09/01/2012 by admin.

Another example of an iconic animal making a point on behalf of The Haymakers Survey. The latest involves a gorilla  at a zoo in France adopting a pose similar to Rodin’s The Thinker. 

The images were captured by the photographer Sophie Narses and shows the majestic ape appearing to be deep in thought.  A curious coincidence as in our novel Rodin’s The Thinker prompted Ben Whittenbury to first put together the questions in The Haymakers Survey.

Following on the heals of Sofia’s experience with Malik the lion (see 7 January post) we seem to be directed to the Norwegian philosophical novel Sophie’s World, which posed a series of questions designed to provoke thought about our place in this world - sound familiar?  This clip has a message for all the sceptics who humbug this project…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpvKzodPg3k

Posted in Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q74 Do you like puzzles?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q32 Are you afraid of the dark?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics? | No Comments »

23/09/2011 by admin.

Scientists at Cern are baffled by ‘crazy’ results that appear to show subatomic neutrinos moving faster than the speed of light - widely held to be the Universe’s ultimate speed limit. If the results of their ‘routine’ experiments are vindicated then the implications for the world of science are immense. It pulls the rug from beneath the feet of modern physics which is based on nothing being able to exceed the speed of light. Try as they  might scientists are unable to explain what is happening, after 15,000 batches of neutrinos have produced the statistically significantly confirmation.

We’re just loving this potential earthquake in the world of physics - as we envisaged through our question in this survey first posed some three years ago now. Perhaps this vindicates our view that there’s a deep magic to The Haymakers Survey. What say the rational minds and doubters now?

Special Relativity? Einstien-a-go-go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weJeiN8IVTg

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

23/08/2011 by admin.

Earthquakes are rare in the Eastern part of the United States. How interesting then that a 5.8 magnitude quake has struck the US state of Virginia. The epicentre was in Louisa County close to Richmond. The quake was felt in about 12 US states and damaged national monuments in Washington DC. Thankfully though the quake caused more alarm than damage or serious injury.

The Eastern states of America play a very significant part in our novel and in Charles Lamb’s journal. We’re especially struck that the quke occured close to Richmond because of the part played by Bill Richmond - uncrowned boxing champion from the 1820s - in the compiling of The Haymaker’s Survey by the Blakesware Set. Charles Lamb’s journal tellls how Bill was dubbed the Haymaker by the Duke of Wellington.

Marvellous - what will Mother Nature do next to show the deep magic of The Haymaker’s Survey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZxNkS0w5g8&feature=related

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

22/12/2010 by admin.

On page 316 of our story dated 21 December 1822 Charles Lamb describes the winter solstice as “an unnerving and foreboding date” whilst introducing the arrival of many of his distinguished guests to Blakesware Hall, including William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. He mentions how Blakesware’s foundations shake with glee at their arrival. Adding, “Bring the Doubting Thomases to the door - those who said it would never happen”.  They talk about releasing a deep magic on the world.

Curious then that on yesterday’s winter solstice at about eleven in the evening an earthquake measuring 3.6 hit Cumbria, The epi-centre was the Lake District home for many years to William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge.  Nobody was injured but it was an alarming experience for many with Christmas trees shaking in their tubs.

There’s more! Page 186 of our story recounts Ben Whittenbury’s errie walk home in the snow on a 21st century winter solstice. Its a starlit night with a full moon. He carried an empty peanuts bag wrapper and was singing “Blue Moon”.  He checks his watch - it reads almost midnight (before GMT time adjusted it would be about eleven).  A disturbing supernatural encounter with Charles Lamb and Queen Caroline - they bring a clear WARNING left on a Peanut wrapper for humanity that time is nearly past to save Lucy Ebbs, Mother Nature personified. We are on a path of self-destruction.

So, with some trepidation we report the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the winter solstice in nearly 400 years. Not a blue moon but a one in coppery shadow, beautifully caught on camera.

Now the sting in the tale, which we report relunctantly - Bill Darvill pointed out that a ghastly inhuman individual who we refuse to name once described himself as ‘Peanut’ to an acquaintance. The person was rightly sentenced to life imprisonment for his henious crimes yesterday.  

Combined do these events amount to a WARNING?

Posted in Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q32 Are you afraid of the dark?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost? | No Comments »

04/08/2010 by admin.

On 1 August we launched online the second novel in The Haymakers Survey trilogy. It’s called ‘Uncle John’s Notebook - Earth Story’. http://watchthehaymakerssurvey.co.uk/ 

We’re tickled by a curious coincidence. On the same day a rare solar storm occured.

The event was witnessed by astronomers worldwide. A huge flare burst out above a sunspot the size of the Earth.  The explosion caused a coronal mass ejection aimed directly at this planet. Experts said the CME would hit the Earth around 3 and 4 August sparking spectacular displays of the aurora.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_4HVKrzsbs

Dr Lucie Green of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory has been following the flare-ups. She said, “What wonderful fireworks the Sun has been producing”.  Maybe Mother Nature is celebrating the launch of the online serialisation of our second novel?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

05/03/2010 by admin.

