Tag: Mississippi

Finally – The Final

Usually these tests get graded right away. Since I was apprehensive about how I had done, it took a little longer. How do they know?

In Satellite Meteorology, the one I thought was tougher: 92. For Synoptic Meteorology: 86. So, “A” for both courses.

My only objection is some of what was taught is wrong. That’s because some of the course concerned operational weather prediction models. As you might expect, the models are improved or changed over time, and the material we had didn’t reflect that.

This was part of my downfall in college the first time. Some friends still remember me jousting with a teacher and then storming out of the classroom because she was trying to convince us WABC radio was strong up and down the East Coast because they had a number of strategically placed transmitters.

There’s still smoke coming from my ears on that one.

Now, on to summer school. Two course to be finished by August. It’s a shorter period, so seven day weeks will now be five day weeks. Same material, less time.

I’m done next summer. Well, I’m done with the courses. Then I have to actually visit Mississippi (or someplace close like Birmingham, AL) and be personally questioned to make sure it was me tapping at the computer all this time.

It’s Tax Time

Helaine has been trying to rush me along and get me going on Income Tax 2003. And, of course, like everything else in my life, I try and procrastinate. Adding to my lack of motivation was the fact that I expected we’d owe money.

Wrong again – thankfully.

We began this afternoon. We’re using Turbo Tax Online, as we have the past few years. There are all sorts of advantages to doing it this way – not the least of which is, Turbo Tax ‘remembers’ what you entered in the years before, so addresses and common entries are already filled out.

I know there’s a certain amount of danger in putting all your financial info on someone’s servers. I’m hoping… no, I’m praying that Turbo Tax takes it all very seriously and has the best security. One can never be sure.

Everything I’ve ever heard about the tax laws is true. They’re complex, obtuse, and often counter to good financial policy. There are so many choices having to do with so many esoteric programs. It’s enough to make your head spin.

I’m sure there are good reasons why we don’t, but wouldn’t it be easier to stop all the financial contortions and eliminate deductions entirely?

When you look at how much tax liability a single dollar of deductions brings, it’s obvious why people pad. As it is, after all was said and done, we let Turbo Tax show us how we did versus other people with comparable income. We are way behind on deductions, charitable contributions, anything that would put more money in my pocket. We are honest – or at least try to be, and these numbers make it look like we’re removed from the norm.

At one point I was asked if I had spent money on post-high school courses. Mississippi State! Excellent! It’s deductible. Except, after 4 or 5 minutes of entering, Turbo Tax burst my bubble, telling me I made too much to deduct books and tuition.

It’s demoralizing to see in one place, as you do when you’re filing your taxes, how much you’ve actually paid! There are state and federal taxes, property taxes, property taxes on our cars (a Connecticut exclusive), and though not a tax, mortgage interest. I remember living comfortably on much less than I now shell out.

I think I did everything correctly, but who knows? Did I ascribe the proper reason for taking a deduction or classifying income? Was a bond I bought when Steffie was an infant tax deductible? I said no. Maybe it was.

I found it interesting that Turbo Tax rounded all the numbers to even dollars for Connecticut while keeping dollars and cents for the feds. To make matters more confusing, the method of writing dates is different for both. And, the program was unforgiving if you didn’t do it right for each one.

After going through all the numbers, it looks like both Connecticut and the federal government owe us money. They do every year. We plan it that way.

Within the next few weeks a financial genius will be on TV, telling me that overwitholding my income tax is a bad idea. He may be right. But, when the checks come from the government, in one big lump sum, it seems worthwhile.

Changing The Rules During The Game

I am not a meteorologist, but I do the same job as the three meteorologists I work with. Over twenty plus years, and with lots of study, I think I know what I’m doing… though that’s for my viewers to judge, not me.

A few years ago my boss thought it would be a good thing if my expertise in meteorology was acknowledged. He offered to pay the cost if I would obtain the Seal of Approval in Broadcast Meteorology from the American Meteorological Society. It would take a commitment on my part to complete a formal course of study to ‘legitimized’ my knowledge.

The best way to go about this was the Broadcast Meteorology program offered by Mississippi State University. I began classes in September 2002.

I am often asked if it’s an on-line program. The simple answer is, sort of. Lectures are given on DVD and video cassette. Tests, quizzes and access to teaching assistants is given on-line. There is a short trip to Mississippi required at the end of the 3 year program.

When I am finished, I will have 53 credits in meteorology and related subjects. The difference between this course and more traditional college meteorology programs is the math requirement. Here, it is fairly rudimentary with some statistics and algebra. In most other courses there is calculus involved.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Mississippi State specifically tailored this program to meet the AMS Seal requirements. Graduates of traditional programs often claim that the MSU program is inferior. However, for day-to-day broadcast meteorology, the MSU program is a magnitude order beyond what is needed.

I have often heard kvetching about how the MSU program cheapens the more traditional meteorology programs. And now, in an end around move, the AMS is changing the Broadcast Seal program in a way that will please the kvetches.

In a few years the AMS Seal will cease to be issued. Current holders (and hopefully I will be one by then) will be ‘grandfathered’ in.

Replacing the seal will be a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program. The qualifications include passing a test and a degree in meteorology or equivalent. Right now, my guess would be that they will not consider the Mississippi State program equivalent, even though it requires more meteorology related subjects than most traditional programs.

This is a broadside aimed specifically at MSU. If this policy is enacted as proposed, the MSU program will quickly lose its reason for being.

I have been in touch with the director of the program at Mississippi State. A few weeks ago he seemed non plussed. Today I sense he is more concerned about what’s going on.

I have recommended that he make a personal presentation to the AMS boards which will make the final decision. A well thought out and prepared personal appearance might make a world of difference. He says that is his idea too.

Over one third of the broadcast meteorologists in the United States received their training from Mississippi State. Soon, I will too. I will have the qualifications for the AMS Seal late in the summer of 2005.

Hurricane Coverage – Enough Already

There’s a TV news oriented daily newsletter called ShopTalk which is published at the TVSPY.com website. It’s been around forever… even before there was an Internet. It’s the place to vent, if you want to be read by most everyone. And, today it was my turn to vent!

From: Geoff Fox

me@geofffox.com

RE: Isabel

I have watched today in stunned disbelief as Hurricane Isabel has turned TV news into some sort of weird reality show.

It’s been live shot after live shot, featuring soggy, windblown reporters in harm’s way. Since 1961, when local TV reporter Dan Rather found his way to CBS based on his performance in Hurricane Carla, hurricane coverage has been looked upon as the perfect inclusion in an audition tape. Over the past few years, with increasingly good live capabilities, we’ve just gone nuts.

Gritty hurricane coverage means more eyeballs watching. It is compelling television. No one will deny that. But, hold on. What the hell are we doing and showing our viewers?

Even with the moderate (for a hurricane) wind that Isabel is now producing, projectiles of all types become airborne. How long will it be before we see a reporter or photographer killed or injured live? And, how can we report on evacuation orders when the example we show on the air is of us disregarding them. We are promoting disrespect for public safety.

Some folks covering the storm might say, “I have experience and know what to do.” This is somewhat like dodging a few bullets and then declaring yourself bulletproof.

The sad truth is, at this moment, this story is being covered by people who have gone beyond any margin of safety, where one unforeseen circumstance could mean a life. Maybe they don’t know that even solidly built concrete structures, like the Richelieu Apartments in Pass Christian, MS, can be wiped clean to the foundation by a hurricane.

Is this worth it?

One last thing… After looking this posting over, I found one misspelled word “airborne” and one improperly punctuated word “harm’s.” How embarrassing.