NEWS JUST IN

Just checked BBC news Noel Gallagher has quit oasis which = end of oasis. Because everyone knows that he is the life and soul of that band, admittedly without Liam they wouldn't be where they're now, but Noel was the brains, if you can call it that.

What I want to talk about is that I have been working in a bar, shock. But more shocking is this bar, which is supposedly stylish and in Bristol is also empty, well this evening it was. So that is why I am home. What is causing this lack of people... Bad weather? Unlikely. Holidays? Maybe. Credit crunch? Certainly, times are tight. You know that when a Mr James Murdoch starts going on about the BBC controlling the press when his Dad is possibly one of the most evil and influential people this century. Rupert Murdoch controls newscorp and is getting his son to have a go at the BBC? I'm sorry but has Alanis Morrisette been lecturing people on irony again...

Right now it's a struggle to find anything news worthy and happy, even A-level and GCSE results getting better is treated as though a rebellion is occurring and all these exams could be passed by a chimp drawing with a bit of rock. So these exams we mock, we also build up to all the kids, yeah they are sometimes irrelevant and are getting easier. But surely these kids, well teenagers young adults are getting better at them. Besides they are learning to pass an exams, not like before where education worked differently. Don't blame them, blame a system, actually don't. It does work, most of the time, some people achieve more academically, others go on to different paths. This world would be useless with a load of English and science graduates without any plumbers or sparkys.

Now for that typical odd ball story people usually put at the end of the news with accompanying music that would not sound out of place on teletubbies

Girls like girly faces, apparently girls taught in single sex education are more likely to find female faces more attractive. However the reverse is not true about males. So women no need to not shave or shower, I however am going to get that eye makeup out

He or she

Due to lack of willing, struggle with boredom and nothing I can be bothered to speak about, all of a sudden the perfect article pops up.

Caster Semenya the 18 year old 800 metre runner from South Africa who split the field and came home over 2 seconds up on her rivals. This is a big winning margin by anyone's standards, let alone an athlete who beat her personal best by 5 seconds in the junior African championships.
Now miracles do not occur, but that is pretty amazing. So the IAAF thought something was a bit fishy, and the suggestion that she was male was batted about, when it should have been kept quiet.

Now it has transpired that she has an elevated level of testosterone, about 3 times that of 'normal' women. Not evidence of foul play, but interesting as testosterone the 'male' hormone is linked with athletic prowess, but could be artificial or could be natural.

This would be a good time to say that men and women are not strictly 2 different quantitative sexes. There is a line at one end male and the other female with lots of progressions in between. Just because someone is XX does not make them female similarly XY does not make them male. Some men are insensitive (the sentence does carry on ladies) to testosterone making them appear female, and sometimes the hormones are imbalanced making the clitoris bigger and a more male body shape and vice-versa.

Whatever the outcome of this I'll be following it, not because Jenny Meadows might get a silver but because it will be interesting to see if there is a line drawn, wherever it is it will be an outcome that will annoy certain people.

The Scientist

Sat here Gravity's Rainbow remix by Kavinsky blaring out. All is quiet.
I like to ride at night on the dark lonely streets
Its odd, the only place where it is my own
Nobody about to hassle or holler
Just the sound of my breathing
Times like these are when I can think about everything and nothing
So don't be suprised when I can drive
To find me out at night for a ride

That all came out straight on my bike, followed by my dinner, so don't take to many digs.

Physcology
I'm not really in my field but social science has science in it. If I'm honest I used to disregard it as hocom or a non-subject. But the old cliché (there will be many in here) don't knock it till you tried it. At uni you meet lots of new people, all of them very different from one another, but all inherinetly the same. All that they say about the eldest child or the only child comes true. I suppose as the eldest and with neuroscience and physcology being blurred in their boundaries, and coupled with my want to know-all nature. But as M.Cartmill once said

As an adolescent I aspired to lasting fame, I carved factual certainty, I thirsted for a meaningful reason of human life - so I became a scientist. This is like becoming an archbishop so you can meet girls

Which is very true, although the catholic church it is a good way to meet boys, but less on that the better. Scientists aren't the person I'd go to if I had a problem, there my mind works in a way not conducive any meaningful life experience. Nothing is certain. Science is guess work at best, a correlation doesn't mean they're related. More shark attacks with more ice creams sold is an old one. So don't listen to everything the person in the white coat tells you.

