29/10/2011 by admin.

This year’s X Factor talent contest apears cursed. 

The calamaties have come thick and fast:

• Claims by contestants that the X-Factor mansion is haunted.
• Goldie, one of the final 16 contestants, pulled out prior to the first show and had to be replaced by Sami Brooks
• In a sing-off, Sami’s mentor Louis Walsh decided to keep Kitty and Sami should leave the show. Sami then suggested Louis should be pensioned off!
• Complaints from viewers about the unreasonable number of adverts between performances
• Ratings have crashed - 2 million less than in 2010 
• Accusations and rumours of bulling amongst some contestants
• The girls’ band Rythmics had to change their name because it clashed with a children’s charity - they’re now called Little Mix
• Due to his faith Ashley Baptiste, member of The Risk, decided being in a boy band wasn’t for him and choose to leave the show. He’s been replaced by Ashford Campbell one of the members of NuVibe, with some arguing about the legality of this as NuVibe were voted off a couple of weeks ago.  
• The ‘Hex’ has even spread to the judging panel - with arguments breaking out with Kelly Rowland missing this weekend’s show due a ‘throat infection.’

Perhaps the Hex Factor is because humanity is falling to demonstrate to the Earth’s creator that we have what it takes to be its guardian. Our novel anticipated this - see the free opening sequel. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YPdeFknh34

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

06/10/2011 by admin.

X-Factor has come to Hertfordshire with the 16 finalists for the 2011 singing contest being housed in a luxury £6m mansion at Hertford Heath, Hobby Horse Wood, East Hertfordshire.  The contestents will stay in the mansion rented by ITV for the duration of the contest.

The hugely popular show attracts millions of viewers each weekend. We wish the contestents every success and look forward to watching the shows, especially as our novel based in East Hertfordshire asks the telling question of whether humanity has the X-Factor? Do we have what it takes to care for this planet or should we be voted off? The difference is that for us and the animals we share Earth with they’ll be no phone vote, texting or judges decisions. Mother Nature will make the decision on whether we stay or go. How exciting.

And, in a telling twist the contestents claim the mansion is haunted, even though its brand new. Strange occurances have been keeping them awake at night. Spooky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CGy3obdoU

Posted in Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

16/05/2011 by admin.

A new and long-awaited movie by Terence Malick has been launched at the Cannes film festival. It’s called The Tree of Life and stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. It’s one of the most talked about films at the festival. A short trailer features mysterious cosmic images alongside scenes from 1950’s Texas in America. It offers amazing imagery of the dawn of time and explores ideas and questions about our place in the world.

We’re intriqued by the movie as the Tree of Life is a key part of our story. The Tree of Life is evident in a number of religions throughout the world, including in Nordic myth where the tree is called Yggdrasil. Essentially, what we (humanity) give through our deeds influences our destiny. The timing is key as we’re busy robbing oursleves of all the natural beauty in the world. Here’s the trailer:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLPe0fHuZsc

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q67 Have you ever decorated a tree?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

23/02/2011 by admin.

I was at a sustainable development conference in London today.  It was fabulous to see so many committed people from an array of backgrounds, experiences and expertise come together to explore issues.

The coalition government for England and Wales claim to be the ‘greenest government ever’ using the Big Society idea to stimulate partnerships at local level to ensure communities work together towards common environmental goals and solutions.  It was pity then that a government minister wasn’t at the event to reaffirm that commitment. However, this was more than compensated by presentations and panel discussions involving senior representatives from a number of key organisations including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Future’s Forum. The event was sponsored by British Gas and it was surprising to learn of their environmental care initiatives, including a £2m scheme called Green Street. Though serious questions remain on whether their actions go far enough given the extent of their record breaking £2billion annual profits just announced. We also witnessed presentations from companies doing retro-fit on buildings.

Having reflected on the day one of the challenges on sustainable development may be the term itself.  It may work for practictioners, Radio 4 listeners, Newsnight viewers and readers of the quality press but will it enthuse and engage the wider community?  It’s a confusing, clumsy, limiting and arguably overly positive term.  It suggests ‘business as usual’ to many with a bit of tweaking here and there. We need a more viable and sexy alternative expression. If you want to be understood speak in the language of your audience.

Here’s a story about stuff which underpins challenges on sustainability…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM&feature=related

So western society as a whole is ‘making hay whilst the sun shines’ and had been doing so since the 1950s.  We’re programmed to consume and aspire to levels of wealth, possessions, comfort and experiences.  We want to see a new form of Haymaking - where people are empowered to live sustainably in partnership with nature led by businesses demonstrating genuine transparent corporate responsibility. 

Being a Haymaker also means reconnecting with Nature. Remember the passion of the people in protecting our woodlands made the government U turn? Maybe we should do more to harness that passion to redirect it to the wider environmental cause. This is part of our vision to make people happy.

Posted in Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q17 Can you speak another language?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

26/12/2010 by admin.

