Hi Mark,   
      
   On Thu 2011-Dec-29 21:00, Mark Hofmann (1:261/1304) wrote to Richard Webb:   
      
   RW> actual knowledge of science .    I don't even   
   RW> bother with the writings of the political types on this   
   RW> stuff, but stick to reading of people with some actual   
   RW> credentials in related fields.   
      
   MH> When they add politics to anything, it just muddies the water.  You   
   MH> can follow the money trail on that one.     
      
   A lot of it you sure can.  But often governments are the   
   only ones with the big bucks to put up too.   
      
   MH> Another sad fact is many meteorologists and scientists that are   
   MH> doing these studies are completely funded by the government.  That   
   MH> is a conflict of interest.   
      
   Yep, but who else has the money?   
      
   MH> Weather is one of those fields that doesn't generally generate   
   MH> revenue.  The exception being the Weather Channel, Accu-Weather,   
   MH> etc.     
      
   YEp, I know clearpoint weather has given our network that   
   assists vessels at sea some access to our primary coverage   
   areas through areas of our web site only available to net   
   control operators.  I still use the noaa data on air as it's plain text, and   
   available via email and ftp.  I note noaa   
   updates more frequently though, or so it seems.  A lot of   
   times our guys will check the clearpoint stuff, unless it's   
   something like a tropical cyclone or something like that,   
   then they'll check the noaa data because they can get   
   satellite pics and the like.   
      
   MH> I'm sure their viewing stats are much like my website.  When there   
   MH> are clear sunny days, they don't get as many viewers.  When there is   
   MH> a blizzard, hurricane, tornados, their activity spikes.  Just like   
   MH> my website stats.  :)    
      
   Yep, sure would be.  I note same on the net.  We get a lot   
   more cruisers wanting to check in with us and file position   
   reports that don't normally when there's a tropical cyclone   
   happening.  ONe guy I know who works an offshore oil   
   services barge is pretty diligent about filing his positions with us, and   
   likes to check in with me on the net, because   
   I'll cover the north Atlantic between our east coast and   
   Greenland, etc. a lot more thoroughly than some guys will.   
      
   Regards,   
              Richard   
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