Friday, August 27, 2010
A tale of two students
The allegation has repeatedly been made on this blog that my dismissal
cost the country in the region of $100 million. Time to prove bona
fides. One of the graduate students lost to the country forever has
produced two rapid-trading systems for his hedge fund, Marshall Wace.
Each trade about $1 billion on a bad day.
He would still be working with me at DCU and Stanford; I spent last weekend at his home in London continuing our neuroscience work. Let us see; if DCU managed to secure 0.001% royalty for the country? Why, that’s $10,000 a day. 0.01% is $100,000 per diem, and so on. The student also holds a patent on Intel’s current flagship 16-core processor. His potential value to Ireland is inestimable. As it happens, of course, the 2 annual conferences we ran – with no taxpayer help – brought at least our salaries’ worth of business to the country, and so we cost the taxpayer nothing.
While at DCU, we did the work together that allowed DCU deal with Stanford – where I commence work again next month – on equal terms. That included both HCI and neuroscience. The HCI work exceeded the functionality of all such in the world in 1999, including Microsoft’s eventual Natal; we have a video to prove it (There was also an OOA system, which excelled the functionality of a rival CNRS one, as we found on a 1999 visit there). The student’s name is being withheld; after a massive struggle with the bureaucracy, he got his PhD; my name does not appear on it, a massive snub.
All we needed was to be left alone to do our work; I was happy to fulfil all my normal duties at DCU. Instead the Irish state has spent perhaps 700k on trying to get rid of us; I have been reliably informed that Mallon’s fee for gesticulating at the EAT was 30k a day. (there were 9 days or parts thereof). Had the state given us a quarter of that, there is no doubt that DCU would now be a world center in many areas at much eventual profit to the taxpayer; and we were doing well at no such cost. But no; the current 26-county state model is to import foreign mediocre “supersized” academics at enormous cost, like DCU and the current lamentable Hamilton institute at NUIM (spot the Irishman, anyone?).
I will also withhold the name of the other student, who has been treated abominably, and is currently staying with me at my house in France, still in recovery from his ordeal; let’s call him Murtaza (M). He is from a Pakistani family who settled in Ireland a generation before the current mass influx; they learned Irish, and an appreciation for our culture unspoiled by multiculti nonsense. He is one of three brothers to graduate with high honours from DCU, two in computing; a fourth brother has a PhD. M also passed a rigorous viva voce exam to transfer from the MSc to the PhD register.
When I was illegally dismissed in 2002, M was told by then head of dept, Morris, to continue liaising with me. He was then, in Fall 2003, summoned to a meeting by his pro tem supervisor, Brian Stone. At this meeting , stone as a DCU officer gave the DCU party line; it did not matter what the EAT or any such body said – I was NEVER going to be reinstated. (This of course echoes ferdies’ recent libelous times interview). Not only that; M was to liaise with stone alone. Morris’ directive to liaise with me now looks sinister indeed; the other student, with a Clare man’s skepticism about Dublin ways that I share, astutely waited for Morris to step down as head before getting his PhD, fully 4 years late.
Stone’s and M’s academic careers are not comparable; the former did not even make it into University from secondary school, and scored lower than M in all relevant exams, including a failed PhD at Trinity. I can say this with some authority as I had him as a very slow student. He is now as dept head in a position to make staff appointments, and - the almighty help us – initiate disciplinary procedures (which I can promise him will end up rather quickly in the high court). M left the college, unable to put up with the barracking from Stone – some of which I witnessed, when he got a mobile call.
What is to be done with M? Surely this is a case that cries out for - at the least – a full apology from DCU, followed by reinstatement as a student in the third year of his PhD?
Or shall we take this one to court as well?
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 27u Lunasa 2010
He would still be working with me at DCU and Stanford; I spent last weekend at his home in London continuing our neuroscience work. Let us see; if DCU managed to secure 0.001% royalty for the country? Why, that’s $10,000 a day. 0.01% is $100,000 per diem, and so on. The student also holds a patent on Intel’s current flagship 16-core processor. His potential value to Ireland is inestimable. As it happens, of course, the 2 annual conferences we ran – with no taxpayer help – brought at least our salaries’ worth of business to the country, and so we cost the taxpayer nothing.
While at DCU, we did the work together that allowed DCU deal with Stanford – where I commence work again next month – on equal terms. That included both HCI and neuroscience. The HCI work exceeded the functionality of all such in the world in 1999, including Microsoft’s eventual Natal; we have a video to prove it (There was also an OOA system, which excelled the functionality of a rival CNRS one, as we found on a 1999 visit there). The student’s name is being withheld; after a massive struggle with the bureaucracy, he got his PhD; my name does not appear on it, a massive snub.
All we needed was to be left alone to do our work; I was happy to fulfil all my normal duties at DCU. Instead the Irish state has spent perhaps 700k on trying to get rid of us; I have been reliably informed that Mallon’s fee for gesticulating at the EAT was 30k a day. (there were 9 days or parts thereof). Had the state given us a quarter of that, there is no doubt that DCU would now be a world center in many areas at much eventual profit to the taxpayer; and we were doing well at no such cost. But no; the current 26-county state model is to import foreign mediocre “supersized” academics at enormous cost, like DCU and the current lamentable Hamilton institute at NUIM (spot the Irishman, anyone?).
