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Archive for 17/09/2009

Jack O’ Legs

To help mark the launch of the 2010 Guiness Book of Records, Sultan Kosen, the world’s newly crowned tallest man is visiting London from Turkey. He is 8 feet tall and has the world’s largest hands and feet.  Beneath the shadow of Big Ben, Sultan says he came to find Love.

sultan-kosen.jpg

Congratulations Sultan and best of luck with your endeavour. We’re most interested in our appearance because in our novel (page 76) we mention that heavy rhythmic thuds echoing across the fields of Hertfordshire could be down to Jack O’ Legs, a Weston Giant and Hertfordshire Legend, marching across the countryside. 

 jack-o-legs.jpg

In fact the thuds were due to Sarah and Julia using an old single-axis cart as a make shift see-saw.  A game that led Malachi to say, “Life is full of ups and down’s - the trick is to keep everything in balance”, which was all about living in harmony with nature.

Natural History Museum

Page 184 of our novel recalls a discussion in the White Horse pub about Ben’s role as Earth Champion. Our anti-hero, Bill Darvill teases Ben and belittles the threat posed by climate change,

“I don’t get all this fuss about the polar bear. If the ice is melting in the Arctic then why not ship them south to the Antarctic.” In response Jonas Fosbrooke defends Ben saying, “Or to a greatly expanded Museum of Natural History… alongside the Dodo… and the countless others on the endangered list.”

So it comes as no surprise to us that the Museum has expanded - with Prince William opening a new £78m Darwin centre known as the cocoon - housing 17 million insect specimens and 3 million plant specimens. 

 darwin-centre-cocoon.jpg

The centre also hosts a Climate Change Wall, which educates the public about the subject.  Yet more coincidences to serve as timely reminders on the need to preserve our living planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNhwLe8hSfQ

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