That happened to me once; I seemed to have gone from 8 stone to 10 and a half stone. Turned out my electronic scales had gotten wet from shower steam and were buggered. Tip: only use mechanical scales!

I know what you mean, but I've done nothing put sit in pubs all over the break so I don't want to see the inside of a pub for a while yet.

Might do some shopping in the sales instead.

What do you like then, Jen? Celebrations or Heroes?

I always thought Roses were the best - but this Christmas everyone seems to have gone for Quality Street.

Mine wanders past my desk every so often and has a nosey at the topics. Often gives advice to the questions (especially regarding students who think they're not up to it or lacking in confidence), but I haven't been able to persuade him to sign up and join in himself.

Of course, he half-suggests that I spend too much time on here, but that's his job to say that...

Thanks. I'll go midrange for the Yamaha. Don't know the omoko brand

Sorry to hear you've had no replies. Our international visitors did the same as you: emailed my supervisor and asked for training. What field of science are you in? If I can I'll try to forward your details to a relevant lab in the UK.

Does anyone know which digital radios are best for picking up international stations? I've just found out I'm going to a conference in Amsterdam soon (hooray!) and I want to improve my Dutch by listening to some Dutch radio. I did have an analogue world band radio but all I could pick up were Belgian country and western singers, which I'd rather not hear for any length of time.

About 4lb after staying at my mother's; and haven't dared weigh myself after staying at my father's. Mind you about 2lb of that is probably constipation: I haven't seen a fresh vegetable for 2 weeks.

Hope cycling to uni again will shift it (the weight, that is).

Yes, I suppose getting a 3rd opinion is the fairest way to settle. Still though, I don't think two reviewers should give totally different opinions: I know there is always debate over every new discovery, but in most cases reviwers are asked to check the validity of the methods and the logic of the conclusions drawn, and trained scientists should largely agree on that.

University bureaucracy can be a sodding nightmare: far too many administrators and no-one takes responsibility for anything. It was months before I got paid; I was borrowing off my parents, who luckily are in a position to help me. But I know how you feel: it can be like talking to a brick wall. Can you get a credit card to use in emergencies? (not that you should have to resort to that).

I'm back, glad it's all over. Not going to do much today though.

Where did you go H? I was in Blackpool (dump).

That's annoying to have conflicting comments: my supervisor is a peer-reviewer and apparently most reviewers comments are very similar. It sounds like one of the reviewers either doesn't know their stuff, or doesn't want to see it published for some reason, for example if it's in competition with their work (although I've heard that this attitude is more common in peer-reviewed funding applications).

This made me smile:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article2091871.ece

Silly but funny.

I may come back to you for a translation then. I liked the Krupnik honey vodka; also the famous Bison vodka, which supposedly contains grass soaked in Bison pee...nice