Lamont Weekly Report, January 4, 2008

I expected this short three day week to be busy, and it was - but curiously it was spent not doing a single thing that I expected to be doing... so the progress I made catching up over the Holidays slipped away.

We have been making a lot of progress with effort certifications in recent days, but we still, as an institution have a way to go in order to meet our January 15th deadline. In case you think that, as Director, I escape this task, let me tell you that I have certified around forty folks so far this week...

Speaking of bizarre processes, any comment I make concerning the start of the nation's selection of its next President would reveal my profound cynicism regarding the present state of US politics - only recently reaffirmed by the evisceration of the NSF budget - so best I remain mute.

I shall practice denial and focus upon the dual positives - that this weekend is the National Boat Show downtown , and next week is the ninth meeting of the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (with the remarkable acronym of POGO) that I plan to attend Tuesday thru Friday - along with many of the Directors of the major Oceanographic Institutes from Europe, Asia and the US. The meeting will take place upon a small island, less than a two hour flight south east of here, upon which sources of warm beer and meat pies abound - so in truth, I cannot complain.

Have a good weekend,

- Mike