We’ve been in the new flat for a year now. In the spirit of multilateralism, I’ve made a U.N.-inspired quality of life index for the past 12 months. The highlights are shown graphically below.
Analysis Points:
1. Initially, Quality of Life (QoL) was low because of a significant mess associated with moving in. However, QoL steadily increased steadily throughout the next two months, mostly due to the removal of the television.
2. A brief elimination of all loo roll stocks led to near-dire situation in July, but this was soon remedied, leading to a local peak in the QoL index. The second half of the year saw several important declines, starting with an attempted electrocution of Phil by the mice, followed by a plethora of moths and blown light bulbs.
3. Currently, QoL is at an all-time high due to the recent purchase of an aeropress, though these gains are slowly wearing off as exam revision causes a general decline in tidiness.
Overall, significant advances in QoL have been made in the past 12 months. However, these lack robustness, and were substantially offset by problems with stock management and minor infestations. Recommendations for next year: Buy mouse traps and moth balls, and always invest in high-quality coffee.
A little insight into the grandest of the fundamental sciences: physics.
The physicist’s condition is one of constant optimism. To solve any problem, we have to imagine the best possible scenario, and then simplify it.
This morning, for instance, I’ve been revising how to derive the 3-dimensional acoustic wave equation. I’ve completed the proof and derived an equation for the intensity of the sound, with these caveats:
1. The sound wave in question must be a plane wave.
2. The wave cannot lose any energy as it travels.
3. The wave cannot become more dispersed.
4. The equation only considers one direction of travel (along the x-axis!).
5. The equation does not work for loud sounds (i.e. large wave fluctuations like those given out by a super-sonic jet, or perhaps by your mom, when she yells at you to come in for dinner).
Obviously, more complicated equations exist, and computers solve many equations that would be difficult to solve on paper. But at this level, physics is a blue sky science, all about ideal conditions.
Unfortunately, the real world’s more complicated, and I have to get back to work! Next revision stop: room acoustics.
The good people at Startup Cafe, Edinburgh’s one-stop-blog-shop for entrepreneurial news and events in the city, have just published a brief interview with yours truly.
If you haven’t seen their site before, let this be an introduction. Startup Cafe is my No. 1 source for timely, interesting and essential news about new companies in Edinburgh (even when they’re not talking about me!).
March was hectic, but exciting, and I have much to report.
I gave my final pitch in the SIE New Ideas Competition, but was beaten in the product design category by my highly talented, accomplished colleague from Glasgow, who went on to win the competition. His product is a remarkable new bicycle lock that can secure a bicycle to almost any surface.
Post-competition, my work on my own product has slowed, but I was able to make a cameo appearance on an American radio show, The BusinessMakers.
I also completed my thesis and gave my final presentation for my Masters. Five exams are still to come, but that will mark the end of the degree. Between my presentation and exams, I attended this year’s MIT Global Startup Workshop in Reykjavik, and spent 10 thrilling days in Iceland. I have also just returned from my first trip to Chicago, where I had been participating in a conference on Winston Churchill.
Both conferences, and trips, were exceptional. More on all of these topics shortly!
