The managers I've encountered have been kinda squirrely. The researchers, on the other hand -- the folks down in Los Alamos National Lab's scientific trenches -- have been beautifully blunt, for the most part. A big chunk of their work may be secret. But the men and women of Los Alamos have rarely had a problem coming out into the open and articulating exactly what they thought was wrong with the lab -- and with the reporters who cover it.

Now, Los Alamos simulation specialist Douglas Roberts has given lab employees a chance to vent 24/7, with a new blog, LANL: The Real Story. And what they're saying about Los Alamos director Pete Nanos and his management team is not pretty.

After an intern got zapped in the eye with a laser, and a pair of classified disks supposedly went missing, Nanos shut down the lab, calling scientists who refused to comply with safety and security regulations "buttheads" and "cowboys."

At LANL: The Real Story, employees are blasting back, using all the literary tools at their disposal. Even limericks.

Under LANL's new management plan,
if you try to do science you're canned.
Shall we instill a revolt?
Or just give up and bolt?
Either way, it's "game over," man.

Quoth Nanos, "Disks are missing, oh dear!"
"They're neither here, nor here, nor here!"
"You're all cowboys, I say."
"Now we'll do it MY way!"
Make way for intimidation and fear...

Oh Nanos, why don't you just leave us?
Your actions really do grieve us.
Those missing disks?
Just labels amiss!
If we're butt-heads, then you must be Beavis!

Ian Hoffman has a great backgrounder on Roberts and his blog here.