We should be screaming.

This news is disturbing. George Bush just vetoed a bill that included a $1 billion dollar increase to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget (increasing the NIH budget from $29 to $30 billion). That's a 3.45% increase in the budget. Keep in mind, that throughout 2007, the rate of inflation has been between 2 and 3%. This is barely keeping up with inflation. In fact, the current NIH funding level is *lower* than it was in 2003 (when adjusted for inflation). That's right, the president thinks that paying for research for cancer, HIV and bird flu is unimportant.

The money quote?

In a statement released by the White House after Bush vetoed the bill, the president decried the Democrat-led Congress for engaging in what he called a "spending spree," and said that the legislative majority was "acting like a teenager with a new credit card."

Wow. Cancer research is what a teenager spends his/her money on. That's simply amazing.

I love that the work that I do is considered unimportant by George Bush.

Meanwhile? The direct costs of the Iraq war are up to $468 billion dollars. And counting.

Good work, George.

via Pharyngula

News from the front.

Apparently it's rough all over. Pseudoscientists are having a hard time getting funded, (just like genuine scientists). It's the first time a shortage of funding has made me smile.