Archive for February, 2007


Introducing “The 2020 Vision”

February 28th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

Former Cabinet Ministers Charles Clarke and Alan Milburn have today launched a new web site called The 2020 Vision intended to open a debate about the future policy direction of the British Labour Party, particularly in the context of an impending change of leadership in the Party as Tony Blair steps down in the summer. […]

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Forgotten world (68): Siberia

February 28th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

Of course, Russia is always in the news, but usually we hear only of events in the most western part of this huge country. Siberia – about which we hear nothing – actually makes up about 56% of Russia’s territory making it similar in size to Canada or the United States or China. Siberia’s population […]

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Forgotten world (67): Bulgaria

February 27th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

One of the last two entrants to the European Union, Bulgaria had a GDP per head in 2005 of only $3,480 compared to $9,240 for the eight post-Communist entrants in 2004 and an EU average of $29,330. It has a population of just 8M. Bulgarian is a Slavic language like Russian or Polish. However, some […]

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It’s Fairtrade Fortnight

February 26th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

Here in the UK, 26 February – 11 March 2007 has been designated Fairtrade Fortnight. Fairtrade sales increase by around 40% every year in the UK, giving hundreds of thousands of producers in developing countries the chance to build a better future and to compete in cut-throat global markets. But Fairtrade Foundation Executive Director Harriet […]

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Forgotten world (66): Romania

February 26th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

If NightHawk has a dominant theme, it is that we live in a wide and varied world and we should know more about other countries and other cultures and learn to respect them. Therefore, on 13 occasions now, I’ve had a week-long feature devoted to parts of the world that tend to be under-reported or […]

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How to remember things

February 24th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m currently reading the book “Tricks Of The Mind” by the British magician Derren Brown. I repeat that this is a badly-written work – and I’ll review it when I’ve finished it – but it does contain some very interesting subjects and ideas. Brown devotes a chapter to memory tricks which […]

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What were you doing when you were 15?

February 24th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

I was a sensitive and insecure teenager at school in Manchester studying for a major set of public examinations. But Lucie Chevalier – who has recently died aged 82 – was a member of the resistance in German-occupied Belgium. Lest we forget, you can read her amazing story here.

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A world first for e-voting

February 24th, 2007 by Roger Darlington

The Baltic state of Estonia plans to become the world’s first country to allow voting in a national parliamentary election via the Internet. More information here. I recently covered Estonia in my on-going blog series entitled “Forgotten World” – see here.

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Five blogs that make me think

February 23rd, 2007 by Roger Darlington

An American blogger has come up with a meme called “Five blogs that make me think”. I only know this because one of the bloggers who’s picked up on the meme – an American teacher who has been a cyber-buddy for some time – has chosen NighHawk as one of her five. Thanks, Dana. It […]

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What my local MP is doing

February 23rd, 2007 by Roger Darlington

My local Labour Member of Parliament has revamped his web site and has a useful feature in the form of a map of the constituency with flags that can be clicked for information on his local activity. When I first moved to Brent North in 1984, this was a Conservative-held seat but Barry Gardiner – […]

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