WRT cat/dog question:

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."

Churchill, allegedly.

Scopes

Well, I met Anneli. She does actually exist.. And is very pleasant and helpful. And tall. The monochromator's back too, so in theory we now have the complete working all-singing all-dancing highly-automated widefield fluorescence microscopy system.

In theory.

The downside is the shorter handle we'd quite like for the stage gearing will cost us nearly a grand if we really need it. At that money, I suspect we don't. I can't really see how it could possibly cost that much. Even at the elevated rates normal for scentific instrumentation . . . it's still only a handle. Two concentric tubes with a universal joint at one end . Maybe the workshop could knock something up?

Today's Steve Bell editorial-page cartoon.

Here.

Somewhat sobering.