Is the QuikScat The Holy Grail of Weather People?

You can learn a lot about body language and facial expressions, not to mention hummm, hawww and looking unsure of what to say.

Lautenbacher seems to want to have it both ways.

He came down to Miami in response for Mary Glacken's inability to muffle Proenza concerning the QuikScat satellite. Mary as we know from previous posts was sent down to Miami to basically tell Bill to shut up. Shut up, sit up, do your work and stop complaining. We know this not because Bobbi says so but because it was said in the hearings that she complained to Bill that she couldn't do her job because people keep asking her about QuikScat.

Perhaps Mary and Avila can get a cheap rate on therapy together.

Perhaps Mary SHOULD have paid attention to people's concerns over the QuikScat and thought on the value of it.. but no she ran and kvetched to Lautenbacher who had to deal with the mess that Mary made. I know I am simplifying but if you heard the testimony today you might put it in harsher words..

No where during that part of the testimony did Mary complain that Avila was being harassed nor did she say anything about the guys at the NHC@FIU not wanting to share toys or resources or info with the people down at HRD on Virginia Key. Nope.. Mary was upset that Bill wouldn't listen and wouldn't shut up about the satellite that is on deaths door and luckily still working.

Lautenbacher did say in testimony that the satellite was not quite the Holy Grail to forecasters but close to it and that it was a very valuable tool. But, thats for later.

So... Mary is pissed off Bill isn't listening to her. So, she goes to Lautenbacher who realizes he HAS to do something.

Lautenbacher sends a committee down to the NHC at which point suddenly the guys at the NHC (group of ten I think it was really called) get together and sign a paper pleading to have Bill dismissed from his job and replaced.

NOTE: Prior to Mary being pissed off about the many questions she is receiving on QuikScat there was NO discussion about the unhappy employees.

There may have been unhappy employees. I am sure there were many as the gang at NHC out in the bunker doesn't want to share with the people who have the pretty view on the Rickenbacker (been to both many times and trust me.. much prettier view from HRD).

SUDDENLY: There is an issue brought to the surface about employees being unhappy with their new boss who wants to make changes ... such as working in concert with the HRD people who specialize in research.

Researchers + Forecasters = Better forecasts (or one would think)

I would say that Mary must have talked to someone at the NHC/FIU about something more than QuikScat because suddenly she goes back and it becomes a personnel problem not a matter of a whistle blower complaining about lack of funding and lack of foresight in replacing a satellite that is very needed and about to die a sad death in outer space.

So... Lautenbacher who by the way is worried about the Hurricane Center's ability to give a good track forecast vs Proenza who is concerned about making changes to improve INTENSITY AND TRACK has a group of people all go down to Miami and do a Pop Quiz with the only one told he was coming was NOT the Director.. odd but true and ... amazingly the good government employees ALL unanimously agree that Bill has to go.

You owe Lautenbacher one Mary.. hope you feel happy.

The sullen employees reluctantly sign a paper (not all we know that) saying they can't work for Proenza. Something that NEVER came up prior to Mary's trip to Florida and whatever late night conversations went on with Lautenbacher and his staff and employees at the NHC who were more than happy to do his dirty work for him.

Report says Proenza cannot continue at the NHC because of personnel problems and this has of course nothing to do with the QuikScat still sending incredible help to the forecasters currently using it.

Amazing... you can't have it both ways Lautenbacher ..

Either this is a personnel problem or it's a matter of trying to silence a whistle blower.

Which is it?

Unhappy personnel who did not go through the proper means of employee/employer mediation with a third party giving Proenza a chance to become more of a "people person" (who knew that was a government requirement for a job... I bet Mary isn't a people person but hey maybe I'm wrong.. Prozena questioned on if he was a people person... DID ANYONE EVER ASK IF BOB BURPEE WAS A PEOPLE PERSON????????????

Amazing hearings...

So explain to me why Proenza cannot go back to the NHC, finish out his year and they can have group therapy meetings in between issuing advisories for the next possible storm now possibly brewing in the Caribbean? Trust me one thing I know about the people at the NHC..they can issue advisories and multi-task, trust me on that one.

Why can't he go back and be supervised and given lessons on being a people person.

Why?

Because this wasn't a personnel matter it was a matter that he wouldn't shut up when Washington told him to and sent Mary to do Lautenbacher's job.

IS Lautenbacher a people person? Can we get all the people who served under him to testify. I want a list. Ten people. Three? Well?

This was a witch hunt and there is total negligence on the part of the government to not make sure there is adequate funding for satellites. Possibly they made a bad decision and Proenza was the wrong man for the job and someone else could have been given the job.

If you ask me.. Proenza should have been given Lautenbacher's job and we should beg Neil Frank to come back home to the NHC so he can work with the happy people there.

I have just one question that we would need to know tho...

Is Neil Frank a people person? It's a really important part of the job it seems.

At least we have Lautenbacher on record that the QuikScat is just about the HOLY GRAIL to many forecasters and although there is a European satellite it is Lautenbacher said NOT as good and without the European sat working our forecasts would not be as good. His words.

QuikScat = Almost The Holy Grail to forecasters. Now we know why everyone wants a replacement before 2017. Thank you Sir Lautenbacher.


love and kisses Bobbi
amazing day .. amazing ..
and oh... small chance this nice round area of disturbed weather could be Chantal, if you still care about real weather stories.