Charging U.S. taxpayers twice for weather forecasts
April 21, 2005 9:00 AM Subscribe
Sen. Rick Santorum, (R-Pa) introduced a bill in the Senate last week that would prohibit federal meteorologists from competing with companies such as AccuWeather and The Weather Channel which offer their own forecasts through paid services and free ad-supported Web sites. He says that as he reads the bill, a vast amount of federal weather data would be forced offline. "I believe I've paid for that data once. ... I don't want to have to pay for it again," said Scott Bradner, a technical consultant at Harvard University. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Because if the weather is free, come the next partially sunny day with temps in the mid-80s, we'll all be having man-on-dog sex in the park.
posted by orthogonality at 9:06 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by orthogonality at 9:06 AM on April 21, 2005
Hmmm... which state is home to AccuWeather again? Oh, that's right, Pennsylvania.
posted by herc at 9:07 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by herc at 9:07 AM on April 21, 2005
Let the market decide, LET it DECIDE. (Hops up and down, froths at mouth, spins, pukes, falls down, flops around like gill hooked fish). Let that good ole market decide! NO GOVERNMENT, just stores!!!!!
Blaarrrrgghgh!
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:09 AM on April 21, 2005
Blaarrrrgghgh!
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:09 AM on April 21, 2005
Just one correction... in a poor cut-n-paste edit, my post makes it sound as if Santorum is saying "that as he reads the bill, a vast amount of federal weather data would be forced offline." The "he" is the "Scott Bradner, a technical consultant at Harvard University" quoted in the following sentence.
<spock regrets the error>
posted by spock at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2005
<spock regrets the error>
posted by spock at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2005
and just how are they supposed to predict severe weather if they're not looking for it 24/7? ... and if they're gathering data 24/7, and paying for it with my taxes, aren't i entitled to see it?
furthermore, farmers depend on a little more information than whether a tornado's going to plow through the cornfield
rick, you stupid whore, how much did they pay you to write this idiotic bill?
posted by pyramid termite at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2005
furthermore, farmers depend on a little more information than whether a tornado's going to plow through the cornfield
rick, you stupid whore, how much did they pay you to write this idiotic bill?
posted by pyramid termite at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2005
What's next? Traffic lights distracting people from important billboard advertisements?
posted by trondant at 9:16 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by trondant at 9:16 AM on April 21, 2005
I recently hit the NOAA's website, and was really surprised at how nice the interface was. I'm using it now rather than my old standby, Weather Underground, which has gotten all gooked up by ads. You can pay them to remove the ads, but that doesn't work with moz-based browsers.
I'd started using the Weather Underground back when it was a gopher site out of the University of Michigan.
This is not a suggestion that NOAA privatise, like U of M did with the Weather Underground. I wouldn't object to a small, tasteful ad for whoever runs against Sen. Santorum, though.
posted by QIbHom at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
I'd started using the Weather Underground back when it was a gopher site out of the University of Michigan.
This is not a suggestion that NOAA privatise, like U of M did with the Weather Underground. I wouldn't object to a small, tasteful ad for whoever runs against Sen. Santorum, though.
posted by QIbHom at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
Santorum's in for the fight of his life in 06,
and not doing well--i guess he needs more cash? (and weather company cash is as good as any?)
This won't pass (altho it'll pass the House, where they're pretty much crazy)
posted by amberglow at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
and not doing well--i guess he needs more cash? (and weather company cash is as good as any?)
This won't pass (altho it'll pass the House, where they're pretty much crazy)
posted by amberglow at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
I'm pleased to say that my family has had the honor of voting against Santorum for every position he's ever achieved.
Maybe next time I should vote for him, just to jinx the bastard....
posted by jefgodesky at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
Maybe next time I should vote for him, just to jinx the bastard....
posted by jefgodesky at 9:18 AM on April 21, 2005
This won't pass (altho it'll pass the House, where they're pretty much crazy)
For real tho, amberglow, what say we save the salaries and upkeep of the House of Reps and just outsource the whole deal to the patients at some terminal stage Syphilis clinic in Guam? Same votes, same grasp of the issues, a fifth of the cost.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:25 AM on April 21, 2005
For real tho, amberglow, what say we save the salaries and upkeep of the House of Reps and just outsource the whole deal to the patients at some terminal stage Syphilis clinic in Guam? Same votes, same grasp of the issues, a fifth of the cost.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:25 AM on April 21, 2005
Lots of schools around the country, including mine, use the information from the NWS and the NOAA websites to teach science and to give students experience in tracking variables over time. Sites such as the Weather Channel and the like are great, but don't always have the kinds of archives we need to do our projects. Beyond its other implications, this bill would be a blow to science education nationwide.
