vivweb01blog

If anyone really needed it, and despite the protestations of some analysts, I think the local election results confirm the verdict of the opinion polls that Labour are likely to win the autumn General Election, and probably with a large majority.  Since Hunt's Budget was probably the 'coup de grace' in the Conservatives loss of popularity, I've updated this article to reflect recent developments. If we needed any confirmation that Hunt is still intent on abolishing NI, the recent 'spat' with Rachel Reeves left us in no doubt. Sunak's decision to go for a July poll will probably have little effect on the predicted result, but should at least kick the idea of abolishing NI into the long grass.... -----------------------------  We’re all painfully aware of the current malaise the UK is suffering in the wake of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, etc., etc., and things don’t seem to be getting any better. Couple this with an obviously exhausted government...

  Thought I’d share some entertaining, if rather jaundiced, views on this subject communicated to me recently by an acquaintance (presumably their views were based on personal experience of family life, and may  of course not be typical): “…You spend the first 3 years teaching them to walk and talk…then the next 15 trying to get them to sit down and shut up. And of course when they're teenagers, everything's always ' so unfair'... When they reach 'technical' adulthood, is that the end of it ? – not a chance….. They'll then stay at home for the next 20 years or so ‘cos they can’t be bothered to save up for a house, and just sit around looking at their iPhones. They expect you to feed  them and babysit  their kids when they’re out gallivanting. (Can’t have you off travelling the world and spending their inheritance, after all, can they ?). They also cost you an arm and a leg* in the process.  When they’ve finally moved out and you think you’ll actual...

  Are you already an eBay seller, or contemplating becoming one ? If so, beware, frivolous and fraudulent return requests are on the increase again, and you can expect very little protection against such scams from eBay. Let me explain the problem…. When you advertise something for sale on eBay, you are required to classify it as ‘New’, ‘Used’, ‘Pre-owned’ or ‘For parts – Not working’. If an item is not obviously defective in some way, most sellers opt for one of the first 3 classes, depending on whether the item has been used or not. In most cases, provided you have set your starting price at a reasonable level, the item will receive one or more offers or bids at auction, will then sell, and eBay sends the proceeds to your nominated bank account (minus their 15% selling fee, of course!). You then send the item to your buyer. All well and good, you might think, so where’s the problem ? Unfortunately there are a number of potential pitfalls in the selling process, includi...

  A couple of years ago I attempted to answer the question ' Are we alone in the universe '.  At risk of appearing to be a 'glutton for punishment' I thought it would be useful to follow this up by looking at an even weightier and topical question - 'How did the universe start and how will it end ?'. There is a lot of argument about this currently, with the principal 'Big Bang' theory, until recently taken as gospel by cosmologists, now being challenged in the light of new evidence from the JWST. More evidence suggesting the presence of 'bio-signature' gases in the atmosphere of a nearby exoplanet has also caught the media's attention and promoted discussion about our place in the universe recently. Read on for a short 'journey into cosmology' to whet your appetite for the arguments to come... Introduction The Big Bang theory still remains the favoured explanation for the history of the universe amongst cosmologists. However, in the...

  Calling All DVD & Blu-Ray Fans.... During the past couple of decades I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of DVDs, and more recently some Blu-Ray discs. I’m unlikely to have time to watch all these now, and rather than go through the hassle of trying to sell them individually on eBay (and making next to nothing after eBay fees are deducted !), I’ve decided to be kind to the Environment and recycle them by offering them for sale for virtually nothing to any interested readers using this blog platform and my website (better than seeing them end up in a skip and adding to our landfill woes !). The discs are in various formats ranging from collections of 12 discs of a certain genre (e.g. Sci-Fi, Action, Drama), through double-sided multi-film discs to conventional single-sided discs. I'm happy to sell them with or without boxes - postage will of course be cheaper without. All discs have been checked and are playable, and many are unused, some are even unopened in their original w...

  Introduction ‘Big Tech’, as the corporate technology giants are often collectively known, have a business model that is based on planned obsolescence. Their argument for defending this practice in the face of recent and growing worldwide concern about e-waste is that they are merely responding to consumer demand, and must therefore ‘innovate to survive’.   What they carefully avoid highlighting is that their products are designed to be replaced frequently,  are usually not ‘upward compatible’ and don’t allow easy upgrades or repairs to the existing product. This applies not just to hardware but to the firmware (i.e. chips) and software (i.e. programs) that invariably control it. Indeed, one of the most frequently used tools in big tech’s ‘obsolescence arsenal’ is introducing new software and / or firmware that is incompatible with older hardware. Moreover, upgrades are often installed automatically, with users having to take active steps to switch off auto-install to...

  I first published this in summer of '22 around the time of the mini-budget and the ensuing financial crisis, when prayer was back in fashion, particularly for those with risky investments...it remains relevant at a time when our uncertainties seem to be increasing, rather than starting to resolve themselves..... Introduction As is often quoted: ‘..there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes…’.   In the UK recently we have all heard quite enough about taxes recently, so I’ll focus on the former in this article, if I may, as a diversion from our economic woes. As we age, our thoughts naturally turn to the prospect of our own deaths – and what might or might not happen to us afterwards. Although death itself is a certainty for all of us, there is a surprising reluctance on the part of society to discuss its practicalities and consequences, both physical and spiritual.  In my view, this enduring taboo makes the subject more painful than it need be,  ...