What does federalism mean in the context of the American political system?
January 6th, 2019 by Roger Darlington
In the Autumn of 2018, I attended a series of six lectures at London’s City Literary Institute which examined the history of the American federal system.
I have used some of this information to update the section of my guide to the American political system that explains the nature of federalism which is so important to American politics. You can check out the section here.
Posted in American current affairs, History | Comments (0)
A specially inclusive performance of “A Christmas Carol”
January 5th, 2019 by Roger Darlington
This week, I finished the holiday season in style by seeing a special performance of “A Christmas Carol”.
Charles Dickens’ classic story has arguably come to define Christmas in the 175 years since its publication and there have been numerous versions, both on stage and screen.
The Chickenshed theatre in Enfield in north London has updated, renewed and refreshed the tale for 2018/19 in an entirely brand new musical version, set in 1930s Britain. The show has a cast of over 200 people on stage for each performance and there have been four cast teams making a total of 800 participants throughout the run.
Chickenshed is noted for its approach of inclusive theatre. So the performance featured mostly young performers, some with different physical and mental disabilities, and from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
The most diverse House of Representatives in American history
January 4th, 2019 by Roger Darlington
“Among the historic class of new congresspeople who took the oath of office in the US House of Representatives on Thursday are the first Native American women, the first Muslim women, the first black women elected from Massachusetts and Connecticut, the first Hispanic women elected from Texas, and the youngest woman to be elected to Congress.
There is a former NFL linebacker, a doctor and a climate scientist. There are a number of former members of the military and intelligence services, many of them women. There are seasoned veterans of past presidential administrations and a handful of political neophytes who never held office before running for Congress in 2018.
A record 102 women were sworn into the House on Thursday, 35 of whom were elected for the first time in November in a historic wave of success for female candidates.”
This is the introduction to a piece in today’s “Guardian” newspaper celebrating the exciting diversity of the new membership of the House of Representatives.
What is not new is the Speaker of the House. Democrat Nancy Pelosi is back with the gavel. Pelosi, who had previously served as Speaker from 2007-2011, became the first former Speaker to win re-election to the post since Sam Rayburn in 1955.
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Some international events and anniversaries in 2019
January 3rd, 2019 by Roger Darlington
Countries with more than a third of the world’s population will hold nation-wide elections. They include India, the planet’s largest democracy, plus the populous Indonesia, Nigeria and South Africa. The European Union – presumably down from 28 to 27 Member States because of Brexit – will have an election to the European Parliament,
China will be nervous about the number ‘9’. This year is the centenary of the May Fourth Movement, which the Communist Party celebrates, and the 30th anniversary of the demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, which the Communist Party never mentions. It is also the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic and 60th anniversary of the uprising in Tibet that led to the exile of the Dalai Lama.
Britain will or will not leave the European Union.
And maybe President Trump will resign.
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
Word of the day: obesogenic
January 2nd, 2019 by Roger Darlington
The Obesity Health Alliance, an umbrella group that includes charities and medical organisations, said more urgent action than messages on swapping high-sugar foods for low-sugar alternatives was needed.
“Today’s children are growing up in obesogenic environments, bombarded by adverts and promotions for junk food online, on TV and in our supermarkets,” said Caroline Cerny, the alliance lead.
For more on this “Guardian” story, see here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
A review of the new Mexican film “Roma”
January 2nd, 2019 by Roger Darlington
This is a deeply personal film from Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón whose previous work was the stunning “Gravity”. He has said that 90% of the narrative is autobiographical and accordingly it is set in a very particular place and time.
The place is a district of Mexico City called Colonia Roma – hence the title – which, at the period of the story, was a decadent area of middleclass families down on their luck. The time is a 10-month period from late 1970 to mid 1971 which included an earthquake and a student revolt.
