Had a bit of a debate with the Open University last week about why I can't use my Mac for their science courses. They replied promptly and with profuse apologies - they'd love to be Mac-compatible, but they're all sweaty geeks in kipper ties who come out in a rash if they have to deal with anything remotely stylish. If it doesn't come in a beige box with LEDs on the front, it's not for them. Sorry.

Anyhow, having overcome my doubts about the dress sense of the people I may have to work with, I've signed up for a couple of OU introductory science courses - How the Universe Works and Maths for Science. I always loved science as a kid and was a bit of an astronomy geek. That enthusiasm, of course, was neatly wrung out of me my school science lessons. I've decided to return to my scientific roots on the basis that (a) I find it really interesting, and (b) if socially inept sciencey dweebs can do it, how hard can it be?

(I'd like to specifically exclude degrees in Maths and Physical Oceanography, and indeed mathematical physical oceanographers in general, from the above generalization. Such degrees, especially the ones issued by UW Bangor, are fucking hard and to get one you have to be, in the words of Ben Goldacre, a serious fuck-off academic ninja.)