LTE 2.0

[windsor]

The Boss is supportive of the idea. In fact, I spoke with him this morning and he approved of my choice of mentor. I also found an appropriate institute for the application. Now I just need to tell RR of my plans as a courtesy. Onward and upward!

You have already stated several solid objective reasons for it not to be RR. I would tell her that Bar Minion is a huge part of the reason, but even if that were resolved the person you selected has <insert objective reasons here>. Keep it brief....say something positive about working with her...and move along, nothing more to see here.

[ArkieDukie]

The Boss is supportive of the idea. In fact, I spoke with him this morning and he approved of my choice of mentor. I also found an appropriate institute for the application. Now I just need to tell RR of my plans as a courtesy. Onward and upward!

You have already stated several solid objective reasons for it not to be RR. I would tell her that Bar Minion is a huge part of the reason, but even if that were resolved the person you selected has <insert objective reasons here>. Keep it brief....say something positive about working with her...and move along, nothing more to see here.

You have taught me well, o wise one. That is the plan! I am choosing the path that gives me the greatest odds of receiving funding, and I plan to present it as such. Besides, there's no guarantee that I will receive funding.

[windsor]

The Boss is supportive of the idea. In fact, I spoke with him this morning and he approved of my choice of mentor. I also found an appropriate institute for the application. Now I just need to tell RR of my plans as a courtesy. Onward and upward!

You have already stated several solid objective reasons for it not to be RR. I would tell her that Bar Minion is a huge part of the reason, but even if that were resolved the person you selected has <insert objective reasons here>. Keep it brief....say something positive about working with her...and move along, nothing more to see here.

You have taught me well, o wise one. That is the plan! I am choosing the path that gives me the greatest odds of receiving funding, and I plan to present it as such. Besides, there's no guarantee that I will receive funding.

...when do we start for (a sad substitute for a money smiley)

[lawgrad91]

I must be really scary in court. Defendant's mama just threw up while sitting on the witness stand.

[windsor]

My USP man is delivering in a golf cart, pulling a trailer. Gotta love Florida.

[ArkieDukie]

You have already stated several solid objective reasons for it not to be RR. I would tell her that Bar Minion is a huge part of the reason, but even if that were resolved the person you selected has <insert objective reasons here>. Keep it brief....say something positive about working with her...and move along, nothing more to see here.

You have taught me well, o wise one. That is the plan! I am choosing the path that gives me the greatest odds of receiving funding, and I plan to present it as such. Besides, there's no guarantee that I will receive funding.

...when do we start for (a sad substitute for a money smiley)

I'm shooting for the June submission deadline. This is not a process that I want to rush.

I passed the news along to Road Runner yesterday afternoon, after our research group meeting. I gave the reasons for my decision and did not include Bar Minion's attitude as a reason for the shift in focus. At this point it would do no good whatsoever (good call, will say why below) and might cause more harm than good, so I will save that particular reason as an ace up my sleeve in case it is needed at a later date. Road Runner seemed supportive, but she is a very cool customer. Brilliant Grad Student predicted that she would be pissed as hell, but I'm not sure I will ever know that.

During yesterday's group meeting, Road Runner asked for an update on instrument status during group meeting. I said our samples were running fine and would be finished this morning (which they were). Bar Minion immediately disagreed and said there was a problem. She recommended that the instrument be stopped immediately. Fortunately RR told her to hold off. I talked to her after the meeting and told her nothing was wrong with the instrument (just before telling her that I'm working on getting funding to leave her group, but not in those words). This morning I reiterated the same message (instrument was running fine) after telling her that our sample set is finished and the analysis is proceeding extremely well. She told me that Bar Minion stopped by her office last Friday (after sending her snotty little missive about all the things we had done incorrectly when setting up the instrument), and "I could tell she felt badly about the email message she sent, so I didn't get on to her." Instead, RR told BM that she should come to her and voice any concerns she might have. So, BM got a free pass - yet again. If BM felt badly about sending that message I will eat my hat. I think she has found the best way to work Road Runner: appear penitent when she gets called out on her crap. I'm starting to share Brilliant Grad Student's opinion that, for whatever reason, Bar Minion is bulletproof.

[IowaDevil]

I must be really scary in court. Defendant's mama just threw up while sitting on the witness stand.

Oh gross! Now you are sounding more like an ER where nurses hang out!

[windsor]

t. I think she has found the best way to work Road Runner: appear penitent when she gets called out on her crap. I'm starting to share Brilliant Grad Student's opinion that, for whatever reason, Bar Minion is bulletproof.

Not bullet proof (no one is bullet proof) but for the moment teflon. We all know that eventually teflon gets nicked and scratched and crap starts to stick. Karma is taking the slow walk this time.

As my grammy used to say "Sorry ain't worth nothin if you keep you doin' it"

[CathyCA]

I must be really scary in court. Defendant's mama just threw up while sitting on the witness stand.

Ewww!

I hope you don't get whatever bug she spewed into the courtroom.

