[LINK] Urban myth in the making: Was: Ex IBM Employer reveals TV abandonded analogue band for RFID

[Robin Whittle]

Hi Crispin,

Thanks for the further sleuthing.

I am not disputing the right of people to say or write what they like
about RFID etc.  I am just interested in how this single
un-substantiated statement hit a popular nerve and is being blasted
around the place in a way where for many people, it will be accepted
as pretty close to a fact.

This text about Patrick Redmond's background appears at the start of
the michaeljournal.org article which I saved yesterday.

    http://www.michaeljournal.org/newtechno.htm

> http://wearechangecoloradosprings.org/blog/?p=1225

> Former IBM Employee Gives A Presentation On RFID
> Patrick Redmond graduated with a Doctorate in History from the University of
> London, England in 1972. He taught at the University of the West Indies in
> Trinidad, then at  Adhadu Bello University in Kano, Nigeria before joining
> IBM.  He worked in IBM for 31 years before retiring. During his career at
> IBM he held a variety of jobs. These included; from 1992 until 2007 working
> at the IBM Toronto lab in technical, then in sales support. He has written
> two books and numerous articles. Here is a presentation he gave in Toronto
> on April 13, 2008.


The page you cite is dated 11 July, which I think is one of the
earliest of the blog copies I have seen.

So I thnik it took 4 or 5 days to propagate pretty widely after this.

> The important point is in this last line: "Here is a presentation he gave in
> Toronto on April 13, 2008."
> 
> Still nothing on *where* the presentation was delivered, but at least there
> is some more background on the WHO of Patrick (sorry, Dr) Redmond.
> 
> I found some more information about the man himself - particularly that he
> has stood for election in Marhkam, Canada as a Familiy Coalition Party
> representative: (
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Coalition_Party_candidates,_2003_Ontario_provincial_election#Patrick_Redmond_.28Markham.29
> )


> DISCLAIMER: The linking information here is: Canada, Toronto, Name (Partick
> Redmond) and IBM - so it is possible that this information is not about the
> person on interest.

Indeed.

I couldn't find anything for:

  "Reform party of Canada" "Patrick Redmond" RFID

It's just fine for him to write this.  My concern is that too many
people take the allegation seriously, and that somehow the "Ex-IBM
employee" phrase is interpreted to give the original statement more
credibility, even though lots of searching fails to confirm that this
person exists, or that he worked for IBM.  I think there's no
particular reason why working for IBM would give someone insight into
the reasons behind the adoption of digital TV.


>> Maybe there is tough competition in the blogosphere for conspiracy
>> theories.   I still reckon this one has staying power and will be
>> floating round for years to come.
> 
> Can't help but agree with you there, Robin.
> 
> And I suspect that we haven't see the real blossoming of this one yet...

Yes, I will keep an eye on it from time-to-time.

  - Robin