posted by Chanther at 9:26 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by Chanther at 9:26 AM on April 21, 2005
But critics say the bill's wording is so vague they can't tell exactly what it would ban.
everything.
posted by three blind mice at 9:27 AM on April 21, 2005
everything.
posted by three blind mice at 9:27 AM on April 21, 2005
It's a stupid idea, but it's the sort of stupid idea that Congresspeople float every time they're up for re-election. It panders to the local base and will never pass. He knows that it'll never pass, that's why he can get away with floating it and then going home to his base and saying "look, I tried."
Hardly news.
posted by thedevildancedlightly at 9:31 AM on April 21, 2005
Hardly news.
posted by thedevildancedlightly at 9:31 AM on April 21, 2005
God, this guy just keeps getting more idiotic.
Let the market decide, LET it DECIDE.
Exactly. What happened to the "free market" ideology of the GOP?
Is there any precedent for this sort of thing (the government legislating itself out of an industry)?
posted by mkultra at 9:38 AM on April 21, 2005
Let the market decide, LET it DECIDE.
Exactly. What happened to the "free market" ideology of the GOP?
Is there any precedent for this sort of thing (the government legislating itself out of an industry)?
posted by mkultra at 9:38 AM on April 21, 2005
What's the bill number? The search results link to thomas.gov have expired.
posted by 3.2.3 at 9:40 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by 3.2.3 at 9:40 AM on April 21, 2005
What happened to the "free market" ideology of the GOP?
No more substance than their devotion to Jeebus. Just shiny things to distract the rubes.
posted by words1 at 9:46 AM on April 21, 2005
No more substance than their devotion to Jeebus. Just shiny things to distract the rubes.
posted by words1 at 9:46 AM on April 21, 2005
Metafilter: what a fucking tool.
Oh, and Santorum too! I like people like him mostly because they make me realize that there's so much I just will never understand about human motivation.
posted by OmieWise at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
Oh, and Santorum too! I like people like him mostly because they make me realize that there's so much I just will never understand about human motivation.
posted by OmieWise at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
Weather Underground...my favorite as well..and, Quibhom, I've had no problems with the "ad removal" on foxfire on my Mac... \ it's $5 well spent for good info!
I've been using this since it was a gopher site as well...and love the fact that I drive by the office when I go downtown....
posted by HuronBob at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
I've been using this since it was a gopher site as well...and love the fact that I drive by the office when I go downtown....
posted by HuronBob at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
Sheesh -- even the commercial meterorologists have a lobbying presence in Washington? Does anyone not have lobbyists anymore? We need representatives to represent us to our representatives.
posted by ontic at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by ontic at 9:47 AM on April 21, 2005
Here's the real kicker.
Where do you think the commercial forecasting companies get the data to make their forecast? Hint, they're not running the models, collecting the weather observations, or operating the WSR-88D weather radars. They sure as hell aren't staffing the National Severe Storm or Tropical Weather centers.
So, Santorum wants to keep NWS from giving away the data to the public -- but still feed the data to the corps, who'd then digest the info, and charge you for the forecast.
Next up: The Accuweather Emergency Alert System. If you haven't paid up, we're not telling you about the tornado.
posted by eriko at 9:54 AM on April 21, 2005
Where do you think the commercial forecasting companies get the data to make their forecast? Hint, they're not running the models, collecting the weather observations, or operating the WSR-88D weather radars. They sure as hell aren't staffing the National Severe Storm or Tropical Weather centers.
So, Santorum wants to keep NWS from giving away the data to the public -- but still feed the data to the corps, who'd then digest the info, and charge you for the forecast.
Next up: The Accuweather Emergency Alert System. If you haven't paid up, we're not telling you about the tornado.
posted by eriko at 9:54 AM on April 21, 2005
Doesn't the Right to Bear Arms also come with the Right to Shoot Stupid Politicians?
