The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-15
Ex-GIs Form Forecosting Combination
 Weather Surveys
 To Be Compiled
 For Businesses
By ROBERT RICHARDS

New York, Feb. IA - (UP) -Four ex-GI's were up in the clouds today, going all out to keep ahead of three former Army majors in the weather forecasting business.
 They've started Weathercast, Inc. and, for stipulated sum, they'll give you a weather forecast for the next 72 hours.
 Mortimer Braunstein of Catskill, N. Y, formerly a technical sergeant and meteorologist for the Army Air Forces. is president of the new firm Russell Robinson of Boston, Mass, former technical sergeant and radio-gunner with the 8th Air Force, is executive vice-president.
 Max L. Dysart of Webster Groves, Mo, formerly a sergeant in the Air Forces psychological researc h branch, is secretary and treasurer. Joseph J. Marciano of Dayton. O., who spent six years as an Air Force weatherman, is director of research.
 100 Percent CT
 The company is 100 percent GI. All four got their weather training in the Army. They saved their Army pay to get up the necessary cash to get started, and they've hired II other ex-serNce people.
 Three Army majors have the same idea and they're opening up shop in Boston, but the ex-GIs are deter mined to show the brasshat boys that competition is rough in this postwar world.
 wen beat them," Robinson, "or we'll bust"
 When they receive their operating license from the U. s. Weather Bureau, they'll be the first private firm ever granted privileges of the bureaus 1000 weather stations and teletype facilities.
 Blessings Received
 They already have received the blessings of the American Meteoro- logical Society. They began partial operations Jan. IS.
 Within a few weeks they'll have their own teletype system establish ed and will be ready to furnish weather information by teletype, telephone, or telegraph to any firm east of the Mississippi
 And within a short time we'll ex- tend westward" Braunstein said.
 They make no guarantees but predict 85 to 90 percent accuracy on 24-hour weather report. Their 72- hour jobs will run from 50 to 60 per- cent accurate.
 We don't do anything that the Weather Bureau cant do," Braun stein explained, but with us 1t will be a special service. We not only make forecasts, but We make wea- ther surveys"
 Willing to Give Advice
 For instance, they're willing to tell town planners in Wisconsin or Florida how to lay out their streets to take advantage of prevailing winds, or maximum sunshine.
 They'll deal only with firms, and not with private individuals.
 Power companies like to know what kind of weather they can ex- pect because then they know when they can figure on slack periods and have a chance to do repair work.
 Larry MacPhail, of the New York Yankees baseball team, has told the boys that he'll talk things over with them when I've got a team on the field"
 They believe their forecasts and charts will give him a tipoff on the best days to use his top pitchers, or when to expect a small gate.
 Department stores are also in- terested. Many of their sales plans depend upon the weather.
 T don't think therell be any shortage of customers" Braunstein said,
 In fact, things look so good-they said-that one of the Army publicity men, working on the big recruiting drive at Mitchell Field, choked on his own words the other day.
 Robinson said, The resigned. aac joined us"