Populism vs. Activism — Encountering Limitations in the Age of Online Petitions and Signatures
We’re officially in the age of online petitions, which may be taking the place of actual activism. Is that an improvement?
Impact Crater — Does DORA Need to Attack the Impact Factor to Reform How It Is Used in Academia?
A new declaration to improve research assessment practices shoots wide of the mark and reveals some misunderstandings on behalf of many of those involved.
Talking Sense — The Myth of "Job Creators," and Why Taxing the Rich Helps Everyone, Including the Rich
The limits of tax breaks for the rich and the myth of “job creators” are examined in this excellent TED Talk.
Are We In a Rut? Explaining the Increasing Homogenization of Scholarly and Scientific Publishing
The Internet promised a revolution, but we may have only deepened our rut as a number of factors have combined to constrain innovation and change our customer focus.
Announcing the Scholarly Kitchen Podcast
The Scholarly Kitchen proudly announces its podcast. Happy listening!
Turbulence at PLoS — Two Key Executives Leave in Apparent Haste, Chairman of eLife Named New CEO
More on the shake-up at PLoS — how rare these types of departures are, why a board might make such a move, and how unsatisfactory every scenario but the most obvious becomes once you begin to run scenarios.
Redundant and Expensive – How F1000 Research’s Model Reveals the Root Problems of PubMed Central
More internal PubMed Central emails show quite clearly that PMC is wasting taxpayers’ money solving problems publishers have already solved.
Book Review: "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business"
A few months ago, I assigned a book to my senior managers — Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit.” They smiled wanly as they accepted the books, prepared to slog through a business book with little bearing on their real […]
It's Not 1995 Again — Why the Threats from the New Big Players May Be Much More Significant This Time
Eighteen years ago, Mosaic ushered in the potential for a sea-change in publishing based on technological prowess and scale. Today, the “open” label covers a set of disparate incentives under a single blanket, one that funders, government, and technology companies are all under, each for its own reason.
Don't Miss Another Hour with the Chefs, and Other Highlights — The SSP Annual Meeting in San Francisco
The Chefs are headed to San Francisco for another lively session closing out the SSP Annual Meeting. A range of topics and opinions will serve as dessert for a terrific meeting.
Leo and Moshimo in Love? A Mother Describes The Matrix
When a mother watches a famous mind-bending sci-fi movie and then has to retell it, the results are lovable and hilarious.
Daniel Day-Lewis in Spielberg's New Biopic, Obama
When a versatile actor who really “becomes” his characters tackles a new biopic, he really transforms himself.
Convenience versus Community — Is a Deeper Question Hiding Behind the Façade of the Access Debates?
While the access debates have dominated, another debate has been emerging, one that perhaps has greater significance in the long run.
Three Years of the Sun in Three Minutes — No Sunscreen Required
A stable satellite monitoring the sun reveals three years of images, a comet, a transit of Venus, two partial eclipses, and more as the sun approaches its solar maximum.
Seeking Acceptance at F1000 Research — Early Problems With Identity and Outsourced Authority
Articles are published before they’re reviewed; doubts about a paper are viewed as a positive status; papers only need to contain “science;” review and revision can continue forever; and PubMed Central is their certifying entity. Welcome to the world of F1000 Research.