http://www.ladailypost.com/content/bechtel-spotlighted-new-book
According to Denton, Bechtel perfected a mechanism for success that has been widely adopted in the military-industrial complex. This was the famous “revolving door” that moved top officials back and forth from position of responsibility inside the government to positions of decisive influence outside the government.
Denton said she was surprised to discover how little Americans know about the privatization that has swept up the national laboratories, which began recasting themselves as the nuclear weapons enterprise, rather than the nuclear weapons complex in the last decade. “What should the relationship be between private industry and the government?” she asks.
Comments
Bechtel good, LANL bad, culture, hate people at LANL, hate. Bechtel good to LLNL.
March 12, 2016 at 10:44 AM
Huh? Sounds like the same bitter LANL hater. I guessing an ex-employee who blames everyone
but himself the his life failures, wouldn't you agree with this 10.44 AM?
March 12, 2016 at 1:18 PM
No, but it is extreme hyperbole, virtually meaningless, and laughable too. Do you mean every single employee, world-wide? Or just the upper managers? If so, then which ones? Let's hear your detailed, well-researched justifications, or is it just that you, personally, feel screwed over by Bechtel? I'll just point out that if the majority, or even a significant number, of people agreed with you, the jails would be full of former Bechtel people. Why aren't they, if what you claim is true?
This is what the real problem is. I do not think a corporation is evil but it can do a lot of harm once it is outside of the rules of the free market, and the "revolving door" policy is way of avoiding free market checks and balances.
Private industry can do everything better than government? Not always.
March 12, 2016 at 5:29 PM
No specifics, just more hyperbole and stupidity. "Mi amigo"?? Really, Julio? Get over yourself. Spanish doesn't excuse you from stupidity.
The private industry has always be a part of running the NWC. Government has NEVER run the NWC.
Bechtel bad.
Case, and mind, closed.
It is a joke that the chairman of the board for LLNL/LANL, charged with hiring and firing the lab Directors, has no history whatsoever with any aspect of weapons systems. The CEO of any of the major defense contractors would be better suited for this role.
This would be the exact opposite of what the labs need. These are research labs not industrial weapons systems. How is it that UC alone did well or 60 years and not now? The labs have failed under the for-profit model.
If we still had Rocky Flats, you might have a point.
We don't. So try some other reason to return to a bygone era.
>We don't. So try some other reason to return to a bygone era.
>March 14, 2016 at 5:55 PM
What on earth are you talking about?
March 14, 2016 at 8:12 PM
I guess he means that somebody need to build pits, clearly a "industrial weapons systems" activity, which Rocky Flats used to do. Unless you are too young to recognize the phrase "Rocky Flats." Since the requisite Pu manufacturing facility has not been built at LANL (RLUOB will never be it), it begs the question as to where? And when? These are not insignificant national security questions, that do bear on the issue of LANL ever being a purely "research lab" again. It bears debate and it bears some national discussion, which the current situation in Washington does not allow.
Ok so a rational approach would be to split the lab into two pieces, one for research and the other for production.
The research part only survives on the tax of the weapons program. Anyone with more than a sophomoric understanding of the Lab financial structure is aware of this.
So why does this model work at Oakridge?
Are you really that ignorant?
>March 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM
You have no idea what goes on in weapons research such as the work in X-division, none whatsoever. You have lost all credibility to speak on this blog and should find something else to do or just come clean state that you are a freaking troll with an
agenda. Unbelievable the crap people post, just absolutely unbelievable. Come one you cannot possibly be real.
apparently I must be very ignorant How can anyone disagree with such thoughtful contributions like "Anyone with more than a sophomoric understanding of the >Lab financial structure is aware of this." I bow my head before you,clearly you will be one of our next nobel laureates; Here the phone number when they call, Don't hang up it' not IKEA
>March 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM
You have no idea what goes on in weapons research such as the work in X-division, none whatsoever. You have lost all credibility to speak on this blog and should find something else to do or just come clean state that you are a freaking troll with an
agenda. Unbelievable the crap people post, just absolutely unbelievable. Come one you cannot possibly be real.