It should.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:58 AM on April 21, 2005
It should.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:58 AM on April 21, 2005
National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate) [S.786.IS]
posted by spock at 10:01 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by spock at 10:01 AM on April 21, 2005
I can't find a permanent link to the bill, but if you SEARCH the Thomas page with the term "weather" it is the first bill at the top of the list.
posted by spock at 10:05 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by spock at 10:05 AM on April 21, 2005
Rick Santorum is a strange and confused individual.
posted by aGreatNotion at 10:14 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by aGreatNotion at 10:14 AM on April 21, 2005
What's even creepier and scarier is that they're talking about Santorum replacing DeLay as Majority Leader.
posted by amberglow at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by amberglow at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
words1: Exactly.
I can't help wonder, however, that this bill is in fact a distraction from other activities going on in Congress.
posted by FormlessOne at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
I can't help wonder, however, that this bill is in fact a distraction from other activities going on in Congress.
posted by FormlessOne at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
It's a shame, too, because the NOAA's website is so much better designed than weather.com's: there's no advertisements, no stupid polls, no extra "golf forecast" or whatever else the weather channel wants to cram down your throat. Just clean HTML that loads so quick I made it my homepage.
Not to mention the jokes that the meterologists occasionally throw into the short term and hazard forecasts. One day last year when Charlottesville was supposed to get an inch or two of snow, the forecast ended with "IF YOU VENTURE OUTSIDE YOU ARE TAKING YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS."
I mean, I knew s'uth'ners couldn't handle winter weather, but c'mon . . .
posted by thecaddy at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
Not to mention the jokes that the meterologists occasionally throw into the short term and hazard forecasts. One day last year when Charlottesville was supposed to get an inch or two of snow, the forecast ended with "IF YOU VENTURE OUTSIDE YOU ARE TAKING YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS."
I mean, I knew s'uth'ners couldn't handle winter weather, but c'mon . . .
posted by thecaddy at 10:20 AM on April 21, 2005
amberglow: Wouldn't he have to replace Frist? Santorum's a senator.
posted by ontic at 10:30 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by ontic at 10:30 AM on April 21, 2005
Is there any precedent for this sort of thing (the government legislating itself out of an industry)?
Yes, Verizon persuading the state of Pennsylvania to outlaw all future municipal (i.e. local government provided) wi-fi service.
posted by twsf at 10:32 AM on April 21, 2005
Yes, Verizon persuading the state of Pennsylvania to outlaw all future municipal (i.e. local government provided) wi-fi service.
posted by twsf at 10:32 AM on April 21, 2005
What I want to know when Americans will finally stand up to Big Weather?
posted by Capn at 10:33 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by Capn at 10:33 AM on April 21, 2005
Some links surrounding this issue...Santorum Press Release on the issue, ACCUWEATHER's statement on the NOAA and the NWS, Santorum's Govtrack page, his total campaign fund, and who the ACCUWEATHER folk give their money to (not really a lot of money?)
posted by rzklkng at 10:42 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by rzklkng at 10:42 AM on April 21, 2005
"It's not an easy prospect for a business to attract advertisers, subscribers or investors when the government is providing similar products and services for free," Santorum said.
Translation: It's government's responsibility to prop up fundamentally bad business plans, by hiding taxpayer-funded information from the taxpayers. I mean, c'mon, transparency? Open government? Useful public services? What rational person could argue that such things take precendence over profit??
...the weather service began...allowing entrepreneurs and hobbyists to write simple programs to retrieve the information. At the same time, the weather service's own Web pages have become increasingly sophisticated. ...[T]he trends threaten AccuWeather's business of providing detailed weather reports based on an array of government and private data. [Emphasis added]
Translation cont'd: The reason to make government information public in the first place is so that business plans can be built around their continuing access to that free data--naturally, once that business gets going, we must subsidize thesecorporate leeches economic success stories by cutting off everyone else's access to the data, especially to benefit the companies that can't be bothered innovate at a rate equal to even that of a huge federal bureauocracy.
Two words: welfare queens
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:42 AM on April 21, 2005
Translation: It's government's responsibility to prop up fundamentally bad business plans, by hiding taxpayer-funded information from the taxpayers. I mean, c'mon, transparency? Open government? Useful public services? What rational person could argue that such things take precendence over profit??
...the weather service began...allowing entrepreneurs and hobbyists to write simple programs to retrieve the information. At the same time, the weather service's own Web pages have become increasingly sophisticated. ...[T]he trends threaten AccuWeather's business of providing detailed weather reports based on an array of government and private data. [Emphasis added]
Translation cont'd: The reason to make government information public in the first place is so that business plans can be built around their continuing access to that free data--naturally, once that business gets going, we must subsidize these
Two words: welfare queens
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 10:42 AM on April 21, 2005
I like people like him mostly because they make me realize that there's so much I just will never understand about human motivation.
