29 December 2012 - Exceptional Kids

Quote of the day:

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EXCEPTIONAL KIDS

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G'day guys ,

Always had lots of time for kids. They are our greatest resource. Today I introduce you to three of them - exceptional kids. Mm ... but I really wonder how many of them there are out there in the world. As I've travelled through some poor countries over the years, I've often wondered if the odd kid here and there has the intellect to help cure cancer and help humanity. However, I guess we will never  know because of the scourge of poverty.

Anyway, check out these videos about three exceptional kids:

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Basketball genius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIqVvRh_cEY

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One clever kid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSYCwxt78jY

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The boy from Sierra Leone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOLOLrUBRBY&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

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Mm ... now watch this short video ... and you might get my point about opportunities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2X1PgXcJ14

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Clancy's comment: I only hope they get the chance to be a kid. They only get one opportunity.

I'm ...

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25 December 2012 - Christmas Day

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CHRISTMAS DAY

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G'day guys,

I wish you the very best on this day - whoever you are and wherever you are. Here is a brief summary of what Christmas means in many parts of the globe.

Christmas in America
In America, there is a huge variety of cultures and nationalities, and an 'ideal' Christmas tradition which seems to be accepted by many is a family time with a great deal of travel happening over the holidays.

Santa Claus was born in US in the 1860's he was named this as he had a white beard and a belly, so he was named Santa Claus as this was the Dutch word for St Nicholas, Sintaklaas. Although the Dutch had bought him with them in the 17th century, he did not become an important person at Christmas until the novelist Washington Irving put him in a novel that he wrote in 1809. This first Santa Claus was still known as St. Nicholas, he did smoke a pipe, and fly around in a wagon without any reindeer, but he did not have his red suit or live at the North Pole, he did however bring presents to children every year.

In 1863 He was given the name Santa Claus and bore the red suit, pipe, and his reindeer and sleigh.

Polish Americans on Christmas Eve spread hay on their kitchen floor and under the tablecloth to remind them of a stable and a manger. When they make up the table for dinner two extra places are set up for Mary and the Christ Child in case they should knock at the door to ask for shelter.

In Arizona they follow the Mexican traditions called Las Posadas. Families play out the parts of Mary and Joseph searching for somewhere to stay. They form a procession and visit their friends' and neighbors' homes where they admire each family's Nativity crib. In parts of New Mexico, people place lighted candles in paper bags filled with sand on streets and rooftops to light the way for the Christ Child.

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Christmas in Europe
In Europe, Christmas is all in all a family affair. On this day, all family members spend time in baking cookies, making fudge and preparing a big Christmas dinner, with all the trimmings.

The feast of St Nicholas marks the beginning of Christmas in Austria. The saint accompanied by the devil asks children for a list of their good and bad deeds. Good children are given sweets, toys and nuts. Gifts that are placed under the tree are opened after dinner on Christmas Eve.

Brass instruments play chorale music room church steeples, and carol singers, carrying blazing torches and a manger from house to house, gather on the church steps.

Silent Night was first sung in 1818, in the village church of Oberndorf. There is a story told of how Christmas was almost spoiled for the villagers that year.

On Christmas Eve, the priest went into the church and found that the organ was not working. The leather bellows that are used to pump the air through the pipes were full of holes. Christmas without music would not do so the priest showed the organist Franz Xaver Gruber a new Christmas hymn he had written. Franz quickly composed a tune for it that could be played on a guitar. So Oberndorf had music after all.

In Austria baked carp is served for the traditional Christmas dinner.

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Christmas in Russia
In Russia, the nature of the Christmas celebration has undergone many changes. The grand celebration was observed for many centuries, but after the communist revolution, the celebration of the feast was suppressed, only to return after the fall of Communism.

In Russia the religious festival of Christmas is being replaced by the Festival of Winter but there are some traditions that are still kept up in some parts of the country.

In the traditional Russian Christmas, special prayers are said and people fast, sometimes for 39 days, until January 6th Christmas Eve, when the first evening star in appears in the sky. Then begins a twelve course supper in honor of each of the twelve apostles - fish, beet soup or Borsch, cabbage stuffed with millet, cooked dried fruit and much more.

Hay is spread on the floors and tables to encourage horse feed to grow in the coming year and people make clucking noises to encourage their hens to lay eggs.

On Christmas Day, hymns and carols are sung. People gather in churches which have been decorated with the usual Christmas trees or Yelka, flowers and colored lights.

Christmas dinner includes a variety of different meats - goose and suckling pig are favorites.

Babushka is a traditional Christmas figure who distributes presents to children. Her name means grandmother and the legend is told that she declined to go with the wise men to see Jesus because of the cold weather. However, she regretted not going and set off to try and catch up, filling her basket with presents. She never found Jesus, and that is why she visits each house, leaving toys for good children.

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Christmas in Africa
In Africa Christmas is a summer holiday. There is no snow, but it has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of cultivated and wild flowers. Singing Carols is the most important activity by people celebrating Christmas.

Christmas in South Africa is a summer holiday. In December, the southern summer brings glorious days of sunshine that carry an irresistible invitation to the beaches, the rivers, and the shaded mountain slopes. Then the South African holiday season reaches its height. Schools are closed, and camping is the order of the day. In South Africa there is no snow, but it has many flowers, many beautiful varieties of cultivated and wild flowers being in their full pride.

In Ghana, on Africa's west coast, most churches herald the coming of Christmas by decorating the church and homes beginning with the first week in Advent, four weeks before Christmas. This season happens to coincide with the cocoa harvest, so it is a time of wealth. Everyone returns home from wherever they might be such as farms or mines.

On the west coast of Africa, in Liberia, most homes have an oil palm for a Christmas tree, which is decorated with bells. On Christmas morning, people are woken up by carols. Presents such as cotton cloth, soap, sweets, pencils, and books are exchanged. Also in the morning a church service is held in which the Christmas scene is enacted and hymns and carols are sung. Dinner is eaten outdoors with everyone sitting in a circle to share the meal of rice, beef and biscuits. Games are played in the afternoon, and at night fireworks light up the sky.

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Christmas in East Asia
In East Asia, Christmas is not a grand occasion like in Europe and America, but this festive season is celebrated in their own unique way that is highly influenced by local cultures.

In Bangladesh formerly known as East Pakistan, the Christian village men would cut down scores of banana trees and replant them in pairs along the paths to churches and outside their homes. They would then bend over the huge leaves of the banana trees to form an arch, they would then make small holes in the bamboo poles, fill them with oil and tie them across the arches. When the oil is lit, the way to the church is lit up bright enough for all to see.

In Pakistan 25 December is a public holiday it is however in memory of Jinnah the founder of Pakistan.

In Christian homes they celebrate Christmas with the exchanging of gifts and cards, the wearing of new clothes and the visiting of houses of friends.

They have a church service which is packed on Christmas day which is called Bara Din the big day.

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Christmas in South America
In South America, Christmas is celebrated in a deeply religious way. The different countries of South America observe this day in their distinct manner.

Native Bolivians celebrate Christmas more as a harvest festival. Thanks are given for completion of the year's work. They give an account of the work done during the year and propose what is to be done the next year. Christmas tends to become a feast of adoration of the Goddess Mother Earth, who is asked to bring a fruitful harvest, to keep away plagues, and to give a prosperous year.

In Brazil Santa Claus is little known and those who do know of the jolly fellow call him Papa Noel.

The children have no Christmas trees, but they do have a crèche or Presepio, representing the Christ-child's birth. Gifts and toys are exchanged during the holidays after which the Presepio is put away until the following Christmas.

In Ecuador the children write letters to the Christ-child and place shoes in the window in which he may place toys as he passes by on Christmas Eve. Noise-making toys are common and are used with much energy on the streets on Christmas morning.

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Christmas in Australia
Australians also sing carols by candlelight and decorate their homes with flowers and other plants. Generally, Christmas is celebrated along traditional lines and families often travel great distances to be together. No matter how hot it is, most Aussies have a hot meal ... using cold drinks to simmer things down.

Christmas in Australia is often very hot. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. It is not unusual to have Christmas Day well into the mid 30 degrees Celsius, or near 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also the bushfire season so most are on alert.


A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. A flaming Christmas plum pudding is added for dessert. In the Australian gold rushes, (1850's) Christmas puddings often contained a gold nugget. Today a small favor is baked inside. Whoever finds this knows she / he will enjoy good luck. Another treat is Mince Pies.

Some Australians and particularly tourists often have their Christmas dinner at midday on a local beach. Bondi Beach in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs attracts thousands of people on Christmas Day. Other families enjoy their day by having a picnic. If they are at home, the day is punctuated by swimming in a pool, playing Cricket out the backyard, and other outdoor activities.

