[Rhodes22-list] NOAA weather privatized?

[Steve Alm]

Mark,

What is an XML interface?

Slim

On 5/19/05 8:00 AM, "Mark Kaynor" <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:

> Folks,
> 
> I've been hearing about this for a couple of weeks and thought I'd pass it
> along. 
> 
> Mark
> 
> The National Weather Service recently began publishing weather data to the
> public via an easy to access XML interface. Previously NOAA released data in
> an arcane and complicated format created over 40 years ago.
> 
> This is a great boon for everyone, as the XML feeds allow for integration of
> weather data into personal homepages & computer applications, and makes it
> easier for scientists, meteorology students and people interested in the
> weather to use industry-standard tools to access weather data.
> 
> Well, its not great for everyone, particularly companies like Accuweather,
> who make their money reselling weather data to the public and media outlets.
> Apparently they managed to lobby Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania to
> introduce a bill, S.786.1, which would prevent the National Weather Service
> from competing with for-pay weather companies. The language of the bill is
> very broad and if passed may jeopardize the XML Data Feed, the NOAA website,
> and even NOAA weather radio.
> 
> The following link makes sending a letter to your senators easy - please
> take the time to do so if you want NOAA to be able to continue to provide
> free services (the ones we already pay for with our taxes).
> 
> https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr003=uio7mzb8p1.app8a&pag
> e=UserAction&cmd=display&id=123
> 
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