[lawgrad91]

I'm bored. It is too close to 5 to start the project I have been putting off since November, which involves multiple people acting badly in a variety of ways over a long period of time.

[lawgrad91]

For those looking for presents for the rest of us, may I present a musical montage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdcLG3a ... e=youtu.be

[IowaDevil]

For those looking for presents for the rest of us, may I present a musical montage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdcLG3a ... e=youtu.be

We need a LIKE button!

[lawgrad91]

For those looking for presents for the rest of us, may I present a musical montage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdcLG3a ... e=youtu.be

We need a LIKE button!

I am ready for a full version of "I Saw Cutcliffe kiss the vict'ry bell, underneath the pines in chapel hill."

[windsor]

My daughters staff has dubbed Pistol Annies'' Hell on Heels her theme song.

I'm ok with that.

[ArkieDukie]

the next chapter of "As the Bunsen Burns"

For this week's saga I turn to Mrs. Wile E. Coyote, who works for her husband. She's currently operating one of the instruments I manage. Her husband went around me and got permission for her to operate the instrument from The Boss. Mrs. WEC has operated similar instruments in the past, but not this one, and she's about as clueless as her husband. She has been a thorn in my side (and the instrument company's side) from Day 1.

This week's fun and games: the instrument was down for approximately a month because the service engineer crimped a ribbon cable inside the instrument when he replaced another part (a high vacuum pump). Took him several weeks to track down the problem; the instrument just became operational again earlier this week. (I got us a 2-month extension on our service contract for that little mistake. While Mrs. WEC was complaining to the service engineer and the scheduler, I was complaining a step above them.) Once the instrument was back up and running, Mrs. WEC started complaining that the vacuum was not as low as it needed to be. It's within manufacturer spec, but at the high end. It has been this way since it was installed, but she is insistent that it can be improved upon. The service engineer told her that it was fine and was within spec, so she called tech support and spoke with another service engineer. Mrs. WEC is insistent that the tech support person told her that the vacuum can be made better and that there must be a small leak somewhere. She then complained to me about the vacuum and showed me some random power point slide that she pulled off the internet with the specs that she's insisting upon. Since I've been on this particular merry-go-round before (but last time with WEC), I called our service engineer's supervisor to let him know what is going on and also to request a spec sheet so I can show Mrs. WEC that the instrument is in spec. I got the sheet and checked the instrument - sure enough, it's in spec. I showed this to Mrs. WEC. who then insisted that the spec sheet was wrong. I then told her that 1) there's a range of specs for a reason - all instruments are different; ours just happens to be on the high end, 2) the company is not going to do anything to change a system that is within their specs, and 3) she just got the instrument back after having it down for a month. Why does she want them to shut down the instrument to trace a small vacuum leak that may or may not be there? Mrs. WEC's response is that SOME people may be satisfied with manufacturer spec but SHE believes it should be better. Seriously. Bitch cannot and will not listen to anyone. She and her hubby must have some wonderful in-depth conversations since both believe they know more than anyone else and are absolutely incapable of listening.

After I got back to my office, I emailed the service engineer and his supervisor, gave him the instrument readings, and warned them that she would not let it die. Shortly after I sent my message to them, the service engineer forwarded a message that he had received from Mrs. WEC. Heifer does not know I've been in communication with the service engineer this entire time, so he's already on to her game. This particular message was sent after our conversation - the one where I gave her the official sheet of instrument specs from the company. She is still insistent that the instrument is out of spec and wanted his advice on how to fix it. He's not even going to answer her message.

This is one of those days when I think I'd have way more fun if I worked with lawgrad or CathyCA. Thank God for Christmas break.

[lawgrad91]

Geez, AD, that makes my spat with the new PD (he says the law doesn't say what I told him it said, even after I showed the law to him, at a bond hearing. Choose your battles, dude.) pale in comparison. Good luck!

[ArkieDukie]

Geez, AD, that makes my spat with the new PD (he says the law doesn't say what I told him it said, even after I showed the law to him, at a bond hearing. Choose your battles, dude.) pale in comparison. Good luck!

I think it sounds like we're fighting the same battle, but yours could be for bigger stakes. Don't you just love dealing with idiots?

[windsor]

This is one of those days when I think I'd have way more fun if I worked with lawgrad or CathyCA. Thank God for Christmas break.

No one Barfed, so you are still ahead of the legal eagles.

So if you get your mentored whatchmathingy would you still have to deal with those two ?

[lawgrad91]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBo2fxWs7jw

This is the video from the top plays from the UCLA game. Anyone who might skip the interviews at the end, don't do it, especially if you like to see a happy Andre Dawkins.

[ArkieDukie]

This is one of those days when I think I'd have way more fun if I worked with lawgrad or CathyCA. Thank God for Christmas break.

No one Barfed, so you are still ahead of the legal eagles.

So if you get your mentored whatchmathingy would you still have to deal with those two ?

Not sure. Please, God, no.