“IBM Corporate Officer (Brand Manager, Communications) Carrie Bendzsa, after numerous discussions with Lange of NA-PAW, wrote to NA-PAW, thanking the organization for bringing this matter to their attention, asserting that none of ‘these postings or comments were IBM endorsed actions’.”
Mike Barnard’s wind wings clipped by employer: Told to stop writing on wind power, resign fellowship from Energy and Policy Institute, and delete his blog: Barnard on Wind
Mike Barnard last month was taken to task by researcher Jackie Rovensky of AU and NA-PAW (North American Platform Against Wind Power) for a long-standing series of malicious attacks on trusted and respected professionals worldwide, who have variously documented and researched the now widely recognized devastating effects of industrial wind on human health.
This action by IBM is easily understood.
Barnard is best known for his self-proclaimed stance as a pro wind “expert” who critiques others for their “lack of expertise.” He has no particular qualification for his writings on wind. Yet he refers to himself as “the lead researcher” in a study that calls wind victims “liars.” Barnard trumpets his “power reading” and
constant and deep access and conversations related to public health management, epidemiology and the nature of medical evidence … That experience and on-the-job education has been invaluable as I’ve read through health studies and reviews related to wind power from around the world … which led to recognition of my expertise … I’m pleased to say that my material is helping to shape legal defences of wind energy, advocacy programs and investments in several countries.
This bravado has found a home with wind power developers and promoters, but Barnard now faces stillness on wind. Good thing, for others use his cyber bullying and “manufactured facts” to recreate their own smears.
IBM Rises Up
IBM Corporate Officer (Brand Manager, Communications) Carrie Bendzsa, after numerous discussions with me, thanked NA-PAW for bringing Barnard’s cyber-bullying to their attention, asserting that none of “these postings or comments were IBM endorsed actions.”
The Communique continues:
We don’t have an advocacy position on energy and we have a number of social computing guidelines and policies in place that our employees are instructed and expected to follow. Furthermore, the individuals who are upset by the postings should be assured that IBM does not have any negative views about them personally or professionally.
IBM has spent considerable time reviewing this matter internally and has taken several actions that our employee has agreed to comply with to resolve this matter. These include having the employee delete the Barnardonwind blog, terminate the Energy and Policy Institute Senior Fellow role and agree to no longer publish on wind energy. We truly appreciate you stepping forward to bring this matter to our attention.
Cyber Bully
The kind of cyber bullying that has occurred with Barnard on Wind, some of which has been subsumed into other pro wind sites, is of a serious nature: “It is regarded as irrational, unprovoked criticism,” based on the apparent, some would say obvious, intent to harm careers and cast doubt on the professional integrity of individuals. It has no basis in fact, and can be compared in a way to “hate” speech.
One of several bully notes to Dr. Sarah Laurie of the Waubra Foundation:
Ms. Laurie:
You have not responded as of yet to my letter below. I await your confirmation that you will stop actively promoting health fears which cause illness near wind farms in light of the recent and historical research showing this to be the case.
Yours,
Mike Barnard, Singapore
NA-PAW expresses thanks to IBM for its ethical leadership.
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Sherri Lange is CEO NA-PAW (North American Platform Against Wind Power) www.na-paw.org kodaisl@rogers.com