It's not so hard, really. The guy's just a very junior Senator who's seen where the wind blows and who's decided to work very hard at sucking up to the right-wing leadership. He somehow thinks that the endorsement of the extremist wing of the GOP will make up for his completely ignoring his constituents. As Stewie Griffin would say, his uppance will come soon enough.
posted by clevershark at 10:44 AM on April 21, 2005
It's not so hard, really. The guy's just a very junior Senator who's seen where the wind blows and who's decided to work very hard at sucking up to the right-wing leadership. He somehow thinks that the endorsement of the extremist wing of the GOP will make up for his completely ignoring his constituents. As Stewie Griffin would say, his uppance will come soon enough.
posted by clevershark at 10:44 AM on April 21, 2005
What's even creepier and scarier is that they're talking about Santorum replacing DeLay as Majority Leader.
That's a little hard to believe, as that would involve some sort of House-Senate crossover.
posted by clevershark at 10:49 AM on April 21, 2005
That's a little hard to believe, as that would involve some sort of House-Senate crossover.
posted by clevershark at 10:49 AM on April 21, 2005
All excited like I clicked the buttboy tag and all I got was this stupid thread....
On topic: this is really effing asinine. That is all.
posted by Fezboy! at 10:57 AM on April 21, 2005
On topic: this is really effing asinine. That is all.
posted by Fezboy! at 10:57 AM on April 21, 2005
We have seen the Santorum-endorsed future, and it is this:
http://weather.siu.edu/miscpix/newnws.gif
posted by spock at 10:58 AM on April 21, 2005
http://weather.siu.edu/miscpix/newnws.gif
posted by spock at 10:58 AM on April 21, 2005
Will someone clean up the Santorum on the floor? That's disgusting.
posted by clevershark at 11:06 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by clevershark at 11:06 AM on April 21, 2005
As long as we have the military we can fight dem storms.
posted by crapulent at 11:13 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by crapulent at 11:13 AM on April 21, 2005
Using the same demented corporate welfare logic, couldn't one say all public schools should be closed, since they provide for free what private schools provide as a business? Or libraries for competing with Barnes and Noble?
posted by Kellydamnit at 11:15 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by Kellydamnit at 11:15 AM on April 21, 2005
Kellydamnit, now you've done it. Santorum in drawing up new bills as we speak and seeking campaign donations from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, et. al.
posted by spock at 11:26 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by spock at 11:26 AM on April 21, 2005
What do you get when you have Santorum, DeLay and Frist burried up to their necks in horse shit?
More horse shit.
posted by Hugh2d2 at 11:29 AM on April 21, 2005
More horse shit.
posted by Hugh2d2 at 11:29 AM on April 21, 2005
Santorum's in for the fight of his life in 06,
and not doing well
amberglow is correct, that motherfucker is going not going to be reelected in 2006. Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 11:31 AM on April 21, 2005
and not doing well
amberglow is correct, that motherfucker is going not going to be reelected in 2006. Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 11:31 AM on April 21, 2005
Er, linked to the wrong comment, there. Divine_Wino for Prez, I say.
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:39 AM on April 21, 2005
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:39 AM on April 21, 2005
Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:53 AM on April 21, 2005
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:53 AM on April 21, 2005
Kellydamnit, maybe that explains the decline of education funding, the strangling of state budgets (Where education money is first to go!) and the replacement of a good high school education by a remedial year of college, unless you can afford to go to a good private (Christian) school.
Not to mention that if they weren't so well established in American society, libraries would be banned on the mere principle of letting the people access information and intellectual property without paying. Rather amusing that such a system was largely propped up by a robber baron.
Rick Santorum, do your duty in serving America as best you can. Retire.
posted by Saydur at 11:57 AM on April 21, 2005
Not to mention that if they weren't so well established in American society, libraries would be banned on the mere principle of letting the people access information and intellectual property without paying. Rather amusing that such a system was largely propped up by a robber baron.
