Am I Thick When It Comes To Science Books? Well Possibly.....

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So this was the latest library book I've read.

Modest Ambitions here...

And it's similar to the book I briefly chatted about earlier this year. It's a science book that Mr Chown explains is designed for the man on the number 25 bus.

(As an aside that comment endeared him to me given that whilst not the man in the seventies I was the boy on the number 25 bus as it took me from Forest Gate in the East End of London to what was then the glamour that was Ilford in Essex)

So did it succeed in explaining the scientific stuff to me? Well ultimately no.

I will say that of the two books it came closer. But with each chapter came the moment when scientific theory had to be explained and whilst in the beginning I caught on eventually it got complicated and oh my brain hurt.

So let's get back to the title of this post. Regarding scientific books am I thick as two short planks? Well yes and no. Science was never my subject at school and whilst you could get by for a while by just learning the previous lesson ultimately when it came to exams I just couldn't hack it. I just didn't have the passion.

However as a reader there are other (many) subjects that I'm not expert at where I've read non fiction books that I've enjoyed. So why not science?

Based on the wide cross section that are these two books I suspect that it may be that it's because there's too much science and not enough people. Now I know what you're going to say. "Too much science in a science book? Is this man mad?" (A debate for a later post I'm sure).

But the point is this. Archimedes discovered that the volume of water from a container by realising it when he went to have a bath. Similarly whether apocryphal or not everyone knows of the story of Issac Newton discovering gravity because of the fallen apple. These two scientific events are well known not just because of the discovery but also the human events that led up to it.

So perhaps one day I'll find the science book for the general reader that is able to do this. And if it comes I promise you'll be the first to know.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post : The "Is It Going To Snow" Edition?

Hello there. hope you're feeling well today.

Well despite the distractions of Brexit this is the time of year where the first thing you check up on is the weather. Specifically whether it's going to snow. It's always touch and go. Mainly go. Though last year if you remember it was definitely touch. And a heavy one at that.

As things stand for this week at least Tuesday looks like the day to watch and be careful. The phrase "wintry showers" is mentioned, which I always assume to mean "it'll snow but it won't settle" which I can tolorate' Still these forecasts can change daily. Yesterday the weather didn't snow but had an ominous sheen to it.

This was on the road from Cardiff to Bridgend (I stopped on a layby for any police reading this).

The rain hammered by soon after

Meanwhile in library news this was the latest book I've read.

The Canon - The Beautiful Basics Of Science - Natalie Angier

This book sought to, as I understand it discuss science in the same way people would chat about films or books. Thing is whilst I look as if it was born with a white coat I'm definitely not one of life's scientists so for me a lot of things it explained were still so above my head it needed a rocket to reach there (which as I occupy a life barely scientific I'd have no idea how to take off).

The book's cover contains press quotes from scientists and science writers praising her, including one who stated she made the subject "sexy". Trust me whatever I was with the book aroused was not one of them.

So in short if it sort to appeal to the lay reader it failed.

Here's something that happened at work (remember I work in Bridgend) a few days back. A man approaches me and says "Do you live in Barry?"

"Nearby" is my response.

"Thought so. Saw you in Barry LIDLs"

And that's happened quite a few times before as well. It always amazes me that anyone in Wales considers having an affair purely for reasons of lust and having no wish to leave their actual partner given that the chances of being caught are far greater than in say London. We're talking about the neighbouring borough at least forty minutes away by car (assuming reasonable traffic) and I'm recognised for living in the Vale of Glamorgan.

I suppose it adds to the sense of danger.

Yesterday on BBC Radio Wales there was an interview with the political correspondent of the Western Mail about the problems Wales is having with current and future investment by companies in the country. I didn't hear the interview but the fact they asked a journalist from the Western Mail astounded me. Because his paper and others the holding company owns (including the Wales On Sunday which I chatted about before and local papers like the Glamorgan Gazzette) are printed in England.

Boycotting the company's publications is a pointless exercise. You can tell by how thin they're becoming that they're in trouble anyway. I've instead enquired on their website the Wales Online whether the maintenance of said site is in Wales. If it isn't perhaps action should be taken there. We'll chat about that if I get a response.

Until the next time.