Subject: Note from ADEPS
From: "Susan Seestrom"
Date: Fri, June 26, 2009 5:32 pm
To: adeps-all@lanl.gov
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Colleagues,
Welcome Students!
We are delighted to have our students here for the summer - students
bring with them an atmosphere of enthusiasm, curiosity and vitality
that re-energizes us all.
LANL is a unique organization; since it's inception and the
world-famous Manhattan Project, this lab has been committed to
national security science and all that it requires.
The following quote sums up our contributions to national security quite
well:
"There is no group of people in this country whose record over theCaution Students - Security is a big deal here!
last 20 years has been more pre-eminent in the service of their
country than all of you here in this small community in New Mexico.
We want to express our thanks to you. It is not merely what was done
during the days of the second war, but what has been done since then,
not only in developing weapons of destruction which, by irony of
fate, help maintain the peace and freedom but also in medicine and
space and all other related fields which can mean so much to
mankind..."
- President John F. Kennedy (1962)
A critical requirement for participating in national security science
is rigorous security. Many of the things your a accustomed to doing
at your universities with computers, iPods, cell phones, peer-to-peer
communications (like Skype) and other wireless devices will get you
in trouble here! Here are a few reminders:
Accessing pornographic or gambling sites is not allowed. Using LANL
computers for personal purposes should be limited to a few minutes a
day. There are specific policies and rules for bringing your personal
computer, camera, or other wireless devices behind on to lab
property. Think about what's in your vehicle and your pockets before
you enter lab property. Check with your mentor, first line manager or
group leader before bringing personal electronics to the lab.
I have attached a checklist that lists a number of security and
cyber-security issues. Each item tells you where you you can find
information or policies to address your concern- you can find them on
the internal lab web site. If you have questions, ask you mentor,
team leader or group leader.
and so is Safety!
So, be very careful. Make sure you understand what you're doing, that
you have had the right training and that your mentor or first line
manager has approved the work assignment before you begin working.
Students, I hope you have an interesting and productive experience here!
Senior Management Retreat for ADEPS
EPS division leaders Wendy Cieslak (MST), Doug Fulton (P), Toni
Taylor (MPA) and Kurt Schoenberg (LANSCE and LANSCE User Facility),
along with me, Pam French and Jean Elson participated in a retreat
focused on strategy and teaming. It was extremely productive and
perhaps the best I have ever attended. We hit the right balance of
"touchy-feely" (not too much ;-)) and strategic planning (lots).
I asked them to seriously consider the question, Why EPS? Are we just
independent divisions or is there a rationale and reason for us to
work together?
We talked about several topics that call for a "shared fate" view of
science in EPS and the Lab and we selected one to become our
overriding priority or rallying call for the next several months. It
is the successful approval of LANSCE-R CD1.
The history of LANSCE has been stellar and rocky. It's long been an
attraction for international collaborators, users, post docs and new
hires. Funding, however, has always been a rocky road and the LANSCE
Refurbishment Project is no exception. Our team agreed that this is
the most important item on our strategic radar for the next few
months.
Some may think that if LANSCE -R is not supported, there will be more
money for other LANL facilities and equipment - I don't think that is
the way it would play out. I strongly believe that high capability
user facilities are what distinguish us from other labs and that if
we were to lose LANSCE-R, we could jeopardize other facilities as
well. If we want to be successful in capturing MaRIE, we must first
successfully execute LANSC-R which, in my mind, is the first step on
the path to MaRIE.
Toni, Wendy and Doug were not sure there was a role for them and
their divisions in achieving this goal. After an hour of discussion,
we found many important responsibilities that all three division
leaders can and will take on to help move us toward achieving
LANSCE-R CD1 this fall. We must all work to demonstrate to both NNSA
and Office of Science customers that LANSCE-R is important to
national security science. We will do this by communicating examples
of important results from LANSCE experiments that have successfully
impacted program deliverables and decisions. We will also focus on
preparation for the upcoming reviews.
We created a draft vision and mission that we will publish once
finalized. I am sharing the draft VISION with you in the hopes of
receiving some constructive criticism. I will share the detailed
mission in a subsequent note.
EPS VISION
World leading people, facilities and experiments delivering
innovative scientific solutions, anticipating national security
challenges.
Regards,
Susan
--
Susan J. Seestrom, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Experimental Physical Sciences
Mail Stop A106
(505) 665-4454 FAX (505) 665-1293
45 comments:
Welcome to LANL, students!
Over the next three months we'll do our very best to see that any love of research and science you may still entertain is sucked dry from your very soul by LANS' bowing to every wish and whim of NNSA and to our dark overlords over at Bechtel. Be afraid. Be very afraid! Minor infractions may send you straight to the jail house.
Oh, and be sure to respond quickly when the piss test director calls you on the phone. And one finally warning...
Don't SLIP -- wear shoes that GRIP!
Enjoy your stay at the LANL science "prison".
- MIKEY
P.S: Think PBI's Baby!!!!!
P.S.S: Be sure to take all your on-line training. New training is added almost every week, so check back often.
P.S.S.S: Don't think of applying to work here. You're only here for show. Hell, we need at least 5% attrition in the workforce this next year if I'm to get my sweet 20% bonus.
P.S.S.S.S: No downloading of PDFs, Excel files, or Javascript files is ever allowed at LANL. Email will be destroyed over the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Be sure to fill out all the paperwork in triplicate before turning on your LANL PC.
P.S.S.S.S.S: Don't ever touch my LANS supplied black sports car if you know what's good for you!
No suggestions on the EPS Vision thing?
"We hit the right balance of "touchy-feely" (not too much ;-)) and strategic planning (lots)."
WEIRD!
Kennedy's quote was made in 1962, 46 years ago. I don't think that LANL is any "pre-eminent in the service of the country."
We are just a PBI drive bonus machine for Mikey and his favored few.
"World leading people, facilities and experiments delivering
innovative scientific solutions, anticipating national security
challenges."
Oh puleez! Gag...gag.
EPS? You have got to be kidding. I'm too busy fighting with the FOD and filling out forms trying to get a computer board P.O through the system.
Frank:
The "vision thing" doesn't really matter. They will do what they get funded to do. NNSA will provide the "vision".
EPS Vision
WEARING shoes that GRIP!
SS has spoken, LANSCE-R will be built. So screw you Obama and your axing of the project!
Wow. If I didn't know better, I'd think Susan was really good for Los Alamos Science.
You gotta love the quote from 1962. The Lab of 2009 has about as much in common with the Lab of 1962 as Obama has in common with Lincoln.
I am just glad we are paying these four idiots the big bucks. Wow, took over 3 years and a retreat to finally get a vision for Seestrom's Directorate. And ... it's ... a shocker ... her husband's program ... needs ... LANSCE-R. Whew. Guess that is why Sue and Chris Morris went on a 2 week+ vacation to Greece.
Anyone take that moronic sexual harassment "training" yet? I wonder what LANS paid for it???
Filled with typos and politically correct blather and yet totally ignores gays in the workplace. Sexual harassment is apparently only a hetero problem.
Can you spell RIP OFF?
"Guess that is why Sue and Chris Morris went on a 2 week+ vacation to Greece." - 7:10 PM
Ahhh, the life of the idle rich and entitled. It must be lovely. Work hard, lowly LANL-ites. Those PBIs you are helping to achieve pay the executive 20% bonus so Sue and her hubbie, Chris, can make these wonderful summer grand tours of Europe.
"since it's inception and the
world-famous Manhattan Project, this lab has been committed to national security science and all that it requires."
Susan, "it's" means it is while "its" is possessive. It does not make sense to read
since it is inception
so that's a clue to use its. Too hard? Maybe getting someone to proof read your memos would make you look more intelligent.
"The following quote sums up our contributions to national security quite well...." (Seestrom)
No, Sue, the Kennedy quote does not sum up "our" contributions, you idiot!
