Contributed by John:
June 3, 2011
Dear members of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory community:
I am writing to you as a follow up to my letter of April 12, 2011, regarding George Millers decision to retire. We have begun our process to search for the next director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As part of this process, it is important that we hear directly from those who represent the real strength of the Laboratory the talented and dedicated LLNL staff.
As stipulated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS)
partners, the University of California (UC) is responsible for leading the search for the new Laboratory director. The search process will be similar in scope and breadth to that which resulted in the recent successful recruitment of Charlie McMillan as the new director for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). It also is consistent with that used by the University in all searches for the chancellors of our campuses, as well as in searches for previous national laboratory directors.
This process includes a University-appointed search committee supported by a screening task force. As chairman of the LLNS Board of Governors and as chairman of the UC Regents Committee on Oversight of the DOE Laboratories, I will chair the search committee that will advise me on the final selection of the next director. UC President Mark Yudof and I will appoint committee members in accordance with regental policy. Once committee membership is finalized, we will share the membership list with you.
The position advertisement has been posted nationally and on the LLNL and UC job postings (See Newsline for more information). Nominations and applications are to be submitted to the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) at the mailing or e-mail addresses noted in the job posting. All communication to these addresses will be held in confidence. The search committee also will be charged with holding all discussions and information in complete confidence.
Within the next two months, the search committee will meet at LLNL to hear from various constituencies and to determine the criteria that we will use to evaluate candidates for the next director. Since we will not be able to speak to every staff member when we visit Livermore, we encourage you to communicate your thoughts to us on the qualities and experience you consider most important for the next director. We ask that you communicate with us through the confidential UCOP addresses noted in the position advertisement, and we particularly welcome the submission of candidates you want us to consider for the position.
A screening task force will be formed to support the work of the search committee. The screening task force will ensure that we are looking at a broad and diverse spectrum of potential candidates and will evaluate the candidate pool against the selection criteria identified by the search committee. The task force will recommend a pool of candidates for consideration by the search committee, which may determine additional candidates prior to its decision on those to interview. We will share the composition of the task force, which will include some of your LLNL colleagues, when it is finalized.
Throughout the search process, non-confidential information on the search will be placed on Websites that are accessible to both internal and external audiences. At the conclusion of the process, the candidate nominated by the University of California for Laboratory director will be submitted to the chairman and vice chairman of the LLNS Board of Governors for approval and to the Secretary of Energy for his concurrence.
I want to thank you for your interest in the process and for your patience and support as we complete this important task. LLNL has a stellar record of outstanding science, engineering and technology in support of the nation, and the selection of a visionary leader is critical to the Laboratory's continued success. I can assure you that the selection of your next leader is a responsibility that all of us involved in the search process take very seriously. Collectively, we will have an impressive group of individuals providing advice and counsel, and I am confident that we will have an exceptional outcome.
I thank you for your continued dedication and service to LLNL and the nation.
Regards,
Norman J. Pattiz
Chairman, LLNL Director Search Committee
Chairman, LLNS, LLC Board of Governors
Chairman, UC Regents Committee on Oversight of the DOE Laboratories
36 comments:
"The search process will be similar in scope and breadth to that which resulted in the recent successful recruitment of Charlie McMillan as the new director for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)."
HaHaHaHaHa!! Translation: "We asked him if he still wanted the job and he said yes." You don't have to "recruit" someone who is first in line with his hand out. Watch out, Livermore - by Pattiz' own admission, you are in for the same flim-flammery as LANL.
What 12:31 pm says is all too true. Pattiz and the LLNS Board are just going thru the motions. it is a poorly executed charade!
Translation: "We have selected Bruce Goodwin to be the next director of LLNL."
Anyone want to bet against this?
The sad truth is that the local Los Alamos rag has a vested interest in keeping LANS and LANL management on their side for exclusive stories, and the Santa Fe and Albuquerque news organizations either hate LANL anyway or have to be reminded Los Alamos even exists (except when there's a big forest fire). No news source in NM will pick up this obvious case of fraud and deceit on the part of UC. Hell, most think UC still controls LANL. The public will never have the truth of this crime, and McMillan will laugh all the way to the bank (which is located in California). I believe that even one story given national play about Pattiz and his fraud would send the whole house crashing down. Pattiz is betting it won't happen, and that he can repeat the deal with LLNS.
Could someone explain to me who appointed the billionaire mogul Pattiz to lead the Labs? Make no mistake about it, this is the focal point of all problems with the Labs and a big mistake!
Goodwin has some qualification for the job. MacMillan has none. But they both do live in Livermore.
From a January 17, 2008 UC press release:
"The University of California Board of Regents today (Jan. 17) selected Norman J. Pattiz as chairman of the Board of Governors of both Los Alamos National Security LLC (LANS LLC) and Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (LLNS LLC). LANS and LLNS were formed to manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, respectively.
UC Board of Regents Chairman Richard C. Blum and UC President Robert C. Dynes jointly recommended his appointment. Pattiz's appointment is effective March 1, 2008, upon the resignation of the current chairman, Gerald L. Parsky."
