Am still alive, just not inclined to update much. I have loads of links but even looking at them depresses me. I'm going to a meeting/conference on combating the cuts tomorrow so might have something

Education & research:

Reality checks - academia and the ivory tower
What is the best universities can hope for in 2011?
A Nature for the Humanities

Disability:

The Broken of Britain
Diary of a Benefit Scrounger
One Month Before Heartbreak - please please read this article about the blogswarm if you can

Drastic cuts have been announced in the UK to help reduce the monetary deficit. The proposed cuts appear to disproportionately target the more vulnerable members of society, including disabled people. When the cuts were first announced the government freely admitted that they hadn’t carried out a full analysis of the likely impact on disabled people.

[...]

The consultation that’s currently ongoing about Disability Living Allowance reform ends on 14th February 2011. Which is Valentines Day, traditionally a day for love but which could severely affect disabled people if DLA reforms aren’t handled correctly. We need to ensure that our voices are heard. We’re holding this event a month before the consultation ends in order to raise awareness of the consultation and give people to chance to respond to it if they wish

happydork has a good summary of proposed changes and things she and others were unable to find in the report

Related issues

Forest of Dean protesters fight big woodland selloff
Mark Kennedy: A journey from undercover cop to 'bona fide' activist

Interesting stuff

The Ghosts of Old London
Secret London: inside the Black Museum
Really cleverly done Guide to the Open Internet
Vietnam's massive cave
Cordelia Fine and the battle of the sex differences

And finally, a lyrical, thoughtful, uncomfortably honest short story by Kij Johnson, "The evolution of trickster stories among the dogs of North Park after the Change".

My Fawcett Society tshirt came yesterday - "I've got Millicent tendencies", child's 7-8. Damn right I'm cool.