I'm not speculating, I'm commenting from observation. Publications are the top priority - but many PhDs don't get publications out until after submission, if at all and some topics do not generate more than one publication. I've seen some very problematic PhDs get through because it would have been inappropriate to fail the candidate but it is generally known that they were problematic (and that's as much detail as I'll go into here).

Examination standards do vary a lot. That's why many supervisors insist on getting the toughest external they can - they know it will give credibilty to the award.

Well obviously there isn't an official grade such as 'mediocre' or whatever but informally, people associated with the candidates and/or topics will tend to differentiate between PhDs by various means.

I'm not sure what to use instead because the fact is all PhDs are not equal.

If your PhD is mediocre with no publications then it may well help if it's from a top ranking institution. But if you have a good PhD with good publications then the world's your oyster wherever you got it

rb - there does seem to be a lot of this about. Or the other extreme.

pc - this is just what I'm afraid of. I am too close to it and I know my supervisor will never read it properly. There have been problems with a few PhDs here but everyone has got through in the end - so far. It feels like Russian Roulette and I don't want to be the one that doesn't make it!

Congratulations. The wait is torture, isn't it?

At over 40, you start to think about whether the there is enough rain for the garden and sun to ripen the tomatoes....

No - are you SERIOUS!

Look top left

My husband is insanely cheerful and positive. When i hear him describe things we have both done I don't recognise the experience! How sad is that!

I can absolutely guanantee that the weather here will be perfect the week I am in France.

I hadn't noticed the giraffes. My 3 yr-old daughter, however, thinks they are fantastic. 4 giraffes! 1 giraffe! I could not work out what she was on about for a while - thought she was being a bit overimaginative...

That's the spirit. My American husband still makes the mistake of looking out of the window and thinking that's how the weather will be for the whole day. You must always have an umbrella and coat. The consequence of going out without the necessary layers and accesories are dire.

Personally, I'm going to France in August. And I'm not taking my thesis. I'm not. Oh no. No I'm not. Not even one page. And definitley not my laptop.

Oh please can I come to.....?

But seriously, this is a rubbish July even for the UK....

You must always compalin about the weather - never say it's good. If it's hot - it's too hot, muggy etc.

It seems we are both distracting ourselves furiously today.