01/01/2009 by admin.

We wanted to mark our first post of 2009 with an iconic statement - a reminder of our purpose.  Our readers will be aware of the symbolism of the sinking of the Titanic neary 100 years ago, when it infamously struck an iceberg and sunk following complacency and arrogance that the ship would never sink.

Well, the two co-stars of the marvellous Titanic movie, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, have reunited after 10 years to make the movie ‘Revolutionary Road’.  How apt!

Here’s the famous clip of the ship striking the iceberg - a poignant warning to all those complacent about the likelihood of impending human induced climate change on our world.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nMMD-XeCFiM&feature=related

And here’s the link to Leo’s site devoted to his movie, ‘The 11th Hour’.

http://11thhouraction.com/seethefilm

Posted in Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

25/12/2008 by admin.

The American singer, dancer and actress Eartha Kitt has died today from colon cancer at the age of 81. 

Eartha famously played Catwoman in the Batman television series in the 1960s. Amongst her hits songs are Let’s Do It, Old Fashioned Girl and Santa Baby.  She rose to the top of the entertainment world from humble beginnings.

Given her name was Eartha, the timing of her death is very curious  - falling as it did on Christmas Day, which are odds of 365 to 1.  It curious as the Blakesware Set came together on this day in 1822 to leave us ‘The Haymakers Survey’ out of fear that our actions would lead to the death of the Earth as we know it due to industrial creep and environmental abuse.  

Another coincidence is that Eartha’s middle name was Mae - the month when Charles began his journal. So, Let’s Fall in Love - Hey watch out for the Tiger fur - another clue of the threat of extinction?

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=U-oEA1sK374

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

21/12/2008 by admin.

Our readers will be aware of the significance of the X Factor poser in our narration. Well, the saga continues for the winner of this year’s contest Alexandra Burke now tops the pop tree with her powerful cover version of the song, Hallelujah.  The version has two fewer verses than the original and includes a key change.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=wAaw6VWpk4A

Alexandra’s closely followed in the charts by a more sombre but much acclaimed version by Jeff Buckley, first released in 1984.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=AratTMGrHaQ

It;s the first time in 51 years that the same song has occupied the top two positions in the UK pop charts - and the first time ever at Christmas.

A remarkable trinity of the song’s presence in the Top 40 is completed by Leonard Cohen’s original version, released in 1984.

We wonder whether the trilogy represents Art, Love and Nature?  Is it a call to arms from God - afterall the Hebrew meaning of the word Hallelujah is a request for a congreation to join in praise (of a divine force’s influence on The Haymaker’s Survey)?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q33 Do you believe in life after death?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

02/12/2008 by admin.

Happy 27th Birthday Britney Spears. Let’s celebrate - in the last year, Britney Spears was the most searched for term on Yahoo.com.  There are billions of searches each year and the troubled pop artist drew more hits than Barack Obama.  He was third on the list, behind Britney and ‘World Wrestling Entertainment’. 

This is all very interesting as some recent buyers of our novel initially mistook it to be by Britney Spears, not Billie Shears.  This was simply an ‘at a glance’ problem, but their names are very similar and rhyme.

Then we realise that Britney’s breakthrough song was, ‘Baby one more time’ with the lyrics, ‘Give me a sign, hit me…” She still believes. Do you? Here’s the video, complete with the clock ringing at 3.00.

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

Curious as a definition of ‘Haymaker’ includes one able to deliver a good punch. Which leads us on to the ‘World Wrestling Entertainment’. Interesting as ‘throwing a haymaker’ is a wrestling move.

Perhaps this all explains why Britney Spears made an appearance on the show, ‘The X Factor’?  Does not our novel ask whether we - the human race - have the X factor? Are we equipped to care for our planet and its eco-systems? Why Britney even chose to wear a top hat, just like the mysterious man in the shadows - the character orchastraing our story is clearly making a big impression.

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q62a Is life logical?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

20/10/2008 by admin.

Today, St Paul’s Cathedral celebrates 300 hundred years since its completion.  One of the most beautiful and iconic symbols of London, was completed on its designers 76th birthday.  The magnificent building has stood proudly for 3 centuries.  Amongst the cathedral’s memorials are special monuments to Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, in the South transept and the North aisle.  Both are buried in the cathedral.

However, the significance for us is that in our story, Malachi recites the lampooning poem, “The cat, the rat and Lovell the dog, rule all England under a hog,” once affixed above the entrance to St Paul’s as satirical criticism of the leaders of the day.

Here’s a famous image of the Cathedral surviving the Blitz during World War II.

As if to celebrate, Mother Nature has put on a show this autumn in the parks and woodland of England. The combination of a wet summer, a mild frost and some warm September days has led to some spectacular autumn leaf colour - and we all know the significance of the autumn equinox in our story and talk of the golden hues of autumn.

