Clancy Tucker's Blog, page 94
January 8, 2020
9 January 2020 - HIDDEN CANAL BENEATH MANCHESTER
HIDDEN CANAL BENEATH MANCHESTER
G'day folks, An abandoned canal route lies hidden under the streets of Manchester.
Hidden tunnels lurk beneath the streets of Manchester, England. These lost veins of transportation were once part of a much-anticipated local canal.
Opened in 1839, the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal was created to link together two of the city’s main waterways. Doing this would help speed up the transportation process, as without the canal, the cargo had to be carted via land between the Mersey and Irwell Navigation and the Rochdale Canal.
But unfortunately for the canal, its timing wasn’t quite right. It was built during the rise of the railways, which rendered it largely unnecessary not long after it opened. It was abandoned in 1922. Its ends were sealed, and parts of it were later buried beneath Great Northern Warehouse and Granada Studios 25 feet underground, drained and converted into tunnels.
These tunnels still exist, almost forgotten due to their concealed nature. During World War II, sections were converted into air raid shelters, with evidence of this history still adorning the tunnel walls to this day.
Clancy's comment: Again, we find something that was built, but then abandoned.
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January 7, 2020
8 January 2020 - MOLDY FRUIT TRANSFORMED INTO WORKS OF ART
MOLDY FRUIT TRANSFORMED INTO WORKS OF ART
G'day folks,
This post will surprise you.
Who could have thought that moldy, rotten fruit could be beautiful? As it turns out, anything is possible at the hands of talented artist, Kathleen Ryan. Ryan has perfected the art of turning fruit sculptures into mesmerizing, moldy-looking pieces of art. To make the fruit, she uses a polystyrene base measuring up to 28 inches in width.
The artist then proceeds to paint the patterns of the mold and tops it off by individually placing dozens of precious and semi-precious gemstones to create the decay. The ultimate result of her work is mesmerizing - for a split second, the gems create an illusion of real mold, but then you realize you've been tricked by excellent craftsmanship. Ryan uses a variety of gemstones such as opal, smoky quartz, malachite and many others.
The New York-based artist studied Studio Art and Anthropology at Pitzer College and received a Master’s of Fine Arts from U.C.L.A. Ryan is represented by Josh Lilley's gallery where her solo show was held last year. This year, her work was showcased at MIT’s List Visual Arts Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts and The New Art Gallery in Walsall, U.K. Also, her works appeared as part of Desert X in Coachella, CA.
Now, let's check out some of these enchanting pieces of work.
Clancy's commment: Wow. Amazing, eh? There is no end to the imagination of some creative people.
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January 6, 2020
7 January 2020 - CHARMING VILLAGE WITH BILLION DOLLAR SECRET
CHARMING VILLAGE WITH BILLION DOLLAR SECRET
G'day folks,
I bet you didn't know this secret.
D isguised by two seemingly innocent village homes, none of the locals of Cochem knew that for two decades during the height of the Cold War, 15 Billion German Mark– the vault of West Germany’s central bank– was being stashed below the streets of their sleepy town nestled in the slopes of the Mosel valley. As far as hiding places go, this one certainly goes down in history as one of the most unexpected.
In 1962, with the imminent threat of war and hyperinflation, the German government ordered an emergency mass printing of the Deutsche Mark, the official currency of West Germany. The collapse of the entire national economy was a very real possibility behind the Iron Curtain, the biggest fear being the systematic introduction of counterfeit money to flatten the German economy.
To store billions worth of emergency currency that could quickly replace the ‘old’ banknotes, they built a fall out shelter that could withstand nuclear war, in the middle of a charming ancient town known as Cochem-Cond.
Two inconspicuous houses were chosen to hide the secret bunker’s entrance; heavy steel doors that led to a seemingly never ending corridor and descended to a 300m network of tunnels.
A few residents living in the neighbouring houses were informed that a “small fall-out shelter” was being built. To prevent word from spreading further through the town, they were given special permission to access the shelter in the event of an atomic attack, but were warned there wouldn’t be enough room for their families if they told other villagers about the underground haven.
The 15,000 square foot bunker was indeed built to sustain a nuclear attack, with an intricate air, electricity and water system that could keep employees safe underground for 14 days in case of emergency.
The money began discretely arriving in Cochem in 1965, making its way through the doors of what locals believed was just the “recreational centre” of the German Central Bank.
