date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:49:22 +0100 (BST) from: P.Jones@uea.ac.uk subject: [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: Re: I presume this is true!]]] to: k.briffa@uea.ac.uk, t.osborn@uea.ac.uk Keith, I suppose that the answer is still no, but I told Tom/Ben that I would still ask. Can you forward to Sarah, Tim? I assume you (Tim or Keith) are on to the GEC marking. Has to be in by end of Wednesday. Cheers Phil ---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: [Fwd: Re: Re: I presume this is true!]] From: "Ben Santer" Date: Mon, April 27, 2009 6:33 pm To: "Tom Wigley" Cc: "'Philip D. Jones'" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Tom, Yes! Now that Sarah is feeling better, it would be great if Phil could ask both Keith and Sarah whether they'd be available on June 19th. Cheers, Ben Tom Wigley wrote: > Ben, > > Should we re-invite Sarah? Keith. Praps Phil can > sound things out? > > Tom > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: > Re: [Fwd: Re: Re: I presume this is true!] > From: > P.Jones@uea.ac.uk > Date: > Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:21:22 +0100 (BST) > To: > "Tom Wigley" > > To: > "Tom Wigley" > > > Sarah is back working - just after Easter. > She seems fine now. > > Phil > >> Yeah -- a bit sad really. >> >> Two wrongs don't make a right. >> >> Any news about Sarah? >> >> Tom. >> >> ++++++++++++++++++++= >> >> P.Jones@uea.ac.uk wrote: >>> Tom, >>> Here is an email from Kevin and Jim Renwick which >>> has some more details. As you/we surmised Jim isn't entirely >>> blameless. >>> >>> In Geneva all week. I'll see how many people here know >>> about the issue. >>> >>> Cheers >>> Phil >>> ---------------------------- Original Message >>> ---------------------------- >>> Subject: Re: Re: I presume this is true! >>> From: "Kevin Trenberth" >>> Date: Sun, April 26, 2009 11:06 pm >>> To: "James Renwick" >>> Cc: p.jones@uea.ac.uk >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Thanks Jim >>> Do the rules that were imposed on Jim Salinger apply to all or was he >>> singled out? This is wrt having to get permission to speak to the >>> media. >>> I note NIWA has been quiet: and so the news reports cease. (At least on >>> google news). Anything on local talkback shows etc? >>> Kevin >>> >>>> Hi Kevin: >>>> >>>> Thanks for your mail - very interesting to read your interpretation of >>>> this. >>>> Just to be secret squirrel, I'm replying via my non-NIWA mail... >>>> >>>> It puts forward an image to the public and they started to change that >>>> and >>>>> part of it was to cut back on Jim's contacts with the >>>>> media. In that sense Jim was in violation of the rules and was >>>>> legitimately fired. However the rules stink! >>>>> >>>> A pretty good summary. Jim was told to do certain things and chose not >>>> to >>>> do >>>> them, and he's had a few scenes with some of the people in the Auckland >>>> NIWA >>>> office over the past year or so, all culminating in him getting fired. >>>> Nothing he has done warrants the sack, in my opinion - I have the >>>> feeling >>>> that there's some (unknown to me) personality issue going on as well. >>>> It's >>>> really dumb of NIWA to act in this way, damaging for Jim of course, but >>>> certainly damaging for NIWA as well. If this action hinges on the >>>> personal >>>> likes and dislikes of the CEO (or whoever), that's a serious worry for >>>> all >>>> of us. There will be an Employment Court case to come in May, and >>>> perhaps >>>> it'll bring things out in the open. >>>> >>>> There has been a corporatising of NIWA (and NZ) science the past 20 >>>> years, >>>> but I don't feel we are too constrained generally about speaking. We'll >>>> see >>>> what develops from here. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> Jim >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> *From: * "Kevin Trenberth" *To:* "James Renwick" >>>>> < >>>>> j.renwick@niwa.co.nz> *CC:* *Date: * 27/04/2009 >>>>> 3:55 >>>>> a.m. *Subject: * Re: I presume this is true!Hi Jim and Phil >>>>> Thanks for the internal insights. >>>>> I think this issue stems from the decisions in the early 1990s to >>>>> privatize the Meteorological Service and create NIWA. If you look at >>>>> the >>>>> NIWA web site you will see that it is run as a company and has a CEO >>>>> who >>>>> is a business person (not a scientific director) and a board of >>>>> directors >>>>> (some of whom are scientists). It has contracts with media to sell >>>>> information. It puts forward an image to the public and they started >>>>> to >>>>> change that and part of it was to cut back on Jim's contacts with the >>>>> media. In that sense Jim was in violation of the rules and was >>>>> legitimately fired. >>>>> >>>>> However