I'm now going all hippy which seems a stark contradiction to Virgin with their abuse of electricity with the adverts and their business. But as in minority report when do adverts become tailor made? Already facebook has things that are linked to your interests, relationship status and friends. Blyk and many other mobile network operators also have a similar principle, they send adverts out and adverts attach to the end of text messages that they send to people. Although some of the information in these adverts is surprisingly to tailor made, and a degree of listening to conversations or monitoring someones whereabouts would be necessary. All a bit scary, the fact that you can be followed.

The next wave of this is interactive billboards that sense the gender, age and many other degrees of classification. So who knows someday you could be walking past judgmental billboards telling what smell to wear or what boxers David Beckham is wearing and how if you wear them you'll be like him.

Artistry

You only become good at something if you practice, nobody is born amazing. I have tried to become more arty and less of the pedantic geeky scientist, you can be the judge of my attainment and effort in rectifying that.

But now for the meat of the sandwich, the Virgin Media ads. There have been some good ads featuring the Virgin brand a lot of recent times, Virgin Atlantic celebrating its 25 anniversary with attractive flight attendants and a buff pilot strutting through a remarkably clean, tidy and quiet airport.

However my favourite, is the recent one involving the a rugged man's journey on a train. The journey is mundane but his friends, his girlfriend, music and a computer gaming experience all miraculously are present at different points. That seems to sum life up and its happiness pretty well (despite the gaming), and apparently you can relive that all through a smartphone. So therefore if x = happiness and y=smartphone then x=y + train ticket. So buy a smartphone and be happy on a train remembering all those people.

Finally as a forlorn finish. My friend Legweak is off to Benicassim, a festival in the south of spain by the coast for 9 days. This festival is labelled the Glastonbury in the sun (or of the sun) and this year features headliners Oasis, Paul Weller, Franz Ferdinand, Kings of Leon and many other great acts. Now suffice to say I'm not going with him, and if like me you aren't going or even if you are this mixtape will wet your appetite for the awaiting climax of the festival.
It might not be an indie mixtape (contrary to the headliners) but you will like and recognise plenty of the songs and their electro-dance remix cousins as well as artists such as Boyz noise and remixes from herve and 2manydjs.

A brief description by the man himself

'Although the line-up is quite indie/rock, I've made an electro/club/dance mixtape and included 18 artists that are playing this year in 22 tracks. This is one for the mojitos rather than the Aquabona's, although you may need the latter by the end. RAAAAVE IT UP!'


Download it here.

Moving on

Now this is not a heartfelt story of how my fancies are changing, no. This is about moving house, well from flat to house. My first year of university has finished, well hopefully if all the results are the way I want them. But today I said goodbye to my 1st year flat, almost a sad moment as I closed the door and locked it for the last time remembering how it was when I arrived those 9 months ago. Getting in opening the door, getting posters an pictures out putting stuff away and then start drinking. However as my Dad reminded me today one door shuts another one slams you in the face, but I'm very much looking forward to living in my new house with 2 out of 3 of the sane flatmates so all is swell. With it comes all the responsibility of managing bills, rents and other boring adult things that I took for granted.

One more thing about this is it means most of my friends will arrive at university next year, one fortunate enough to be coming to Sheffield. So I'll still have a little feel of freshers...
I'm going to start the whole science thing up again when I'm on a computer with macromedia flash and an internet connection that doesn't have to go through a human operator to a switchboard.

Anything paticularly interesting you want to know?
But a few quick facts for now, to make you sound either weird or genius depending on the timing:

Sex does not affect performance in sport if practiced the night before

Fit people sweat more than unfit people

Not all fat is bad, without it your brain would not be there and nor would you

OH and double dipping is NOT the same as putting your mouth in the dip, still it is pretty disgusting

And one final thng before I forget, those who live in a hole or circumvent the TV liscensing authorities Mock the week starts next week at 9pm on BBC 2.

To wet your appetite or to throw you a bone here is one of many reasons why I look forward to its return

Art? Inspiration? thought?

My incredibly arty friend Legweak (I want that fiver next week) has managed to get me into adverts and all sorts of interesting amazing things. Charlie Brooker's newswipe (for some reason iplayer won't let me on the 1st one), which despite his coarse language and aggressive mannerisms being his comedy tool of force is pretty funny.

Also animals speaking are always a guaranteed laugh, and although I missed them first time the whole series of them had me giggling, not quite laughing but on my way if it wasn't SOO hot in my room!