March 15, 2016 at 5:32 PM
NNSA needs X-division, which may be 5% of the research at LANL, for the weapons program. Maybe the other 95% of the place should go to BES or NSF?
March 16, 2016 at 3:07 PM
Great idea!! As long as they actually physically "go."
March 16, 2016 at 3:07 PM
What the hell! 5% you really want to stick with that number? Do you you even know how many people are in X division. Do you know about all the other division and what they do? Nope didn't think so, how about W, C, CCS, HPC, A, T, and P, just to name a few and yes they all have strong components of research directly related to the programs. You do not know this or have any understanding of this. What happened to you? Some have suggested that a few of the posters on this blog may have issues such as a brain injury. Look if that is the case than I feel bad for you and hope posting does indeed help you in some way but just come out and say this, you will get some sympathy and people might be understanding. If you just spout out complete nonsense to try and hurt people at LANL than your going to be called out on it. Just reading your posts it is clear that you are either deliberately lying or you are very confused. If you just confused due to your mental state than I can understand but how are we to know? We all know that Santa Fe host a few ex-LANL people that are not exactly mentally stable but they at least say who they are. Again what is wrong with you, I do not ask to be mean, just curious, maybe someone on the blog could suggest some help for you.
You might be more convincing as a supporter of highly educated research scientists if you cleaned up your spelling and grammar. Otherwise, they probably don't benefit from your support.
Bechtel is the "Government Military Complex" Eisenhower warned us about back in 1961.
Bechtel is nothing more than the Corporate Raiders of the Government Military Complex, supported by the California Senator from San Francisco and others in positions of power. Bechtel Compromises and grooms high level military generals, admirals, while they are in the military to steer contracts to Bechtel, with promises of cushy jobs when they retire, hired by Bechtel making ****loads of money and destroying perfectly good military contractor companies, and now the National Laboratories. The Labs were the last of the long line of Defense related entities that had not been compromised. The Job is now done, everyone is rich, and the dedicated employees who supported the mission of the National Labs have been screwed.
No wonder George Miller cried in front of LLNL employees when he announced the transition to these corporate raiders.
God Bless you George, your a good man.
March 17, 2016 at 6:53 PM"
A good man is a rich man, the labs are only about making money and lots of it, LANL and LLNL are for profit and that is the way it is going to stay. You can stick to some sad and pathetic ideas of "good" or "bad" but reality speaks and so does money, George may be a good man but Charlie is a far richer man and who do you think the world respects more? We all know who, the world consist of two types: lions and gazelles, there is no right or wrong, good or bad, there is only hunter and hunted, and the sooner you realize this than sooner you will be to accept you lot in life and stop complaining about the labs,
Good Riddance Wreck-tel pukes. God forbid North Korea launches a nuke...Call Bechtel, they will take care of it...HA HA HA!!!
March 17, 2016 at 6:53 PM
Yeah, bit if you were there, you'd know that it was the "military industrial complex." At least try to get your history right, before you try to re-write it.
You might be more convincing as a supporter of highly educated research scientists if you cleaned up your spelling and grammar. Otherwise, they probably don't benefit from your support.
March 16, 2016 at 7:32 PM
You might consider giving 6:33 PM a break since they could well be at, or near, the top of the LANL leadership. McMillan, Wallace and minions were living in a fantasy world where they were sure that the current contract would be continued, no matter what went wrong. Judging from some of the recent events, they are now lashing out at everything in view. Don't take it personally, it is just human nature to be full of rage and hate when the end is close at hand and you were unprepared for that outcome.
I am pretty sure 6.33pm is not a pro LANS person. They sound like a pro science guy and LANS has never been for science or research of any form programatic or otherwise.