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

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.

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.

Random Sketch

I have not being blogging, (is that the correct term?) much recently.

Quick recap, got my key to my new flat in Aber, awesome place. Looking forward to living, working and generally being a student within it.

On a cynical note, everything the Tory government seem to make no logical sense... health reform, schools and education, the "big" society. The list is goes on and on.

Also the US with BP and Libya. They seem to think that the UK government must as it is told and if we don't do as told, we go to the headteachers office and get told off.

Then they investigate another country's decision of the release of a prisoner, as if the UK is the 51st State of America...

After looking at the work of Ralph Steadman, I quickly sketched this...

Past week...

The past week has progressed at some rapid speed...still not sure how in ended up being Friday so soon.

This week has been fairly quiet, and strangely productive in away... after last weekend at Brands with my camera, I decide to spent some time using Photoshop Elements 8 to created some digitally manipulated images, which can be found on Flickr, link is on the side.

After watching a film on the life the America writer Hunter S Thompson (famous for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.) This re-engage my interest in the work of artist Ralph Steadman, who's work I studied during my art A level. So hopefully over the next week, I will make a start on some Steadman style pieces.

Also this week, certain things the Tories are cutting concerned me one is the planned rebuilding of secondary school, this seems short sighted from the government, I feel that need to be proper investment within children of this country to ensure a strong future. It worries me that this is just the privatisation of the state education system in this country, but labelled as a cut. Also could a multi-million pound school not just benefit the children, but also the local community, ie sports and art facilities.

On a positive note about the new government is the science David Willetts who speech at the RI, seemed positive for the future of science research in this country. "Willetts said that science can help to boost growth in an age of austerity"

See http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/thesword/2010/07/uk-science-minister-research-m.html for more info the speech, as I feel I have written enough for today...

PS Good news, I passed my this year at University with a First.

An evening at the Royal Institute...

Yesterday evening I went to the Royal Institute of Great Britain for a join event between the Royal Institute (RI), Institute of Physics (IOP)and the TDA.
The event was aimed at people thinking of becoming a physics teacher as a possibly career. (This was partly the reason for me attending the event, but more I just wanted to have a look around the RI.)

The RI is located in one the most exclusive parts of London, Mayfair. The impressive building is surrounded by some of the most expensive designer shops known to the Capitalist World.



The evening was made up of two parts, formal talks from the IOP, TDA and RI. I apologise for all the acronyms. The lecture theatre was more like a theatre that would be found it the West End of London. Then there was a "networking" session ie meeting teachers, people who run PGCE course etc, however this took place in what was the labs for Michael Faraday and alike. As a physics geek, I found this very interesting being surrounded with so much scientific history, maybe even more than the talks about teaching.

This event confirmed my feeling and thought about teaching after I completed my school placement.

Now for a bit of Art?

Once I got to London I decided to venture to the Tate Britain, a galley with a good mix of modern and classical art. Now, I did an A level in Art and Photography and they nearly went to Uni to study one.

Well in the main galley I was welcomed by a Harrier fighter jet hanging from the roof.

So the Summer begins...

My summer break really started yesterday, as once I was home from Aber, I start working on the following Monday... so for the past three weeks I been subjected to 6:30 am wake ups and commuting to the school.

I was taking part in the SAS training scheme from the government, and no, it wasn't the secret air service but the student associate scheme. The schemes aim is to encourage physics and maths students to consider a possible career in teaching after graduation. So I spend three weeks working at a local grammar school within the science department.

The experience gained for my time at the school was invaluable, not only did I get a insight in the education system from the teachers viewpoint,something I never really got to see as a pupil. One of the challenging parts, was thinking of ways to explain aspects of physics so the pupils could understand. This came important in the second week due to staff absences, I was placed in physics classes with a cover teacher, but I did most of the teaching. However, some of the pupils questions showed they had a real interest in the subject, therefore showed a real enthusiasm for the subject, whic made in worth while and enjoyable.

So, after spending the time in the school, teaching it a very possible career after I graduation, even if that is still 3 years away.

I would definitely recommend anyone to take part in the scheme, even if you haven't thought about teaching as career...plus you get paid £600 :)

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 6-Final week in Aberystwyth

So it’s almost my final week in Aberystwyth, and finally I got to the beach to get some photos of a cracking sunset, I will be put more on my flickr page, the link is on the right.

I can’t believe how fast my first year at uni has got…

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!!!

Day 4 – Sun in Wales !?!

My girlfriend enjoying an ice cream on the seafront in Aber, in the warm Wales weather. Just over a week left in Aber…