Paul Sutton – personal blog
The Universe May Have Started with a Dark Big Bang
Interesting article from Universe Today. This was posted to Fediverse by DeborahJRoss.
So if I understand this correctly normal matter (protons & Neutrons) formed at the same time as Dark Matter but the Dark matter evolved separately via a second big bang which produced the dark matter.
If this sounds confusing, then welcome to the world of cosmology, but it still really interesting.
Links
Tags
LibreAdventure testing 2023
With under a week to go until LibrePlanet 2023, as a member of the LIbrePlanet committee, I have started to help test the FSFs LibreAdvemture game.
So far the game works fine. I need other people to test if the video / voice integration works, but I can't see why it won't
Just found one or two bugs / issues so far, these have been reported via the etherpad.
Links
TAGS
STEM Group Write up
Wasn't too busy at the STEM group today. we did get some science experiments completed, mostly Red Cabbage indicator, so we got to test a few solutions to see / confirm if they were acid or alkali.
Some other experiments included:-
I now need to get some more Copper Sulfate.
Has come help from Carolen, who is another library volunteer and a teacher.
We did set out the Lego WeDo, someone did come and looked at this, but I was just too busy with the Chemistry stuff to help much.
Hopefully get some more science done next month on the 8th April.
American football – Trojans Training 12/3/2023 – repost
The next session is on Sunday 12th March 2023, Foxhole, 10am to 13:00. New players welcome.
A photo a recent training session
Links
Tags
Switch to Dark mode
With LibreOffice 7.4, you can switch the colour scheme to dark mode.
STEM Group 11/3/2023
At the stem group today we are going to be looking at Red Cabbage indicator.
I have prepared some solutions we can test, Jess, one of the librarians had prepared some red cabbage indicator for us.
This uses a different preparation method, but the result is the same, a universal indicator.
So we will be undertaking this at Paignton Library, in room 12, as this is more suitable, has sinks, running water etc.
Some of the items we can test include:-
Discussions
I am happy to discuss or try and answer questions on
I am also hoping to make some videos on Saturday, these will be shared on my Peertube account.
All work, no independent play' cause of children's declining mental health
Results of a study by Science Daily.
A new study suggests the rise in mental health disorders in children and teens is attributed to a decline over decades in opportunities for them to play, roam and engage in activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults. Although well intended, adults' drive to guide and protect children has deprived them of the independence they need for mental health, contributing to record levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide among young people.
This is interesting but not surprising as people are too scared to go out of their front door. I undertook a course on 'online safety' lots of information about stranger danger, don't know who you're talking to, means people really do miss out on interaction with lots of people from different cultures, countries, time zones etc.
Same as for the real world, kids need to be 'supervised' 24/7 as a result they don't seem to be able to think independently and just be kids.
As adults we seem to have made the world more dangerous, and put our own fears and anxieties on to children, hence the current crisis. What is portrayed as dangerous isn't that dangerous if you understand risks and how to manage those risks.
I live by the coast, so the tides come in and go out, if you are on a beach or on rocks, knowing tide times is important so you can explore and get back safely, knowing how to just walk across rocks to get to rock pools makes you safer, you take time, look where you are going, remain aware of surroundings.
Knowing where to get help, wearing the right clothing and footwear is also important too. If you need help, then if you fear every stranger then how are you going to ask for help or if a stranger sees you are in danger or in trouble they may ask you if you're OK, If that makes you run away it puts you in more danger.
People will just ignore you if they fear being accused of something.
People need to talk to strangers, to get help,. ask for directions, buy items from shops etc.
We are far too risk averse, and as this article states, this is now having a serious detrimental effect.
Perhaps this is why some people carry knives, they think others carry knives, so they do in self defence, when in reality not many people do carry knives.
Bullying in schools Mar 2023
A recent serious incident in a school which involved 5 people in a racially aggravated attack
A young black female student was viciously attacked by a white female student, her sisters and mother right outside her school - Thomas Knyvett college. No attempt was made by anyone to stop this vicious attack. The principal at this college, casually strolls into the scene and does nothing to break up the fight. He allows the perpetrators of the crime to walk away after inflicting bodily harm on the young girl.
You can view the video on youtube, however it seems to be age restricted, (shows how serious the incident was)
You can view on the alternative frond end here
Warning this video is shocking and disgusting. The headteacher has to be sacked !!!
This has resulted in arrests:-
There is now a petition, to quite rightly have the headteacher sacked.
They need your support in signing this petition, the head teacher has clearly failed in his duty of care and should be sacked. Please sign petition for the head to be sacked.
If you consider what happened acceptable behaviour you should NEVER EVER be allowed to work with children, young people or vulnerable persons for the rest of your life.
More Twitter concerns
If you are still using Twitter, please consider what is happening at the management / staff level. There are serious issues and now people are saying they can't protect users.
If the moderators, (well there are lot less than before Musk took over) are unable to protect users then this has SERIOUS implications esp for safeguarding users, if you are a school or working with children in the UK you have a STATUTORY DUTY OF CARE TO SAFEGUARD AND PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
This now goes beyond just trolling there are a lot of toxic individuals being let back on or allowed to remain, those who question this find themselves being banned.
By deleting your data / account you send a clear message that what is going on, is not acceptable. I did this back in November after the first round of sackings, shortly after this people were being kicked off for even mentioning alternatives such as Mastodon. I saw what was coming and did the moral / ethical thing and left.
Feel free to stay on Twitter, but please don't claim you are committed to safeguarding.
Home Chemistry – 13 Sodium Carbonate Solution
While I wait for my Better Equipped order, I decided to make a Solution of Calclum Carbonate $\ce{CaCO3}$, upon calculating the amount needed. I found that I didn't have enough Calcium Carbonate available.
So on to plan b. Looking through the chemicals I do have, found some Sodium Carbonate, $\ce{Na2CO3}$
Mass of $\ce{Na2CO3}$ = 105.988 g/mol Solution = 100ml Concentration = 0.5 Mass of $\ce{Na2CO3}$ needed = 5.29g
So I made this up after carefully measuring the ingredients.
This is now stored in a 100ml conical flask until the bottles arrive from better equipped.
I tested the final solution in a test tube by mixing a very small amount with white Vinegar to produce a reaction.
Tags
#Chemistry,#HomeChemistry,##HomeChemistry13,Sodium,#Carbonate