Nov 27, 2007

Sent in by a reader

I can't find much in this to argue with.

-Gus

___________________________________


Clearly, Sandia -- compared to LANL -- is a well-run Lab, with
problems, but problems that are surmountable. They've diversified,
with plenty of new WFO, and have a total budget equal to LANL's, with
roughly 2/3rds the number of workers. Too bad LockMart didn't win the
LANL bid, but then, too bad that there was any bid whatsoever. Also,
too bad that absentee landlord UC did nothing about the mismanagement
brought down on LANL by the incompetent DOE; too bad that, since the
end of the Cold War, Sen. "Pit" Dementia (R-NM) larded LANL up with
so many bureaucrats (doubling its size), and too bad he forced the
creation of that cretinous outfit NNSA, which merely compounded DOE
incompetence. Too bad.

All in all, LANL's present difficulty, namely, getting stuck with
being St. Pit's pit factory, is a monumental tour de force
(translation from the French: a turd he forced).

20 comments:

  1. Pete created NNSA? Wasn't this the brillant idea of Sec. Boob Richardson after LANL was going to be removed from DOE after his massive screw-ups?

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  2. "Boob" Richardson never had any brilliant ideas, except to polygraph 10,000 DOE employees. And even then, he kept downsizing the number as he (and the number) was slapped down by some of us hated scientists, until he started approaching the correct number: ZERO.

    That's why we now know him as "Boob" (Zero) Richardson.

    -Reader.

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  3. Ironically, the Pit Factory residents seem to be the only LANL employees who have been informed by their management that the self-selection letters went into the lab mail this morning.

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  4. Yes, Plutonium Pete did create NNSA. This was his last minute pitch for severing the Lab from meaningful oversight. The Lab didn't like the oversight DOE was providing at the time (presumably too burdensome for the best and brightest), so St. Pete did what he always did with his spoiled-brat-of-a-child Lab--gave it what it wanted. This ended up being NNSA. How convenient to forget now, just how all this transpired. Bumbling Bill wasn't at fault on this one. It was Plutonium Pete’s doing.

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  5. Bumbling Bill was an unidicted co-conspirator

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  6. ...."Clearly" , Sandia -- compared to LANL -- is a well-run Lab, blah, blah, blah...."

    The nice thing about a lack of transparency is that "self-evident" assertions can not be independently verified.

    It's kinda like saying "I'm rich", or "my wife is beautiful' or "my poop don't stink"

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  7. And you, 2:01 apparently don't mind displaying your ignorance to all who read this blog.

    I've worked with staff from SNL and have some long-lasting professional collaborations with people there. LANL is a shambles compared to SNL by just about any measure you want to pick.

    *Anybody* who has interacted with both labs can confirm that, while not perfect, SNL is a much better run national laboratory than LANL.

    But please don't let me interrupt your braying.

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  8. 11/27/07 2:08 PM

    I am not 2:01pm. I really do not buy this "Sandia is so much better than LANL crap". I know both places very well. I just do not see it.

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  9. Well, 2:33, I guess you'd just better stay at LANL (assuming you avoid the RIF) and enjoy the superior management the place has to offer.

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  10. " Well, 2:33, I guess you'd just better stay at LANL (assuming you avoid the RIF) and enjoy the superior management the place has to offer.

    11/27/07 2:50 PM"

    What is your point? I know alot of people who would rather be at LANL than Sandia right now. Speak for yourself and not us.

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  11. From 3:37:

    "What is your point? I know alot of people who would rather be at LANL than Sandia right now."

    I'm sorry my response was to subtle for you. Please allow me to clarify: you are an idiot.

    Unfortunately, the selection process that LANL has undergone during the past three years has resulted in an increasing number of idiots (like yourself) residing at LANL.

    Please don't take offense, I'm sure you can't help being an idiot. But hey, look at the bright side! There are a lot more like you at LANL then there ever used to be. Enjoy the company of your own kind.

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  12. 11/27/07 3:44 PM

    Yaaaaaaaa ...

    You really have no idea what you are talking about. I would suggest that you try thinking before you post again.

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  13. "Bumbling Bill was an unidicted co-conspirator"

    not really. Bill fought the whole NNSA disaster from the start, and got in trouble for doing so. I never liked the guy, but go back and read the news reports. Once NNSA was created, he appointed NNSA administrators who were in essence fulfilling two roles ("dual hat")-- i.e. he tried to keep NNSA from becoming what it became.

    See this for example:
    "Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson opposed this new organization
    from the beginning and has sought to undermine the implementation of
    NNSA at every step. Contrary to congressional direction, he declared
    himself as the administrator for nuclear security and he dual hatted
    his own chiefs of security and counterintelligence to serve in these
    positions for both the DOE and NNSA."

    From: http://www.fas.org/sgp/congress/2000/hr534.html

    Hey, is an actual primary sourece a first for the blog? I doubt it will change any minds however.

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  14. It's official.
    Start Self-Selecting!





    To/MS: All Employees
    From/MS: Jan A. Van Prooyen, A100
    Phone/Fax: 7-5101/5-2679
    Symbol: DIR-07-339
    Date: November 27, 2007



    SUBJECT: Phase I of Workforce Restructuring to begin November 28

    This note updates the November 19 All-Employee memo from Mike
    Anastasio and his All-Employee Meeting about workforce
    restructuring.

