LANL: The Corporate Story

Could we try a different approach here? If you are really interested in having a “real” conversation about LANL, please set up a thread where only constructive solutions are offered. I work with a LOT of people at the lab every day and not one is as down on the future as the pulse of this blog would suggest. Yes, there are problems and yes we are in the media again. I think congress and the public in general would react better to seeing us trying to have constructive conversations rather than the gossip and conspiracy BS.

Los Alamos National Lab will always be a part of history. I’m not ready for it to be history!
 

Ok, Mr. Constructive. You start. In fact, I challenge you to identify a single constructive move that could be made in LANL's current toxic environment of bloated, exorbitant overhead and FTE rates; inept, malevolent corporate management; and a flock of WFO customers who have long since flown the coop. Budget shortfall, GRT, $79 million management fee, at-will employment, drug testing, polygraph testing...

Go ahead, be constructive. But I warn you, you had better be realistic too, or your suggestions will be rightfully ripped to shreds.
 

I too do not believe the mass majority of the people at LANL want it closed.

I will however bet that the rest of worlds scientific community is trying to divorce themselves from this fiasco as far as possible in hopes that corrective action will soon be taken even if it's not politically correct or necessarily the best avenue to take in order to bring all of this to a close. Quite frankly I'll tell you that LANL is the topic of discussion at the lunch table, and no one is sympathetic to your cause or illogical request. The term "problem children" is frequently used and they do not blame NNSA, DOE or the UC for your predicament. Most are hoping for a quick solution that will get rid of those who chose to squat on the floor and throw a temper tantrum because they can't have things their way. The realization is, it's never going to be the way it was before and you may as well get use to it, or leave. Times have changed and the need for most of what was the primary mission of the labs is a thing of the past.

Having seen the outcome of this new contract and the child like misbehavior at LANL from some full grown adults my only regret is that NNSA and DOE allowed the University of California to have any say so in what going on at all. Maybe once all of the non compliant personnel and whiners have been terminated and consequently replaced with those who are interested in doing a job, who are totally compliant to all of the new rules and regulations, should guidance under a University be reconsidered.

All I ask of NNSA and DOE is to please bring this to a close soon, and please get on with the mission at hand. Do what you have to do.
 

Almost everyone I speak with at LANL is totally burned-out. Various protective measures are being utilized to dim the pain. Everyday brings news of yet another valuable staff member leaving LANL for a better work place. The thing that amazes me is that more people haven't left yet. The ones who are leaving are always the top performers. No one in upper management probably cares that our most effective TSMs are leaving because it just helps to balance the budget shortfall. But balance the budget for what? A workforce of leftover C-grade scientists?

To poster 5:14pm, this is a "real" conversation about what is occurring at LANL. If you don't see it, I suspect you are either: (1) in the upper levels of management, isolated from the workforce, or (2) completely blind to what is occurring right before your eyes. Simply thinking happy thoughts is not the answer. And there have been some constructive ideas presented on this blog, such as merging SNL and LANL into a Mega-lab with more effective management and cost savings. What are your constructive ideas? Let's hear them. I'm waiting......
 

To the "Anonymous Butthead Cowboy" who posted on 1/29/2007 6:29 PM:

You are undoubtedly a neocon with an agenda; you are NOT from Los Alamos (unless you are originally from Bechtel); and you have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER about the "rest of the worlds [sic] scientific community." If you think scientists are "problem children," then you are probably also a theocon of the pseudo-Christian Taliban variety, and your "love" of science is limited to praising to Jesus the technology that allows Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh to spew their messages via hate-television and hate-radio. You will be a "compliant," "non-whiner" in any up-coming fascist regime. Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln wouldn't waste their spit on you.

I leave your post on this blog as a counter-example. And I don't waste my spit, either; dogs don't spit.

--Pat, the thoroughly disgusted Dog
 

Here's to "could we try a dirrfent approch: Where in the hell do you work where no one is "down" at the lab? You must work in "Dinseyland". Where was your constructive solutions 3 yeaRS AGO WHE WE NEEDE THEM? This place is out of control and everyone knows it, maybe you don't even work here.
 

"Maybe once all of the non compliant personnel and whiners have been terminated and consequently replaced with those who are interested in doing a job, who are totally compliant to all of the new rules and regulations, should guidance under a University be reconsidered." (1/29/2007 6:29 PM)

Nope unfortunately many of these people were promoted to High-level program managers, GLS, DLs, ADs, PADs, etc. Dunno why, just the facts Ma'am...
 

Poster 5:14pm, most likely is the AD for CLES who tells everyone "it is getting better." Yep, she just got a huge pay raise with a large 6month bonus to boot, and she just appointed her hubbie to be a high-level program manager to control and direct funding to each of their on-going research programs. So things are getting better for her. On the other side of the tracks, she "paused" our glovebox activities and never even bothered to walk the space where those activities are being perforemd. Nice work if you can get it.
 

Pat, why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel about Republicans? I think you were holding back.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Dog, are you any relation to a Thomas Dog-Ostino with whom some of us are acquainted?
 

Constructive?
The idea that SNL can manage LANL is a great
joke. Let me remind you of a couple of facts:
(1) LM would only bid on LANL if the NNSA would
raise the fee from 51 to 79 million. Yes, dear gentle LANL staff, LM was not willing to assume the risk without the chance to make a lot of profit. Bechtel is
money grubbing? LM is the same color folks.
(2) SNL has just as many or more "infractions". Read the paper this weekend. 300 k is potentially fraudulent changes on credit cards. Story buried in the middle of the paper. LANL has a TOTAL of 100 K quesitonable changes, and there are congressional hearings. Why? Despite what is written in this blog it is not because the SNL Public Relations Staff is really good. Nope, there is a strong hate of LANL in washington. This will not go away with a name change.
(3) Paul Robinson is the answer? This is the guy that takes a limo -- not a cab -- from National Airport to Forrestal.

I don't work at lanl -- I work and snl. No way
would Joan and al put up with the stuff that you complain about in this blog. Get a grip.

Finally, for all you LLNL people HOPING for a
Northrup victory....Steve Younger was even too
nasty for LANL!
 

OK, poster 8:22pm. So you respond with whining, yet offer not a single constructive suggestion for improving the situation at LANL. What a total twit! I think that's now clear to everyone who reads this blog. And, no, I don't believe for a moment that you actually work at SNL. In addition to being a twit, you are also most likely a liar.
 

The bottom line from 8:22 is:
Shut ALL the national nuke labs down!
Every single last one of them.
Do you really mean that? POGO and the Los Alamos Study Group would be ecstatic.
 

"The bottom line from 8:22 is: Shut ALL the national nuke labs down! Every single last one of them. Do you really mean that? POGO and the Los Alamos Study Group would be ecstatic."

...and so at least would the Russians, Chinese, N.Koreans and Islamic fanatics be ecstatic.

...oh, and the French too.
 

You left out the British.
 

Oh, and the Israelis.
 

S: Remember when our DDL in ESA had everyone print out "ESA is a Great Place to Work" on their computer and post it in their office to boost morale?

Not exactly. Fearless DDL merely wrote 'Good Place'; some feral punk edited it to read 'GR8 Place', a homage to DDL's witty license plate.