Anonymous wants to know: What did you think of the G Miller presentation?
He/She said:
Looked like, with a few token exceptions, the only LLNL accomplishments he was aware of were NIF related or the WCI awards (oh yeah, the dragon boat team got 3 photos- science at its best).
He made it clear that he is not interested in promoting WFO, by stating that even though overhead rates are still high we brought in more WFO in the last cycle.
How about the weird statements from Arnold Sch., wildly supportive of NIF...? Are we now having our scientific reviews not by peers but by uneducated celebrities? Does anyone funding our work at LLNL think Arnold is a credible expert on fusion or lasers or nuclear energy? Really makes it look like NIF and LIFE are in big trouble technically if they are resorting to such shenanagins. Guess they figured out that the new administration is likely to accelerate the trend of cut backs on funding for fusion energy. They never mention NIF being used to study nuclear weapons anymore. Can't help but feel sorry for Arnold for how they made a fool of him.
He/She said:
Looked like, with a few token exceptions, the only LLNL accomplishments he was aware of were NIF related or the WCI awards (oh yeah, the dragon boat team got 3 photos- science at its best).
He made it clear that he is not interested in promoting WFO, by stating that even though overhead rates are still high we brought in more WFO in the last cycle.
How about the weird statements from Arnold Sch., wildly supportive of NIF...? Are we now having our scientific reviews not by peers but by uneducated celebrities? Does anyone funding our work at LLNL think Arnold is a credible expert on fusion or lasers or nuclear energy? Really makes it look like NIF and LIFE are in big trouble technically if they are resorting to such shenanagins. Guess they figured out that the new administration is likely to accelerate the trend of cut backs on funding for fusion energy. They never mention NIF being used to study nuclear weapons anymore. Can't help but feel sorry for Arnold for how they made a fool of him.
Comments
Work hard, everybody. Get in those new WFO proposals. LLNL top management is living off your efforts and wants to bring in more of their buddies from Bechtel to partake of the riches next year.
The logic of your conclusion escapes me. He did report WFO was order $50M. He did state he wants to continue to work on overhead rates with whatever that 'baselining committee' was about. That would seem to indicate some interest. Sandia has gotten to a billion dollars per year in WFO and it's not clear their rates are all that much better. I'm not saying we can or will get to that level. I did think it was encouraging GM spoke of an 'open campus' on the east side of the labs to streamline outside interaction. That would be a major improvement.
This is all going to be messy and take a number of years.
"I would to know how NIF and LIFE are in big trouble technically?"
You mean apart from having the Governor continue to say something like LIFE will deliver 1000 times the U.S. electrical output? What a bunch of nonsense.
What LIFE advocates was solved 50 years ago by various nuclear fuel cycles that have been demonstrated. There are fuel cycles that do not need enrichment. There are fuel cycles that have high burn-up. There are fuel cycles that consume their wastes.
LIFE is a heroin program for the photon addicts at LLNL.
Just look at the toxic securities that Wall Street was able to dump upon investors and pensions. That was the con job of the century. Too bad it will eventually result in a great big US depression.
On another note, if Russia and China continue to develop new weapons, we will have to keep pace and kick their butts again. Don't just conclude that president elect Obama and a Democratic congress will not fund weapons programs. At least they will get rid of the so-called patriot act, which is just a front for eliminating our civil liberties. I'm an optimist. I just wish George had used the rest room before he gave his all hands. George - if you're reading, the way you rock back and forth and flex your leg while you speak is a distracting habit. It makes you look like you have to pee.
What's wrong you have something to hide. I have absolutely no problem with ALL my converstaions being tapped, recorded or for the governentt to look into every move I make. Why? Because I chose my friends, I watch were I go, who I associate with and what I do both during work and off work. Hell I don't care if they tarck me by GPS. What the heck is your issue. You anti-patriot cat people will be the leading cause for our next attack and when it happens I hope your are the center of the blast.
And when support of the Patriot Act or any criticism of those currently in power becomes suspect and worthy of "re-education" will you still have absolutely no problem with it?
For some the price of a little temporary security is too high.
"Any society which gives up it's freedom for the sake of security, deserves neither."
You don't deserve freedom, 8:59 PM. You have the mind set of a slave.
I also like upbeat messages, as well as hearing the facts along with pro and cons. LLNS is suppose a science jewel and that requires truths and not spin. Lately ULM only has spin as talking points.
Dump the management and bring back science. If you're out there GM, just stand up and tell the truth. Most of us will respect that more than the "LLNS spin zone".
He commands a corpse.
I am fascinated by the insiders view on how deterioration takes place.
I wonder how long it will take for Congress to realize LLNL is dead.
There are bright stars and some really good National needs being met by LLNL scientist! And this happening despite the large amount of resources being sent to NIF.
What makes this so frustrating is the waste of resources and effort on things like safety and following DOE/NNSA/LLNS mandates. Also the lack of competent management that are really interested or know much about the science.
with friends like this....