TENTATIVE AGENDA
for the
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
for the
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
July 27, 2007
Room 321, State Capitol
Room 321, State Capitol
Friday, July 27
10:00 a.m. Call to Order
—Representative Roberto "Bobby" J. Gonzales, Co-Chair
—Senator Phil A. Griego, Co-Chair
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Science Overview
—Terry Wallace, Principal Associate Director, Science, Technology and
Engineering
11:30 a.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Technology Transfer for Business Development
—Duncan McBranch, Division Director, Technology Transfer
2:30 p.m. LANL Overview, Update, Budget Status and Contingent
Reductions in Force Impacts
—Mike Anastasio, Laboratory Director, LANL
4:00 p.m. Adjourn
30 comments:
Oh well thank God, the great Terry Wallace is going to spew a bunch of bullshit to the committee - remember he cares about science. That being said, maybe he can explain how he and Mike have yet to decide on the LDRD projects because they were on travel to DC ... again ... on our dime while we get travel cuts ... must have been working on "program development" ... yeah, that's the ticket...
And tech transfer is going to spew a bunch about their various successes, such as answering an email for releasing software in less than 6 months. If any division needs to get zinged for wasting tons of taxpayer dollars, it's TT -- those people are unbearably slow on the simplest of tasks.
Anastasio's title
"..... Contingent Reductions in Force"
is chilling and expected.
I guess that letting go a few janitors and contractors and buying fewer paper clips did not add up t the $900,000,000 short fall.
I have been to these Oversight Committee Hearings and they are a waste of time. Our legislators are completely oblivious as to what goes on at LANL and they accept anything that LANL Management tells them. Legislators perk:
Ben Lujan, Speaker of the House, daughter has a chief of staff position (Non-Advertised)
Nick Salazar, State Representative on Board of Governors along side people such as William Perry works in the Government Relations Office (complete conflict of interest) and son Earl Salazar has a nice cushion job wherever he wants.
Debbie Rodella, State Representative just got a non-advertise position in Human Resources.
Jeanette Wallace, State Representative son has a NICE position in STB.
If you think they will make a difference your mistaken. They are a LARGE part of the problem. To much corporate/political corruption. The employees are the only ones that are going to get hurt here!
Contingent Reductions in Force?
Didn't Anastasio say "there are no plans for a RIF. There are no plans to make a plan for a RIF."?
So there are plans to make a plan for a RIF. Maybe even plans for a RIF. More evidence of dishonest and poor management by LANS.
And so it begins. It's telling that we learn of LANS' plans for a RIF on the blog rather than from Mikey.
No RIF? Shit, people, there has been a continuous reduction in force at LANL since LANS took over. Sure Mike has no plans for a RIF because his is steadily reducing the number of people who work at LANL. Half of your janitors are gone, many of the part-timers were kicked out, and most of the KSL people are out and the rest fear getting let go. Mike is not telling the truth.
I want to thank all of you who contribute on a daily basis. I am a LLNL soon to be LLNS “Lawrence Livermore NO SCIENCE” LLC employee.
Well, maybe not to much longer at this rate. Contract jobs in Iraq are looking better all the time.
Semper Fi
Devils den
Since when do you think the EWOK was not actually lying?
This is worthless committee (as most are these days). Basically all you'll get is a lot of head-nodding droopy-eyed legislators pretending to care about the broader good, but in fact they only care about placing themselves in a committee role that ensures their kids get jobs at the Lab and their business/political interests get awarded contracts. Rep. Nick Salazar perhaps is the most egregious example of this; being a Lab retiree after some 40 years or so after doing virtually nothing more than pretending to be a Lab technician but, in reality, being the Lab's personal in-state lobbyist. Of course upon retirement he was rewarded for his years "loyal" service by then becoming one of the chosen few to return as an "affiliate" double-dipper. On top of that he has numerous family members, as well as the offspring of a few well chosen friends scattered strategically throughout the Lab just for good measure. Where did he get hired back as an affiliate you ask? Well you guessed it—where else but government relations? Take a deep breath…the stench around this place is simply sublime.
