Archive for July, 2009
Forgotten World (180): Cameroon
July 31st, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Cameroon, which obtained its independence in 1960 and today has a population of 19 million, has long been considered one of the more stable sub-Saharan African countries with one of the highest per capital GDPs. Recently, however, the situation has deteriorated with civil unrest and violence from youth groups protesting against corruption as well as […]
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My second short story
July 31st, 2009 by Roger Darlington
My summer time project to become a short story writer continues. Today I publish my second story entitled “Thelma And Louise – The Sequel”. You can read it here. Do let me know what you think.
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Forgotten World (179): Ireland
July 30th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
The Irish Republic, officially known as Ireland, has emerged from the conflict that marked its birth as an independent nation to become one of Europe’s economic powerhouses. Long under English or British rule, Ireland lost half its population in the decades following the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s, becoming a nation of emigrants. However, […]
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Outside our house …
July 30th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
… at the moment is this huge thing: The local council is resurfacing our crescent.
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Forgotten World (178): Lebanon
July 29th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Lebanon was carved out of the Ottoman Empire and granted independence by the French in 1943. Clashes between Palestinian militia and Christian fighters broke out into war in 1975 and the conflict lasted until 1990. Sectarian tensions remain and the various militia are backed by countries around the region. The population of 4 million – […]
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What are the seven seas?
July 28th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
You’ve heard the expression “the seven seas”. But what are these seven seas? In Medieval European literature, “the seven seas” referred to the following seas: * the Persian Gulf * the Black Sea * the Caspian Sea * the Red Sea, including the closed Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee * the Mediterranean Sea, […]
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Forgotten World (177): Trinidad & Tobago
July 28th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
The two islands of Trinidad & Tobago have been run together since 1888 and became independent of Britain in 1962. They have a total population of around 1.3 million. As the Caribbean’s leading producer of oil and gas, Trinidad & Tobago is one of the region’s most prosperous countries. But, as global oil and gas […]
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Playing with words
July 27th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
What do these words have in common? 1. Banana 2. Dresser 3. Grammar 4. Potato 5. Revive 6. Uneven 7. Assess Are you peeking or have you already given up? Give it another try… Look at each word carefully. You’ll surprise yourself when you discover the answer. Answer: No, it is not that they all […]
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Forgotten World (176): Vietnam
July 27th, 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 175 entries here. At one time, Vietnam was in the world news almost daily. This was the consequence of […]
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The humour of the kids
July 25th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Earlier this week, I was travelling on a crowded train on the London underground and overheard two young school girls telling each other silly jokes. The first asked: “What’s the fastest drink in the world?” After a pause, she added: Milk – it’s pasteurised before it’s down your mouth.” The second responded: “OK. What’s the […]
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