Per a September 2003 news story, Pattiz was nominated to a 12-year term on the UC Board Of Regents by then Governor Gray Davis.
It's no wonder the University of California is going down in flames. With all the money in the pockets Dynes, Parsky and Pattiz why don't they just make a small donation and fix the problem? Regarding Pattz, here's a guy that has been in trouble with the U.S. Government for coercing his employees for making campaign contributions, so that he then pay them more in return. The government then only slapped his hand for $75,000, then granted him a top secret Q-clearance, and custody of all the U.S. nuclear weapons. Problem is, the military doesn't want the weapons. The U.S. is in a sad state of affairs and no one seems to give a &%&%#!
The problem with California, is its leaders are really, really crappy.
The government then only slapped his hand for $75,000, then granted him a top secret Q-clearance, and custody of all the U.S. nuclear weapons.
June 5, 2011 5:08 PM
Sorry, in no sense does Pattiz have "custody" of US nuclear weapons. Either you are prone to outrageous overstatement or you have no idea how the US nuclear weapons complex works. If Pattiz tried to walk into Pantex weapons areas, he'd be shot, unless the visit was planned, and even then, he'd never be given other than visual access to a weapon. A DOE Q clearance automatically grants access to TSRD, but does not grant need-to-know. Even worse if he tried to access a nuclear-capable US military base without authorization. The military does indeed understand its role here, and the nuclear mission is a clear one. If you have evidence the military does not want nuclear weapons, provide it or shut up.
If you have evidence the military does not want nuclear weapons, provide it or shut up.
June 5, 2011 7:27
http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/PhaseIIReportFinal.pdf
Read page 21 and more and weep. If the DoD wanted nuclear weapons they would own them.
"There were two important intervals in the last decade when the ATSD(NCB) position went unfilled for several years, underscoring the diminution of interest in nuclear weapons matters within the DoD organization."
Also, you sound like one of Knapp's "trainees" who has led to believe they are nuclear weapon experts. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a bay and a cell!
The problem with California is that the 'direct democracy' avenues like ballot propositions have been totally overtaken by various narrowly-focused, but well-funded, "leaders".
Today's Los Alamos newspaper had a headline that was scripted by the liars in the LANS press room. MacMillian does not live in Los Alamos. He lives with his family that never moved from Livermore. LANS pays - tax free - for him to fly home to be with them each weekend. And, get this, when they do come to New Mexico to visit him, LANS also pays for them to travel! Pretty sweet deal, eh.
“You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a bay and a cell!”
With IHE systems, it’s not as important as it was with the HMX systems.
http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/PhaseIIReportFinal.pdf
Read page 21 and more and weep. If the DoD wanted nuclear weapons they would own them.
"There were two important intervals in the last decade when the ATSD(NCB) position went unfilled for several years, underscoring the diminution of interest in nuclear weapons matters within the DoD organization."
June 5, 2011 8:29 PM
Obviously you don't understand that there is a difference between "ownership" and "custody." The latter is the only relevant concept. The military has custody of as many weapons as they are authorized to deploy, in all three legs of the triad. The fact that there may be a "diminution of interest" in upper-level DoD management means nothing regarding the current mission readiness and capability of the nuclear-capable units in the field. That is unchanged.
Why has the LLNL blog been taken over by what appears to be a small group of eternally embittered LANL losers who make up wild unfounded conspiracy theories, have no idea what is happening outside of their tiny world, are fueled wholly by a childish resentment against Livermore and the need to tear people apart, and think they are the center of the universe? Your theories about how there is some evil conspiracy at work in picking Lab directors is laughable and infantile.You really aren't that important. Get a life, grow up, form your own blog or quit. The country doesn't need people like you.
Your theories about how there is some evil conspiracy at work in picking Lab directors is laughable and infantile.You really aren't that important. Get a life, grow up, form your own blog or quit. The country doesn't need people like you.
June 6, 2011 8:58 PM
Thanks Charlie, we needed that.
I figured it out. The LANL complainers are only upset because Charlie and Bret don't "live" in Los Alamos County because it blows their chances to move up the list of richest counties in America (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/americas-10-richest-counties/story?id=13773029).
They are only 6th now, but have their eye on 2nd, so they can spend lots of time talking about how, if only they weren't wearing grippy shoes, Roadrunner would show that they were really #1.
LANS and LLNS have put the two NNSA labs in the best shape that they have been in for decades. Thank goodness we have such capable managers now leading these labs!
The losers who continue to complain about the new management have no credibility anymore. It's time to ignore them for good.
I strongly suggest the blog administrator consider shutting down this blog and get on with his life. It serves little purpose and is read by very few people. Why waste your time?
Besides, the legal liabilities for keeping it up are not worth the costs.
Thanks for you sound advise. The BLOG is for everyone to express their opinion, just like yourself.
I do not label who I disagree with as losers. I will politely decline your advise to shutdown this BLOG.
YOu must have done some research to find out very few people read the BLOG. You will be a good candidate for being a blog co-admin!