It sums up the hard working contributions of loyal American who toiled at LANL over 50 years ago when it was properly managed by the AEC and the employees had good jobs under stable, non-profit UC leadership.
Sue is an embarrassment to this lab. Every memo she releases smacks of this same type of maudlin, self righteous crap. It sounds like the stuff some high school principal might write to inspire their thick-headed students.
If JFK was alive today, he'd take one look at LANL under LANS and NNSA and then say... "WTF, shoes that GRIP? You've got to be kidding me?"
If JFK was alive today, he'd totter over and check out Mary.
Conversely to the thought: "if JFK was alive today"... if LANS and NNSA had been running the weapon research labs during the 50s and 60s, we would all be speaking Russian today. Nyet?
"I strongly believe that high capability user facilities are what distinguish us from other labs and that if we were to lose LANSCE-R, we could jeopardize other facilities as well." (Seestrom)
This is utter nonsense. Sue would have us believe that a loss of a refurbished LANSCE will mean the destruction of facilities like DHART, a future CMRR, Roadrunner, etc. She is using her position to feather the nest for her husband, Chris.
LANL doesn't need 'power couples' running this lab like Sue Seestrom and Mary Neu along with their protected hubbies. They are beginning to act like spoiled royalty.
Is Brookhaven beginning to muscle its way into the non-proliferation funding arena? I thought this was suppose to be LANL's strong point? Brookhaven is not even a NNSA weapons lab. It's a DOE energy lab. WTF?
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NNSA Conducts Nonproliferation Summer Class - June 30, 2009
by Global Security Newswire
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration yesterday announced that 24 students have graduated from its first three-week class on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards and security at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York (see GSN, Oct. 15, 2007).
The course introduced graduate and undergraduate students to the principles of the nuclear nonproliferation system and to U.S. nonproliferation programs and policies, in hopes of kindling interest in careers related to those sectors.
Students studied equipment and practices used in nuclear safeguards operations, examined critiques of current nonproliferation systems, and learned about the detection of potential radiological and nuclear-weapon ingredients.
Anonymous said...
Is Brookhaven beginning to muscle its way into the non-proliferation funding arena? I thought this was suppose to be LANL's strong point? Brookhaven is not even a NNSA weapons lab. It's a DOE energy lab. WTF?
Honestly, why not let them take a stab. LANL is doing a pathetic job under LANS. All Mike, Terry, Sue, Mary, etc. care about are they PBI and $1.2+M bonuses and not performance for their sponsors. I know from folks in DC that LANL is not #1 in anything anymore. Please do us all a favor, and Congress, and shut the f-in hell-hole down? At least then there would be closure.
Sounds like Brookhaven students have some sort of future. Meanwhile, LANS students are sizing up shoes that grip, and looking forward to a whole summer of meaningless training and a mountain of paperwork more suited to potty work. Good work Mike! You and your Bechtel pals have really turned Los Alamos into something to be proud of.
From MilitaryTimes:
AF tests missile in launch from Calif. coast
The Associated Press
Posted: Monday Jun 29, 2009 20:32:17 EDT
VANDENBURG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - The Air Force has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from the California coast to an area in the Pacific Ocean about 4,200 miles away.
Lt. Raymond Geoffroy says the ICBM was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 3:01 a.m. Monday and carried three unarmed re-entry vehicles to their targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
The missile, configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration Test Assembly, was launched under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron.
The Air Force says the launch was an operational test to check the weapon system´s reliability and accuracy, and the data will be used by United States Strategic Command planners and Department of Energy laboratories.
(http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_missiletest_062909/)
PS: http://nnsa.energy.gov/2409.htm has the full list of the 24 graduate and undergraduate nuclear nonproliferation NNSA students at BNL, probably for its closeness to DC, and less costly than LANL.
Let us be blessed that these high-level LANS Managers such as Seastrom come down from the mountains to etch words of wisdom on stone for the masses. What a crock. It will be months if not years before we hear from her again, probably until next year when the students arrive again. The words this time create this illusion for our students that the LANS Managers are helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
Oh 7:29 PM. fuck the high-level managers and there words form above and there new houses and fancy little sports cars. And might I add, I would love to see the downfall of LANL/LANS just to see those fuckers go down. I can get another job, but a high-level manager not so much after such a collapse.
William Rees, the fellow hired by LANS for PADGS (Global Security), arrived this week. I'm sure that Mr. Rees along with a bunch of newly created and highly paid Global Security ADs will soon be bringing in lots of new outside funding to LANL, right?
A picture of Mike welcoming Mr. Rees to LANL was on today's LANL web page. However, I was surprised at just how old the guy really looks. He's much older looking that the photo LANS had previously posted on the web.
Perhaps LANL has become something of a semi-retirement village for high level DC bureaucrats who want to serve out their final years living the Santa Fe lifestyle while collecting a nice executive salary. I hope that's not the case with Rees, but we'll soon find out.
9:30 PM, do your research. It is actually Dr. Rees and he is a highly respected and distinguished scientist. Mary Neu and Sue Seestrom could only dare to dream - he will eat those wenches for lunch!
Interesting question and response from LANL's Reader Forum posted below. It seems that John Lyles hasn't fully "got it" just yet. Programmatic science at LANL is dead, thanks to LANS and NNSA. The service orgs now run the lab.
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*Wall-to-wall inventory* - June 17, 2009
Since Los Alamos National Security, LLC has embarked on a wall-to-wall computer inventory, including identifying legacy systems that are still required to be in service, there has been a constant barrage of requests from organizations such as Departmental Computing Services, to remove or replace them with new hardware and operating system.
I am responsible for maintaining some systems that control equipment that I designed years ago, that would require substantial programmatic effort to replace data acquisition hardware and write new code. This is deemed unacceptable with the present shortage of (human) resources. Other machines were stored to be backups and spares for this. None of them are networked and they run OS that is not subject to being hacked anyhow. After justifying this on new forms and paperwork, I still am chided to do something about it, by these service orgs. This week they are requesting information as to why I need to retain a 5-year-old laptop or desktop, only used for showing presentations occasionally. There is a strong effort to replace these vintage machines with brand new hardware, some using OS that are known to be vulnerable to being broken into. I am getting a feeling that DCS has far more money to spend - at the expense of those of us who are trying to keep scientific work moving along.
Some time ago, we were encouraged to cut back on replacing computers every couple of years, to try and preserve capital to accomplish more science. Now there is a this frantic effort to replace everyone's personal computers, regardless of their purpose or occasional use. Some of them are never connected to networks.
= John Lyles =
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*Response to wall-to-wall inventory* - June 19, 2009
As part of the Security Compliance Order from the Department of Energy secretary, the Laboratory was required to accredit all information systems, unclassified and classified. We were successful in limiting the scope of this accreditation to "active" systems only. And before any inactive system can be used it must be in line with the requirements of one of the security plans.
http://int.lanl.gov/security/cyber/accreditation/index.shtml
The Lab successfully satisfied the Compliance Order, but as a result we are now required to live within that accreditation boundary. One of the concerns of the accrediting official at LASO is "legacy" systems, meaning systems with Operating Systems that are no longer being actively supported by the vendor. This concern [was] recently reinforced in a General Accounting Office report that recommends that the Lab replace all legacy systems or implement mitigating controls.
Due to issues identified during the accreditation of the security plan that covers "legacy" systems, the Lab is required to develop a corrective action plan to justify why these legacy systems are needed and what mitigating controls will be used to protect federal information and systems.
http://int.lanl.gov/security/cyber/accreditation/legacy.shtml
Yes, DCS is now the responsible Lab organization, along with the Office of the Chief Information Officer, to insure that the requirements of these security plans are met.
