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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
 Posted - 02/07/2009 : 22:06:26
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This looks very bad for science in your country. As a foreigner, there's nothing I can do about it, except to spread the word.
From the list of stimulus projects that are on the cutting block:
- NSF 100% cut ($1,402,000,000)
- NASA exploration 50% cut ($750,000,000)
- NOAA 34.94% cut ($427,000,000)
- NIST 37.91% cut ($218,000,000)
- DOE energy efficiency & renewable energy 38% cut ($1,000,000,000)
- DOE office of science 100% cut ($100,000,000)
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The first comment from the Panda's Thumb article is very discouraging:
Sigh. My last NSF was cut by 30% and I am having to spend out of my own pocket to finish the work. My section no longer gets paid salary (I get NO COMPENSTATION to do the work that I do), and has had an effectively stagnant budget for something like 15 years. Science magazine a few months ago had a detailed break down of the impact of cuts in the NIH budget. They are funding fewer and fewer grants, and people are beginning to not submit. Funding rates are down dramatically. A friend of mine was relating to me a report by a collegue in her department on an NIH panel. They had enough money to fund 2 out of 150 + grants. Today, we had a talk by a colleague who served as program director at NSF in the 90#8217;s. When he served, the funding rate was 25%. Now it is below 10%. Three weeks ago, I received the strangest letter I have ever had from an agency. The reviews were all excellent, but the agency (which is private) only had enough money to fund #8220;emergency#8221; programs. My grant was put back in the pile for the spring round. Read: they approved funding, but have no money and will try again later.
I just returned from Switzerland. They are so well supported that the department head #8211; an old friend and collaborator of mine #8211;said that when they get an idea, they have all the resources that they need. Meanwhile, I can#8217;t get enough money to up the RAM in my computer to run the software necessary for my project.
The stimulus bill would only begin to scratch the surface. |
PZ Myers also talks about this.
Remember how the religious right and assholes like Limbaugh were praying and hoping for Obama to fail in what he's doing? I don't think that "bi-partisanship" is going to work here.
Get in touch with your senators, those of you who live in the US.
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>From: enuffenuff@fastmail.fm
(excerpt follows):
> I'm looking to teach these two bastards a lesson they'll never forget.
> Personal visit by mates of mine. No violence, just a wee little chat.
>
> **** has also committed more crimes than you can count with his
> incitement of hatred against a religion. That law came in about 2007
> much to ****'s ignorance. That is fact and his writing will become well
> know as well as him becoming a publicly known icon of hatred.
>
> Good luck with that fuckwit. And Reynold, fucking run, and don't stop.
> Disappear would be best as it was you who dared to attack me on my
> illness knowing nothing of the cause. You disgust me and you are top of
> the list boy. Again, no violence. Just regular reminders of who's there
> and visits to see you are behaving. Nothing scary in reality. But I'd
> still disappear if I was you.
What brought that on? this. Original posting here.
Another example of this guy's lunacy here. |
Edited by - the_ignored on 02/07/2009 22:09:57
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2009 : 22:21:54 [Permalink]
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Here are the final cuts (science and non-science combined), per CNN:Partially cut:
• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)
• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)
• $200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)
• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)
• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)
• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)
• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)
Fully eliminated
• $55 million for historic preservation
• $122 million for Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters
• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization
• $50 million for Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation
• $100 million for distance learning
• $98 million for school nutrition
• $50 million for aquaculture
• $2 billion for broadband
• $100 million for National Institute of Standards and Technology
• $50 million for detention trustee
• $25 million for Marshalls Construction
• $300 million for federal prisons
• $300 million for BYRNE Formula grant program
• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive grant program
• $10 million state and local law enforcement
• $50 million for NASA
• $50 million for aeronautics
• $50 million for exploration
• $50 million for Cross Agency Support
• $200 million for National Science Foundation
• $100 million for science
• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees
• $4.5 billion for General Services Administration
• $89 million General Services Administration operations
• $50 million from Department of Homeland Security
• $200 million Transportation Security Administration
• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use
• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife
• $55 million for historic preservation
• $20 million for working capital fund
• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement
• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management
• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start
• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity
• $2 billion for Health Information Technology Grants
• $600 million for Title I (No Child Left Behind)
• $16 billion for school construction
• $3.5 billion for higher education construction
• $1.25 billion for project based rental
• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization
advertisement
• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing |
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2009 : 22:39:53 [Permalink]
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It's important to remember that these are not budget cuts. The original stimulus package had a bunch of money for science agencies and projects, and it is that "extra" money which has been cut.
It's still annoying that NASA won't be getting a $50 million "bump," but it's not like they've decided to take $50 million from NASA and give it to someone else.
