LLNL - The True Story -

More environmental violations for LANL  http://www.lamonitor.com/content/nmed-fine-los-alamos-national-laboratory-violations

The University of California and the University of Texas have effectively confirmed publicly they are leading separate bids. Multiple sources have said Bechtel National is also pursuing the contract with partner Purdue University. Incumbent Los Alamos National Security is losing its management contract following a series of nuclear safety lapses dating to 2014 at the storied New Mexico weapons lab. The University of California, which for decades was the sole lab manager, leads the consortium along with senior industry partner Bechtel National and industry teammates BWX Technologies and AECOM. BWX Technologies has said it wants to stay at Los Alamos, but has not identified which bid it joined. A source has said AECOM did not bid on the deal. Texas A&M University has also said it wants a role at Los Alamos, but has not said which team it joined. https://www.exchangemonitor.com/nnsa-talked-lanl-bidders-last-week/

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/los-alamos-lab-took-week-to-find-missing-hazardous-waste/article_10add1de-0548-50ac-97db-0e6d6c1bde73.html

Anonymous March 27, 2018 at 6:04 PM Is employee morale with LLNS the same, better, or worse than employees in Silicon Valley and why?

Various news outlets are reporting that the Navy is looking to reestablish Tomahawk cruise missile nuclear capability for its attack submarines "to increase the capabilities of war planners for crisis containment," i.e. (to me) allow limited, nonstrategic nuclear strikes where deemed necessary. I thought the W-80's had been retired in 2010 or so. Is there a plan to bring them back? Are they still "inactive stockpile" or has dismantlement started? Anyone know how realistic and immediately likely this is?

US falling badly behind in Quantum Computing while the Chinese spend big and pull ahead. Even the EU is spending much more in this area than the US. The NNSA labs should be doing far more work in this area. Where is the badly needed DOE/NNSA funding to secure our nation's advantage in this highly strategic science? Hutch Report Excerpt - March 19th, 2018 :  ..... Although the U.S. currently remains at the forefront of quantum information science, their lead is slipping quickly as other nations step up efforts to get there first. China holds the top two positions in the Top 500 list of the world’s fastest computers and the Chinese understand very well the potential power that quantum computing promises. For this reason they have allocated extensive funding towards the goal of producing a functional quantum computer before anyone else. On 37 hectares (nearly 4 million square feet) in Hefei, Anhui Province, China is building a $10 billion research center for quantum applications. This...

Retirement Planning Advice or Tips? I’ve been at LLNL for about 30 years, enrolled in TCP1, approaching 60, and am looking to make an exit within a year or so. Any retirement planning tips or advice in the vein of “Things that I know now that I wished I knew then”? One specific question I have is in regards to the TCP1 cost-of-living adjustment. I think that I once heard that this inflation adjustment is made once each year on a specific date so that if one is planning on retiring anytime around that date then it’s better to retire immediately before it than immediately after it? Anyone know when this date is? Also, any other tips or advice would be appreciated.  -Doug

Omega’s funding was restored and increased: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2018/03/22/omnibus-bill-restores-funding-ur-laser-lab/446329002/ Does anyone know what happened to NIF’s funding in the omnibus bill?

By  Anthony Rivera   In July 2015, I filed a "Petition the Secretary/Statement of Issues" with Secretary Moniz to address my whistleblower case against LLNS. With supporting facts, I explained to Secretary Moniz the DOE OHA was unable to effectively address my complaint, and that the NNSA Livermore Field Office did not demonstrate objective oversight of LLNS relating to my complaint before or after I was dismissed.  Secretary Moniz, then forwarded my Petition to Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall. By August of 2016, neither the Secretary or Deputy Secretary had reviewed my Petition, and instead my Petition was pushed back to the DOE OHA (?).  On 9-27-17, the DOE OHA Judge ruled that I indeed raised DOE defined "protected disclosures" regarding a LLNL DTED High Explosives Application Facility (HEAF) liquid mercury spill human hazard, and human hazard safety procedure deficiencies within the LLNL MED Non-Destructive X-Ray Facility. I submitted other 2012/2013 "pro...

Three bidders gave their presentations to NNSA/DOW this week. Lots of missing managers at LANL this week. The UC team was one of the presenting teams so yes it did make it to the finals. The announcement of the bid will be on time be the start of the contract will be delayed a few months. Lots of managers are saying this this change will only effect managers and not the work force, nothing will change and so on. Other rumors is that Wallace is not part of a team. I am a bit surprised that it is coming down to three teams which means that they must have down selected or next will have more presentations.  Another rumor is that the labs could be getting more money with the latest stuff going on in Russia, but who knows when a budget will be passed.  The change over in environmental cleanup from LANL to the new contractor has been a total disaster. The change at Sandia has also had some issues and everyone seems to agree that things have not improved but gotten somewhat worse/mor...

Budget cuts don't mean a reduction in results, said Perry. Yeah right ! https://www.utilitydPerry: DOE budget cuts don't mean a 'reduction in results'ive.com/news/perry-doe-budget-cuts-dont-mean-a-reduction-in-results/519625/

In these days of $31k tables, how much is being spent on extra landscaping, painting, and cleaning in preparation for the visit by Secretary "oops"? 

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe fired with significant pension and family medical benefits lost for allegedly misleading investigators "Under the rules of FERS, that means he could be left with the standard multiplier of 1% on top of his years of service, down from the 1.7% enhanced rate for law enforcement. Former FBI officials tell CNN that McCabe could also lose out on future health care coverage in his retirement if he were to be fired before he turned 50, and the firing could be subject to litigation. The "most significant 'damage' to a separated FBI employee is: loss of lifetime medical benefits for self and family,"  https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/16/politics/andrew-mccabe-pension-if-fired/index.html

Reva Nickelson to lead Operations and Business Directorate 03/15/2018 Reva Nickelson has been named the principal associate director for Operations and Business at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Director Bill Goldstein announced. Nickelson will assume her new role on April 16. Nickelson, who serves as Facilities Division director at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was chosen for this key senior leadership position at Livermore, following a broad national search. As the principal associate director for Operations & Business, Nickelson will lead the multidisciplinary 1,200-person organization that includes property management, procurement, technical information, human resources, project management and construction, project controls, design engineering, infrastructure and facility management, business management, maintenance management, emergency preparedness, environmental restoration, sustainable energy management and nuclear operations. She will serve as a key conta...

Hire Away: https://nypost.com/2018/03/14/sec-accuses-theranos-ceo-elizabeth-holmes-of-massive-fraud/ Elizabeth has all the qualities we expect for LLNL management hires for gender diversity.... and most importantly groupthink of greatness without proof from the community.