tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post6174964714513538131..comments2023-08-27T06:53:36.768-06:00Comments on LANL: The Rest of the Story: Comment of the WeekFrank Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02134775226991383924noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-63216033605349754362009-03-01T11:11:00.000-07:002009-03-01T11:11:00.000-07:00For a new name for LANL, how aboutLos AlamosMostly...For a new name for LANL, how about<BR/><BR/>Los Alamos<BR/>Mostly<BR/>Environmental Cleanup<BR/>Facility.<BR/><BR/>Since the C and F are silent, the short version would be<BR/><BR/>LAMEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-54146700876047715242009-02-28T18:10:00.000-07:002009-02-28T18:10:00.000-07:00Somewhat of a change of subject, I ran across the ...Somewhat of a change of subject, I ran across the podcast interview of Author Thomas Barnett... he has interesting take on our role in the world.<BR/><BR/>http://www.sfgate.com/ZGCT<BR/><BR/>"In this podcast, strategist Thomas P.M. Barnett talks about his new book, "Great Powers: America and the World After Bush" (Putnam), in which he argues that the United States' role now is to shepherd the inevitable process of globalization, using economic, diplomatic and military power to shape the emerging global network in its own historical image.<BR/><BR/>For Barnett, the power shaping the world is globalization, the spreading connectivity of peoples and places through trade, travel and communication. In his first book, "The Pentagon's New Map," Barnett outlines how this force has restructured the world into an interconnected "core" of nations and a disconnected "gap" housing much of the world's violence.<BR/><BR/>At its heart, "Great Powers" is a fresh look at the world at the dawn of the Obama administration, and the challenges the new president must tackle if he is to succeed."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-15195276219431017362009-02-28T15:55:00.000-07:002009-02-28T15:55:00.000-07:00LANL has become a Potemkin village of American sci...LANL has become a Potemkin village of American science. An excellent insight, 7:36. Like General Potemkin, LANS clearly expects to profit from the ongoing charade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-84794509528967681832009-02-27T19:36:00.000-07:002009-02-27T19:36:00.000-07:00"when was the last time your group (or division fo..."when was the last time your group (or division for that matter) had a new hire? when was the last time a postdoc was converted in your group?" - 3:45 pm<BR/><BR/>There have been almost no new hires of scientists. LANS only wants to hire plant engineers (CESs) and environmental cleanup technicians. In fact, you'll receive a nice $2K bonus if you refer a plant engineer to HR and the plant engineer will receive a sweet $30K bonus for taking the job.<BR/><BR/>No rewards for hiring scientists at LANL, though. Science at LANL is dead. At best, it will become a Potemkin Village affair to show off to the occasional politician who stops by for a brief visit.<BR/><BR/>It's become clear that this is way Bechtel and BWXT intend to run this place and they apparently get to call most of the shots. The name "LANL" is quickly becoming a misnomer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-64829656182276354542009-02-27T17:24:00.000-07:002009-02-27T17:24:00.000-07:00Walden UniversitySchool of Psychologyhttp://www.wa...Walden University<BR/><BR/>School of Psychology<BR/>http://www.waldenu.edu/c/Schools/Schools_110.htm<BR/><BR/>"...and is currently completing his master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Walden University."<BR/><BR/>Don't see that area listed under the current MS specializations in Psychology:<BR/><BR/>* Crisis Management and Response new<BR/>* General Program<BR/>* Health Psychology new<BR/>* Leadership Development and Coaching new<BR/>* Media Psychology new<BR/>* Organizational Psychology and Development<BR/>* Organizational Psychology and Nonprofit Management new<BR/>* Program Evaluation and Research new<BR/>* Psychology of Culture new<BR/>* Psychology, Public Administration, and Social Change new<BR/>* Social Psychology new<BR/>* Terrorism and Security new <BR/><BR/>http://www.waldenu.edu/c/Schools/Schools_4214.htm<BR/><BR/>AD Cantwell did not indicate if he'll follow this up with an online PhD available from Walden as well.<BR/><BR/>http://www.waldenu.edu/c/Schools/Schools_4216.htmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-76879807676089937202009-02-27T16:02:00.000-07:002009-02-27T16:02:00.000-07:00this cantwell guy has the makings to become the ne...this cantwell guy has the makings to become the next management lab fellow if he plays his cards right...i wonder if he's the guy who came up with those new stupid signs we see everywhere. <BR/><BR/>"it's cool to carpool"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-61202584798499252812009-02-27T15:45:00.000-07:002009-02-27T15:45:00.000-07:0011:00 AM is right, there's a shift in workforce th...11:00 AM is right, there's a shift in workforce that has been taking place for some time. first it was a hiring freeze, and now it seems like they don't want new blood in science. when was the last time your group (or division for that matter) had a new hire? when was the last time a postdoc was converted in your group? <BR/><BR/>time to abandon ship boys, we're goin' down!