I will also withhold the name of the other student, who has been treated abominably, and is currently staying with me at my house in France, still in recovery from his ordeal; let’s call him Murtaza (M). He is from a Pakistani family who settled in Ireland a generation before the current mass influx; they learned Irish, and an appreciation for our culture unspoiled by multiculti nonsense. He is one of three brothers to graduate with high honours from DCU, two in computing; a fourth brother has a PhD. M also passed a rigorous viva voce exam to transfer from the MSc to the PhD register.
When I was illegally dismissed in 2002, M was told by then head of dept, Morris, to continue liaising with me. He was then, in Fall 2003, summoned to a meeting by his pro tem supervisor, Brian Stone. At this meeting , stone as a DCU officer gave the DCU party line; it did not matter what the EAT or any such body said – I was NEVER going to be reinstated. (This of course echoes ferdies’ recent libelous times interview). Not only that; M was to liaise with stone alone. Morris’ directive to liaise with me now looks sinister indeed; the other student, with a Clare man’s skepticism about Dublin ways that I share, astutely waited for Morris to step down as head before getting his PhD, fully 4 years late.
Stone’s and M’s academic careers are not comparable; the former did not even make it into University from secondary school, and scored lower than M in all relevant exams, including a failed PhD at Trinity. I can say this with some authority as I had him as a very slow student. He is now as dept head in a position to make staff appointments, and - the almighty help us – initiate disciplinary procedures (which I can promise him will end up rather quickly in the high court). M left the college, unable to put up with the barracking from Stone – some of which I witnessed, when he got a mobile call.
What is to be done with M? Surely this is a case that cries out for - at the least – a full apology from DCU, followed by reinstatement as a student in the third year of his PhD?
Or shall we take this one to court as well?
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 27u Lunasa 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
North Korea 0 Portugal 7
I repeat; we have managed to defeat the attack on tenure in Ireland. The
key cases were won, both in the industrial relations fora and in the
courts, initially under common law. In fact, wrt the latter, one of the
major achievements was the recognition at the supreme court level that
common law did not obtain as the complete relevant legislation;
crusty-but-fair Judge Geoghegan stressed that the 1997 universities act
had provisions that needed to be applied to Paul Cahill’s dismissal
that superceded common law. So, unlike the notorious Edgar Page case in
hull, the good guys have won. Ireland has academic tenure, which the
negotiations cited below are supposed to define, and Britain does not.
And so the remedy phase of Cahill’s case was a rout. I am the only staff member who attended any of Cahill’s supreme court cases; even I was surprised to find Geoghegan so strongly insisting that Cahill’s was not an unfair, but an illegal dismissal. One result was that, contrary to what the DCU media machine has been bruiting, Cahill won full reinstatement and all costs.
Neither Paul nor I are Dublin insiders, and our performance thus far reminds me of the equally unequipped N. Korea against Brazil. They swarmed over those superstars like flies, and used Brazil’s lack of teamwork against it. The result was a creditable 1-2 defeat. Portugal had a good look at the swarming tactics, and took appropriate countermeasures. The result; 0-7, and the n korea team ended up being publicly pilloried on return to the land of the everlasting Kim.
This blog has been used in a legal forum, and I want to make a few things clear. Above all, I want to emphasise that I do not agree to any proposed changes to my terms and conditions of employment arising from the forthcoming DCU-SIPTU negotiations. I am well within my rights not to so agree, and I recommend that any other staff members in a similar position similarly put this in writing. Nor am I a member of SIPTU; I left the femtosecond the closed shop ended
The SIPTU negotiating team is a bad joke; two technicians and an utterly inexperienced lecturer. Moreover, all the political hacks who failed us the last time are back again pulling the strings; Rowland and White of Labour, and holborow of the SWP. On the other side will be Arthur cox , with their head of IR on the other end of the phone. I also understand that white – paid by DCU as a consultant – refuses to talk directly to the DCU staff section chair, insisting on his fellow labour Party hack Rowland as an interpreter – even when all are in the same room
The negotiations should be left to someone on the staff side who knows the legislation, and the minutiae of the relevant court cases - not just the verdicts of Cahill and Fanning. That leaves Paul Cahill, who should be accompanied by a lawyer. Niall Clerkin would be acceptable to Cahill.
Otherwise, the whole sordid process will begin again
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 25u Lunasa 2010
And so the remedy phase of Cahill’s case was a rout. I am the only staff member who attended any of Cahill’s supreme court cases; even I was surprised to find Geoghegan so strongly insisting that Cahill’s was not an unfair, but an illegal dismissal. One result was that, contrary to what the DCU media machine has been bruiting, Cahill won full reinstatement and all costs.
Neither Paul nor I are Dublin insiders, and our performance thus far reminds me of the equally unequipped N. Korea against Brazil. They swarmed over those superstars like flies, and used Brazil’s lack of teamwork against it. The result was a creditable 1-2 defeat. Portugal had a good look at the swarming tactics, and took appropriate countermeasures. The result; 0-7, and the n korea team ended up being publicly pilloried on return to the land of the everlasting Kim.
