Gwyneth Paltrow on her Marriage with Chris Martin

With the release of Iron Man 3 (WTF happened to the plot?!) media attention has once more grown over Pepper actress aka Gwyneth Paltrow.

I have to admit I'm growing fond of her myself, apart from my abhorrence of snobs (and let's face it- she looks the blue print for one) I like her style and the way she talks to reporters- they just crumble!

So it was with nosy relish I scanned the June issue of Glamour Magazine (UK) were Gwyneth "opens up" about her notoriously quiet 10 year marriage to Chris Martin...

"It's hard being married. You go through great times, you go through terrible times. We're the same as any couple. I asked my dad once, 'How did you and Mum stay married for 33 years?' And he said, 'Well, we never wanted to get divorced at the same time.' And I think that's what happens. When two people throw in the towel at the same time, then you break up, but if one person's saying: 'Come on, we can do this,' you carry on. I've learned more about myself by being married than anything else. I hate to say, 'We've got it worked out,' because you never know what's going to happen, but we laugh, we're good friends, we like to do the same stuff."

"I'm a very grounded, homey person and Chris is a very mad scientist, genius songwriter, so I never say 'Where are you? You should be home by now.' I never place demands on him because I think he's a really talented man, and he's putting something good into the world."

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I Wish!

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Droversford

Droversford is one today! 365 happy days of blogging completed- and hopefully another zillion to go.

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Which is Better? Blogger or Wordpress?

I have been blogging since 2009 and have had numerous accounts in both platforms during that time.

I feel confident to state Wordpress has lost all of its charm that originally snared the novice their way. Mainly their themes- which lets face it border on the zillons to choose from. They also have a rather posh admin interface. But now that I'm a more experienced blogger, Blogger is the one I'm now staying with.

• Blogger allows you to use your own domain name- free
• Blogger allows you to get paid for ads- free
• Blogger has one of the best stat services- free
• Blogger has the better "community"
• Blogger has the best little extras- free

The only issue with Blogger is that intentionally there are only 5 very boring templates to choose from. However a quick google of "free Blogger templates" and a simple download quickly solves that little issue.

So for the ultimate 21st century question: Which is Better? Blogger or Wordpress? The answer without a doubt is Blogger.

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The Up wristband by Jawbone

Gwyneth Paltrow supposed favorite gadget is the £99 "Up Wristband" and after reading what this little bit of bling can do I'm not surprised!

This ultimate health accessory from Jawbone uses a built-in motion sensor and Motionx GPS to register the time you spend walking, running or just sitting around. It vibrates if you've been inactive for too long, and a 'stopwatch' lets you note the start and end of specific workout sessions.

It works alongside a smartphone app, which estimates the calories burned. You can input your mood into the app or scan the barcodes on your shopping to calculate your calorie intake! That is actually pretty cool- but my goodness would I get some dodgy looks doing that at my local Morrisons supermarket!

The wristband uses Actigraphy - a sensor which measures tiny movements to determine whether you are awake or in a light or deep sleep. With these, it calculates the optimum time to wake you each morning with a gentle vibration through the wristband.

All in all I'm unashamedly sold with the idea and if I had £99 pocket money I'd happily buy one.

Here's the link to buy it at John Lewis: http://www.johnlewis.com/jawbone-up-wireless-activity-and-sleep-tracking-wristband-medium/p435067?colour=Black

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Dot Com Name

I have decided at last to get a dot com of my name for new photography gallery. Rather chuffed with how professional it feels- even though its really a glorified Blogger account. That said, I'm now incredibly aware that my web DNA is out there fore any nosy employer, beau etc to check up on.
No nude shoots for awhile I think....

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My Favorite Robert Capa Quotes

"The pictures are there, and you just take them"

"The truth is the best picture, the best propaganda"

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An Amazing Blog on Photography

Sometimes you discover a blog that is so good that you want to take it home to meet the family and currently that blog is: reelfoto.blogspot.co.uk.

Spend a happy hour or two browsing through these posts on photojournalism.

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The Diaries of Robert Lindsay Mackay

As a keen genealogist and vintage postcard collector I often stray over to WW1 websites to research this and that. One I came across recently led me to the marvelous diaries of Robert Lindsay Mackay.
I heartily recommend taking a look.

Extract:

2nd. Walk out by Roclincourt with McElwee.
3rd. Busy in Orderly Room. Went to "Jolly Boys" Concert at night.
4th. April. Wet day. Had to go up the line to take over, but back to Arras at night. Up to H.Q. of Camerons and Gordons where I found my 'crook' (stick). Colonel Anderson had 'souvenired' it from my side, the bounder! Kept at the H.Q. until 2 a.m. on the 5th. Fed right up. Fell in shell hole. Lost my pipe and got covered all over with muck.

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Royal Romance

A while back I wrote a quick post about how unromantic is was that Grace Kelly had to fork out a $2 million dowry before her marriage could go ahead... from that I found an article by  Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkofer at the Chicago Tribune News titled "10 things you might not know about royal weddings" it proved a damn good read!

Three of my favourites out of the ten were....

Well into the 18th century in Europe, it wasn't uncommon on the wedding night for select guests to escort the lucky royal couple to their private chambers for the bedding ceremony, where they would watch the nightgowned couple get into bed together. Simply lying together under sheets was considered consummation.

Japan's Prince Hirohito became engaged to Princess Nagako in 1918, but a government official questioned the match because colour blindness ran in Nagako's family. Her father threatened to fatally stab his daughter and himself if the imperial family reneged. Needless to say- the wedding proceeded.

