Archive for May, 2009
A man to watch
May 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
He is black, he is a Conservative Member of Parliament, and he sits on his party’s Front Bench – but you’ve never heard of him. He is Adam Afriyie – Conservative MP for Windsor and Shadow Minister for Innovation, Universities and Skills. I first came across him during the last General Election campaign when I […]
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
Forgotten World (171): Comoros
May 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
It’s time to have another week of postings in my long-running series called Forgotten World – a look at parts of the world that hardly feature in our media or thoughts. You can check the previous 170 entries here. Located off the east coast of Africa between Madagascar and Mozambique, the Comoros are an archipelago […]
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
The Lod Airport massacre
May 17th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Today Vee and I attended the 60th birthday celebration of someone who has been a dear friend for over 20 years. The event – attended by around 40 family and friends – was held in premises almost opposite the synagogue that she and her husband attend. It was a very joyful occasion but, in her […]
Posted in History | Comments (3)
Five minutes with Richard Dawkins
May 16th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I agree with all his answers as expressed here. But then I was generally very favourable to his book “The God Delusion” which I reviewed here.
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (0)
It’s beyond the pale
May 16th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
What is? Well, the behaviour of many Members of Parliament in their expense claims for a start. But what is the origin of this strange expression? Pale comes from the Latin ‘palum’ meaning ‘stake’. In English, it came to mean a fence around a territory which was under a particular authority, such as a cathedral […]
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (1)
Ten days that shook my world (2)
May 15th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
If you read my original posting on my terrible time with Internet service provider Pipex, you will understand why I am so angry with the company. I submitted a formal complaint by e-mail on Monday and was advised by an automated reply that I should receive a response within two working days. Four days later […]
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Why are we so tough on the Dutch?
May 14th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I was recently having dinner with some friends including a woman from The Netherlands. I commented that it was strange that the English language contains so many words and phrases that make unkind reference to the Dutch. After all, the Dutch are known for being affable, tolerant, and English speakers. My Dutch friend was surprised […]
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (4)
Preserving the National Minimum Wage
May 12th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
The National Minimum Wage is a real achievement of the Labour administration in the UK that has made a material difference to many low-paid workers. But some Conservatives want to freeze the current levels and others want to abolish it outright. To support the National Minimum Wage, go here.
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
You’re never alone with a Vergatario
May 12th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
In the last week or so, my mobile has saved my sanity as I’ve struggled to regain my lost fixed line connection to the Internet [for the 10 days that shook my world, see here]. But my iPhone cost me £269 when I bought it days after it was first released in the UK a […]
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (1)
My feeling of ‘Jai Ho’
May 11th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I receive over 5,000 visits a day to my web site and two blogs – but typically I only have one or two comments a day. Yet the blog posting that has attracted more comments than any other – 28 so far – is the one where I ask “What does ‘Jai Ho’ mean?”. The […]
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)