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-63714742705678886512009-02-27T11:00:00.000-07:002009-02-27T11:00:00.000-07:00Hey, 11:05 PM, think about it, Mr. Big Brain. LAN...Hey, 11:05 PM, think about it, Mr. Big Brain. LANL currently has 68 job positions open and yet only 3 of these are for the position of Scientist. <BR/><BR/>You should realize that LANS doesn't want highly educated scientists working at LANL. They have high labor rates which cause problems in bringing in funding to pay these rates. <BR/><BR/>The future at LANL is clear to anyone who bothers to look and see what is going on in front of their noses. Production work, plant engineering and cleanup.... it's easy to manage and very profitable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-19953546143480745052009-02-27T07:59:00.000-07:002009-02-27T07:59:00.000-07:0011:05, and to think they could have had a meaningf...11:05, and to think they could have had a meaningful career as a Scientist 3/4 with a PhD from a top school instead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-18730532009127019122009-02-27T06:46:00.000-07:002009-02-27T06:46:00.000-07:00I guess we can receive pdf files now, but Excel do...I guess we can receive pdf files now, but Excel documents are now being quarantined. Next week we will move on to banning all ASCII text.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-25889191659611539112009-02-27T06:00:00.000-07:002009-02-27T06:00:00.000-07:00One positive stimulus news is the tax rate will be...One positive stimulus news is the tax rate will be almost 40% for earners above $250K, their mortgage deduction will be reduced, and companies such as Rechtel will be analyzed to see how much of their $ are being invested in other countries to avoid tax. Gee, that means that Mikey, Terry and their cronies will not be able to keep as much of his moolah via tax avoidance. Oops, I forgot, they are allowed to "gross up" their extra money. Another issue for POGO?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-46241324029078716682009-02-26T23:05:00.000-07:002009-02-26T23:05:00.000-07:00Mike Lansing and Chris Cantwell named new associat...Mike Lansing and Chris Cantwell named new associate directors (LANL Newsbulletin)<BR/><BR/>By Tatjana K. Rosev<BR/><BR/>February 26, 2009<BR/><BR/>Two new Laboratory associate directors were announced this week. Mike Lansing was named associate director for Safeguards and Security and James “Chris” Cantwell is associate director for Environment, Safety, Health & Quality. Lansing and Cantwell take over from Paul Sowa and Dick Watkins, respectively, who both retired this month.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Prior to joining the Laboratory, Lansing managed security operations at Babcock and Wilcox (BWXT) Nuclear Operations Group in Lynchburg, Virginia. Lansing led a 200-employee security force at this site, which is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He oversaw protective force operations and training, managed the Emergency Operations Center, and ensured that staff met NRC security requirements.<BR/><BR/>From 2004 to 2007, Lansing worked at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, first as division training manager and later as deputy division manager of Safeguards and Security. Lansing holds a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in history from Wheaton College in Illinois.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Previously, Cantwell served at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as Quality Services Division director, and later as Safety Leadership Program director and Health and Safety Field Services group leader. From 1989 to 2000, Cantwell worked at the Pantex Plant in Amarillo as Environment, Safety, and Health Support Services manager. Cantwell started his career as an industrial hygienist and bioenvironmental engineer with American Airlines.<BR/><BR/>Cantwell holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from Colorado State University and is currently completing his master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Walden University. He is a board-certified industrial hygienist and safety professional.<BR/><BR/>_______________________<BR/><BR/>So here is how it stands with the latest AD hires:<BR/><BR/>Mike Lansing looks to be a C-level student formerly with BWXT who has made it into the exaulted AD ranks at Los Alamos National Laboratory.<BR/><BR/>And Chris Cantwell? My Gawd! He looks to be a D-level student, and that is being generous. He has a BS from CO State and is "working on his masters" from one of those pay-for-your-title degree mills (Walden U.)!!!<BR/><BR/>Both of these guys will be be making around $350K, plus they'll recieve the standard LANS perks and bonuses. Of course, we'll never know exactly how much they make because that is considered LANS LLC proprietary information.<BR/><BR/>It has been said that LANL is currently being run by a bunch of C-grade students. From the looks of recent AD hires, particularly in the case of Cantwell, it now appears LANS has lowered their standards and are reaching for the D-grade students. <BR/><BR/>Considering that Tom D'Agostino only has a BS in Physical Science and never made higher rank that Captain after over 20 years of service in the Navy, I guess LANL should tell these new ADs "Welcome aboard, you're in good company!"<BR/><BR/>With each executive new hire, LANS LLC appears to be moving the lab a little bit lower down the rungs of the ladder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-44793789737228326802009-02-26T22:21:00.000-07:002009-02-26T22:21:00.000-07:00The beatings will continue until morale at LANL im...The beatings will continue until morale at LANL improves. <BR/><BR/>Once morale improves, the beatings will then be applied with double the force. <BR/><BR/>This will continue until the whole workforce collapses to the floor in unison from complete exhaustion and stress. <BR/><BR/>After that point in time, the mass layoffs will commence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-57209824987760579582009-02-26T15:20:00.000-07:002009-02-26T15:20:00.000-07:00What is the difference between "unreconciled inven...