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A Doppler A Day
As an English teacher for 35 years, I always enjoyed how our language is always changing. It would be fun to make a list of words that hadn't been invented yet when we were kids. It would be a long list.
One word I've been hearing a lot about lately is "doppler." It seems as though a doppler has become an important part of weather forecasting. Science was never one of my strong subjects, despite the efforts of Sister Mary Celestine when I was in high school. So, I won't pretend to know much about this new-found doppler and its role in predicting snow, rain, sunshine or the legendary "mixed-bag."
I had to do some research to discover that a doppler is actually named after an Austrian physicist -- Christian Doppler, who was born in 1803. He died at the age of fifty, but a century later he has made quite a name for himself. The Doppler effect is the "apparant change in frequency of waves when either the source of the waves or the observer moves toward or away from the other."
I don't get it.
But it sure must be important. Fox44-TV has a triple doppler. I'm not sure if they ever had just a regular doppler or a double doppler. I think when they started their local news broadcast they immediately signed up for the triple. Just to be safe they'd be getting the weather right.
But it seems that WPTZ-TV outdoes them. They have the super doppler. I think that sounds as though it outdoes the triple doppler. I'm watching for CNN to come up with their super-duper doppler weather report.
Times sure are changing, and I wouldn't want to stand in the way of progress. But Bird Berdan used to predict the weather without any dopplers. He didn't even have one. I'm not sure what he used to predict the weather. Maybe just a barometer. My Dad had a barometer on our living room wall for a while when I was a kid. I guess so that we'd all know what the weather would be like in our living room over the next few days.
When we cover outdoor sports events for public-access television, I like to inform the viewers of the temperature that day or night. Since I didn't have to predict what the weather would be like the following weekend, I didn't need a doppler. I just use my "Accu-Stat Thermometer." That's about as high tech as I dare get. And that's only some plastic outdoor thermometer that never seems to work correctly.
Most days if you leave it on top of the bleachers in the hot sun it registers somewhere about 150 degrees. I might be covering the game in short sleeves, but I know it isn't 150 degrees. So much for the "Accu-Stat Thermometer." Maybe if I'd invested in a doppler I would have been able to report something more accurate.
If you google "doppler," you will get over 17 million selections, most of which are far too scientific for this blogger. It's an interesting word. And that Christian Doppler sure is lucky to have an entire radar effect named after him.
Maybe someday day there will be the "Foxy Gagnon Effect." I can only wonder what that might refer to.
Comments
foxy, lest we forget the 106.7 wizn weather man, dan dowling, i've been calling him "SUPER D DUPER DOPPLER DAN DOWLING" forever, it's quite fitting, i think.
Posted by: warren robare | March 5, 2008 2:46 PM
besides the hot dog rating index you could also use the "barn burner, bucket of wings" factor to predict the temprature on the field or basketball court. An example could be mild (65-75) hot (80-90) or flaming (90 and above).
Keep up the good work. M.L.
(Foxy's note: Great to see Mike Lavigne as a Blogoteer -- great idea!)
Posted by: mike lavigne | March 2, 2008 8:00 AM
Going back to my chldhood, I would have to say the next logical doppler will be the infinite doppler. As I recall that usually trumped the double, and triple .
As for utilizing the Gagnon name I would rather see it attached to gymnastics, high diving or ice skating. Did you see that guy perform the Triple Gagnon last night? Maybe the triple Gagnon could be videotaping three consecutive events.
(Foxy's note: I like that idea! We have covered modified A, junior varsity and varsity basketball all in one night. The Triple Gagnon it is! But I've also seen Calvin Castine cover four basketball games in one day -- the Quadruple Calvin!)
Posted by: rubble | March 2, 2008 7:54 AM
Foxy, you're missing the point. The Doppler guy didn't recreate the wheel or even invent something, he just was lucky enough to get his name attached to something that existed. You, too, can do the same thing. You only need a catchy name for something that you already have, namely the Foxy Gagnon hot dog rating system. It's clear, concise, and nobody has laid claim to it yet. Just develop a name for your rating that includes buns, condiments, taste, texture,and even packaging.
You could call it a foxadog system, or a dogingagnon rating, or even the blogdog rating system. It may turn out like the dewey decimal system, or the metric system and who knows, you could become famous just like that Doppler guy. Don't reinvent the wheel, just rename it....TBI
(Foxy's note: Great to hear from you again, W. Thanks for simplifying what could have been complicated.)
Posted by: W | March 1, 2008 6:21 PM
Fox Man! Nice blog as usual, you had me thinking if I knew what the heck a doppler was. And to tell you the truth I have no idea. All I know is that here in South TX we don't use dopplers.
For my vacation up to the North Country in June I will be on the lookout for the doppler, and you and I can discuss at our happy hour lunches!! Talk to you soon! GO BUCKS GO!
(Foxy's note: Bryan Benway, native of Jay, New York, is the play-by-play announcer of the first-place Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League. Check him out at laredobucks.com.)
Posted by: Bryan Benway | March 1, 2008 6:01 PM
Foxy,
Forget the Super Doppler, you need to refer to the Super Ducky. I just found out Ducky Drake, who is the king of Plattsburgh News and Sports, may soon take the Weather crown as well.
Turns out the Duck has a knack for predicting weather. He correctly prognosticated the last two alleged super storms predicted by Tom Messner would amount to nothing. I will not reveal his secret, but he has been amazingly accurate.
Is It Just Me or should Tom Messner be very concerned about losing his job?
Craig Mathews
Posted by: Craig Mathews | March 1, 2008 4:36 PM
Foxy; The best thing about Doppler Radar is tracking serious storms Hurricanes, Tornados and Thunderstorms! Living in Florida and close to the Atlantic Ocean we get serious Thunderstorms almost daily during our rain season. You could almost time it between 2pm and 5 Pm daily! I have stayed in my home against three strong hurricanes and yes I did watch and listen to the Doppler forecast! I hope you start getting some break from the snow and cold weather! The Mets are playing the Dodgers here in Port St Lucie today! Got to go to the ball game! It's sunny around 78 today! Lenny
(Foxy's note: Glad to hear that dopplers are in Florida, as well as New York, Lenny.)
Posted by: Lenny Smallacombe | March 1, 2008 12:27 PM