Who have you heard of? Albert Einstein or David Hilbert?
September 4th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always known of the German-born physicist and humanitarian Albert Einstein but, until a few days ago, I’d never heard of the German mathematician David Hilbert. I came across Hilbert in the book I am currently reading: “Reality Is Not What It Seems: The Journey To Quantum Gravity” by the Italian physicist Carlo Rovelli.
In his explanation of the origins of the theory of relativity, Rovelli presents the exposition of the theory as a race that could have gone either way: “The sprint to the finish between the two giants was a nail-biting affair, eventually decided by a matter of just a few days”.
Now, in the case of many scientific discoveries, there are rival claims to being first and/or questions about how far the discoverer used the work of others. In the case of the theory of relativity, you can see the discussion here.
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (2)
Climate change + urban development = massive flooding worldwide
September 3rd, 2017 by Roger Darlington
“Houston may have broken the US rainfall records, but lost in the dramatic worldwide coverage of Texas has been the plight of tens of millions of people across Asia and Africa who are also counting the human cost of equally intense storms in which months of rain has fallen in just a few hours.
One of the heaviest monsoons recorded in the past 30 years has swamped large parts of India and south-east Asia, affecting millions. Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Pakistan have all been hit and major cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Karachi and Dhaka have been paralysed as roads turn to rivers and waters flood villages.
The scale of the flood disasters in the US and south Asia has shocked governments worldwide and left aid agencies struggling. Around 1,200 people are known to have died so far in Asia, more than 40 million people have been affected and millions of hectares of crops have been destroyed.”
“So what is to blame for these severe weather events and some of the worst flooding ever seen? Climate scientists agree that extreme rainfall will increase as the world warms. Other researchers argue that poor urban infrastructure and the rapid, unchecked sprawl of cities on to marshlands and other places that usually absorb excess rainwater have led to flooding.”
“Flooding is already one of the world’s greatest causes of illness and death. According to the Dartmouth Flood Observatory, between 1985 and 2014 floods worldwide killed more than 500,000 people, displaced over 650 million people and caused damage in excess of $800bn. Between 2003 and 2008 large-scale floods that displaced at least 100,000 people occurred in more than 1,800 cities in 40 countries.”
These are extracts from an interesting article in today’s “Observer” newspaper
Posted in Environment, World current affairs | Comments (5)
A review of the recent film “Collateral Beauty”
September 1st, 2017 by Roger Darlington
I’m really not sure about this movie.
What is certain is that it is studded with stars: Will Smith (in an unusually sensitive leading performance), Edward Norton, Michael Peña, and no less than four British actresses, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley and Naomie Harris. It deals with a terribly serious issue – the death of a young child – and it does not minimise the profound pain or offer an easy answer.
But I was not wholly convinced by the narrative device of having Smith’s character, the father of the dead girl, writing letters to Love, Time And Death, three of his co-workers engaging actors to portray these three ideas, and each of the three friends associating with one of the concepts – just a bit too contrived.
A worthy and watchable effort though.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (2)
Understanding the nature of the Islamic State
August 31st, 2017 by Roger Darlington
Over the past four evenings, I’ve watched recordings of the four-part television series on Channel Four called simply “The State”.
Written and directed by the acclaimed Peter Kosminsky, this tells the fictional account of recruits to ISIS – one from Wembley next door to where I live – and how they are increasingly disillusioned by what they find.
“The State” is an impressive piece of work, clearly well-researched in terms of the language, motivations and actions of the jihadists, with some harrowing scenes of violence and cruelty. It was shot largely in Spain with some fine new actors.
You can access the four programmes here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
How far and fast should you walk each day?
August 30th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
For two years now, I’ve had an Apple Watch which prompts me to walk at least 30 minutes each day and the ‘nudge’ has worked with me consistently hitting the target.
But recently my brother told me that 30 minutes normal walking is not enough. Apparently you have to do at least 10 minutes of brisk walking each day.
He recommended an app called Active 10 produced by Public Health England and available for download free of charge. So today I downloaded the app and – in spite of the rain – I clocked up more than 30 minutes walking and more than 10 minutes brisk walking.
I just have to do this every day now. Thanks, bro.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Does Britain need a new electoral system?
August 28th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
“On 26th June 2017, a full 17 days after the results of the general election were declared, a deal was finally agreed between the minority Conservative government and the Democratic Unionist Party to enable the government, on a case by case basis, to get its legislation through parliament.
The results of the 2017 general election, which saw the Conservatives reduced to 318 seats despite a 5.5 percent increase in their vote share, were realised under a system designed to deliver stable, single-party governments.
On 42.4 percent, the Conservatives had not only increased their vote share (up from 36.9 percent in 2015), they had achieved the same vote share as in 1983 – a year which saw a landslide 397 Conservative MPs elected.
And yet, the Prime Minister returned to parliament having lost her majority whilst the Labour opposition drafted an alternative Queen’s Speech. First Past the Post had delivered the country neither a decisive outcome nor a stable government.
The volatility of this supposedly ‘strong and stable’ electoral system has been exposed in the last three general elections. In 2010 First Past the Post delivered us a coalition government, the first since 1945, under a system designed to produce single-party majorities. In 2015, First Past the Post gave us the most disproportionate election to date with a majority government secured by under 37 percent of the vote share.
Now, in 2017, despite over 80 percent of votes going to just two parties (the highest combined vote share since 1970), First Past the Post could not deliver a majority government. The 2017 general election was the third strike for First Past the Post – it’s out.”
This is the opening of a study by the Electoral Reform Society of the 2017 General Election which offers projections for the result under three different electoral systems. It is a compelling case for change – but is anyone listening and how do we effect that change?
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
My first experience of London’s Notting Hill Carnival
August 27th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
The Notting Hill Carnival has been held in London every year since 1966 and I’ve lived in London since late 1971 but never previously attended the event. This weekend, though, at the venerable age of 69 I ticked off an item on my bucket list by attending the carnival for the first time. And I loved it.
I went with friends who have been before and know the score and I took the elementary safety precautions I adopt when I travel abroad. But I felt perfectly safe and it was a wonderfully vibrant, multi-cultural atmosphere. It helped that the weather was great too.
I only attended the first day which is focused on children and I only visited for the afternoon before it became unbearably crowded. Even on children’s day, there were acres of flesh, tons of tattoos, lots of glitter, and – in the course of the processions – some simulated sexual intercourse.
The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest street festival in Europe and the second biggest carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro. Over the two days, it attracts around one million people – predominantly young, but all shapes, sizes and colours.
There are almost 40 static sound systems and, when you’re near one, the booming, rhythmic sound seems to go through your body. There are around 300 food stalls and I enjoyed a lunch of jerk chicken followed by a can of Red Stripe Jamaican lager (I know, but when at the Notting Hill Carnival …).
I put some photos on Facebook here.
Posted in British current affairs, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Do you understand how the American political system actually works?
August 27th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
On my web site, I have short guides to the political systems of 15 nations.
Given the importance of the United States to the geo-politics of the world and the erratic behaviour of the current occupant of the White House, I receive most visits to my short guide to the American political system.
I have recently made a number of additions to this guide, so you might want to check it out here.
If you’re British or particularly interested in the British political system, you might want to know that I’ve done a comparison of the American and British systems here.
Posted in American current affairs, British current affairs | Comments (0)
A review of the novel “To Kill The President”
August 26th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
Although I read the “Guardian” newspaper every day, I hadn’t realised that its political columnist Jonathan Freedland wrote political thrillers under the pseudonym Sam Bourne but, as I browsed in a bookshop, I read the blurb on the back of this novel and was seized by the ‘torn from the news headlines’ nature of the plot: a volatile demagogue who has just been elected to the Oval Office has ordered a nuclear strike on North Korea.
Of course, Bourne’s president is nameless but the ‘fictional’ commander-in-chief is so scarily recognisable that Donald Trump could probably sue for libel in a British court if he was not so busy up-ending every convention in the political playbook – including warning Pyongyang of American “fire and fury”.
Following this cracking opening scenario, the rest of the novel does not have quite the same sense of acute drama and the plot gradually becomes less credible, but it is a fast-paced story with some well-researched political, geographical and technological detail and the book is a genuine page-turner with teasing lines at the end of each of the short chapters.
And, instead of a male protagonist shooting his way through every obstacle, we have a female White House counsel, Irish-born Maggie Costello, who uses her intellect and insight to discover the awful truth.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
A review of the recent Portman film “Jackie”
August 25th, 2017 by Roger Darlington
Israeli-born actress Natalie Portman has come a long way since her amazing performance as a young girl in the thriller “Leon”, winning an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Black Swan”.
In this film, she portrays Jacqueline Kennedy in the days between the assassination and funeral of her husband, US President John F Kennedy, in 1963. It is an exceptional representation, affecting the unusual voice of her subject and communicating the horror and pain of the First Lady’s experience and her determination to have the funeral she thought appropriate.
This is the first English-language film from Chilean director Pablo Larrain and it is a respectful if, ultimately (and perhaps inevitably), cold work with Mica Levi’s discordant score adding to the sense of alienation.
As Jackie tells the reporter whose interview is the framing device for the film: “Don’t let it be forgot, that for one brief, shining moment there was a Camelot.”
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)