Cuarón tells his personal story in a pronouncely personal style as writer, director and cinematographer, shooting in black and white, largely on location, and often using his signature long shots. The authenticity extends to the dialogue which is in both Spanish and Mixtec – the language of the Oaxaca region from where the domestic staff hail – plus (not subtitled) a bit of indigenous language.
From the opening credits – a lengthy view of a driveway being mopped by soapy water – to the closing shot – a sky traversed by the occasional aircraft – you know that you are in the hands of a true artist.
This understated film begins slowly, painting an intimate portrait of a professional family consisting of parents, a grandparent, four children and two housekeepers. But, as the story unfolds, there are scenes of profound impact which have life-changing import for all the characters.
Most unusually, the point of view is that of one of the servants Cleo who in real life was the Libo to whom the film is dedicated and who is still alive. The Paco boy character is director Cuarón who was 10 at the time of the incidents represented. Amazingly, only the person playing the mother (Marina de Tavira) had previous acting experience and yet the debut performance of Yalita Aparicion as Cleo is simply mesmerising.
“Roma” has rightly received rave reviews and it is Mexico’s entry to the Academy Awards for 2019. You can catch it on Netflix.
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For me, a new year means a new diary
January 1st, 2019 by Roger Darlington
I have a near-lifelong practice of writing a diary and I have an entry for every day since I started. As 2018 ends and 2019 starts, I have now kept a diary for 57 years and the total number of daily entries now stands at 20,817.
I find comfort in keeping a diary: I record everything I have done and I can note whatever I am feeling. Also I think that keeping diary makes me more reflective about my life.
I’ll keep going as long as I can …
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (2)
Why it’s fun to be in one’s 60s or 70s in today’s Britain
December 29th, 2018 by Roger Darlington
Since I was 70 this year, I’ve had to change the title of my light-hearted look at some of the advantages of being a pensioner in Britain. Check it out here.
Posted in British current affairs, History, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Binge-watching the television adaptation of “My Brilliant Friend”
December 28th, 2018 by Roger Darlington
Two years ago, it took me almost three months, but I completed my summer/autumn reading project: to read the four works and 1700 pages that make up the ‘Neapolitan Novels’, an acclaimed series by the Italian author Elena Ferrante.
This is a saga of the 60-year friendship between two girls from a poor neighbourhood of Naples after the Second World War: the narrator Elena Greco, known as Lenu, who becomes an accomplished writer and Raffaella Cerullo, known as Lila, whose never leaves Naples.
The first novel in the series is called “My Brilliant Friend” and I reviewed it here. The second novel is titled “The Story Of A New Name” and you can read my review here. The third novel is “Those Who Leave And Those Who Stay” and I reviewed it here. The fourth and final novel in the chronicle is called “The Story Of The Lost Child” and you’ll find my review here.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve been recording a couple of television series so that I can binge-watch them over the Christmas/New Year period and I’ve just started working my way through the eight episodes of the adaptation of “My Brilliant Friend”.
This is a wonderful Italian production with all the dialogue in Neapolitan or Italian and it’s available in the USA on HBO and in the UK on Sky Atlantic. You might not be able to catch the television series but I do recommend the novels.
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“Listening at Christmas – and always” by Roger Darlington
December 24th, 2018 by Roger Darlington
A few years after I left my secondary school in Manchester, I was invited to help out with the school’s Christmas Fair and I decided to have a go at being Father Christmas. I had recently grown my first full beard and thought that I would enter into the role by rubbing flour into my growth. Though I say it myself, I looked rather splendid and certainly I attracted lots of custom.
I was enjoying myself enormously, bringing a sense of magic to so many young children, but I was mystified by one young boy who paid for a second visit and then astonishingly for a third. The presents on offer were really pretty pitiful, so I asked him why he was coming to see me so often. He answered simply: “I just love talking to you.”
It was then that I realized that, in many households, parents do not encourage their children to talk and really listen to them. This was a lesson that I have taken with me throughout my life. So, at home, at work, socially, always encourage family, friends, colleagues to talk about themselves and their feelings – and really listen.
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