http://stilltalkintv.com/2011/08/warm-and-fuzzy-beard-hurricane-hysteria-and-overpriced-pretzels/ Alan Pergament Fri, 18 May 2012 15:52:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://stilltalkintv.com/2011/08/warm-and-fuzzy-beard-hurricane-hysteria-and-overpriced-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-69198 Tom Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:12:12 +0000 http://stilltalkintv.com/?p=3659#comment-69198 Thanks Alan- that will be a great move for them. Thanks Alan- that will be a great move for them.

]]> http://stilltalkintv.com/2011/08/warm-and-fuzzy-beard-hurricane-hysteria-and-overpriced-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-68981 alanp Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:02:48 +0000 http://stilltalkintv.com/?p=3659#comment-68981 Thanks. I wrote about that last week. Please read last week's blogs. Thanks. I wrote about that last week. Please read last week’s blogs.

]]> http://stilltalkintv.com/2011/08/warm-and-fuzzy-beard-hurricane-hysteria-and-overpriced-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-68969 Tom Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:15:03 +0000 http://stilltalkintv.com/?p=3659#comment-68969 Alan- there is a rumor going around that WGRZ will be broadcasting in HD starting with the November sweeps. Apparently the station page with Wikipedia was updated to reflect this (which Wikipedia is not 100% reliable). Trying to find out for myself, I can't find any source indicating this. Can you potentially confirm if HD is in the near future for them? Alan- there is a rumor going around that WGRZ will be broadcasting in HD starting with the November sweeps. Apparently the station page with Wikipedia was updated to reflect this (which Wikipedia is not 100% reliable). Trying to find out for myself, I can’t find any source indicating this. Can you potentially confirm if HD is in the near future for them?

]]> http://stilltalkintv.com/2011/08/warm-and-fuzzy-beard-hurricane-hysteria-and-overpriced-pretzels/comment-page-1/#comment-68736 Mark Scott Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:11:45 +0000 http://stilltalkintv.com/?p=3659#comment-68736 We shouldn't be engaging in Monday Morning Quarterbacking when it comes to hurricanes. Here's the thing. Mother Nature can't be controlled! We see it locally during winter storms. And we just saw it with the hurricane. It seems to me meteorologists make their best forecasts, based on the data, and then pass that information along to the public to make the appropriate decisions. Do the media, especially the cable news networks, hype the story? Of course they do! But that's what cable news does, not only with this, but every story of significance. Once it's over, they move onto the next story. I have no doubt the meteorologists were sincere in their belief that Irene posed a significant danger as a Category 2 to 3 storm as it headed toward the US coast. If the storm had been as severe as forecast -- and elected leaders had done nothing to prepare -- there could have been a significant loss of life. Surely you're not saying, Alan, your brother was hoping for a more severe storm to justify his decision to leave his vacation spot. I'm thanking my lucky stars today that the storm was weaker than expected, and that my friends who live along the east coast were able to dodge a bullet this time. Remember when forecasters predicted the massive February snow storm that failed to materialize here in Buffalo? Local weathermen were lambasted here and elsewhere for creating hysteria. Well, there was no early warning for the October Suprise five years ago and remember how we chastised forecasters for that? Obviously, this is a lose-lose situation for meteorologists. They lose if a severe storm fails to materialize, and they lose if they do not let us know of an unusual weather event. A hurricane in and of itself IS a dangerous storm. It can kill and destroy property. Yes, today's media will hype it. But that's not going to change, even if every television critic in the land takes them to task. The media environment in the second decade of the 21st century is what it is. I will argue the alternative is much worse -- and that is the public ignoring weather warnings and not being prepared, leading to a loss of life and more. We shouldn’t be engaging in Monday Morning Quarterbacking when it comes to hurricanes. Here’s the thing. Mother Nature can’t be controlled! We see it locally during winter storms. And we just saw it with the hurricane. It seems to me meteorologists make their best forecasts, based on the data, and then pass that information along to the public to make the appropriate decisions. Do the media, especially the cable news networks, hype the story? Of course they do! But that’s what cable news does, not only with this, but every story of significance. Once it’s over, they move onto the next story. I have no doubt the meteorologists were sincere in their belief that Irene posed a significant danger as a Category 2 to 3 storm as it headed toward the US coast. If the storm had been as severe as forecast — and elected leaders had done nothing to prepare — there could have been a significant loss of life. Surely you’re not saying, Alan, your brother was hoping for a more severe storm to justify his decision to leave his vacation spot. I’m thanking my lucky stars today that the storm was weaker than expected, and that my friends who live along the east coast were able to dodge a bullet this time. Remember when forecasters predicted the massive February snow storm that failed to materialize here in Buffalo? Local weathermen were lambasted here and elsewhere for creating hysteria. Well, there was no early warning for the October Suprise five years ago and remember how we chastised forecasters for that? Obviously, this is a lose-lose situation for meteorologists. They lose if a severe storm fails to materialize, and they lose if they do not let us know of an unusual weather event. A hurricane in and of itself IS a dangerous storm. It can kill and destroy property. Yes, today’s media will hype it. But that’s not going to change, even if every television critic in the land takes them to task. The media environment in the second decade of the 21st century is what it is. I will argue the alternative is much worse — and that is the public ignoring weather warnings and not being prepared, leading to a loss of life and more.

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