Here’s a song called Autumn Leaves which seems to capture Charles Lamb’s feelings about Lucy Ebbs.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=K7-haKkFnT8

Finally, we have a word from one of the two surviving Beatles members - Ringo Starr!

Ringo officially became a Beatle on 18 August 1962. In a ‘Peace and Love’ video message to fans, the Beatle - real name Richard STARKEY - said that from 20 October he would no longer be responding to requests from fans for autograph signings as he was too busy.  

 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mdyBzgSpYbc&feature=related

Some have reacted critically to this, but we understand and given the pivotal role of The Beatles in our project, we do wonder if this is a coded message that the end of the series of coincidences relevant to The Haymakers Survey has arrived? Only time will tell! If so, it’s been a real pleasure to reveal everything and we hope you have enjoyed the show! Maybe the time has come to focus on the sequel!  In the meantime, let’s follow his advice and “Act Naturally”

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9heOFFlAcFY&feature=related

Love,

Billie Shears

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q24 Do you get enough time to yourself?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | 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 »

26/09/2008 by admin.

The magician and illusionist, David Blaine, has completed a daring 3 day stunt in which hung upside down in New York’s Central Park.  Medics had warned him about the potential serious effects to his body, but he pressed ahead with the performance regardless.  

Trouble is it seems most people have not been that impressed by his attempt to turn the world upside down for 60 hours, arguing that he ‘cheated’  by taking regular breaks to respond to the call of Nature.  For ten minutes at a time, he would stand upright on a platform to take in water, relieve himself and have medical checks.   Sadly these fundamental needs have led some critics to give him a hard time - with even some booing from the audience.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTcYa71zwfg

So the magicians efforts to look at the world from a new perspective were largely unappreciated - many promoting and working for the environmental cause know how that feels!  

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

25/09/2008 by admin.

There’s no cause for a-Lamb, but there’s blue sheep roaming the fields of Tyneside! The blue sheep are the result of a farmer putting blue dye on them so he could check whether mating had taken place. Only trouble was that the rams chose to fight amongst themselves, spreading the dye over their bodies in the process.

All very quaint yet the curiosity for us is that in his diary the colour blue was especially precious between Charles Lamb and Lucy Ebbs! Time to celebrate with some animation …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C81NxEQW01U

And a song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ejP-KZ_tk8

Meanwhile, further South, the former Beatles singer, Sir Paul McCartney has performed in concert in Israel.  The concert comes 43 years after The Beatles were banned from playing in the country for fear of corrupting the nation’s youth.   During his visit he went to Bethlehem. Outside of the Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, Sir Paul said, “All we need is peace.” 

What’s remarkable about the visit is that in our tale, Caleb Hitch tells of the curious triangle surrrounding Keeper’s Cottage, with its lines leading east towards Stonehenge, north towards Royston Cave and south towards the Holy Land in Israel - which we suspected was too far to count, but clearly not!  The curious link between our story and The Beatles rolls on.  Here he is performing at the concert singing the Long and Winding Road!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS58AOGpLCQ&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q73 Do you like nursery ryhmes?, Q66 Do you have a favourite flower?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

13/09/2008 by admin.

Sir Cliff Richard has celebrated 50 years in showbusiness by publishing an auto-biography. Sir Cliff used to live in a council house at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. The house was tiny and he had to share a room with one of his sisters. It was in 1958 that he burst on to the music scene with the song, ‘Move It’ with a style initially based on Elvis.  Sir Cliff has has number one’s in each of the four previous decades. The relevance of the anniversary to to our story is simple - for early in our tale Sarah asks Julia about Peter Pan and Netherland! Sir Cliff seems to defy his years, so was fondly dubbed, the Peter Pan of Pop!  He was also the front singer of ‘Cliff Richard and the Shadows!’

A devout Christian, Sir Cliff has remained a Bacholor Boy throughout his career. What can we say, other than Congratulations!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iArJm9gBvg

Posted in Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q62 Have you ever helped the poor?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour? | No Comments »

05/09/2008 by admin.

A parrot named Luna from New Jersey has fooled emergency services into an attempt to rescue a damsel in distress.  Concerned neighbours had called the police after they heard cries of, ‘Help me! Help me!” Police resorted to knocking the front door down, only to find a parrot was reponsible.  The owner wasn’t especially surprised as seven years ago Luna alarmed authorities by mimicking a baby’s cry for hours on end, triggering a visit by child welfare officials fearing an abandoned infant!  This is all very familiar given our story.

Meanwhile, in Kent, England, Leonard an African Grey has been showing off his repetoire of impersonations and moves.  The parrot was missing for about 4 days but has now returned home.  Here he is performing Beethoven’s Fifth and doing Dalek impressions - all features from our story!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7600955.stm

However, Sarah pointed out that this is nothing compared with Einstien’s performance. Now here’s a real superstar…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSDFzg8_Wfg

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q17 Can you speak another language?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate? | No Comments »