We encourage your correspondence, and although we cannot print all that we receive, we will include at least one short, perhaps edited, letter per issue.

Dear WeatherZine

I do applaud the "grave images" in "Who Lives and Who Dies" (April 2001 WeatherZine) and hope you can maybe get more specific. One of the most appalling elements is the frequent crisis threatening the sonde network. Most meteorologists of nearly all persuasions still regard that as the foundation for operational and research science, and cheap at twice the price, but it always seems to have less political friends than various satellite and other high tech options. And, of course, they are seldom compared objectively, or even considered out of the same budget. I would really like to see some straight talk and clear evidence on things like this. Scientists are often pressed to give support for various activities, like the NSF or NOAA budgets in general, but are seldom invited to offer opinions on priorities between programs. Admittedly opinions and strengths of viewpoints would differ, but congresspersons are fairly good at counting heads – although lately they seem more preoccupied in counting campaign contributions.

– Doug Lilly
DLilly6@aol.com

Comments? thunder@ucar.edu

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