Rick Santorum, do your duty in serving America as best you can. Retire.
posted by Saydur at 11:57 AM on April 21, 2005
Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
hehe... reminds me of a story about the British handling of Uum-Qasr in this Gulf War. The UK's defence minister described Uum Qasr as being "like Southampton", because its port is at some distance from the city. To which one squaddie responded, "There's no beer, no prostitutes and people are shooting at us. It's more like Portsmouth."
posted by clevershark at 11:59 AM on April 21, 2005
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
hehe... reminds me of a story about the British handling of Uum-Qasr in this Gulf War. The UK's defence minister described Uum Qasr as being "like Southampton", because its port is at some distance from the city. To which one squaddie responded, "There's no beer, no prostitutes and people are shooting at us. It's more like Portsmouth."
posted by clevershark at 11:59 AM on April 21, 2005
I would be really sad if Santorum was eaten by badgers.
Poor badgers.
posted by zerokey at 12:00 PM on April 21, 2005
Poor badgers.
posted by zerokey at 12:00 PM on April 21, 2005
Using the same demented corporate welfare logic, couldn't one say all public schools should be closed, since they provide for free what private schools provide as a business?
Where have you been? What do you think all that "school voucher" and funding cut stuff is about?
posted by Thorzdad at 12:06 PM on April 21, 2005
Where have you been? What do you think all that "school voucher" and funding cut stuff is about?
posted by Thorzdad at 12:06 PM on April 21, 2005
Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
Big parts of the middle are. Pennsylvania is sort of the whole US in miniature. Philly and Pittsburgh at either end are blue and the vast mostly empty middle is solid red. The Amish are progressive in comparison to most of the state.
posted by octothorpe at 12:22 PM on April 21, 2005
Big parts of the middle are. Pennsylvania is sort of the whole US in miniature. Philly and Pittsburgh at either end are blue and the vast mostly empty middle is solid red. The Amish are progressive in comparison to most of the state.
posted by octothorpe at 12:22 PM on April 21, 2005
Pennsylvania isn't Kansas.
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:53 AM PST on April 21 [!]
Big parts of the middle are. Pennsylvania is sort of the whole US in miniature. Philly and Pittsburgh at either end are blue and the vast mostly empty middle is solid red. The Amish are progressive in comparison to most of the state.
posted by octothorpe at 12:22 PM PST on April 21 [!]
I lie prostrate, corrected.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 12:26 PM on April 21, 2005
Yep. It's more like Kentucky.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:53 AM PST on April 21 [!]
Big parts of the middle are. Pennsylvania is sort of the whole US in miniature. Philly and Pittsburgh at either end are blue and the vast mostly empty middle is solid red. The Amish are progressive in comparison to most of the state.
posted by octothorpe at 12:22 PM PST on April 21 [!]
I lie prostrate, corrected.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 12:26 PM on April 21, 2005
However, in other news, Santorum reads nuke polls, applies the brakes via the Hill.
posted by rzklkng at 12:51 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by rzklkng at 12:51 PM on April 21, 2005
He's actually named Santorum? How unfortunate. I can't believe somebody would be named after that frothy by-product of anal sex. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
posted by mullingitover at 12:55 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by mullingitover at 12:55 PM on April 21, 2005
I think somebody should attach an amendment banning the sale of chocolate in the US. What better way to increase Santorum's popularity in Pennsylvania? ;)
posted by pmurray63 at 1:06 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by pmurray63 at 1:06 PM on April 21, 2005
I would be really sad if Santorum was eaten by badgers.
Make em rabid--and gay--and you got a deal. ; >
posted by amberglow at 1:10 PM on April 21, 2005
Make em rabid--and gay--and you got a deal. ; >
posted by amberglow at 1:10 PM on April 21, 2005
This whole issue brings to mind the old GWB comment about disbanding the US Geological Survey because "Rand McNally can make all of our maps", in a stunning display of shallow understanding of the flow of information. Granted, this is more like prohibiting the free distribution of USGS data so as to avoid competition with MapQuest, but the lack of understanding of the tree of knowledge is similar. Why should corporations get data for free that we've paid for via taxes, while we're denied the same and forced to patronize companies that can only exist because of our investment?
posted by trigonometry at 1:21 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by trigonometry at 1:21 PM on April 21, 2005
Its ALMOST enough to make one feel sorry for the people of Pennsylvania ... having Santorum on their hands, that is ... if they hadn't chosen to have Santorum on their hands.
posted by R. Mutt at 1:22 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by R. Mutt at 1:22 PM on April 21, 2005
Why should corporations get data for free that we've paid for via taxes, while we're denied the same and forced to patronize companies that can only exist because of our investment?