the rules stink! I think the NZ public, the public interest >>>>> and >>>>> the NZ govt is very poorly served by the way NIWA is set up and run, >>>>> but >>>>> that is a high level govt decision. My guess is that that this is not >>>>> so >>>>> much the new government (although it could be), as the CEO and Board >>>>> of >>>>> Directors. >>>>> >>>>> I believe that scientists should be able to speak freely and openly to >>>>> the >>>>> media about science. To the extent that policy and decisions related >>>>> to >>>>> the science come in, then scientists should be able to voice their >>>>> personal views freely and openly as long it is clear that they are >>>>> speaking for themselves and not representing NIWA or the government. >>>>> In >>>>> NOAA, policies were put in place that required permission for >>>>> scientist >>>>> to >>>>> respond and talk to the media: they were not told they couldn't. But >>>>> in >>>>> practice it amounted to the same thing because getting permission took >>>>> time and was cumbersome. That seems to be partly what has happened >>>>> here. >>>>> The other part is controlling what is said and the message. >>>>> >>>>> This is really to Phil, but I am interested in Jim's reaction to this: >>>>> obviously he is part of NIWA and needs to be careful about what he >>>>> says. >>>>> >>>>> Kevin >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Phil: >>>>>> >>>>>> Yes indeed, and very unfortunate it is too. Jim is taking a personal >>>>>> grievance case against NIWA and has gone to the media. It is being >>>>> painted >>>>>> as a "Jim Hansen" story - right-wing government gags prominent >>>>>> climate-change scientist. This is not the situation at all, as you >>>>> guess. >>>>>> I can't say I know all about it, but my understanding is this: NIWA >>>>> chose >>>>>> a year ago to broaden their range of media spokespeople, so asked Jim >>>>> to >>>>>> step back from speaking to the media, to make room for others. He did >>>>> not >>>>>> take kindly to this, and has chosen to repeatedly ignore management's >>>>>> (increasingly strident) requests, in this area and in others. He was >>>>>> eventually seen as too much of a liability to the organisation. >>>>>> >>>>>> I think Jim himself would put a very different slant on it. Either >>>>> way, >>>>>> it's really sad for Jim and for NIWA that things weren't handled >>>>> better >>>>>> than this. I don't think anyone will come up smelling of roses >>>>>> through >>>>> the >>>>>> court case and the media exposure. >>>>>> >>>>>> If you haven't contacted him already, Jim would I'm sure appreciate >>>>>> an >>>>>> e-mail. His "home" address is salinger@orcon.net.nz >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> All the best, >>>>>> Jim >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ----------------- >>>>>> Dr James Renwick >>>>>> Principal Scientist, Climate Variability & Change >>>>>> NIWA >>>>>> Private Bag 14901, Wellington >>>>>> +64-4-386-0343 +64-21-178-5550 >>>>>>>>> Phil Jones 04/24/09 8:06 PM >>> >>>>>> Jim, >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/greens >>>>> -storms-ahead-niwa-after-noble-prize-winner-sacked/5/12587 >>>>>> http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/04/24/1245aa98cdba >>>>>> >>>>>> There is probably a lot more to this? >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> Phil >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Prof. Phil Jones >>>>>> Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) 1603 592090 >>>>>> School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) 1603 507784 >>>>>> University of East Anglia >>>>>> Norwich Email p.jones@uea.ac.uk >>>>>> NR4 7TJ >>>>>> UK >>>>>> >>>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>>>> NIWA is the trading name of the National Institute of Water & >>>>> Atmospheric >>>>>> Research Ltd. >>>>>> >>>>> ___________________ >>>>> Kevin Trenberth >>>>> Climate Analysis Section, NCAR >>>>> PO Box 3000 >>>>> Boulder CO 80307 >>>>> ph 303 497 1318 >>>>> http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/trenbert.html >>>>> >>>>> NIWA is the trading name of the National Institute of Water & >>>>> Atmospheric >>>>> Research Ltd. >>>>> >>> >>> ___________________ >>> Kevin Trenberth >>> Climate Analysis Section, NCAR >>> PO Box 3000 >>> Boulder CO 80307 >>> ph 303 497 1318 >>> http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/trenbert.html >>> >> >> > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Benjamin D. Santer Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory P.O. Box 808, Mail Stop L-103 Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A. Tel: (925) 422-3840 FAX: (925) 422-7675 email: santer1@llnl.gov ----------------------------------------------------------------------------