Sorry for being vehement, but I've worked on too many teams that had to fight uphill to get their products recognised locally, but which were eagerly sought after overseas. In fact it was easier for me to work in Europe as a troubleshooter than locally.

Go ahead - be vehement - I blog for discussion and debate at least as much as to relieve bouts of boredom.

I've experienced this very same kind of stupidity time and time again. And being somewhat desperate for 'eating' money, I've done some of the dirty clean up work. And been paid a pittance to do it (in real and relative terms).

This is exactly the kind of thing that has me thinking PhD.

Mike Metcalfe at UniSA wants me to give him a topic that pisses me off so much that I can't help but finish the thesis.

There's just so many options. Which one to do as my thesis, and which ones to take potshots at in papers? That is my dilemma right now.

I'm going to situate myself in Academia now. At least there it's not unusual to wave your arms about in disgust, and write a paper or two ... At worst I can be written off as an irrelevant ivory tower looney. But I just might make a difference if I mumble on long enough.