Astronomy lecture in Cambridge

I've just arrived home from an evening lecture at Cambridge University's Institute of Astronomy on the Crab Nebula. It was incredibly interesting but I won't bore you with it's detail here.. rather..
1. People do lots of complaining (myself included) about public provision, juvenile boredom etc. This was free, very interesting, accompanied by a coffee and thoroughly enlightening. The lecture hall was - like space itself, very sparsely populated - by the odd listener. I find it a great shame that so few people embrace the opportunities on offer.
2. It has served to invigourate my appetite for all things cosmological/astronomical. is it a bad thing that I want to know everything?! I seem to find anything interesting and crave a greater understanding and knowledge of everything I encounter - be it in life, books, television, conversation - whatever.

How much time is it okay to spend 'learning'? By learning, I mean pro-actively seeking greater knowledge of a subject; not, for instance, simply gleaning information from casual discourse. At the moment, I could gladly embark on a choice of 7 or 8 degree courses - the only link between them being greater acquisition of knowledge. Perhaps I'm addicted?!

Anyway.. three cheers for projects such as the Institutes Astronomy lecture tonight. And long may they continue anmd attract worthy numbers to enjoy..

Death at a Funeral

I'm a lover of British films. Not all, of course - but even the poorer offerings often have flashes of typically British charm or quirkiness about them. In particular though, I do enjoy British comedies (and, closetly - "Rom-coms"!). I suppose I place my cinematic taste somewhere between the Business and Bridget Jones - or Football factory and Love Actually..

So, this week I watched Death at a Funeral - which I've been looking forward to for a while. In general, I really enjoyed it. The witty dialogue and acting performances made the film very laugh-out-loud funny. My only criticisms (and both, I suspect were implemented for 'wider appeal' rather than the writers actually believing in them) are the use of a midget/dwarf/little person (I'm ignorant of contemporary acceptable language here) as the butt of very easy gags and the repeated 'easy' jibes at this or that person being "a gay". Both elements sat quite uncomfortably with me and the film. An otherwise well-written comedy was cheapened, it felt, by craving mass appeal.

Perhaps I underestimate the British film-watching intellect and sense of humour. Or, perhaps, I envisage this film to be regaled for it's supposedly humourous mistreatment of a midget and the invitation of people to leave cinemas humourlessly quipping to one another that they are "a gay"*.

I've probably been a little too negative in my review. The film was, largely, very funny and IMDB's 7.5/10 is about right.


* Don't get me started on the drivel that is Little Britain.

High-speed header

I saw this today and couldn't quite believe it.
The local news story quoted an official (I'm not sure who they were as I was half listening in he room next-door) saying that the lady had suffered serious injuries but was stable as thankfully it was a 'glancing blow'. Glancing?! It was a 65mph commuter train!