Frank,
I hope that you all post the latest article from C&E news (from the June 30, 2008 issue) entitled "Numbers Shrink at Weapons Labs". To quote Kevin Roark, a Los Alamos spokesperson..."These reductions (the VSP), along with normal attrition, meant that we did not have to resort to a layoff", and continues, "we are not going to do a separation program again and that Los Alamos is managing its workforce through normal attrition and strategic hiring". Does Kevin understand how Los Alamos get's its budget? Does Kevin understand that things in the future will be very different than in the past? Does Kevin understand that as a nation, we have a nine trillion dollar deficit? And does Kevin understand recession?
-Anonymous
Since Gussie left, "you all" is just me. I've offered to double his salary but he just laughs! Anyway, I can't answer for Kevin. Perhaps he'll drop by and leave a comment for you.
PS Thanks for sending links to the articles you mentioned!
Numbers Shrink At Weapons Labs - June 30, 2008
DOE Warns Of lab Layoffs - July 7, 2008
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9 comments:
Not to claim to be a huge fan of KR, but has it occurred to you that Roark doesn't make this stuff up, it's the word from LANS and/or the Director's Office? Do you think for a minute that an mere spokesperson has a hope in hell of getting to say what they actually think? Get real! Talk about shooting the messenger!
Agreed, 11:28.
You do what ya gotta do.
I do know Kevin, very well. He's an extremely decent and thoughtful man, and he works diligently to represent what he's been asked to do as professionally and accurately as he can.
This post is sour grapes. Has nothing to do with Kevin. It's the posters opinion that the sky is falling, and he wants to pin this on whoever he can. After all the smoke settled this year, LANL did fairly well, especially compared to LLNL. No involuntary layoffs this year, and the budget wasn't a total meltdown.
For fun, just read some of the posts from years back that said *this* year would be the disaster. Same, old commentary, same old complaints, same old predictions of doom. Well, it didn't turn out like that.
You may not like the current management, but fact is, they handled the current budget challenge pretty well. Of course, how many folks here will admit that? Thing can always be improved, sure. Frankly, we have it pretty good compared to many other industries, sites, and businesses.
This is an NNSA facility and there is a reason the NNSA is semi-autonomous. It's called plausible deniability. The last thing they want is their official spokesman telling the real story.
Kevin may be a good guy and all that. The 'just following orders' defense duly noted, his place in history will be alongside the likes of Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose), Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf (Baghdad Bob), and Scott McClellan.
4:47 pm: "This is an NNSA facility and there is a reason the NNSA is semi-autonomous. It's called plausible deniability. The last thing they want is their official spokesman telling the real story."
Huh?? Sorry, but the above makes no sense. What are you trying to say? How does "semi-autonomy" from DOE equate to "plausible deniability"?? I guess your zeal to impart the second piece of your little story (the supposed culpability of other "spokespersons") led you to concoct the above piece of nonsense. Nice try.
"You may not like the current management, but fact is, they handled the current budget challenge pretty well." (2:44 PM)
Get real, 2:44 PM. Thanks for this issue should go to St. Pete and not to anyone in LANS upper management.
If anything, LANS' complete ineptitude at managing LANL is burning up even larger portions of our limited operating budget.
When I read comments like those of 2:44 PM, I get the distinct feeling that LANS PR office must be trolling this blog.
"I do know Kevin, very well. He's an extremely decent and thoughtful man, and he works diligently to represent what he's been asked to do as professionally and accurately as he can."
So he's a tool like most everyone else. Come to work, do my job, collect my paycheck. Hey, I do the same thing and it works for me.
I've stumbled upon this PA training video on handling press inquiries that I thought others might enjoy.
just for the sake of accuracy --
it is not a $9 trillion deficit;
that is the national debt. the
deficit is only half a trillion
or so ;-)
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