Posted 2/06/2005 02:33:00 PM by Douglas

The 79th Legislature. The State of Texas just didn't know how unprotected it really was until these ass-clowns showed up in Austin. As if singling out fat kids on their report cards and raising the legal drinking age to 21 years and 7 hours wasn't dumb enough, they're still at it. Who is it this time? Meteorologists.

The bill, which has the active support of a Dallas TV meteorologist from Truitt's district, would make it a very minor crime (misdemeanor) to call yourself a meteorologist unless you meet specific academic requirements included in the bill.

The standards used by Truitt, R-Keller, are tantamount to having a four-year bachelor of science degree in meteorology and are identical to those needed to get an entry-level job with the National Weather Service. They would be the only state-set standards for meteorologists in the country, according to the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.

The state has an interest in protecting the public's safety, and that's why doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, cosmetologists and teachers have to meet some sets of professional standards before they can practice their chosen professions. But meteorologist? Does anyone really care? What are the impacts of a bad forecast? Is there really nothing going on in Austin to keep these jokers busy?

Truitt says she has only one motive for the bill: the safety of the public. The very real possibility exists that some unqualified person, calling themselves a meteorologist, might someday misinterpret meteorological data in a weather emergency and lead the public into danger, Truitt said.

Ah yes, thankfully this problem is finally being addressed. I can't tell you how many people go to a "back alley meteorologist" when they're looking for information about a hurricane that's threatening the Texas coast. At a time like that, you don't want some joker that's just on TV because they got fired at the used car lot. You want a degreed professional to stand in front of the blue-screen and read the teleprompter.