On shift again

One of the big topics of conversation around here is the budget cuts for Fermilab. These were magnified because Congress, in its infinite wisdom, didn't generate a budget until well into the fiscal year, so some previously promised money (that will now never arrive) has already been spent. Everybody knows people who are getting laid off. The ILC is gone, and a lot of people thought it was the only serious way to go forward. And the B factories are gone early. Not too much left.

Odd sight: yesterday morning I arrived at 6:45 at B0. In front of trailer 170 (the first of two lines of trailers in the trailer complex) was a white stretch limo with the driver waiting. It was a bit brisk to try to go see if he'd open his window and explain, so I didn't find out who was hiring it. None of the scientists I know would go in for that sort of silliness. Fermilab isn't exactly the kind of place you go for a wild party--and you have to go through some rigmarole to get in. At a wild guess: the limo was part of some party that started the night before, and somebody thought it would be amusing to visit daddy at work.

And it is counterintuitive, but when we're actually running the shift crew can be much less busy than when we're not--and having to deal with umpteen folks trying to tinker.

Update: I talked with Ben, who had a curious explanation: There exists a limo service which takes people to/from the airport sometimes. They have a fleet of cars, and sometimes the only one available is a stretch limo.