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
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- Bloomberg Business: ‘It’s Global Warming, Stupid.’ (papundits.wordpress.com)
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- Bloomberg’s Magazine Calls Stupid People “Stupid” (theawl.com)
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Well said Danny. It is strange that Bloomberg would have any comment on global warming. However, they are now in Total BS world now, so I can safely ignore anything published by Bloomberg on any subject matter.
Thanks,
John Edmondson
First, respect. Great! You’ll go far on principles. Second, LK Miller and his language pedantry; I’ve experienced this on other blogs, people who’ve got nothing better to do than question your use of language (usually on idiosyncratic and dubious pinciples). Sorry, get a life! Ideas first, manner of expression like about twentieth.
In a nutshell: It’s Global Bloomberg, STUPID
Another one into the denialists’ asylum 🙂
Aussie Luke Warm says:
November 7, 2012 at 11:03 pm
“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.”
Well said – leaves me wondering, has Danny experience with the loony public service of the Julia Gillard Green-Left government in Australia?
It was the ‘can do’ culture of the Cities of the world with their ‘rational’ changes and risks that generated the GFC, bringing the world to its knees, destroying whole industries, whole national economies, and putting tens of millions out of work.
It is the governments of the world with their ‘ossified bureaucratic cultures’ that are trying desperately to put the pieces back together again.
Let’s wish them success.
“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”
Wasn’t Bloomberg ALWAYS big in carbon trading, ETS schemes? I’ve never taken them very seriously.
I smell a rat. It can’t be written by someone in IT. It’s well written, in proper English, appropriately punctuated and without a single misplaced apostrophe. We just can’t do that 🙂
i’d have some respect for bloomberg is they were busily warning the public not to get caught in CAGW CO2 scams, such as this tragic one Bish has unearthed, and informing the public if selling “carbon credits” is as unregulated in other regions of the world besides the UK:
8 Nov: Bishop Hill: Uncreditworthy
There is an interesting article on the Financial Times Adviser website on the subject of carbon credits. These worthless bits of paper are apparently being touted as investments and their sale as such is not regulated…
http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2012/11/8/uncreditworthy.html
This is good for Bloomberg, not bad. Journalism is a purely ideological profession. It doesn’t WANT good writers or good thinkers; it wants hard-line Satanist-Stalinist zealots.
Bloomberg makes the ideology more blazingly obvious than most news agencies, which makes it easier to filter out heretics like this fellow.
It’s sort of like the blatant nature of most scams. Anyone with half a brain can spot a Nigerian Prince email as fraud. We wonder why they don’t make it more subtle, but the obviousness is intentional. Scams require a certain amount of work to manipulate the mark into long-term giving. By making the initial appeal unmistakably fraudulent, the scamster filters out people who can discern fraud, leaving only the marks who are worth cultivating.
I have only bought Bloomberg Businessweek once, because its lead story was a subject in which I was very interested and knowledgeable.
It was just like typical ‘climate science’, an emotional, fact distorting, version of something unremarkable.
The Bloomberg piece is the start of the push to justify Obama Administration’s carbon taxing and the attempt to restart a carbon market. This letter where it states:
“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.”
Highlights that Bloomberg is promoting or perhaps inflating a carbon bubble one which will burst as the cold truth arrives; as it has already in Europe. But no doubt Bloomberg, with an overweening sense of their own importance, believe they can turn around the carbon markets for their ‘leader’. “However ultimately [these markets] are a slave to truth” so this letter points out that the markets should no longer follow Bloomberg’s false claims and instead follow the truth to protect their bottom line.
More succinctly, real business knows that global warming is a scam on which the carbon markets are built and is not an area to be associated with as the bubble is about to burst.
Unfortunately he’s likely to be disappointed if he turns down jobs on this basis.
I know of NO other job where telling the truth is supported. Even religion. We had a sermon last Sunday about the perils of Global Warming. I thought it was quite sweet, one religion supporting another…
How Green is Mayor Bloomberg owner of Bloomberg LP? He is said to own:
Audi R8
Chevrolet SUV (Suburban)
17 East 79th Street Townhouse
The Farmhouse, Titicus Road, North Salem, New York
The Mountain Haus, a 72-unit hotel-like condo in Vail, Colorado
Victorian townhouse worth upwards of $10 million in Cadogan Square, London.
Ballyshear a mansion in the Hamptons.
Stokes Bay a 6,000-square-foot home in Bermuda
Mooney Bravo private aircraft
Through his company a $4.5 million, six-seat Agusta SPA A109S helicopter
On the waiting list for an AgustaWestland AW609 Tiltrotor, a hybrid helicopter-plane
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/nyregion/in-mayor-bloombergs-jet-setting-heart-a-love-for-helicopters.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
http://www.bornrich.com/michael-bloomberg.html
How much tax does Mayor Bloomberg pay?
“According to an extensive review of the mayor’s financial records by The Observer, even as Mr. Bloomberg was trying to counter the loss of taxes and other income from the richest New Yorkers, the foundation he controls was in the process of shuttling hundreds of millions of dollars out of the city and into controversial offshore tax havens that would produce nothing at all for the city in terms of tax revenue.