<I>What is the difference between "unreconciled inventory" and stuff that is lost?</I><BR/><BR/>Stuff that has been misplaced in vault B instead stored in vault A. Stuff that has been destroyed or that has never existed but that has been inventoried - all happened before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-68360253390861384402009-02-26T12:32:00.000-07:002009-02-26T12:32:00.000-07:00What is the difference between "unreconciled inven...What is the difference between "unreconciled inventory" and stuff that is lost?<BR/><BR/>This sounds like flim-flam to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-58962123287513797802009-02-26T12:31:00.000-07:002009-02-26T12:31:00.000-07:00Sure, according to Roark, "nothing is missing."The...Sure, according to Roark, "nothing is missing."<BR/>The just can't find the stuff!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-90713922208550286932009-02-26T11:34:00.000-07:002009-02-26T11:34:00.000-07:00A new story just came out this morning. It's not ...A new story just came out this morning. It's not completely clear from this story what items are missing from TA-55 (the Pit Factory):<BR/><BR/>Los Alamos lab reports inventory problem<BR/><BR/>By The Associated Press<BR/><BR/>Posted: 02/26/2009 11:05:56 AM MST<BR/><BR/>LOS ALAMOS — Los Alamos National Laboratory has reported "unreconciled inventory" and accounting for sensitive materials within a secure technical area, but officials said nothing is missing.<BR/><BR/>The lab reported the internal problem at Technical Area 55 last month to the National Nuclear Secretary Administration. The area is the weapons lab's plutonium research, development and processing facility.<BR/><BR/>The lab said there is no risk to the public, lab employees or the environment.<BR/><BR/>A Los Alamos spokesman, Kevin Roark, said Thursday officials were certain nothing was missing because of layers of security at the technical area and the lab, including armed guards on site 24 hours a day.<BR/><BR/>"We have multiple security controls, we call it defense in-depth, that give us this absolute assurance," he said.<BR/><BR/>Roark likened the technical area to a warehouse in which packages come in and out but also are moved around within the building. "We want to make it absolutely clear that nothing went out the door," he said.<BR/><BR/>The lab said tech area managers are reviewing materials controls for a small segment of the area's operations, and that normal operations are continuing except for that segment.<BR/><BR/>The lab also is working with NNSA and experts from the corporate partners within the lab's management contractor, Los Alamos National Security LLC, to improve internal bookkeeping and inventory procedures.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-20293049268752431432009-02-26T11:22:00.000-07:002009-02-26T11:22:00.000-07:00Any word on what Glenn Mara told the Weapons Direc...Any word on what Glenn Mara told the Weapons Directorate employees about the weapons budget at this morning's All-Hands meeting?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-31383089811940376702009-02-26T11:14:00.000-07:002009-02-26T11:14:00.000-07:00Guess the question is: Are they worth more than th...Guess the question is: Are they worth more than the 70% of the scientists who are Scientists 1/2/3?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-58026631875849856242009-02-25T21:10:00.000-07:002009-02-25T21:10:00.000-07:00fair enough 8:33 pm. but should they be hired for...fair enough 8:33 pm. but should they be hired for a scientist 4 position?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-72393620549319102152009-02-25T20:33:00.000-07:002009-02-25T20:33:00.000-07:00not every assistant professor who does not get ten...not every assistant professor who does not get tenure is a C-rated guy. Many are very good but failed to bring in the amount of money their department wanted. At least they competed succesfully for their job at some time in their career, unlike most of LANL TSMs who were converted because their PI had the money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-46641506042862884552009-02-25T11:04:00.000-07:002009-02-25T11:04:00.000-07:00Under the mis-management of both NNSA and LANS LLC...Under the mis-management of both NNSA and LANS LLC (aka Bechtel), Los Alamos National Lab has become a big, stink'in pile of poo. <BR/><BR/>Terry and Mikey should smell it and quit trying to sell us a pony!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-90866075527329362642009-02-25T10:34:00.000-07:002009-02-25T10:34:00.000-07:00After listening to Obama's speech last night, I gu...After listening to Obama's speech last night, I guess I should put in my retirement papers since I'm part of the post-cold war weapons program.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-10914306555792299952009-02-25T10:27:00.000-07:002009-02-25T10:27:00.000-07:00Fatty pants knows how to do pseudo-random sampling...Fatty pants knows how to do pseudo-random sampling? Wow, I'm mighty impressed!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-75666649550286991552009-02-24T23:27:00.000-07:002009-02-24T23:27:00.000-07:00PS They don't care about people falling on the ic...PS They don't care about people falling on the ice either. That is a show to keep LANS out of court.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com