In reality, the houses contained steal vaults 30 meters below ground with three different keys and a top secret lock combination which had to be brought over by officials from Frankfurt.
For two decades, twice a year, bank employees came to count the money. Every last note. One employee counted “870 bags, each 20,000 DM equals 336,000,000 DM”– and that was just what he was in charge of counting alone. The vault is said to have contained the equivalent of $9 billion today.
In 1988, the emergency currency was destroyed and the bank vacated the bunker. It has remained virtually unchanged for the nearly 30 years.
An entrepreneur bought the entire thing for 500,000 euros in 2014 and turned it into a museum last year. Which means, you can now visit Germany’s best-kept secret.
Clancy's comment: So, did you know about this stash of money?
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January 5, 2020
6 January 2020 - A HEAP OF INSPIRING QUOTES
A HEAP OF INSPIRING QUOTES
G'day folks,
Welcome to some inspiring quotes. Hopefully, they come at a good time.
Clancy's comment: Pass them on to anyone who needs them.
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January 4, 2020
5 January 2020 - 'ANIMALS CAN BE MORE LOVING THAN HUMANS' - GORAN ANASTASOVSKI
'ANIMALS CAN BE MORE LOVING THAN HUMANS' - GORAN ANASTASOVSKI -
G'day folks,
I decided to share pictures that show the love that animals are capable of giving to each other.
Goran Anastasovski is a photographer from Macedonia and he has spent 15 years capturing portraits of animals. He has a passion for photography, especially focusing on wildlife. The love for animals has driven him to tell stories through his photographs, and try to get people to listen and understand the need to take care of wildlife.
‘Animal photography is my greatest passion and if I could make at least one person care a little bit more about the animals, my goal will be achieved. With every photograph I take, I aim to capture not only the beauty but also the "humanity" of the animals and their ability to care and express love,’ he said.
Now, let's check out his brilliant work.
Clancy's comment: Go, Goran! Maaaaaaagnificent photography. Thank you. Naturally, as always, I have included one of my shots below.
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January 3, 2020
4 January 2020 - FAKE CHALETS FROM WW11 IN SWITZERLAND
FAKE CHALETS FROM WW11 IN SWITZERLAND
G'day folks,
T raditional wood green shutters, lace curtains, Swiss chalet beams; all the makings of a quaint little villa in the woods. But strangely, the windowpanes don’t reflect the sunlight and on closer approach, the house looks impossibly narrow. Because this is no quaint Swiss chalet but rather a military bunker in disguise.
Architectural fakery is one of my favourite things, so finding the work of photographer Christian Schwager and his project on “Fake Chalets” was bound to happen sooner or later. Until 2004, camouflaged bunkers were a well-kept military secret in Switzerland and many Swiss residents had no idea that there were weapons compounds sitting in the middle of the villages where they grew up until Schwager’s book of photographs went public.
Christian estimates there are at least 250 bunkers hiding behind well-disguised facades that have gone unnoticed for years, sometimes sitting right on the main streets of town. He has visited photographed over a hundred of them, mainly from World War II when aerial reconnaissance and espionage was rife and the government began dressing up their not-so-subtle concrete bunkers.
It was also handy in maintaining that picture-perfect image of Swiss landscapes for tourism. Theatre set designers and artists were hired to give the bunkers their make-overs to help them fit in with the local surrounding chalets. They were required to ensure the concrete “chalets” could deceive the human eye at a minimum distance of 20 meters with realistic shutters, precise imitations of wood grain and even the sun’s reflection.
Now, check out some of these chalets.
Clancy's comment: Pretty smart, eh?
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January 2, 2020
3 January 2020 - HIDDEN TUNNELS IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
HIDDEN TUNNELS IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
G'day folks,
Well, here are some more hidden tunnels. This nondescript building hides an entrance to an underground nuclear tunnel system.
Hidden deep beneath the streets of Manchester, England, the Guardian Telephone Exchange was a secret underground tunnel system built in 1954 to provide secure communications in the event of nuclear war.
The nuclear tunnel was classified under a “D Notice”—an official request to newspapers not to publish items on subjects for reasons of national security—in the 1950s, and its existence remained a secret for over a decade, only being publicly acknowledged in 1968.
Constructed at cost of £4 million, the Exchange tunnels were built at a depth of 115 feet running for over a mile-and-a-half under the city, and are completely self-sufficient. While they are still intact today, much of the equipment has now been removed. Today, the tunnels are known to house British Telecom cables, confirmed when a fire in March 2004 caused 130,000 telephone lines in Manchester to be cut off.