However, times are tough, and maybe it's not the right time to be giving extra funds to science groups. How much would it stimulate the economy, as compared to (for example) $50 million in highway improvements? |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 02/07/2009 : 22:53:56 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
It's important to remember that these are not budget cuts. The original stimulus package had a bunch of money for science agencies and projects, and it is that "extra" money which has been cut.
It's still annoying that NASA won't be getting a $50 million "bump," but it's not like they've decided to take $50 million from NASA and give it to someone else.
However, times are tough, and maybe it's not the right time to be giving extra funds to science groups. How much would it stimulate the economy, as compared to (for example) $50 million in highway improvements?
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Exactly right. These were cuts from "extra money" only.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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the_ignored
SFN Addict
2562 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2009 : 23:07:30 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
It's important to remember that these are not budget cuts. The original stimulus package had a bunch of money for science agencies and projects, and it is that "extra" money which has been cut.
It's still annoying that NASA won't be getting a $50 million "bump," but it's not like they've decided to take $50 million from NASA and give it to someone else.
However, times are tough, and maybe it's not the right time to be giving extra funds to science groups. How much would it stimulate the economy, as compared to (for example) $50 million in highway improvements?
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True, it is extra money, but the point that the PT people were trying to make, and the reason I posted that first comment was that the sciences in the states need more funding, as opposed to "making do".
Money could be diverted from usless "Faith based" programs and diverted to the NIH for one thing...
With a withdraw from Iraq (anyone know if Obama's planning that?), hopefully money would eventually become available to actually benefit americans.
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>From: enuffenuff@fastmail.fm
(excerpt follows):
> I'm looking to teach these two bastards a lesson they'll never forget.
> Personal visit by mates of mine. No violence, just a wee little chat.
>
> **** has also committed more crimes than you can count with his
> incitement of hatred against a religion. That law came in about 2007
> much to ****'s ignorance. That is fact and his writing will become well
> know as well as him becoming a publicly known icon of hatred.
>
> Good luck with that fuckwit. And Reynold, fucking run, and don't stop.
> Disappear would be best as it was you who dared to attack me on my
> illness knowing nothing of the cause. You disgust me and you are top of
> the list boy. Again, no violence. Just regular reminders of who's there
> and visits to see you are behaving. Nothing scary in reality. But I'd
> still disappear if I was you.
What brought that on? this. Original posting here.
Another example of this guy's lunacy here. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2009 : 00:30:54 [Permalink]
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| By a quick guesstimate, after the stimulus passes, we're going to be at least a trillion dollars over budget for fiscal 2009. Any cuts that might get made later on (complete withdrawal from Iraq, an end to "faith-based" silliness) will not have their funding diverted to increase the budget of any other programs. At best, in my opinion, we are going to see a flat budget for years to come, with "emergency" or "stimulus" spending every so often. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2009 : 09:35:50 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
By a quick guesstimate, after the stimulus passes, we're going to be at least a trillion dollars over budget for fiscal 2009. Any cuts that might get made later on (complete withdrawal from Iraq, an end to "faith-based" silliness) will not have their funding diverted to increase the budget of any other programs. At best, in my opinion, we are going to see a flat budget for years to come, with "emergency" or "stimulus" spending every so often.
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Some of the "extra" spending that was cut will probably be pushed through later as stand alone bills. A lot of the reason for the cuts is they aren't particularly stimulative, (though some are) giving the Republicans found something they could jump on and call pork.
The votes are probably there to bring some of these things back later. And, as not attached to a stimulus package, there is likely to be less opposition from the moderate Republicans who have a political motivation for blocking them now.
What gets me is the amount of tax cuts in the compromise. Tax cuts have been shown to be not particularly stimulative, but there they are. Now we see exactly why that 60 vote majority is so important. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2009 : 09:48:18 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
Some of the "extra" spending that was cut will probably be pushed through later as stand alone bills. A lot of the reason for the cuts is they aren't particularly stimulative, (though some are) giving the Republicans found something they could jump on and call pork.
The votes are probably there to bring some of these things back later. And, as not attached to a stimulus package, there is likely to be less opposition from the moderate Republicans who have a political motivation for blocking them now. |
I hope you're right.| What gets me is the amount of tax cuts in the compromise. Tax cuts have been shown to be not particularly stimulative, but there they are. Now we see exactly why that 60 vote majority is so important. |
Did you hear about McCain's idea for a stimulus? He wanted a personal income tax holiday for a year. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2009 : 18:06:52 [Permalink]
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While I hate seeing a Science cut, especially as I'll need people to create my a job somewhere in just a few months, I agree with these cuts.
This is supposed to be a stimulus package, an economic defibrillator, Science does not do that all that well. Better to build road, get new cars for the various public services and so on... |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Cuts in science funding?!
