26/09/2008 by admin.

The magician and illusionist, David Blaine, has completed a daring 3 day stunt in which hung upside down in New York’s Central Park.  Medics had warned him about the potential serious effects to his body, but he pressed ahead with the performance regardless.  

Trouble is it seems most people have not been that impressed by his attempt to turn the world upside down for 60 hours, arguing that he ‘cheated’  by taking regular breaks to respond to the call of Nature.  For ten minutes at a time, he would stand upright on a platform to take in water, relieve himself and have medical checks.   Sadly these fundamental needs have led some critics to give him a hard time - with even some booing from the audience.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTcYa71zwfg

So the magicians efforts to look at the world from a new perspective were largely unappreciated - many promoting and working for the environmental cause know how that feels!  

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

14/08/2008 by admin.

Another relevant annivesary - this time it’s 100 years since Mills and Boon published their first novel. 

Famed for romantic fiction, their books are sold in 106 countries and translated into 26 languages.  They have over 3 million readers in the UK annually. Their exoctic escapist stories typically feature a tall, dark and handsome type who sweeps a cream-and roses heroine off her feet.   The stories inevitably have happy endings!  Charles Lamb would surely salute them as they celebrate their centenary, given his passion for love, art and nature.  Celebrate if you will…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SELp8xfbzJQ

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | 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 »

30/05/2008 by admin.

Paddington Bear is celebrating his 50th anniversary today.  Here’s a picture of the famed stowaway bear from Peru discovered by the Brown’s at a railway station in West London.  They found him craving a better life at platform 8 and had the good heart to take him in and ‘look after the bear’.

As you can discover from the video below, Paddington emigrated on the advice of his dear old Aunt Lucy!

 http://www.truveo.com/Paddington-Bear-Please-look-after-this-bear/id/1035976138

As our story explains, Malachi was pleased he wasn’t called Paddington as he felt he’d have to wear Wellingon boots, but he secretly has much love for the mischevious bear!

How curious then that the Brazilian national Indian Foundation today released amazing picture of an uncontacted tribe on its border with Peru.  The Brazilian government says it wants to help protect the tribe’s land from illegal logging.  They are designed to prove those who doubted the tribe’s existence wrong.  More than half the world’s uncontacted 100 tribes live in Brazil and Peru.  Take a look at these warriors reacting to the plane… didn’t cupid draw back his bow in our story? Does this mean humanity should live in better harmony with nature?

Let’s ask Amy Winehouse. Does she think that’s right? Here’s a video aired on BBC Three

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymcPoYo8S20

Oh… an anagram of AMY WINEHOUSE is  HAY IN ME HOUSE.  In April, Amy won 5 Grammy awards at the biggest night in the rock and pop calendar.  The star celebrated by visiting her husband, Blake Civil-Fielder, in Pentonville Prison.  She dedicated her awards to her imprisoned husband and London’s blaze hit Camden Market, expressing sadness as the fire destroyed her favourite pub amongst other buildings.

Posted in Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? FREE CHRISTMAS PRIZE DRAW!, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

17/04/2008 by admin.

African pygmy hedgehogs have joined the list of Britain’s most sought after pets. They are just as cute as a hamster or a guinea pig but have that added ‘wow’ factor.  Brighter in colour than their wild cousins, they are a cross between Algerian and white-bellied hedgehogs. First bred in captivity the USA about 10 years ago, they are now being sold in Britain for up to £150 each.  One breeder has a long waiting list and people prepared to travel hundreds of miles to pick one up.  However, the Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital are concerned about the trend, arguing that hedgehogs belong in the wild and don’t make good pets.   Whatever, your view - We love hedgehogs!

Posted in Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

14/04/2008 by admin.

Research by the National trust shows that global warming is already bringing a huge amount of change to the British coast.  Increased flooding and erosion will force some species away from their habitats - but others may be attracted by the higher temperatures.  Rising sea levels could drown freshwater pools and isolate mud flats and marshes, forcing wading birds and terns out of their homes.  Shingle beaches used by grey seals to raise their pups could be isolated.

World food prices have become so high that hundreds of thousands of people in a large set of countries could starve, warned the head of the International Monetary Fund.  The rising costs of basic crops, such as wheat and and rice, are a global problem, reaching record levels.  Poor harvests and a shift to crops for biofuels are being blamed for the peak.

