02/02/2009 by admin.

The South-East of England has experienced its heaviest snow fall for nearly 20 years, bringing travel chaos, school closures and causing millions of people to take the day off work.  So far, some parts of London have had 8 inches of snow, covering the heart of government with a blanket of snow for politicians to enjoy.

So, Global Warming is just a rouse right? Let’s look at this from ‘The Haymakers Survey’ perspective. In early February 1823, Charles Lamb’s journal begins (pages 374 and 375), “A magnificent deep white snow has settled about the [Ware] Uplands… changing it into a fairytale land.  I wish Hans [Christian Anderson] and Albert [Thorvaldsen] had remained to witness it. Hans could have recounted his Snow Queen tales, and Albert could have borne witness to the majesty of Yggdrasil in deep snow - yes Gaia for he claimed the real magic of the tree is only witnessed at that time.”

Later that day the journal records how Charles witnessed 12 snow angels perfectly formed about the tree and how Lucy - Mother Nature personified - invited Charles to, “look at the snow. Isn’t it simply beautiful?… Wonderful isn’t it how no two snowflakes are alike.” The young Malachi stretched up to greet her and she said, “Hello, my little polar bear - enjoying the snow are we? Make the most of it my friend for it will disappear befor you can say Jack Frost.”

What’s more, the journal [page 289] records how William Turner’s painting ‘Snow Storm: Hannibal Crossing the Alps’ features in the Gallery to serve as a warning to learn from Napoleon’s demise and turn back whilst the chance still prevails rather than press on and face defeat.  Captured by the Curator’s Assistant, it warns of the might of Nature!

Interesting too that the snow brought commerce and travel to a standstill on a day when a report by the Children’s Society invited us to review our relationships with our children - promoting love and fun!  Did a forgiving Mother Nature intervene on our behalf?

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

Poignant too that across the other side of the globe, the South-East of Australia,  a country so strongly linked to Britain, are experiencing record temperatures of 40 degrees plus over a sustained period, causing power outages in Melbourne.

Here’s a special report on the snowfall on behalf of Sky News… enjoy!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qa3DcGqqBQ&feature=channel_page

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales? | No Comments »

09/01/2009 by admin.

On New Year’s Day, Marc Greenhalgh was out walking in Alkrington Woods, Middleton, when his dog, Jarvis, ran onto the ice to chase ducks.  When the ice broke the dog struggled to get out so Marc plunged into the lake to rescue him.  The scene pictured below could well have been taken direct from Charles Lamb’s journal - when he had to rescue Malachi after he slipped through a frozen lake (page 378 of the story).

Although he was criticised by the authorities for putting his own life in peril, a passer-by who took the photo praised him for his bravery, “A lot of people would say he was idiotic to risk his life for an animal, but I thought he was really brave. If my dog was in danger I’d like him to be there.”

SIRIUS STAR

On November 15 2008, the oil tanker, Sirius Star, was hijacked by Somali pirates, becoming the largest ship ever captured.   The tanker has a capacity of 2 million barrels of crude oil and an overall length of 333 metres.  The cargo is worth some $100m.  The two month stand off ended today as the ship was released after a ransom of $3m was parrachuted on board.  However, the twist in the tale was that five of the pirates drowned with their share of the ransom after their small boat capsized.

Aside from the natural justice against the pirates, the hijack is interesting as Charles Lamb’s journal recalls how he and Mary Shelley speculated on the presence of Sirius the brightest star in the sky.  Here’s the extract from 30 December 1822:

“Together she and I stood after dusk on the terrace overlooking the wilderness garden. On a misty night, only one star broke through to shine in the sky overhead. Confidently dismissing the myth that the star can cause madness, we secretly dedicated the bluish white light of Sirius in the constellation Canis Major to the late Percy Shelley. His light shall not fade!”

Sirius is also know as the Dog Star, which is fascinating given the role of the dog Malachi as our Messenger. 

So, is the whole hijack experience designed to remind us to switch from our dependence on crude oil?

Posted in Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q.2 Are you an art lover?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

23/08/2008 by admin.

Scientists are confident that the ‘La Nina’ effect in the Pacific Ocean will probably lead to the coolest year globally since 2000.  Even so, 2008 looks set to be the 10th warmnest year on record since 1850, and scientists predict that the warming trend will recommence when the effect fades. La Nina translates to ’Little Girl’, which might readily be interpreted as Sarah Whittenbury in action!

