Forecasting the weather was sorcery to Taliban

Toronto Sun ^ | February 20, 2004 | CP Staff

[Squawk 8888]

KABUL -- Afghanistan's weather office is still strewn with rubble from the day in 1996 when Taliban supporters sacked it and put an end to weather forecasting, a science they considered sorcery. The main floor of the Afghanistan Meteorological Authority is filled with smashed equipment and charred sheets of paper, the remains of 100 years of weather records.

Abdul Qadeer, head of the country's weather forecasting agency, explains that he is still reeling from the Taliban decree that he could deliver today's weather, but not the forecast for tomorrow.

"They were allergic to the word 'prediction,' " Qadeer said of the Taliban's extreme interpretation of Islam.

Two years after the Taliban were ousted in a U.S.-led effort, the Afghan weather centre has a long way to go. Qadeer was able to collect new copies of Afghanistan's 100-year-old weather records, which were stored by the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva.

But Qadeer said he has no money for cleanup, equipment or forecasters. So for now, more sophisticated information is collected by Canadian forecasters at Camp Julien.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Reagan DID have it right. When Bush was running against him, Bush called Reagan's plan "voodoo economics". This is only part of the reason hw eas a one-termer.

[JennysCool]

I know!
Does this make Dick Nourse the Grand Vizier?

[BenLurkin]

Superstition Lyrics

Artist(Band):Stevie Wonder


Very superstitious, writing's on the wall,
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past.

When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way

Very superstitious, wash your face and hands,
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can,
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong,
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song.

When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, yeh, yeh.

Very superstitious, nothin' more to say,
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way,
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass,
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past

When you believe in things that you don't understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain't the way, no, no, no

[Lokibob]

Here is Mark Eubanks company.  He does the KSL weather as a part time gig, I guess.

 

I applied to WeatherBank 30 years ago for a job.

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Rebelbase]

I wonder if "100% chance of increasing darkness at sunset followed by increased light at dawn" would have been considered evil.

[familyofman]

The Taliban would fit in well with the whizzes in Georgia that don't like evolution because it isn't good science. Let's hear it for Intelligent Design!!!

[Skooz]

Sharon Resultan: Sorceress

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Could be. Have you seen Dick wearing any funny hats lately?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Cool! Looks like sorcery is a good way to meet some babes.

[Lokibob]

I'm prob wrong on that, after digging into WeatherBank corporate web site.

If I find more, I'll re-post.

[ErnBatavia]

I wonder how this guy (from L.A. - should be from San Francisco, if you know what I mean) would have gone over there...

[mykdsmom]

I don't know, with the poor track record Greg has had at calling these storms lately seems to me he could use all the voo-doo he can get.

MKM

[Ditto]

"...the entire mentality of his group was as if they were living in the middle ages, in some pre-scientific epoch.

Or that which they can't or won't make the effort to understand must be banished and destroyed. It's a control freak thing.

[Lokibob]

 

Well, I was wrong in thinking I was wrong.  Here is Marks Bio (red and emphasis is mine):

 

 

---

 

 

Mark Eubank
Dec. 18, 2002

For over 36 years, Mark Eubank, Chief Meteorologist for KSL Television, has been delivering television weather broadcasts. He can be seen on the number one rated Eyewitness News, weekdays at 5 PM, 6 PM and 10 PM.

Since the age of 12, Mark has had a passionate love of the weather. When he was 15, he wrote a weekly weather column for a Southern California newspaper. He attended UCLA at age 17. At 24, Mark started working as the TV weatherman for KRCR in Redding, California. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. For 20 years he owned and operated, WeatherBank, Inc., a weather consulting firm. Mark worked at KUTV for 22 years and has been at KSL since 1990.

Mark Eubank has served as an adjunct professor at Westminster College, is past president of the Utah Chapter of the American Meteorological Society, and has been an adviser to the State of Utah Weather Modification Board. He has also served as an adviser to the Space Science Center at the University of Wisconsin for Innovative Applications in Meteorology. He is the author of Utah Weather, and holds the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval.

Mark was also Chief Meteorologist for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. He led a thirteen-member specialized weather forecast team-the first non-government weather team ever used for a United States Olympics. Mark and his team provided detailed weather forecasts for the 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics and provided weather briefings to the Olympic officials and the worldwide media.

Mark and his wife, Jean, reside in Bountiful, Utah, and have seven children.

[FeliciaCat]

Just makes you shake your head, doesnt it? Unbelievable.

[Constitution Day]

LOL! I guess Kristin Dodd is part of her diabolical coven.
See that evil gleam in her eye?

[UncleDick]

"Hellllllllllllooooooooooooooooo Kabul. I love that town."

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Right on. Thanks!

[Skooz]

Hmmm...........Looks like Sorceress Kristina Abernathy is consulting her diabolical familiar spirit spiritual guide from the Nether Regions: