Summer so far...

Thought I would do an update...

Summer so far, well, it's been pretty quiet and boring lately, got myself an imac, which has been good fun playing with, hopefully with get a new camera for my 21st next month, so more tech to play with.

New photos at my flickr.

June was more eventful for trips and travelling about. July on the other hand has been quiet, too quiet. I have made a website, it's on my university page at users.aber.ac.uk/gjh8. It was made from a simple free template which I then edit and changed, I am planning on developing it over the come year, so it's a bit flashier.

Now, something that's been bugging me, the phone hacking here in the UK. Not really sure on my thoughts on this really, I have never liked News International, News Corp or the Murdochs due their power and control over the British media.

I am glad that the deal for BSkyB have been called off, as I feared this would mean way too much control for one private company, and the practices of the News International have been exposed to the public. Now we see how they gone are their "big stories".

The problem is some of the reactions reported in the media, I find it hard understand how people can't understand why the Met Police or the Prime Minister had to cosy up with News International. Both need public option on their sides and News International as the greatest share of the readership in the country for one media company. Now I think that this is completely wrong for one company to have this power and the fact this people have to play their game to get their stories. But I can understand why it happened, as unfortunately this is the way of this country and the world we live, and that will not change over night. And the problem is the fact News International still have this power is not in the reports, I fear that their grip over the British media, still hasn't really change. Time will tell.

I do feel after watching some to the police being interviewed, they didn't help their cases, and they should have investigated the backgrounds of the former News International staff, rather than just asking them, were you involved in the phone hacking and just taking their answer as truth, it did friends getting jobs friends, the same can be said for the Prime Minister, and Downing Street.

However, it is important to remember that this is a free country, where I can write this, publish it and not live in fear for doing so.

Until next time.

PS, in writing this post, the end of the shuttle era occurred with the safe return of Atlantis back to Earth, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14220423 . This will be the topic of my next post I feel.

Time for an update...

Seems a long time since I last wrote a post here, well I have been busy... and frankly lost interest in the blog, however, I am now on another summer break from uni, (which is currently going pretty well) anyway this means more free time.

Also I now own a "smartphone", therefore one of my plans is it have short side notes/photos from where ever I maybe roaming in the country, this brings me to my rant, over the last week and a bit I have been in Aberystwyth, Bath and back home in Kent, this has require me to spend over 24 hours in a train, on a platform or such like. Now first point, LEG ROOM, I am not hugely tall about 6 -6'1 foot (changes with air pressure), but trains seats are too small ie the sit in in front to close.

So on one train I decided to sit at a table. Midday train, pretty quiet, what do I get opposite me, a child who was only 4 foot something, who managed to repeatedly stand on my feet... HOW?

Second point, LACK OF INFO, today the train sat in the middle of the Welsh countryside, for about 10 mins before a reason was given, in result the train was stopped for about 25/30 mins.
Finally get to Aber, after another stop this train without reason.

Third, when the train finally leaves some 45 mins late, the sorry, well to be fair, he might as said "well this was an Arriva Trains Wales train , and this is the final stop, be happy you got here." Also why say thank you for choosing Arriva Trains Wales, like I had the choice in the first place...

However, on a positive note, I did get to read Stephen Hawking's latest book, "The Grand Design", so for my next post I will review/sum up the book.

Until next time.

Ps follow me at twitter http://twitter.com/eosgreg

1st Timelapse test

1st Timelapse test a video by Gregory Hunt on Flickr.

I am back, this is first post in a very very long time I am sorry work load, anyway enjoy my first efforts in to timelapse photography.

BBC Stargazing live

Over the past three nights the BBC has ran live shows from Jodrell Bank in the UK. Called Stargazing live.

The first night started a bit shaking, which was to be expected as it's a live broadcast with Brian Cox, who probably never really presented a live show on TV, and I felt sorry for Dara O'Briain by the end, who himself has a degree in physics was force to ask simple questions.

Although I didn't really learn anything new, it was brilliant to get a chance see some UK research being shown live on the BBC at prime time in the evening. For example to see images of the Andromeda and the uses of the UK's merlin radio telescope network.

Hopefully, this series of programs has helped the general pubic see why investment in the UK's space research is vital, as shown in Hawaii, the UK is world leader in this field. We can not let this disappear.

Another point of the in the final program was the importance of space exploration beyond the moon, however with the current economic problems in the World, see I it hard for one country ie USA to do is alone with before, and therefore more likely to be a group of countries working together to achieve in my eyes man's greatest achievement to date, to step on to another planet in the solar system.

I do however have some criticism, I thought there was possibly slightly too much stock and pre recorded features for a live show. Also what was the point of the feathers with Jonathan Ross, were they intend to make him look like a complete fool... however I am probably slightly bias as I don't find him funny and fact he had expensive telescopes, yet not a clue on how to use them, or what he was looking at.

However overall it was great to see the BBC recognising the importance of British science and have a live show at prime time to cover it. Hopefully in the future there is more shows like this and less pointless reality TV dribble.

Now back to revision for my upcoming exams.

Until next time.

The return of the Cynical Scientist

It has been a while, for which I apologize. But over the last month it has been deadline after deadline for work at uni. Now with the Christmas break, time to blog once more.

Items in the news to comment, which are slightly late, for the past month the BBC news as been dominated by "Frozen Britain", for some reason they seem surprised a) it's cold in winter and b) Britain's infrastructure has ground to a halt.

Wiki Leaks also in the news, for some reason the BBC seem to love lapping it up. I can not see how it's news story, all it is out of context quotes for personal opinions in emails and therefore not the policy of the USA government, which would make a much greater news story. The reports they produce could be made to support any viewpoint if the right parts of the emails where used, how is that a reliable source ?

