Whose afraid of the cookie monster?
July 28th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
I’m not talking here about what we in Britain call biscuits, but about bits of data which are stored on your computer when you visit certain web sites and are used when you revisit those sites – see more information here.
The use of cookies has been in the news recently because of a European Directive that is attempting to ensure more consumer knowledge and control over them – see this news item.
A colleague of mine recently advised me on how, if you use Firefox as your web browser (which I do), you can identify and if necessary delete the cookies used on the sites you access. You can check it out here.
Posted in Internet | Comments (0)
39 stops on the London Underground
July 27th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
The London Underground system – popularly known as the Tube – is the oldest in the world (it opened in 1863) and the second largest in the world (only Shanghai is larger).
Today I made one of the longest tube journeys of my life by travelling from Sudbury Hill on the Piccadilly Line to Hornchurch on the District Line – a journey of 39 stops. I was visiting the organisation Wavelength – which provides free radio and television sets to needy individuals – as part of my new role as the Chair of the Digital Consumer Expect Group. It took me two hours door to door.
I could have made a longer journey on the Underground – which in fact is overground in the suburbs – since the London system has an incredible 270 stops and has around 250 miles of track.
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Exactly one year to the London Olympics
July 27th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
In exactly one year’s time, the 2012 Olympic Games will open in London. Essentially all the buildings are ready, but of course much more planning needs to take place. Today various special events will be held to mark the occasion.
I have volunteered to be a London Ambassador for the Games, providing advice and guidance to visitors to the city. My interview is next week.
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Word of the day: limerence
July 26th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
This is a word which was invented quite recently. It was coined about 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov.
According to the Wikipedia page, it describes “an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction for another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one’s feelings reciprocated”.
Madly in love, then.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
How we are treating the sick and disabled
July 25th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
Three months or so ago, I did a posting about how I had accompanied a good friend of mine with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to an interview as part of a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) because he had applied for the new Employment & Support Allowance (ESA). He was refused the ESA, he appealed, and he is still waiting to be called for the appeal hearing.
Meanwhile a House of Commons Select Committee has been reviewing the process of assessing claimants and in particular the role of the company Atos contracted to carry out the assessments. The Committee reports tomorrow and is expected to be critical of the process followed by the Departmemt of Work & Pensions (DWP) in pursuing its policy of reducing dependence on incapacity benefit.
In an article today, the “Guardian” explains how the Atos process works and the criticisms made of it. More than 400,000 appeals – around a third of all cases – have been lodged against decisions not to grant the new benefit and, of those appeals, 39% have proved successful. Clearly it is right that those who can work should do so and those who not need the benefit should not receive it, but the policy has been implemented in an often hurtful and inhumane fashion.
It is a brutal reminder than public expenditure cuts really hurt.
Posted in British current affairs, Social policy | Comments (0)
A lovely afternoon with granddaughter Catrin
July 25th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
This weekend, I babysat my gorgeous granddaughter Catrin for the fourth time (she is now six months old) while her mum and dad went to see the latest “Harry Potter” film. We were together almost five hours and had a fun time.
We read three books together and then I fed her all the yogurt with strawberries. Next we went out in the buggy for a stroll on the South Bank, which was sunny and bustling, and she especially enjoyed looking at the Morris dancers.
Back at the flat, I removed a smelly nappy, gave her a bath, and changed her into her night attire, ready to hand over a clean baby to mum and dad when they returned from the cinema. At least that was the plan. This is is the one time of day when she is inclined to be a bit cranky and to settle her I gave her two fresh strawberries which she loved but which made her – and me – somewhat messy.
I hope that I’ll still be allowed another tour of duty …
“This looks like a really good book.
Please will you read it to me, granddad?”
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (2)
100 years since rediscovery of Machu Picchu
July 24th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
Exactly 100 years ago today, on 24 July 1911, Hiram Bingham announced the discovery of Machu Picchu in Peru. An American historian employed as a lecturer at Yale University, Bingham had been searching for the city of Vilcabamba, the last Inca refuge during the Spanish conquest. He had worked for years in previous trips and explorations around the zone. Pablito Alvarez, a local 11 year-old Quechuas boy, led Bingham up to Machu Picchu.
Ten years ago, my wife and I visited this wonderous location as part of a trip to South America. You can read my account of our time at Machu Picchu here.
Posted in History, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
There’s a new ice cream parlour in town
July 24th, 2011 by Roger Darlington
As I’ve explained here, I’m very keen on my desserts. So I was delighted last night, when Vee and I went over to Muswell Hill for dinner with our good friend Eric, to find that a new ice cream parlour had opened right next door to the Chinese restaurant where we ate. Naturally we had our dessert next door.
The new place – it opened less than two weeks ago – is the eighth in a new chain of ice cream parlours called “Gelato Mio”. I have to say that the ice cream was delicious (and I’m something of an expert in these matters) and, from the queues of customers, it’s clear than I’m not alone in this view.
My Knickerbocker Glory
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
A review of “Evening”
July 23rd, 2011 by Roger Darlington
A movie with half a dozen female stars and you’ve never heard of it, have you? You can check out my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
Another new location in London: the Cartoon Museum
July 22nd, 2011 by Roger Darlington
One of the many reasons that I love living in London is that there is always something new to see and do. This week, my sister Silvia came down from Leicester to London for the day and suggested that we visit a museum that I hadn’t even here of.
It’s the Cartoon Museum which was only opened in 2006. It’s located in Little Russell Street round the corner from the partially pedestrianised Museum Street – featuring some good cafes and interesting shops – which in turn leads to the nearby British Museum.
Posted in Cultural issues, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)