09/07/2008 by admin.

Experts have been stumped by the appearance of a Capricorn beetle on a pavement in an industrial estate in Ashchurch, Gloustershire.  The beetle measuring over 3cm has been extinct in Britain since the start of the industrial revolution!  It’s probable that the beetle hitched a ride to the UK on imported timber. 

In astrology, Capricorn is considered an Earth sign. In January 2008, Pluto entered the sign of Capricorn and will not leave it until 2023. Each of the previous times Pluto entered the sign have witnessed major events, including the rise and fall of Rome, the birth of Christianity and the Boston Tea Party.

Meanwhile, further south, the painting La Surprise, by the French artist Jean Watteau has sold for £12m at auction - a world record for any French old master painting sold at auction. As featured in a previous ‘Watch’ item, the painting had been ‘missing’ for some 200 years, since about the time of Charles Lamb’s journal.  Given everything that’s happening related to The Beatles at present, it’s curious that the painting features a man tuning his guitar!

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you? | No Comments »

07/07/2008 by admin.

Readers of The Haymakers Survey will know the significance of 7 July in the story in helping to bring the ‘action now on nature’ message to the world. They’ll also know of the specific role played by Sir Peter Scott, founder of the WWF and designer of the panda emblem used by the charity.  Our story also features two identical characters - Ben Whittingbury and Captain Richard Lewin.

Curious then that a 12 year old Giant Panda, rescued from a recent quake zone in China, has given birth to twins.  They’re the first pandas to be born in captivity in 2008. Here’s the video. Warning - high cuteness factor!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7492999.stm

Meanwhile couples in London have today tangoed in silence to promote a sense of ‘compassionate togetherness’ . Wearing headphones as they danced on seven bridges and seven railway stations, it reminded Ben and Julia of their silent tango to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, as recorded in our story. Shall we dance…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7F2X3rSSCU

Maybe some were dancing in memory of lost loved ones, for it seems the spectacular sight of red poppy fields are becoming a rare-sight in Britain.  Numbers have declined dramatically over the past century because of the wildspread use of weedkillers.  Conservation charity, Plantlife, say, “It’s very sad poppy fields have become such a rarity, as they have provided the inspiration for many famous paintings.” The plant is synomous with remembrance as thousands grew on disturbed ground near the trenches during World War I.

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q50 Do you miss someone you love?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q13 Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

05/07/2008 by admin.

Adam Warwick, a biologist from Florida, USA, has saved a 375lb bear from drowning.  The bear had wandered into a residential area in Tallahassee prompting wildlife officers to shoot the animal with a tranquiliser dart.  It panicked and raced toward water. 25 yards in and the animal became drowsy.  The animal started to lose the use of his limbs and without Adam’s intervention would surely have drowned.  Adam acted instinctively - taking to the water and managing to keep the bear’s head above water as he dragged the animal back to shore.

The whole experience is curious given Sarah’s comments in ‘The Haymakers Survey’ about her sadness due to a documentary which featured a polar bear which drowned seeking sea ice. 

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head? | No Comments »

03/07/2008 by admin.

Columbia pictures has announced plans to direct a new film about the great detective, Sherlock Holmes.  In a comic remake, the film will star Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen.  Sarah will be pleased as she’s a fan of both actors - pity none will be Earth Detectives though…

New research suggests that the risk of extinction for many species has been seriously underestimated - by up to a hundred times greater in some cases.  Key factors have simply been ignored, including the ratio of the number of males to females.  Professor Alan Hastings from the University of California, Davis, said, ”There may be many species - and some will not be the large, charismatic ones, but things like insects and other smaller ones that are still very important - where we may be underestimating the risk by quite a bit.”The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified more than 16,000 species threatened with extinction. One in three amphibians, one in four mammals, one in eight birds and 70% of plants so far assessed for its Red Lists of Threatened Species are believed to be at risk.

Posted in Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q57 Have you ever spied on anyone?, Q48 Have you ever played solitaire?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

01/07/2008 by admin.

What’s thought to be the earliest surviving Beatles interview from 1964 has been found in south London.  Beatles historians say it is the earliest surviving interview in which Lennon and McCartney talk about how they met and discuss the songwriting process. The nine and a half minute video was recorded for a television programme broadcast in Scotland but has never been seen or heard in the rest of the UK.  Many believe it a miracle that the footage survived at all - for some 40 years it was stored in a rusty can in a damp garage, unopened, unloved and almost thrown away - until finally someone took a look inside and found the hidden gem.  During the interview John Lennon explains how he met Paul McCartney for the first time at a village fete in Liverpool.

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument? | No Comments »