I’m writing in response to the letter written by Mr. VanValkingburg and Mr. Birdsall (“Cartoon not a weather barometer,” Nov. 7) and to the Nov. 6 Poison Ink cartoon.

I do not find the cartoon offensive. I think it is funny and looks like it’s done in a satirical manner within the context of voting for a new weatherman, since elections occurred the day before. Depending upon where you get your weather forecast from, obviously there are good and bad forecasts. For instance, the National Weather Service forecast for Monday night called for rain, possibly mixed with snow, but no snow accumulation. We had all snow and received just over an inch in Ames.

Weather forecasting is not an exact science, and forecasters do have their days when they blow a forecast. As last year’s champion of the National Collegiate Weather Forecasting Contest, I too have had my share of bad forecasts. I think that Mr. Cerra is just pointing out this fact, in a light-hearted and an interesting way.

It doesn’t appear to me that he was purposely picking on meteorology majors, or showing that meteorology is just a joke.

Jeremy S. Grams

Senior

Meteorology