vivweb01blog

  I first published this blog in February 2022, just before Putin's invasion of Ukraine.  A    report   last year of  the possibility of life existing on another planet also presented a good opportunity for a fresh look at the question, which  seems even more relevant now, given the increasingly fragile state of our planet's ecosystem and our own continuing descent into resource-driven conflict. All in all,  perhaps a fitting time to consider whether there might be a possibility of alternative accommodation for humans elsewhere in the universe.... The combination of dimethyl sulphide (DMS), CO2 and methane in the atmosphere of  exoplanet K2-18b is seen as a 'biomarker' - although it does not by any means confirm the presence of life there, it is certainly intriguing. At a distance of 124 light years, however, the possibility of our ever venturing there are slim, to say the least.  Read on to find out why.... ***** Are We Alone in the Uni...

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...