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Hi,
   only a note on:

“On the other hand, I have also been on a few panels and advised a few that 
were handing out grants, and I have to say that in none of those were folk 
as capricious as you imply.  Yes, there is a prejudice for people with a 
proven track record, but they've earned it.  That's what track records 
mean.  The folk I have seen on grant panels take their mandates very 
seriously, and try to do their best.” 

Sorry, there was a couple of misunderstandings. Initially I was referring 
to reviewers in peer-review of manuscripts where you get very good 
suggestions, but it also true that there is a high probability to get one 
which attitude is “to kill the manuscript and if it survives it is good.” I 
was thought to try to improve the manuscript I review and if I cannot (and 
I just kill it) I am a bad reviewer.

I do not have a lot of experience for grant panels, but I am sure that 
reviewers in that case are more selected. In the case of funding peer-
reviewing, the bureaucratic system and the lengthy process is what I was 
criticising.

On regard of track record there was a big misunderstanding. I did an over-
exaggerated example not to describe what I think being the average 
behaviour, but to point out which kind of aberrant behaviours also can 
occur.

All for the pressure of publishing as fast as possible and on a higher 
impact factor journal as possible and seeking to get a tenured position 
before of retirement.

In this doing fast, there are people that take shortcuts, or that 
unwillingly alter data crossing the border of misrepresentation (concept in 
part subjective). 

I DID NOT absolutely mean that who publish well, who advance well in 
carrier is generally "corrupted", not at all; I wanted just to point out 
that the MIS-use of post-processing when occur is for negligence and when 
is for cheating is often because the pressure in the scientific community 
to get money and publishing is so high that create the motivation to go in 
that direction. Many stands on their principles, many others do not.

Cheers, 

Alessandro