LANS and LLNS have put the two NNSA labs in the best shape that they have been in for decades. Thank goodness we have such capable managers now leading these labs!
LOL.
Almost as funny as an episode of Top Gear
Yeah.
And Tyler Pryzbylek and Tom D'Agostino are modern day Churchill and Roosevelt.
The only thing Tyler the liar, Tom Fool and lab leadership has with Churchill and Roosevelt is that they are all dead.
I strongly suggest the blog administrator consider shutting down this blog and get on with his life. It serves little purpose and is read by very few people. Why waste your time?
Besides, the legal liabilities for keeping it up are not worth the costs.
June 7, 2011 9:59 AM
If you don't like what you hear then stop wasting your time reading it. Move on and crawl back under your rock!
LANS and LLNS have put the two NNSA labs in the best shape that they have been in for decades. Thank goodness we have such capable managers now leading these labs!
June 7, 2011 4:41 PM
What do you mean "now leading"? These were the same monkeys that were in the trees when the gorillas from Becthel arrived. I don't mean any offense to monkeys or gorillas.
What do you mean "now leading"? These were the same monkeys that were in the trees when the gorillas from Becthel arrived. I don't mean any offense to monkeys or gorillas.
June 7, 2011 4:54 PM
Don't forget the three chimps (aka chumps) from Livermore.
Dear 9:59 AM:
You bring up a point on legal liabilities. See the full size photograph of the new Director on the LANL homepage. Did you notice the clear violation of display of badge in this? Typical of Charlie since his arrival, punish staff for each and every violation no matter how small. But the rules apply selectively and not to him.
You bring up a point on legal liabilities. See the full size photograph of the new Director on the LANL homepage. Did you notice the clear violation of display of badge in this? Typical of Charlie since his arrival, punish staff for each and every violation no matter how small. But the rules apply selectively and not to him.
June 8, 2011 7:31 AM
Oh please. If you had ever had your portrait taken by Lab photographers, you would know that they ask that you take your badge off for the photo.
Besides, you cannot know when, or where, the photo was taken.
Such comments are pathetic; they undermine the credibility of the whole blog. Privatized nukes for profit is criminally political, but we will never gain any traction to change it if all we can do is comment on such weighty topics as whether someone is wearing their Lab badge in a photo.
What is this: seventh grade?
What is this: seventh grade?
June 8, 2011 5:56 PM
Manifestly, it is. The serious commenters are overrun by the whiners and the extremists. No facts allowed, just innuendo and slander. And no serious proposals for real action, either. It is starting to really resemble the final days and weeks of the late LANL blog, where no attempt at real dialog or rational commentary was tolerated until as a result (I believe) of the untimely death of one of the moderators, and the increasing frustration of the other, the blog simply ceased. There was a plea at the end for someone to step up and take it over, but apparently no takers. Prophetic I think. Tellingly, it seems that the LANL posters here are determined to repeat history.
"Tellingly, it seems that the LANL posters here are determined to repeat history."
What history?
I don't know what the poster had in mind, but uniform following the rules isn't a perry gripe. Under Hecker and Browne they followed the same rules as Director that we did as TSM. No special car allowance, no special family travel allowance, no special insurance allowance, no annual bonus, no double housing allowance. I do not see Charlie and Brett following the same rules that the rank and file are forced to follow.
"Tellingly, it seems that the LANL posters here are determined to repeat history."
What history?
June 8, 2011 9:27 PM
I believe the point 6/8 8:35 pm was making is that the LANL-related posts here are mostly whining, abusive, and/or extreme and irrational, with no positive or constructive contributions. I believe the poster is correct that those same trends contributed strongly to the demise of the LANL blog at the time.
There was a plea at the end for someone to step up and take it over, but apparently no takers. Prophetic I think. Tellingly, it seems that the LANL posters here are determined to repeat history.
June 8, 2011 8:35 PM
Who cares about your endless diatribe other than maybe Bechtel?
Who cares about your endless diatribe other than maybe Bechtel?
June 13, 2011 5:13 PM
You'll have to be more specific. What "diatribe"?
The choice for LLNL's next Director will probably be determined by Pattiz after a good ol' boy all night drinking binge during this summer's Bohemian Grove meeting at the Riley Bechtel "Mandalay" camp.
FYI:
From "Bohemians & the Bohemian Grove"
( Joël van der Reijden )
Many camps in the Bohemian Grove contain very prestigious visitors. You have camps like Cave Man, Hideaway, Hill Billies, Hillside, Isle of Aves, Lost Angels, Mandalay, Midway, Owl's Nest, Sempervirens, Silverado Squatters, and Stowaway. Mandalay seems to be the camp for international relations and consists of many members officially or otherwise connected to the intelligence agencies.
Mandalay is the only camp you cannot just walk into and before you are allowed on the compound someone will ask you who you have an appointment with. If you're cleared for access, you are taken up the hill with a Bechtel-designed electric pulley. Many members of camps like Hill Billies or Stowaway (Rockefellers and Morgans) have been to Mandalay at one time or another.
Post a Comment