Intermission
Well, dear readers, I have a huge amount to do before the new academic year starts next week, including three days of purgatory this week in darkest Swindon serving on the STFC Astronomy Grants Panel. So, to cut distractions down to a minimum, I’ve decided to impose a blogging ban on myself until a light appears at the end of this particular tunnel.
Normal services will be resumed as soon as possible but, for the time being, there will now follow a short intermission.
In the Dark 
September 20, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Just be careful that that light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train.
September 21, 2010 at 10:57 am
As part of the continuing economy drive the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched off until further notice.
September 20, 2010 at 9:17 pm
peter:
long-time reader, first time poster…
you should not deny your reader’s your erudite analysis just because of sitting on AGP, that is a cut too far (and after next week we’ll all understand the significance of such things). indeed, after a couple of days in the Menzies Hotel Swindon (perhaps the most frightening place i’ve walked past, outside of middlesborough) you’ll be dying to share your experiences with the wider public…
i have wondered why we’ve been expelled from the “temple of pleasure” which is polaris house, for the menzies experience… surely the cuts haven’t yet extended as far as the committee rooms (or perhaps BBSRC has a better credit history when booking such things). indeed if we don’t even need to enter the hallowed grounds of the RC’s – then perhaps we could have met in birmingham (or even stratford, an old stomping ground for PATT from the days of yore, and always good out-of-season for a discount hotel rate).
yrs, mahler
September 21, 2010 at 9:19 am
What do you think of the erratic behaviour of Alma?
September 20, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Ian
I’m glad you posted this. Nobody told me the meeting wasn’t in Polaris House. Turns out the first two days are; only the third day is in the Menzies Hotel.
I’ve decided to forgo the delights of Swindon each evening in favour of commuting to and from home. Swindon’s on the main line from Cardiff to London so there’s a fast train every 30 minutes, and it only takes an hour (in theory anyway).
I should be back home each evening in time to get something useful done.
Peter
September 21, 2010 at 2:38 pm
I hope for the sake of the applicants, the referees, the panel members and the scientists who would be appointed to any posts created, that the grants round is not cancelled following the STFC funding allocation from the Comprehensive Spending Review in a month’s time.
September 21, 2010 at 5:46 pm
This whole thing is very straightfoward, surely?
Just draw up a ranked list and rule a cut-off line above the first entry.
Job done.