09/11/2009 by admin.

Our readers may recall several mentions in our story to ‘five minutes to twelve’ and the significance of the albatross as a symbolic reminder of hope in a time of environmental challenges.  The 5 to 12 references highlight the Doomsday Clock being moved forward in 2007 by two minutes from 7 to 12 because of the threat posed by climate change.  The clock measures the degree of nuclear, environmental and technological threats to mankind. The closer to midnight the closer to a global disaster.

With all this in mind we have another timely reminder on the need for action as the world awaits the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December. Put bluntly, Dr Cleo Small, an albatross expert speaking on behalf of the RSPB and Birdlife International has warned that an albatross is killed every FIVE minutes by the fishing industry.  The number of albatrosses on South Georgia has slumped by 50% since the 1960s due to fishing habits yet simple solutions are at hand which reduce the risks of the birds becoming tangled in nets. 

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

09/09/2009 by admin.

Usain Bolt recently set a new sprint record for the 100 and 200 metres, but Sarah the Cheetah has knocked spots of his time. She ran the 100m in 6.13 seconds, breaking the previous record set by a captive mammal in 2001 - and a good 3 seconds faster than the world’s fastest man.  Chasing a toy the cheetah hit 60mph. Cathryn Hilker, set up the trial at Cincinnati Zoo in the US said, “She made three attempts and smashed the record on the second run, so there’s one big cat we should be proud of.” 

Cathryn believes that Sarah’s feat has helped draw attention to the species’ endangered numbers, with the population falling from 100,000 in 1900 to one-tenth that number today, due to lack of habitat.  What can we say: Sarah was fascinated by the recordbreaking cheetah, especially as when playing Solitaire the challenging way - by suit and turning ever third card, but try as she might she couldn’t win.  Still she perserved (page 104) since Julia preached, ”If you succeed against the odds its much more fun.” So, Sarah refused to CHEAT! She believed in herself that she would win. 

May we politely suggest that united we hold the Ace - as Sarah the Cheetah demonstrated - against the odds we need to Rush Save Her Earth!

This is a must Watch…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-za0uk158FE

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q48 Have you ever played solitaire?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

26/08/2009 by admin.

Today Climate Camp 2009 was revealed as Blackheath, a whisker away from Greenwich, London. The venue was chosen as the organisers wanted to camp in clear sight of the London City Skyline. Around 1,000 have set up camp for a peaceful week to help educate, raise awareness, challenge current strategies and explore solutions to the unfolding climate chaos.

Aside from the symbolism, we’re most curious about the chosen venue - Blackheath! One popular but incorrect theory is that the heath’s name derives from its use as a burial ground for the London based victims of the Black Death plague.  It was also associated with the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381.  The Greenwich Prime Meridian - the home of time - runs along the west side of Blackheath! Our readers will be aware that these 3 themes (potential climate change induced disease, a peoples uprising and the Greenwich Meridian) are all features of our novel.

But the creme-de-le-creme is that Caroline Brunswick, married to the Prince Regent, was banished in 1799 to a private residence in Blackheath.  As our novel reveals, the banished queen appeared before Ben Whittenbury and Charles Lamb as part of an extraordinary brief encounter that suggested a royal command from Mother Nature, “Forget me Not!”  Don’t just take our word for it - read the novel and see the truth for yourself!

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

31/05/2009 by admin.

Today we celebrate the 150th anniversary since the Great Clock itself began ticking on 31 May 1859. The name Big Ben applies to the famous bell itself, whose chimes were heard for the first time on 11 July in 1859.  Another significant anniversary - this one linked to time.  Our readers will recall how the bell tolls at the start of our novel to indicate that time is running out to save Mother Nature from the unfortunate repentant Lady in Grey.

Turn the volume down…

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

Posted in Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

16/03/2009 by admin.

HRH Prince Charles, our revered ambassador for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest has journeyed to the region to witness the dramatic impact of deforestation and seek solutions for preserving it.  The Prince of Wales made clear that he was visiting to ‘listen and learn’ and not present solutions to local people and politicians. 

Charles’ joy at seeing the beauty and sheer size of the forest first hand was tinged with sadness that some 15% of the Brazilian Amazon had been subject to deforestation with illegal logging gangs a growing problem.  An area the size of London has been lost in the last 3 months. Maybe the demise somehow led the Prince to a spontaneous waltz with some local tribes people.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPN-L2KfNN4

Was he unwittingly replicating the scene in our story where Mother Nature uses dance - Julia and Ben in a hypnotic Waltz - to illustrate the plight of our natural world? We’ll let you be the judge of that - but remember Malachi our messenger refered to the Prince of Wales’ feathers and the words ‘Ich Dien’ German for ‘I serve’.

A lesson for us all? Did not the Prince recently warn that the world has less than 100 months to save the planet from irreversible damage? The clock is ticking!

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

11/03/2009 by admin.

A spectacular new ‘Dracula fish’ has been discovered in Burma. Its the only species of carp-like fish to have ‘teeth’ - bones that project through its mouth to look like fangs.  Scientists were surprised at the discovery since none of the 3,700 varieties in the Cypriniform group have teeth. The fishes colourness and almost translucent appearance adds to its errieness. Relax - it seems the fish do not use the bones to suck blood, but to spar with other males. Still, the discovery amused Sarah given her prank with the straws in our story where she pretends to be a vampire to ward off Bill Darvill.  Here’s the fish with the fangs alongside.

RAT PLAGUE

Meanwhile, Britain’s rat population is booming with councils receiving some half a million complaints last year.  One of the worst places hit is Flamborough in East Yorkshire, which is experiencing a plague of rats running wild.  People living in the area say they have seen hundreds of them carpeting the streets, especially to the north of the village.  Curious given Malachi’s odd post of fate using the proverb “The cat, the rat and Lovell the dog rule all England under a hog.” What’s more, the letters forming FLAMBOROUGH EAST YORKSHIRE include the word HAYMAKERS!

So much for the Rat Race! Let’s have some rat rapping…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb4Sf-EuPXk

SPEEDING UP THE GREEN MAN

The Green Man, an icon for pedestrians across Britain, may be joined by a Countdown Clock as part of plans to help with traffic congestion in London. If London Mayor Boris Johnson gets his way pedestrians crossing from oneside of the road to another will have to do so against the clock.  Under the proposals the crossing time for some Londoners will be reduced by 6 seconds, surrendering priority to cars and putting the elderly and disabled at greater risk.  Tony Armstrong from the Living Streets campaign says “we’ve designed people out of the environment.”  Ironically, this could be a covert message “speed up green man and address the urgent environmental challenges now.”  Do we have the X Factor?

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

06/03/2009 by admin.

The date 03:06:09 (US date line) brings the release in the UK of the superhero film ‘Watchmen’ adapted from the 1980s comic book series. 

How ironic? Let’s take a closer look at the characters:

• We’re particularly amused by the hero called the Comedian as he wears a Smiley badge!’
• Whilst another, Rorschach, is disguised in a mask similar to that used by our Magician.
• Dr Manhatten has the ability to manipulate time and space - features in our story.
• Silk Spectre was haunted by ghosts - another trait in our tale.
• NightOwl - which is strange given the role of the owl in helping to unleash our magic; and
• Ozymandis - the smartest man in the World: Celeb Hitch would have something to say about that!

Maybe our famous five will one day command a similar level of adulation? LOL!

THE FAT DUCK

Since January, some 400 diners at The Fat Duck restaurant run by top chef Heston Blumenthal in Bray, Berkshire, have fallen ill leading to the temporary closer of the world-renowed venue.   The Fat Duck was named the best restaurant in the world in 2005 and in second place since then in an annual poll if international chefs and critics.  The Health Protection Agency are working closely with the restaurant and the borough’s health team, but the cause of the outbreak is currently a mystery.

We have a potential explanation.  Our novel records how debates about the threats about climate change and global warming take place in the White Horse beneath the sign, ‘Duck or Grouse’.  One such outcome is the increased risk of disease and famine.  Perhaps this explains why the letters within the words BLUMENTHAL, BRAY and BERKSHIRE include the words HAYMAKERS TRUTH.  

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

24/02/2009 by admin.

As predicted in our tale, the White Rabbit has been pulled from the magician’s hat - in Northgate, Kent to be precise.  In the Garden of England a giant runaway rabbit was spotted in the middle of a busy road in Canterbury in the early hours of Sunday.  Pcs Matt Jackson and Yasmin Mossadegh spotted the animal yet only managed to capture the rabbit when ‘kind hearted and pet-loving’ members of the public came to the officers assistance - with ten pairs of hands required to end the rabbit’s time on the run.  The rabbit - named Tiny by his saviours - was taken to the Barton hospital in Canterbury for collection by the RSPCA.

So we have a majestic white rabbit safely in the hands of the animal rescue and welfare charity established by William Wilberforce, a key member of the Blakesware Set, captured by many hands as our tale also predicted (many hands make for light work).  Another curiosity is that the letters which make up the names JACKSON, MOSSADEGH and TINY include the words MAKE HAY!

Mysteriously, nobody knows where the rabbit came from.  

You can find the White Rabbit reference on page 37 of our novel.

Here’s another White Rabbit from the 1933 film Alice in Wonderland… look how late its getting!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDY64su3mw

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

28/01/2009 by admin.

We’ve seen a collection of related stories in the media recently all about ice.  First, an account from scientists which reveals the temperature in the Antarctic is getting steadily warmer, disputing previous theories about the continent.  Its a complicated picture as West Antarctica is warming, whilst the East is cooling down.  Rather worryingly, if the West Antarctica ice sheet melted completely, global sea levels would rise by 5 to 6 metres! The study does not indicate how long that might take, nor does it consider the probability of such an event.

All the same, its bad news for the Emperor Penguin whose numbers are set to plummet by 95% by 2100 based on predictions of sea ice extent from climate change models.  The challenge faced by the iconic adorable creatures is that the sea ice plays a major role in their breeding season and influences the amount of food available to them.  So much for Happy Feet!

The Emperor Penguins are to the Anatarctic what the polar bear is to the Arctic.  Timely then that a sculpture of a giant polar bear and her cub adrift on an iceberg has appeared on the River Thames in London, stranded before the Houses of Parliament as an iconic reminder of the threat posed by climate change, not only to the bears but also to the 2 billion people worldwide who are dependant on fresh water from glacial meltdown - one third of the Earth’s human population.

Interestingly, the 16ft high structure was launched from Greenwich, the home of Time! 

Now the words of Vanilla Ice have a new meaning…

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MxN_pbMOFk0

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

01/01/2009 by admin.

We wanted to mark our first post of 2009 with an iconic statement - a reminder of our purpose.  Our readers will be aware of the symbolism of the sinking of the Titanic neary 100 years ago, when it infamously struck an iceberg and sunk following complacency and arrogance that the ship would never sink.

Well, the two co-stars of the marvellous Titanic movie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, have reunited after 10 years to make the movie ‘Revolutionary Road’.  How apt!

Here’s the famous clip of the ship striking the iceberg - a poignant warning to all those complacent about the likelihood of impending human induced climate change on our world.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nMMD-XeCFiM&feature=related

And here’s the link to Leo’s site devoted to his movie, ‘The 11th Hour’.

http://11thhouraction.com/seethefilm

Posted in Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »