I don’t want to spoil your day – but have you ever heard of Dark Winter?
January 31st, 2016 by Roger Darlington
I’m currently reading a cracking – and very long – novel called “I Am Pilgrim”, the debut work by Terry Hayes. It’s a thriller centred on a bio-terror attack on America. The text mentions a bio-terrorist simulation exercise called Dark Winter which turns out to be true.
Operation Dark Winter was the code name for a senior-level bio-terrorist attack simulation conducted from 22-23 June 2001. It was designed to carry out a mock version of a covert and widespread smallpox attack on the United States.
As Wikipedia puts it:
“Dark Winter’s simulated scenario involved an initial localized smallpox attack on Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with additional smallpox attack cases in Georgia and Pennsylvania. The simulation was then designed to spiral out of control. This would create a contingency in which the National Security Council struggles to determine both the origin of the attack as well as deal with containing the spreading virus. By not being able to keep pace with the disease’s rate of spread, a new catastrophic contingency emerges in which massive civilian casualties would overwhelm America’s emergency response capabilities.”
You can read more about the exercise here.
Posted in Cultural issues, Science & technology | Comments (0)
Is it necessary, indeed is it even possible, to give your body a detox?
January 30th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Around this time of year, several of my friends tell me that they are on a detox and seem astonished why I explain that I actually I don’t believe detox is necessary or even possible.
Don’t take it from me. Listen to Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University:
“If toxins did build up in a way your body couldn’t excrete, you’d likely be dead or in need of serious medical intervention. The healthy body has kidneys, a liver, skin, even lungs that are detoxifying as we speak. There is no known way – certainly not through detox treatments – to make something that works perfectly well in a healthy body work better.”
You can learn more here.
If you really want to be healthier, here is how.
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (0)
How good are you at making decisions? Need any advice?
January 29th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
In the section of my web site on Life Skills, I have advice on “How To Make Decisions”. If you decide to read it, you can access it here.
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
My new appointment: Chair of the Essential Services Access Network
January 28th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Since I took early retirement from the Communications Workers Union 14 years ago, I have worked part-time, sitting on various bodies representing consumers in regulated sectors, especially communications.
This week, I took on another such appointment, that of Chair of a body called the Essential Services Access Network (ESAN).
The object of ESAN is to promote social inclusion by helping to protect people in vulnerable circumstances from the disadvantages resulting from difficulty in having affordable access to essential services. Currently the essential services covered by ESAN comprise energy, communications, water, and financial services.
The Network brings together consumer groups and regulatory bodies in these four sectors. I am looking forward to working with them all.
If you’re interested in the full range of my current appointments, you’ll find that information here.
Posted in Consumer matters, My life & thoughts | Comments (2)
Holocaust Memorial Day: we must never forget
January 27th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Here in the UK, it is Holocaust Memorial Day as we remember the six million Jews and other persecuted groups who died in the Nazi concentration camps and killing fields in Europe during the Second World War.
It is an event in human history without direct precedent and almost impossible to comprehend – but we have to remember, think about the victims and the lessons, and try to build a better world.
One way of trying to understand the Holocaust is to visit a concentration camp and I have been to Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland and Theresienstadt in the Czech Republic. Another way is to visit a relevant museum and I have been to several including Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. Still another way is to heard the testimony of survivors and I have been privileged to hear several such talks.
One more way of thinking about the Holocaust is to read a book. An account which I found particularly powerful is “The Nazi Holocaust: Its History And Meaning” by Ronnie Landau. On today of all days, I would urge you to take a few minutes to read my review of the work here.
Posted in History | Comments (0)
A review of the Oscar-contending film “The Big Short”
January 25th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
There have been some really good films portraying the madness that is the financial market. I think particularly of “Margin Call” [my review here] and “The Wolf Of Wall Street” [my review here].
This year’s nominations for the Academy Awards (popularly known as the Oscars) have been released and a candidate for Best Film is a movie showing how the collapse sub-prime housing market rocked the American (and world) economy in 2007/08.
We saw the film, “The Big Short”, this weekend and you can read my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership: it wasn’t supposed to be like this
January 24th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
When Jeremy Corbyn was elected overwhelmingly as the new leader of the Labour Party, his supporters told us that people would flock to join the Party (which they have) and voters would get behind a radical new Labour (which they haven’t).
Already, as this “Observer” article explains, Corbyn’s supporters are offering excuses for why Labour will do poorly in the elections in May.
Labour may win the London Mayor election, but in Scotland the party could fall to 25 seats or below, far behind the SNP, who could claim up to 70, and only a little way ahead of the Conservatives, who could take 20 or more. In English councils, Labour is down on average by 8% on its 2012 polling levels, suggesting the loss of control of 20 councils, while in Wales a 7% fall in support since 2011 suggests that Labour would lose effective control of the Welsh Assembly and could suffer its worst ever result there.
You can’t blame Corbyn for all of this; any Labour leader would have a huge mountain to climb. But, earlier this week, an “Independent” commentator offered nine simple, salient observations about the current state of the Labour Party. In a succinct and sad analysis, one fact stands out:
“Labour lost the election because its leader was not liked and it wasn’t trusted on the economy. Today, it has a leader whose approval ratings are lower than Ed Miliband’s, and is less trusted on the economy.”
Don’t shoot the messenger!
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (1)
U.S. presidential election (17): it wasn’t supposed to be like this
January 24th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Over a year ago, commentators – me included [see this blog posting] – were speculating that the 2016 presidential election could be a contest between candidates from families that have previously occupied the White House, namely Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Jeb Bush for the Republicans. So, how’s it working out?
This is an extract from an “Observer” review of the current state of the races:
“A year ago Jeb Bush versus Hillary Clinton looked like a safe, if dull bet. No one dreamed that, with the Iowa caucuses approaching on 1 February, polls might be suggesting the rather less likely head-to-head of Donald Trump versus Bernie Sanders, a clash not of political dynasties but of popular movements.
Trump, 69, a billionaire celebrity from New York who has never held political office, has dominated the national Republican race although hardline conservative Cruz, 45, another outsider, appears to have the edge in Iowa. Neither has the endorsement of a single sitting governor or senator.
Sanders, a 74-year-old socialist senator from Vermont, appears well placed to beat Clinton among Democrats in both Iowa and New Hampshire. While she remains the long-term favourite, the former first lady could be forgiven for suffering stomach-knotting flashbacks to her defeat by Barack Obama in 2008.”
Just to make life even more interesting, there is a possibility that there may be a independent challenge for the presidency in the shape of Michael Bloomberg [see here]. Politics is never dull!
Posted in American current affairs | Comments (2)
Who were the world’s first terrorists?
January 23rd, 2016 by Roger Darlington
The Taliban, al-Qaeda, ISIS … sadly the murderous activities of these groups follow in a long and bloody history of the use of terrorism to advance political and religious aims.
You could make a case that the first modern terrorists were a Russian group called People’s Will. They were formed in 1879 and they assassinated Tsar Alexander II in 1881. You can learn more about People’s Will here.
I came across this group recently when it was mentioned in the third and last episode of the fascinating BBC4 television series “Empire Of The Tsars: Romanov Russia With Lucy Worsley” – see here.
We have been to St Petersburg and seen the site of the assassination of Alexander II which is now marked with an amazing church – see the account of our visit here.
Posted in History | Comments (0)
How to think critically
January 22nd, 2016 by Roger Darlington
In the Life Skills section of my web site, I have “How to …” advice on 31 topics. The most visited of these pages is that on “How to think critically”.
For several years now, two branches of the United States military have used this material on officer training courses. So, if it’s good enough for them, you might like to have a look for yourself here.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)