People send me stuff. This one, submitted to WUWT’s “submit a story” is quite something in that I’ve never seen someone take such a principled stand before getting a job. It usually comes afterwards. In this case, Bloomberg’s dabbling in “Tabloid Climatology” has led to a proactive resignation. – Anthony
A response to Bloomberg Business Week’s climate hysteria from someone who *was* considering working for them…
Below is a message I sent to Bloomberg today after cancelling my attendance at the ‘Bloomberg Assessment Test’ today. The test is aimed at graduates who want to break into the finance industry. I had been booked into this assessment for some time previously, however upon reading the ‘Bloomberg Business Week’ article ‘It’s Global Warming, Stupid‘ on November 1st, I decided I no longer wanted to have anything to do with Bloomberg. – Danny Weston
Dear Sir / Madam,
I write regarding my cancellation of attendance at the ‘Bloomberg Assessment Test’ that I was due to sit today (Weds 7th Nov 2012). I wanted to communicate my reasons for doing so.
As I am sure Bloomberg and its various holdings and affiliates hold potential candidates for employment to the highest standards, I also hold potential employers to similarly high standards, especially as – unlike many of the new graduates who will be applying via the BAT – I will be completing my PhD in the Philosophy of Computing having already had many years of gainful employment and a wide ranging skillset that would be attractive to a prospective employer such as Bloomberg. Indeed, I previously worked in the city as a qualified electronic trading systems consultant and have developed skills and experience since in both IT and research roles that would be valuable in city roles, should I choose to return to the finance and investment banking industry.
On November 1st, one of your holdings – ‘Bloomberg Business Week’ – published a highly misleading article, leading on the front page – ‘It’s Global Warming, Stupid’. Had this article been written by a guest contributor, or represented a rare deviation from the content typically provided by this publication, I would have ignored it. However in this case it was written by assistant managing editor and senior writer Paul Barrett and continues a running theme in the publication for promoting unsubstantiated nonsense on the issue of anthropogenic global warming that appears intended only to maximise hysterical fear, uncertainty and doubt. The author constructed a narrative using such wildly inappropriate and factually untrue terminology as “Now we have weather on steroids,” – the kind of language that one might read and could be forgiven for thinking one was reading a satirical piece from The Onion or The Daily Mash.
The straw – albeit a particularly dense one – that truly broke the camel’s back for me however, was Bloomberg editor Josh Tyrangiel tweeting that same day, presumably to ramp up sales of this particular issue that, “Our cover story this week may generate controversy, but only among the stupid.” This is not language becoming of the editor of a major mainstream news publication and solidifies my opinion that BBW is an outlet for propaganda, rhetoric and schoolboy level insults, not a publication to be taken seriously – especially for anyone who works in the business world needing facts on the ground on which to make decisions. And the facts on the ground are that not only are the claims of catastrophic anthropogenic global warming highly uncertain and also often wildly exaggerated, but that even many of the experts who stand behind alarming claims made regarding the latter disputed any feasible links to Hurricane Sandy.
During my time working in the city previously, my favourite aspect of the work was that I could always appeal to the bottom line. The ‘can do’ culture meant that rational changes and risks would be given the nod if they would result in a likely improvement. It was the complete opposite to the ossified bureaucratic culture I’d experienced working in the public sector. A core part of this however was an attendance to the truth – markets can be distorted and played of course – however ultimately they are a slave to truth, which is why market corrections and detection of bubbles is so important. Bubbles and fraud on the other hand are kept alive with the dead hand of careless propaganda and lies. And it appears to be the latter to which BBW wishes to be associated.
To that extent I cannot in good conscience work for an organisation such as Bloomberg, nor rely on its recommendation via the BAT for work elsewhere in the industry. I will – as I have usually done – make my own way and on my own merits. If Bloomberg is willing to tolerate publication of work that is nothing but insulting propaganda by one of its holdings then I believe its days are numbered as a reliable truth telling adjunct to the financial industry and I do not wish to be associated with it.
Yours sincerely,
Danny Weston
Phd Candidate, Philosophy of Computing
Department of Communications and Creative Arts
University of Greenwich
London
###
Related articles
- Helping Bloomberg understand ‘stupid’ (wattsupwiththat.com)
- IPCC – “Sandy Was Not Caused By Anthropogenic Global Warming” (toryaardvark.com)
- Bloomberg Business: ‘It’s Global Warming, Stupid.’ (papundits.wordpress.com)
- New paper cuts recent anthropogenic warming trend in half (wattsupwiththat.com)
- Bloomberg’s Magazine Calls Stupid People “Stupid” (theawl.com)
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Wish I could write like that. If i had a company I would offer him a job straight away.