Because our government hates America.
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:25 PM on April 21, 2005
Because our government hates America.
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:25 PM on April 21, 2005
Hugh2d2: I thought the answer was "not enough horse shit."
posted by absalom at 1:39 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by absalom at 1:39 PM on April 21, 2005
I'm breaking my own rule: if you have to explain the joke, don't tell it.
"What do you get?" You get more horse shit. As in, you didn't have enough to completely cover them up, so you go get... more... hores shit.
See? Funny. Or not. Depending on who you are.
posted by Hugh2d2 at 1:44 PM on April 21, 2005
"What do you get?" You get more horse shit. As in, you didn't have enough to completely cover them up, so you go get... more... hores shit.
See? Funny. Or not. Depending on who you are.
posted by Hugh2d2 at 1:44 PM on April 21, 2005
rzklkng piggyback(ing) octothorpe...
Just don't let Santorum catch ya' at it!
posted by ericb at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2005
Just don't let Santorum catch ya' at it!
posted by ericb at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2005
And what about us Pennsylvanians who've worked so hard to stop the bastard, huh, R. Mutt? I voted against Santorum this year, just as my parents before me. Voting against Santorum has become a family tradition. Every six years we go up as a family and all vote against Santorum together.
Never seems to take, though ... damn Pennsylvanians!
posted by jefgodesky at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2005
Never seems to take, though ... damn Pennsylvanians!
posted by jefgodesky at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2005
Oh, and James Carville put it best. When considering Pennsylvania, there's three regions to consider: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Alabama.
posted by jefgodesky at 2:04 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by jefgodesky at 2:04 PM on April 21, 2005
I'm thinking about Kellydamnit's analogies, which work well, on the local level.
But what about federal programs competing with private industry? The US Mail, the IRS help desk... um... the NIH?
posted by borborygmi at 2:18 PM on April 21, 2005
But what about federal programs competing with private industry? The US Mail, the IRS help desk... um... the NIH?
posted by borborygmi at 2:18 PM on April 21, 2005
I don't think the bill's been successfully linked yet: National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:24 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:24 PM on April 21, 2005
Is it actually known that services like Accuweather are getting their data from the Weather Service, and for free?
I suspect it, and think this is really gross, but I'd love a link to be able to substantiate my disgust.
posted by freebird at 2:44 PM on April 21, 2005
I suspect it, and think this is really gross, but I'd love a link to be able to substantiate my disgust.
posted by freebird at 2:44 PM on April 21, 2005
You can't *make* badgers gay, amberglow - it's not a choice, you know.
/hides office door marked "Badger Sexual Orientation Re-assignment Dept."
posted by Sparx at 3:11 PM on April 21, 2005
/hides office door marked "Badger Sexual Orientation Re-assignment Dept."
posted by Sparx at 3:11 PM on April 21, 2005
what about federal programs competing with private industry? The US Mail, the IRS help desk... um... the NIH?
Eh? The US Mail existed long, long before any business was prepared to provide whole-country door-to-door coverage. Anyone that wants to get into that business is a century too late.
I suspect much the same is true for most government services. That's why those services exist: no one was willing to provide them at a reasonable cost, so the government ended up having to do it.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:23 PM on April 21, 2005
Eh? The US Mail existed long, long before any business was prepared to provide whole-country door-to-door coverage. Anyone that wants to get into that business is a century too late.
I suspect much the same is true for most government services. That's why those services exist: no one was willing to provide them at a reasonable cost, so the government ended up having to do it.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:23 PM on April 21, 2005
what say we save the salaries and upkeep of the House of Reps and just outsource the whole deal to the patients at some terminal stage Syphilis clinic in Guam? Same votes, same grasp of the issues, a fifth of the cost
Why stop there? Extend this idea to the Senate, the Supreme Court and the entire Executive Branch. Now there's some outsourcing that would be good for America.
posted by Enron Hubbard at 3:37 PM on April 21, 2005
Why stop there? Extend this idea to the Senate, the Supreme Court and the entire Executive Branch. Now there's some outsourcing that would be good for America.
posted by Enron Hubbard at 3:37 PM on April 21, 2005
That's what I'm saying, Five Fresh Fish (I suspect the National Weather Service predates the Weather Channel, too).
BUt FedEx does compete with the postal service in a number of services. What if they lobbied congress to make USPS slower or more expensive? Or take away their advertising?