The warm weather allows Australians to enjoy a tradition which commenced in 1937. Carols by Candlelight is held every year on Christmas Eve, where tens of thousands of people gather in the city of Melbourne to sing their favorite Christmas songs. The evening is lit by as many candles singing under a clean cut night sky. The sky with its Southern Cross stars is like a mirror. Sydney and the other capital cities also enjoy Carols in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

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Christmas in India
In India, apart from the traditional aspects of Christmas, their is also influence of local tradition with the elephants, umbrellas and traditional music as accessories to their festivities and celebrations.

Christians in India decorate banana or mango trees. They also light small oil-burning lamps as Christmas decorations and fill their churches with red flowers.

They give presents to family members and baksheesh, or charity, to the poor people.

In India, the poinsettia is in flower and so the churches are decorated with this brilliant bloom for the Christmas Midnight Mass.

In South India, Christians put small clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses at Christmas, just as the Hindus do during their festival called Diwali.

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You might like to click on this link and play a top song sung by some of the world's best singers in 1984 - "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984. Listen to the lyrics. It always makes the hairs rise on the back of my neck.

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Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkP2LkWc6lc

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Clancy's comment: Spare a thought for those who will be doing it tough. Plenty will be. Trust me.

I'm ...

24 December 2012 - Merry Christmas

[audio:http://clancytucker.blog.com/files/2012/12/When-A-Child-Is-Born-Full.mp3|titles=When A Child Is Born (Full)]

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

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G'day guys,

Well, it's Christmas Eve and most of us have made it. You might like to click on the small arrow above and listen to a great Christmas song by Johnny Mathis - a magnificent voice.

Well, how lucky are we? Christmas time can be an exciting time for many, but for some it is a time of depression, poverty or hunger - a time when so many feel lonely. Over the years I have spent Christmas day in a variety of places with an extraordinary mix of people. One year I gave up a magnificent lunch with my family to spend the day feeding homeless men in Melbourne, Australia. It was an amazing day. However, I was stunned by how few people had volunteered their time. Another year, 1973, I spent the day in a restaurant in Rome, eating pizza, but did manage to meet a beautiful Colombian lady who is still a very close friend.

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Another year, a mate and I who were sharing a house, invited eleven people to our house for Christmas dinner. All of them would have spent Christmas day alone. What did we provide? Everything - full dinner, colourful hats, pudding, cake ... even gifts. They were diverse individuals but all of us laughed and got on like a house on fire. It was a top day, and some of those people still mention that Christmas lunch.

One particular Christmas Day I sat fishing with Thai orphans on a pier, eating Thai food. Most of the kids caught fish, but I did not. What was that old parable about the loaves and fishes? Mm ... that particular year was my best Christmas Eve ever. I arrived in the south of Thailand to catch up with a man I'd loved for more than 3o years - Pa, an American Jesuit priest who gave fifty years to the great unwashed.

I'd travelled by train for 600 kilometres and arrived at the final station to find no one waiting for me. However, not concerned, I slowly strolled to the exit prepared to grab a taxi, stunned by what happened next. I'd just passed the main buildings and heard an extraordinary chorus of voices singing Waltzing Matilda. Guess who it was? Yep, my great friend, Pa, had taught his Thai kids, about forty of them, the words of a song that is considered to be Australia's unofficial national anthem. Standing behind the kids was the biggest kid of all, wearing a cheesy grin and a colourful floral shirt - Pa. What a moment in life, eh? I wiped my eyes and hugged a man who could swear as good as me. How did I meet him? Well, I was previously introduced to him by one of his stunning kids, Boo, who was eight years-of-age. Loved ya work, Pa ... loved ya work!

Many countries celebrate Christmas in different ways. Thailand, a country of 70 million people, is 98% Buddhist, but man do they honour Christmas. Sure, many foreigners (farangs) live in Thailand, but the Thai people seem to enjoy celebrating. The photograph below was taken by me some years back. It is a doll, attached to a massive Christmas tree in front of a big shopping complex. It must have been ten metres in height. Not far away was the biggest sleigh I've ever seen with six life-sized reindeers, and Christmas jingles played softly as you walked through the shopping malls. Amazing.

