Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 23:58     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Think about the root meaning of Artificial Intelligence, particularly in LLM output. It is no more “intelligence” than pleather is leather. It only masquerades as intelligence and fools naive individuals into thinking it is “intelligence.” Instead of an infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters it’s data centers grinding out text based on word sequence probabilities.


Brilliant. I look forward to your op-ed, and maybe it will open up jobs where you are less miserable and more appreciated than at RAND.


a lot of brilliant ger research is talking to a dozen of the authors "expert" friends, self-citing said friends, and then publishing flimsy recommendations


Then clearly you should be able to do better and then leave.


I believe an investigation into RAND's Global and Emerging Risks division is ongoing. If you have information of relevance, email Republican_Whistleblower@commerce.senate.gov.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 22:12     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Think about the root meaning of Artificial Intelligence, particularly in LLM output. It is no more “intelligence” than pleather is leather. It only masquerades as intelligence and fools naive individuals into thinking it is “intelligence.” Instead of an infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters it’s data centers grinding out text based on word sequence probabilities.


Brilliant. I look forward to your op-ed, and maybe it will open up jobs where you are less miserable and more appreciated than at RAND.


a lot of brilliant ger research is talking to a dozen of the authors "expert" friends, self-citing said friends, and then publishing flimsy recommendations


Then clearly you should be able to do better and then leave.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 21:09     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Other than RAND and MITRE, how are other FFRDCs faring?

How are UARCs (e.g., JHU/APL) faring?

Similar funding cuts and layoffs? Or doing better?


CNA is a s*itshow


The concept of a think tank behind FFRDCs and UARCs is not getting much traction in the current environment of sci-fi fantasy, AI on Mars, virtual currency, etc. Educated professionals - yes, PhDs matter sometimes, don't have a place in a short attention-span, graphic novel, superhero motivated environment.

MITRE has always really been a fake FFRCD run exclusively by the business development team with a handful of thinkers and a legion of SETA butts-in-seats. VA Choice is an example. MITRE contracted-out all the actual analytics to RAND and the end products were useless - not moving the clinic appointment data needle at all, the one metric they were tasked with improving. Same goes for every single FFRDC they run - especially CAASDI. How's that thirty years of improving air traffic control working out for you?

Circling-back to the lack of need for the certification and critical thinking that come with a PhD, I tried to get Greg Corrado of Google to speak at RAND - despite his Stanford PhD - and he refused saying, more politely if I may summarize, why waste my time? If you want to point to a lack of need for PhDs, then selecting Google reflects your own lack of critical thinking as it was started by and has been run (on the technical end, anyway) by PhDs and on the management side by world-class business experts (not coders). Microsoft is a better example and they never F*k up, right? Sharepoint anyone?


Yikes. You sound like a disgruntled ex-employee or a bitter contractor.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 18:07     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Think about the root meaning of Artificial Intelligence, particularly in LLM output. It is no more “intelligence” than pleather is leather. It only masquerades as intelligence and fools naive individuals into thinking it is “intelligence.” Instead of an infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters it’s data centers grinding out text based on word sequence probabilities.


Brilliant. I look forward to your op-ed, and maybe it will open up jobs where you are less miserable and more appreciated than at RAND.


a lot of brilliant ger research is talking to a dozen of the authors "expert" friends, self-citing said friends, and then publishing flimsy recommendations
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 14:45     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Other than RAND and MITRE, how are other FFRDCs faring?

How are UARCs (e.g., JHU/APL) faring?

Similar funding cuts and layoffs? Or doing better?


CNA is a s*itshow


Can you elaborate?
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 11:31     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:Think about the root meaning of Artificial Intelligence, particularly in LLM output. It is no more “intelligence” than pleather is leather. It only masquerades as intelligence and fools naive individuals into thinking it is “intelligence.” Instead of an infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters it’s data centers grinding out text based on word sequence probabilities.


