Membership applications for the new year cost just £14 and are now due. We welcome your continued support.
FIRST LECTURES OF YEAR
All lectures unless otherwise stated are held at 2pm on Wednesdays during term time in the Grove Lecture Theatre of Swansea University. The first half hour is preliminary and used to show around thirty slides of future activities and for current announcements by Chairman Bob and others. It is a good way to keep abreast of Swansea U3A activities, but since I prepare the slide show as well as the blog there is a great deal of commonality, though the pre-lecture slide shows have slightly later information. Afterwards you are invited to join others for tea/coffee in the Taliesin Bar.
7 October lecture is 'God's Bankers' by Robert Baggs
21 October lecture is 'Life on the Sea Shore' by Dr Michael Isaac
28 October lecture is 'Richard 3rd - A strange King' by Anna Nicholas
OPEN DAY IN DOLPHIN HOTEL
No prizes for noticing there is no lecture on Wednesday 14 October because that is the day we are holding the Open Day in the Dolphin from 10am to 3.30pm. Each of the currently active groups will have a table at which a member of the group will give you full information on their activities. If you are a new member it is a particularly good place to start and will bring home the wide range of activities on offer.
All groups will take names, telephone numbers and email addresses of anyone interested in their activity. It may well be that in some cases we will have to form another group to cater for increased demand.
Never forget this a self help organisation, groups are intended to be self financing though they are non-profit as well and the members give freely of their time to run these groups. You should think about how you could contribute, in addition to exploiting the opportunities provided by others.
Anyone who would like to set up a new group (maybe on a new topic) should be sure to seek me out at this event and discuss their thoughts. Last year five new groups emerged directly from this event (Chess, Modern Jive, MOTO (Members On Their Own), Scrabble, Bookreading 4, plus renewal of a failing French Conversation group. Last year we increased the membership by a third. If that is to be repeated we will need plenty of members prepared to put their head above the parapet.
GROUP'S CO-ORDINATOR - Brian Corbett -that's me folks.
Many know I am also a foot-lose traveller who disappears on long trips. Therefore I would particularly welcome some-one prepared to deputise whilst I am away (including editing the list of email addresses to incorporate new members) and to present the Wednesday slide show when I am introducing the speaker.
I would give tuition in the production of the weekly Power Point slide show. As far as using Internet to broadcast information on activities this could be done either by your own Blog (tuition available) or by emailing a Groups Newsletter. In addition I hold the only verified list of members email addresses. None of these tasks is technically difficult, but they worth while and time consuming.
CHRONICLE
I must say I was impressed by the wide-ranging content in the Chronicle magazine, which is being sent out with the 2009/10 membership cards. To think there was a panic over contributions and then so many stood up to the plate.
My eye was caught particularly by the thoughtful article on climate change by Lyn Holt. I guess I have a reputation for scepticism, but that is mainly because over enthusiastic Green's will keep on blaming global warming for every weather event be it flood, storm, wet summer, but never a heat wave. Remember the hot dry summer of 1947, I do because Denis Compton, Bill Edrich, and I think Jack Robertson made an unheard of 3000 runs in the season for Middlesex. I also remember the flooding of Canvey Island in 1952 and the flooding of Lynton at about the same time. Remember too the earth went in and out of ice-ages with no help from humans so let's blame the dinosaurs for that!!
For millenniums the oscillating sea temperature in the Humboldt Current running up the west coast of America results in the El Nino effect which disturbs the whole world's climate every few years and destroyed a sophisticated ancient civilisation in Peru. Let's hope the warming Gulf Stream stays constant or we will find out that we really do live somewhat north of the arctic conditions of say Canada.
But this just shows my annoyance at what is so obviously a highly complex matter overlaid with huge 'natural' variation in weather. But no-one can deny that the melting of land based ice fields (and that means Antarctic rather than Arctic will result in a very significant rise in sea level with huge consequences to low lying developments including London which already relies on flood defences.
The crux of current concerns is to produce electricity with far smaller emissions of carbon dioxide. Electric cars are a fine way of reducing pollution in cities and hiding the problem, but their batteries will always have to be charged and that electricity will have to be generated.
It is not realistic to expect me to change rapidly to a low energy way of life, so generating that electricity more efficiently and with lower carbon emissions is vital. My fear, like I think Lyn's, is that we are sleepwalking our way into the nightmare of Major electricity supply failures. Experiencing two 24 hour blackouts of the whole island of Bali brought home the consequences, and all that effected me there was electric light and Internet.
My own conclusion differs from Lyn's in that I think the best short term solution to the problem is to adopt nuclear power, the French after all generate 80% of their electricity this way. Although people fear radiation from the power stations and terrorism, the known major problem is disposal of the radioactive waste.
Like him I think we are crazy not to proceed at full speed with such obvious schemes as the tidal barrage across the Severn, or attempts to suppress the peaks in our demand. Are we really saying that the preservation of the wet lands is more important than the survival of our own species?
Steam turbines are used by both the Nuclear and the Coal options and both are ideally suited to generating steady base loads in a way that tidal or wind based solutions never will be. Gas turbines are an ideal way of getting rapid starting and stopping generators to adapt to changes in demand, but it's a far more restricted fuel source than coal for the UK. The speed the UK changed from
coal to gas is looking like a huge political risk now the North Sea supplies are running out. Would you buy a second hand car from Gaddafi?