You probably wonder why I always seem to mention Thailand and South East Asia on this blog. Well, it's a beautiful part of the world and I make no apologies for loving it, especially the people. Fell in love with it a long time ago. The poorest people have a generosity that I have not seen in the western world.

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Copyright Clancy Tucker (c)

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It's been a busy year for me. I've had four trips to hospital, lost the top of a finger and have worked long hours on various fronts. Some of the issues I'm involved in have been regularly mentioned in my posts - some have not. You have probably noticed an image at the bottom of each daily post; an image of someone who has, or is, doing it tough. There's plenty of them. Trust me. Those images are a reminder for us who are doing okay - those of us who have food, water and shelter.

I've done much to promote my brand this year, but also promoted the work of other writers, human rights lawyers, other blogs, illustrators, photographers, inspiring young adults, translators etc. Why not? Wow, the world has so many interesting and talented people, and I'd like to thank all of you who have appeared on my blog during the year. Networking with people can provide side benefits. This year I've connected with hundreds of people from around the globe and many have become great friends. To all of you, don't forget that the road to a friend's house is a short road. Send me an email should any of you be heading to the land 'Downunder'. Always a spare bed.

I wish all of my readers and your families and friends the very best, whether you are Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or whatever. Many sincere thanks to those who have offered me personal assistance during the year - those, like my brother and some good mates. Also, one of my Vietnam Vet mates, Eddie Stephens, who physically stepped up to the plate and organised things that matter when you need a helping hand. Grazie tanto!

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Let's hope the leaders of the world see a very bright star in the sky, have a good, hard look at themselves in a large mirror and make some worthwhile decisions for those for whom they supposedly represent. Sadly, from my perspective, I can't see anyone walking out of the mist to lead us to the promised land.

What did I enjoy most about writing this blog? Well, my favourite moment was whilst watching a video on Scott Neeson's post (24 September 2012). You know, the guru from Fox Studios who gave up the good life to care for orphans in Cambodia. There was a moment in the video when I saw two kids sitting in a rubbish dump, poring over a book they'd found. Man, I wanted to leap into the video, give them a hug and give them a copy of my books.

Amen!

Now, here is a selection of pictures of issues and people who have appeared on my blog this year:

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A superstar!

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Love ya work, Bob!

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Wow, such talent!

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Inspirational character!

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A brilliant artist!

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Thank you for sharing your land!

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The great man himself!

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A great advocate!

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Thanks, Doc!

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What a Saint!

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Watch this space!

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What a star!

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My favourite photo this year!

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My favourite flag!

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Loved ya work!

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Two wonderful warriors.

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An outstanding monarch!

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One of my mentors!

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Love ya work!

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Brilliant photographer.

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The future!

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Thanks for your company ... and for listening. Life's short ... use it. There's plenty to do. Now, you might have wondered about me as you read my blog during the year. Mm ... not much to say really, just a guy who has had amazing experiences in life and met some extraordinary people who have influenced me - mostly the poorest of the poor. What did I learn from them? Probably humility, and an appreciation and respect for those doing it tough.

 What's my ultimate dream in being a writer, storyteller, photographer and author? Simple, actually. I love my creative talents, but my main aim is to be successful enough to offer scholarships to those who were born on the tough side of town - any village, any country, anywhere, any time. Yep, that's my dream. We're here for a short time, but I'd like to pass something on ... and for them to pass on to others what I have offered to them. I call it the 'Village Theory'. We all live in a big village, so let's do what we can to help others along the way.

So, folks, let's do something special this Christmas. Know someone who is grumpy, lonely, homeless or just mixed up - maybe complete strangers, but who cares? Do a 'Clancy Tucker' on them. Walk up, smile and shake their hand firmly, but say nothing. It might just be the nicest thing that has happened to them in a long while. Can't  hurt, eh?

Better still, share your Christmas with them. Invite them home. I've always brought strays to our Christmas celebrations. One year I brought a mate and his three young kids who were 5, 7 and 8 years-of-age. Why, because their mother had left them the year before. Those kids were gob smacked by two things. There was a place for each of them at the long table and each place had a name tag. Also, my entire family had bought them gifts. Those kids are now in their thirties but they still recall that Christmas day with fond memories.

Oh, I almost forgot ... love ya work!

Now, check out this beautiful Christmas tree. It is written in Italian, but you'll get the idea. Click on 'Auguri' below ...

Auguri

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As always ... I'm ...