= Alyn Ford, Departmental Computing Services Division leader =
At the rate LANS and NNSA are currently going, it shouldn't be much longer until:
a) The average TSMs doing programmatic work at LANL cost over $1 million per year, and
b) The only lab desktop PCs allowed are completely crippled, require annual replacment, and cost over $20K each
"9:30 PM, do your research. It is actually Dr. Rees and he is a highly respected and distinguished scientist." - 9:49 pm
I agree with you, 9:49 pm, William Rees looks interesting on paper. We'll see soon enough how he does at growing the portfolio of the newly created Global Security directorate. He looks to be of much higher caliber than current managers like Terry, Sue or Mary.
Unfortunately, LANS/Bechtel and NNSA can take the most brilliant scientists and wear them down to the point that they are left mumbling things like: "Must... wear... shoes... that GRIP!"
I give Dr. Rees less than 2 years before the idiocracy of LANS and NNSA have him fleeing out the front gates of LANL.
He'll be a definite threat to Terry Wallace's dream of becoming LANL's next Director, so you can rest assured that smiling Terry will be working very hard behind Rees' back to stealthily undercut him.
11:22 PM, fear not. Terry has already been active on that front and sent Rees a 4 page welcome note and how Rees should trust him when he arrives. Riiiighhhht. Be afraid of Wallace, be very afraid. I hope Rees is smart enought to (a) read the blog and (b) NEVER trust Wallace, Seestrom, or Neu.
What ever happened to day care? (sorry - escaped over two years and couldn't resist)
John Lyle's letter to the LANL Reader Forum is interesting. This is a real problem at LANL in the form of un-funded mandates which are not based on any thougth or common sense. John should be commended for his courage in writing that letter. However, somebody should explain the concept of "career-limiting behavior" to John.
Alyn Ford's response on the Readers' Forum makes me cringe. Can you believe that this man, and DCS, are part of Terry Wallace's directorate?
I appreciate the bravery of John Lyle in writing his letter to the LANL Reader's Forum. However, he needs to be re-educated on LANL's new direction. Programmatic work doesn't matter any longer since LANS took over.
LANL is only here because of the world class support orgs that live off the overhead and can implement compliance at an amazing Six Sigma level. Compliance over-rides any staff concerns about executing programmatic work. The shut-down crew is fully in control of this lab for the remainder of its shortened life.
Seestrom Memo:
"We created a draft vision...
EPS VISION
World leading people, facilities and experiments delivering innovative scientific solutions, anticipating national security challenges."
---
"World leading people"? My God, Sue doesn't even have a decent grasp of the English language.
How in hell did this person ever become an AD at LANL? This vision statement is lame beyond belief.
Wow people, bitter much? Nothing to do but spew? Does any of this make LANL or the world a better place to work or live? Never taken a European vacation yourself? Never struggled to do the right thing while still keeping your job?
Thank you, 7/1/09 11:04 AM, that was my impression too. Management double-speak, worthy of Dilbert's pointy haired boss.
John Lyles- You'll never get into management with that truth telling style of yours! Congratulations! We certainly need more people like John and fewer like Susan.
It probably wasn't written by her. Probably by her Chief of Staff (highly paid ex admin who really are uneducated). Her problem was not proofing it accordingly.
Always read what is going to have your name attached to it.
There is no need for all this effort at grandiose wording of a lab vision statement. I believe the true LANS vision for this laboratory can be encapsulated in three simple words:
"Shut it down."
Succinct, accurate and easy to remember. Profitable, too!
"7/1/09 10:28 PM"
Oh please, give it break already.
First of all it will never happen.
Even if they did shut it down all all those lab people you hate so much will just get nice jobs eleswhere and move on with their lives.
As for you, a succinct, accurate and easy to remember statement is:
"A sad bitter loser"
I can't believe we have AD's who put winky emoticons in their all-hands memos.
A big thanks Sue, you brown-noser, for driving so many good people out of LANL, and not listening to those who asked you to step in and help your fellow scientists who were forced to leave while you were too busy looking up.
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