Back in town

I got back late last night from a festive gathering of scientists. The meeting was out at a nice golf resort in the Midwest. So between talks, all the semi-normal people are at the bar watching the basketball games.
Lots of good science and lots of good people. Good times.

A very informative comment left from a posting last week:

I'm suprised the HRC hasn't just come out and mentioned this... but given the fact that they'd really rather pretend you guys don't exist, maybe I shouldn't be.

The HRC building is actually a pretty good moneymaker for the organization. They don't occupy the entire building, leasing out at least the top two floors. They also regularly rent out their meeting facilities. These cash flows, combined with the way they've financially structured the whole arrangement, means they're saving a significant amount of money compared to what they'd be spending if they just leased out office space. Add in the fact that gays have a very visible presence (literally) because of this building, and I think it's a smart move.

Ultimately, I agree with your calls for more transparency. The culture at the HRC is a little insular, and their upper ranks could use some non washington types.