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 »

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 »

21/06/2009 by admin.

Novel Spoiler 

Our tale concludes with the unmasking of the role of ‘The Emperor’ in overseeing all the activity and, presumably, the events unfolding on our Watch.  The Emperor’s main goal is to encourage us into urgent action to address the pressing environmental challenges - speed is of the essence!

How curious then that the BBC car programme Top Gear has ‘revealed’ the identity of the Stig, the mystery driver who tests high-performance vehicles against the clock. 

The Stig removed his helmet for the first time in a moment that shocked and surprised the audience.  The person behind the white mask was the seven times Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher.  Its unclear whether he’s the real Stig but all the same the coincidence is uncanny given society’s ongoing love affair with the car and the implications for the environment at a time of looming climate chaos.

So, on the Summer Solstice, let’s celebrate the work of The Emperor….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZh7oKD08A&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | 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 »

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 »

07/10/2008 by admin.

The newly launched WATCH TV aired the first episode of ‘Richard and Judy’s New Position’ to be shown weekdays from 8pm.  The husband and wife couple have moved across to the rebranded channel, formerly known as UKTV, from Channel 4.   The pair were renowned for their Book Club and in helping to promote up-and-coming writers. 

 How curious that they should move to the new channel: WATCH! Here’s the series trailer:

http://uktv.co.uk/watch/item/aid/607791/displayVideo/Hi

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason? | No Comments »

20/09/2008 by admin.

The Corpus Clock, perhaps the strangest clock in the world has been unveiled by Professor Stephen Hawkins at Cambridge University.   The 24 caret gold-plated £1m mechanism features a giant grasshopper and has 60 slits cut into its face which light up to show the time.

The clock’s creator, Dr John C Taylor says he wants to make time keeping interesting.  He turned the clock inside out so people can literally see the seconds being ‘eaten up’.  he wanted to depict time as a destroyer - to show that once a minute has gone you can’t get it back again!  Let John explain further…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHO1JTNPPOU

Curious this should happen as time is of the essence given the environmental challenges today and in the years ahead.  Some music maestro..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7U

The final verse is especially relevant to our tale!

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q24 Do you get enough time to yourself?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

17/09/2008 by admin.

A rare upside down rainbow has appeared in the skies above Cambridgeshire.  The arc was formed by sunlight bouncing of ice crystals high in the atmosphere.  It appeared in the sky for just the briefest of moments but was caught on camera by a local astronomer, Dr Jacqueline Mitton.  Dr Mitton, who has a doctorate in astrophysics from Cambridge University, said, ”I’m 60 and I’ve never seen anything like this before.”  Seen against a setting sun, the dazzling sight was accompanied by a phenomenon known as ’sun-dogs’ , which are gleaming spots on a halo around the sun.  The Dr added, “It was just an amazing combination of events that happened at the same time.”

Arc rainbows are rarely seen outside of the polar regions. What’s interesting about the location is that the Royston Cave is on the Herts/Cambs border! Our readers will know of the significance of the cave in our story.  Beyond that, our curiosity is simple - first, our story begins against a setting sun; second, Charles Lamb’s journal recalls how he observed 3 rainbows simultaneously at a time when Malachi emerged from beneath the centre of the arc; and, third the sun-dog event is strange, given that  our Samoyed, Malachi is the messenger! 

Let’s celebrate with a song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A2Jt4WOxN8

As if to herald the rainbow, the famous hourly Greenwich time ‘pips’ on BBC radio stations were a little late this morning!  The delay was unprecedented and put down to a computer error. Listen in…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7621996.stm

Meanwhile, across town, the artist Damien Hirst has donated a a pair of his heart-shaped butterfly paintings to two London children’s charities, amounting to a £1.4m gift. 

It represents a slice of the record-breaking £111m raised from auction of his work at Sotherby’s.  The amount is ten times the amount raised by a previous auction dedicated to one artist.  His famous animal corpses in tanks were the best sellers. One, the Golden Calf, went for £10.3m.

So, what does this mean for us? Well - the heart is the most obvious link, but beyond that we’re interested in the 111 or Nelson.  Readers may recall Malachi’s reference to the supposed misfortunate number, related to the admiral’s downfall.

Posted in Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

16/08/2008 by admin.

Mystery surrounds the ‘discovery’ of the remains of the legendary ape-like creature Bigfoot by two men in Georgia, US.  Matt Whitton and Matt Dyer claim to have come across the corpse in the North of the state in June. Bigfoot experts have reacted sceptically to the claims, and are refusing to investigate further. Whatever the truth, the timing of the ‘incident’ is curious - perhaps linked to our carbon footprint?

Another annivesary linked to our project - Madonna, the celebrated Queen of Pop, has turned 50!  Since 1983, the highly-talented artist has had a steady stream of hits making her the most successful female popstar of all time. Her hits included True Blue! She has reinvented herself many times, which is a lesson for us all. 

 Our Watch recorded her appearance at the July 07 Earth Live concert, and we find her ’Hey you’ song especially inspirational.  Happy Birthday Madonna - and thank you for all the beautiful music! Here’s one of Ben’s favourites…

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

As if to honour her birthday and Ben’s favourite Madonna song, the sprinter Usain Bolt has set a new world record for the 100 metres.  In the competition’s Blue Ribbon event, he raced like a bolt of lightening, making the line in an amazing 9.69 seconds to claim Olympic gold. He left the rest of the field in his wake.  Given the Frankenstien links in our story, does this mean the human race needs to act in record time on environmental issues?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q72 Are you a good time keeper?, Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »