31/05/2009 by admin.

Today we celebrate the 150th anniversary since the Great Clock itself began ticking on 31 May 1859. The name Big Ben applies to the famous bell itself, whose chimes were heard for the first time on 11 July in 1859.  Another significant anniversary - this one linked to time.  Our readers will recall how the bell tolls at the start of our novel to indicate that time is running out to save Mother Nature from the unfortunate repentant Lady in Grey.

Turn the volume down…

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

Posted in Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

29/05/2009 by admin.

In a timely reminder of the main purpose of our project, the first ever study of the human impact on climate change makes for uncomfortable reading.  The report comes from former UN secretary general Kofi Annan’s thinktank The Global Humanitarian Forum. It reveals how climate change is already responsible for 300,000 deaths a year and is affecting 300 million people worldwide.  It projects that increasingly severe heatwaves, storms, floods and forest fires will be responsible for as many as 500,000 deaths by 2030.  Civil unrest is also a major threat due to competition over limited resources, including a severe impact on fresh water. 

So, the world is at the crossroads to coin a phrase and, in the interests of every human.  We hear the calls for more ambitious agreements to adapt and prevent on climate change and increased effort to tackle complacency and ignorance on the issues.  In essence, to make the story accessible and meaningful to all, which we try to do through our work.  As Malachi proclaimed in our visionary novel: One World, One People, One Solution!

Here’s the link to the Forum’s excellent website…

http://www.ghf-geneva.org

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

15/05/2009 by admin.

Norway has emerged victorious with record 387 points in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Singer and violinist Alexander Rybak romped home with the simple high-energy ditty ‘Fairytale.’  He wrote the song himself saying, ”I had a story to tell and I guess people liked that story.”

Coincidental then given the role of the Scandanavian, Hans Christian Anderson, in our story and his fairytale telling.  We also have the ‘Shadows’ poem, which was all about belief in fairies! Above all, we have the presence of Yggdrasil - the magical tree of life from the forests of Norway. Clap hands if you believe!

Congratulations Alexander. Sarah really likes the song. Here’s the winning performance…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8JRtGMBUz0&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q25 Do you believe in fairies?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales? | No Comments »

13/05/2009 by admin.

Our story reveals the discovery of a jar containing treasures which help to illustrate the enchanted and miraculous nature of life on planet Earth.  Curious then that the RSPCA - founded by William Wilberforce (one of the members of the Blakesware Set) - had to come to the rescue of a fox cub with his head trapped in a jar. 

The animal, named Fizzle by his rescuers, was apparently in quite a lot of distress.  His rescuers wet his neck to loosen it and pulled the jar off.  Fizzzle was thought close to his parents and quickly dashed to freedom.   Its also uncanny that the animal caught in the jar was a fox given the references to a fox hunt recorded in Charles Lamb’s journal.  Mother Nature isn’t happy with us. 

THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS

Some may say there’s a spiritual link to our project - that a divine force is behind it. Our readers will know of the meaning of the man in the shadows… the secretive one who wears a top hat. Well, we’ve seen a magical photo in the Metro newspaper which intrigued us - take a look!

http://img.metro.co.uk/e-edition/A17s0z/Metro20090513/resources/17.htm

TREASURE CHEST

Passengers on a Japan Airlines 747 plane were amazed when their flight was brought to an abrupt halt before take-off due to a transit box stuck in engine No 1.  The pilot was forced to a standstill only when police raced onto the runway and flagged him down.  Authorities at Los Angeles International Airport believe the container may have been sucked into the engine after being parked too close to the engine. 

Another curious coincidence since the magician in our tale stores all the Earth props used to perform his tricks in a large chest.  He laments that his attempts to persuade us to live better with Nature have failed. So who could blame him for resorting to desperate measures to stem our love affair with the plane?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=picE8ZvknpA

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

08/05/2009 by admin.

Newly discovered lyrics by the hand of the former Beatle, George Harrison have been put on display by the British Museum in the same gallery that houses the Magna Carta and Shakespeare’s First Folio.

The lyrics were found by Hunter Davies during research for a new edition of his official biography of The Beatles. Davies used to collect scraps of paper the Beatles threw to the floor of Abbey Road studios in London and keep them as souvenirs.  The lyrics read:

“I’m happy to say that its only a dream when I come across people like you,

 its only a dream and you make it obscene with the things that you think and you do.

Your so unaware of the pain that I bear and jealous for what you can’t do.

There’s times when I feel that you haven’t a hope but I also know that isn’t true.’

George wrote some of the most thoughtful and soothing Beatles songs including, For You Blue, Think for Yourself and Dark Horse. Ben’s favourite is ‘If I needed Someone’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvPLx4dWZxM&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q34 Have you ever restored something? | No Comments »

07/05/2009 by admin.

The opening senes of our novel record how Ben Whittingbury seemingly witnessed an imaginary arrow as if fired by Cupid’s bow.  In a cruel twist of fate we have no pleasure in recording how a hunter became the first woman to kill an elephant with a bow and arrow.  The hunter apparently slayed the animal for a bet. She had spent some 8 months building the strength to fire the hi-tech bow before travelling to Zimbabwe to hunt down an elephant from 12 yards. 

No photo of this from us since our project is very much anti-poaching, but we include the story in our watch because we believe the Cupid link is a reminder to love our Earth and the animals we share our planet with.  

Posted in Q71 Is there something missing in your life?, Q48 Have you ever played solitaire?, Q44 Is there anything worse than a fly at night?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »