I have Apocalypto on dvd, waiting for a night by myself to watch it because OH hates to read subtitles.

Hopefully seeing Stardust this weekend.

I love Pan's Labrynth, so dark and freaky though!

ermmmmm we already did this one.

I bet they are nowhere in the same league as Belford.

(sorry couldn't help myself)

Thought it would be nice to have some reviews. I don't get to the cinema very often but love it when I do.

Saw The Golden Compass the other day and although it was entertaining was quite disappointed to see many differences between it and the book (Northern Lights).

Hubbie wants to go see each and every xmas film thats out. Am I the only one who tries to avoid them?

Mine is science based.

I've been writing up as I go along, I have 4 chapters so far (up to end of 2nd year). I will prolly have to go back and edit like mad but at least its all down on paper.

well I hope she did because she graduated 3 years ago.

This is odd. I get a sense of deja vu....

The comments by "A nun" were me I think...?

I'm obviously looking at it on the good side because I have positive experiences. My main supervisor is well known in the field and that works really well for me when I attend conferences etc.

They also try and promote my work by suggesting conferences where I can present.

However I think most of the time I get on with it with minimal fuss because I don't have any issues. Obviously this is not always the case and I do need extra support at times.

Maybe younger/newer supervisors don't realise the benefits of having PhD students? Maybe they think its just one of those things they can do. I think the best supervisors are ones that realise and understand that there are benefits for both parties.

I think your right, in some ways, it's like a symbiotic partnership. You want a supervisor that's well known in the field so that means more chances of making good contacts. One that has had many happy phd students (completed) means they should be a good, supportive supervisor. You hopefully want to publish and attend and present at conferences.

Your supervisor wants a good student that wont show them up. It's also like when parent's say, my son/daughter is doing such and such. They will want to make sure you get some publications which means more for them. Any presentations you do at conferences, again their name is mentioned and the research group is promoted.

When supervisor's can't be bothered, like you say, it makes no sense. They are trying to ruin this two-way beneficial relationship.

It depends on the reputation of the supervisor, whether you are a funded or self-funded student etc.

If the supervisor has had quite a few successful PhD students and is well known in their field, they wouldn't want their reputation tarnished. The university would want to know why the student didn't complete etc.

If the student is funded by a funding council, maybe this would affect future sums of money awarded to the supervisor's research. If industry is involved, this would look bad on the research group.

Depends on your field I guess.

If you know the tests and things you are doing, then surely you can just say "we will be presenting the findings of blah and blah", try to keep it open as possible.

How tall is Richard H?

Science:

First thing I did was my literature review (and therefore the first thing I wrote).

It's actually a book : Methods in Carbohydrate chemistry volume 5. Sheffield Library (quite poo at times) definitely has it so I'm suprised that you can't get hold of it.