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 »

05/12/2009 by admin.

Some 40,000 people gathered in London today to send a message to world leaders gathering in Copenhagen about the need for action on climate change.  Replicating his presence at a similar event recorded in our novel, Ben Whittenbury joined them in his polar bear outfit.  Ben, Julia and Sarah enjoyed taking part in the ‘blue human wave’.  Sarah loved the open top bus and the many blue ribbon’s waved truimphantly from it. All in all a happy event with a serious message.

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

Perhaps the organisers, and the PM Gordon Brown, were inspired by our novel - and page 183 in particular! Go take a look it includes the vision of the ‘wave’ symbolising predicted sea level rises and the blue ribbon which features to illustrate our fragile world - just ask Dr Mark Penning, President of WAZA for confirmation on how perilous things are!  

Remember people -we’re not one to gloat but we did after all receive the coverted ‘Blue Ribbon Award’ for our efforts.  Finally, page 183 also includes a reference to the ‘Flat Earth Society’ to illustrate how people often only grasp the truth when there’s tangible visible and physical evidence! Trouble is we’re at the point of no return! Its all a matter of faith. Bring on the magic fairy dust?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSIvZXuoj2s

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q61 Have you ever worn fancy dress?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q25 Do you believe in fairies?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

28/09/2009 by admin.

During a performance of A Steady Rain on Broadway, Hollywood tough-guy actors Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig were called into action to respond to a member of the audience who had left his mobile phone on.  At first the X-men and 007 stars kept in character but as the ringing continued they lost patience and told the person to respond, “Do you want to get that?” The audience erupts in cheers but the ringing persists so Jackman pleads, “C’mon just turn it off.”

Our Sarah liked this very much. It reminded her of Charles Lamb’s report in his journal (The Ball of Blue in a Sea of Black -pages 429-436) of how they used Sarah’s mobile to issue a warning to humanity to try to prevent a globally warmed Earth.  She believes its a test because of the X-factor question in our opening material. Do we have what it takes to respond to the call? Don’t close your eyes - this is your life!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPl4040-Dgo

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q59 Do you like surprises?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

22/09/2009 by admin.

In celebration of the Autumn Equinox - an event significant in our project - we’ve put together a promotional video, which is featured below.  

Sky TV and You Tube are running competitions for video entries to inspire and engage the world on the issues.  We could use the video as an entry but it may be judged a commercial activity (which it isn’t as we make no money from the project) or the mention of our website could disallow it.   These are fundamental parts of our project - we’re tempted to ‘break the rules’ but will have to tinker! Oh these things are so difficult sometimes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xbcG5bphlk

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »

14/09/2009 by admin.

A Red Panda has escaped from London Zoo to hide up a tree in Regent’s Park. The rare animal was spotted at 03:00am by a local cameraman Martin Ellerbeck.  Zoo-keepers were unable to coax the creature down so resorted to using a tranquilizer.  An inquiry will be held into how the animal escaped.

Our take on this is simple: RED ALERT for action to preserve Mother Nature! Where’s our evidence? Its another example of an escaped animal to feature on our Watch; the creature was first seen at three - a number key to our project; and he escaped to Regent’s Park - our novel includes several mentions of the antics of the Prince Regent. To cap everything, the Panda’s name was Peter - in our novel we have a cameo appearance from Sir Peter Scott - founder of the WWF and designer of the orginal WWF panda logo. Do the panda’s antics amount to a life imitating art moment?

The Red Panda is also known as a FireFox so here’s a suitable emergency response…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGDq1aXRwls&feature=related

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q17 Can you speak another language?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

27/08/2009 by admin.

Although our project is concerned with the big picture on environmental and ecological challenges faced by the natural world, we’re happy to focus this week on climate chaos and activities at the Climate Camp, including the Climate Casino operating outside of the Stock Exchange - colourfully performed by a dozen or so campaigners in fancy dress, with props including the use of large playing cards to illustrate how humanity is gambling with the planet.

We love it as in our novel and Charles Lamb’s journal the Three of Hearts - representing Love, Art and Nature - is a symbol of life as it could be.

In the words of Bruce Forsyth, Play Your Cards Right, come on get involved at home. Your a lovely audience, so much better than last week!

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

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q61 Have you ever worn fancy dress?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q38 Have you built a house of cards?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | 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 »

22/06/2009 by admin.

In our story, Charles Lamb’s journal records the significance of a blue ribbon taken from Lucy Ebbs’ hair in helping to flag the needs of Mother Nature. How surprising then that Oxfam Campaigners are asking people to demand action on climate change until their ‘Blue in the Face’.

A host of celebrities agreed to have their face painted blue to show their support for the global movement determined to take action on climate change; people like Fatboy slim, Jarvis and VV Brown. Its all part of the run up to the Copenhagen event in December when world leaders will come together to agree a new global climate deal.  The video in the link will be shown at Glastonbury.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/festivals/index.html

The less brave at heart might want to follow Lucy’s lead and wear a blue ribbon instead?  Forget-her-Not?

Posted in Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour?, Q28 Have you ever lived in poverty? | No Comments »

04/06/2009 by admin.

Our readers will be familar with the paper boat made by Mary Shelley and sunk unwittingly by Charles Lamb when they remiss over the passing of the poet Percy Shelley.  The scene is a metaphor for the reluctance of Western governments to ‘rock the boat’ on our way of life whilst Mother Nature ails.  Charles Lamb’s journal also records how our hero Captain Richard Lewin may well have been lost at sea in a ship wreck - the insunuation is that modern civilisation is in danger of hitting the rocks!

How interesting then that when in the media spotlight over her resignation from the post of Communities Secretary Hazel Blears MP chose to wear a ‘Rocking the Boat’ badge, with a picture that appears to show a shipwreck.  The opposition leader suggested that the gesture was a direct challenge to the Prime Minister.  Well, ‘have we got news for you’ maybe the challenge is directed at all of us worldwide - are we ready to do what’s required to change our lifestyles for the benefit of the diverse array of creatures with whom we share our world?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBwsG8ubFw&feature=related

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

13/03/2009 by admin.

Friday the 13th is embroiled in superstition as being unlucky for some.  So, on a day when campaigners have lost their battle to block the expansion of Stansted Airport, we speculate on the wider implications of the judicial decision.  Stop Stansted Expansion argued that the government did not give proper consideration to the ‘adverse effects’ of the expansion but the High Court Judge Sir Thayne Forbes dismissed the legal challenge arguing that there had been no misinterpretation of air transport policy. SSE were made to pay £20,000 in legal costs.

The decision follows swiftly on the heels of some profound and deeply worrying predictions on climate change from leading scientists at a conference in Copenhagen.  We won’t repeat them here but the message is loud and clear on rising sea levels and temperatures.  We are very much in The Age of Stupid with decisions of this kind replicated worldwide by governments preaching the environmental cause yet acting against it and popular demand in the name of ‘business as usual.’  Where is the democracy? Is it any wonder that some people resort to ‘adolescent’ acts of protest?

So, if we want to watch a horror film on Friday the 13th, try a preview of The Age of Stupid. In common with our tale it includes a take from the future which implores action now to preserve the Earth and creatures we know and love.  The significant difference between the film and our project is that we feel Mother Nature or a force of creation is behind us, leaving a trail of messages and signs to try to convince us beyond the hard evidence being presented by the scientists. Hay - all’s fair in love and war!

http://www.ageofstupid.net/

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q44 Is there anything worse than a fly at night?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q11 Do you believe in justice? | No Comments »