"At first, I thought of calling my thesis `Let there be light', and never mind the dialectical monotony." "Aha" thinks the committee. "And you can see my point..." "... right here." The committee believes that indeed Dan's point can be seen. Each PhD committee member is looking closely at Dan's point. "Actually, my point can also be seen there on this slide." "Plumbing? Which plumbing?" Ulrich elaborates a point, plumbing nonwithstanding. "And so for all these reasons, ..." "... the committee has decided (ahem) ..." "... to award you ..." "Wait a second. What is it again we decided to award you?" "Ah, yes. A doctoral degree!" "Et plus précisément un doctorat avec les félicitations du jury. Bravo Dan." Ulrich facing the humble cafeteria food at Ecole Polytechnique (coquilles Saint-Jacques, Chateaubriand, huîtres).