While other entranceways are dotted across the city, the George Street building is the most visible part of the Exchange. Located on a quiet city back street and surrounded by barbed wire, the structure houses the facility’s large goods entrance. Lifting equipment is hidden in the tower and a 35-ton cover inside the main building can be slid over the entranceway.
Clancy's comment: There ya go. Now ya know!
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January 1, 2020
2 January 2020 - SCOTT MEEHAN - GUEST AUTHOR & VETERAN.
SCOTT MEEHAN - GUEST AUTHOR & VETERAN -
G'day folks,
Today, I interview a very enterprising author and Veteran.
Welcome, Scott ....
1. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
I am the son of missionary parents who grew up traveling across the country and through Latin America. Having attended thirteen schools in twelve years in places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chicago, and in East Tennessee, my experience with diverse cultures engaged early and continued on.
The journey continued for another twenty-five years when I joined the U.S. Army in 1980 and retired in 2005. Under five Presidents, I served in Berlin when the wall still stood, was deployed during Operation Desert Storm, and was deployed three times to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Everything I mentioned above (the journey) provided the backdrop for my interest in telling my stories through writing.
2. WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
I started writing shortly after retiring from the Army in 2007. I began by self-publishing on CreateSpace with another experienced author. After that book, I began my solo journey.
3. WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
The story idea begins in my head. Then, I’ll gather some research material to have at my side for reference and then I dive right in, “shooting from the hip” as I go along.
4. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Developing characters that otherwise do not exist or, exist in a mixture of real people. Taking them through exciting experiences and giving them different options as to how they will respond.
5. WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Sometimes I’ll get to a certain point in a story when I come up with a “better idea”. So, I’ll put that story aside and begin another. Currently, I am writing one that excites me. The down side is that I have three others partially written…sitting on the shelf.
6. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
I wrote a short non-fiction coming-of-age devotional that won first place in the non-fiction category with “Turning The Pages” in 2017. I’ve also had a couple of letters published in Time magazine.
7. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
An Apocalyptic novel. Here’s the blurb:
“Devastation comes to planet earth. A neutron bomb hits Budapest and releases a deadly virus that instantly wipes out the entire human population of its three million inhabitants. This was only the beginning. Besides this new kind of virus spreading its destructive force across Europe, destroying humans in its path, record hailstorms, violent earthquakes, and massive wildfires ravage the continents across the globe. In the middle of the turmoil, are the three superpowers’ and one mysterious nation’s secret army of humanoids-immune to the fatal virus-and Asha Hawkins, the American who was biologically rebuilt with the same cybernetic attributes as the humanoids. Making immediate plans for food and shelter to protect herself from natural animals and artificial cyborgs, Asha searches the one humanoid she can trust…the one she helped re-create. Her name is Cyrix. Cut off from human contact, Asha struggles for survival and seeks God for divine deliverance. Is she the last human on earth?”
8. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
For life in general, my faith in God, family, and the purpose. I’d like to think that my purpose includes sharing the words through extraordinary stories, some of which are based on my personal experiences and God’s revelation.
9. WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
I have written most all genres, with a caveat. For example, although I have written a romance novel, it was not erotica. I tend to stay away from areas I know very little about, such as LBGT topics.
10. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Begin with your platform, have a mission statement and purpose, and write what you know, what you are comfortable with, or what you are passionate about. And finally, never give up.
11. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?
Nope, whenever I can find the time.
12. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
No, not really. Wherever I can find the appropriate place at the appropriate time.
13. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?
Putting down thoughts in writing and having others compliment what you wrote. It is an affirmation from others that what I am doing is acceptable and approved.
14. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
No one particular author is my favorite although Alistair MacLean was one who wrote books that I was digesting one after another as a high schooler. So, maybe he’s an early favorite.
15. WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
I have received many compliments such as those written in reviews, such as: “This book is an interesting trip through the life of a man who has served his country and his God in a meaningful way. Each encounter seemed to express the joy of submitting to God and watching the adventure unfold.”
16. WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
I have received one critique like this one: “I was expecting a little more excitement from the hype of the premis “A solder who did three combat tours”. It should have read” A soldier who constantly prays that God will intervene in his favor in every single life decision and who worked in pogue rear echelon jobs while deployed to Iraq” It was a boring read, but thankfully a short one.”
