That plagiarism / RA article was interesting. The economist they mention almost sounds like he's taking an Edison approach from the early years of expanding his dedicated research lab. It's project based work, which he is responsible for, but at least unlike Edison he seems to be systematically attributing co-authors.

On the academic writing vs popular books front, they seem to have answered their own question, if you want to be a celebrity professor, you have to turn away from writing densely thought out and written academic books.

_{The Political Science Department of the University of Woolloomooloo}