Relax

Now this is not going to be a blog about Frankie or Hollywood. In fact I don't even know where this is going, I'm gonna rid my head of what ever comes to mind.

But firstly football, not my best topic at the moment but USA's fight to the final and attitude showed something, that no matter your skill level will and determination can triumph. Ultimately however they did not and Brazil won 3 - 2 in the final. With some pretty smooth performances and a wrongly judged disallowed goal, but here is some of the action.
Links for all the best goals are there as well, one paticular italian isn't too bad, not the goal scorer but check out the control on the sideline!

But I'm now going to go a bit downhearted now.
Its been a difficult week, serious family issues to contend with, constant worrying about my little brothers secondary school place and the minor problem of the person I like being harder to get hold of than an excited cat.
None of those I can have any control over, so I try and set it to the back of my mind and do other stuff fixing bikes, riding bikes, but there is only so far that goes. It isn't even as if I have the excuse that no one is here and there are no friends in Bristol.

I have regressed, devolved or evolved into the desk bound goal junkie, I can't relax anymore, waking up at 5am regularly. I am back to the antisocial state of my life pre 6th form.
Well I think this, I might be beating myself up, it could be my attitude beating myself up about the stuff, what ifs and hypotheticals. I don't fear change; I fear no more chances, no way back.

D.E.V.I.L

Firstly I'd like to unreservedly apologise for my spelling grammar and general English of my last post. A combination of lack of sleep and intense revision was not good, however I'm back to my normal cynic self with a anal attitude towards everything.

Now the latter of those two points gives me something to talk about, no not that I like giving or receiving, but how now I have become even more of a smart Alec than before! Did you believe it possible? However over three months in Bristol should reduce my ways to mere mild annoyance instead of causing full blown arguments.

But my life has been busy, exams mainly and then a bike event the weekend just gone. Out of both of those I have lovely tan and burn lines from where my lycra shorts reached on my leg.
Adding to this, the omnipresent story of my life and probably many other men/boys is women.
I struggle with the whole confidence thing, I always feel inferior, but this time I felt pretty good. The signs were right, the lights were on, I restrained from my usual form of dancing meant only for amusement of others and tried my hardest to do some casual flirting; I'm sure that is an oxymoron, but no matter. Then this same girl a week later, finally has a wake up call and now I struggle to get hold of her. I haven't inundated her with calls or texts, or chatted to her on facebook just a text about her weekend, no reply, in three days. Not ages, but long enough to ponder. But yeah no logical region for the change of tune but ah well. Plenty more shit in the park.

But onto the stuff I really love, work. I was reading a fitness catalogue with loads of weird powders and drinks to which you eat/drink and become an Arnie stunt double. Firstly where on this earth is that attractive or any other positive and secondly it highlights the all important thing of knowledge is power. I could say a lot of stuff about science, like obese people are bullet proof, there are 10 times more microbes on or in our body than we have cells. Both of those things are true, to a certain extent of course. But how many people will just read what something says and believe it straight away?

This worldwide web means anybody can be a publisher, they don't need a PhD, a degree or any qualification. The internet is free, it has no boundaries of information, everyone can get access. However don't believe everything you read, no one is going to create a miracle cure for AIDS anytime soon or a cancer drug. Even now that information about taking aspirin once a day reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease, counter research has been done and shows it only helps people post event. How is anybody supposed to know? Play devils advocate, live in reality not in a world of ifs and buts and save yourself the embarrassment of cocking up.

Guess who's back?

Yeah me, an owl, at this moment a drunk owl so I won't be flying.

The reason for this is not cause I'm following the path of an alcoholic racist, I'm not Mel Gibson.
No I have just finished exams, and I have embarked on a new section of life I feel. I wrote a while ago about how I only like friends, fortunately I have stopped this now. Luckily this girl will never read this, but suffice to say she is lovely and has totally consumed the free time between my revising aspects of sexual behaviour and the physiology of the vestibular system - balance if you didn't know. Its what gets upset when you start drinking, stops sending you signals so you fall over. This time I might even have a chance as well, apart from the fact that I'm off home for the summer and she lives in Staffordshire, for once though there may be confidence.

But yeah science because even though. I've finished exams it is still amazing and understanding science and physiology of the body is fascinating, even if difficult and hard. Although apparently this is so hard for many people that finding the heart is impossible, or at least difficult, this is a whole level of stupidity, how can you not feel it? Well unless you are so fat it doesn't make any difference, but either way it scares me. Knowing what hurts in your body is about the best thing when being ill, although admittedly the menstrual cycle is just an unfortunate aspect of female life.

