This. A huge reason why some guy in his basement isn't able to pull down grants is because he doesn't have the resources or the record to justify the grant awa

This. A huge reason why some guy in his basement isn't able to pull down grants is because he doesn't have the resources or the record to justify the grant award. Research funding is a risky "business" (it's not really a business) with a high failure rate. I can't help but feel that this article reads like a combination of sour grapes and a pitch to avoid academic institutions because of a bunch of tired, overgeneralized ideals. If a team has a track record of delivering, then they usually continue to get the grants. That's how it works, for better or worse. Part of the way you break into research is by joining the good teams before charging off on your own...or publishing something of note. While it has its problems, I think most people would be hard pressed to come up with a completely better approach without its own set of equivalent drawbacks.