Brilliant. I look forward to your op-ed, and maybe it will open up jobs where you are less miserable and more appreciated than at RAND.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 10:32     Subject: FFRDCs
Think about the root meaning of Artificial Intelligence, particularly in LLM output. It is no more “intelligence” than pleather is leather. It only masquerades as intelligence and fools naive individuals into thinking it is “intelligence.” Instead of an infinite number of monkeys typing on typewriters it’s data centers grinding out text based on word sequence probabilities.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 10:21     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MITRE is having another layoff the week of Aug 11. Overstaffed by at least 600 people. Will impact all of MITRE, so they say, but it's clear some areas of MITRE are in bigger trouble than others.

This will be round 3. Likely another round September/October. September AND October (rounds 4 and 5?) or September OR October (round 4?)? Who knows.


Will the downsizing affect teams/projects based out of Boston or McLean more? Are DoD and IC projects more likely to stay afloat than FAA, for example?


Only senior management really know the answer to this.


MITRE Bedford, MA works hard to fly under the radar and may continue doing bits and pieces under contract to LL.
MITRE McLean - sitting on some of the most expensive real estate on the East Coast rubbing elbows with Capital One - grew too much, too fast, and frankly did so many stupid things that somebody needs to write a book. Next time you are in Tyson's look at the massive erection they call MITRE 4 and notice the two-story tall north-facing letters: "MITRE," now blocked from view by the building next-door about 40 feet away. That exemplifies MITRE's management and planning. Gawd I feel sorry for anyone living at the top of that building next-door.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 10:13     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Other than RAND and MITRE, how are other FFRDCs faring?

How are UARCs (e.g., JHU/APL) faring?

Similar funding cuts and layoffs? Or doing better?


CNA is a s*itshow


The concept of a think tank behind FFRDCs and UARCs is not getting much traction in the current environment of sci-fi fantasy, AI on Mars, virtual currency, etc. Educated professionals - yes, PhDs matter sometimes, don't have a place in a short attention-span, graphic novel, superhero motivated environment.

MITRE has always really been a fake FFRCD run exclusively by the business development team with a handful of thinkers and a legion of SETA butts-in-seats. VA Choice is an example. MITRE contracted-out all the actual analytics to RAND and the end products were useless - not moving the clinic appointment data needle at all, the one metric they were tasked with improving. Same goes for every single FFRDC they run - especially CAASDI. How's that thirty years of improving air traffic control working out for you?

Circling-back to the lack of need for the certification and critical thinking that come with a PhD, I tried to get Greg Corrado of Google to speak at RAND - despite his Stanford PhD - and he refused saying, more politely if I may summarize, why waste my time? If you want to point to a lack of need for PhDs, then selecting Google reflects your own lack of critical thinking as it was started by and has been run (on the technical end, anyway) by PhDs and on the management side by world-class business experts (not coders). Microsoft is a better example and they never F*k up, right? Sharepoint anyone?
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 09:29     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:Hard to believe there will be more layoffs as government agencies seem to be slowing down RIFs due to attrition / retirements that have already happened.


Most likely now related to FY26 projected funding levels and not so much to Fed RIFs
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 09:17     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is GER?


it sounds like gastroesophageal reflux.


Agreed!
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 09:13     Subject: FFRDCs
Hard to believe there will be more layoffs as government agencies seem to be slowing down RIFs due to attrition / retirements that have already happened.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:58     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:Other than RAND and MITRE, how are other FFRDCs faring?

How are UARCs (e.g., JHU/APL) faring?

Similar funding cuts and layoffs? Or doing better?


CNA is a s*itshow
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 07:25     Subject: FFRDCs
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MITRE is having another layoff the week of Aug 11. Overstaffed by at least 600 people. Will impact all of MITRE, so they say, but it's clear some areas of MITRE are in bigger trouble than others.

This will be round 3. Likely another round September/October. September AND October (rounds 4 and 5?) or September OR October (round 4?)? Who knows.


Will the downsizing affect teams/projects based out of Boston or McLean more? Are DoD and IC projects more likely to stay afloat than FAA, for example?


Only senior management really know the answer to this.


I suspect the indirect side will be hit very hard.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 06:41     Subject: FFRDCs
Other than RAND and MITRE, how are other FFRDCs faring?

How are UARCs (e.g., JHU/APL) faring?

Similar funding cuts and layoffs? Or doing better?