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How can I back up my Blog Content...and do I really need to ?

  We’re all guilty of it…and most of the time we get away with it…but sooner or later disaster will strike….. I’m of course referring to our forgetfulness about taking regular backups of the data stored in the multitude of digital devices we rely on nowadays ...and how we assume backups are either not necessary at all, or that someone else is looking after them for us. Nowadays, most things are stored in ‘the cloud’, and we assume that anything that lives there is properly protected. This might seem a reasonable assumption, but recent experiences within 'big tech' have cast doubt on the confidentiality of our data, and potentially its integrity. We tend to store far less on our desktop devices than we once did, although all manner of  key data gets stored within our phones, on which we depend daily. Very few phone users take the trouble to back this up on a regula basis. We should be asking ourselves the question: Is this reliance on cloud suppliers really a sensible mov...
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Amazon withdrew support from their older Kindles on May 20th 2026 - Is yours now defunct ?

  Amazon’s Kindle eReaders were ahead of their time when they first emerged in the late noughties, and were the first of the specialist eReaders with e-ink displays and long battery life to hit the mass market. They have amassed a large following of dedicated reader fans over the years since then, and have proven themselves to be robust and long-lasting devices. They are also the preferred vehicle for reading eBooks, given the eyestrain probems associated with long-term use of LED screens.  Amazon have been steadily phasing out support to their older devices 'on the quiet' for the past couple of years, with restrictions on registration for their oldest models, but there has been considerable concern voiced amongst the Kindle fan-base over the recent 'final' announcement   by Amazon that they are withdrawing support from all of their older devices from May 20th. This doesn't in fact cover the whole range of Kindles, and only applies to anything manufactured befo...
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Making Soccer Great Again….

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  As someone with a lifelong interest in ‘The Beautiful Game’, I must confess to being somewhat alarmed at a recent rumour emanating from the US concerning possible changes to its rules….particularly since FIFA will be keen to 'keep Trump on side'...while the current tournament is in progress, at least. The problem, as I understand it, is this. Fresh from his 'triumph' in getting the Iranians to agree a deal ‘The Donald’ seems to have found time in his busy schedule to address the subject of sport reform. He appears to have decided to adopt a flagship campaign to ‘Make Soccer Great Again’ (already christened as MSGA) as a first step in this important aspect of his legacy. According to recent reports, high level discussions last week within the administration concerning promoting the MAGA agenda have apparently spawned a 'Grand Plan' for sports reform, both in the US and worldwide. The start of his campaign was designed to coincide with the US’s hosting of the fo...
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UK Cost of Living Increases: Who Should The New Chancellor Support…and How ?

  The new occupant of No 11 (whoever he or she may turn out to be!) has a thorny problem on their hands…it's a significant one, and not one they can ignore.... We’re all starting to feel the pinch as a result of the most recent economic shock – Trump’s ill-advised Iran War.  We all knew the economic pain the hostilities would cause; even before they started, a large slice of our population, on low wages but not entitled to benefits were really not able to make ends meet without taking out additional high-interest loans or cutting their outgoings to the bone. For some of them, yet another economic shock may well bring them to the brink of bankruptcy. The excessive electricity and gas price rises imposed by the supplier ‘cartel’ to maintain their profit margins, and sanctioned by a compliant OFGEM, have been particularly injurious. This trend was apparent well before the start of the Iran war, so cannot be blamed on higher world prices as the suppliers claim. Many cons...
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