Archive for June, 2009
One billion hungry
June 19th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Around one billion people – a record – are now going hungry which represents almost one in six of the world population – further information here.
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
The world’s oldest man
June 19th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
He’s British and he’s 113 – information on the remarkable on Henry Allingham here.
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (0)
Diversity in reading
June 19th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
After a couple of months, I’ve decided to pick up the challenge of my American cyber buddy Dana Huff, an English teacher, who blogged about a meme called “Diversity in reading” – see her posting here. So to answer the questions about my recent reading: 1. Name the last book by a female author that […]
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (2)
Obama and that fly
June 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)
What did your MP claim?
June 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
If you live in the UK and you want to know what expenses your Member of Parliament has claimed recently, BBC online has helpfully provided this guide.
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
When were the First & Second Reichs?
June 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Even today, there are constant references in the media to Nazi Germany, otherwise known as the Third Reich. Adolf Hitler boasted that his Reich would last for a thousand years but, in fact, it only lasted for 12 years (1933-1945). But, if this was the Third Reich, when were the First and Second Reichs? In […]
Posted in History | Comments (0)
The shame of Iran (2)
June 17th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Thanks to my web site and blogs, I have contact with people all around the world – including Iran. In the last few days, it has been very difficult for me to contact my friend in Tehran who voted in the presidential election for the challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi. My contact (no identifying details for […]
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
10 things you don’t know about the Earth
June 16th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Check out these facts here. My favourite is that it would take about 42 minutes to fall down a hole to the centre of the Earth and reach the other side (try it and see).
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (0)
10 things you don’t know about the Sun
June 16th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Check out these facts here. My favourite is that, although the Sun is 4.55 or so billion years old, it has another 6.3 billion more years to live (that’s somehow reassuring).
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (0)
How does homeopathy work?
June 15th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
In the UK, today marks the start of Homeopathy Awareness Week. This is an annual event and this year’s theme is a natural approach for the symptoms of hay fever. So how does homeopathy work exactly? The site states: “Scientifically it can not yet be explained precisely how it works, but new theories in quantum […]
Posted in Science & technology | Comments (15)