question about -removed-

[Downdraft]

I used to chase tornadoes and the thrill of seeing one still gets to me. That doesn't mean I love the damage they cause. Loving severe weather doesn't mean you want to see it destroy someone's home or life. To me "-removed-" refers to people that have this secret desire to have a hurricane pay them a visit and usually have a secret "wish" it comes their way. Someone that says as a storm approaches the islands that it will become a major and strike a certain area without a shred of evidence to support the statement can certainly earn the label quickly. It is a credit to this board that use of the term is highly discouraged since many of us old timers remember how it totally destroyed another board we all frequented once. I've found 3 types of people visit this board. The first type are either professionals or extremely skilled amateurs that have nothing to prove to anyone except a desire to share the love of tropical systems. The second type want to learn either for love of weather or for information for preparedness. They ask questions and appreciate answers. The third type know very little but seem to enjoy making their own candles glow brighter by blowing out the ones of those around them. They don't usually last long here. Once discredited the pro's rarely respond to their discussion threads and others basically ignore their posts. Suffice it to say being labeled a wishcaster is a derogates reference. While many of us think it's foolish to wish for a hurricane it's your right to do so.

[SunnyThoughts]

My heart goes out to those who have posted...that lost everything they owned due to mother nature and her fury. I don't feel the people who posted their experiences are looking for PITY...they are trying to show you that the "excitement" of watching a hurricane headed toward your city is far outweighed by the despair felt in the aftermath of a big storm. My family was lucky here in the Pensacola area...we had a home to come home to, but its amazing how many everyday things are taken for granted. Like running water thats clean enough to drink without boiling. Like a/c in 95 degree heat. Like being able to wash your clothes without using a bathtub as your washer. Like taking a ride to Mcdonalds to get a burger. What you do get to do is...make a trip everyday to the local high school to get ICE in order to keep your drinks and lunch meats cold over night in an ice cooler. The incessent barrage of BUGS that like to bite everything that moves, the police patroling your neighborhood because of looters stealing anything they can get their hands on. We just hope you don't have to experience the things we've experienced. This isn't meant to put a damper on your excitement of tracking hurricanes...we all love to do that or I don't think we would be here. Its just kind human beings hoping that the rest of you who haven't experienced these things, never have to.

[wolfmmiii]

While I feel for those that have been through a hurricane, why do those who've been through one get so upset with someone who wishcasts one to there own location? If I wishcast a storm to Reading, PA, why should a hurricane survivor in Florida get so upset?

It's my life being affected, not his. To take it a step further, I've not yet seen one case where -removed- actually caused a storm to strike a certain area.

If I say, "I want TD10 to become a CAT4 and make landfall in my backyard", those who have experienced a landfall would be more helpful by responding with "That's probably a bad idea because......" - not ripping me for -removed-.

Just my $0.02

Maybe because while you want one in your backyard, you probably have neighbors who don't.
And someone else on the board might be that neighbor!

Unless you live on your own isolated island; your statement is absurd .... and selfish

How is it absurd and selfish???? Is the fact that I may (or may not) wishcast going to have ANY bearing on where a storm goes??? Let's be realistic here. The BOTTOM LINE - no wishcaster is going to steer a storm to or away from any location so people need to stop worrying about those who wishcast and let them have their fun -removed-.

When someone who wishcasts and actually gets hit, they will probably change their tune but for people to get all up in arms is just ridiculous.

[DoctorHurricane2003]

Thunder44 and others supporting the -removed- argument:

Fun to me is being able to look at facts, create a logical discussion, and forecast a storm to go somewhere....then being able to look back on it and say...good, I got it right, or good, I was close.

Fun is NOT 'forecasting' EVERY storm to hit Pensacola (where I have lived and will live for one more week) as a category 4 hurricane. Now if a storm is in fact heading that direction (IE Ivan, Arlene, Dennis) then that's fine...but if you start throwing in every other storm and rapidly intensifying it as it hits the coastline...you are not forecasting...you are just acting like a hyper 13 year old who wants to get 34 days of school off...and I hate to put it like that (I could make it sound worse) but the point is you MUST be logical with every forecast. If the NHC decided every storm was going to hit Miami as a category 5, do you know how big of a mess we would be in?

To me the people who wishcast need to take a deep breath and seriously consider what they are doing. Yes it brings up the adrenaline when a storm is heading your way...but after the fact...its completely devastating. People die in hurricanes. People lose all of their belongings in hurricanes...and yet sometimes I still think some people just don't understand.

Lastly, yes its true that -removed- isn't going to bring a storm your way. Telling a hurricane what to do isn't going to result in anything...that's true. But consider this. You are posting on a weather forum...and it would be very nice to gain credibility. -removed- every storm to explode and come your way or to a major city isn't going to gain you credibility...what little you have you will lose and no one will pay attention to your so-called forecasts...just ask greatone if you don't believe me. Also, people do come here to get weather information, and yes some people do believe things they read that they should not, but that's life. Consider if someone from Houston reads a wishcast for a category 5 over houston in 3 days...they will freak out. Yes they should not believe it, but sometimes you just can't tell them not to pay attention to it even with a little S2K disclaimer. For those that just said in your mind "Well, they get what they deserve for believing such crap," you know, if the crap wasn't posted in the first place, there wouldn't be such a problem, now would there? And sometimes people do it innocently...to say such a thing as "People get what they deserve" is probably the single most abhorrent thing I have heard on this board and it is a quick way to get people to ignore you.

