Archive for July, 2008
The American presidential election (47)
July 5th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
The American presidential election is all about the electoral college and the winning or losing of each state – rather than about the overall popular vote (as Al Gore demonstrated four years ago). There’s still four months to go in the election, but a state by state analysis suggests that, as of now, it’s looking […]
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Death penalty for bloggers?
July 4th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
This news is horrifying.
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Forgotten World (140): Belize
July 4th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Belize – located south-east of Mexico – has more in common with the Caribbean island-states than with its Central American neighbours. This is reflected in its major languages, English and Creole, and in its mainly Anglo-Caribbean architecture and its relatively peaceful political culture. However, Belize has a problem with violent crime, much of it drug-related, […]
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Now I’m 60 …
July 4th, 2008 by Roger Darlington
I was 60 last week and, having now reached this venerable age, certain privileges come into play. For instance, I now have a Freedom Pass to travel on London’s tubes and buses. Then the national health service has written to me to offer a free bowel cancer test. i prefer the former …
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Forgotten World (139): Saint Helena
July 3rd, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Just ten miles long and six miles wide, St Helena sits in the middle of the South Atlantic as one of the most isolated, inhabited islands in the world: 700 miles to Ascension Island, 1500 miles to Tristan da Cunha and 1650 miles to Cape Town. Traditionally served by the Britain’s last working Royal Mail […]
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My American friend Larry Cohen
July 2nd, 2008 by Roger Darlington
One of my closest friends is also one of the most distant. Larry Cohen is now President of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) but I have known him for around 20 years. He has just completed his first three-year term as President and been elected unopposed for a second three-year term. You can read […]
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Happy birthday to my web site
July 2nd, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Today is the ninth anniversary of the creation of this web site. I have to thank Vee’s nephew Martin for getting me started by opening a homepage for me on one of those free hosting sites. Later he purchased a domain name with my name for me. Over the intervening years, the site has grown […]
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Forgotten World (138): Fiji
July 2nd, 2008 by Roger Darlington
The 800-plus volcanic and coral islands that make up the Pacific nation of Fiji enjoy a tropical climate and are a prime destination for tourists. However, since 1987 racial and political tensions have been an intermittent source of instability and international isolation and there have in fact been four coups in the last 20 years. […]
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Happy birthday to the NHS
July 1st, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Just five days after my 60th birthday, today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the National Health Service. I was one the last babies in Britain to be born outside the NHS but, for 60 years, I have – like many millions – relied on it enormously. The NHS is one of […]
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Forgotten World (137): Gabon
July 1st, 2008 by Roger Darlington
Now that Fidel Castro has stepped down as president of Cuba, Gabon holds the dubious distinction of having the world’s longest-serving leader that is not a monarch: Albert-Bernard Bongo has been president for more than 40 years. He has ruled largely unchallenged and mostly without force, despite squandering much of the country’s natural wealth (especially […]
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