Actual post from Dec. 15 from one of the streams. This is a real topic. As far as promoting women and minorities even if their qualifications are not as good as the white male scientists, I am all for it. We need diversity at the lab and if that is what it takes, so be it. Quit your whining. Look around the lab, what do you see? White male geezers. How many African Americans do you see at the lab? Virtually none. LLNL is one of the MOST undiverse places you will see. Face it folks, LLNL is an institution of white male privilege and they don't want to give up their privileged positions. California, a state of majority Hispanics has the "crown jewel" LLNL nestled in the middle of it with very FEW Hispanics at all!
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48% of free money for nothing is pretty dam good, so why they hate?
Bechtel baby it's BECHTEL BABY! It is $$$, attituuude, instinct, and winning. You get it or you get out, go big or go home. It is worldwide and dropping the mic, doing victory laps and then some... It is Bechtel Baby you know it or you don't. It is going for the midterm get in for 5-10 years, get the spoils and move on to the next and the next after that, but place some operatives for the slow long term FUNNEL. It is Bechtel Baby, play it, do it, win it, live it, cash it in and f* it. It is Vibrant, UNREAL, contagious, ALIVE,... it is the VUCA many times over and under. It bribes the natives, moves mountains, build tunnels, and is essential, it follows the money, grabs it by the, well you know, and the money lets Bechtel grab it by the. It is Bechtel baby!!! There is no ??? to it nor can there be because it is essential. Bechtel baby, you get it you or you don't and some have gotten it very very very well and played it well and made the money!!!! Ca Ching
Just an observation at LANL. During LANS the high level manger parking area had the high end Audis, Porsches, and giant SUVs.
Now it has mostly Subarus, Jeeps, and Fords.
5/01/2019 5:20 PM
I guess making money and showing others you have lots money above all including national interests has decreased. This in my opinion is a good sign.
A better analysis is that through the lens of psychology. Perhaps the mangers under Triad are making good money but their satisfaction in life comes from doing a good job that is a service the United States and helping the workforce do the best job it can. In this way they really do not care about showing off a fancy car or flaunting their wealth because that does not give them any satisfaction. Under LANS perhaps you had managers who did not care about the service to the United States or about the workforce at al, their self-worth was derived only by money, power and status however it was attained. They derived satisfaction from showing the dregs how much money they have and that is all that matters. To them LANS was a scam and just like many a pimp and criminal will do they will have as fancy toys, dress, houses and so on just to fill the void. The question is how much of this culture came from Bechtel and judging from the changes at LANL it would appear to be rather large amount.
In the LANS days stories had been rife with weirdo managers, many Bechtel people, who would have a meeting and just brag about their latest trip, how they meet a celebrity, how they have houses in real states, know important people and so on. As Bechtel itself points out: we are better at making money than making things.
Another small observation it seems like the town of LANL is a bit more pleasant in terms of personal interactions with people. A bit less road rage, a bit less weird looks by certain people in the supermarket, less complaints and so on. Some other people pointed this out so it is not just my imagination. Many of the Bechtel people did not like LANL and certainly did not like the scientists. It could be that only 300 Bechtel people had been at the lab but twas still enough bad attitude to be noticed now that they are gone.
Sorry, but I think it is a good thing to exercise judgement, about everything in life. Yes, I judge everyone, about everything. So sue me. I keep quiet about it 95% of the time.
So you judge everyone who has done better than you? Thats just great, just because some people have the skill and work ethic to attain an elite manager position you judge them on the cars that they own? I think you need to turn the judgment on yourself, you have no business judging the success of others especially at the place that you work.
5/03/2019 11:57 PM
Maybe you should rad the post again. I said I judge EVERYONE about EVERYTHING. Part of success in life is having good judgement, and I have been very successful.
Many things could be said of Agnew but eccentric old coot was not one of them. He had A LOT to prove during the cold war since so much was at stake, but you wouldn't know anything about that. Agnew also new how important having the best people are to the deterrent. Agnew was from a different age, the cold war age in when what LANL did actually mattered. Some say we are still in that age but judging from what has happened to LANL and LLNL it would seem like a lot people simply don't care. How do you go from Agnew to McMillian? I know someone is going to say but McMillian made 20 times more money than that old coot Agnew did and that is all that matters. Fine enough but during the cold war who would you rather have had as your lab Director McMillian or Agnew?
I agree with everything you have to say about Nanos, but if you ever meet him hid did come across as a complete phony who was obviously trying hide something.
Could you please expand on this. I read the whole thread I simply do not see anything like
showing a "pretentious nature of the lab". Perhaps there is some projection on your part.
5/06/2019 10:11 PM
I did, on multiple occasions when I could not arrange to meet with Cobb instead. He was as the poster 5/06/2019 5:05 PM described, and more. He refused to listen to any knowledgeable advice and scowled through any report he didn't like. A thoroughly unpleasant experience.
5/09/2019 4:23 PM
Project much.