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q46 Do you value a good education? | No Comments »

27/05/2008 by admin.

A study by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London shows that roads are very dangerous places for hedgehogs.  They are very poor at dealing with traffic, waiting until a vehicle is about 17m (60ft) away before responding, and even then they freeze rather than try to run away.

The trouble is that hedgehogs find roads attractive places, in part because of their small legs, but also because tarmac is warm and attracts insects - so they get a meal too.

The peril they face may help explain why numbers are down 50% in some areas.  But the ongoing use of once natural countryside for housing and other development, the tidiness of the urban garden, and the reduction of hedges across rural land may also be a factor. 

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q27 Do you like gardening?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs? | 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 »

07/04/2008 by admin.

Global Warming sceptics are rubbing their hands with glee for Briton has experienced a cold spell, bringing snow and ice, bringing the return of winter to the dawn of spring.  The snow follows that which fell on Easter Sunday. “So what’s the big deal?” asked Bill Darvill, especially as the latest predictions are for a cooler year for the Earth in 2008 due to the cold La Nina current in the Pacific. It has contributed to torrential rains in Australia and to some of the coldest temperatures in memory in snow-bound parts of China.  However, The World Meteorological Organization’s secretary-general, Michel Jarraud considers this year’s temperatures would still be way above the average - and we would soon exceed the record year of 1998 because of global warming induced by greenhouse gases.  Let’s see what unfolds.

One of the stars of The Office TV series has opted to buy 5 acres of ancient woodland in Essex, rather than splash out on a classic sportscar.  Mackenzie Crook says he got it for my children, and to keep as a conservation area.  He wanted to make a stand against TV shows that promote a dangerous and misguided attitude about the the human race’s love affair with the car given the current plight of our Earth.   Mackenzie also featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films, playing alongside the actor Will Turner.

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

16/08/2007 by admin.

 Another new phenomenon in space! This time it’s a colossal star that’s hurtling through space at extraordinary speeds and leaving a 13 million light year tail in its wake. The behaviour of the star, called Mira, has left scientists baffled as they don’t understand the physics involved.  13 million light years - that’s one huge Galactic footprint! Questions 23 and 70   

In America’s deep-south, things keep self-combusting due to the parched conditions. Question 53  

Scientists claim to have made photons travel faster than the speed of light, something that was supposedly impossible. Traveling faster than light makes the prospect of time travel real, but with bizarre consequences – someone could arrive at a destination before leaving it! Questions 24 and 72

Posted in Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q24 Do you get enough time to yourself?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics? | No Comments »

04/08/2007 by admin.

On a far more serious note, the Monsoon season in South Asia has been described as the worst in living memory. 20 million people have been displaced. Almost 200 people have died in the floods in the last few days.  Question 30

There’s also research out today in the Journal of Geo-physical research that shows the length of heatwaves in Western Europe has doubled since 1880 and the frequency of really hot days has nearly tripled in the past century. Heatwaves now last 3 days on average, with some lasting up to 13 days. The report says we can expect more of this in the future – with extreme blasts of heat. Question 53

So, in search of hope – Julia suggested we take a look at what the crop circles are telling us. On 26 July, a circle in Wiltshire shows a star-burst – or snowflake design, with five flake-like designs. It’s one of the best we’ve ever seen and so relevant to the Haymakers again, given what happened to Charles when he saw Yggdrasil in the snow. And, Jonas has pointed out that there are five of us who have come together to share our story with the people of the world. There’s also a star in the middle of the circle, which Sarah says should be thought of as Malachi.  Question 12

http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2007/chute/chute2007.html

Yet, even that circle has been surpassed, for in a place called Sugar Hill in Wlitshire, a circle has appeared on 1 August that has 18 squares or cubes that surround a star. Those of you who have read the full account will know how significant this and is to The Haymakers Survey. What’s more, the squares surround a star and there are 36 x 4 triangles surrounding the squares. Which we read as – “Should a good life cost the Earth?” and “Have you ever wanted to stop the clock?” Take a look at the images that go with the questions. Mmm!  The account of those who visited the site at 10:30 on 2 August was most curious – talk of a strange pulsating light and whooshing electric noise in the sky.  Most odd.

http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2007/sugarhill/sugarhill2007.html

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q30 Did you ever watch the rain on your window?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »