Comments on: What Would a Government Shutdown Mean for Science, Medicine, & Engineering? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Jean Gogolin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/#comment-26439 Jean Gogolin Sun, 10 Apr 2011 17:09:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=27846#comment-26439 @Ryan S. I wouldn't bet that those in Congress holding the country hostage won't be re-elected. My confidence in voters' short-sightedness and tunnel vision (no, let's call it what it is: stupidity) increases by the year, I'm sorry to say. A criminal act for gov't employees to check their email?? Words fail. @Ryan S. I wouldn’t bet that those in Congress holding the country hostage won’t be re-elected. My confidence in voters’ short-sightedness and tunnel vision (no, let’s call it what it is: stupidity) increases by the year, I’m sorry to say.

A criminal act for gov’t employees to check their email?? Words fail.

]]> By: Ryan S. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/#comment-26438 Ryan S. Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:19:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=27846#comment-26438 It's crazy to think that, given the ramifications of a shutdown, it would even be considered an option. The people in congress holding this country hostage with the threat of a government shutdown should be shut down come next November. It’s crazy to think that, given the ramifications of a shutdown, it would even be considered an option. The people in congress holding this country hostage with the threat of a government shutdown should be shut down come next November.

]]> By: ben http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/#comment-26437 ben Sat, 09 Apr 2011 03:24:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=27846#comment-26437 I propose that, in addition to the ceasing of all but "essential" services, that all of congress' pay be docked in proportion to the time of the shutdown. The shutdown is meant to put pressure on legislators, but something tells me they aren't adequately pressured. Perhaps hitting them where it counts (their pocketbooks) would help. I propose that, in addition to the ceasing of all but “essential” services, that all of congress’ pay be docked in proportion to the time of the shutdown.

The shutdown is meant to put pressure on legislators, but something tells me they aren’t adequately pressured. Perhaps hitting them where it counts (their pocketbooks) would help.

]]> By: rak http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/#comment-26436 rak Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:40:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=27846#comment-26436 While I and most Fed scientists that I work with would gladly volunteer to keep working on our research and science missions during a short shutdown, Federal law forbids furloughed employees from volunteering to do any work related to our Fed jobs. That includes everything from working on papers to checking our government email inbox during a shutdown. We've been warned in several memos over the last couple of days that doing so is a criminal act. Will many of us continue to work on papers, etc. under the radar during a shutdown? How do you stop workaholics that are committed to and enjoy their work from thinking about their research? While I and most Fed scientists that I work with would gladly volunteer to keep working on our research and science missions during a short shutdown, Federal law forbids furloughed employees from volunteering to do any work related to our Fed jobs. That includes everything from working on papers to checking our government email inbox during a shutdown. We’ve been warned in several memos over the last couple of days that doing so is a criminal act.

Will many of us continue to work on papers, etc. under the radar during a shutdown? How do you stop workaholics that are committed to and enjoy their work from thinking about their research?

]]> By: RJK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/04/08/what-would-the-government-shutdown-mean-for-science-medicine-engineering/#comment-26435 RJK Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:39:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/?p=27846#comment-26435 The whole situation is undeniably terrible. What I don't quite understand is why all of these things have to stop. I mean, what would happen if all the folks doing the experiments and providing administrative support decided to just roll on? The funding issue I can wrap my head around; if the money pipe goes dry then it's not really possible to acquire vital supplies. But what's the deal with having the IceBridge people return to the States, for example? Why can't they stay up in Greenland? The whole situation is undeniably terrible. What I don’t quite understand is why all of these things have to stop. I mean, what would happen if all the folks doing the experiments and providing administrative support decided to just roll on? The funding issue I can wrap my head around; if the money pipe goes dry then it’s not really possible to acquire vital supplies. But what’s the deal with having the IceBridge people return to the States, for example? Why can’t they stay up in Greenland?

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