2009 Feb 17
Dear Society for Neuroscience Member:
It is my pleasure to share SfN’s enthusiasm and appreciation upon news that President Obama has signed into law the stimulus bill that provides $10 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $3 billion for the National Science Foundation. On behalf of all our U.S. members, SfN thanks the nation’s science champions: President Obama, Senators Specter and Harkin, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Speaker of the House Pelosi, Chairmen Inouye and Obey and many other policy leaders who helped lead the charge for bold and visionary funding. For this extraordinary effort, the science community is truly grateful. SfN will soon send you information on how your Senators and Representatives voted and will provide an easy way for you to thank them if they supported the legislation.
With this historic investment, I have no doubt that neuroscientists will rapidly take up the call and help the nation recover from economic recession by doing what we do best – explore and discover. The economic stimulus will no doubt require us to think creatively to advance promising scientific research while sparking economic growth. I urge the SfN community to be constructive and innovative, adjusting new research trajectories to fit within parameters established by NIH and NSF, and responsibly reporting on how funds contribute to economic recovery.
Over the last six weeks, SfN exhibited unmatched advocacy leadership and it was driven by you – nearly 19,000 letters were sent to Congress through SfN’s Web site, shattering past records. If you joined in – thank you. At the same time, this is no time for complacency. The stimulus bill should not be confused with the necessary long-term campaign to re-establish robust, predictable, and sustainable NIH/NSF increases. Within weeks, Congress will begin deliberating the FY10 federal budget and will need to hear, again, from all of us. I urge you to stay involved as it will be essential to continued success – SfN’s Advocacy Network offers one easy way to get all the information you need.
In closing, there is growing hope that this moment represents a turning point, as American leaders again recognize that robust scientific investment is central to health and economic advances. SfN members significantly helped make this day happen and I ask for your help to sustain our new level of SfN advocacy that can advance our core issues. The field has many challenging horizons ahead, and the Society looks forward to serving you personally, and the field in general, at this extraordinary time.
With all best wishes,
Thomas J. Carew
President
Andrew and I had a nice get-away this weekend. On Saturday, we visited Pinnacles National Monument and went for a long walk. This is the only park (I know of) in CA with California condors. So we hope to have the opportunity to see them.
Some snow-covered peaks in the Coast Range:
a tree with tell-tale Acorn Woodpecker holes:
see the acorns?
There was a pretty reservoir towards the end of the trail. Apparently in the summer, the temperatures are typically in the 100s, so I can imagine this reservoir teeming with hikers and climbers trying to cool down.
We did see five CA Condors in a tree from afar. While we watched, two took flight for a few minutes. Apparently these condors can live into their 50's and can only have offspring every 2 years. There is currently an anti-lead shot campaign in CA to protect them, which you can imagine, the NRA is fighting. They appear as much larger Turkey Vultures, but with splayed 'fingers' at their wingtips:
A park ranger informed us that in the nearby town of Hollister, we could observe a fault-line. Sure enough, surrounding the town square, we saw evidence in the sidewalks and cracks in the streets.