Have fun posting forecasts...have fun analyzing data...but do not under any circumstance do something that may endanger the lives of people and/or I would suggest that you do not post anything that automatically causes you to lose your credibility. I apologize if this offended anyone but it is just something that needs to be said after the past three months.

[Thunder44]

I'm sorry about how some of you feel, but this is a board for weather enthusiasts. This is not a board to pity one another for their disaster stories. If people choose to get their info here, then that's fine. But when you come here you should expect that people are going to be fascinated with hurricanes and want to experience the storm.

If some of you feel differently after you experience a storm than that's unfortunate but that's alright. Just please stop chastising others wanting storms. This board become less fun when you are being critized for hyping up a storm. If you don't like it than I suggest you don't come here.

Maybe your idea of fun is a little screwed up my friend.

And what is exactly is your idea of fun?

My idea of fun as it relates to this board:
-Conjecture of what a storm will do based on real data.
Hopefully provided by Pro Mets and informed amateurs.

-Understanding better what a storm is going to do and then seeing it happen

-Learning more about storms so I can better understand what is going to happen next time more than what I know now.

That is my idea of fun in the Tropics section of S2K

Things NOT fun as it relates to this board:

-Hyping up a storm
-Reading posts by people who WISH to get hit by a storm.
-Outlandish predictions on storms by uninformed people with no basis for their predictions
-Nit pickers and word-smiths who attack the wording of posts
-Reading insensitive comments by immature people directed at those who have suffered from storms.

These are some of the things that are not fun in the Tropics Section of S2K

Hope I adequately answered your question.

I find the same things you find fun to be fun too and actually more interesting. I really am not into -removed- on this board anymore. I just think there's too much sensitivity going on here with people remarks on wanting storms. So some people want stronger storms or to them to hit the coast. So what?

[DoctorHurricane2003]

Thunder44, I suggest you to read my post that just so happens to be located right above the one you just posted...and that will answer your 'So What?' question.

[The Big Dog]

Thunder, people who just want storms to come their way don't really bother me too much, unless they live near me, of course. That's not -removed-, that's just wishing. If you really want a major storm to come your way, there's nothing I can do to change your mind. I never tell someone "better you than me," but it's hard to resist the urge when I read what you have to say. I don't want to wish that on your neighbors, though. Fortunately for them, a major hurricane hitting NYC directly is a 100- or 200-year event, maybe more.

Please, at least tell me that you're not one of those people who want a Cat 5 and plan to ride it out at home.

[Thunder44]

Thunder44, I suggest you to read my post that just so happens to be located right above the one you just posted...and that will answer your 'So What?' question.

I read that. I do think it's a bit harsh for people to say you got what you deserve but I don't believe the poster should be held responsible. It's not the poster's fault that they didn't pay attention the disclaimer. What more else do want that poster to do? There's no attempt at the poster trying to mislead people. I would just let them have their fun.

[Thunder44]

Thunder, people who just want storms to come their way don't really bother me too much, unless they live near me, of course. That's not -removed-, that's just wishing. If you really want a major storm to come your way, there's nothing I can do to change your mind. I never tell someone "better you than me," but it's hard to resist the urge when I read what you have to say. I don't want to wish that on your neighbors, though. Fortunately for them, a major hurricane hitting NYC directly is a 100- or 200-year event, maybe more.

Please, at least tell me that you're not one of those people who want a Cat 5 and plan to ride it out at home.

No I don't want a Cat 5. I'm not that crazy.

I want a Cat 1. I wouldn't mind a Cat 2 either. Going over Long Island. That wouldn't cause too much damage. That's good enough for me.

[DoctorHurricane2003]

No no no...see the poster IS misleading people by posting frivolous 'forecasts'. They are doing it purposefully....for god knows what reason. There is no such thing as an 'accidental wishcast'. The person posting the frivolous forecast should be held responsible because guess what...IT IS A FRIVOLOUS FORECAST! Half the time they are not even done with a disclaimer (i.e., greatone, et al.)! A person is responsible for frivolous things that come out of their mouth whether there is a disclaimer or not. A disclaimer doesn't automatically make the original poster immune from the consequences.

[The Big Dog]

http://www.metal-sludge.com/main/module ... dsKiss.htm

"That's one of the reasons why I just don't go on the web. Because there is no distinction between fact and fiction. Anybody can post anything and once people read it they think, "Oh there it is, it's in print." Well it ain't necessarily so. My one suggestion is for everybody to stop reading the web. Try a newspaper, they have a journalistic ethic. Newspapers have to report the facts, and when they don't they get crucified. The web...there's no policing agency. So anybody can say Martians have landed and there is nobody to say you're wrong." - Gene Simmons, WNEW Saturday Night Rocks, September 30, 2000

[Recurve]

Don't know if you had this at your house, but when we were little kids, we had our own table at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with all the relatives. The main table wasn't big enough for us all. Or was it?

