Archive for February, 2014
After more than 60 years together, couple die 36 hours apart
February 22nd, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Read the moving story here.
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
small changes can have BIG effects
February 21st, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Check out this short video.
Posted in Environment | Comments (0)
OK, it’s official – Britain has had the wettest winter on record
February 20th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
According to the Met Office, winter encompasses the months of December, January and February, so there is still a week to go before it is over. But already it has announced that the UK has had the wettest winter since records began in 1910. You can see the details here. We’ve been lucky. We live […]
Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)
Anglican bishops lambast Britain’s welfare reforms
February 20th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
“Britain is the world’s seventh largest economy and yet people are going hungry. Half a million people have visited foodbanks in the UK since last Easter and 5,500 people were admitted to hospital in the UK for malnutrition last year. One in five mothers report regularly skipping meals to better feed their children, and even […]
Posted in British current affairs, Social policy | Comments (0)
How Chinese workers are starting to assert their rights
February 20th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
China’s workers are shaking off the mantle of individual victims and emerging as a strong, unified and increasingly active collective force. They are focused on basic social and economic rights; earning a living wage, creating a safe work environment and being treated with dignity and respect by the employer. All too often, however, workers are […]
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)
Word of the day: quidnunc
February 19th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
This word means a person who is eager to know the latest news and gossip. The word is written behind a picture hanging in a hotel by a character played by Jennifer Aniston in the 2009 movie “Love Happens”. I have no idea why.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
A review of the movie “Love Happens”
February 19th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Will the lovely Jennifer Aniston ever make a really good film after her great success in “Friends”? “Love Happens” – which was released in 2009 – is not it, as you will see from my review here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
What’s going on in Venezuela in a nutshell
February 18th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Four days ago, this six-minute video was posted on YouTube by Andreina Nash, a 21 year old Venezuelan-born student living in the USA. You should watch it.
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (2)
Word of the day: syzygy
February 18th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
This is the only word in the English language with three occurrences of the letter ‘y’. The word means an alignment of three celestial bodies. You can learn more here.
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)
The BAFTA awards: the winners and my reviews of them
February 17th, 2014 by Roger Darlington
Last night, Vee and I enjoyed a couple of hours in front of the television watching the 2014 BAFTA Film Awards. You can see all the shortlisted nominations and actual winners here. “Gravity” won six awards – my review here. “American Hustle” won three awards – my review here. “12 Years A Slave” won two awards – […]
Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)