Article

2005-01-04 Southeast Asia

Thailand fires chief meteorologist, Inquiry launched

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2005-01-04 9:11:21 AM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 saying a tsunami alert was not issued for fear of hurting the important tourist industry at the peak season if it turned out to be false.

This is an ongoing issue in Floriduh that becomes more acute every year as building occurs along the coast. The tourist industry does it's best to pressure the weather services not to ruin profits. The idea of a 5 day forecast was received as warmly as a frigid day in Alaska.

I tried to call the director-general of the meteorological office, but his phone was always busy. Oh...I'd love to tell a few stories here....but just let me say, don't laugh. It could happen here too - and not just for hurricanes.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 9:39:31 AM|| 2005-01-04 9:39:31 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 hmm..I said, not just for hurricanes, but I need to correct that because hurricanes have excellent warning systems in place.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 9:43:44 AM|| 2005-01-04 9:43:44 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 "Everyone laughed at me and said I was a bad guy who wanted to ruin the tourist industry," he added.

Samith said he had no long-term plans, but was considering a run for sheriff of Amity, NY.

Posted by BH 2005-01-04 10:27:19 AM|| 2005-01-04 10:27:19 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 and take up fishing?

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-04 10:33:09 AM|| 2005-01-04 10:33:09 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 This will make the Best. Miniseries. Ever. It's got everything.

1st act: beautiful Thai wimmin, tropical paradises, frolicking tourists, international men of mystery. Earthquake, earnest seismologists, corrupt politicians, huge tsunami waves crushing everything in their path.

2nd act: Chaos, heroic acts, posturing pols, perky fresh-faced NGO workers, handsome military men, lots of helicopters and aircraft carriers, rescue elephants, mostly-nekkid villagers.

3rd act: still being written. But already we have Thai gangs dressing as cops and looting hotel rooms and bank vaults, and boodles of charity cash swirling around the globe with the associated carrion birds starting to circle...

Get me rewrite!

Posted by Seafarious 2005-01-04 10:45:54 AM|| 2005-01-04 10:45:54 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Sea - LMAO! Too true!

It only depends upon who makes it - an idiotarian or someone from reality. You have too many reality elements in your storyboard for The Day After Tomorrow crowd...

Posted by .com 2005-01-04 3:27:28 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:27:28 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 about 3 days after the disaster, CNN featured a woman who was worried about the missing father-of-her-baby. I was musing to myself - why are they just focusing on him? Why just his photo? Why not others?

Then, and I kid you not, this woman goes on to give a rant on how we have to end the "causes" of these disasters. Cue the theme from Twilight Zone. She starts going on about how we MUST end global warming, improve economic conditions, and end nuclear testing as if that was what caused the disaster. The CNN news-reader just nodded her head up and down as if it was all very sane. It was wierd.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 3:40:56 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:40:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Probable CNN Followup Question: "I see. So, what are your thoughts on Ice Cream?"

Posted by eLarson 2005-01-04 3:58:30 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:58:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 actually, it entered my mind that CNN is so messed up that they actually chose this woman because they knew ahead of time that she would spew a global warming/nuclear testing lie for the wannabelievers. Maybe not.. and probably not ..... but it was strange that they gave so much time to just one missing person when, by that time, it would have been easy to come up with multiple photos to place on the air. It was a long interview. But then again, their reporting has sunk so low that maybe that was the best they could do.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 4:06:55 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:06:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 2b: She starts going on about how we MUST end global warming, improve economic conditions, and end nuclear testing as if that was what caused the disaster.

Ironically, global warming would have decreased the scale of the tidal wave. The very shallowness of the continental shelf was what made the waves so big. *Sigh* Environmental fundamentalism - where Mother Nature is seen as a caring deity unless man angers it - appears to be all too pervasive. I liked the traditional religions better - except for a tiny sliver of Islam, most have worked out their kinks.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-01-04 4:09:51 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-01-04 4:09:51 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 global warming would have decreased the scale of the tidal wave ironic indeed. But why let facts get in the way of a good Day After Tomorrow plug.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 4:18:44 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:18:44 PM|| Front Page Top

00:02 joeblow
23:43 lex
23:38 lex
23:30 tu3031
23:29 joeblow
23:12 Frank G
23:11 Frank G
23:09 tu3031
23:02 tu3031
23:00 Korora
23:00 tu3031
22:54 tu3031
22:52 tu3031
22:51 Captain America
22:47 Captain America
22:47 Seafarious
22:46 Captain America
22:44 SC88
22:42 Captain America
22:37 Frank G
22:37 Captain America
22:34 JosephMendiola
22:31 Frank G
22:27 Mrs. Davis