It's not a great example -- better to compare H&R Block to the government's tax help desk. Could private tax preparation comparies stop the IRS help desk, if they ever got too helpful?
Because that's the issue here: AccuWeather is threatened that the NOAA site has become too damn useful and consumer-friendly.
posted by borborygmi at 3:39 PM on April 21, 2005
BUt FedEx does compete with the postal service in a number of services. What if they lobbied congress to make USPS slower or more expensive? Or take away their advertising?
It's not a great example -- better to compare H&R Block to the government's tax help desk. Could private tax preparation comparies stop the IRS help desk, if they ever got too helpful?
Because that's the issue here: AccuWeather is threatened that the NOAA site has become too damn useful and consumer-friendly.
posted by borborygmi at 3:39 PM on April 21, 2005
You're right, of course, Sparx--i meant to say choose only the rabid and gay ones to sodomize him and then eat him. Maybe they could force him to felch them too? : >
I'm against outsourcing as a rule, but you can send them all on a factfinding/lobbying junket to a leper colony maybe or that place where the new Ebola is.
posted by amberglow at 3:52 PM on April 21, 2005
I'm against outsourcing as a rule, but you can send them all on a factfinding/lobbying junket to a leper colony maybe or that place where the new Ebola is.
posted by amberglow at 3:52 PM on April 21, 2005
Every six years we go up as a family and all vote against Santorum together.
Cool jefgodesky. The image of an entire family working hard to remove santorum is wonderful. Good luck.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:41 PM on April 21, 2005
Cool jefgodesky. The image of an entire family working hard to remove santorum is wonderful. Good luck.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:41 PM on April 21, 2005
Many families in Pennsylvania bond over that one issue . . . voting Santorum out. Heck, I'd even vote for Casey against him and Casey is anti-abortion, which I would have said was my one inviolable issue.
posted by Peach at 6:28 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by Peach at 6:28 PM on April 21, 2005
In an amendment to this bill, Santorum has moved to eliminiate the judiciary system, as long as Judge Judy stays on the air...
posted by curtm at 6:43 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by curtm at 6:43 PM on April 21, 2005
this says he only got 4k from Accuweather (at least that's what was admitted to)
posted by amberglow at 6:46 PM on April 21, 2005
posted by amberglow at 6:46 PM on April 21, 2005
AccuWeather is threatened that the NOAA site has become too damn useful and consumer-friendly.
Ah, well, now that hits the nail on the head. The problem isn't that there's public access to this information. The problem is that the government isn't acting very much like the government we all know and love, 'cause the government never freakin' ever makes things useful and consumer-friendly.
All NOAA has to do is hide their information behind obscure URLs and a horrid UI, and the problem is gone.
The image of an entire family working hard to remove santorum is wonderful.
Frankly, I'm not so sure that the image of a family working hard to remove anal slurry is at all wonderful. Disgusting, perhaps. Sick, perhaps. Not wonderful.
Different strokes for diff'rent folks, I suppose. Not any worse than some of the weirder Japanese porn.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:22 PM on April 21, 2005
Ah, well, now that hits the nail on the head. The problem isn't that there's public access to this information. The problem is that the government isn't acting very much like the government we all know and love, 'cause the government never freakin' ever makes things useful and consumer-friendly.
All NOAA has to do is hide their information behind obscure URLs and a horrid UI, and the problem is gone.
The image of an entire family working hard to remove santorum is wonderful.
Frankly, I'm not so sure that the image of a family working hard to remove anal slurry is at all wonderful. Disgusting, perhaps. Sick, perhaps. Not wonderful.
Different strokes for diff'rent folks, I suppose. Not any worse than some of the weirder Japanese porn.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:22 PM on April 21, 2005
this says he only got 4k from Accuweather (at least that's what was admitted to)
posted by amberglow at 9:46 PM EST
Amended earlier post:
Another CHEAP feckless corporate whore.
posted by nofundy at 7:55 AM on April 22, 2005
So I wonder how much it would take to get him to resign his seat and avoid the public eye for the rest of his life. He can clearly be bought for very little. I bet if even half the members here gave $5 we could own him!
posted by Kellydamnit at 8:43 AM on April 22, 2005
posted by Kellydamnit at 8:43 AM on April 22, 2005
« Older World ; Humanists, ex-Muslims say Europe weak on... | Visitors from the Carboniferous Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by clevershark at 9:05 AM on April 21, 2005