crystal growth experiments and a solar backscatter ultraviolet instrument that will measure ozone characteristics of the atmosphere. In all, there are to be seven shuttle launches in 1989, including two major scientific missions—Magellan in April (to Venus) and Galileo in October (to Jupiter)—and three DOD missions. Richard Seltzer
Congress on time with '89 funding bills For the first time in over a decade, the federal government began its new fiscal year on Oct. 1 with all of its funding in place. It was a close call. Approval of the last of the 13 appropriation bills came in the waning minutes of Sept. 30. During that last hectic week in September, Congress approved a 9% increase to $1.4 billion for the Department of Commerce's research programs and a slight 1% increase to $1.0 billion for the Department of Agriculture's research programs. That's well below the 5 to 21% increases for fiscal 1989 approved earlier for other civilian R&D funding agencies (C&EN, Sept. 5, page 12). The largest R&D funding agency, the Department of Defense, didn't fare much better than USDA. In fiscal 1989 DOD will receive $37.7 billion for its research, development, test, and evaluation activities, only 2% over fiscal 1988. When it emerged from the HouseSenate conference committee, the DOD appropriation bill contained $120 million for the University Research Initiative. Congress' Armed Services committees, which authorized the program, envisioned the money funding a two-track system that would provide $95 million for quality basic research, and $25 million for a new effort to broaden, on a competitive basis, the nation's science and engineering graduate education infrastructure. Unfortunately, according to Sen. Sam Nunn (D.-Ga.), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, the conference version of H.R. 4781 earmarked $46 million out of the $120 million for six specific universities,
which he noted were "almost im- ground in the publishing business. possible to identify given the way According to the Kompass Registry the bill language is couched." Nunn of British Industry & Commerce, he pointed out that the six projects were is on the board of directors of Comnot authorized and were not in ei- modities Research Unit Ltd., a Lonther appropriation bill as passed. In don-based metals consulting service other words, he said, these "set- chaired by his brother Robert Perlasides for universities emerged mys- man. Commodities Research Unit teriously out of the conference" owns a controlling interest in British even though the Senate Appropria- Sulphur Corp., a consultant and tions Committee in 1986 stated it publisher of journals, directories, would "not consider any future re- and monographs for the fertilizer quests to earmark DOD R&D funds industry. for specific research projects." Perlman says that his partner in Nunn offered an amendment Chemical Week Associates, Mason striking the earmarkings from the Slaine, has a background in publishconference report, but retaining the ing magazines in the financial area. funding, and requiring the Secre- According to Dealers Digest Inc., tary of Defense to report to Congress New York City, Slaine had been on any other projects specifically president of the financial publishearmarked for one educational insti- ing company whose best-known pubtution that might be lurking else- lication is Investment Dealers Digest. where in the bill. No funds could be Perlman says that Chemical Week will given to such institutions until Feb. continue as a weekly magazine and 9,1989. After much debate a motion that it will not be made into a newsto table Nunn's amendment was de- letter. However, he says he and his feated by a vote of 53 to 35, and the partner plan to "add some newsletamendment was passed by a voice ters of our own." vote. The House also approved it. Chemical Week, which now has a Janice Long paid circulation of about 36,000, was founded in 1914 as Weekly Drug Markets. McGraw-Hill acquired the magazine in 1950 from MacLean Hunter Publishing Co. when it was a monthly publication known as Chemical Industries. Insiders say that A British investor and newsletter MacLean Hunter had negotiated publisher along with an American with McGraw-Hill recently to reacinvestor have purchased Chemical quire the magazine. McGraw-Hill Week and associated properties, in- changed it to its present name and cluding Chemical Week Buyers Guide, began issuing it weekly in 1951. Chemical Week Nezvswire, and IndusMarc Reisch trial Chemist from New York Citybased publisher McGraw-Hill. McGraw-Hill retains ownership of Chemical Engineering and certain other properties in its Process Industries Group. Almost as soon as the purchases When General Motors opted last were announced, the new owners year to enter a 1950-mile race in Ausdecided to cease publishing Industri- tralia for solar-powered cars, one of al Chemist, a controlled circulation the objectives it had in mind was to stimulate scientific and technical monthly aimed at bench chemists. The investors, known as Chemical education. Last week in WashingWeek Associates, paid about $9 mil- ton, D.C., the company launched a lion for Chemical Week and associated nationwide elementary and secondproperties, say informed sources. ary school science education proReached at his Manhattan office, gram based on the technologies of Louis M. Perlman, the British inves- the car it designed for the race: the tor, would neither confirm nor deny GM Sunraycer. In the context of the education the reported purchase price. Perlman says that he has a back- program, GM views the car as a
U.K.-led investors buy Chemical Week
GM starts school science program
October 10, 1988 C&EN
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