What a joke. Look at me shiver! Oooh…the boogie man committee is about to convene! Let me see what we got now: we've got this Bobby Gonzales character from Taos who, in a prior life, was probably a late-night DJ on a smooth jazz radio program. In other words…a soft soothing barely audible voice that can put you to sleep, even after three cups of the hard stuff at Starbucks. Borringgg, in other words!
Then you've got Phil Griego, the epitome of political graft in this State. Of course, he also happens to be the go-too guy for the Guv (suprise, suprise) when it comes to legislative arm-twisting. Ok now…and well we all know about our good Lab colleague Nick Salazar. No need to expound there. Just don't let that whiny voice of his fool you because when it comes running political interference for the Lab, they don't get any better than him. Of course how can we forget the perennial Jan Wallace? Like a weather-beaten twisted old 400 year cedar hanging precariously off a wind-swept cliff, she's always on hand to beat back the any Lab-bashing storms that may form at these hearings. So in the end you've pretty got the typical a rubber-stamping cheerleading assembly of in-the-back-pocket-of-the-special-interests legislators doing what they do best—grandstanding and mouthing a lot of meaningless platitudes about motherhood and apple pie values, but in the end doing nothing of substance. Democracy at work my friends! What more could you ask for from representative government?
Rampant nepotism is just on of the little things that makes LANL such a great place to work, isn't it?
"I have plans for a RIF." - Mike
Recently, I spoke with a DOE Security Clearance Investigator and they mentioned that the number of "priority clearances" requested by LANL were enormous. All friends and families of Bechtel/UC management. Don't forget we have a budget problem, possible RIF's and their requesting "priority clearances" for a high cost for their buddies/families. Disgusting!!!
"Contingent Reductions in Force"?
Is that management-speak for "dumping contractors like they're yesterday's coffee grounds at my own personal NSSB Starbucks francise"?
Salazar - Mr. Anastascio, we've heard rumors of RIFs at LANL and are very concerned about it.
Mikey - Don't worry Nick, we've got you covered. None of your relatives will ever be laid off at LANL. We're going after those lazy, shiftless TSMs who are aren't pulling in enough funding at $450K per year to support me, you, and your many relatives at LANL. And for those TSMs who are left after the RIF, we'll up the ante to $500K per year. Should be fun to watch them squirm with that burden over their heads. Bwaa, haa, haa, haa, haaaaaa!
Salazar - Sound good to me. Meeting adjourned! Cheeks, anyone?
Why worry about a bunch of high cost fast-track clearances for the golden boys of Bechtel? They are the ones who now own this place.
Besides, most of LANS top management are probably eyeing lucrative VP slots at Bechtel in the next few years. The revolving door is going to be very rewarding, especially once construction of the Pit Factory begins. Engineering and construction are Bechtel strong point, don't 'cha know? It's all very scientific stuff.
Please come to the LLNL and let us know whats happening with the RIF's. We know we are next and we'd like to have a heads up.
http://llnl-the-corporate-story.blogspot.com/
Sid Singer is a true old timer around these parts. He used to run the Star Wars program office at LANL during the 80's. Sid had a letter in Friday's Monitor which I found interesting. Here it is, in case you missed it:
----------------------------------
D/jˆ vu - all over again
Dear Editor,
What is surprising about reports of a large budget cut in LANL weapons funding is that anyone should be surprised. This scenario was anticipated more than 15 years ago.
In about 1990, the laboratory's post-Cold-War future was being debated. Some argued that the nuclear weapons program was LANL's core strength and that it should therefore try to bring the entire weapons design program back to Los Alamos. Besides, the DOE recognized it as the laboratory's basic mission. Others felt that after the Cold War, support for an expensive nuclear weapons program would eventually diminish, and a sole focus on capturing 100 percent of a diminishing market was a very risky strategy.
We believed that while a healthy weapons program should always be part of LANL, it should strive to develop additional missions: those that addressed vital non-nuclear-weapons national needs that were suitable for a large multidisciplinary laboratory and that would enlist public, sponsor, and Congressional support.