He sounded bitter as well as clueless to me.
17. WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Definitely. See the response to #1. I left details out, such as, my time in Berlin with the KGB; and the time in Iraq behind the capture of Saddam Hussein, for example.
18. OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
Spending time with family. I go to my grandsons’ baseball and soccer games and enjoy trips with all my grandkids whenever we go to Disney World, which is often since we are annual members.
19. DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
Some of them yes and some of them no. However, I would highly recommend it. It is the best idea. Be careful though. Sometimes the “professionals” are not all that great…but are costly.
20. DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
A nice, cool, sunny day that allots for time with the family, and then time alone with my wife.
21. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?
My wife, Trena. We’ve been together for 38 years now. She has stuck by me through thick and thin.
22. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?
“You all can do whatever you plan to do with your schemes, but the bottom line is that God will have the final say and all of your plans will come to nothing. Only God can bring true peace to the world.”
23. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Generate enough income to survive these days and leave a legacy to my children and grandchildren. How I go about this is yet to be determined.
24. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
My book trailers have not made any difference in sales. I think the video is the future though.
25. DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
Yes, partially. A little in each, a mixture. Vulnerable but an overcomer through grit, determination, and faith.
26. DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
Very much so. I have had bad experiences with self-publishing companies that mostly want their “hands in my pockets”.
27. DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
Oh yes, many times because of poor ROI’s. However, I keep going simply for the love of writing.
28. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?
My favorite completed one was Love In The House Of War, a story of a Green Beret rescuing an Afghan girl from the Taliban. The girl was fathered by a Soviet officer. The two fall in love and escape through the Hindu Kush while the Al-Qaeda led forces hunt them down.
The one I am working on now might be my new favorite.
29. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER.
That definition will vary from writer to writer. Having a steady income would certainly be nice, but rare. Although revenue is a good metric (Observe J.K. Rowling and Stephen King) it is highly unlikely to obtain such a status, at least for me anyway.
30. WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
They should walk away feeling confident that good will always triumph over evil no matter what the circumstances. You can overcome and your story matters.
31. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
I would love for many of my books to be on movies. I have not written any screenplays.
32. HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
For me, quite a bit because I am attracted to a book at a book store initially by its cover. I have gone back and forth with many book cover artists. I have also experimented with a couple of my own.
33. WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?
As far as books are concerned, having a book on the NY Times Best seller list. For life in general, leaving a solid legacy, spiritually and financially to my kids and grandkids.
34. WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
I wish I knew the secret to marketing and branding. I have tried it all but have not been successful in this area. I’ll keep trying though.
35. ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?
Yes they are. I have used CreateSpace, Draft2Digital, iUniverse, Tate, Creativia, and am currently with Indie United Publishing House (IUPH). My experiences with all but the latest one (IUPH) has been mostly a bust.
36. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.
I’m a man of integrity. (I wrote “I am” first, but that was six words).
37. WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
Any organization (political, media, educational, religion, entertainment, etc.) that tries to force their point of view onto another person or group of people. Too much of this going on today in the world, including in our own country.
38. WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?
D-Day Girls . I gave it a 3-Star. The idea behind it was great, however, there were some missing pieces that fell short of impact.
39. WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
Besides, “And they lived happily ever after”? How about, “He was faithful, and he held firm to the end.”
40. WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?
Personally, I cannot think of too much. I am very blessed. There are some elements that could make life easier, but for now, I am very happy and content. For our nation—unity.
41. ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
Thank you for the opportunity to let me share, Clancy. I love connecting with readers.
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Clancy's comments: Well done, Scott. Man, you sure have a few books. Keep going, and thanks for being my guest.
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December 31, 2019
1 January 2020 - A COLLECTION OF EXTRAORDINARY MUSHROOMS
A COLLECTION OF EXTRAORDINARY MUSHROOMS
G'day folks,
Happy New Year to you all. I wish you enough for 2020.
Now, to kick off another year of blogs, welcome to some wonderful samples of nature at its best.
Clancy's comment: So, next time you walk through a forest, look down. You might be pleasantly surprised.I'm ...
December 30, 2019
31 December 2019 - PHOTOGRAPHY - HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED
PHOTOGRAPHY - HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED -
G'day folks,
I love looking at old photographs. These will highlight how life has changed ... The way people dressed, vehicles, how buildings were constructed etc.
Clancy's comment: Wow. Anyone look familiar?
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