But some of you may know that I have a little brother well not just 'a' little brother, I have three. One being the grand age of one, he is already beginning to develop Stewie Griffin's traits under instruction of my parents and siblings. However this pregnancy thing is pretty rubbish, if you get ill at all, or drink, or do drugs or pretty much do anything apart from live a life of abstinence of all things exciting, fun and lovely. Rubella can cause eye malformations, drinking alcohol a small brain and drugs the list is long and hard to read.

That is it for me for now, tomorrow when I don't feel quite so tired and emotional I'l put some effort in.

Now people have run away to far reaches of the world, England is feeling pretty lonely so I'm going to ask anybody who reads this, where in the British Isles should I cycle to this summer? Comment on this or on any other free web service where I will get the message. As sitting at home on my arse hardly constitutes an exciting summer. As currently I'm currently revising, and suprisingly reading from a book is much more exciting than any lecturer telling you about it, you get to have an attempt at drawing and colouring and you get work done. It has given me much to think about, but I won't let it all out and once it is so exciting you might have a heart attack.

Real science now

Well not just yet, if you are in a rut apparently you can do any of these. The music one I can vouch for but if you're me in can be more infuriating than anything. Also an extention of the drinking one, drugs. Apparently many famous writers wrote whilst with there best pal coke, and not the carbonated refreshment.

But one interesting thing is the male contraceptive jab, which has the same effectiveness at stopping pregnancy and lasts for 6 months. This could mean the end to those, I just can't be bothered with a condom pregnancies. Maybe the conservatives might seek to give a load of chavs it, and anybody who reads the daily mail or express might think that all young people should be given it to curb the rising amount of people whos kids are at school at the same time as them.

So maybe one day it won't be the womans's responsibility as some men see it, as it is her problem. Just get somebody to jab a needle in them.

Dreams

Now a month or so ago I said how life seems to be on an unreachable high and despite things not always working the way I want and certain painful things in Easter I still maintain that to be true. But since people have gone away to the far reaches of the world the world of technology brings it so much closer. When you receive a text on your phone, well on mine at least its more generic stuff, but I received a completely unexpected text saying that I was in fact a shampoo. Now I'm not sure if this fits with Homer Simpson's Mr Sparkle model but I hope so, unless of course this shampoo is not dermatologically tested in which case I do not condone using it.

Nevertheless I have started to play my guitar more, probably because of a 15/16 year old boy (don't know if he has had his birthday yet) and unfortunately I have started singing. One song I decided to learn was Wires by Athlete. The song itself gives me a tingly feeling, but playing along to it just enhances it ten-fold.

I think the subject of this song led me to have an odd dream last night.

The gist of this is these babies had been orphaned and were unwell, and they were all in plastic incubators on a train. One man was tasked with getting rid of the babies that he deemed unfit, but in a moral act he refused to chuck away a baby to its death. He ran leaving the carriage shortly after another train smashed the train, hindering its progress, but not killing the babies. The voices of the guards in charge of this man still ring in my head like cannons, despite never having heard them they still sound as clear as you or I.
That was where it finished. Possible the scariest dream I've ever had and writing about actually upsets me as this happens.

As Stalin said 'One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic' For once I thought about that one instead of the millions that are incomprehensible.

I might have to step this up. Apparently people read this, why I don't know, its abouts science. Well that is what I claim, but I use artistic liscense there.

I saw this pretty amazing story photo

Anyway Sara Watson who is studying drawing at the University of Lancashire has made an invisible car. No she does not have a science hobby and is part of the team that make the invisibility cloak I wrote about last week. Not only is it pretty damn good and mesticulous work it also conveys a strong message.

Right now my bit, as if you know me well, its all about me not you, contrary to what McFly said.

I'm going to make a pilgrimage to spain, to ride my bike, hopefully. However the rocks here appear to be the size of small cars and the possibility of serious injury high, however it will be sunny (hopefully) and dry (probably)

Quick fact

Pheromones, this time I learnt this from my course whilst learning about taste and smell for neuroscience.

Most people know that if women live in close proximity to each other, they synchronise their menstrual cycles, this is due to secretions from apocrine sweat glands being detected non-consciously via the olfactory neurons (your nose).

Even more interestingly when men spend time around women they promote ovulation and my particular favourite, the presence of women around men promotes beard growth. Therefore as a boy who lives in an all male flat, is girlfriend less and who's family are all male apart from my mother (obviously) it is quite fitting that I present less facial hair than most.

