A couple of days ago I hear the linked story on NPR...and thought it rather cool...this biologist was pretty into it. Heartland daughter has been thinking she wanted to be a biologist, but is having some second thoughts...so I looked up the link for her...for the positive stuff as well. But, it included this rather brutal form of getting tenure (or not getting it)
from NPR (see link):

"I don't want my kids to be scientists," Pringle says. "Not unless they really want it. It's hard, you know, I don't think you should do it unless you feel really passionately about what you do. And if they feel passionately, then that's OK. But I am not going to push them in this direction.

Much as Pringle loves what she does, she does feel the pressure of her young scientific career. In about five years, Pringle will be asked to write her own job description. Harvard University will then advertise that job. And if she's judged the best applicant, she'll get tenure. Otherwise, it will be time to move on. "

Well, I'm co-PI on a very large proposal that we learned was turned down again, yesterday (Antarctic/climate). I was involved in a pre-proposal for a big international earthquake-related project that was not invited for full proposal, even though the previous time it was invited and the full proposal was recommended for funding (but in the end was not funded). This really showed the random nature of the review process: you will never in a million years get a fair/good proposal funded, but very good or excellent proposals are at the mercy of the randomness of the process.
Chris

• biologist story...NPR