12/01/2012 by admin.

The high street bookshop Waterstone’s has decided to drop the apostrophe from its online presence - a move designed to bring more vesatile and practical for the modern digital age.

The decision has not been without its critics with the Chairman of the Apostrophe Society calling the decision, ‘plain wrong’. Others have tweeted voicing their disquiet.

None of this surprises us since we had a huge debate about the appropriateness or otherwise of an apostrophe in ‘The Haymakers Survey’. The point is to illustrate how modern society is too focused on detail and triviality and has lost perspective and a sense of proportion on a whole range of issues.

Maybe the distractions are deliberate - to take our minds away from the bigger picture - maintain the status quo and defer action needed to protect the natural world and bring about a more just world.

Posted in Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q62a Is life logical?, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q17 Can you speak another language? | No Comments »

21/12/2011 by admin.

This year’s most popular video on You Tube features a talking dog - some 79 million hits and counting. Curious as I’m sure Malachi our very own messenger and speaking dog in The Haymakers Survey would be a number one fan. It’s jolly good fun.

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

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q17 Can you speak another language? | No Comments »

14/10/2011 by admin.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has resigned as Defence Secretary in the British government after feeling the heat of revelations about his working relationship with friend a political adviser Adam Werrity.  Mr Fox had been pursued for days by baying hounds in the form of journalists. 

Not for us to dwell on Mr Foxes behaviour but you may ask, ‘What does this have to do with The Haymakers Survey’? Well, Charles Lamb’s journal reveals how the Duke of Wellington forewarns that a fox hunt will serve as a ‘wake up call’ to defend the majestic of the natural world. We have been warned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2igjYFojUo

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

15/03/2011 by admin.

The official 2012 Olympics clock in Trafalgar Square has stopped just one day after it was unveiled. The clock is designed to count down by days, hours, minutes and seconds. The digital clock stopped at 500 days and 07:06:56. Officials from Omega are investigating the techincal problems.

The clock has the controversial LDN 2012 logo at its head and we have our own version of the logo. It forms the shape of a large dog - Malachi, the Messenger. 

All most mysterious as early in our novel Ben Whittenbury asks what use is a watch for we need to stop the clocks on the consumption of the world’s finite resources. 

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

Posted in Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

08/12/2009 by admin.

In our environmental novel the messenger, Malachi, says, “Not the spectre of the Delicate Investigation”.

Well, in an earlier posting we speculated on what might happen in the debate in the run up to the Copenhagen conference - whether we might see spoiling tactics designed to undermine the credibility of the science behind the need for action.  Curious then that a set of key allegations have arisen from a series of hacked e-mails downloaded on the ‘RealClimate’ website obtained from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia.  Sceptics claim the emails suggest that scientists have manipulated evidence on global warming. The scientists at CRU stand by their research, some call this Climategate.

In response, the University will hold an Independent Review headed by Sir Muir Russell into the allegations made against the CRU.  Announcing the review Professor Edward ACTON, Vice-Chancellor said the integrity and reputation of the CRU was of the utmost importance.  The review is due to report by Spring 2010. We suggest it be entitled the ‘Delicate Investigation’.

Whatever, the title and outcome of the review the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference has begun under its spectre - an illegal attempt to discredit the IPCC and undermine the event, and sternly refuted by those leading the Conference.  A move supported by the Met Office who have today issued temperture records from over 1,500 climate monitoring stations as part of efforts to debunk the sceptics claims… with more to follow.

Fear not, we know the truth - the ‘paranormal’ signs beyond the science and hard evidence are many throughout our Watch.  This is not just about the climate its about our relationship with this planet and Mother Nature. It’s about justice for bio-diversity and the spectacular beautiful array of animals we have the duty to care for. It’s about love for the Earth! We - humanity - are under investigation. Oh we do love what we do!

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts? | 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 »

24/07/2009 by admin.

A woman whose lottery ticket was found and cashed in by someone else will receive £15,000 - or half the money on offer. Amanda Stacey, 34, from Swindon, Wiltshire, reportedly found the prize ticket on the floor of her local Co-op. She and her husband spent half the money, but when Dorothy McDonagh reported the ticket as lost the Staceys were arrested and the rest of the money was frozen. The Staceys admitted fraud and false representation and were given suspended sentences. On Friday Michael Stacey was ordered to pay Dorothy McDonagh £15,111.24, the amount the couple hadn’t spent - including interest.

In a discussion forum covering the story the BBC begs the question - ’should finders be keepers and losers be weepers?’ Curious this since Ben makes the statement, ‘Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers’ at the discovery of Lucy’s Locket (page 35).  The contents of which are later revealed to Charles Lamb.  Presumably the message here is that we’re gambling with our future!

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | 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 »

23/01/2009 by admin.

Barrack Obama has been sworn in as President of America for the second time in as many days because one word - faithfully - was spoken out of place during Tuesday’s inauguration ceremony.  The Chief Justice at the US Supreme Courts, Jonathan Roberts, administered the oath at the White House. 

The decision to repeat the oath was taken out of caution, but President Obama joked, “We decided it was such fun.”  Given the new President’s Green credentials, maybe the erroneous first oath was somehow meant to be.

Meanwhile, hundreds of tonnes of wood are beginning to wash ashore off the coast of Kent and Sussex in England. 

The load fell from the Sinegorsk cargo ship in the English Channel on Monday. The vessel is now berched at Southampton.   The incident follows a similar event last year when the Ice Prince shed at 2,000 tonne-load off the Sussex coast.  We see this as another timely reminder of the tragic deforestation taking place across the globe and the extent to which much of it is wasted needlessly.

Finally, we return to Mayfair, recent host of the Rose Cloud experience. 

On this occassion we report on a £22m property which has been taken over by a group of young ‘posh-squat artists’.  The group are occupying a house in Clargy’s Mews is owned by TimeKeeper Ltd who discovered the occupation last month when they spotted a Christmas tree inside.  As the group face immediate eviction they have been holding open days under the theme of an ‘Open School of Thought’.   Our curiosity is the link between the May Fair which featured at the beginning of Charles Lamb’s journal; Art, a central theme in our project; and TimeKeeper.  As the artists suggest, it makes you think!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QWKdokcvM7A

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q60 Have you ever experienced deja vu?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q.2 Are you an art lover?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »