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 He’s been replaced by Ashford Campbell one of the members of NuVibe, with some arguing about the legality of this as NuVibe were voted off a couple of weeks ago.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 »

14/10/2011 by admin.

The fabulously talented Lady GaGa has appeared on the Jonathan Ross show with a sheep. She turned up with Kevin the Ram and took a seat on a sofa made of bales of hay. The pop artist wore a jade suit for her chat with Wossy - an outfit that has an uncanny resemblance to that worn by Mother Nature in The Haymakers Survey. The pastoral set was inspired by scenes from the video promoting her latest single “You and I”.

Our diarist Charles Lamb would be delighted by the sheep connection and the haybales speak for themselves. It really is about “You and I” as each and every one of us has a clear responsibility to care for our planet, rather than behave like sheep. We’d be GaGa not too.  This is the clip from the show…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw9vkW4YevM

And here’s the brilliant video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9YMU0WeBwU

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q61 Have you ever worn fancy dress?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | 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 »

28/08/2011 by admin.

In the wake of events during August reported on this watch we find it most interesting that a signed single by The Beatles has sold for £9k at auction. Its interesting because the music and philosophy of The Beatles is integral to The Haymakers Survey. The group inspired Ben Whittenbury and encouraged us to use the name of Billie Shears on the book cover.

Think about it… listen up… the message is clear from Mother Nature, “Please, Please Me”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGZx46cMt98&feature=related

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience? | No Comments »

07/09/2010 by admin.

We’re very sad to report that Mike Edwards an early member of the British rock group the Electric Light Orchestra has been crushed by a giant bale of hay.  The bizarre accident happened near Totnes in Devon when the hay rolled down a steep hill and smashed into his van.  Police believe the 600kg bale fell from a tractor in nearby farmland.  The cellist was 62 years old and lived in Totnes - a place with a thriving centre for music, art and natural living.  It has a sizeable ‘New Age’ community. In 2007 Time magazine declared Totnes the captial of New Age Chic.

When ELO was formed the idea was to take rock music in the direction that the Beatles had left off. The band’s debut album was called No Answer. The band’s second album produced its first big UK hit ‘Roll Over Beethoven’.  They had a range of hits in Britain and the USA. Perhaps the most popular album was Out of the Blue which featured the songs’ Turn to Stone, Mr Blue Sky, Sweet Talkin Woman and Wild West Hero. 

Our condolences go to Mike Edwards and his family and friends. In celebration of his life and contribution to a fabulous pop group here’s ELOs version of Roll Over Beethoven which begins with a haunting rendition of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony - which features on page 27 of our novel. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNR4xfh1Qc

Posted in Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

24/05/2010 by admin.

The Rolling Stones are celebrating their first No 1 album in 16 years with ‘Exile on Main Street’. The aging rock band held off dance outfit Faithless in claiming top-spot. The remastered album includes songs such as ‘Tumbling Dice’ and ‘Rocks Off’. 

The album was first released in 1972 when the band were living as tax exiles - a period in the band’s history captured in a new documentary ‘Stones in Exile’.

Our readers will be very familiar with the ‘Tumbling Dice’ used by the magician in our story (pages 154 and 314). Dice designed illustrate three things… 1) show that it’s possible to predict future events linked to Nature’s demise - which our story appears to do. 2) highlight the odds stacked against the miraculous diversity of life on planet Earth and 3) and show how we’re gambling with our future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sh-fMOecSE

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones get a specific mention (page 128) in the White Horse public house discussion where our anti-hero Bill Darvill ridicules Sarah over her faith in power of the deep magic in The Haymakers Survey.

Posted in Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

14/04/2010 by admin.

In the wake of the volcanic eruption close to the home of the Yggdrasil legend we find we have reached the 40th anniversary of the day most people assign to the break up of The Beatles.  This day in 1970 Paul McCartney publicly announced the break-up of the fab four.  A rather poignant moment of reflection during our Watch. Perhaps its a landmark precursor for a dramatic show of force from Mother Nature. In many ways Charles Lamb’s endless love for Lucy Ebbs is best captured by this song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0pfFkdC6oE

Yet in many ways all Mother nature really wants is for humanity to do this…

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

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth? | No Comments »

22/12/2009 by admin.

Our regulars will know how the talent contest called X-Factor has featured on our Watch due to the question posed in our opening material - do we have the X-Factor (to preserve and care for the planet, animals and its limited resources)? We’ve kept an eye on the contest for Christmas No. 1. 

Its therefore interesting that following a Facebook internet campaign, the revolutionary rap metal band ‘Rage Against The Machine’ have beaten X Factor winner Joe McElderry to top spot following an internet campaign.  The anti-establishment song is called, ‘Killing in the Name’ which is ironic as that’s exactly what the human race is slowly doing to the natural world.  So - does this mean we don’t have the X-Factor after all?

On December 20th the Facebook campaign was acknowledged by some 950,000 people including the former Beatles star, Sir Paul McCartney. In a TV interview Sir Paul said, “I like the idea of this Rage Against the Machine thing happening. I think that’s kind of interesting… it would prove a point.” The band’s guitarist Tom Morello has since claimed their success was an act of God, saying “when Mother Nature and Sir Paul McCartney agree on something its going to be unstoppable.”  Maybe that’s why Sir Paul chose to sing this at the X-Factor final….

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

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

13/09/2009 by admin.

On page 86 of our novel, Malachi, says, “What is it with humans - this obsession with keeping things clean and tidy?”  

How charming then that Sir David Attenborough, the famed wildlife ambassador, presenter and naturalist appeared at the Last Night of the Proms playing a FLOOR POLISHER as a musical instrument as part of a comic music piece, ‘A Grand, Grand Overture by Sir Malcom Arnold. Sir David was joined at the Royal Albert Hall by pianist Stephen Hough.

Did Sir David unwittingly endorse Malachi’s words? Might we substitute our obsession for cleaning and tidying with caring for the environment?

Another curiosity with Sir David’s appearance is that the Last Night is traditionally connected with British Patriotism because our discussion under Star Question (page 499) explores why The Haymakers Survey was shared with the world in Britain.  We identifed many reasons why here and now. Let’s celebrate with Jerusalem with its reference to those ‘Dark Satanic Mills’ mentioned by Charles Lamb at the start of his journal (page 233).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bggV_Dbj87w

Posted in Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

09/09/2009 by admin.

We have the icing on the cake from The Beatles - a digitially remastered box set has been released, together with an X-Box Beatles game: ‘The Beatles: Rock Star’. 

Our fascination is with the date of release. In Britain, 999 means EMERGENCY = given the role of The Beatles as the creative influence for our project we believe this relates to the ecological emergency facing planet Earth. Why the X-Box Game even has E3 in the title and is rated 12 (another coincidence given the 12 mystical stones to feature in our novel).

The White Album included the song ‘Revolution Number 9′. It has a curious new meaning now…

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

Oh, the promotional videos below provide all the details of the new releases. 

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpBDOolcs9g&feature=fvw

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q34 Have you ever restored something? | No Comments »