My Apple Watch is very unforgiving
September 30th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
It doesn’t let an hour of sitting go by without reminding me to stand for a few minutes. It doesn’t let a day go by without encouraging me to do a set period of walking.
I think my Apple Watch loves me – but it’s tough love.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech to the Labour Party Conference
September 29th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
We were told that it was not going to be a long speech, but it lasted an hour. We were told that it was his first use of the autocue and that went well enough.
Corbyn certainly thanked a lot of people, he name-checked a lot of colleagues, he made a special point of welcoming and praising all the new members. He touched on lots of good causes – ranging from a Saudi prisoner to the Redcar steel workers. He highlighted issues like voter registration, cuts in tax credits, the plight of the self-employed, the housing crisis, and the challenge of mental health.
All good issues that will have resonated with Conference delegates and Labour voters. But Corbyn missed a classic opportunity to speak to Britain and especially those who did not vote Labour at the last General Election. He did not address why Labour lost the election and how it is going to win the next one.
You can hear and see his speech here:
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
What is a “Good Kill”? – my review of the film with this title
September 29th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Very few people – me included – will have seen the film “Good Kill” at the cinema, but it is worth searching out on television or DVD because it is a work which raises important issues about the military use of drones. You can read my review here.
Seeing this film, I recalled a short story I wrote some years ago which poses some similar issues. You can read “A Shot In The Dark” here.
Posted in Cultural issues, My life & thoughts | Comments (1)
John McDonnell’s speech to the Labour Party Conference
September 28th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
At today’s Labour Party Conference in Brighton, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell made a serious speech with no jokes, no knockabout, none of his usual colourful language and a remarkably mild delivery. He called it “the new politics”. There were lots of good ideas in the speech but very little detail. Hopefully he will listen to the advisory team he has appointed and those Labour MPs with experience of office.
You can hear and see his speech here:
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (2)
Over half the world still offline
September 28th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
A report from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) suggests that 57% of the world’s population remain offline. The annual “State of Broadband” report from the UN agency suggests that the number of people online over the world has grown to 3.2 billion, up from 2.9 billion last year, but that some 4 billion still do not have any internet access.
The report shows that the Internet is only accessible to 35% of people in developing countries, while in UN-designated least developed countries, over 90% of people do not have any Internet connectivity.
The report also suggests that the top ten countries for household Internet penetration are all located in Asia or the Middle East. South Korea continues to have the world’s highest penetration, with 98.5% of homes connected, followed by Qatar (98%) and Saudi Arabia (94%).
Posted in Internet | Comments (0)
A review of the new film “Everest”
September 27th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
I once tried hard to fly over Mount Everest – but failed, as you can read here. Flying over it is one thing; climbing it is another- but that is what hundreds of people attempt each year.
In May 1996, lots of climbers were at the top of the mountain when it was hit by a ferocious storm and eight died. The new film “Everest” captures the excitement and the terror of the climb and you read my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
At last, we have switched our gas and electricity suppliers
September 26th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Although most of my work is as a consumer advocate in regulated industries, I am not a very canny consumer myself. I’ve always been so reluctant to switch suppliers, fearing that something could do wrong.
So, after all the years that energy suppliers have been privatised, I have never switched either our gas or our electricity supplier. Until now. What persuaded me was two things.
First, I have switched as part of a block of around 100,000 consumers mobilised by the campaign group 38 Degrees. It felt good to be part of a movement.
Second, it’s 100% clean electricity – all of it coming from renewable sources. It’s energy made from Cornish sunshine, Scottish wind and, um, Welsh rain (seriously!).
And we’re saving hundreds of pounds compared to our existing energy suppliers.
Our new provider is called Good Energy which regularly tops the table for the Which? Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Posted in Consumer matters, Environment | Comments (0)
My 29th short story: “This Life Business”.
September 25th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Many of my short stories are loosely inspired by some experience in my life. Almost five years ago now, I became a granddad with the birth of my granddaughter Catrin. This got me thinking about memory and when it begins and how temporary it is.
As a result, I wrote a short story called “This Life Business”. You can read it here.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Series 1 of “Homeland” – we’ve finished it
September 24th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
Recently, I did a posting explaining the circumstances in which Vee and I had started to watch series 1 of the American television programme “Homeland” – some four years after the series was first broadcast. Thanks to having a box set, we’ve been able to watch all 12 episodes of the series in just six days.
We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience: convincing sets and characters, clever plotting, a fine script and superb acting by Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin especially. The trouble is that there are now four more series …
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (1)
How many characters has James Bond killed in the movies so far?
September 24th, 2015 by Roger Darlington
As we await eagerly the 24th Bond film, “Empire”magazine has a round-up of facts and figures about the earlier films.
Apparently Bond has so far killed 378 characters. The break-down by actors is as follows:
- Pierce Brosnan – 135
- Roger Moore – 90
- Sean Connery – 72
- Daniel Craig – 53
- Tomthy Dalton – 23
- George Lazenby – 5
Maybe, in “Spectre”, Craig will kill enough to take him above Connery’s total. Who’s counting, you ask? Well. someone at “Empire” magazine at least, no doubt.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)