26 August 2015

Toilet paper vs. tissues vs. kitchen roll

I think kitchen roll is better nearly every time, so I've stopped buying toilet roll and tissues, and just use kitchen roll instead now.


AspectKitchen rollTissuesToilet paper
CheaperNo
1.3 pence per sheet (Tesco Standard 4 roll)
No
1.3 pence per sheet (ignoring triple ply) (Tesco regular 72 sheets)
Yes
0.7 pence per sheet (ignoring double ply and counting 2 rolls to make the same size) (Tesco luxury 4 roll) (standard not available, and not comparing with Everyday Value)
Stays together when blowing nose?YesNo - tissue gets stuck in stubbleNo - tissue gets stuck in stubble and usually makes a hole in the tissue
Good at soaking up spillages?YesNoYes, but drips easily
Soft?NoYesMedium
Perforates easily?YesYes, but sometimes you get more tissues than you wantNo - usually end up tearing more sheets in half
Collects dust (lint) when cleaning/wiping glasses?NoYesYes
Environmentally friendly?Wiki: Virgin or recycled paper pulp with bleach and resinTesco: Wood pulp of forestsKnowledge: usually recycled from normal paper
Can be flushed down the toilet?No (unless torn)YesYes
Can be used to dry hands?YesNo - doesn't pick up waterNo - falls apart at simple tears
Easy to roll back up?Easy to get back if going slowlyEasy to stackCan never get back to normal
Good surface area for blowing nose/picking up spillages?YesMediumNo
Falls apart in the washing machine?NoYesYes
Easy to carry around?Medium - need a small pouch or food bag to keep cleanYes - folded pocket tissues availableMedium-Low - as with kitchen roll, but more difficult to unroll

KS3 / KS4 / GCSE Mandatory Subjects

I believe the curriculum and mandatory-ness should be split up like the following.
The current replacement for GCSE, the English Baccalaureate, is still missing some key parts.

Mandatory

  • Essentials: Maths, English (Literature, Language), Science (Chemistry, Physics, Biology)
  • IT (not ICT - less focus on Office apps and more on Operating Systems, Programming)
  • "Food Technology" also known as Cooking!
  • P.E. (need to keep our kids healthy) - should be more optional about what types can be chosen, rather than force kids into them
    • Mandatory: Athletics and gymnasium sport (fitness)
    • Optional: Football, rugby, hockey, basketball, tennis, rounders (aka cricket), badminton, table tennis, archery, netball, trampolining
  • Sexual health
  • Life skills aka common sense. Respecting others, passive/assertive/aggressiveness, government bodies - see more
  • "Citizenship" also known as "Key Skills" - replace with focus on business-oriented requirements e.g. CV building, interviews, work experience, volunteering, vocational study etc.
Optional

  • Creative art: Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Technology (Electronics, Design, CAD, Sewing)
  • Social studies: Geography, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Politics, Business Studies, Religious studies (should not be focused on Christianity - should cover all the philosophical points only)
  • Language: French, Spanish, German etc.

8 August 2015

'I have Windows 7. Why do I need to update?'


  • Windows 7 mainstream support has already ended, so you'll no longer get free support from Microsoft
  • This also means that you won't get any more security updates either, so your computer will become more vulnerable to attack
  • You will not get any new functionality introduced in newer operating systems
  • As time goes on, some programs will lose support for Windows 7
  • Windows 10 is more user-friendly, more efficient, more stable, more reliable, more secure, and has the best device support