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

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.

Back to Aber...

So tomorrow I return to Aber, for my third year there and to start my second year of my degree, it's a long and complex story, but basically wrong A level choices and therefore a foundation year was needed.

This year is shaping up to be the best yet, the physics ramps up in terms of interest and also difficultly. Over the next year more of my time is taken up with space and astrophysics, the area of physics I find most interesting.

But before I get there I have had the joy of packing... should be able to do it by now, but I still hate it.

Anyway, this summer break has flown by very quickly, it doesn't seem possible for nearly 4 months to have past. One minute I was on my school placement, next in Scotland, then packing for starting a new year in Aber. Madness. It has been a busy summer, but also at times very quiet.

Anyway, hopefully the blog will last the next year, so after I am doing my best in three years of trying. Maybe third time lucky.

Until next time.

No rant today...

As I posted on Friday, the library has claimed that I had overdue books and a fine greater than £10...

Well, this morning at 8:45 am, I got an apology and confirmation that I didn't have overdue books.

I was impressed at the speed of the reply, normally I am waiting several working days before getting a reply, and that's if get get a reply.

On a geeky/techy note, found this article on New Scientist interesting,

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19065-innovation-microsofts-kinect-isnt-just-for-games.html

New photographs up on Flickr...

Due to working at a local school and before moving back from Aber to home for the summer, I have neglected my flickr account.

So, finally today I upload some "new" photos to it, enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eosgreg/

Hopefully over the summer I will go through the 10s of gigabytes of photographs dating back 2005! And upload and edit my flickr account.

Libraries...

Today, I checked my university email. I found to my surprise an email claiming I had a fine over £10 to pay on an outstanding book.

So I checked Voyager, (this is the computer system at Aberystwyth University use to manage the library resources, as with most computer systems it is unreliable). However, it worked and showed what I expect... no outstanding books on my account. As a physics student, I have only ever taken one book out of the library, in two years of being at university.

So, I emailed the people I think should know, see if I get a reply... if that happens.

The other thing, the email wasn't sent to me, but it was in my inbox?? How can this happen??

On a random note, does South Africa also sounds like bees in the background?

Rant over.

New Summer...new blog idea

For the past two years over the summer period I think to myself "hmmm starting a blog would be a good idea"

However I always lose interest, maybe lack of effort, or a rubbish idea, for example last years one... I was to take and post a photograph everyday for a year... Well one year later and it failed.

The year before...failed.

But this time it will be better, third time lucky and all.

So enjoy... the random rants for a cynical scientist looking at the world and commenting.

Day 15-Heading home…

Taken from the train window before leaving Aber this morning. I finally got home at 4:15pm after nearly 7 hours of travelling, 3 trains and 1 tube…

Now I have the task for unpacking… :(

Day 14-New Room…

This is my new room in Aber for next year. I know it looks bare but once I move in, it will look more homely. Also hopefully there will be room for an armchair in the corner which this photo was taken from … :)

Day 13-Part 2…Room for the night

This is the room I had for the night, it has an awesome sea view. It was great to watch sun setting into the sea over Aber. Shame uni rooms are not the same real…

Day 13- Moved Out...Kind of Homeless

Well today's post is different from the aim of this blog ie there will no be photos posted.
This will be the case for the next few days I as I am living in a hotel and I have packed and sent home my laptop with my parents. Then I will be moving in to my new house on Monday, and heading home of the Tuesday, by train yay 6 hours on 3 trains and a tube :(

So all be well I hopefully post photos on Tuesday evening once I am home. I have a camera to capture the next few day so I maybe have to break the rules and post more than one photo for each day.

Hopefully I might be able to update the blog via the medium of the written word for the next few day, however this is against the aim of the blog. (If my phone wasn't so rubbish I would have been able to sent photos to my blog via MMS...but o well)

Day 12-Moving…

Packing up uni room ready to move on to the new house in Aber. Without a night with a room before I could moving in the house.

Day 11-Packing up

Today I started the task of packing up my uni room, I unbelievable the amount of stuff that I have gained over the last 9 months and also the amount of stuff that I brought with me and not used… 

Day 10-The new local…

Tonight I went to a great pub in Aber called Scholars, with some friends as we had all finished our exams for the first year…

Day 8-Bored….

Today, well I haven’t done much… apart from play 2 and a bit hours of bad pool. I did something productive this morning I updated and put some of my work into different group pools and got some positive feedback on Flickr, today's photo shows the number of views I get. Hopefully in the summer months I will pick up the camera more, possibly some new Lego stop frame animations… one is near the end, also I am starting to think of plans for the next one.

Day 5-Rocking in the Castle

Today was the free music event in the castle, it was alright, only stayed for a couple of hours. Once again sunny in Wales!!!