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New Bill Would Ban Public NOAA Weather Data

ckokotay writes "Here we go again. Apparently for-pay weather companies (specifically Accuweather) have lobbied Senator Rick Santorum to introduce a bill to ban the National Weather Service from 'competing.' The NOAA just made data available for free on the internet in XML format. Essentially, that means no more free data, and the possible elimination of the NOAA web presence all together. Nothing like being able to buy off a clueless Senator - lets hope the rest do not fall in line, as I for one, do not like to pay for my information twice." This debate picks up where the last one left off. According to the article, the bill's biggest critics are complaining of the bill's vague wording which makes it unclear what exactly is being banned.

34 of 567 comments (clear)

  1. My own private army... by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    Ok, here's how it'll work. I'll contract the US Dept. of Defense to do some guard detail for me, somewhere, where I contract out their services. once the DoD enters into these sorts of contracts, the next time the US invades some country I'll write Senator Rick Santorum, complaining bitterly how they've giving away their services for free and unfairly competing with my private business interests, (especially if I've contracted the DoD to guard the country they are invading.)

    Once the bill motors through the Senate and House, and has the signature of the prez (Hey, the GOP loves private businesses, right?) I'll be able to direct when and where war actually takes place.

    This should undoubtably improve my popularity gasp and maybe get me a gulp date with that cutie gosh I've had my eye on for a while!

    Ok, Kim's check bounced, you can invade now.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:My own private army... by ikkonoishi · · Score: 2, Funny

      And by a lot you mean thousands per person due to perl and bash scripts right?

  2. XML by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.

    1. Re:XML by Johnno74 · · Score: 4, Funny
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.

      You misspelled "when". HTH!


      Hmm you're clearly not using enough XML
    2. Re:XML by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 2, Funny

      The preceding message was paid for by the American Parentheses Manufacturers Association.

  3. In other news.... by Monf · · Score: 5, Funny

    the Weather Channel is asking cable companies to add a surcharge based on the number of windows in a subscriber's household, to recoup lost revenues due to subscriber's looking outside to see what the weather is like...

    --
    Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
    1. Re:In other news.... by uberdave · · Score: 2, Funny

      So... What's the surcharge if you have a weather rock?

    2. Re:In other news.... by pete6677 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Now if only they can find a way to twist and distort the DMCA to outlaw privately owned thermometers.

    3. Re:In other news.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      (In honor of today's AMD dual-core Opteron launch...)

      Is this on a per pane basis? I've got some 16 and 32-way composite window systems and having to buy licenses for them all will get kinda expensive...

  4. Soylent Green may be people, but... by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 4, Funny

    Santorum is "analubepoo"

    1. Re:Soylent Green may be people, but... by ehiris · · Score: 3, Funny

      Please don't add an image to urbandictionary.com for this definition.

  5. Definition of Santorum according to Dan Savage by Laconian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Santorum (n.)

    1. That frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex.

    2. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)

  6. What an unbelievable coincidence! by winkydink · · Score: 5, Funny

    Accuweather is headquartered in Pennsylvania. And Santorum is a senator from PA. I mean, come on, what are the odds of that? ;)

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

  7. Ban Libraries by Catamaran · · Score: 5, Funny

    The government should just get out of the information business. The free market is the best way to ensure that we get the most unbiased information.

    --
    Test 1 2 3 4
    1. Re:Ban Libraries by northwind · · Score: 2, Funny

      You must have been watching MXC to much :-)
      "Who thinks that cable and broadcast channels supply ample and unbiased new - show hands - now".... :-)

    2. Re:Ban Libraries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "Well, you're wrong!"

  8. My god... by Junta · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think I have a new sig...

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    1. Re:My god... by stinerman · · Score: 4, Funny

      You'd better give that the proper attribution it deserves!

  9. Workaround: Learn to read FAA weather reports by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 3, Funny

    Workaround: Learn to read FAA weather reports. It will be a little difficuly to take away access through that channel.

