The MacArthur Foundation is a philanthropic foundation that yearly gives a portion of its $7 billion endowment to twenty to forty people who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work."

In case you wanted some of that sweet "no-strings attached" $500k, which each of the MacArthur Fellows receive, you better brush up on your astrophysics, neuroscience, and jazz sax.

Or, if you are anything like one of this year's winners, just be a really good music critic:

In an era when many proclaim the imminent demise of concert halls due to waning attendance, Ross offers both highly specialized and casual readers new ways of thinking about the music of the past and its place in our future.

Now, not to shit on the MacArthur's decision, or Alex Ross' exceptional oeuvre in blogging and writing for The New Yorker, but since when do you need $500,000 to talk about music? It makes sense for someone studying infectious diseases in Africa to get that money, because it's necessary for research. But come on Ross, those guys over at Pitchfork live off a diet of Ramen noodles and cynicism, and here you come, with your classically trained background talking about Bob Dylan, and suddenly you're in the same field as a critical care physician at John's Hopkins?

If they just plan on giving these fellowships away, where are the awards for excellence in blogging for media-related events, hmmm?