Re: not being able to claim support cos of a lack of NI contributions. I thought people who did not have sufficient NI contributions were still eligible for income-based support. When I was made redundant I got income-based JSA, not NI-contribution-based. It's a bit less but still enough to live on.

It is daft that PhDs don't get paid for the writing up period. I suppose the assumption is that you'll move "back" home with family for that period, but not many postgrads here are that young - many have been living alone for some years and have to support themselves and often families too.

Thanks MsCrow, I didn't know about any of those. I'll take a look at the Ovidentia thing first, though the Wiki idea sounds closest to what I was thinking. I'll probably come back to you with more questions if that's OK

Sorry: meant to say "written", not "writted".

Is it possible to make something between a message-board and a chatroom, but for use just by faculty? I have thought of trying to make an online notice-board where postgrads, technicians and researchers can ask about instrument repairs, research collaboration ideas, or just general stuff. There is a faculty newsletter but it's writted by one person and emailed once a week; I was thinking of something that everyone can add too that is more or less "live". How would you go about it?

And while I'm at it, I wouldn't have moved into a flat opposite McDonalds, put on 3 stone (lost it now, glad to say), would always have got out of bed for 9am classes, would have worked together with my classmates more often instead of trying to be a cool loner, would have got to grips with databases properly, wouldn't have chosen a hard physics based lab project cos it sounded impressive, would always have read the practical handout before labs, would have read and understood at least one publication in my field per week...jeez, what a jerk I was.

Course I wouldn't have befriended the course nutter either, but anyone can make that mistake

Would you have done anyhting differently as an undergrad, knowing what you know now?

I was a lazy sod. I seemed to think that the mere act of buying a textbook was enough to make me do better in exams (and the more expensive the book, the better I would do. And if it came with a free CD-ROM then I was practically guaranteed an A).

As sad as it sounds, if I would do it all again I would drink less and work more.

Maybe you just had a particularly grumpy mouse?

I'm in plant science so never had anything to do with animals, which is lucky for me cos I think I would get too attached. Is that a problem when you're working with them?

Do you know exactly who is stalling it? I have come across some very bad administration in universities, and it can be hard to know whose arse needs kicking. Perhaps you can find a rep from the Union, but really your supervisor should be kicking off on your behalf.

I know of someone who did a PhD in fartology. They were investigating why certain foods make you fart almost immediately after ingestion, before the food has been fully digested. The answer was something to do with gases in the blood.

Sauerkraut does it for me. No offence to German cuisine intended.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

Having a bad day, Metal?

I banned myself from eating junk during the week, but relax a bit on Saturdays. Also try to base most meals around vegetables - a Chinese or Thai cookbook helps here. Does tend to make you fart a lot though.

That's so true about the super-straightened hair and the flawless make-up. Who can be arsed with that first thing in the morning?
And where do they get the money from to dress like that? It was all Oxfam chic in my day.

MistaG, it's not as easy to find a part time McJob as you may think. A lot of employers in places like McDonalds or pubs/clubs won't take on highly qualified people becuase they assume (correctly) that they'll take off again as soon as a career opportunity shows up. I can't see anything "disgusting" about claiming if you are genuinely trying to find work - what's the alternative? Starve?