Also next year everybody is coming up north, 3 of my best friends are staying round in the North, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield. This is not only exciting for them but for me as I get to see them on a regular basis as opposed to every 3 months at home, hardly conducive to a close relationship. Although I think I'm starting to realise I have good friends here.

Enjoy the rest of your bank holiday weekend, the weather looks good in London and OK in Bristol, whereas up north I'll be doing my best wet dog impression.

Self indulgence

As the title suggests today I feel like bringing you into my world.

As a keen cyclist and human (yes I'm quite keen on acting like one to) I have decided to take a few more risks, which may result in some pain. However it is not the pain that stops me, it is the fear of falling or more acutely the sharp stop at the bottom accompanied by dentures and metal pins through your arm. This is what fear is, thinking what might happen instead of what will happen - it will probably be alright. One guy who certainly has learnt to control this is Danny Macaskill. Imagine jumping down 2 large sets of stairs on a bike, whilst spinning on a bike.
The adjectives for this video include but are not exclusive to:
Crazy, insane, amazing, scary, stupid, talented and scottish



A few weird and quirky stories now.

Invisibility may be closer than we think, and much better than the invisibility on James Bond's Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Scientists have developed a cloak that is invisible to infra-red light. Now for those who studied science you'll be asking 'why does this make invisibility closer as infra-red light is not part of the visible spectrum?' Well this new technology doesn't absorb any light so there is no shadowing or loss of light creating an imperfect cloak and it can be scaled down to small sizes with the hope that this technology can be transfered to visble light wavelengths so one day we can pretend to be this guy.

Also in this sex obsessed world, where procreation is a by product and sometimes unwelcome one. A spider species aptly named Harpactea sadistica, have been found to inject their sperm through holes they make in the females abdomen. Now I didn't know this but usually males will leave their sperm on the spider web and the female will come along and pick it up using pedipalps where the sperm enters an rests between the ovary and the ovipore in an area called the spermetheca.

The Harpactea sadistica have an advantage over normal spider species as the last spider to inseminate the female will father the offspring. Whereas the Harpactea sadistica injects its sperm directly into the ovary. And we thought Max Mosely was bad?

Today I think I'm going to deviate away from science. Now I here a sigh, even if you don't admit it, there is one, writhing in your soul as you quest for more knowledge. But never fear, when I feel like this a quick trip to newscientist usually works, although some of it is a bit complex and I do find my brain working overtime. Although I think I'm gonna help to shed a bit of light on the outbreak of swine flu, how it occurred, if you are going to get and how you can protect yourself or be cured.

Despite this being the most dangerous flu pandemic of the past century with a mortality rate of 10%, this H1N1 strain is far more dangerous than any other like the Asian influenza (H2N2) in 1957 and Hong Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968. The outlook is gloomy as some of the deaths in Mexico have come in healthy young adults who influenza does not usual effect. Also the modern world has a lot to be blamed for as the advert of cheap air travel has meant the disease can quickly spread all over the world even if you haven't been to Mexico.

However this doom and gloom is hardly the fighting spirit. The outbreak began in Mexico which is not renowned for its health and the only death in the USA was a 23 month old baby. Although this is a major assumption and extrapolation of one point this proposes that the pandemic is not as dangerous as 10%, but we shall see.

Now it is curable but you cannot be immunised, and at any point could the strain change and then it would require different treatments to combat it. But if you want to here a qualified experts view on go to here.

2nd thoughts I'll save the personal revelations for another day.
But I have come across a band that I already knew were good and had thoughtfuly provoked songs, but I never realised how diverse and how many songs they had produced.
The Cure headed by Robert Smith with 'The End of the World'


Just listen to the lyrics, they don't apply to me but nevertheless lovely.
Video is also really well done and I imagine using photography instead of filming it, although Legweak I'm sure you'll correct me.

P.S. Oh and I forgot to metion the spanish flu after the Great War which is estimated to have killed between 20 and 40 million people, this however coincided with the WWI. However although a huge number of lives were lost the mortality rate was much lower. All that can be said on the topic is pandemics are predictably unpredicatable

Easter

I have left this for a while and it has been gathering dust and piles - metaphorical piles i might add - of science are building up. Although my ever growing knowledge does its best to embarrass people, especially when explaining cervical cancer.