Today’s media are reporting a shopping frenzy in Britain with ‘phenomenal’ trading at shopping centres as people rush to grab their bargains. Here’s some of the headlines:

“It’s difficult to get into the shops because of the sheer number of people”

“People were screaming with relief when the doors opened”

“Millions of shoppers have spent hundreds of millions of pounds”

The hunt for bargains was driven by huge discounts and the prospect of a 2% increase in VAT.  The whole jamboree has been described as Good News by the press. 

But there’s another side to this coin. The Haymakers Survey is named thus partly because of the boxer Bill Richmond. He features in our story as the fighter who teaches Charles Lamb to toughen up to prepare for the challenges ahead. A Haymaker is another term for a boxer.  Our tale also has a scene of a traditional Boxing Day hunt. There is no fox. The target is Mother Nature and she reveals how the eco-system of planet earth is on the brink.  We cannot continue to live in this shallow unsustainable fashion - consuming mass produced throw away goods like there’s no tomorrow. Well people - as the Duke of Wellington states clearly at the Boxing Day hunt (page 356). “When Mother Nature calls I must answer.”

Are we ready to do the same?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3vTBiOsSGY

Posted in Q71 Is there something missing in your life?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

18/05/2010 by admin.

President Obama today announced an enquiry into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  The developing environmental consequences of the giant oil leak have been in the media spotlight for some time. Between 5,000 -10,000 barrels of crude oil per day have been gushing out of the underwater oil leak since 20 April after the Deepwater Horizon rig sank.  There are a range of ongoing efforts to contain the leak and attempts at reassurance from British Petroleum.  There’s now talk of litigation.

If we think about it the oil slick is a consequence of the world’s love affair with oil as a power source. The incident reminds us that this love affair carries risks beyond carbon emissions and arguably war to secure access to the resource. Curious then that a person named Mr HAYWARD is the Chief Executive at BP and that the incident took place in the Gulf of Mexico (which raises the X Factor poser once more).  

Teams of volunteers are working to help save local wildlife. Laudible but odd if we think about it as we (humanity) destroy nature bit by bit, sometimes unwittingly, then try to save her! This is the underpinning message in the Secret Inheritance. We need a new dawn!

It’s chaos really. Time for the Beatles Octopus’ Garden.

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

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q74 Do you like puzzles?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

02/02/2010 by admin.

Our regulars will know of the significance in Charles Lamb’s journal of white/albino animals and the role of hearts in illustrating the value of Love, Art and Nature.  Well, surprise surprise there’s a white whale in Polar land China that has been trained to blow heart shaped bubbles.  Interesting…

Here’s a video of the whales blowing bubbles and doing other tricks…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAUleX5h8A

But there’s a dark side to this. Should such majestic creatures be confined to a tank for human entertainment? You decide!

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

Posted in Q77 Do you get bored easily?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q71 Is there something missing in your life?, Q17 Can you speak another language?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

10/12/2009 by admin.

An albino hedgehog named Snowball has been put on a diet and exercise machine at St Tiggywinkles hospital in Aylesbury. The spiney creature tipped the scales at 3 times its normal weight after feasting on dog food before it was rescued. 

Only 1 in 10,000 hedgehogs is born albino so is this a subtle way for Mother Nature to alert us that food is a scarce and much valued resource and that over-eating is contributing to environmental chaos, especially as the world’s human population continues to grow apace.

**** Do you love Hedgehogs is one of the most popular questions on my website. Thanks for visiting. You would make my day if you click on  ‘Hello from Chrissie’ http://watch.thehaymakerssurvey.com/events-hertford-castle-and-others/ before you go ****

Posted in Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

07/12/2009 by admin.

Our story tells how Sarah likes to play with our hamster, Dixie; putting him inside his plastic ball whilst she tried in vain to win at cards! There’s a lot of symbolism behind this event. The hamster running in his ball is meant to illustrate how human society is organised - we toil in the hope of improving our lives cocooned by modern comforts to protect us and enhance our existence, when all the while we are gambling with our future, living in an unsustainable consumerist way that is exhausting the world’s finite resources and polluting the planet in the process.

How amusing then that this year’s must have toy for Christmas is the ‘G0-Go Hamster’ and that smart electronic hamster is now subject to a toxic warning from an independent consumer group.  The manufacturers refute the claims arguing that the toy has passed themost rigourous testing for health and safety. All the same, another curious oddity linked to The Haymakers Survey.  As the video below explains we have a message for those in Copenhagen, ‘Change the world its no big deal’.

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

Posted in Q77 Do you get bored easily?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q48 Have you ever played solitaire?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

02/11/2009 by admin.

Our readers will know all about how our novel poses the question - “do we have the X factor?” That is do we (humanity) have what it takes to preserve our natural world or are we simply too selfish and greedy a species to merit our position as alpha species for very much longer?  Well we’ve seen a number of examples on this Watch of events linked to this point (just enter X factor in the search function below). 

Today we have another example to reveal: at the heart of arguably one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets a giant X has appeared in the road. Its a new pedestrian crossing at Oxford Circus based on designs from Tokyo which allows people to cross diagonally as well as straight across. 

So in these hey days of consumption we wonder whether the large X at the centre of a shoppers paradise is in reality a poser for humanity! 

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »