A review of the movie “American Hustle”
January 8th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
So much talent and so much fun in 138 minutes – my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
Has the weather gone mad?
January 7th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Here in the UK, the last month has seen truly miserable weather. We have had storm after storm with strong winds and lashing rain, often accompanied by high tides. The result has been some serious flooding.
According to this blog posting by the Met Office:
“December 2013 is the stormiest December in records dating back to 1969 and is one of the windiest calendar months for the UK since January 1993. December was also a very wet month across the UK, particularly in Scotland where it was the wettest December and wettest month overall in the records dating back to 1910.”
We live on a hill so personally we have been fine. But Vee’s nephew has had problems because the school attended by his two children has been flooded. She’s looking after the kids now while their parents are work.
Meanwhile the north-east of Australia has had temperatures over 40C and the north east of the United States has suffered temperatures down to -25C.
My thoughts go out to all those suffering adverse weather conditions. Stay warm or cool or dry – as the case may be.
Posted in British current affairs, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
A review of the film “The Place Beyond The Pines”
January 6th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Watch this if you like something a bit different and especially if you admire Ryan Gosling or Bradley Cooper. You’ll find my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
Hi, ho! Hi, ho!! It’s off to work we go!!!
January 6th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Remember the old Walt Disney animated tim “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs”? And that cheery song that the dwarfs sang as they went to work?
Today most people return to work with a vengeance after the prolonged Christmas/New Year break. Even though – as a portfolio worker – I don’t work in one place for one organisation, my work restarts today as well.
I’m off to Snodland – which could be a location in a fairy story – to visit the head office of South East Water. We’ll be discussing the company’s Business Plan for 2015-2020 and the report on that plan produced by the Customer Challenge Group which I chair – both documents having been submitted to the regulator Ofwat at the beginning of December.
Posted in Consumer matters, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Are Americans becoming more liberal? Maybe … Eventually …
January 5th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
“On a range of issues, progressive goals have never been so strongly supported by the American people. From gay marriage and marijuana legalisation to raising the minimum wage, immigration reform, background checks for gun buyers and even the specifics of government spending, public opinion is strongly in their favour. Americans are more supportive of activist government, populist politics and socially liberal policies than at any time in recent memory.”
So writes Michael Cohen in an article in today’s “Observer” newspaper, but he concludes his piece:
“In the near term, American politics is likely to look like an extreme version of the gridlock and dysfunction to which Americans have become all too accustomed. The question then is not will liberals get their day in the sun – it’s when. Unfortunately for them – and the voters who support them – 2014 is unlikely to be the year it happens.”
Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)
The 50 top words and phrases that say you’re a Manc
January 4th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
English is now the global language and it is striking that there are so many English accents – local as well as national – but there are not really dialects in the way that there are in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese.
But. of course, we have lots of local words and phrases which can vary from town to town in the same region.
I lived in the northern English city of Manchester for virtually all my first 23 years and my brother still lives there. He has sent me this list of 20 Mancunian words and expressions.
Some of the terms I still use; some I no longer use; some I have never heard of (but it is over 40 years since I lived in Manchester.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
10 technology trends that one can expect in 2014
January 4th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas starts this weekend and one reporter has offered suggestions for the top ten trends to be exhibited at the event – see here.
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (0)
My latest short story – number 31
January 3rd, 2014 by Roger Darlington
It’s six months since I’ve written a short story, but I’ve used the Christmas/New Year break to craft a festive tale. It’s called “Dying For A Pint” and it’s my 31st short story.
You can access it here.
You can access all the others here.
Comments welcome.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Ever heard of the idea of ‘suspended coffee’?
January 2nd, 2014 by Roger Darlington
No? Neither had I – until today.
It seems that, many years ago in Naples, Italy, a tradition was born… Espresso Sospeso. Translating as ‘suspended coffee’, the idea is simple.
Someone goes into a cafe, bakery, or restaurant and pre-purchases a coffee or food.
This is then a ‘suspended coffee’.
Someone in need can then go into the business and ask if they have any suspended coffees. They are then provided with warmth and nourishment at no cost to themselves.
I think that this is a brilliant idea. I love it because I visit cafes for coffee so often. I love even more the notion that it originated in Naples because my mother was from the city.
Searching the web, I find that the BBC web site covered the idea almost a year ago here.
How do I find out which establishments in central London are supporting the ‘suspended coffee’ idea?
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (0)
A review of “Behind The Candelabra”
January 1st, 2014 by Roger Darlington
This biopic of the world famous entertainer Liberace is well worth viewing and I’ve reviewed it here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)