Mr Watts, sign him up!
I have worked in the British IT industry for 15 years and so far I’ve found only two warmists, and they weren’t British 🙂
Ha ha nice one Danny! Spot on as usual 🙂
I echo Richard’s comment (at 1:23 pm). I am in awe of the clarity and eloquence brought to bear by Mr. Weston. Where ever he ends up applying his education and life skills, he will have a huge positive impact on the bottom line of the establishment.
Good on you Danny Weston! Well put.
Pretty powerful stuff to throw at the agenda peddlers.
Very commendable; but unfortunately I doubt if anyone with any influence at Bloomberg will ever see this.
Three cheers for a principled well qualified candidate who has “an attendance to the truth” and who supports a “‘can do’ culture”!
Ah, but you see Mr. Weston, Mr. Bloomberg does not care what you think.
Mr. Bloomberg knows that his words will earn him resounding praise and many dinner invitations from his coterie of friends in New York high society, among whom any words bemoaning “Global Warming” are sure to please.
Don’t you realize, Mr. Weston, that the whole “Global Warming” construct is merely a device to keep you and the rest of the peasant classes under the control of the members of NY high society and their peers throughout the world, who profit mightily from your toils?
Well done.
That was absolutely fabulous.
I wonder if their stomachs fell out their butts when they read that?
The pressure to conform:
http://www.businessinsider.com/sandys-climate-change-editor-banned-from-wikipedia-2012-11
It is well written, but I doubt anyone at Bloomberg will read past the 3rd paragraph before hitting the delete key. Nice try, though.
Danny,
With deepest sincerity and respect, I salute you!
MtK
“During my time working in the city previously, my favourite aspect of the work was that I could always appeal to the bottom line.”
And what about Bloomberg’s position doesn’t appeal to his own “bottom line?” Is he invested or intended to do so in cap and trade? Carbon derivatives? Green pie in the sky scams? Sure, the nuts are just useful idiots and propagandists, that doesn’t mean Bloomberg himself is one. Follow the Money.
BTW, this is a particularly New York phenomenon, foster by their self-importance and belief that the publication “The New Yorker” is a font of wisdom, rather than a venue of paid advocacy on climate scams.
Outstanding. Every potential employer should take heed at this principled reply.
And to think, with certainty, that CO2 in the atmosphere is beneficial….
Excellent. And very well written.
This caught my eye:
“During my time working in the city previously, my favourite aspect of the work was that I could always appeal to the bottom line. The ‘can do’ culture meant that rational changes and risks would be given the nod if they would result in a likely improvement. It was the complete opposite to the ossified bureaucratic culture I’d experienced working in the public sector. A core part of this however was an attendance to the truth – markets can be distorted and played of course – however ultimately they are a slave to truth, which is why market corrections and detection of bubbles is so important.”
In another blog, skeptics (or in the blogger’s insistence, “denialists”) are labeled as “do-nothings” and solidly entrenched in the status quo. Young Mr. Weston seems to possess an eye for bottom line results based on honest observations and questioning. It’s frustrating to know that such questioning is often perceived as obstructionist, especially when spending efficiency is so vital today.
I hope this will serve as an example to prospective and already-employed professionals, showing them how to stand up to those who enable the CAGW cult to survive, in the face of massive contrary evidence.
Does your academic department, research program, publication, office, or whatever keep promulgating “climate change” as anything more than rampant speculation? Then draft a letter like this one, and find a more rational place to work.
/Mr Lynn
I commend Danny’s stand on this issue. But I doubt it will make any difference to Bloomberg’s AGW stance.
Weston’s phrase “working in the city” refers to the financial district in London, known as “the city,” something US readers may not realize until the end. I initially took it to mean, working FOR the city (I.e., NYC).
That was an inspiring peice. Clear argumentation and clear, distinct English. Even me as a Swede can appreciate the language.
Such persons (principled, ethical) are no longer going to matter in our society.
To prepare for what’s coming, I suggest watching the movie Idiocracy
I suspect Mr Bloomberg’s publication is doing what is necessary for his political career, and the bottom line is that what Mr Bloomberg wants, he gets. The headline wiped the egg off his face, at least in non-thinking circles, after he had been as ineffectual as George W Bush in disaster risk management. The shame is that nobody in the MSM called them out on this cynical behaviour.