Republican wants to ban the NWS

[TrailBate]

Yep, Rick Santorum, Republican Senator, wants to introduce a bill to BAN the national weather service from putting anything on the internet. Why? So that his good buddies at AccuWeather have less competition.

http://blog.myweatherguide.com/archives/2005/04/stop_rick_santo.html

[felixatvtc]

Banning stuff on the internet is retarded. I'm glad the morons in DC are crapping there pants over the internet though. They realize it's a powerful tool that exposes there fraud and they can't harness it.

I have to ask TB, why does it always have to be Repub/Dem. though? Can't you just make a post that says "Some dick wants to ban...." So that it doesn't have to be political?

[Rych]

Is there a need for the NWS anymore? Isn't this something that could be privatized? If Accuweather (sic) is providing the same info, couldn’t the government just give the private sector 25% of the NWS budget and return the rest to the taxpayers? Just an idea.

[TrailBate]

I have to ask TB, why does it always have to be Repub/Dem. though? Can't you just make a post that says "Some dick wants to ban...." So that it doesn't have to be political?


what fun would that be? ;)

How's this:

Some dickhead that used Halabja (the town that Saddam gassed in 1988) as an excuse to invade Iraq, just last week decided to cancel the water purification project there, so thousands will continue to get sick and die from water infested with bat droppings, among other things.

Some lying sack of crap decided to stop publishing the yearly terrorism report, after finding out that 2004 had the most terrorist attacks ever since the report was put out.

[TrailBate]

Is there a need for the NWS anymore? Isn't this something that could be privatized? If Accuweather (sic) is providing the same info, couldn’t the government just give the private sector 25% of the NWS budget and return the rest to the taxpayers? Just an idea.


NWS is involved in every weather report you get, no matter where you get it from. Pilots must use it, and it's also where all your watches and warnings come from. This isn't about eliminating a redundent weather source, it is THE weather source.

[Rych]

Is there a need for the NWS anymore? Isn't this something that could be privatized? If Accuweather (sic) is providing the same info, couldn’t the government just give the private sector 25% of the NWS budget and return the rest to the taxpayers? Just an idea.


NWS is involved in every weather report you get, no matter where you get it from. Pilots must use it, and it's also where all your watches and warnings come from. This isn't about eliminating a redundent weather source, it is THE weather source.


Seems reasonable to keep them then. I prefer to avoid storms when flying.

[felixatvtc]

I have to ask TB, why does it always have to be Repub/Dem. though? Can't you just make a post that says "Some dick wants to ban...." So that it doesn't have to be political?


what fun would that be? ;)

How's this:

Some dickhead that used Halabja (the town that Saddam gassed in 1988) as an excuse to invade Iraq, just last week decided to cancel the water purification project there, so thousands will continue to get sick and die from water infested with bat droppings, among other things.

Some lying sack of crap decided to stop publishing the yearly terrorism report, after finding out that 2004 had the most terrorist attacks ever since the report was put out.


Touche'

[Mr_Cheeze]

The Real Scoop (and not just some Joe Schmo Blog) (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05116/494329.stm)

While this is hardly what Trailbait has characterized, it is still politics as usual in that Santorum is obviously trying to do a favor for a major contributor to his campaign. His spokespeople deny the motive, but you have to believe they are doing so with a wink and a nod.

All of that being said, I get my internet weather as many of you likely do, from weather.com, a private enterprise. The only info they do get from NOAA is emergency related information, which will continue to happen under this bill.

[Slider]

Maybe Cheeze missed this reference on the Weather.com site:

"While the network uses raw data gathered from The National Weather Service and other sources, our meteorologists conduct their own analyses to produce the weather forecasts. "

http://www.weather.com/aboutus/television/star.html

The NWS has key input on what our weather satellites will do, helps determine their missions, and distributes their data. Most important of all, this is done in an unbiased way, not influenced by corporate, profit-driven demands. From their mission statement:

"The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community. "

Sounds like a crucial component of a working economy to me.

Slider

[Mr_Cheeze]

I saw the same thing you did, which is to say nothing of significance as pertains to the story. The Weather Channel is a private enterprise that will exist with or without raw data from NOAA. Emergenct eeather information will continue to be supplied by law. So you guys can stop the silly scare tactics. This is one Republican with an obvious agenda. No more no less. It remains to be seen whether this even passes muster.

[Slider]

For three years, I supported NOAA and NWS scientists, and their close associates in NASA, plus reseachers at NCAR, who all used a third party email service where I worked, before the internet came along. I know first hand how the co-operative effort works.

NWS is THE source of satellite weather data, the same source virtually every commercial provider relies on. There are a few commercial weather satellites, but the data they collect is closely guarded. If you don't pay the big bucks, or if you want to, but happen to be in competition with the satellite investors, you don't get the data.

NOAA, with input from the NWS and university-based research consortiums like NCAR, manages the research projects, determines what they investigate, and directs the satellite development. The NWS compiles, analyzes and distributes the data.

