Yes, I think queuing is a great custom. Even in a bus shelter, everyone has a mental count of who arrived first, and waits until they have got on the bus before getting on themselves.

It seems to me that Americans (and not just African Americans) worry about/hang on to their ethnic origins more than many other people. I have met Americans who tell me that they are also Irish, but in reality they just had a great-great-great-grandparent who was Irish! Similarly Obama is always described as "African American", but wasn't he born and bred in the US to a white mother and a black father? Isn't he just "American"?

Another article from the Times Higher that you may find interesting; there are very mixed views on the subject, but it seems less that half of UK universities have prohibitions on relationships:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=401935

What made me laugh is the idea that women will suddenly switch to McCain cos he chose a woman as a running mate. Do they think we're that easily swayed? She may be female but she doesn't strike me as someone who would improve conditions for women.

Hypothesis, you are correct, but I'm not sure who you are disagreeing with; I don't think anyone would disgree with what you say there.

I didn't read his article as an insult to students; he seems to hold the funding bodies and universities responsible for the alleged drop in standards. Personally I think that now (and previously) there is a mixture of very able and not-so-able students getting PhDs (because of the highly variable standards of examiners, mainly). But I do think better quality research training takes place over a longer period: I have been told that in much of Europe, you are treated as a member of staff, paid a salary, and given up to 5 years to get your degree. There's often gossip amongst the students here that a small number of people faked at least part of their results just to get some data within three years. But that's just gossip...

Interesting to read your views, Badhaircut. I know a student who failed their PhD last year, despite having a good few publications, which amazed everyone including the supervisors. They've been told to re-submit for an MPhil. If papers published does not show you are a researcher, what does?

I think that resarch Masters begin in September or January. I'm not sure about taught Masters; they may be different.

I don't know...I think what you describe there is a kind of Platonic ideal of human thought processes. We're a lot messier than that! Which (IMHO) is one of the things that makes life interesting.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=403325

This article proposes that for a number of reasons (quality of bachelors' degrees, demands from funding bodies), that the quality of PhDs today is not what it used to be. What do you think? His main argument seems to be that 3 years is nowhere near enough to learn how to be a researcher. I can sympathise with that, feel like I'm going to need forever,-)

Well, I was feeling crappy when I sent that message yesterday. Don't take my moaning too seriously ;-)

I think everyone's being a bit over-the-top disapproving of this. You can always change supervisor IF she is attracted to you, IF anything happens, IF you do end up as her student (you describe her as a "prospective" supervisor). There's an awful lot of "ifs".

Don't get me wrong -I know it's a bad situation to get into, but it wouldn't be career-destroying, as someone on here implied.

Well, I think it's natural that people worry a lot about work because in this culture, work is tied to almost every aspect of your life. Lose your job = lose your home = possibly lose your marriage/family.

Sorry to be even more depressing...but for many people I think that's the reality:-(

Are you sure she is attracted to you? Girls do check each other out, but often in a slightly competitive way.

You probably only are paralysed for a matter of seconds, but it feels like minutes cos it's so scary.

I get minor hallucinations when I'm on the verge of sleep, esp. when I'm stressed.

Well, they may be smart but they're pig-ugly.

Tell me Miss Piggy isn't the stuff of nightmares?

Really? I like to think I'm an animal lover, but I find pigs repulsive. Can't go near them.