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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Nickbat on 11 January 2011, 14:25:46

Title: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Nickbat on 11 January 2011, 14:25:46
Must get the popcorn in for this one. ;)

The BBC/Met Office claim the cabinet was forewarned about the severe cold snap...but no one else was.

"If the Beeb succeeds in forcing Cameron’s government to come clean it looks probable that government ministers intentionally conspired to withhold vital severe weather forecast information placing both lives and jobs at risk. So far losses to the UK economy linked to this year’s severe winter weather are estimated to be above £10 billion."

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/32017

 :o :o :o
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Banjax on 11 January 2011, 14:59:16
very interesting story, I'm quite sure the Canada Free Press holds the utmost journalistic ideals, but I'll follow the qualities take on it for now

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8237397/Met-Office-kept-winter-forecast-secret-from-public.html


interestingly they appear to suggest that the Met Office is reticent in issuing dire warnings because idiots cant grasp a long term prediction is a possibility not a certainty, so if they say it may be a barbeque summer thats a prediction, they're not saying its definitely going to be a scorcher - people need to read more  :y
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Nickbat on 11 January 2011, 15:04:04
Quote
very interesting story, I'm quite sure the Canada Free Press holds the utmost journalistic ideals, but I'll follow the qualities take on it for now

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8237397/Met-Office-kept-winter-forecast-secret-from-public.html


interestingly they appear to suggest that the Met Office is reticent in issuing dire warnings because idiots cant grasp a long term prediction is a possibility not a certainty, so if they say it may be a barbeque summer thats a prediction, they're not saying its definitely going to be a scorcher - people need to read more  :y

Then maybe they shouldn't use terms like "odds on" and "we can expect" when forecasting a "barbeque summer".  ;) ;D ;D

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090430.html
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 11 January 2011, 16:29:57
Quote
Must get the popcorn in for this one. ;)

The BBC/Met Office claim the cabinet was forewarned about the severe cold snap...but no one else was.

"If the Beeb succeeds in forcing Cameron’s government to come clean it looks probable that government ministers intentionally conspired to withhold vital severe weather forecast information placing both lives and jobs at risk. So far losses to the UK economy linked to this year’s severe winter weather are estimated to be above £10 billion."

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/32017

 :o :o :o

 ;D ;D ;D It would seem that Auntie (BBC) has developed some fire in her drawers - splendid. ;D ;D
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 11 January 2011, 16:32:48
Question is, what difference would it have made if we had received a day or so's warning?
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 11 January 2011, 16:38:08
As a matter of fact I always considered weather forecasting less of a science and more of a rummage around in the dark arts of predictive supposition.
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Dishevelled Den on 11 January 2011, 16:41:20
Quote
Question is, what difference would it have made if we had received a day or so's warning?

I think that's a very fair point indeed - if the basic infrastructure isn't capable of dealing with widespread disruption would being forewarned of impending difficulty make it anymore able to cope?
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Kevin Wood on 11 January 2011, 16:43:39
Quote
Question is, what difference would it have made if we had received a day or so's warning?

All the schools, public services, etc. would have closed down a day earlier "just in case".

Kevin
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 11 January 2011, 16:45:20
Yeh, panic buying and closing down early!
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Banjax on 11 January 2011, 19:13:21
Quote
Quote
very interesting story, I'm quite sure the Canada Free Press holds the utmost journalistic ideals, but I'll follow the qualities take on it for now

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8237397/Met-Office-kept-winter-forecast-secret-from-public.html


interestingly they appear to suggest that the Met Office is reticent in issuing dire warnings because idiots cant grasp a long term prediction is a possibility not a certainty, so if they say it may be a barbeque summer thats a prediction, they're not saying its definitely going to be a scorcher - people need to read more  :y

Then maybe they shouldn't use terms like "odds on" and "we can expect" when forecasting a "barbeque summer".  ;) ;D ;D

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090430.html


odds on is exactly the type of phrase they should use ie if Man Utd played Wigan tomorrow its odds on Man U would win but you wouldnt bet the house on it ie we can say what is most likely to happen, but not what will happen

similarly we can expect isn't the same as we can guarantee


eg "have you paid that cheque in yet?"

"i expect so" is a very different answer to "i guarantee it"
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Nickbat on 11 January 2011, 19:29:47
Quote
Quote
Quote
very interesting story, I'm quite sure the Canada Free Press holds the utmost journalistic ideals, but I'll follow the qualities take on it for now

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8237397/Met-Office-kept-winter-forecast-secret-from-public.html


interestingly they appear to suggest that the Met Office is reticent in issuing dire warnings because idiots cant grasp a long term prediction is a possibility not a certainty, so if they say it may be a barbeque summer thats a prediction, they're not saying its definitely going to be a scorcher - people need to read more  :y

Then maybe they shouldn't use terms like "odds on" and "we can expect" when forecasting a "barbeque summer".  ;) ;D ;D

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090430.html


odds on is exactly the type of phrase they should use ie if Man Utd played Wigan tomorrow its odds on Man U would win but you wouldnt bet the house on it ie we can say what is most likely to happen, but not what will happen

similarly we can expect isn't the same as we can guarantee


eg "have you paid that cheque in yet?"

"i expect so" is a very different answer to "i guarantee it"


Everyone knows the weather cannot be guaranteed, but the Met Office language was very plain and very forthright. The bottom line, though, is that they were pretty much 180 degrees out!  ;) ;D
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: albitz on 11 January 2011, 20:08:38
Still, at least they are spot on with the really important issues - like climate change. :y














 ::) :D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: redelitev6 on 11 January 2011, 20:19:43
Quote
Quote
Must get the popcorn in for this one. ;)

The BBC/Met Office claim the cabinet was forewarned about the severe cold snap...but no one else was.

"If the Beeb succeeds in forcing Cameron’s government to come clean it looks probable that government ministers intentionally conspired to withhold vital severe weather forecast information placing both lives and jobs at risk. So far losses to the UK economy linked to this year’s severe winter weather are estimated to be above £10 billion."

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/32017

 :o :o :o

 ;D ;D ;D It would seem that Auntie (BBC) has developed some fire in her drawers - splendid. ;D ;D
:( Only because it's a Tory government,if labour had still been in power we wouldn't have heard a peep out of the left wing beeb :(
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Mysteryman on 11 January 2011, 20:22:23
It doesn't matter who is in power, they are all the same. When will people realise that.
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: zirax on 11 January 2011, 22:24:51
If we got one days warning. That is one day to get your butt back home from the other side of the country. That is one day that you could stock up for your gran to ensure they don't run out. etc etc.

Personally that was one days warning to get the MR2 inside before it was covered.

Good to see the BBC giving them a roasting, whether it will be released is another matter.
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: unlucky alf on 11 January 2011, 23:09:11
Quote
Question is, what difference would it have made if we had received a day or so's warning?

If they had listened to Piers Corbyn then they would have had months to prepare for the harsh winter he rightly predicted, But they wouldnt give him the time of day all because he doesnt agree with AGW. >:( >:(
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Banjax on 12 January 2011, 01:10:51
Quote
Quote
Question is, what difference would it have made if we had received a day or so's warning?

If they had listened to Piers Corbyn then they would have had months to prepare for the harsh winter he rightly predicted, But they wouldnt give him the time of day all because he doesnt agree with AGW. >:( >:(

that, and he's wrong more often than the met office  ;)
Title: Re: BBC slaps FOI request on government
Post by: Nickbat on 29 January 2011, 09:58:09
Looks like the Met Office & BBC have not been acting in the best of faith.

http://autonomousmind.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/the-met-office-winter-forecast-lie-is-finally-nailed/

 :o :o