... if people don't have the ability to find somewhere to do a PhD how on earth they think they can do the damn thing?

Or am I a mean spirited old witch?

Not mean spirited at all, I think the same thing!

as do I

I think that you're totally correct, although I would add the caveat that a large proportion of those who seem unable to do this appear to be foreign students wanting to study in England, who may not know about the academic "scene" here, and thus perhaps a certain amount of questioning from them is valid.

But yes, if you can't do a little research into the PhD, how will you do lots to get it??!

Agree in general, although if you mean people who ask on here about PhDs, then you could take that as being research in itself (?)