--- In troff2k@yahoogroups.com, "Helen" <helen@...> wrote:
> > I haven't posted for so long because I've been working on getting
> > confirmed for a Master's degree.
> You life back to something like normal yet, Peter? This list is quiet
> without you. What will I read during my lunch? :)
> Hope everything's gone well.

Aw. Helen, you're such a sweetie.

My life is not yet back to "normal". In fact, I'm not sure what
"normal" is anymore, but I'm working on it.

I'll go into it more later, but the short end-summary is: the
Executive Dean of the I.T. Faculty told me that a senior someone in
the Queensland Government civil service told him I was at risk of
becoming a violent psychotic if I didn't pass my Confirmation.

As a result: I've taken two weeks leave; the Faculty has withdrawn me
from the QG office; I've been in meetings to discuss the quality of
the supervision I've had; and the Dean has presented me a list of
possible research domains I can re-direct my research to. Oh, and the
Faculty's looking into getting me some funding too.

... it's very weird being on first-name-terms with the Executive Dean
of the I.T. Faculty. But he insisted; said people only call him
"Professor" when they want something. Shame, I picked up the habit of
using academic titles in high school.

So, in summary:

1) if the Microsoft/Yahoo deal DOES go through, I'm closing the list
and will invite everyone to a blog instead. Does anybody have any
problems with that?

2) I turn my back for a few months and I see this list got spammed.
Honestly, that's just horrible.

3) Ha. You thought I was serious about the Queensland Government
psycho thing, huh?

... that's 'cause I was. But that's okay, I'm sure it has nothing to
do with the fact that my requests for data and writing assistance are
on written record. Or a few other things I'm sure I can't talk about
because the specific Queensland Government office would probably sue
or jail me for libel. Even though I kept a written record of
everything as a part of my research log, including the irregularties
in certain documents. But that's okay, I'm not holding it over the
government as a threat of anything, I just want to be left alone so I
can do my research and not be slandered.

Anyway, everyone look out for the Microsoft/Yahoo news, yeah?

Lotsa love,

P.