Archive for December, 2012
A review of “Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World”
December 15th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
Great title for a less than great, but eminently watchable, movie which I’ve reviewed here. It might give you some tips for 21 December which some people think will see the end of the world. But I’m sure that I’ll be blogging on 22 December. Hope that you’ll be reading …
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
When will Americans see sense on gun control?
December 15th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
1966: Charles Whitman kills his wife and mother and then 14 others at the University of Texas 1976: Edward Allaway shoots 7 people in a library at California State University Fullerton 1984: James Huberty shoots dead 21 people at a McDonald’s in California 1986: Postal worker Pat Sherrill kills 14 people at a post office […]
Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)
The Darlington family Christmas letter
December 14th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
So the Christmas tree is up, almost all of the Christmas presents have been bought, and most of our Christmas cards have been posted. Each year, we compile a family newsletter to include with the cards to people of whom we have seen little of nothing in the previous year because of time or distance. […]
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Exactly 100 words on being a doting grandfather
December 13th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
My dear friend Ellie Stoneley has a wonderful blog about her experience of conceiving, carrying, delivering and raising her gorgeous baby daughter Hope. She drew my attention to a fascinating project being run by Charlie Plunkett – the mother of Cole – who is compiling a book of contributions from parents and some grandparents which […]
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (4)
My politics lecture at Xaverian College
December 13th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
I mentioned in an earlier posting my visit to Xaverian College in Manchester to give a lecture to politics students on a comparison of the UK and US political systems. The college was where I studied from 1959-1966. took my ‘O’ Levels and ‘A’ Levels, and served as School Captain. The new issue of the […]
Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Today’s a special date – the like of which we won’t see for another nine decades
December 12th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
Today is 12.12.12. The next time we have this sort of date will be on 1 January 2101.
Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments (0)
White British now a minority in London
December 11th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
I have lived and worked in London for more than 40 years now. One of the many things I love about the city is its diversity and tolerance. Details of the latest census underline the extent of this diversity, since they reveal that only 45% of the capital’s 8.2 million class themselves as white Britons. […]
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
Politics as a Darlington family tradition
December 11th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
In 1974, I was a Labour candidate for the (then) constituency of Wanstead & Woodford in the two General Elections of that year. In the first election, I came third. In the second election, I came second. I never ran for Parliament again. This weekend, my daughter-in-law Emily Darlington was selected to be the Labour […]
Posted in British current affairs, My life & thoughts | Comments (0)
Which is the best country in the world in which to be born?
December 10th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
Well, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit which has looked at 11 indicators for 80 nations, it is not my country: the United Kingdom. This comes in at a mere 27th. Top nation is Switzerland which arguably is a pretty boring place to live. Eight of the top 10 are small countries which is telling. […]
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
Ever heard of the all-black American fighter squadron?
December 8th, 2012 by Roger Darlington
Not many people have – but it is a remarkable story. The Tuskegee Airmen – named after their training base – were the first African-American military aviators in the United States armed forces and fought in the Second World War. Formally, they formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Corps […]
Posted in History | Comments (1)