A review of the film “Testament Of Youth”
August 10th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
There was a time in the early 1970s when I met Shirley Williams – than a Labour MP and Cabinet Minister – on several occasions. Very recently, I passed her – now a Liberal Democrat peer – while walking near Parliament and I just couldn’t resist saying ‘hello’, even though of course she had no idea who I was.
Now Shirley Williams had an amazing mother, Vera Brittain, and Brittain is perhaps best known for her memoir “Testament Of Youth” published in 1933. The book was turned into a film last year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, but I only caught up with the film this weekend. You can read my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
How much can you legally pay in coins?
August 9th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
A friend has drawn my attention the little-known legal position. According to the Coinage Act of 1971, the position is as follows:
- 1p – for any amount not exceeding 20p
- 2p – for any amount not exceeding 20p
- 5p – for any amount not exceeding £5
- 10p – for any amount not exceeding £5
- 20p – for any amount not exceeding £10
- 50p – for any amount not exceeding £10
- £1 – for any amount
- £2 – for any amount
So now you know. Personally I am trying to avoid the use of coins by using a contactless credit card for as many small purchases as possible.
Posted in Consumer matters | Comments (0)
How does the American political system really work?
August 8th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
I can offer at least two answers to this most important question.
The first answer is to suggest that you read my “Short Guide To The American Political System” here.
A second answer is that you note a comment by Donald Trump in the hustings this week between 10 Republicans who want to take on the Democratic candidate – presumed to be Hillary Clinton – in the presidential election next year.
Now Trump has long courted the Clintons and donated to the former secretary of state’s Senate campaign fund – but he had a simple explanation:
“I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them, they are there for me.”
Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)
A review of the documentary “Amy”
August 8th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
I loved the music of jazz singer Amy Winehouse and mourned at her death. This brilliant documentary is heart-rending in its tale of her descent into a kind of madness – see my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
My 22nd short story: “Time To Move On”
August 7th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
For five months now, each week, I’ve been ‘republishing’ one of my collection of short stories. This one – like some others – starts with the realisation that so often we do not really know what is going on in the lives of our family, friends and colleagues. Check it out here.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Is it time for some facts about those migrants?
August 7th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
One of the hottest topics in the British media at the moment is the issue of migrants into Europe and especially the numbers at Calais seeking entry to the UK. The debate is an emotional one and it’s useful to have some relevant facts
Posted in British current affairs, World current affairs | Comments (0)
A review of the film “The Judge”
August 6th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Want to see a character-driven film as a change from all those action-packed movies? I recommend “The Judge” which I have reviewed here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
When are we going to act on climate change?
August 5th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Although understandably, we worry about economic austerity and Islamic extremism, the greatest threat to humankind is climate change. So, this week, I attended London’s City Lit college for a one-day course entitled “Climate Change: Past, Present And Future” run by Wendy Hartnell, formerly policy adviser at Department of Energy & Climate Change. Interestingly we met in the same lecture room as the one I had sat in the previous day for a course on “Henry V And The Battle Of Agincourt” but the history session had three times as many students as that on climate change. What does that tell us?
First, we examined some of the complexity of the Earth’s climate machine, looking at the role of the atmosphere (the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells and the Coriolis effect), the oceans, sunlight, and greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane). We viewed graphs showing historical changes in climate based on knowledge from tree rings, corals, ice cores and historical records. Currently mean global surface temperature is 15 degrees C and the hope is that we can limit the increase to another 2 degrees C which would still be an increase of 13%.
Next, we looked at the evidence that global temperatures are rising and that this is being driven by human activity. The most convincing evidence is that in the five reports since 1990 from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Some 97% of climate change scientists believe than current climate change is caused by human activity. We are seeing a warming in the Arctic, retreating glaciers, a rise in sea levels, birds breeding earlier, autumn leaves falling earlier, and Japanese cherry trees flowering earlier. The evidence is conclusive.
Finally, we looked at efforts to combat the impacts of climate change and to reduce the rise in temperatures. A key event is the UN conference on climate change to be held in Paris In December 2015 when it is hoped that a new global agreement can be concluded. We looked at some of the actions which governments, corporations and individuals can take and the possible role of what is called geo-engineering (such as a giant reflector in space).
Posted in Environment | Comments (3)
Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt
August 4th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
This week I attended a one-day course at the City Lit college in central London on “Henry V And The Battle Of Agincourt”. Our lecturer was Vanessa King of the Mary Ward Centre who ran a course I attended last Autumn on “The Danish Conquest Of England”.
Henry V (1386-1422) is one of the most famous and revered kings in English history. Why? mainly it is because he led the English in the Battle of Agincourt when he defeated superior French forces and his fame was immortalised in Shakespeare’s play. But Henry’s reputation has been helped by his short life – he died of dysentery aged just 35 – and the contrasting performance of the kings who preceded and succeeded him: respectively Henry IV who seized the throne in circumstances of dubious legitimacy and Henry VI who was a child when be became king and suffered from serious mental illness.
The Battle of Agincourt (located south of Calais) took on the feast day of an obscure Saint Crispin: 25 October 1415 – so later this year, we will celebrate the 600th anniversary of the event. Henry did not choose the location – it was the French who attacked him.
According to Shakespeare, the English were outnumbered five to one, but modern historians belief that the numbers were not vastly different: around 12,000 French to maybe 9,000 English. The battle lasted around three hours
What is definite is that the English won or, put another way, the French lost (some two-thirds of their men were killed), so we hold the battle to be one of the greatest victories in our history while the French regard it as a footnote in history. Why did French lose?
1) The French lacked discipline, cohesion and a single command
2) England had an inspirational leader in Henry V
3) The English had the longbow which could be fired six times a minute.
4) There was an element of luck- heavy rain the night before made the newly ploughed field separating the armies very soft which hampered the French attack.
Posted in History | Comments (1)
What did King Henry V say to his troops before the Battle of Agincourt?
August 4th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
One version is contained in the famous speech in Shakespeare’s play:
“This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”
Another version is that really we have no idea.
Posted in History | Comments (0)