In consideration of the options and external forces, LANL management decided to emphasize the nuclear weapons mission, and that "from Los Alamos it came and to Los Alamos it shall return" was the message. However well intentioned, that strategy surely contributed to the present vulnerability of LANL's budget. Time will tell how much "shall return" but it's beginning to look like plenty of chickens will.
"We should've done this" and "we should've done that" in 1990 won't help today. But 10 years from now, what "we should've" and "we could've" statements will we be making? Can't we start them now? What is the vision for revitalizing a community at the end of a very long road? Will well-paved streets, new shopping facilities, and a massive investment in governmental brick and mortar do the trick? Should there be more? What is the laboratory vision for restoring its "crown jewel" status?
Does a primary focus on nuclear weapons keep LANL dynamic and viable? What other possibilities are there?
"Without a vision, the people perish."
Sidney Singer
Santa Fe
"Without a vision, the people perish."
I sincerely believe that this is the mission of NNSA / DOE. The job that LANL and LLNL once were hired to do, is done. That mission is gone and there is no need for both facilities, or the amount of people that are at these places. I would think that a 50% reduction at both facilities is not beyond belief. That should only take about two years.
The previous post suggested that NNSA should reduce LLNL and LANL by 50%. I think a better approach would be to reduce LLNL by 100%. Could you also fire all our LLNL managers a.k.a LANS? It is obvious to everyone that you do not need two design labs in a post cold war environment. Nearly all the stockpile belongs to LANL, so why does LLNL exist? NNSA recognizes that LLNL is useless, which is why NNSA takes every opportunity to shift work to LLNL from LANL. Does RRW ring a bell? Moreover, it is not a coincident that LANL is always under attack. Our budgets will continue to decrease and the attacks against LANL will continue to increase, until LLNL is closed.
How do you avoid cutting the muscle and sinew?
This is what usually happens.
9:24pm. John, is that you?
Weapon work is DEAD, gone and stinkin. That mission is over forever and there is nothing left that Pantex can't handle. Forget new design , RRW, etc. Just make more of the old. They work and everyone knows it. The world is at piece. The cow is dry. Have a good day and move on.
9:42 PM, if any national lab is at risk of being closed its LANL not LLNL. IMHO what LANL needs to do to survive is greatly reduce its footprint. A huge cost to NNSA/LANS is maintaining and supporting an infrastructure and facility square footage that is spread over nearly 36 square miles - as opposed to the 1 square mile at LLNL. Yes LLNL has Site 300 (11 sq miles) but that is on the "chopping block" and will most likely be closed within the next few years, which will reduce LLNS overhead at LLNL.
The more money NNSA/LANS has to put into maintaining (utilities, water, sewers, telecommunications, electricity, general repairs, security, roads, fire/emergency services, etc.) LANL infrastructure and facilities, the less it has for science and research.
"The more money NNSA/LANS has to put into maintaining (utilities, water, sewers, telecommunications, electricity, general repairs, security, roads, fire/emergency services, etc.) LANL infrastructure and facilities, the less it has for science and research. 7/28/07 9:55 AM"
My workplace already has no sewer, just portapots. Intermittent running water. No heat and poor air ventilation. Leaky roofs, severe rodent problems.
NNSA/LANS is already NOT putting any money into infrastructure. How can they cut back anymore?
2:30 PM, I believe that you make my point. It would be cheaper in the long term to close your workplace and move you and your work to a newer facility - instead of replacing roofs, sealing holes, or upgrading waterlines and adding sewer lines to a facility that is well past its service life. Long term capital building planning is needed not throwing money into a hole. The Pentagon was dead set against reducing its worldwide footprint until it figured how much it was sending trying to maintain and repair old facilities. A lot of times its actually cheaper to build new instead of renovating old.
Alright, some of you are in trouble. We leave to go on a retreat for four days and when we get back we find out some of you authorized 2:30pm's workplace to have more than one portapotty?
7:56 PM - someone should install a port-a-potty on the 3rd and 4th floor of the old ADMIN building where Neu and Seestrom reside.
7/28/07 9:30 PM
What, like the air up there doesn't reek bad enough already?
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