James Franklin

Geez, cut the Panthers some slack. Guess they have short memories.

Very nice piece, Wendy, and congratulations on your career. I recall that Lixion and I did some interviews for you and your group 15-20 years ago for an online tropical textbook, I think. What a worthy cause you championed!

Can't top it when you're a seller. :(

For position, though, it probably doesn’t matter much who does it. The actual forecast errors are far larger than analysis uncertainty. It’s intensity where the forecast errors and analysis uncertainty can be of similar magnitudes.

Sure, but I don’t think it helps assess accuracy. There’s inherent subjectivity in determining TC intensity because it’s never directly observed. Wouldn’t make sense for some other group to apply different analysis methods because those differences would get conflated with real forecast errors.

Not sure I agree if we’re talking about forecasts. In thinking about tropical cyclones, for example, it would mean someone else would have to determine the best track. Which makes no sense to me for a variety of reasons. For overall service though, yes.

Good choice.

Time to start figuring out if I’m going to adopt some other team to root for in the playoffs or just tune them out.

Practically speaking, I think the Panthers’ season ended tonight. But these are nice consolation…

Not sure if they have anyone in Charlotte they want to look at at the NHL level, but I agree.

It’s over. You hope for a top-10 pick that they can maybe turn into a starting goalie for next year, because I don’t think they can win another cup with Bob and/or Tarasov, even if they’re otherwise healthy.

“Basket of deplorables” turned out to be one of the worst understatements of American political history.

I had been a Miami Herald subscriber for decades, but they pissed me off when they wanted to start charging me an extra fee to renew by check. Petty perhaps to dump them over that, but it just seemed so unnecessary.

Yes! Played that a lot. I haven’t picked up a voice module yet but I think there are some to be had.

I grew up with Atari and Intellivision. Actually bought a working Intellivision off eBay last year. There was a particular game that I’m still trying to find but can’t remember the name of. Might have been an Atari title.

Unless you’re rooting for Canada. ;-)

Fred Sanders was my major professor and he had a dry sense of humor, which I loved. However, I’m not sure he’d be pleased or chagrined to see the term get so much play in the media.

I'm not an expert, but yeah, when it comes to weather I'd definitely go with the guy who makes hurricane forecasts with a Sharpie over the vast majority of the professional climate science community.

NHC used to use the term “strike” for that reason. Tropical cyclones are big and often sloppy, such that “landfall” probably gets more attention than it’s worth.

I’ve heard of insurance coverage turning on whether or not a system was a tropical cyclone as determined by NHC, but I’ve never heard that coverage depends on a system being a particular category. I’d be surprised if that were actually true.

One problem with that is that RMW is ill-defined and almost impossible to measure. And in weaker or asymmetric TCs could be large distances from the center. Would be impossible to apply such a standard.

Don’t care too much about the Super Bowl - I mean, it’s not the Stanley Cup final or anything.

So the Panthers' 1st round draft pick is Top-10 protected, as it turns out. Time to TANK, TANK, TANK!

Early in the year when Bob was giving up lots of goals from distance I wondered if he needed Bob Griese’s glasses. As the season wears on I’ve come to think he’s not a #1 goalie any more. Even if we come back healthy next year they’re going to need help at that position.

Low of 33°. It might have been a Three Dog Night, but alas it was a Zero Iguana Morning.

Maybe some tacky gloves would help prevent some of those drops.

While the world is going to hell, I got to hold open the locker room door as the Panthers took the ice last night. Tomorrow, legacy season ticket holders get their Stanley Cup rings.

Becoming a bad habit of his.

When A. J. Greer took two penalties last night I said to myself, that’s what you get when you put him on the second line. Tonight, to no surprise he’s on the fourth line.

Make me feel even worse, why don’t you?