Archive for August, 2017


Are some operations only effective because of the placebo effect?

August 20th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

The effectiveness of alternative or homeopathic medicine is simply down to the placebo effect, but it may be that a number of routine operations only achieve their efficacy through the same process. In a fascinating article in today’s “Observer” newspaper, one surgeon comes clean on what is going on: “Nobody is suggesting that a liver […]

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A review of the 2016 movie “The Accountant”

August 19th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

This is an action thriller with an unusual central character – a kind of cross between Raymond Babbitt from “Rain Man”, since he has acute autism with phenomenal mathematical skills, and the eponymous hit man in the “John Wick” series, since he has the kind of martial and shooting skills of a small army. Christian […]

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“House Of Cards” or “Games Of Thrones” Trump-style

August 18th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

Who has now left Trump’s White House team? Steve Bannon, chief strategist – 18 August Anthony Scaramucci, communications director – 31 July Reince Priebus, chief of staff – 28 July Sean Spicer, press secretary – 21 July Mike Dubke, communications director – 30 May James Comey, FBI director – 9 May Michael Flynn, national security […]

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A review of the new film “Atomic Blonde”

August 18th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

This espionage thriller is adapted from a graphic novel called “The Coldest City” and is the directorial debut of David Leitch, formerly a stunt coordinator and second unit director in work such as “John Wick” (and it certainly shows). The eponymous MI6 agent is Lorraine Broughton, played with panache by the tall, once South African […]

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“The How Of Happiness” – my review of the book

August 17th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

I have recently finished reading a book called “The How Of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The main section of the work is a description of 12 happiness-enhancing activities and, over the past three days, I’ve blogged about these techniques. If you’d like to see a recap of all the activities and my review of the […]

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“The How Of Happiness” – activities 9, 10, 11, 12

August 16th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

I have recently finished reading a book called “The How Of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The main section of the work is a description of 12 happiness-enhancing activities. Activities 9-12 are as follows: Savouring life’s joys: Paying close attention, taking delight and replaying life’s momentary pleasures and wonders – through thinking, writing, drawing or sharing […]

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“The How Of Happiness” – activities 5, 6, 7, 8

August 15th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

I have recently finished reading a book called “The How Of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The main section of the work is a description of 12 happiness-enhancing activities. Activities 5-8 are as follows: Nurturing relationships: Picking a relationship in need of strengthening and investing time and energy in healing, cultivating, affirming and enjoying it. Developing […]

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“The How Of Happiness” – activities 1, 2, 3, 4

August 14th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

I have recently finished reading a book called “The How Of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky. The main section of the work is a description of 12 happiness-enhancing activities. Activities 1-4 are as follows: Expressing gratitude: Counting your blessings for what you have (either to a close other or privately, through contemplation or diary-writing) or conveying […]

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The modern resurgence of China

August 13th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

At this time of year, my professional commitments are light, so I sign up for a number of short courses at the City Lit further education college in central London. My sixth such course of this summer was delivered by a lecturer called John Berryman and it was titled “China: sphere of influence”. The course involves […]

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A review of the film “Love In The Time Of Cholera”

August 12th, 2017 by Roger Darlington

The novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez was first published in Spanish in 1985 and this English-language movie adaptation was released in 2007. As the title makes clear, this is a love story, but what makes it different is the time (roughly 1880-1930), the place (unnamed in the novel but identified in the film […]

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