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Today was an interesting day in my continuing saga. As you may recall, Bar Minion wrote various nasty grams yesterday to complain about other researchers using "her" data files without "her" permission and not including her as an author on posters. The worst of the string of nasty grams went to her boss, Road Runner. As it turns out, her string of emails finally, FINALLY provided the straw that broke the camel's back. (Telling your boss that you would be given first authorship on all papers on your project, even the work generated by a grad student under your supervision? And that YOU would determine who would be allowed access to data files that were generated on said project? And that YOU have final approval on all papers? Really?)

First thing this morning, when I was trying to figure out how to respond to Bar Minion's message (and I was also drafting a "please take me off your grant" message to Road Runner), my phone rang. It was Road Runner, requesting that we move our 9:00 meeting to my office as she was on her way to The Boss' office to chat with him about Bar Minion. Since my office is just down the hall from The Boss and she's in another building, this made sense.

Once she arrived for our meeting, Road Runner apologized to me about Bar Minion's message and said that she had asked The Boss find a position for Bar Minion outside her lab. Apparently she was serious, because she informed Boris, Natasha AND Brilliant Grad Student that Bar Minion was no longer going to be a part of the lab. In any event, when Road Runner went to talk to The Boss, she learned that Bar Minion had already visited with The Boss to complain about the authorship issue. Road Runner explained to The Boss what really happened, with a slight bit of revisionist history in which she lied about keeping Natasha and I completely in the dark about Bar Minion's work. The Boss gave Road Runner a couple of possible options for places where Bar Minion might find a home. Road Runner wants her to be placed in the position that I mentioned previously (equivalent of my old job), but The Boss mentioned another position that I believe would be absolutely perfect. Apparently Wile E. Coyote is looking for people!

So, dark cloud apparently lifted. However, I remain skeptical. Why the sudden 180 degree shift? Recall that Road Runner lied to The Boss when push came to shove, and she has given The Boss the job of informing Bar Minion that she is being moved to a different lab. Not to mention that firing Bar Minion does not erase the actions that brought her lab to the point where Bar Minion was insubordinate enough to claim ownership of data and final approval on papers. It all boils down to poor personnel management.

Wow. Congratulations?

ArkieDukie wrote:
So, dark cloud apparently lifted. However, I remain skeptical. Why the sudden 180 degree shift? Recall that Road Runner lied to The Boss when push came to shove, and she has given The Boss the job of informing Bar Minion that she is being moved to a different lab. Not to mention that firing Bar Minion does not erase the actions that brought her lab to the point where Bar Minion was insubordinate enough to claim ownership of data and final approval on papers. It all boils down to poor personnel management.

Sometimes that isn't a light at the end of the tunnel, it is the oncoming train. I am worried that the combination of Bar Minion and WEC would be an unholy alliance of epic proportions. TWO arrogant, incompetent ego maniacs working together? I can see them trying to bus toss the everyone else from RR down the line - on the other hand, perhaps the two giant egos will explode like a Type 1 Super Nova - hard to tell.

Truthfully, I think this turn events might buy you some time. Clearly RR is a horrible manager. (having said that the traits that make someone a great engineer/scientist/software developer tend to make them crappy ass managers. So ends today's sweeping generalization) It maybe the Bar Minion FINALLY did something provable so she could toss her. Everything else has been by vague and would result in he said/she said. RR could have been waiting for something provable and concrete. The e-mails certainly provided that. There are occasions where the best thing to do is just keep reeling out rope and wait for them to tie a noose, put it around their neck and stand on a chair.

I would certainly NOT be adding RR back to my Christmas card list just yet. I am waiting to see if BarMinion goes totally thermonuclear over being tossed or spins it as an 'I can't work with those data stealing creeps'.

Popping popcorn and waiting for the next chapter...

I, too, am afraid of oncoming trains. I do not think BM will go quietly, even though RR is having The Boss deliver the bad news that she is being reassigned. She could very well go thermonuclear about the whole authorship thing, although I've been told that Natasha delivered a stunning rebuttal to BM's nasty gram.

Here's the thing: Bar Minion acts all subservient toward males (especially males that are the same nationality as her). It may be that things would work surprisingly well. It would be Wife of WEC that she would likely have conflicts with. However, they seem to be all buddy-buddy right now. It would be far better for the institution in general than having her in a core facility (a service lab), where she would insist on first authorship on all papers she ran samples for.

Road Runner also mentioned picking up more of my salary and using me as a replacement for BM. I have VERY mixed feelings on that, all things considered. I don't think I need to enumerate them all for this crowd. There's a chance I'd be taking over BM's project, which I could do a darn good job on (and, as RR said, I'd do it right). Would be supervising a grad student on the project in about a year, too. I'd be very good at this - much better than BM, who was already trying to claim first authorship on all the students' papers. A very tempting carrot, and getting BM out of the mix would make the situation much better. Still...

ArkieDukie wrote:I, too, am afraid of oncoming trains. I do not think BM will go quietly, even though RR is having The Boss deliver the bad news that she is being reassigned. She could very well go thermonuclear about the whole authorship thing, although I've been told that Natasha delivered a stunning rebuttal to BM's nasty gram.

Here's the thing: Bar Minion acts all subservient toward males (especially males that are the same nationality as her). It may be that things would work surprisingly well. It would be Wife of WEC that she would likely have conflicts with. However, they seem to be all buddy-buddy right now. It would be far better for the institution in general than having her in a core facility (a service lab), where she would insist on first authorship on all papers she ran samples for.

