<> LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

I spent some time in DC this week - mostly on the Hill for their Oceans Week activities - too many events to recount in detail here. But the rhetoric about the importance of better ocean observations continues to rise - with members of the Appropriations Committee promising to find the money for us. Much talk about the Pew Commission on the Oceans recommendation for the creation of a single Federal Ocean Agency. We still await the report from the Federal Oceans Commission (chaired by Admiral James Watkins himself), but the one specific program recommendation that will appear in that report, Admiral Watkins says, is for the creation of an integrated AND sustained, ocean AND coastal, observing AND prediction system.  So we will wait and see.  The Ocean Drilling Program hosted a well organized, though sparsely attended, reception.  Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of Jacques) reminded everyone during his lunchtime speech, that sonars are an important cause of harm to marine life - ah well.

We had our last Public Lecture last Sunday - it has been an excellent series this year with attendance ranging from a low of 145 to a high of 230.  I should thank the speakers who are the reason for the success - Robin Bell, Marc Spiegelman, Bill Ruddiman, Gordon Jacoby, Ed Cook, Brendan Buckley, Paul Ljunggren as well as Brendon Hoch and Bob Kakascik for making sure all the AV equipment worked smoothly.  Before you know it, we will be planning next year's series.

I hope the rain goes away for the weekend,

Have a good one anyway,

- Mike

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