What are the biggest things that are getting better in the US and world?

[ilikeverin]

Also, as an academic: the democratization of knowledge

Ah, yes, of course.  Who needs all those pesky editors and peer reviewers?  All they ever do is get in your way by factchecking.

I was talking more in terms of open access to publications and data.  I mean, the peer review system is pretty hopeless and terrible in a lot of ways, but I don't think anyone could argue that it's anything but positive for the field that almost everyone everywhere can read every journal (so long as their university buys the requisite subscriptions ).

[angus]

haha.  Of course. 

Even many of the open access journals have started collecting publication fees.  One thousand dollars for a low-end journal is not uncommon in my field.  And the big ones (subscription required to read them) have much heftier publication fees.  But yeah, with the internet, interlibrary loan, consortia, etc., you can pretty much read anything you want nowadays for free.  I agree that this is a good thing.

[Blue3]

Any new thoughts?