Meanwhile, NASA has released new stunning images of Phobos - one of Mars’ moons! Readers may recall that Ben speculated on the presence of Mars and its moons on the night Malachi unearthed Lucy’s locket! Creepy? 

Posted in Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q28 Have you ever lived in poverty?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

13/04/2008 by admin.

As recorded in our Watch from last year, the 2007 London Marathon was run in record heat.  This year the weather was much kinder to the runners and helped many to achieve personal bests.  The winner, Kenya’s Martin Lel, broke the course record - completing the 26 miles 386 yards in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 15 seconds. 

We love this event - it captures the very best of human nature with over 30,000 runners, many of whom were raising funds for charity.   Last year,  we likened participation in the event to the need for humans to rise to the challenges of responding to the needs of Mother Nature.  The same qualities are required - generosity of spirit, determination, self-sacrifice, unity, courage and hope.  It comes as no surprise to us that so many records were broken.  The message is clear - we need to act fast to preserve our natural world.  Even the event sponsors carry a heart logo.

The course also takes in some significant landmarks in ’The Haymakers Survey’ - the Cutty Sark and Big Ben; even Admiral Nelson from his elevated vantage point can probably catch sight of the participants.  Hats off to all the runners! Oh, by the way, Ben Whittingbury has commited to running next years event! Go Ben!

Posted in Q61 Have you ever worn fancy dress?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

05/04/2008 by admin.

It’s been more than 20 years since Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” topped the charts, but it is once again proving popular thanks to  to the phenomenon known as “RickRolling.

It began around March 2007, when bloggers and online social networkers started casually linking to the song’s video via YouTube. RickRolling was a psych-out for readers who would click on tantalizing hyperlinks, only to fall prey to a young Astley’s blonde bouffant and lively dance moves.  On April Fools’ Day, YouTube RickRolled users by linking to the video on all of its home-page features. The video was viewed 6.6 million times in one day!

So, what’s this got to do with ‘The Haymakers Survey?” Well, Caleb Hitch always thought the popstar was called Rick Ashley an anagram of which is HAY SICKLER and the lyrics from the song so capture Charles’ feelings for Lucy.  Fear not Mother Nature - We’re Never Gonna Give You Up! Here’s the link. Be warned, some of the comments contain foul language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

Posted in Q59 Do you like surprises?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head? | No Comments »

31/03/2008 by admin.

A French group set up a 100-strong ‘kissing chain’ in New York’s Union Square over the weekend, in an attempt to set a new world record.Organised by the Institute Bonne Heure, the kissing chain - which saw each person in the line kiss each of their neighbours - was intended to “spread happiness and freedom”, according to one participant.  The group’s attempt has yet to be verified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

A delightful lamb with extremely rare panda markings has been born on Trew farm in Cornwall, the product of a black Jacob ewe and a white Texel ram.  Farmer, Stephen Bate said: “It’s extremely unusual. We’ve seen lambs with markings, but never like this.”

The Panda is, of course, an endangered species and was adopted in the 1960s as the logo of the World Wide Fund for Nature.  Curious this given Charles Lamb’s wish to be an ambassador for Mother Nature, and our own encounter with someone named Peter Scott, founder of the WWF and designer of the logo.

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q22 Do you love our Earth? FREE CHRISTMAS PRIZE DRAW!, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

27/12/2007 by admin.

A notebook belonging to the romantic poet, Lord Byron, has been discovered in the National Archives.  Dating from 1809, the handwritten leather-bound phrasebook is filled with expressions of love in Greek! It contains phrases of ‘Familiar Dialogue’ as Bryon described it, into headings such as ‘Tender Expressions of Love’ where he listed Greek expressions for ‘My Heart!’ and ‘My Love!’  Byron was fascinated by languages and learnt several.  Lord Byron was the most influential poet of his day and adored by women.  Pity he wasn’t represented at the Blakesware Set.

Another Christmas miracle - this time involving a 2 year old girl called Teagan Gislason from Minnosota in the USA. She was playing during a church service when she found a screwdriver. She tripped and lodged it in her skull, stabbing herself in the eye. However, doctors were able to remove the screwdriver without surgery and Teagan is expected to make a full recovery. The girl’s father believed she was saved for reason and ‘can’t wait to see what that reason is!”

Posted in Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q17 Can you speak another language? | No Comments »