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soandso

(1,631 posts)
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 02:47 AM Nov 2024

Founder of "How Stuff Works" bullied to death by faculty at NC State

Last edited Thu Nov 28, 2024, 04:09 PM - Edit history (1)

“I have just been through one of the most demoralizing, depressing, humiliating, unjust processes possible with the University,” Brain wrote. “The fact is that I am not ‘retiring.’ Instead, NC State terminated me on Oct. 29.”

Brain wrote that after submitting an ethics complaint concerning Veena Misra, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and bringing his concerns to her directly, Misra retaliated against him.

Brain’s complaint contained allegations of wrongdoing in the form of “untrue statements, incompetence, hiding info, bad faith dealings and unethical behavior” after a disagreement with Misra in August regarding repurposing the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program meeting space to accommodate a new hire.

“What came back was a sickening nuclear bomb of retaliation the likes of which could not be believed,” Brain wrote. “[Misra] excommunicated me from my department for reporting my concerns to her.”

https://www.technicianonline.com/news/popular-nc-state-professor-marshall-brain-dies-alleges-retaliation-for-ethics-complaints/article_152e5c80-ac2e-11ef-8b3f-036ac3c8d9bf.html

At the Daily Mail, which is not allowed to be linked, is a longer article titled, "Internet pioneer who founded one of the world's most popular websites is found dead in his office just HOURS after 4am mystery email", where students rave about his selflessness and dedication to helping others. He sounded very kind and sensitive and was deliberately destroyed by these monsters.

Edit: Title

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Founder of "How Stuff Works" bullied to death by faculty at NC State (Original Post) soandso Nov 2024 OP
So soon after Aaron Swartz day. usonian Nov 2024 #1
Another horrible case of bullying soandso Nov 2024 #3
I should have added soandso Nov 2024 #2
You should change the thread title BoRaGard Nov 2024 #4
So you just made up the headline? JoseBalow Nov 2024 #10
I will edit soandso Nov 2024 #15
Post removed Post removed Nov 2024 #5
A little early in the morning for pizza, isn't it? Tanuki Nov 2024 #7
Never too early for a Cha Nov 2024 #18
You will love the pizza today. Emile Nov 2024 #8
This is eerily similar to what happened to... Hugin Nov 2024 #6
Not really following what you wrote soandso Nov 2024 #16
Academia drmeow Nov 2024 #9
Daily Mail article and photos: dalton99a Nov 2024 #11
Ah, that's why I couldn't find it - the Mail misspelled "Brain" as "Brian" throughout muriel_volestrangler Nov 2024 #13
Just a heads up soandso Nov 2024 #17
There is zero proof this is suicide or if his accusations were true obamanut2012 Nov 2024 #12
Oh wow.sad Demovictory9 Nov 2024 #14
Very disturbing More coming, I suspect. Joinfortmill Nov 2024 #19
 

soandso

(1,631 posts)
3. Another horrible case of bullying
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 03:01 AM
Nov 2024

all so some ambitious prosecutor could chalk up a win with a life ruined. Absolutely sickening.

 

soandso

(1,631 posts)
2. I should have added
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 02:58 AM
Nov 2024

that suicide was my conclusion which I probably should have refrained from saying! His cause of death has not been revealed. The details of the two articles make it sound like that's what happened.

So terrible. What a remarkable guy he was.

BoRaGard

(4,209 posts)
4. You should change the thread title
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 05:45 AM
Nov 2024

until the cause is determined....that's about all most people read.

JoseBalow

(6,778 posts)
10. So you just made up the headline?
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 02:13 PM
Nov 2024

Your conclusion?

Yes, you should have refrained from spreading rumors about his death. Absolutely you should edit the thread title, or delete it altogether.

 

soandso

(1,631 posts)
15. I will edit
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 04:08 PM
Nov 2024

I didn't mean to just make it up, I was thinking that was what happened while reading about it.

Response to soandso (Original post)

Hugin

(35,686 posts)
6. This is eerily similar to what happened to...
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 06:25 AM
Nov 2024

Yours truly.

Death by a thousand pettinesses.

After 16 years in the Oidashibeya (The Explusion Room), where in-spite of those who wished me to crumble, I continued to produce substance out of nothingness. Even that was taken from me.

I very well could have died in oblivion, I still believe that’s what the legions of petty wanted to happen.

Instead, I emerged from the darkness waving the gauntlet of the steel bird not giving a fuck about anybody or anything. I had no more fucks to give.

In a way, liberating.

 

soandso

(1,631 posts)
16. Not really following what you wrote
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 04:12 PM
Nov 2024

other than a similar experience with malevolent co-workers and I'm glad you emerged okay.

drmeow

(5,469 posts)
9. Academia
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 11:25 AM
Nov 2024

has been turned into a cesspool by the same starvation/free market policies which are destroying the rest of the country.

The demand for "public" institutions to be supported by outside money has lead to the promotion of the worst vicious narcissists within academia into leadership roles. The Leona Helmsley's of the academic work are floating to the top, like the gas filled turds they are, and making the work of educating the next generation and conducting cutting edge research (a calling for many academics) and exercise in long term torture.

muriel_volestrangler

(103,123 posts)
13. Ah, that's why I couldn't find it - the Mail misspelled "Brain" as "Brian" throughout
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 02:30 PM
Nov 2024

I think they really ought to have corrected the article by now.

 

soandso

(1,631 posts)
17. Just a heads up
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 04:17 PM
Nov 2024

I didn't link to that because I once had and someone said it was a right wing site and I had a post removed.

obamanut2012

(28,305 posts)
12. There is zero proof this is suicide or if his accusations were true
Thu Nov 28, 2024, 02:26 PM
Nov 2024

Why are you posting misinformation???

Any alerters: none of what OP hypothesized is proven.

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