After Spain's King Alfonso XIII and Princess Ena of Battenberg were married in Madrid in 1906, a man tossed a bouquet at their bridal carriage. Inside the bouquet was a bomb. The royals were unhurt, but more than a dozen onlookers died.

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Photography Bucket List

I am a huge fan of starting bucket lists- I have almost a collection of them! I discovered this one for photographers and although some are definitely not my style, it certainly provides as good as starting point as any. 

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Small Business Guide

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Traditional Fishermen

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Grace Kelly's $2 Million Dowry!

I'm down with the flu so have been keeping occupied watching movie after movie. One of the good one's is the classic "Rear Window" which sent me over to Wikipedia to do a little snooping about the film and actors and one of the things I snooped on was that apart from Grace Kelly having to submit a fertility test she and family had to pay a whooping $2 million to let the marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco go ahead! 

I immediately assumed it was a legal oddity and that the Prince would have paid it on the sly himself but no- Grace's father forked up half the amount  and Grace the other herself! 
Romance is officially dead!

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Head for Heights

A busy window cleaner is nothing out of the ordinary out till the camera zooms out and reveals he's 100ft to the ground and shuffling from window to window unharnessed on a New York office block!

The window cleaner was working on the tenth floor of the office block in Manhattan, New York, when he was pictured cleaning windows and holding onto just the wall for support.

A passer by told a reporter that:

'I have never seen anything like it before. It was actually pretty hard to watch because I was thinking to myself what happens if he slips. I'm not sure it's worth it just to finish the job a bit faster. He moved confidently enough so I assume he's done it before - you wonder how long he can keep pushing his luck for.'

The management or a health and safety spokesperson for the building was not immediately available for comment. Surprise, surprise!

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New 360 Degree Can Lid

Sly Fox Brewing Company have released their "novel" idea of a 360 degree lid for cans. They are stating that the can is a drinkers dream and that by peeling off the top of the can drinkers can enjoy the contents as if drinking from a regular cup and 'essentially eliminates the need for separate glassware.'

Sly Fox Brewing Company head brewer Brian O'Reilly said: 

'This technology allows the full flavour and aroma of the beer to hit the drinker's senses and makes the can an even more appealing package for outdoor activities and situations where you want to be able to move around and sip your beer easily,'

Is it just me or is this just plain silly? Let alone another way of adding an expensive price tag to an item that doesn't need changed?

The only good I can see out of it is that they say its "environmental friendly" as the can could be used over and over and the metal too is 100% recyclable. Other then that I think the can just looks like one big lip cutter and spill accident waiting to happen. Not impressed.

The technology has been developed by Crown Holdings, Inc.

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Home-Made Frozen Waterfall

This astonishing frozen waterfall was created out of a building in Jilin city in Jilin province, north-east China, after seventh-floor resident Wen Hsu, 58, left the hot tap on all winter.

He had lived for 35 years in the property scheduled for demolition to make way for a new shopping centre - and when developers managed to buy all the other flats, he was left as the only resident.

As winter approached, Mr Hsu was worried that the uninsulated water pipes running up through the unused and unheated flats below him would freeze, leaving him without running water.

So in order to keep the temperature of the pipes above freezing he simply switched on the tap - and then diverted the warm water to flow down the side of the building.

He said:

‘The water running into the pipe is from underground where it is above freezing and that is stopping the water pipes in my house from freezing. If that had happened I really would have had to move out. They want me to move. But what they were offering was not enough for me to get another place so I'm refusing to leave. I don't have anywhere to go anyway.’

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Zac Efron on set of his new movie Townies

Zac Efron, looking as gorgeous as usual on set of his new film "Townies"

He was earlier spotted wearing a bandage on his hand travelling through Los Angeles airport (above).
Explaining what happened, he said: 'I broke it a couple days ago on set during filming, it was during a stage fight with Dave Franco. I had to go back to work so I couldn't really wear a cast. So they [the medics] put like a titanium plate in it and a bunch of screws. I don't know why I'm telling you this. My hand in theory is back to normal, it just looks really gross.'

Aww, poor baby! There would be many willing volunteers to kiss it better Zac!

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Alexey Trofimov Ice Photography

Photographer Alexey Trofimov, 42, photographed this amazing landscape sculptured by the wind near his home at Lake Baikal in Bratsk.

He told a UK newspaper that:

"Living so close to Lake Baikal it would be silly of me not to take the chance to photograph this beautiful and majestic place. There's still a lot of unexplored places in Lake Baikal and my job as a photographer is to show people the miracles of the nature here. On Lake Baikal everything is very stunning and unusual, the place does not cease to surprise. I am pleased with my photos but I want to go back and take some more interesting and unusual shots. I was happy I was able to pull off some amazing shots in this trip, and not only of the hummocks, but the beautiful landscapes too."

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Angelina Jolie Photography

The 'Billy Bob' tattoo, a homage to her then husband has now been erased

This photograph of a 25 year old Angelina Jolie with a white horse by photographer David LaChapelle is expected to fetch between £25,000 and £35,000 when it goes under the hammer as part of The Wild Side of Photography sale at London auction house Christie's next month.

Also up for sale is the staged portrait of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt around a family dinner table shot by fashion photographer Steven Klein in 2005 and was first featured in W magazine before the pair were officially an item and is said to have "deeply upset" Brad's ex, Jennifer Aniston. This one is expected to fetch £8,000 - £12,000.



The auction comprises 108 lots with estimates ranging from £1,500 to £70,000 and is expected to realise in the region of £1.5 million.

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