Archive for September, 2010
The Shard rises higher
September 14th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
This week, I was walking across Southwark Bridge to Ofcom headquarters in London and could not fail to notice how the nearby Shard building is rising higher and higher. Shard London Bridge, previously known as London Bridge Tower and also known as the Shard of Glass and The Shard, is a skyscraper under construction in […]
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All alone am I
September 13th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Last summer, my wife Vee and her twin sister Mari went over to the Czech Republic for a week or so to take party in various events to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of their father, the Czech World War Two night fighter ace Karel Kuttelwascher. Today the two of them set out […]
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Something new (3): Harrow-on-the-Hill
September 12th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I love discovering new things or visiting new places in my home city of London where I have lived now for almost 40 years. For 26 of those years, I’ve lived at the foot of Harrow-on-the-Hill and often go for walks up the hill for some exercise. Today, for the first time, I went on […]
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Something new (2): “Emporium”
September 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I love discovering new things or visiting new places in my home city of London where I have lived now for almost 40 years. This weekend, Vee & I visited a wonderful new tea house at the invitation of our good friends Eric & Cindy. It is called “Emporium” and located between East Finchley and […]
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Something new (1): “La Deliverance”
September 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I love discovering new things or visiting new places in my home city of London where I have lived now for almost 40 years. This weekend, I stopped for the first time to look at a striking statue that I pass every time I visit close friends Ivan & Ros in Finchley. Amazingly I’ve never […]
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Cuts hit poorest hardest
September 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
If cuts in public expenditure have to be made – and they do (although the scale and speed are very much for debate) – the Government should ensure that those most dependent on state services are least hit. But new research commissioned by the Trades Union Congress shows that precisely the opposite is the case. […]
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How many millions did Mao kill?
September 10th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Everyone knows that, in the 20th century, the greatest killers were Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin whose policies were responsible for millions and millions of lives. But many people forget about the Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung. In “Mao: The Unknown Story” by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday [my review here], his appalling record was examined […]
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The novels of Barbara Kingsolver
September 9th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Some time ago, I read the novel “The Poisonwood Bible” [my review here] by the American writer Barbara Kingsolver. This summer, I’ve been reading Kingsolver’s latest novel “The Lacuna” [my review here]. Both are enormously impressive works dealing with big political issues, notably colonialism and identity. I highly recommend them.
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The American War of Independence
September 8th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I’m currently watching the British broadcasting of the series “America: The Story of the US” (titled in the United States “America: The Story Of Us”. It’s heavy on special effects and contemporary figures, but it is very informative and highly watchable. Episode 2 – “Revolution” – deals with the American War of Independence. Inevitably the […]
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The Labour leadership election
September 7th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Ballot papers have now been issued for the election of a new leader of the Labour Party, the first such exercise since 1994. As an individual member of the Party for 41 years, I have a vote and I have now exercised it. After three months of campaigning by the five candidates, I have decided […]
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