millie Jackson, at the age of 15. She then struck out on her own, recording two successful albums by 1994.
Wynonna Judd started her Country singing career with her mother, Naomi Judd. The duo called themselves The Judds and sold more than 20 million records worldwide, won 5 Grammy's, 9 CMA Awards, and 8 Billboard Music Awards. Wyonna went on to become a world-renown Country solo artist with 20 #1 hits. Wynonna's sister, Ashley Judd, is a leading Hollywood actress.  Actresses:Kate Hudson followed in the footsteps of her Academy Award-winning mother, Goldie Hawn, becoming a leading Hollywood actress. Hudson received an Oscar nomination in 2000 for her role in, Almost Famous. 
The German-born American actress, Jaid Barrymore, started her daughter, Drew Barrymore, acting as a child. Drew was a hit in Steven Spielberg's E.T., but it wasn't until her late twenties when she became a Hollywood star and respected actress.
Carol Burnett, the Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian, singer, and dancer was the star of The Carol Burnett Show, which ran on television for 11 years, was also mother of actress, singer, and playright, Carrie Hamilton. 
Mia Farrow, who is a leading Hollywood actress, winner of a Golden Globe Award for her role in Rosemary's Baby, and recipient of three BAFTA Film nominations, began her acting career with her mother, actress Maureen O'Sullivan, who is best-known for her role as Jane Parker in six Tarzan movies. 
Actress Diane Ladd co-starred in the films Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose with her daughter, Laura Dern. They also starred in another David Lynch film together called Inland Empire. In 1991, both Ladd and Dern received Academy Award nominations for their roles in Rambling Rose, which marked the first time in Academy Award history that both mother and daughter were nominated. In the same year, they were nominated for dual Golden Globe Awards as well. 
Authors:
Hilma Wolitzer started writing fiction at the kitchen table with her kids and her dogs around her. One of those kids, her daughter Meg, published her first novel, Friends for Life,in 1994, at the same time her mother published her novel Tunnel of Love.They went on a seven-city promotional tour together.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was a British author born to well-known writer, philosopher, feminist, and educator Mary Wollstonecraft. Mary Shelley was best-known for her historical and Gothic novels, and for her marriage to writer Percy Bysshe Shelley.


Clancy's comment: Mm ... Interesting, eh?
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26 January 2016 - HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY
G'day folks,
Today is what we in this country call Australia Day - the day when the 'whiteys' landed here on the 26th of January 1788. Australia Day is an opportunity for Australians to come together to celebrate their country and culture. There are reflections on the achievements of the nation and explorations of way to make the country even better in the future.

What Do People Do?
Many people have a day off work and use the day to picnic in a park, to go shopping or to play or to watch sports events. In some places, particularly Lake Burley Griffin, spectacular public fireworks displays are held. In addition, the Australian of the Year Awards are presented. These are awards for Australians who have made an outstanding contribution to their country or community.
In some towns and cities, citizenship ceremonies are held on Australia Day. These are ceremonies to welcome immigrants to the country who have been granted Australian citizenship. Although official, these ceremonies often have a festive atmosphere.


Public Life
Australia Day is a public holiday in all states and territories. All schools and post offices are closed. Some public transport services do not operate and others run a reduced service. Stores are often open, but may have reduced opening hours. There may be some congestion on roads, particularly close to major events.


Background
On January 26, 1788, the First Fleet of 11 ships from Great Britain arrived at Port Jackson, which now forms Sydney Harbour. The First Fleet was led by Captain Arthur Philip. He established the Colony of New South Wales, the first penal colony in Australia. By 1808, January 26 was being celebrated as “First Landing Day” or “Foundation Day” with drinking and merriment.
Thirty years after the arrival of the First Fleet, in 1818, the Governor of Australia ordered a 30-gun salute, hosted a dinner ball at Government House and gave government employees a holiday. In the following years, employees of banks and other organizations were also given holidays. In the following decades, horse racing and regattas were popular activities on January 26.
In 1838, Foundation Day was Australia's first public holiday. It was also the occasion of the first public celebrations of the founding of Australia. The shores of Sydney Harbour were crowded and there was a firework display. By 1888, January 26 had become known as 'Anniversary Day' was celebrated in all colonies except Adelaide. In 1888, the centenary of the arrival of the First Fleet was celebrated with ceremonies, exhibitions, banquets, regattas, fireworks and the unveiling of a statue of Queen Victoria.


