tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post113879903203180649..comments2024-02-15T04:42:41.606+00:00Comments on James' Empty Blog: Slash and burnJames Annanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-1138847133473056222006-02-02T02:25:00.000+00:002006-02-02T02:25:00.000+00:00In something like this you have to look for the se...In something like this you have to look for the second order effects. For example when Thatcher turned the poly's into Universities it was obviously the first step in killing off research departments in most of the universities outside of a few top departments. <BR/><BR/>This is the same sort of thing. With enough of a protest they will transfer the people and the money to universities, and then cut back the money slowly leaving the people stranded.EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-1138837276613128952006-02-01T23:41:00.000+00:002006-02-01T23:41:00.000+00:00I heard it from a horse's mouth some time ago, but...I heard it from a horse's mouth some time ago, but didn't realise it was public at that time. According to Google, most of the coverage is local newspapers talking about their local lab closure.<BR/><BR/>As for the justification, NERC holds the purse strings and as that sci.env sig so nearly says:<BR/><BR/><I>We must create a budget crisis in order to ensure that there is no alternative to a smaller research establishment.</I><BR/><BR/>NERC's long-term agenda to divest itself of its institutes is not a secret. Probably BAS is too big and too politically valuable (foothold on Antarctica) to be at direct risk, but who knows what schemes they might dream up, such as making you a branch of the Foreign Office or MoD. Where do the Falklands fit in?James Annanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04318741813895533700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959776.post-1138818879915460302006-02-01T18:34:00.000+00:002006-02-01T18:34:00.000+00:00The stoat is known to be an elusive creature, espe...The stoat is known to be an elusive creature, especially when it wants to be :-)<BR/><BR/>More seriously, I tend to get my UK news from (a) R4 and (b) The Grauniad. I don't recall (b) mentioning it, and I suspect you listen to (a) better in Japan than I do here.<BR/><BR/>There was some mention of this ?over coffee at work? but in a rather resigned way. My recollection is that CEH has, in some way, mismanaged its budget and this is a desperate attempt to save itself.William M. Connolleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05836299130680534926noreply@blogger.com