16/07/08 Research Fortnight - Interesting if True

Astronomers are from Mars

At times in the past six months it has felt like a messy break-up, with accusations flying and misunderstandings making everyone just feel so darn neglected. So it was a relief when the STFC finally entered into the quango equivalent of marriage counselling last week. Michael Rowan Robinson was the first to ``share'', telling Keith Mason ``I just don't understand why we had to go through all that.'' ``To be honest Michael,'' came Keith's heartfelt response, ``neither do I.''

Once everyone felt a little bit warmer inside, Keith helpfully informed us that ``communication is a state of mind,'' begging the question, were the past six months nothing but a figment of our collective imagination? The council has now hired a PR firm, Proof Communication, to handle its, erm, state of mind issues and Keith promises to always be at the other end of the phone should anyone need a chat. What? No flowers?