some like it hot

the sun has come back - for now at least. once again it is hot in 311 and the fan is doing next to nothing... i feel the heat seeping into my brain and sending me to sleep, and i have so much to do.

there is talk of going to newcastle tonight, but right now i'd be happy for a nice quiet evening on the sofa and an early night. i also don't have a stitch to wear.

nasty incident with the chair

i've just has a nasty incident with my chair. let me explain:

i had the back rest leaned back to its full extent. i reached down to press the lever that returns it to its nominal orientation, and in doing so trapped my arm between the back and the arm rest. could have done myself a mischief.

suffice to say i was free in a few seconds, and registering my displeasure on the blog.

buzz words

me and john are listening to jeremy vine on radio 2 -- may i just say that i think this is political correctness gone mad, i'm ashamed to be a member of the human race, this is just another example of the nanny state, et cetera.

i love my trash tv

i have a problem -- i'm addicted to trash tv. perhaps addicted is a little strong, but i certainly love my jeremy kyle, most haunted, x-factor, etc. much to the derision and contempt of those around me.

i wonder - as an 'academic' should i be watching something more high brow (panorama, question time, equinox, tomorrow's world spring to mind), or is it ok to immerse myself in this world of dna tests and lie detectors?

not good for the diet john

at coffee i was reading the back of my packet of crisps, and noticed this disconcerting statement, proudly emboldened:

"we have cooked in pure sunflower oil and sprinkled with sea salt for over 25 years"

that's some very salty and oily crisps john.

paint the whole world with a rainbow!

after the rain, the rainbow... spotted on sunday from the department.


this was actually a double rainbow, formed when there are two internal reflections within the raindrop and the rays exit the drop at an angle of 50 degrees° rather than the 42°degrees for the red primary bow. Blue light emerges at an even larger angle of 53 degrees°. this effect produces a secondary rainbow that has its colors reversed compared to the primary rainbow. physics in action.