Archive for December, 2015


Happy Christmas story (1): how 18 month old Bella survived the switching off of her ventilator

December 24th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

“A couple who said a final farewell to their baby daughter as her life support machine was turned off told of her miracle recovery. Francesca and Lee Moore-Williams, 41 and 44, cried as they held Bella’s hand and took one final photograph before her ventilator was switched off. The couple even signed a Do Not […]

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Happy Christmas story (2): how three year old Emma saved her pregnant mum and unborn brother

December 24th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

“A girl of three received a bravery award on Wednesday for saving the life of her heavily pregnant mum who tripped and fell downstairs. Little Emma Bazzard called 999 as mum Catherine, 27, lay unconscious on the floor with a ruptured placenta. The toddler calmly gave her name and address and explained what happened during […]

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Who were the 73 most powerful people on the planet in 2015?

December 23rd, 2015 by Roger Darlington

Each year, the “Forbes” magazine compiles a list of those it believes to be the most powerful in the world. This year – for the third year running – top place goes to Vladimir Putin, President of Russia. Second place is given to Angel Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. No 3 is Barack Obama, the President […]

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Labour people are optimists, but this time Polly Toynbee sees no hope

December 22nd, 2015 by Roger Darlington

As a lifelong Labour Party member, I share Polly Toynbee’s despair. I have never known a time in my 46 years of party membership when i thought that Labour was less likely to win the next General Election. Toynbee begins an article for today’s “Guardian” newspaper as follows: “This is the bleakest midwinter of Labour’s […]

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Major upset in Spanish politics

December 21st, 2015 by Roger Darlington

The Spanish went to the polls on Sunday to election a new Congress of Deputies and a new Senate. For the first time in anti-austerity Continental European politics, the party of government that had imposed severe budget cuts managed to win the largest share of the votes – but the People’s Party lost its overall […]

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My reviews of EVERY “Star Wars” film including “The Force Awakens”

December 20th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

For the 17th time in my life, this weekend I went to the cinema to see a “Star Wars” movie. As you will know – unless you’ve been in an alternate universe for the last couple of years – the seventh film in the franchise opened this weekend and I was there with other expectant […]

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A Christmas performance of Handlel’s “Messiah”

December 19th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

This weekend, Vee and I went along to the Royal Albert hall in London for a splendid performance of “Messiah” composed by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Amazingly Handel wrote this oratorio over the course of just 24 days in the summer of 1741. The work consists of 53 pieces which take over two hours to […]

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How to use time well

December 18th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

People often ask me how I manage to do so much – and I answer simply that “I plan”. This Friday’s visit to the Life Skills section of my web site is a highlight of my advice on “How to use time well” which you can read here. Even I will be taking it easy […]

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A review of the new film “Carol”

December 18th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

I’ve had a really good week for moviegoing – first “Brooklyn” and now “Carol”. Both are set in New York in the 1950s and could be regarded as women’s films but I loved them. See my review of “Carol” here.

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A review of the new film “Brooklyn”

December 17th, 2015 by Roger Darlington

It is most certainly not a blockbuster; it’s galaxies apart from the new “Star Wars” movie (which I am dying to see); but “Brooklyn” is a gem of a movie which I heartily recommend. You can read my review here.

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