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.

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.

Spending cuts and hopes in science

As the government's spending review draws closer, I thought I would air some of my views on the subject... so here begins the rant.

Firstly to start with I am of the view that national deficit is being over played by this Troy government to push and enforce right wing welfare and social reform, but doing so under the cloak of "needed" spending cuts.

However, I understand that public spending must be cut, due to the fact that as country as a whole we are not producing as much money back in the economy. But whether the economy is ready for major cuts in the public sector, which will cause problems for the private section which is closely linked the public sector work, ie school building, or outsourcing cut backs etc.

One of the problem with the current UK economy, is the fact that it is far too dependant on services, which in turn needs a consumer. So in times in economic problem, like the last few years, this fails.

Look at Germany, their economy is growing much stronger than the UK, this because they actually made things and export them, therefore making money!!! It's not rocket science, you make something and someone buys it from you, so you then have money to spend on services. This is the problem in the UK, we are missing or have a too small engine to drive and power the British economy.

Therefore, I can not see cutting the deficit and cutting public spending will solve this problem in the short to mid term yes... long term no chance we will be back in the same boat 15/20 years time from now, if we do not change whole economy.

This is the time Britain could become a world leader is science and engineering again. However, this will need investment to grown this, but in return a solid base for the economy lead by science and innovation and not consumer good and services. A good example is this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11150831.

But I fear that the Troy government will fail to see this. Rant over.

Found this interesting http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11218802. Hunting exo-planet is outer space seems a cool job to do.

Until next time.

Two years...

Right, I will be upfront, I haven't got the hang of this blogging lark. I have been trying to keep a blog for the past two years, however I still haven't got it.

Anyway update time, August has been a busy old month, started with Iron Maiden at Sonisphere festival, what away to kick off a month. This was followed by my ending of being a teenager and I enter "true adulthood". Watched the persied meteor shower.

I was a wedding photographer for my uncle in Scotland, which was a

success, dispite some worries before hand, then on to the Lake District, and literally climbed

a mountain, Old Man of Coniston.

View at top.

Then, being a student physicist, I visited Jodrell Bank and the Lovell radio telescope.

This was an enjoyable and very interesting division from the journey home. Hope to return one day and not as a visitor.

O yes I was FINALLY paid for my work at the school, only took 2 months from me finishing at the school. I mean all whole payment problems over £600, it makes me wonder whether if I became a teacher, how long, if at all will I get the "golden hellos" and bursary money from the TDA?

So in three...ish weeks I head back to Aber to start my third year at Uni and I think, wow the past two years have progressed, at a rapid speed, with ups and downs.

But writing this post and thinking back over the past month, the wedding seems as long as the two years ago, I find this the strange and odd thing about time and the human memory.

Time, now there is mystery.

Until next time.

Persied meteor shower

Last night, was the peak activity for this year's Persied meteor shower.

This year I was at home and able to go and sit my garden and look at the skies in wonder. The cloud cover during the day was less than promising, grey and overcast... I wasn't holding up much hope for seeing much of nature's firework display.

However, whilst walking home last yesterday clearing skies, re-engaged my hope of see some meteors.

So at about 10:30pm I ventured into the garden in slippers and shorts...yes in hindsight probably not a wise choice.

Between 10:30 and 11pm I saw only a few faint meteors. One of the main problems for star gazing in the Medway towns is the light pollution.
But slowly as time passed, there was more noticeable meteors, travelling at a great speed across the skies night. It was all pretty magical. Probably counted over 15 meteors that I was sure of over the in hour and quarter I was outside.

However, due to the poor choice of clothing and a stiffening neck, I was forced retreat back to the house. As I got the patio door I noticed an object too bright to be a star, therefore it was most likely to been a planet, from a bit of research it transpired the object was most probably the largest planet in out solar system, Jupiter.

Overall a successful night watching the night's sky.

In other news I have started a Photobox gallery selling my photography work... link is www.photoboxgallery.com/huntphotography. There is a cracking star trail photography for sale on it.

Also on Monday I will be the photographer for my uncle's wedding, which will hopefully be a valuable and useful experience.

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.

Weekend...

Not a great deal has happened, therefore a lack of stuff to write a blog on really. Anyway is a run down what has happened since the last post;

Friday evening was very geeky/nerdy, a friend is back into retro/older gaming. So this took us on a memory trip with Crash Bandicoot on the Playstation. I remember first playing it at his at the age of 7... anyway nearly 13 years later and after 3 and a bit hours of spinning boxes and jumping over pits, the game was completed... then I remembered the frustration of playing such platform games. God idea of the level is simple, but getting the timings right...so frustrating at points

Saturday was lazy.

Sunday saw me at Brands Hatch watching classic old Forumla One cars race around the Grand Prix loop which was celebrating 60 years of racing. The old F1 cars are awesome to watch race, the noise and smell is intoxicating.
Some of the guys are not messing around when it comes to the racing...



This was the pass for the lead...close. More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/eosgreg/

On a different note, but still involving heavy metal. I finally watched the Story of Anvil film.

They are a band from Canada, inspired bands like Metallica, Megadeth...etc
They toured Japan with Whitesnake, Bon Jovi and Scorpions in '84. But they didn't make it, was of poor management and production, but they never gave up...



Pretty good and interesting film, shows how harsh the music business can be.