Received: by zonker.hpl.hp.com (1.37.109.8/15.5+ECS 3.3+HPL1.1) id AA01534; Thu, 13 Jul 1995 23:56:30 -0700 Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 23:56:30 -0700 From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Return-Path: <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9507140656.AA01534@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> To: 72017.461@compuserve.com-DeleteThis, Fred_Sporon-Fiedler@hpctg.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, Gerry_Owen@hpctg.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, Phaman@ccmail.apldbio.com-DeleteThis, Walt_Menge@hp5400.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, cleland@cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, cord@hpoemb.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis, coussens@hplgcc.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis, dan_acosta@fmc.com-DeleteThis, gtsai@hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis, jlabat@us.oracle.com-DeleteThis, lenb@ssd.intel.com-DeleteThis, mfabrega@raynet.COM-DeleteThis, missimer@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, schofiel@sid.hp.com-DeleteThis, sjn@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, windspeed@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: NWS home page suppressed
Thought this was worth your attention. (Sorry for any duplicates.)
From jnull@netcom.com-DeleteThis Thu Jul 13 20:19:37 1995
7 PM PDT
July 13, 1995
Dear Supporters of NWS San Francisco Bay Area Homepage,
First, thank you all for your various responses to the
abrupt shutdown of our web page! And because of all the
email I must resort to this "form" letter as a means to keep up.
A brief synopsis of what has happened so far. On Tuesday
afternoon our office was contacted by Western Region HQ about
the content of our Web site, because of concerns voiced to them
by NWS HQ in Washington. We explained that we are putting no
products directly onto the net, but only providing links to
already exisitng data. On Wednesday morning, Dr. Friday
(Director NWS) told Dr. Potter (Western Region Dir.) to shut
our site down. This was evidently precipitated by "pressure"
from private vendors of meteorological data, though we have
no independent verification yet.
Since we are only providing "links" to data, will they
next tell us that if someone calls on the phone we can't give
them the Internet URL to get the latest forecast. Or will
commercial radio stations want the NWS to disband NOAA Weather?
There have been a number of intersting postings in
the alt.sci.meteorology newgroup.
Many have asked, but I am not sure what action would be
the most effective at this time. But here are some email
addresses that may be useful:
Dr. Elbert Friday efriday@smtpgate.ssmc.noaa.gov-DeleteThis
Dr. Thomas Potter tpotter@smtpgate.ssmc.noaa.gov-DeleteThis
Vice Pres. Al Gore vice-president@whitehouse.gov-DeleteThis
House Speaker Gingrich GEORGIA6@HR.HOUSE.GOV-DeleteThis
your local Congressperson
I will try and keep everyone posted on any changes that
transpire. Again thanks for your support.
Best regards,
Jan
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Jan Null + email: jnull@netcom.com-DeleteThis +
+ Lead Forecaster + or: jnull@smtpgate.ssmc.noaa.gov-DeleteThis +
+ National Weather Service + voice: (408) 656-1717 +
+ San Francisco Bay Area + "...opinions all mine..." +
+ WWW HOMEPAGE: http://www2.mry.noaa.gov/nwspage/nwshome.html +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My own thoughts:
There are a couple of companies that have sizeable businesses selling NWS
data and forecasts to other companies. The bulk of this business seems
to be simply direct feeds of NWS data by specialized hardware links, no
value added to the data.
My opinion: they are realizing that they have been obsoleted by the
Internet. Since their economic value is vanishing, they are trying
to stay in business by political pressure instead.
In this case, the action is silly, since Null's page contained only
pointers to other sites on the Internet, but that makes it all the
better a time to protest the trend. If we can convince NWS to push for
more freedom of information rather than less, then we data-consumers
will be lots better off.
Some more addresses:
Vice Pres. Al Gore vice-president@whitehouse.gov-DeleteThis
House Speaker Gingrich georgia6@hr.house.gov-DeleteThis
Sen. Barbara Boxer 202-224-3553 619-239-3884 senator@boxer.senate.gov-DeleteThis
Sen. Diane Feinstein 202-224-3841 310-914-7300
Congr. Anna Eshoo 202-225-8104 415-323-2984 annagram@hr.house.gov-DeleteThis
Congr. Tom Lantos talk2tom@hr.house.gov-DeleteThis
Congr. Pete Stark petemail@hr.house.gov-DeleteThis
Congr. Norman Mineta tellnorm@hr.house.gov-DeleteThis
Go ahead, it's Friday, write a letter.
Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
"If you want to stop war and stuff, you gotta sing *loud*."
-- Arlo Guthrie
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