This blog has been used in a legal forum, and I want to make a few things clear. Above all, I want to emphasise that I do not agree to any proposed changes to my terms and conditions of employment arising from the forthcoming DCU-SIPTU negotiations. I am well within my rights not to so agree, and I recommend that any other staff members in a similar position similarly put this in writing. Nor am I a member of SIPTU; I left the femtosecond the closed shop ended
The SIPTU negotiating team is a bad joke; two technicians and an utterly inexperienced lecturer. Moreover, all the political hacks who failed us the last time are back again pulling the strings; Rowland and White of Labour, and holborow of the SWP. On the other side will be Arthur cox , with their head of IR on the other end of the phone. I also understand that white – paid by DCU as a consultant – refuses to talk directly to the DCU staff section chair, insisting on his fellow labour Party hack Rowland as an interpreter – even when all are in the same room
The negotiations should be left to someone on the staff side who knows the legislation, and the minutiae of the relevant court cases - not just the verdicts of Cahill and Fanning. That leaves Paul Cahill, who should be accompanied by a lawyer. Niall Clerkin would be acceptable to Cahill.
Otherwise, the whole sordid process will begin again
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 25u Lunasa 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Andropov solution
I had no sympathy whatsoever for Dylan Evans, and my talks with his
students indicated that they miss Dr Kennedy – and not him. However,
what is currently happening in Cork beggars belief. At all times, this
site has supported Evans’ legal case.
In the final decades of the soviet Union, Yuri Andropov - prior to becoming general secretary - pioneered the use of compulsory psychiatric incarceration of dissidents. After all, they didn’t follow revealed truth, so must be insane? In the same way, having so far failed to discipline Evans, UCC is trying a new tack – putting him on compulsory sick leave before a medical exam with one of their chosen physicians (rather than his choice).
This is beyond anything ferdie tried, and betokens a new era. I repeat my call for Murphy’s resignation, and wish Evans the best in his career and forthcoming marriage.
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 19u Lunasa 2010
In the final decades of the soviet Union, Yuri Andropov - prior to becoming general secretary - pioneered the use of compulsory psychiatric incarceration of dissidents. After all, they didn’t follow revealed truth, so must be insane? In the same way, having so far failed to discipline Evans, UCC is trying a new tack – putting him on compulsory sick leave before a medical exam with one of their chosen physicians (rather than his choice).
This is beyond anything ferdie tried, and betokens a new era. I repeat my call for Murphy’s resignation, and wish Evans the best in his career and forthcoming marriage.
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 19u Lunasa 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Winning the war, losing the peace
Ex hunger-striker Dr. Anthony McIntyre is a most diverting writer. His
deliberate forays into absurdism (“I fought in the Adams war...yes,
peace process, you are the most exemplary such”) show that all many of
these guys needed was a good grammar school for a truly brilliant
generation to emerge. The serious side is he believes that Sinn Fein
lost the peace, by protracting negotiations past 2003; in that year,
they sent Trimble out to electoral doom.
Why? Dr McIntyre argues that the goal was to sacrifice the peace for the peace process, in order to boost Sinn Fein's profile in the 26. And so, at DCU, the same tired Labour hacks – Rowland and White - are back to negotiate our statute.
We have won a magnificent victory, at the cost of two of the better scientific careers in Ireland. The process must be reconstructed, with a truly neutral mediator paid jointly by staff and management, free from political interference
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 11u Lunasa 2010
PS My solicitors have written to the Irish Times; proceedings are threatened starting Monday 16th August
Why? Dr McIntyre argues that the goal was to sacrifice the peace for the peace process, in order to boost Sinn Fein's profile in the 26. And so, at DCU, the same tired Labour hacks – Rowland and White - are back to negotiate our statute.
We have won a magnificent victory, at the cost of two of the better scientific careers in Ireland. The process must be reconstructed, with a truly neutral mediator paid jointly by staff and management, free from political interference
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 11u Lunasa 2010
PS My solicitors have written to the Irish Times; proceedings are threatened starting Monday 16th August
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Hit man at the Four Seasons
Yet that is not the full story. It is clear that an attempt will be made to impose ferdie on trinity when the provost’s job comes up next year. “Nonsense”, you say – “they vote for they head guy at TCD”
Well, they used to. Now the plot thickens. One of f’s few gigs is the national competitiveness council. He shares that distinction with one colin hunt, an ex-McCreevy groupie who acted as cheerleader for the housing bubble. Hunt has already declared that TCD should no longer vote, but should have its head imposed.
Now we find that hunt is about to deliver a report on the entire 3rd level sector this autumn for the government. What has happened at DCU will shortly seem like a phony war. In the meantime. is the taxpayer putting him up at this expensive hotel?
Seán Ó Nualláin Ph.D 3u Lunasa 2010
PS It’s worth saying that I’m back in Ireland, and my lawyer has alerted me to recent press reports that will be the subject of libel litigation