Moving swiftly on, we all know there is an economic downturn. While nobody really is feeling it yet, I feel science may be first hit with budget cuts, as long as this cuts out the bureaucracy this can be no bad thing, as at the moment ideas take years to even make it to the drawing board. However we may not see the effects now in this age but years down the line, this recession will surely hinder our scientific development. This will coincide with the industrialised countries shift from so called developing countries diseases such as cholera, sickle cell anaemia into the ones present in the western and developed world such as heart disease and cancer.

However my cynicism seems to be unfounded as Obama declared today that he would donate 3% of the gross domestic product, which when considering it was 2.6% before is a huge increase of over 15%.

Also another recent development is the complete sequencing of the cow genome, while not amazing at first. If it weren't for cows a lot of insulin would never have been produced, now it is produced by bacteria. This advancement does open up a possible increase in milk production, that can be no bad thing.

Confidence and american men

Are some things not just so funny yet depressing at the same time. Someone tells you the same thing over and over again. That thing then appears more and more in your life, until it gets to the point where it occupies your mind so much you just have to laugh at yourself.

I'm always told to take risks, so now writing this down i vow to correct that. I don't mean stupid things like drink acid for a dare. I mean push myself, actually do something worthwhile instead of moaning about it and getting depressed.

People say you can't reinvent yourself, you're the same forever. I disagree I am about to prove that statement false, and Reuben I'm completely going to give up giving up, give up emo episodes and mute my moaning. Its not pleasant, no one wants to know so shut the fuck up.

For reference this made me think of it

Weird how peoples inspiration comes from odd things

From now on don't expect any of it.

Spur of the moment

Have you ever felt like you were living in a move? Where life seems so wonderful, set to perfect music, great cinematography but more importantly and fundamentally the actors.


Now as one would expect I'm not going to go on about an area where my knowledge is weak, this is a metaphor. I feel as though things have really come out right at the moment.


To be honest this is where my head initially run out of ideas, and life does have an uncanny irony of knocking you down from your high horse, but even that at the moment is treated more with hilarity than annoyance or pain.

Now with some neuroscience, this is a bonus for me as I'm supposed to be studying it and I think this counts, maybe.

Brains. Our brains are almost at peak condition which means we don't have any excuse for forgetting anything, unless told during times of great stress. Fortunately or unfortunately at the age of 27 our brain begins its decline into the mush that is currently in all our parents heads and the baby food inside our grandparents. Luckily alcohol doesn't kill brain cells, only slows growth so don't always drink. Drugs on the other hand cause a whole host of problems but that is why they are so good, isn't it? Another interesting fact is you know those day to day tasks that you sometimes mess up, drinks, passing things sometimes you are just a bit clumsy. I know I am, and quite a few poeple I know are. These mistakes can be detected in the brain upto 30 seconds before they happen, while that isn't long; I do hear you ask, why don't we stop ourselves. To be honest I don't know nor do I care, but it is to do with in built tasks being repeated and if we 'switch off' they go wrong. SO next time you mess something up blame the mundanity of the work

Concoction

This weekend has been truly amazing.

Visited London, actually grown some balls, had an amazing night at fabric despite a fall, watched Man U and France get beat, and spent the weekend with the best people around.

Right back from the autopsy, now not to sound like a over sensitive hypochondriac but i went to A & E today. Only because my flat insisted and then the minor injuries nurse sent me there, even though my basic knowledge of concussion and brain physiology told me I was fine, I needed to be told it by a Doctor and a smirking uni doctor.... Just cause I do biomedical science does not make me thick.

However on with the science, I feel obliged as this story did prove particularly that there a quickly decreasing amount of things science cannot solve.

This one is for blokes really but, you know in these days of tight fitting shirts and t-shirts worn to clubs and the advert of drunken dancing by vodka and electro mean you may sweat. This may not stink as the repulsive smell known colloquially as BO is actually caused by bacteria feeding of all the lovely things in sweat, like ions and urea - yes the same stuff that is in urine, lush. However urea is only small amounts so don't worry, there is a BIG difference between being sweaty and performing diuresis on one's head.

Moving on though a Rob Brydon a chef from Guildford thought that his excess sweat was becoming a problem and had the glands removed in a minimally invasive, and considering the price of other cosmetic surgery cheap price of £3500.

Oh and one heads up, salt makes you feel better, that is why we have so much even though we're apparently dieing from the consequences. Except as I have been told the kidneys are so good at getting rid of it it doesn't really matter.

Just thought I'd highlight the skill of DJ Yoda, very topical as well with the black and white man.