Besides open access to the data, another key contribution from the NOAA/NWS collaboration lies in their ability to create cross-agency cooperation. They can corral the various agencies, public and private, and co-ordinate efforts to maximize the return on a given experiment, or satellite launch. Sometimes, date from top-secret spy satellites is shared with the weather-related agencies, when the CIA or the NSA, for example, happen to have the right tool for the job. Sharing data like that outside a federal agency would be problematic, to say the least.

You say "Emergency weather information will continue to be supplied by law" Well, take away the NWS and there's no agency to distribute that info. Beyond that, there's MUCH more to the research, data collection, analysis, and distribution than you seem to grasp. Emergencies are only a small part of what the NWS does.

Slider

[gnurider1080]

doesnt this violate the constitution because it goes against the freedom of information?

[Mr_Cheeze]

You say "Emergency weather information will continue to be supplied by law" Well, take away the NWS and there's no agency to distribute that info. Beyond that, there's MUCH more to the research, data collection, analysis, and distribution than you seem to grasp. Emergencies are only a small part of what the NWS does.

Slider


So are you saying that without the NWS, the Weather Channel and other private enterprises cannot exist? That their scientists and technicians aren't up to the task of providing themselves with their own raw data? Hey, maybe this will provide more jobs in that field. That wouldn't be so bad, would it?

I'm not sure what your gripe is. What do you believe would be the most critical result should this bill pass? That Joe Citizen without cable TV or internet access won't get the weekend weather report? Besides, it's not like the Weather Channel is a free service.

[TrailBate]

I just wanted to re-iterate that ALL weather forecasts you see come from, in large part, the NWS. Do you think the weather channel has it's own visible satellites, infrared satellites, national radars, thousands of weather reporting stations all over the world? Of course not. the Weather channel, along with channel 7, 5, 4, and whoever else, get their weather info from the NWS and make their own predictions.

Now, nobody is proposing to get rid of the NWS entirely, just take it off the internet. It's not a "scare tactic." THis is a stupid bill by some moron with friends in Accu Weather, in an attempt to get less competition and more paid subscribers.

[Mr_Cheeze]

Now, nobody is proposing to get rid of the NWS entirely, just take it off the internet. It's not a "scare tactic." THis is a stupid bill by some moron with friends in Accu Weather, in an attempt to get less competition and more paid subscribers.


Thank you for clarifying. I don't think this makes Santorum a bad guy, necessarily (other than that he's one of the evil Republicans). Democrat also repay favors to contributors. That's politics. I totally agree that it's a bad idea, which is why I don't think it will pass. But dumber ideas have.

[TrailBate]

Now, nobody is proposing to get rid of the NWS entirely, just take it off the internet. It's not a "scare tactic." THis is a stupid bill by some moron with friends in Accu Weather, in an attempt to get less competition and more paid subscribers.


Thank you for clarifying. I don't think this makes Santorum a bad guy, necessarily (other than that he's one of the evil Republicans). Democrat also repay favors to contributors. That's politics. I totally agree that it's a bad idea, which is why I don't think it will pass. But dumber ideas have.


this is true. Somewhere, somebody had a list of all the stupid pet projects that made it onto the federal budget. One was a salmon breeding company that got federal money so they could prove salmon would make a good baby food.

[Slider]

Gnurider almost nails it. Taking the idea a little further.

WTF would we give data we already, as taxpayers, paid to collect, to a private enterprise so they can sell it back to us? This one definitely doesn't pass the smell test.

Slider

[TrailBate]

some stupid jerk in the US government is making journalists promise not to do any research.

http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/2005/04/003604.html

[Slider]

That one belongs in the Fascist thread for sure.

SLider

[sizlinseagulsoup]

doesnt this violate the constitution because it goes against the freedom of information?


It's not really a constitutional issue, although you're headed in the right direction. The issue is actually a traditional Republican issue--taxpayers should get what they pay for. If we pay to have weather services (let's face it, the NWS is going to have to have funding for all government applications, such as the military and aviation), the taxpayers should get to enjoy them.

I personally use NWS, it's far more accurate than those Weather Channel chuckleheads. NWS is just telling you what's going to happen, WeatherChannel just inflates their forecasts, telling you there will be a big storm so you tune in again so they can MAKE MORE MONEY.

These weather stations are just like the media--feeding us crap to suck us in.

[BG]

Why is it always a Republican issue, that's Gay.

[TrailBate]

Why is it always a Republican issue, that's Gay.




don't forget un-american and anti-faith

[felixatvtc]

Why is it always a Republican issue, that's Gay.




don't forget un-american and anti-faith


Blasphemy! Now i have to pray for you on sunday ::)

[TrailBate]

don't pray for me. I'm a lost cause, because I'm a liberal ( which means "the devil. a sodomite. anti-christian. an ass. pro-gay agenda. I personally hung Jesus on the cross as a personal attack against Tom delay and the republicans. )

[felixatvtc]

don't pray for me. I'm a lost cause, because I'm a liberal ( which means "the devil. a sodomite. anti-christian. an ass. pro-gay agenda. I personally hung Jesus on the cross as a personal attack against Tom delay and the republicans. )


Don't worry TB, i've gone to church umm....once in the last 5 years. And that was out of respect for my Grandparents who i was spending the weekend with. Have you ever tuned into Newsreal with Sean Kennedy? I'd highly recommend it.