Now correct me if I'm wrong but the press over the past couple of years has been stating quite loudly that Universities are struggling to fund themselves with the pitiful Government help they current get, hence the rise in tuition fees.

I sent an email to the University of Hertfordshire asking two questions. The first was about the application process for mature students (do they go via the admissions department directly or via UCAS) and the second was regarding the start dates for the course in question.

Now I don't usually try contacting humans as most of the information I seek has been placed on the Internet and Google has indexed it sufficiently for me to find the answers to my questions, however the University of Hertfordshire website contained after a fairly decent read no details on my two queries.

I find it quite insulting to have an automated responce sent to me this morning. It doesn't even address me as Matthew but instead begins "Dear Enquirer,". The opening paragraph assues me that the email contains the answers to the most popular queries and I'll find what I'm looking for.

But I don't. And my point is, if this information was for myself I'd be put off taking things further. I remember when I was applying to Universities and had silly questions, they would answer politely, directly and promtly. None of this automated faff.

In my exhausted state I dispair at their response. I just don't quite fathom how the admissions department who are trying to sell the University to us can't be arsed. It's bollocks. No, UoH, the emails does not answer my queries, you lazy bastards.

Anyway, blood test results tomorrow. I breifly looked up the symptoms of Liver Disease and they match quite closely to mine. Wouldn't that be exciting!