Tough nut

President Cardoso of Brazil, who received an honorary degree at the LSE on Wednesday, revealed the astonishing versatility of sociologists. Seems that when he fled Brazil's military regime he spent time as a visiting professor of sociology at Cambridge, hosted by one Anthony Giddens, now director of the LSE. The two spent idle moments speculating on whether it were possible to be a serious academic and an active politician. President Cardoso has shown that it is. Seems it is easier to run Brazil than the LSE on a part-time basis.