Archive for January, 2016


I don’t want to spoil your day – but have you ever heard of Dark Winter?

January 31st, 2016 by Roger Darlington

I’m currently reading a cracking – and very long – novel called “I Am Pilgrim”, the debut work by Terry Hayes. It’s a thriller centred on a bio-terror attack on America. The text mentions a bio-terrorist simulation exercise called Dark Winter which turns out to be true. Operation Dark Winter was the code name for […]

Posted in Cultural issues, Science & technology | Comments (0)


Is it necessary, indeed is it even possible, to give your body a detox?

January 30th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

Around this time of year, several of my friends tell me that they are on a detox and seem astonished why I explain that I actually I don’t believe detox is necessary or even possible. Don’t take it from me. Listen to Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University: “If toxins did […]

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How good are you at making decisions? Need any advice?

January 29th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

In the section of my web site on Life Skills, I have advice on “How To Make Decisions”. If you decide to read it, you can access it here.

Posted in My life & thoughts | Comments (0)


My new appointment: Chair of the Essential Services Access Network

January 28th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

Since I took early retirement from the Communications Workers Union 14 years ago, I have worked part-time, sitting on various bodies representing consumers in regulated sectors, especially communications. This week, I took on another such appointment, that of Chair of a body called the Essential Services Access Network (ESAN). The object of ESAN is to […]

Posted in Consumer matters, My life & thoughts | Comments (2)


Holocaust Memorial Day: we must never forget

January 27th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

Here in the UK, it is Holocaust Memorial Day as we remember the six million Jews and other persecuted groups who died in the Nazi concentration camps and killing fields in Europe during the Second World War. It is an event in human history without direct precedent and almost impossible to comprehend – but we […]

Posted in History | Comments (0)


A review of the Oscar-contending film “The Big Short”

January 25th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

There have been some really good films portraying the madness that is the financial market. I think particularly of “Margin Call” [my review here] and “The Wolf Of Wall Street” [my review here]. This year’s nominations for the Academy Awards (popularly known as the Oscars) have been released and a candidate for Best Film is […]

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Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership: it wasn’t supposed to be like this

January 24th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

When Jeremy Corbyn was elected overwhelmingly as the new leader of the Labour Party, his supporters told us that people would flock to join the Party (which they have) and voters would get behind a radical new Labour (which they haven’t). Already, as this “Observer” article explains, Corbyn’s supporters are offering excuses for why Labour […]

Posted in British current affairs | Comments (1)


U.S. presidential election (17): it wasn’t supposed to be like this

January 24th, 2016 by Roger Darlington

Over a year ago, commentators – me included [see this blog posting] – were speculating that the 2016 presidential election could be a contest between candidates from families that have previously occupied the White House, namely Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Jeb Bush for the Republicans. So, how’s it working out? This is an […]

Posted in American current affairs | Comments (2)


Who were the world’s first terrorists?

January 23rd, 2016 by Roger Darlington

The Taliban, al-Qaeda, ISIS … sadly the murderous activities of these groups follow in a long and bloody history of the use of terrorism to advance political and religious aims. You could make a case that the first modern terrorists were a Russian group called People’s Will. They were formed in 1879 and they assassinated […]

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How to think critically

January 22nd, 2016 by Roger Darlington

In the Life Skills section of my web site, I have “How to …” advice on 31 topics. The most visited of these pages is that on “How to think critically”. For several years now, two branches of the United States military have used this material on officer training courses. So, if it’s good enough […]

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