By 1935, January 26 was known as Australia Day in all states except New South Wales, where it was still called Anniversary Day. In 1938, large scale celebrations were held. These included a re-enactment of the landing of the First Fleet, which did not mention the convict status of many of the passengers on these ships. The re-enactment is included the removal of a group of Aborigines. Shortly before the celebrations, a group of Aboriginal activists arranged a “Day of Mourning”. They used this to campaign for citizenship and equal rights for Aborigines.
From 1946, January 26 was known as Australia Day in all states. However, the public holiday was moved to the Monday nearest to January 26 to create a long weekend.  Since 1994, the Australia Day public holiday has been on January 26 in all states and territories.
The anniversary of the first permanent European settlement in Australia is not a cause for celebration for all citizens. Indigenous Australians often feel that the celebrations on Australia Day exclude them and their culture, which was thriving for thousands of years before the arrival of the First Fleet.


 Symbols The main symbols of Australia Day are the symbols of Australia. These include the Australian national flag, with its representations of the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the five stars of the Southern Cross, and the national anthem "Advance Australia Fair". Other symbols include the Golden Wattle, which is the national floral emblem, the opal, which is the national gemstone and the national colors of green and gold.
 



Clancy's comment: This year I won't be in Australia. No, hopefully I will be lying beneath a palm tree, relaxing with a cold beer in one hand and a book or camera in the other. Notwithstanding, I will as always wish nothing but the best for Australia and those who live in it.
Now, here is a very Australian song for those of you who have never visited our shores:
HEY, TRUE BLUE


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24 January 2016 - BRETT STOCKWELL - ARTIST & DIRECTOR

BRETT STOCKWELL
- ARTIST & DIRECTOR -
G'day folks,
Welcome to the life and times of a very talented artist from Australia. 
Brett Stockwell was born and raised in a city of Queensland, Australia and now lives in a small rural district of Brightview, located in the beautiful Scenic Rim of the Lockyer Valley.

Brett started drawing, painting and sculpting from his early childhood years and continued with distinctions throughout his schooling years which culminated at the age of fourteen in his work being selected for a Nationwide competition in which he won. His winning prize was an all expenses paid journey to Hong Kong in which he represented Australian Youth in an Abassodorial role, mixing amongst Hong Kong’s political EIite of the time (1983). A qualified hairdresser by trade, Brett’s first and for most passion has always been his art. He has been painting for decades but as far as a career is concerned, probably for the last 25 years. He is currently completing his degree in fine art where he studies at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane.

Brett’s use and knowledge of a large range of media is both vast and thorough. Everything from gel pens to spray cans and everything in-between can possibly be found all in any one piece. Nothing, in the way of media in any one piece of his work, is out of the question resulting in remarkably unique outcomes on the surface. Brett’s life story is a very full one of which has been a combination of extreme highs and lows. His battle with with numerous serious mental conditions as well as Brett’s addictions to alcohol and illicit drugs (now 6 years clean and sober), and his general life experiences, throughout these many testing years of his life are the basis for much of Brett’s project’s today.

 These projects currently apply to identity and the frailty of the human condition. Critically, his work has been judged to be of a similar style to the Art Brut Movement of the twenty century (low brow or outsider art) as it is commonly known. In concluding, please feel free to explore this collection of images displayed on my website, if you like anything you see or have something in mind that you like to commission me to work with you on an personal and private level, together we can bring that special memory time, person, place or something of great importance to you or your family to life, on whatever surface we choose, then I would love to hear from you, please contact me via my website or through my enquiries page.


























“The umbrella term used throughout the social sciences to describe a person’s conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliation (such as national identity and cultural significance). The word identity is a term more specifically applied in the realms of phycology and sociology and is also used in respect of “place identity”.

This body of work (mixed media) explores the extensive theme of MY personal identity from the distinct perspective of “the mask wearer”. Wearing masks has played a major role in all sections of global society since the time of primitive man. Although, the specific use, meaning and cultural/ spiritual importance and significance can “and most times does” vary greatly from one’s nationality and or tribe to another.