This is the grownups' table. Unlike so many discussion boards, Storm2k discussions are scientific, factual, informative -- and friendly -- most of the time, and everybody wants to keep it that way.

So, there's an expectation of good manners and some topics are just kinda off-limits. You can wish for storms to land on your backyard all you want, but it is going to be seen as unacceptable for many people here. Even those who haven't suffered the misery of a direct hit are probably going to find statements about wanting to go through a major hurricane silly. And we're going to cringe, thinking about the pain such statements can cause fellow members who have really suffered. Yeah, it's sensitivity, but you don't get to sit at the big table if you throw food.

Wishing for storms is one thing, "-removed-" is something else. It's an inflammatory accusation that somebody's forecast is not scientific because they want the storm to go the way they are predicting. It leads to arguments -- "I do not want the storm!" "Yes you do!" and so on. So while no one could ban -removed-, it's important to not accuse anyone of doing it.

That said, this is a good discussion. I understand the point about pulling together and enjoying the camaraderie among neighbors after a storm. Been there too. But having the Army on your street, seeing grown men and women cry, and the long-term effects (like the insurance situation in Florida that makes me want to scream) temper my enthusiasm. A lot depends on where the eyewall lands.

[BTW, I didn't join yesterday, I made a new account after a computer crash, was formerly KeyLargoDave. I settled on "Recurve" cause that's what I like to see (in the open Atlantic) for Florida. I promise not to wishcast it -- Dave]

[The Big Dog]

I settled on "Recurve" cause that's what I like to see (in the open Atlantic) for Florida. I promise not to wishcast it -- Dave]

Pardon me, but would that make you a... fishcaster??

ba-dump ching!

[jujubean]

Don't know if you had this at your house, but when we were little kids, we had our own table at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with all the relatives. The main table wasn't big enough for us all. Or was it?

This is the grownups' table. Unlike so many discussion boards, Storm2k discussions are scientific, factual, informative -- and friendly -- most of the time, and everybody wants to keep it that way.

So, there's an expectation of good manners and some topics are just kinda off-limits. You can wish for storms to land on your backyard all you want, but it is going to be seen as unacceptable for many people here. Even those who haven't suffered the misery of a direct hit are probably going to find statements about wanting to go through a major hurricane silly. And we're going to cringe, thinking about the pain such statements can cause fellow members who have really suffered. Yeah, it's sensitivity, but you don't get to sit at the big table if you throw food.

Wishing for storms is one thing, "-removed-" is something else. It's an inflammatory accusation that somebody's forecast is not scientific because they want the storm to go the way they are predicting. It leads to arguments -- "I do not want the storm!" "Yes you do!" and so on. So while no one could ban -removed-, it's important to not accuse anyone of doing it.

That said, this is a good discussion. I understand the point about pulling together and enjoying the camaraderie among neighbors after a storm. Been there too. But having the Army on your street, seeing grown men and women cry, and the long-term effects (like the insurance situation in Florida that makes me want to scream) temper my enthusiasm. A lot depends on where the eyewall lands.

[BTW, I didn't join yesterday, I made a new account after a computer crash, was formerly KeyLargoDave. I settled on "Recurve" cause that's what I like to see (in the open Atlantic) for Florida. I promise not to wishcast it -- Dave]

well said

[Thunder44]

No no no...see the poster IS misleading people by posting frivolous 'forecasts'. They are doing it purposefully....for god knows what reason. There is no such thing as an 'accidental wishcast'. The person posting the frivolous forecast should be held responsible because guess what...IT IS A FRIVOLOUS FORECAST! Half the time they are not even done with a disclaimer (i.e., greatone, et al.)! A person is responsible for frivolous things that come out of their mouth whether there is a disclaimer or not. A disclaimer doesn't automatically make the original poster immune from the consequences.

Nobody here is like the greatone. I don't believe anyone here has any intention to mislead people when posted their forecasts. I just see people getting trying to spread their excitement about the weather, that they probably can't do anywhere else.

[Joe Guerra]

No I don't want a Cat 5. I'm not that crazy.

I want a Cat 1. I wouldn't mind a Cat 2 either. Going over Long Island. That wouldn't cause too much damage. That's good enough for me.

I'd rather not have to deal with any hurricane that would come over long island, even though small, i'm sure there would be ALOT more people that would not be prepared for a hurricane.

[DoctorHurricane2003]

Like I said in my original post Thunder44, excitement NEVER involves wishing a storm on yourself or others...period.

Making a forecast when looking at facts and presenting evidence = good

Making a forecast and attempting to learn more about the facts and evidence in an attempt to educate yourself = good

Making a forecast without any attempt at looking at facts or evidence and/or making a malicious forecast = bad

Simple as that.