Finally, student protests... the "protests" particularly in London have only cased a negative light on student across the country, by the pointless vandalism, and as a results turned any of the general public against students. See my past post of the Millbank riots.

In other news, recently brought a new laptop to replace my ageing dell xps M133o which had been a very trusty machine, however time had got the better of it.

So I now have an Acer Aspire Timeline X 4820T (tons of wonderful marketing there) however I am so after very impressed with it. Over the coming weeks I hope to report more on the performance of it.

Possible bad news for Science funding...

Afternoon,

Just read this article on the New Scientist website,

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/thesword/2010/11/uk-research-spending-decisions.html,

The article reveals that the job of the head of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and in turn the person in charge of allocation of the UK's science spending, could be for the first time in over 25 year be going to a civil servant and not someone who is from the outside, with background with scientific research. Nor will someone from scientific community be involved in the recruitment of the post. Therefore no checks of scientific creditability with be done.

In my view this could have am negative impact on how the money is allocated to different areas in science. For example a less important scientific project might get more funding than project of greater importance due to the lack of understanding from the new head.

This will remove some of the autonomy that science has from the government and Whitehall in terms on where the research budget is spent.

The new scientist article above does a better job at explaining the details.

Until next time.

Reaction to Millbank Riot

In the last couple hours a small minority caused trouble at Millbank Tower during the NUS protest against the raise in tuition fees and the cuts to university.

What has happened at Millbank Tower today has undermined the true and real reason of the protest. I can't see how rioting and destroying a building helps the cause of the demonstration, of example the science is vital movement ensured that in the spending review the research budget was not cut, they didn't fire cupboard, or clash with police.

I believe that we need to prepare for the coming cuts, the NUS should be putting more pressure of universities to offer scholarships of outstanding students, this insure that students are reward for their hard work, and make people think about uni not as the 3 year party as I fear that many do. Another idea maybe less popular but is to cut the number of pointless degrees.

Also universities should look for other sources of investment, whether that be companies or bodies which represent a subject area and encourage them to help with the scholarships. With the investment from companies this could be beneficial for students, one condition be that the company investing in the course could for the best student in the year offer a job, or work placements over the course of the degree, which work experience would add value to the degrees.

But on a final point, I know the problems today was caused at Millbank was due a small few student and some of the very left wing movement which oppose the cuts, but the focus of the news today was removed from the discussion of the tuition fees and university funding and focused on completely the wrong message.

Until next time.

UK Spending Review

This is a bit late, but I been busy with physics and other matters.

This is a quick post on the spending review and mainly science and university funding.

Looks like the Science is vital campaign saved research was the harsh cuts as the budget was frozen, but this does equal a 10% cash decrease over the time period of the freeze. However I had feared much worse for the science, and this also show some understanding from the government of the importance of science for the future of the British economy.

However, one cut I thought went against this was the cut in university spending, which will affect future generations of young people enter sciences or degrees in general.

Until next time.

University Funding

Now this is becoming a running theme for the blog, which is science and university funding.

A couple of days ago now Lord Browne published his report into the future of university fees in England.

The report has opened the door to unlimited fees for tuition, I have a fear that in future years this could lead to an American style system of huge fees and only the wealthy go to the top university and not people who have the academic ability. This needs to be avoided, higher education should be open for all.

I could have been in the "lucky generation" where higher education was affordable in the UK. Hopefully this won't be the case.

However, if tuition hits £12,000 per year as report for top university, this is still value money in my view compared to the USA, where degrees can cost upwards of $40,000 a year at top universities like Harvard. But the UK universities are arguably just as good as the US one.

One problem I had with the reporting on this story, was the lack of understanding about how tuition fees are paid. I have never been asked for money from the university I am attending, that is taken care by the student loans company. As the system this way I don't feel like I paid £3000+, as for value for money, when people say "why am I paying £3000 for less than 15 hours of teaching a week" that annoys me.

Just look around you in physics, the labs equipment costs thousands, we have a library just for physics and maths, access through the uni to 24 hour computer rooms, access to online journals and being able to knock on a lecturers door and ask for help with a problem. Now for some subjects maybe £3000+ is not good value for money, but in the case of physics, I believe it is value for money.

Earlier today the BBC reported a leak from government for university spending, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11550619 in England.

They could be facing a cut of £4.2bn to their finances, the reports states that this would come from £3.2bn to tuition and £1bn to research.

Now if the higher tuition fee go head then this will plug some of the gap in funding.

However, probably not the research cut, this will have an effect the research universities do, and therefore impact on the future standing of universities in England on the globe stage.

We run the risk on researchers leaving English universities for one overseas, where funding is better and therefore having a negative effect on the future research given to the universities.

Hopefully, this won't happen. Support the Science is Vital campaign to protect science funding and the future of the UK economy.

Until next time.

Science is Vital

It's been a while since my last post, settled back in Aber and just finished my first week of lectures, already getting back into the swing of them.

Anyway, time to pick up on a theme previously discussed here. Spending cuts and science spending.

As the spending review is looming, there needs to be an effect to protect the spending of science, engineering, technology and maths to safeguard the development and progress in this country for decades to come.

In steps the "Science is Vital" campaign, read the website and the reasons for why science is so important to the UK economy. If you want to stand up for science spending sign the petition on the website,

http://scienceisvital.org.uk/sign-the-petition/

Next post will hopefully be on the Lord Brown report in the university fees and my reaction to it.

Until next time.