All (as individuals or society) human beings (western or otherwise), possess a closet full of masks. All these masks serve a different purpose (or so we have been lead to believe), which we use at different times for different people to achieve a myriad of goals and objectives in everyday life. Love/ hate, approval/ disapproval, happy/ angry, Legal/ illegal, good/ evil, birth/ death.
 
The list is endless!”
 
BRETT STOCKWELL – artist

 
  BRETT'S GALLERY


Clancy's comment: There ya go, folks. I always admire anyone who can draw, paint or illustrate. Oh, some of this work was hung  in this year's international Contemporary Art EXPO, which this year was held in Milan,Italy. I believe Brett was the only contemporary Artist to be selected to hang his work on the wall!!! Pretty good, eh?

Keep going, Brett.
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23 January 2016 - GREAT QUOTES FROM GOUGH WHITLAM AC QC

GREAT QUOTES FROMGOUGH WHITLAM
G'day folks,
Gough Whitlam, a former Australian Prime Minister, has died, but he will never be forgotten.

One of the giants of Australian politics – arguably, thegiant – he was celebrated and scorned in equal measures. His most memorable moment by far was being dismissed as Prime Minister by the Queen’s representative in Australia, Sir John Kerr, on November 11, 1975.

Political journalist Paul Kelly claimed the “shadow of the dismissal has obscured the sins of his government”. Former veteran press gallery journalist Wallace Brown called him “a man of grand vision with serious blind spots”.

But Whitlam was also, in every sense, a modern politician who was desperate to drag Australia into the 20th Century at any cost. He was also an incredibly charismatic orator.

Here is just a short selection of his memorable, revealing, and importantly – for an Australian politician – downright funny quotes.
 

“My hopes were dashed by the outcome and from that moment I determined to do all I could do to modernise the Australian Constitution.” – Almost 30 years before he became Prime Minister, Whitlam set himself this goal after a referendum he was spruiking for the ALP was defeated. It was known as the “14 Points Referendum” and sought to give the Federal Government expanded powers to legislate on 14 powers including national helath, the ability to legislate for Indigenous Australians, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion.

“The time will come when you may interrupt me.”

– In his maiden speech to Parliament in 1952, after future PM John McEwen broke protocol that maiden speeches are traditionally heard in silence. It was a reference to Benjamin Disraeli’s maiden speech in which Disraeli told a heckler “The time will come when you shall hear me.”
 “Let me make quite clear that I am for abortion and, in your case Sir, we should make it retrospective.”  – On being repeatedly pestered by a punter on the campaign trail wanting to know Whitlam’s stance on abortion.
“When government makes opportunities for any of the citizens, it makes them for all the citizens. We are all diminished as citizens when any of us are poor. Poverty is a national waste as well as individual waste. We are all diminished when any of us are denied proper education. The nation is the poorer – a poorer economy, a poorer civilisation, because of this human and national waste.”
– From his 1969 campaign launch.
 “Well may we say ‘God save the Queen’, because nothing will save the Governor-General! The Proclamation which you have just heard read by the Governor-General’s Official Secretary was countersigned Malcolm Fraser, who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr’s cur.” – His address to the crowd gathered in front of Parliament House which had just heard Governor-General Sir John Kerr’s Official Secretary David Smith dismiss him from office, ending the proclamation with “God Save the Queen”.
 “I remember.” – In reply to Sir Winton Turnbull shouting: “I am a Country member”.
“I was profoundly embarrassed by it and did all I could to change it.”
– On the White Australia Policy.
“We would do absolutely nothing. Now that’s a blunt, truthful answer.”
– On what he would do if Indonesia invaded East Timor. Three days later, on December 8, 1978, Indonesia invaded East Timor.
“Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.”
– August 16, 1975, as Whitlam handed over freehold title of the Gurindji lands.
“No other western nation has cities in which the incidence of urban sanitation is so primitive or so ludicrous as in the cities of Australia… We are the most effluent nation in what Liberals call the free world.”
– On implementing the $330 million National Sewerage Program. Before it was later cancelled by the Fraser Government, it had cleared the backlog of unsewered properties in Australia’s capital cities by between 30-50% in just seven years. 
“The punters know that the horse named Morality rarely gets past the post, whereas the nag named Self-interest always runs a good race.”
  – Written for the London Daily Telegraph, 1989.