A recent article by Nicholas Stern brought the staggering scale of the challenge into perspective (He wrote the Review on the Economics of Climate Change several years ago which is credited with kick starting the debate). He stated that in order to limit the earth's temperature rise to 2 degrees (generally agreed to be close to a tipping point) by 2050 the 9 billion people living on the planet [earth] 'must be producing on average no more than about 2 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year each. Currently China averages 6 tonnes dwarfed by the rich European countries which average 10-12 tonnes each, and the USA with 24 tonnes.
That means starkly that the UK needs to find a way to reduce greenhouse gases in the ratio of 6:1 down to 17% of today's level.
The current target for 2010 is a 10% reduction. But who knows what this really means for an individual - I certainly don't.
There is little more I can do do with house heating after having converted to a condensing boiler some years ago and bringing insulation up to standard in my light (over-glassed) house - we are even delaying switch on by evening use of sweaters. I could go vegetarian which would give about the correct reduction in food - animals being about 9 times as consumptive of energy as plants of equivalent food value. Love red meat as I do I'd rather cut there than forego my car or long haul flights, but I would volunteer for euthanasia before 2050!
CLIMATE CHANGE GROUP
Mike Wiseman has left but I do hope someone will volunteer to takeover the role of running this Group. They could start by measuring the groups carbon footprint and outlining a 10% reduction.
ASTRONOMY GROUP
Nick Hill has circulated a letter to current and past members of this group, but by summarising this letter in this blog I am hoping to attract new members as well.
It is intended to schedule meetings after lectures in the Grove Theatre on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. The first such meeting will be on Wednesday 21 October at which the group will discuss the years program topics including the possibility of moving to a different venue which also opens up the opportunity of revising dates and times.
Nick (our Treasurer) is unable to continue as convenor of this group and whilst it is hoped that Roly Govier will be able to unentangle himself from other engagements it would be good to hear from others willing to take up the challenge of running this group.
BOOKREADING 2
Thanks for the happy picture which illustrates a growing tendency for groups to organise their own social events. Several have used this same railway as basis of a cheap day out - to my knowledge including MOTO going all the way to Shrewsbury, and Astronomy going to the Telescope at Knighton.
MOTO
I knew this would grow into one of our most popular new groups, but Gerwyn has had to set up a reserve list since he feels unable to deal with the expansion alone. It is hard to think of a more worthwhile objective than improving the social life of bereaved or separated members.
Once again the question is of someone taking a significant part of the load from Gerwyn, perhaps by developing a stand-alone grouping. Socialising in pubs, jiving, flying, parachute jumping, Nordik Walking, trips to Shrewsbury and the races, like the current core may not be every-ones cup of tea.
The thought strikes me that there may well be scope for an older members sub-grouping, another for those interested in lunching in Swansea or further afield, or in trips to the theatre in say Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol, Bath, London or Stratford.
Anyone with ideas especially those prepared to see them through should contact Me on 424702 or Gerwyn on 817229.
FRENCH
Recommences at Hazel Court at10am on Thursday 1 October in the dry half of the Craft Room. Thanks are due to Beryl Edney and Celia Phillips who have agreed to tutor the class this year. We are looking for some-one to replace Jan Philips as convenor, though she will represent the group through Open Day 14 October.
Best wishes to Steve Johnson whose health is looking better since his return from France. It is nice to hear him praise NHS Wales in face of what many consider the flagship health services in France. Pity the yanks aren't listening.
CONVENORS MEETING
Is to be held in the Castle Room, Fulton House at the University the morning of our first lecture of the year. Modern Jive, Bridge and Research operate on Wednesday mornings and should make special arrangements so that the convenor or a representative attends at 10am on 7 October.
OPEN DAY DOLPHIN HOTEL 14 October
This day aimed in particular at new and prospective new members and the general public are particularly welcome will take place between the hours of 10am and 3.30pm. It is also an ideal opportunity for existing members to register their interest in joining or forming additional groups.
Last year, my first as Groups Coordinator, was particularly successful in kick starting the year with the formation of several new groups.
NORDIC WALKING
Gerwyn has been approached by Liz Morris of Age Concern to collect names of members interested in a 5 week course of instruction (1 hour per week) in this technique. I talked in an earlier September Blog of how much MOTO had enjoyed a walk from the Brecon Mountain Centre without realising this was also an introduction to Nordic Walking. An Age Concern initiative with backing from the Welsh Assembly and the Countryside Council for Wales.
The immediate proposal is for two courses run by Liz Morris meeting at 10am at Victoria Park, gate opposite Guildhall
One on Mondays starting 28 September (tomorrow - my fault for short notice), then 5, 12, 19 and 26, of October
The other course on Thursdays 1. 8, 15, 22, 29 of October
Walking shoes, waterproofs and warm clothing will be needed but sticks will be provided for the courses.
You are asked to register (book) in advance either with Liz direct on 472904 or with Gerwyn on 817229. There is no charge but you are expected to complete the five week course, and will need to buy sticks if wishing to continue with this technique.
The big advantage of this style, a very fast growing activity in Northern Europe, is that by walking in this manner you will be exercising 90% of your muscles, including arms, shoulders, heart, chest and back. You will also be burning 20+ % more energy than conventional walking at the same speed. It is also said to be less tiring - though how this stacks up is difficult to fathom, perhaps as a result of sharing some of the load normally taken by leg muscles and joints.
In case of bad weather (downpours not showers) please contact Liz on 472904 before 9.30am to confirm.
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