  10. spin by Phroggy · · Score: 5, Funny

    You should definitely check out the official spin on this:

    Santorum Proposes to Modernize National Weather Service to Better Serve Public

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  11. You're too late by Engineer-Poet · · Score: 4, Funny

    Halliburton has beat you to it (and might hold the patent).

    1. Re:You're too late by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Halliburton doesn't have to bother with that pesky contracting buisiness since the US military is already one of their wholly-owned subsidiaries.

  12. let me just say.. by ShaniaTwain · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. Re:let me just say.. by killjoe · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well then it's easy. Just tell santorum that NOAA is a fag organization and that will be that.

      "Good people of bumfuck iowa, you don't want HOMOSEXUALS to control the weather do you?. If you don't vote for a republican not only will HOMOSEXUALS marry but they will control the weather too!"

      --
      evil is as evil does
  13. Re:That sucks by ElectricOkra · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe we should just privatize everything... Instead of having a Free Representative Government, let's have one where only the people with the most money get elected and where votes can be bought... oh, wait...

    --
    Great Spirits have always encountered violent opposition from Mediocre Minds - A. Einstein
  14. Re:Accuweather's crusade by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 5, Funny
    Is half the population of the U.S. just completely blind and ignorant to the damage these guys are doing to our country?

    No. More than half.

    --
    You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  15. Weather service expects... by Hamster+Lover · · Score: 2, Funny

    the DC area to experience a shower of bullshit tapering to blowing turds in the early evening. Accumulations of twelve to fourteen inches are anticipated while Congress is in session...

  16. Re:Well by ntsucks · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps Slashdotters should pool the resources and buy a senator. Owning a senator could be useful in instances like this. ;-)

    --
    Those who can do. Those who can't sue.
  17. Re:MaIl? by symbolic · · Score: 2, Funny

    I bet most don't even read their own mail

    Mail? Ha...I bet most don't even read the laws they're proposing, much less voting for.

  18. Re:Answer to: "WHY do these people get elected?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Politicians want votes. Voters want pork.

    As a Jew, I am deeply offended by your suggestion that I want pork. Please try to find a more culturally inclusive metaphor. Thank you.

  19. Re:Accuweather's crusade by Minna+Kirai · · Score: 3, Funny

    Your half blind yourself in that you think Democrats make a more "honest" politition then a Republican.

    Although Democrats are often liars, it can be mathmatically proven that Republicans are more dishonest. It's short inference from known facts:
    1) spreading a lie requires advertising
    2) advertising costs money
    3) Republicans have more money

    (Fact 3 can be taken as a given, although construction of a proof is a simple exercise for the reader)

    In short, Democrats are more honest because they are poorer, which gives them less ability to lie convincingly.

  20. Re:Sure! by surprise_audit · · Score: 2, Funny
    The weather industry could either launch their own satellites, or NOAA could hold a closing-down auction and sell them to the highest bidder. Which leads me to wonder, how many slashdotters would chip in a few bucks for the privilege of group-buying a satellite for the express purpose of de-orbitting it onto a certain Senator's house??[1]

    Seriously, though, would you want to trust the private sector to get severe weather warnings out in a timely manner?? OK, so maybe we shouldn't trust a government-run operation either, but at least we're not currently getting:

    "Next, hurricanes heading for Florida and tornadoes tearing up the Heartland. But first, a few words from our sponsors..."

    [1] Note: that wasn't a serious suggestion - if any more than three of us chipped in, we'd never agree on a target. There's so many choices - Redmond, SCO, certain Senators, Diebold, etc... :)

  21. Re:Huh? by rewinn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are you writing a Star Wars prequel or something?

    "Star Wars: The Revenge Of The South" is actually the second sequel to "Star Wars: The Nixon Menace".

  22. Re:Answer to: "WHY do these people get elected?" by Jherek+Carnelian · · Score: 3, Funny

    Politicians want votes. Voters want pork.

    So, clearly the solution is to convert America to an Islamic state,
    because then pork will be illegal.