Today is World Book Day and as if by magic a few people have asked me when the sequel might be ready - which is nice and reassuring. If I’m honest it’s a little way off just yet but in the meantime I’ve been prompted by several subscribers to honour the day in some way as the book’s all about helping to preserve our fragile world.

Well I put my thinking cap on and realised that in Charles Lamb’s journal Lucy Ebbs (Mother Nature personified) refers to the Earth moving (page number to follow) which is odd as the recent Earthquake’s we’ve seen all seem linked to The Haymakers Survey.  Elsewhere on our Watch we’ve already mentioned the devastating Haiti quake (sounds like Hayti).  Whilst the quake in Chile on 27 February was so powerful at 8.8 on the Richter scale that a NASA scientist has reported that the quake has literally knocked the Earth’s axis and shortened the length of each Earth day by 1.26 microseconds - uncanny that it should happen in Chile given the references to the Arctic in the novel, but more significantly we have two references in the book to the Axis Mundi - on which all things turn! (page refs to follow).

If that’s not sufficient to feed our curiousity - we have the Eureka moment. On January 9 2010 there was a quake of 6.5m in the Pacific ocean with an epicentre 33 miles west of the nearest major city of Eureka. No significant damage was reported but the amusing thing is that when the Blakesware Set gathered and thought up the Haymakers Survey questions when Malthus cried ‘Eureka’ in celebration (page 345 and on the Journal sample on the main site).

We speculate -is planet Earth protecsting against our behaviour? Our live to work, work to earn, earn to consume life style that is so stressful to many, futile and belittling to our species and threatens to destory the delicate eco-system of life on Earth. Behaviour which some argue undermines what humanity is really about. Mmm it make me wonder… let’s show our true colours… they are beautiful like the rainbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbZDjnWtK1A

Posted in Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

04/02/2010 by admin.

A strange object has been seen whizzing through space. Nasa have called it P/2010 A2. It was spotted between Mars and Jupiter in the Asteroidial Main belt by the Hubble telescope just last week. The object - presumably a comet or meteor or asteriod collision - has a bizarre X- shaped tail, unlike anything ever seen in space before. Fortunately, the object is over 90 million miles away, so no cause for alarm.

Scientists are calling the debate about the object ‘The Curious Case of Comet Linear’ It’s another example linked to our poser in the early part of our novel (see sample) ‘Does humanity have the X factor?’ Perhaps this is a poignant reminder to act to preserve our natural world?

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q14 Do you believe your stars? | No Comments »

10/11/2009 by admin.

In Brazil some are blaming an intense concentration of lightening, rain and wind near Itaipu for triggering a huge blackout - possible the world’s worst ever - which covered half of the country. Some 800 cities were without power for around 3 hours, including Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo.  Power supplies have been a sensitive issue in Brazil since blackout in 2001 and 2002 affected large parts of the country - although nothing on this scale. In response Brazil has invested millions in improving the electricity infrastructure which has prompted many to seek answers about the blackout - with a potential cause being the failure of 3 high-tension transmission lines.

Well, how about our explanation for the massive and mysterious blackout - Mother Nature has intervened to warn us in the run up to COP 15 that we need to change our ways! Why are we so confident - simples! Our novel includes an account of how an intense storm caused a blackout at Keeper’s Cottage, which prompts Ben Whittenbury to ponder life prior to the industrial revolution and the value of a life lead in harmony with Nature, exemplified by The Haymakers painting by George stubbs.  And, what better place to host a blackout than in Brazil - home of the Amazon Rainforest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd7aWWTnrAc

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q32 Are you afraid of the dark?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

14/09/2009 by admin.

Our readers will know all about the intriguing but alarming notes from the future left to us by the Magician in Tomorrow’s World - 2100 to be precise.  How curious then that the BBC Archive website has launched a new section dedicated to its programme ‘Tomorrow’s World’.  The BBC’s flagship science programme began in 1965 and ran for some 40 years.

Here’s the link to the website…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/tomorrowsworld/

Posted in Q47 Do you know your history?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics? | No Comments »

09/09/2009 by admin.

In a live TV event magician Derren Brown successfully predicted the six numbers for the UK National Lottery.  The numbers predicted were 2, 11, 23, 28, 35 and 39. Let’s see what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmxua_V1AcM

Whatever artistry was involved its curious that this event should have occured during the Watch since Charles Lamb’s journal records two incidents of a magician predicting double numbers correctly. Whilst our very own Sarah witnessed numbers being predicted by a magician (page 154) prior to offering her questions for The Haymakers Survey, including double one - Snakes Eyes - which could be number 2 or 11 depending on how you look at things.

We also smiled because number 39 came up: Q39 is ‘Do You Believe in Magic?’ What were the odds? We have to ask who is the real magician? LOL!  This leaves 23, 28 and 35. Q23 about the laws of physics - probability?  Q28 about poverty, which is why many people do the National Lottery and Q35 about trusting instincts. So, do you believe the trick was real or fake?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q28 Have you ever lived in poverty?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »