Couldn't get the link to work (sounded good though)

You probably already saw this, but in case you missed it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/tv_and_radio/secretlife_index.shtml

You're in good company (not that it can be much comfort when you're down).

Maybe we need to send us Brits abroad for a bit of (lengthy)fieldwork, to learn how to improve life. I'll volunteer for that!

Scouts are one thing, too, but I think it's more teenagers that are in limbo. They're too old for scouts/guides, too young for pubs (and should they really be encouraged to be the next generation of pissheads anyway?) And they are automatically assumed to be troublemakers: no wonder they're annoyed with society.

15 years since I left school I'm getting old.

Well, I hope schools have got their act together; they shouldn't have got away with it for so long.

Insomniac, I agree with most of what you say, but have to disgree about schools. Mine provided absolutely nothing in the way of school clubs or extra-curricular activites. Even turning up to lessons was too much effort for some of the teachers.

Re: leisure centres; they are there, but some kids just don't have the money. I think things like this should be offered free: gyms make enough money from adult fees, they could give the kids a break.

On the other hand, there isn't much for teenagers to do in UK towns: people complain about them loitering on streets and shopping centres, but when I was a teenager there was nothing else much to do.

I think part of it in some towns (certainly in the sh*t town where I grew up) is lack of anything to pull you out of yourself: no industry, no culture, no higher education facilities. If no-one ever inspires you with anything, you may think that getting pregnant at 13 is as good as life gets.

I'm especially interested to hear what you non-Brits on the forum think, since you've got wider experience. I've only ever known the UK.

What does everyone think of the UN report describing Britain as the worst of the developed countries for children to grow up in? Why are we so (allegedly) crap?

Well, be reassured that it was a highly respected scientist of some years standing who said this. It must be something that a lot of people go through; doesn't mean you're really a moron

At a meeting last week I was warned by a collaborator that the process of writing up is quite mentally exhausting: he said that you go from thinking that you're a genius to being convinced you're a moron, time and time again. Sounds like fun

I've had Three Lions going round in my head for the last week (since I heard it playing in JD Sports last bloody Saturday). It's getting annoying

Failure, I should say (not faliure)

Not sure about your last question. I'm following the GI Jane approach: "Faliure is not an option"

If you do go back to industry without a Ph. D. then I'd just keep quiet about it and tell them it was a research assistant position with no postgrad study involved. Yes, it should be viewed favorably, work experience is always strongly welcomed in any lab.

Hi Yo,

Technically you can, but only if your Ph. D. would be very similar to the research that you have been employed to do. I am in a similar situation; I am employed to do method development and sample analysis, but will be (hopefully) getting a Ph. D. by looking into the samples in much more depth than the quality control stuff that I'm paid to do, and by doing my own additional projects in quiet times (and at weekends).

If you want to study something different to your day-job, them you may have time for a Masters in 3 years.