My research is temporarily impeded by my compulsory filling in of a 96-question questionnaire on the quality of the PhD-education at my alma mater. As always, I’m thrilled to oblige the PhD study board.
Arriving at the question “Anything you want to add about study plans and half-year reports?” I wonder what to write. Having discussed this particular issue with members of the study board on numerous occasions, I’m sure they are familiar with my position. On the other hand, they are specifically asking if I “want to add anything”. I can’t help myself.
Pointless inane bureaucracy.
Suppose, for the sake of argument, that my supervisor could not guide me to a degree were it not for the study board’s valiant insistence that I concoct a study plan. I am dismayed and insulted that you return my study plan — clearly having read only the timetable — and order under threat of exmatriculation that it be changed and resubmitted.
Now, normally when faced with such presumptuous arrogance and paper-pushing stupidity, I would suffer it silently, but since you so foolishly solicit my opinion, here it is: In the case of study plans and half-year reports, the study board has descended into the mind-numbing bureaucracy of well-meaning nitwits.
I’ll be in 4C07 if you have any questions.
The Theoretical Computer Scientist 
Oh, bravo sir, bravo indeed!
Not only do you thumb your nose most entertainingly at those nosy administrative types. You have also managed to ressurrect a blog very close to suffering garbage collection from my rss feeds.
Yet again, I salute you.
Thank you. One strives to serve.
Sorry, but I cannot see your problem.
The only problem above, as far as I can see, is that you FAILED to hand in a proper study plan. Clearly you do not qualify for obtaining a PhD degree.
DROP UD.