The Key is Continuity

As most football fans keep saying, keeping the same manager is a good idea, look at SAF and Wenger, David Moyes etc They have been at their clubs for many years, and look at the success it brings. Now I support Newcastle United, defenders of St. James Park in the North-East of England. Upholding the standard of football in that area, well it is not hard, although current league positions do not reflect well on us at all. But don't be mistaken into thinking this is about football, no I hide my favourite team under smoke and canvas due to embarrassment at the fact managers are in a revolving door and they get spat out cockney

The point of this is continuity is good, so I thought I'd put a bit on this blog. Also I though I should live up to the title, info on owls will come later. I will however be informing you of important scientific updates, some that you'll want to know, some that are funny (fart gas hydrogen sulphide may be the new Viagra) and stuff that you should just know.

Right so here goes.... as many I for one am a teenager and I seem to suffer a problem where my circadian rhythm (You're biological clock) is later than other people's, late nights, late risings and a need to nap. The older generations will accuse me of being lazy, partly true but it appears there is a reason for this, which is to do with those things that cause mood swings and horrible tempers for little reason, yes hormones. I should have 9 hours sleep a night, I would love that, but sleeping is a problem, until late that is, especially in university with loads of other people around and the 'amazing nights out' with '£1 drinks' serving as a giant magnet for the still maturing teenager keen to form social interactions. I am no different, I have to say I prefer my flat sanctuary, much more appealing than some load oppressive club.

However heed this warning, as with all of this, this does not mean going to bed late is good, although I don't really need to say that do I? It increases your risk of diabetes, reduction in cognitive ability. So get to bed earlier, and contrary to popular belief don't do anything, listen to music or read. It reduces your ability to drop off, so give your brain a rest because no matter what older generations say we are using them, it is still maturing.

Don't worry though, those who either fast tracked through puberty or started early you'll be out of this soon, others like myself, well lazy days could be there for a while.

oh and as an aside

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MORNING PERSON

To go with this

Not only a great song, also a weird video for all you interested in that stuff. Although I suspect now I will be knocked back down for my paltry second-rate knowledge on animation, but hey go ahead

Pride

Now I thought that I wouldn't have to let go my sensitive side to words, however that is about to be broken. Firstly yesterday I was told I was the most attractive person in my flat, indirectly, which is lovely as that doesn't happen a lot, and lets face it everybody likes compliments every now and again.


Mistakenly thinking I had gone off women, I all of a sudden realised I hadn't when the person I liked was dating someone, in summation bollocks there. Even worse than liking someone who is single or in a relationship as I have written below

single - Bonus - you have a chance
Tied - Know there isn't a chance - but you can't be disappointed
Dating - Now, this is horrible final losing something into the light.

Now you can probably guess from my firmly unbalanced argument I may fall into the later bitter category. The only bonus out of this is that they are happy, better one than none.

This leads succinctly onto music, which is the best accompaniment to any life situation.
So I thought of creating a smart playlist on my itunes of Hip-Hop music. Those words out my mouth are rare, but embrace all things and all that Jazz.... Appealing to my indie side Jaydiohead, possibly the greatest mashup I have ever heard, download it here http://jaydiohead.com/ if you are a fan of Jay Zed or the depressing heart felt Radiohead, you'll be pleasantly surprised about how well they fit, and for once the lyrics for Radiohead's music are not deeply involved in masturbation and drugs.

Also harking back to years ago - Spooks with something fresh

Pop Quiz = 29

Apparently writing a blog whilst drunk is good practice, or so I am told at least.
As usual for a Sunday night our flat night out to the Stephenson quiz was accompanied by abusive language towards opposing teams for cheating, this week however they were caught out and lost.... hahahahaha

But this week it was our turn to win, and it felt so good. I love winning but I love feeling superior to others. Ashley's course fiend, and yes that is not a typo, fiend. Adam 'Jelly bean' is apparently a prick, so I take pride in beating his team, who A. cheated and B. Contained the entire population of Norfolk, ducks included.

Now apart from the pride and joy, more pride and joy became of our team when we realised it was a £25 bar tab, enabling us all to get quite light headed as it were. It then seemed wise to play pool, now usually, I'm just short of rubbish. This time I was well off my average ability.

But apparently my blog is too random so for a bit of continuity, I am going to start by naming current loves...

in music.

At the moment I'm quite into Interpol and Elefant. But due to a significant lack of motivation Rage against the machine.
My favourite song by Interpol at the moment is PDA - Public display of affection
I think it is very apt, especially in my drunken stupor, PDAs quite often occur

Unwelcome cock then banished

The evening started oddly enough with me eating some slightly burnt food, my Yorkshire puddings hadn't quite risen properly, which i put down to the lack of eggs. Digressing from my stomach however we tidied our flat, that we meaning, Jemma, Will, Ashley, Calum (surprisingly) and myself, vacuuming, creating a lost property pile of rubbish that people could not be arsed to put away and completing the washing up that hadn't been done. This took a considerable amount of time, but it looked amazing afterwards, even for someone with my standards of cleanliness. This being all in preparation for a sleep over, basically an excuse to drink, eat poor food and play games that were best left in your pre-pubescent years. This later seemed to attract said disdainful young hoodlums like a magnet, who my foolish flat mate considered would be a good idea to invite in.

Bearing in mine there first words to us were 'we only have 2 id's' it did not bode well. They seemed intent on getting into our flat and drinking for a party. Not that they didn't seem nice enough, because they weren't. One looked like a Kook's reject lacking, well lacking ability in anything but stupid wise cracks and permed hair. Another who kinda looked like the milky bar kid with braces, who preceded to think it was a great idea while at the door to have a go at me, to take me ransom so when they went to the off licence to buy them beer they would let back in the flat. I subtly refused.

They did however leave, but with my earlier mentioned foolish flatmate, and guest. Later returning with beer, by this time we were knocking on 3 in the morning, not the hour I like to see when conscious. I want to vividly imagine holidays or riding my bike, not be sat up listening to why I 'should get one down me' because if i didn't i was a 'pussy.' Funny coming from a bunch of guys who come from an all boys private school who haven't seen a girl apart from on the Internet, while all huddled together round a computer screen. They also proceeded to make lewd comments about Jemma, which revealed my slightly more hostile side. Suffice to say most of the rabble that came out their mouths was bullshit, shortly followed by each others cock's.

This all coming from the guy 2 minutes later who looked as though he'd rather be anywhere but our front room as a particularly scary looking security guard came in, and in simple terms ordered them out.

This sagacious action was caused by a more well adjusted human in the name of Ashley, his conversation to the security went a little something like this:

"Hello I was just wondering if you could send someone round to .....
Yes there is a bunch of just pubescent children and it is late and not the done thing to be loud and puerile"

His approach didn't satisfy the more pugnacious amongst who actually got dressed (it was a sleep over after all) in an attempt to kick them out, but definitely will make me laugh when I think back to their faces of fear and stark shock

Ectasy

Now I was not anticipating having to do this post for at least a few weeks until results came out but as soon as I arrived in lectures I was well informed that all the results were up on the noticeboard, promoting a manic nervous rush to said board.

Suffice to say this time the flood gates didn't open, it wasn't a sense of relief, it was as this blog title suggests, a feeling of ectasy. For the first time in years I didn't cry at how poorly i'd done and A2s i jumped up and down. I have to say I did the same thing this time but I wasn't relieved.

So my actual results, overall 74% which puts me 9th in the entire year of about 180 students, other stand out result is my 77% in cell biology which was 2nd.

This is all well and good now I have something to live up to though!

And relax

You may or may not have read a note on facebook by me, that by far is not typical, more one breath getting rid of all I wanted to say.

Now at Sheffield I have been introduced to a few things, these do not include casual sex or hard drugs - more on that later.
No Nando's and Sambuca, the former due to my romantic valentines day and the later from Calum my esteemed neighbour. Nando's chicken is super spicy even medium, now this is not me being a woos but I would like to hear from anybody who has tried hot or extreme, without crying or suffering deadly consequences. Sambuca is a whole different story; I love liquorice but the warm rush is amazing and when combined with vodka and lemonade gives a cloudy lovely drink. Also looks much better than apple sourz when you shot it.... bonus.

But of very recent times I have been listening to the new Young Hearts Society EP which, as one would expect is quite fabulous darling. In all seriousness though the songs and the production are the best I have heard out of a unsigned band which speaks volumes for their talents not only as individuals but as a group. You can hear for yourself at www.myspace.com/youngheartssociety

Hopefully by the weekend i'll have learnt how to use this and upload videos and sort this out to give a full recount of my goings on, which will be good for me. I may have to actively seek to do things as opposed to lounging on facebook for hours procrastinating or slowly improving my rock band skills