Archive for July, 2018


Perhaps we are alone in the universe after all – the outcome of the Fermi paradox and the Drake equation

July 15th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

So many science fiction books, films and television series involve other life forms – often lots of of them – but what are the scientific chances that we are, or we are not, alone in this huge (and expanding) universe? Two of the greatest thinkers on this subject have been the Italian physicist Enrico Fermi […]

Posted in Science & technology | Comments (1)


A review of the recent film “Fences”

July 13th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

This is the film adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning 1983 stage play written by August Wilson who refused to have the work made for the big screen unless there was an African-American director helming it. It tells the poignant tale of Troy Maxson, a black waste collector in 1950s Pittsburgh who received no love from his […]

Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)


The Royal Air Force’s 100th anniversary flypast

July 10th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

The wonderful flypast over Buckingham Palace at 1 pm today consisted of 100 aircraft of 23 types with nearly 200 aircrew from 25 different squadrons operating from 14 RAF stations and three civilian airfields. The highlight was a formation 22 Typhoons making out the number 100.

Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)


What’s happening in Ethiopia? – and do you care?

July 10th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

Two important books which I’ve read recently – “Enlightenment Now” [my review here] and “Factfulness” [my review here] – both make the fundamental point that most of the progress which is being made by humankind is not reported by the media  because it is gradual and undramatic and therefore unnewsworthy.  This is especially true of […]

Posted in World current affairs | Comments (2)


A review of the independent film “The Butterfly Tree”

July 9th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

I saw this very low budget film last weekend at the Oz Film Festival in London when it was followed by a Q & A with first-time Australian writer and director Priscilla Cameron. It tells the tangled story of how widower Al (Ewen Leslie) and his emotionally damaged son Fin (Ed Oxenbould) are both attracted […]

Posted in Cultural issues | Comments (0)


My review of “Factfulness” by Hans Rosling – or 10 reasons we’re wrong about the world

July 9th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

I read this important book by Swedish professor of international health Hans Rosling shortly after reading “Enlightenment Now” by American professor of psychology Steven Pinker which was published just a few months earlier [my review here]. Both works essentially have the same message: if you look at the facts, on most measures humankind is making […]

Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)


Is Britain’s National Health Service the best healthcare system in the world?

July 6th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

In the week that the NHS celebrated its 70th birthday, this is a good question to ask. On the one hand, the British are immensely proud of the NHS; on the other hand, there is a widespread view that the system is now underfunded and failing to deliver consistent service. Some relevant facts and figures […]

Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)


Will there be Cabinet resignations at today’s crucial Chequers meeting? Perhaps not …

July 6th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

Hard Brexit? Soft Brexit? Mish-mash Brexit? Who knows? But a special meeting of the Cabinet today at the Prime Minister’s country retreat of Chequers is supposed to provide some clarity. The trouble is that Cabinet ministers are totally divided on the best way forward. The conclusion of a piece on the Chequers meeting in today’s […]

Posted in British current affairs | Comments (0)


After the (welcome) departure of Scott Pruett, just how many resignations and dismissals have there been from the Trump administration?

July 6th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

The Trump administration has from the beginning looked like a modern-day version of “Game Of Throne” with bodies everywhere. The latest fall from power is Scott Pruett from the environment brief, but there have now been so many departures that it’s impossible to recall them all in a record-breaking series of resignations and dismissals. Fortunately, […]

Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)


Why does the health service in the United States cost so much and deliver so little?

July 5th, 2018 by Roger Darlington

I was born in Britain on 25 June 1948 so, except for 10 days of my life, I have benefited from a National Health Service – which is 70 years old today – that is publicly-funded and free at the point of use.  But the health model in the USA is very different, as I […]

Posted in American current affairs | Comments (0)