I PASSED

My transcript said:

Sustainable energy resources: 47% PASS
River Catchment Dynamics: 47% PASS
Soil and Water Conservation: 50% PASS

I am very happy, even so I'm just climbing up the middle.

:)

Look, see, they really are everywhere

This is a photo that I took in Combe Martin in Devon, it's Monica's shop.
Sadly I had the rubbish camera with the bad zoom, but this little yellow boat is also called Monica. Docked in a small harbour in Combe Martin.

This is the small Harbour in Combe Martin, Devon. This is where the little yellow boat was anchored.

This is the North Alantic crashing aganist the Devon coast line and also the view from the Devon coast towards Canda and Ireland.

And this is what happens when a storm hits a small tent. The wing on the right side is being blowen out by the wind as the photo was being taken. The radio had warned of bad weather and it was.

Isn a Tomato a fruit or a Vegetable?

The main prompt of this post is that my girlfriend is pretty sure that a tomato is a vegetable. Her mother thinks the same thing to. Well I got news for you:

You see the problem is, that the Spanish have lived in a closed society for so long, that what they are told by friends and parents has to be true, and there is no way that it can be challenged, because what ever 'real knowledge' is, it's not the same as Spanish knowledge. Read and weep!!

"Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

"The confusion about 'fruit' and 'vegetable' arises because of the differences in usage between scientists and cooks. Scientifically speaking, a tomato is definitely a fruit. True fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (though cultivated forms may be seedless). Blueberries, raspberries, and oranges are true fruits, and so are many kinds of nut. Some plants have a soft part which supports the seeds and is also called a 'fruit', though it is not developed from the ovary: the strawberry is an example. As far as cooking is concerned, some things which are strictly fruits may be called 'vegetables' because they are used in savoury rather than sweet cooking. The tomato, though technically a fruit, is often used as a vegetable, and a bean pod is also technically a fruit. The term 'vegetable' is more generally used of other edible parts of plants, such as cabbage leaves, celery stalks, and potato tubers, which are not strictly the fruit of the plant from which they come. Occasionally the term 'fruit' may be used to refer to a part of a plant which is not a fruit, but which is used in sweet cooking: rhubarb, for example. So a tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant, but can be used as a vegetable in cooking."

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutother/tomato?view=uk

So get over it, your wrong!

Exam time

Okay, Exams start today - one today, one on Thursday and one on Friday - then roll on the summer!! Why not really because I got to work. But it will mean I can get some caving done, providing I can pull myself away from RuneScape for long enough. I also have a Spanish Course to do and have promised myself I'll do around 3 hours a week.

Anyway a lot of people have exams at this time of year so GOOD LUCK.

We got you, good!!

I considered writing about my trip to Spain, but so much happened in a short space of time. That I think I'll do it in picture.

FRIDAY:

My face says it all really!! Somewhere over the channel My friends! Sofia - My newest Friend

SATURDAY:

David and Aran - It's beach day!! Monica and Me, look at the sand, sun and sea. The water was bloody cold!! Bego - looking like she belongs in Spain's 3rd largest city


Katie and Habi - Habi speaks French, English and Spanish!! Maribel and Pedro and Rake and Sofi

SUNDAY:

Monica in her red dress, where did I find her!! Us, looking like we belong in Spain's 3rd largest citySpanish beer - keeps you young!

You could be in Cuba

Monica could of done with a step to help her reach the big candle

Monica's mother and boyfriend

MONDAY:

The smallest Spanish dog - who's poo I stood in twice. Sadly not house trained!! And if you have made it this far: Read on.

''As we left the house, Monica's mother sprayed water onto the front wind-screen. I watched as the last drops raced down the window - it was almost as if the city was crying a final tear for it's absent daughter. We were whisked was towards the air port, away from friends and family and that feeling of belonging that we have when we are in Valencia city. It's funny the mind set people get into - me for instance instead of saying 'goodbye' to my friends. I find myself saying ''see you next time''. It's not intentional ''bye'' would be a far better word to use, but then ''see you later'' is actually, I suppose true. ''bye'' seems so final.''

Last of all I would like to thank, Aran, David, Bego, Rake, the lady with the baby, Katie, Habi, Maribel, Pedro and of course Monica - thanks for a lovely time and see you all soon.

A new game

I have found a new multi player game and it's great!! I cant stop playing it which is driving Monica mad. Basically you create a character in a 'virtual' world and then walk around this virtual world mining cooper and tin to make into weapons and catching fish to feed yourself and selling stuff to earn money.

May not sound like much but it's so addictive. I reckon now I'm doing well I could play all day, but don't tell Monica. I suppose it keeps me off the streets and out of caves, at least till my elbows better.

KEEP PLAYING THATS WHAT I SAY, DON'T LET THEM STOP YOU!!

Grant - Explained

QUESTIONS:

I'm aiming to start taking measurements in July, depending if I can secure the equipment quick enough. I'm hoping to take measurements from July until about April of next year, maybe earlier depending on how much data is created. As for publishing, the dissertation its self is not published however the equipment, data and out come will be published in a caving journal as part of the conditions set out by the grant awarding organisation. I may have to go to a conference and tell them about the experiment, depending on how successful it is. Anymore questions just ask!!

As promised:

At the end of our third year, the student body has to undertake a massive individual project called Dissertation. Caves have always been a love of mine, so obviously that was going to be the main element of my dissertation project. While I was working in Cheddar as a Cave-leader I noticed that on certain days there seemed to be more 'wind' coming out the cave, as time went on I noticed that this some how worked with the weather. So during warm summer days when the outside pressure was high the 'wind' or draught was going past me as I walked into the cave, during the winter when the outside pressure was low the draught was going with me as I walked into the cave. After carrying out some research into this draft effect, it turns out that there a set mechanism which causes this to happen, named cold theory.

So if this pressure change could be measured, both on the outside and inside then in theory the weather could be predicted!! But how do to it. After some further research I found I would need a pressure sensor which could measure atmospheric pressure and a temperature sensors, along with two data-loggers (A data logger is a bit of hardware that just keeps a record of the information that the sensors pick up). And that is where I needed the Grant, the pressure sensors cost £300 pound each, I have managed to find some very cheap data-loggers for £20 and the temp sensors can be borrowed from University. I will put the equipment into a chamber in Goughs Cave, Cheddar and one outside.

In the mean time I'm collecting sources, books and articles on the subject. I hope that explains it. If you have any questions feel free to ask them.