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Archive for 16/09/2009

Chicken Licken

A former employee of ASDA supermarket in Preston has been caught on camera doing some instore raw ‘chicken licking’ amongst other things.  There was also an appearance on the X-Factor by the Lickin’ Chicken, including a search for keys!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnK3QiIw4n4

We have our own take on these incidents! Number 26 in Caleb’s footnotes at the rear of our novel explains the fable of Chicken Licken and the phrase ‘The sky is falling in’.  He reminded us that the phrase is commonly used to indicate a hysterical or mistaken believe that disaster is imminent. The footnote refers to mention in Charles Lamb’s journal (page 296) extract:

…Lucy stopped in her tracks and cried, “The sky is falling in. The Sky is falling in!”  “The rush to tell the king,” I (Charles) said in jest.  An acorn had fallen from a nearby oak and hit her on top of her head. “Oh woe is me,” she mumbled, feinging serious injury - duping me into her arms. “Lucy Ebbs what ails thee?” The acorn was beneath her feet. She picked it up. “We fear the curse of the dark Satanic Mills’ she said.

Later when the Blakesware Set have come together (page 338) the Duke of Wellington comments on the pessimism, “Next you’ll be telling me the sky is falling in.”  The Duke was playing the role of Devil’s Advocate and was later persuaded by the  members’ arguments and need for action.

We see this tension taking place worldwide - with people on the one hand campaigning for change and tacking action with others dismissing the arguments and many more caught up in the middle - either disinterested, unengaged or unclear on what it all really means.  Those who deny the threat often recite the fable…

chicken-licken.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T2Yrt2gU7A&feature=related

We happen to think the Chicken Lickin incidents are timely given news from some of the world’s leading geologists gathering today for in London a conference warning of potential catastrophic consequences of rapid climate change, including Tsunami’s, avalanches and volcanic eruptions.  Its significant as many people will simply dismiss the warnings as empty threats. We say the coincidence of the Chicken Licken’ episodes are just another example that we ignore the risks at our peril. As we ask early on in our novel ‘Do we have the X-Factor?’ - See our opening extract.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Climate-Change-Geologists-Warn-Of-Natural-Catastrophes-Including-Tsunamis-Avalanches-And-Volcanic-Eruptions/Video/200909315381672

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