Well That Sucks

Congress has, in its infinite wisdom, proposed to cut 75% of the funding toward the International Linear Collider, the next generation super-collider, and the cheaper device that will replace the LHC era. This means that, for all intensive purposes, the US is out of the ILC competition. Which means that, for the second time in a row, the Europeans will get the project.

So, my fellow Americans, get used to spending millions of dollars a year so that US students and workers can live in France and work at CERN. Get ready to have thousands of brilliant minds flocking to Geneva instead of to Chicago. Get ready to accept the fact that you're out of the particle physics race.

And above all, get acquainted with the fact that, should you need experience in cutting edge physics, high-end grid computing, ultra-fast electronics, or high-throughput neural nets, you'll have to go to France to get it, because it sure isn't going to be hanging around here.