Road Runner also mentioned picking up more of my salary and using me as a replacement for BM. I have VERY mixed feelings on that, all things considered. I don't think I need to enumerate them all for this crowd. There's a chance I'd be taking over BM's project, which I could do a darn good job on (and, as RR said, I'd do it right). Would be supervising a grad student on the project in about a year, too. I'd be very good at this - much better than BM, who was already trying to claim first authorship on all the students' papers. A very tempting carrot, and getting BM out of the mix would make the situation much better. Still...

Since you have no stunning job offer on the table, I would proceed as though all is well and play RRs game for now - and add as much to my CV as I could. Your field is not like mine - I could quite literlaly have a new job in a week. Keep you options and your eyes and ears open. Anything addtional you are able to do there will only help you in the long run and who knows, it might work out in th end. I might fart unicorns.

I might fart unicorns.

In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

windsor wrote:In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

"The Winey Bitches"

What a cool name for your group!

windsor wrote:In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

NICE!!!!!! Y'all definitely need shirts.

windsor wrote:

ArkieDukie wrote:I, too, am afraid of oncoming trains. I do not think BM will go quietly, even though RR is having The Boss deliver the bad news that she is being reassigned. She could very well go thermonuclear about the whole authorship thing, although I've been told that Natasha delivered a stunning rebuttal to BM's nasty gram.

Here's the thing: Bar Minion acts all subservient toward males (especially males that are the same nationality as her). It may be that things would work surprisingly well. It would be Wife of WEC that she would likely have conflicts with. However, they seem to be all buddy-buddy right now. It would be far better for the institution in general than having her in a core facility (a service lab), where she would insist on first authorship on all papers she ran samples for.

Road Runner also mentioned picking up more of my salary and using me as a replacement for BM. I have VERY mixed feelings on that, all things considered. I don't think I need to enumerate them all for this crowd. There's a chance I'd be taking over BM's project, which I could do a darn good job on (and, as RR said, I'd do it right). Would be supervising a grad student on the project in about a year, too. I'd be very good at this - much better than BM, who was already trying to claim first authorship on all the students' papers. A very tempting carrot, and getting BM out of the mix would make the situation much better. Still...

Since you have no stunning job offer on the table, I would proceed as though all is well and play RRs game for now - and add as much to my CV as I could. Your field is not like mine - I could quite literlaly have a new job in a week. Keep you options and your eyes and ears open. Anything addtional you are able to do there will only help you in the long run and who knows, it might work out in th end. I might fart unicorns.

Seems to me BM took her ownself out of the picture; doing the end-run around RR to talk to the Boss about her perceived authorship slight probably knotted the rope nice and tight. If BM and WEC are in a corner together where they can do minimal damage, that leaves more space for the rest of you to get work done.

I think the right move is to stall RR until the dust settles; anything that puts you more and more under her thumb and in her line of sight puts you in a greater position of risk. I would also suggest a brief 1-on-1 with The Boss depending on how much you trust him. Ask his advice on all the turmoil in the dept, how to balance his priorities for your work vs. RR's, future direction on new instruments, etc. And of course, keep doing good work that you can document with facts, results, data, and evidence.

I googled winey bitches shirt and found this:

http://www.californiarepublicclothes.co ... OgodRhsAfg

They also have a shiny version here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/164492474/w ... OgodbnYA5A

Ask and ye shall receive.

windsor wrote:In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

Very cool! I am a member of the Emerald Isle Biker Bitches. Our bikes have pedals and baskets and the baskets are for carrying beer

bjornolf wrote:I googled winey bitches shirt and found this:

http://www.californiarepublicclothes.co ... OgodRhsAfg

They also have a shiny version here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/164492474/w ... OgodbnYA5A

Ask and ye shall receive.

I MUST have this! I will show it to ladies tonight for sure!!!!!

DukePA wrote:

windsor wrote:In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

Very cool! I am a member of the Emerald Isle Biker Bitches. Our bikes have pedals and baskets and the baskets are for carrying beer

I <3 the EI Biker Bitches!

CathyCA wrote:

DukePA wrote:

windsor wrote:In other news...looking forward to his evening. Some of dog training buddies and I are headed out to have a nice dinner at one of the local seafood places. We are going to get together regularly (Mr. Windsor eats about 6 things so he is crappy dinner date) . We love dogs, we love wine, we love good food. We have dubbed ourselves "The Winey Bitches".

We need T-shirts lol

Very cool! I am a member of the Emerald Isle Biker Bitches. Our bikes have pedals and baskets and the baskets are for carrying beer

I <3 the EI Biker Bitches!

And we <3 you!

Keeping busy at the easel today while my mind races about Native and his first day on the job in the Big Apple. Can't wait to hear how it went. This is a major step for our country mouse. He face timed me last evening with Mothers' Day wishes. But I think he was really trying to think up things to do to make the first evening alone in his apartment go by more quickly.

His first adventure (typical of him) was carrying home a 36" TV on the subway! Hey! A guy's gotta be able to watch Duke LAX in the tourney, right?

Love, Ima

I am unmotivated.

ChipSlate came by earlier. A CTN reunion!

It's freezing on my end of the office and burning hot where the secretaries are.

Vibes and prayers for Mom. She was supposed to have knee replacement next Monday. Today she discovered she has an abscessed tooth and will have to have her tooth removed (she prefers that to a root canal) and recover before she can get her knee replaced. Knee surgery now tentatively scheduled for June 9.