“By the end of 2008, the Bloomberg Family Foundation had transferred almost $300 million into various offshore destinations—some of them notorious tax-dodge hideouts. The Caymans and Cyprus. Bermuda and Brazil. Even Mauritius, a speck of an island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Madagascar. Other investments were spread around disparate locations, from Japan to Luxembourg to Romania.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s about as opaque set of investments as you can find,’ said Rich Cohen, who covers foundations and charities for Nonprofit Quarterly.”
http://observer.com/2010/04/bloombergs-offshore-millions/
Bloomberg in Bermuda:
“Mr. Bloomberg, who owns a waterfront estate here, has walled off his life in Bermuda from voters in New York, arguing it is none of their business. He steadfastly refuses to say when he is on the island, and to blindfold prying eyes, he has blocked aviation Web sites from making public the movements of his private planes.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/nyregion/26bermuda.html?_r=0
In case Bloomberg’s Paul Barrett or Josh Tyrangiel are reading this WUWT page may I point you to some data about Sandy and other hurricane strike in the USA. After reading it you will see that your headline ‘It’s Global Warming, Stupid‘ is in fact stupid and unsubstantiated by the evidence.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/11/01/helping-bloomberg-understand-stupid/
Mark, though it be “appropriately punctuated” for the most part, several slips are present in this excellent missive: “for me however” should be “for me, however”, and “played of course – however ultimately” should be “played, of course – however, ultimately”.
The failure to place a comma after however, thus making a simple contradictory adverb look like the relative adverb is a common error; however common it is, however, it is best avoided.
LK Miller
“Word not found: blotation”
LK Miller
“Word not found: blotation”
Sorry mods – too impatient!
Many readers are pointing out that Bloomberg is relied on for honest and accurate reporting in the financial industry. Is there really any such thing?
Consider the current financial crisis in the Western world- were there any warnings from Bloomberg,or other such sources before the crash?
Many of us know that big players like George Soros have financially raped entire nations before this current crisis. Soros looting of the UK treasury was just a trial run- he showed the rest of them the way and now they’ve done it to us all. This time around, not only did the big players extract such huge sums from the market that there was no longer an appearance of financial liquidity, but they also had such control of several nations’ purse strings that they were able to extract further trillions in payments from governments with which they promptly began paying themselves billions in bonuses.
Does anyone really think that Bloomberg (et al) is the least bit interested in the real truth of things, or what any of us have to say?
Good on you Danny, I would have done the same.
I wrote to them last week:
Guess what, I will NEVER buy Bloomberg Businessweek again. Your Stupid headline did it. You all are very stupid as you just lost lost a shit load of cash. Below is the correct headline. So get lost forever*.(Its just weather stupid)
The reply:
“Thank you for your comments. I have forwarded your email to the editors. In the meantime, thanks again and have a good day. Patti Straus”
Luther Wu says:
November 8, 2012 at 5:31 am
“Many readers are pointing out that Bloomberg is relied on for honest and accurate reporting in the financial industry. Is there really any such thing?
Consider the current financial crisis in the Western world- were there any warnings from Bloomberg,or other such sources before the crash?”
I remember the onset of the financial crisis very well because I had my money in NASDAQ 100 certificates and was nervous about switching all of it into cash while the market still jittered higher and higher. There were MANY, MANY articles in WSJ and financial times – some predicting a crash, warning of overconsumption via mortgage increases, house flipping, a property bubble… I don’t know about Bloomberg, don’t read them too often.
Without these warnings, I would have had no reason to get out. I did get out in time. Really; there were many warners in these publications.
(What happened next? I did get back in too early – but continued to buy all through the BFC…)
Thanks for that. Bloomberg reminds me of Al Gore. They talk about a lack of action to tackle global warming while doing their very best to ‘warm’ the planet with their well above average consumption, multiple homes and cars and private flying machines. I don’t whether Bloomberg is worse than James Cameron.
http://www.bornrich.com/michael-bloomberg.html
http://observer.com/2012/03/no-youre-selfish/
Danny. You might have a Ph.D but not knowing how to sign off a letter correctly detracts from it.. Dear Sir/Madam should be signed off as ‘ Yours faithfully ‘ not ‘Yours sincerely’.
Dear Sir/Madam takes ‘faithfully’, but Name i.e Dear Mr Smith takes ‘sincerely’.
University of where??
Oh, you mean the former Thames Polytechnic, “the greenest university in the UK”.
Nothing personal, Danny, but I doubt that Bloomberg really give a damn and if you are concerned about the extent to which people are being misled about global warming then try looking closer to home. Like your own “university” for example.
Great work, but I doubt it will make a diference, because –
I am convinced Bloomberg will follow the7 Council of the City of London in imposing a City-tax for vehicles in New York, sooner rather than later.
Global Warming seems to be the best excuse for imposing that citiy-tax far and wide.