Links for 2009-10-12

""There is a lot of focus now on trying to get very quick pay-offs in research. It is a huge mistake. Basic science has paid off far more than any directed research," Ramakrishnan said.

"If you don't invest properly in fundamental science, then you won't have the foundations to develop the technologies and applications of tomorrow. Ten years down the line, your technology will be based on obsolete foundations.""

"My department is trying a new seminar time slot. We used to have it Friday at 4pm, and it was a nice end-of-the-week social event, but it also drew few students. This year, for a variety of reasons, we wound up experimenting with 11am on Thursday, which is a time slot that doesn't conflict with a lot of classes. Student attendance is decent. Now we're trying to decide whether to continue it."

"It's been getting kind of confusing keeping track of what's truly American anymore, so we came up with a handy list of things that are socialist and foreign because Barack Obama has soiled them, by doing them."