Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category
Ever heard of the antemurale myth
March 7th, 2024 by Roger Darlington
The Antemurale myth or the Bulwark myth is one of the nationalist myths which implies a certain nation’s mission of being a bulwark against the other religions, nations or ideologies. The word “Antemurale” is derived from Latin ante (before, in time and space) and murale (wall, attributive). The Antemurale myth is different than other nationalist myths because it does not insist on the uniqueness of a certain group, but […]
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Ever heard of the Phaeton complex?
March 1st, 2024 by Roger Darlington
When I check out the biographical details of people who are successful in various sectors, I’m struck by how often their childhood is characterised by the absence, physically or emotionally, or one or both parents. Apparently this phenomenon has a name: the Phaeton complex. As Wikipedia puts it: “The Phaeton complex is a psychological condition described by Maryse […]
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What is the origin of the knickerbocker glory?
October 25th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
I’ve just returned from a break in Edinburgh and, on the first night, I enjoyed a knickerbocker glory at a local Italian restaurant. This set me thinking about the origin of the dessert, so I looked it up on Wikipedia which states: “A knickerbocker glory is a layered ice cream sundae that is served in […]
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Eight lifestyle changes that can add 20 years to your life
July 25th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
Eat well. Avoid cigarettes. Get a good night’s sleep. Be physically active. Manage stress. Avoid binge drinking. Be free from opioid addiction. Have positive social relationships. This advice may be obvious – but it is so important. The source of the advice is a new study described here.
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Ever heard of the Mariko Aoki phenomenon?
July 4th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
As the Wikipedia entry puts it: “The Mariko Aoki phenomenon is a Japanese expression referring to a sudden urge to defecate that is felt upon entering bookstores. The phenomenon is named after Mariko Aoki, a woman who described the effect in a magazine article published in 1985. According to Japanese social psychologist Shōzō Shibuya, the […]
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Word of the day: chuckleberry
June 30th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
A chuckleberry is a hybrid between a redcurrant, gooseberry and jostaberry (a jostaberry already being a hybrid of a gooseberry and blackcurrant). This large mix of different flavour profiles has resulted in a dark red/purple fruit around the size of a blackcurrant, with a complex, yet delicious taste. It provides vibrancy and sharpness to cooking, […]
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Is Thursday the new Friday?
May 25th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
I finally retired shortly before the Covid pandemic hit us, so I have no current experience of the workplace. However, I live in central London so I see a lot of office workers and I talk to a lot of people in hospitality. It seems to me that, since the ‘end’ of Covid, many people […]
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Do you do Wordle each day?
May 10th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
Wordle is a bit like life. Each day, it looks impossible. But most days, you find the answer. And there is always tomorrow.
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The three great crises of Christianity: what is God? what is the Church? what is man?
April 7th, 2023 by Roger Darlington
“The situation was summed up by the Cambridge historian Richard Rex, who suggests that there have been three great crises in the history of the Church. The first, in its early centuries, revolved around the question ‘What is God?’. That is to say: how many natures were in Jesus Christ, how many persons in the […]
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Thought For The Week
November 6th, 2022 by Roger Darlington
“Those only are happy who have their minds fixed on some other object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness by the […]
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