Has Russia resumed nuclear resting?
See NYT article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/us/politics/russia-nuclear-tests.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
DOE whistleblower problem
DOE contractor employees are misled from the get go regarding the investigative authority of DOE to address whistleblower claims
When Hanford contractors Bechtel and URS (also members of the LLNS LLC) were asked to provide records of a Hanford whistleblower employee, Bechtel and URS refused, and essentially told the DOE IG, yes the DOE IG, to take a hike.
It would appear that DOE claims to offer whistleblower protection knowing that they have no authority to demand records to prove or disprove contractor retaliation. This uncommunicated detail which appears to be a form of fraud, simply buys more time for DOE contractors to mitigate whistleblower issues using tax payer dollars.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/10/f18/IG-0923.pdf
When Hanford contractors Bechtel and URS (also members of the LLNS LLC) were asked to provide records of a Hanford whistleblower employee, Bechtel and URS refused, and essentially told the DOE IG, yes the DOE IG, to take a hike.
It would appear that DOE claims to offer whistleblower protection knowing that they have no authority to demand records to prove or disprove contractor retaliation. This uncommunicated detail which appears to be a form of fraud, simply buys more time for DOE contractors to mitigate whistleblower issues using tax payer dollars.
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/10/f18/IG-0923.pdf
Friday, May 24, 2019
Another Scandal !
Another Scandal
Former LANL scientist indicted for making false statements
SANTA FE, N.M. — A former top scientist with Los Alamos National Laboratories has been federally charged with three counts of making false official statements about “his involvement with a program established by the Chinese government to recruit people with access to and knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property,” according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
https://www.abqjournal.com/1320008/former-lanl-scientist-indicted-for-making-false-statements.html
Former LANL scientist indicted for making false statements
SANTA FE, N.M. — A former top scientist with Los Alamos National Laboratories has been federally charged with three counts of making false official statements about “his involvement with a program established by the Chinese government to recruit people with access to and knowledge of foreign technology and intellectual property,” according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
https://www.abqjournal.com/1320008/former-lanl-scientist-indicted-for-making-false-statements.html
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Another set of unfulfilled NNSA FOIA requests go to District Court
Another set of unfulfilled NNSA FOIA requests go to District Court
On May 9, 2019, my Attorney for FOIA matters filed "Rivera v. National Nuclear Security Administration et al" in CA Northern District Court. The complaint alleges failure to provide timely responses to 4 NNSA FOIA requests. In summary, the FOIAs requested the following records:
1. NNSA LFO Contracting Officer review of legal fee reimbursement allowability based on DOE Acquisition Letter AL 2016-06 that
requires review of underlying contractor misconduct in whistleblower cases
2. Career indefinite employee and supplemental labor employee lay offs at LLNL from June 1, 1984 to November 1, 2013
3. Records relating to the LLNL HEAF 10kg port glass rupture during an August 30, 2013 experiment
4. Legal fee reimbursements to LLNS for the period of May 18, 2018 to January 18, 2019 related to my whistleblower case
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/28150710/Rivera_v_National_Nuclear_Security_Administration_et_al
In my previous CA Northern District Court FOIA related proceeding regarding whistleblower related expenses, the NNSA did not provide the requested internal aggregate man-hour charges (available through project/task records) of LLNS employees related to my whistleblower case. These expenses may include internal man-hours charges for strategy meetings, testimony, depositions, coaching, statement construction, statement edits, investigation guidance etc., all charged to LLNS contracted funds. The use of contracted funds for this purpose did not require the oversight or approval of the NNSA. As such, these aggregate internal time charges were directly extracted from contracted funds without the need of a reimbursement allowability process.
Anthony Rivera
On May 9, 2019, my Attorney for FOIA matters filed "Rivera v. National Nuclear Security Administration et al" in CA Northern District Court. The complaint alleges failure to provide timely responses to 4 NNSA FOIA requests. In summary, the FOIAs requested the following records:
1. NNSA LFO Contracting Officer review of legal fee reimbursement allowability based on DOE Acquisition Letter AL 2016-06 that
requires review of underlying contractor misconduct in whistleblower cases
2. Career indefinite employee and supplemental labor employee lay offs at LLNL from June 1, 1984 to November 1, 2013
3. Records relating to the LLNL HEAF 10kg port glass rupture during an August 30, 2013 experiment
4. Legal fee reimbursements to LLNS for the period of May 18, 2018 to January 18, 2019 related to my whistleblower case
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/28150710/Rivera_v_National_Nuclear_Security_Administration_et_al
In my previous CA Northern District Court FOIA related proceeding regarding whistleblower related expenses, the NNSA did not provide the requested internal aggregate man-hour charges (available through project/task records) of LLNS employees related to my whistleblower case. These expenses may include internal man-hours charges for strategy meetings, testimony, depositions, coaching, statement construction, statement edits, investigation guidance etc., all charged to LLNS contracted funds. The use of contracted funds for this purpose did not require the oversight or approval of the NNSA. As such, these aggregate internal time charges were directly extracted from contracted funds without the need of a reimbursement allowability process.
Anthony Rivera
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Monday, May 13, 2019
LLNL NIF being slashed!
This could be the beginning of the end for ICF.
http://www.independentnews.com/news/lab-s-nif-slated-for-budget-cut/article_1e8b0b14-71b7-11e9-a0a0-ab1184287671.html?mode=jqm
http://www.independentnews.com/news/lab-s-nif-slated-for-budget-cut/article_1e8b0b14-71b7-11e9-a0a0-ab1184287671.html?mode=jqm
Saturday, May 4, 2019
NNSA Pit Strategy Unlikely to Meet Production Deadline
New Study Finds NNSA Pit Strategy Unlikely to Meet Production Deadline, Lawmaker Says
https://www.exchangemonitor.com/235121-2/?printmode=1
https://www.exchangemonitor.com/235121-2/?printmode=1
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Pedigree and productivity
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/05/02/study-when-it-comes-research-output-where-phds-get-hired-matters-more-where-they
This is an interesting study that shows that faculty productivity depends on mostly on the institution where one is at not the institution where one got their Phd.
The message is that if the organization is excellent it brings up everything. This was an argument used in the past at the labs as why we needed excellence at the labs. In other words having excellence in open science will bring up the quality of all parts of the lab.
This is an interesting study that shows that faculty productivity depends on mostly on the institution where one is at not the institution where one got their Phd.
The message is that if the organization is excellent it brings up everything. This was an argument used in the past at the labs as why we needed excellence at the labs. In other words having excellence in open science will bring up the quality of all parts of the lab.
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