Fng

[ancona]

Fucking New Guy cut through a live 480V line today, flash burned his face and eyes, caught the saw on fire and then tried to throw the supervisor under the bus. Fortunately for my supervisor, the rest of the crew saw what happened and returned the blame directly back to the guy that cut the cable [after being told not to cut anything in a conduit that was flagged].

What came next was the usual NASA explosion of e-mails and recriminations that are enough to make one reconsider ever working a federal project again. Even though this was a direct result of one man taking something in to his hands and doing what he had been directed to not do, the entire team working on projects in the VAB was made to stand down while Safety personnel do a comprehensive safety audit. This usually means about a thousand niggling, meaningless items such as a screw on the floor in a corner, an empty pop can in regular trash instead of recycle, etc. What it also means is that my guys have to be paid regular pay until we're released to go back to work. You read that right. I have to pay them even while we're not working. This could take a day or it could take three weeks.

This sucks.

 

[DoChenRollingBearing]

...

Oh, ugh.

Working with the government is so much worse now than when I had the pleasure decades ago. I think you (and all of us) should understand that that is likely to get worse before it gets better (latter is overly optimistic).

I think that any book you decide to write on your (mis)adventures is likely going to need another volume...

***

The other thing I took note of is how even in such difficult times (for getting a good job) how the quality of labor has gone down so much. One would think that getting and holding a job would be of such importance that any n00b (or any other worker) would be happy and conscientious on the job.

Not so! We have seen the same where we are, not all that far from you. Workmanship/craftsmanship is almost a joke now. Few show up on time. There is an entitlement mentality that YOU (the customer or boss paying) should be happy with less than mediocrity on their part (but don't say that!).

Be well, Boss Ancona! Happy Easter to you (and all PMBug-ers here)! We have heard you mention the Little Ancona, well we have a little (well, younger) Bearingette, so do remember where your blessings are.

 

[ancona]

Absolutely spot on DoChen!!

These djiblotties are like fucking children that have never had to follow instructions in their lives. Just getting them to fill out seven pages of security documents correctly was like climbing Mount Fuji. I am pretty dismayed at the quality of workmanship I am getting from a lot of my newbies, especially the ex-NASA folks I so graciously hired as a favor to the Florida Workforce people [unemployment office]. Those guys are completely fucking worthless. Actually, some of them are less than worthless, as is borne out by the fact that the guy that cut in to a live cable was an ex-NASA employee and in fact, used to work in the VAB which is where we are working. So much for the theory that those guys would set a good example for our existing employees and some of the non-NASA new hires.

 

[rblong2us]

another perfect launch Ancona .............

Amazingly I have a new assistant helping me with my current project and he is teaching me yoga, so we kinda set up the day with some real deep stuff and a bit of meditation.

We are both very happy in our work and the time really flies.

 

[mmerlinn]

What came next was the usual NASA explosion of e-mails and recriminations that are enough to make one reconsider ever working a federal project again. Even though this was a direct result of one man taking something in to his hands and doing what he had been directed to not do, the entire team working on projects in the VAB was made to stand down while Safety personnel do a comprehensive safety audit. This usually means about a thousand niggling, meaningless items such as a screw on the floor in a corner, an empty pop can in regular trash instead of recycle, etc. What it also means is that my guys have to be paid regular pay until we're released to go back to work. You read that right. I have to pay them even while we're not working. This could take a day or it could take three weeks..

This is exactly why the government has to pay $500 for a $5 hammer. Their IDIOTIC rules FORCE the price higher.