    The Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration
    (NNSA) has formally approved our specific plan for workforce
    restructuring. Accordingly, we will open the self-selection
    window Wednesday, November 28. Below is a table of key dates
    associated with the Phase I Self-Selection Program (SSP):

    Table of Key Dates for Phase I

    Event Dates
    SSP application open November 28 through December 6
    Employee rescission period December 7 through December 13
    Employees receive
    notice of acceptance December 20
    Employee Departure
    meetings January 2 through January 8, 2008
    Accepted employees
    separate from Laboratory January 10, 2008

    When the window opens, each LANS employee will receive by
    interoffice mail a notice of his or her eligibility to apply for
    this program. Likewise, each employee in an excluded category
    will receive a notice by interoffice mail that he or she will not
    be allowed to participate in the Self-Selection Program. If you
    are a LANS employee and have not received one of these notices by
    close of business on November 28, please contact your line
    management. Additionally, tomorrow (Wednesday), the Human
    Resources Web site associated with Phase I will be activated.
    The web site will have resources and information regarding Phase I.

    Also as noted last week, we will hold manager briefings and
    employee pre-application information sessions. The schedule for
    those meetings is as follows:

    Manager Briefings for SSP

    Date Time Location
    Wed., 11/28/07 9:00 am - 11:00 am NSSB Auditorium
    Wed., 11/28/07 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Physics Auditorium
    Thurs., 11/29/07 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm NSSB Auditorium

    Employee Pre-application Information Sessions for SSP

    Date Time Location
    Wed., 11/28/07 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Physics Auditorium
    Thurs., 11/29/07 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm NSSB Auditorium (live) with
    Physics Auditorium simulcast
    Fri., 11/30/07 9:00 am – 11:00 am Physics Auditorium
    Mon., 12/3/07 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm LANSCE Auditorium
    Tues., 12/4/07 9:00 am – 11:00 am NSSB Auditorium

    The main difference between the plan that we submitted (as
    discussed by Mike Anastasio on November 19) and the plan that
    DOE-NNSA just approved is the timing of our assessment of our
    flexible workforce populations. Concurrent with the Phase 1
    Self- Selection Program, we will be designing and implementing a
    process for assessing our flexible workforce.

    Further, we have amended Policy 114 (Reduction-in-Force) of the
    Laboratory’s Administrative Manual to remove a provision
    prohibiting a Self-Selection Program.

    As noted in the Director’s All-Employee memo and his All-Employee
    Meeting, the decision to reduce our workforce is a very difficult
    one. It directly impacts people’s lives—not only those of our
    employees, but also their families and the communities of
    Northern New Mexico. Given the impact on these communities, we
    also will hold two community information sessions on our specific
    workforce restructuring plan next week. On Monday evening,
    December 3, we will hold an information session in Pojoaque from
    7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Cities of Gold Conference Center. On
    Tuesday evening, December 4, we will hold an information session
    in Los Alamos from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Duane Smith Auditorium.

    We will continue to post questions and answers and other relevant
    information on our Workforce Restructuring Web site. If you have
    questions, I encourage you to attend one of the pre-application
    information sessions regarding the Self-Selection Program and/or
    the community information sessions mentioned above. I also ask
    that you use our Workforce Restructuring Web site. Finally, I
    urge you to engage your leadership chain with your issues and
    questions. Laboratory managers realize that this is an extremely
    important decision for our employees and will help you get the
    answers you need. Managers will be receiving information that
    will prepare them to best support you as you make your final
    decision.


    ***************************
    Lorraine M. Montoya
    IRM-RMMSO
    Phone: 7-1440
    FAX: 5-4480
    MS A150
    Schedule B
    **************************

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  15. 11/27/07 10:47 AM

    How about "I like boobs, and when I think of boobs, Richardson is not a positive mental picture."

    I think you should be more creative, hell you are among "The best and the brightest" - How about showing it?

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  16. 11/27/07 4:36 PM

    Kudos - exactly what needs to enter into these posts - substantiated facts!!!!!!

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  17. I don't know about the good points of SNL management, but at least people working for SNL who hold a mortgage on a home in ABQ don't have to sit around worrying about financial bankruptcy if they lose their job. That, by itself, greatly reduces the stress of working for SNL.

    People come to Los Alamos and are taken in by the setting and the idea of working in a small town up in the mountains. Then the bad times roll in and the financial dangers of their decision suddenly become painfully clear.

    Working in a one company town is not a wise choice, especially when the company is known to be headed for serious downsizing.

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  18. Anonymous at 11/28/07 12:16 AM has it right:

    "but at least people working for SNL who hold a mortgage on a home in ABQ don't have to sit around worrying about financial bankruptcy if they lose their job."

    I cannot imagine anybody dumb enough to accept employment at LANL right now. Unless of course you are a Bechtel transfer with a platinum parachute.

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  19. 6:22 AM, there are lots of postdocs just itching to be converted and live the "sweet life" ...

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  20. 7:30AM: Just goes to show, it only takes skills in one very specific area to get a PhD. Those skills don't necessarily translate to equivalent levels of brain function in other aspects of life.

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