R.I.P GOUGH




Clancy's comment: Yes, a giant in Australian politics. From memory, his first official trip as Prime Minister was to China; not England. As also, Prime Minister, Paul Keating's first official trip was to Indonesia; not England or America.
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22 January 2016 - INVENTIVE KIDS

INVENTIVE KIDS
G'day folks,
I've often said that kids are our greatest resource, and that not enough of us actually listen to them. 
A brain child is an original idea. Here are some kids who had great ideas which they turned into inventions. We call these kids “brain children.”



Six-year-old Suzanna Goodin, tired of cleaning the cat food spoon, came up with the idea of an edible spoon-shaped cracker. She won a grand prize for her invention in the Weekly Reader National Invention Contest.  Eight-year-old Theresa Thompson and her 9-year-old sister Mary were the youngest sisters to receive a U.S. patent. They invented a solar tepee for a science fair project in 1960. They called the device a Wigwarm. At age 9, Margaret Knight began working in a cotton mill, where she saw a steel-tipped shuttle fly out of a loom and hit a nearby worker. As a result, Margaret devised her first invention: a shuttle restraining device. She went on to invent the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use for groceries today. That machine was patented in 1871. Eleven-year-old Jeanie Low received a patent on March 10, 1992, for inventing the Kiddie Stool—a foldup stool that fits under the sink so kids can unfold it, stand on it, and reach the sink on their own! Becky Schroeder began her patenting career when she was 14 years old. She put phosphorescent paint on paper under her writing paper so that she could write in the dark. This invention was later used in all sorts of ways. Doctors use it in hospitals to read patients' charts at night without waking them, and astronauts use it when their electrical systems are turned down for recharging. Fourteen-year-old Pamela Sica invented a push-button device that raises the floor of a car so that cargo can be raised and easily removed. Her invention won a grand prize for her age group in the Weekly Reader National Invention Contest. She wanted to patent her invention but found that it was too expensive. Eight-year-old Chelsea Lannon received a patent in 1994 for her “pocket diaper,” a diaper that has a pocket that holds a baby wipe and baby powder puff. She got her idea while helping her mother with her baby brother—while she was still in kindergarten!




Clancy's comment: Amazing, eh?
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21 January 2016 - TREASURES OF THE WORLD

TREASURES OF THE WORLD
G'day folks,
What is your most prized possession or treasure? There may be lost pirate treasure buried in the coves of the Caribbean Islands. There are certainly lost treasures of gold and jewels aboard early Spanish sailing ships sunk at sea. But not all treasure is lost. The earth is full of found treasures. Here are just a few of them.


Bauxite: This mineral is used to make aluminum. Guinea in Africa is rich with it.

Cashews: These delicious nuts grow on trees in Mozambique, a country in southeast Africa.

Chewing Gum:The sapodilla tree of Central America is the source of chicle, which is what puts the chew in chewing gum.



Chocolate: The seed of the cacao tree, which is found on many Caribbean islands, is used to make chocolate.

Chromium: This metal is used to make stainless steel. There is plenty of chromium in Zimbabwe, Africa.

Copper: One of the richest “copper belts” in the world is in Zambia, Africa.

Cork: Bulletin boards and stoppers in wine bottles are both made of cork, which is the bark of the cork oak tree in Spain.

Diamonds: Namibia, Africa,supplies the most valuable diamonds of the 18 countries in southern Africa rich with diamonds.

Emeralds: Colombiaproduces the most emeralds of any country in South America.


Gold: The world's largest gold mine is in Irian Jaya, Indonesia.

Mahogany: The trees that supply this beautiful wood grow in Central America.

Nitrates: This mineral used to preserve foods is found in the desert of Chile.

Perfume: In the south of France, flowers are grown for their oils, which are used in making perfumes.

Seaweed: Off the coast of Japan, seaweed is harvested to eat or to flavor foods.

Sugar: Sugarcane is grown in many countries in Central America and the Caribbean Islands.

Vanilla: There wouldn't be vanilla ice cream without the vanilla bean. More than half the world's vanilla is grown in Madagascar.

Wool: Most of the world's wool is supplied by the sheep of Australia.

  

 Clancy's comment: And, there are plenty more to add, like wine, beer etc. 
 From memory, Australia has the largest uranium and coal deposits in the world.

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