Erudition for sale

Good things don't come to those who wait; good things come to those who negotiate. How else to explain that TOP 09 will propose today a Kč 1.8bn hike in the budget of the Academy of Sciences over the next three years, when almost everyone else is being asked to make drastic spending cuts? Originally, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek had proposed slashing the Academy's 2011 budget by Kč 1.4bn, which would be a 27% reduction from this year's figure of Kč 5.1bn. What made Cutter Kalousek change his mind? The scientifically unproven but empirically highly likely rumor is that he has done a deal with Prof. Ing. Jiří Drahoš, DrSc., Dr. h. c., of the Academy. Drahoš would sign off on a huge cost estimate for Kalousek's favorite charity, the eco- tender, and the Academy would get a nice pile of R&D money in return. Who could possibly question a price analysis issued by the erudite Academy of Sciences? [Czech Republic research and development environmental cleanup]