NAME THAT HURRICANE

Under the modern hurricane-naming scheme, which in 1978 began using alternating male and female names, the farthest letter reached was T for Tanya in 1995, said Frank Lepore of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. There were 19 named storms that year, the second most active year on record after 1933, when 21 storms occurred (they were numbered back then, not named).

In no case could there be a Hurricane Zeus since the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z aren't used for storm names.

There are several reasons, Lepore explained. There aren't enough names beginning with those letters to allow spares, in case the name of a storm is retired because of the number of deaths or amount of damage it produced. And the names must be understandable in Spanish, French and Dutch. Weather officials wouldn't want the mispronunciation of a name to produce something incorrect or offensive, for example when garbled in transmission.

In the event that so many storms occur in a year that the World Meteorological Organization runs through its list, it then would use the Greek alphabet, Lepore added.

INVENTION OF THE MONTH: PAN TECHNOLOGY

IBM are perfecting a new Personal Area Network technology (PAN) that uses the natural electrical conductivity of the human body to transmit electronic data.

Using a small prototype transmitter (roughly the size of a deck of cards) embedded with a microchip, and a slightly larger receiving device, the researchers can transmit a pre-programmed electronic business card between two people via a simple handshake. What's more, the prototype allows data to be transmitted from sender to receiver through up to four touching bodies.

The natural salinity of the human body makes it an excellent conductor of electrical current. PAN technology takes advantage of this conductivity by creating an external electric field that passes an incredibly tiny current through the body, over which is carried.

IBM researchers envision PAN technology initially being applied in three ways:

1. To pass simple data between electronic devices carried by two human beings, such as an electronic business card exchanged during a handshake.

2. To exchange information between personal information and communications devices carried by an individual, including cellular phones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smart cards. For example, upon receiving a page, the number could be automatically uploaded to the cellular phone, requiring the user to simply hit the "send" button. This automation increases accuracy and safety, especially in driving situations.

3. To automate and secure consumer business transactions. Among the many examples:

A public phone equipped with PAN sensors would automatically identify the user who would no longer have to input calling card and PINs. This application significantly reduces fraud and makes calling easier and more convenient for users;

By placing RF (radio frequency) sensors on products, such as rental videos, stores could essentially eliminate counter lines and expedite rentals and sales. The customer would simply carry the selected videos through a detecting device that would automatically and accurately identify the customer and his selections, and then bill his account accordingly.

http://www.futurefile.com/communications.htm

There is speculation that Cuban leader Fidel Castro may have replaced Pope John Paul II with a look-alike double during the Pope's recent visit to Cuba. The post-visit "Pope" lacks a distinctive mole.

GOODBYE, MISTER CHIPS

A website run by the Zurich-based Global Monetary LLP has publicized a foolproof means to conduct e-commerce in today's global marketplace. The IDchip, a small electronic implant made from soft plastic, is painlessly inserted under the skin of the right palm. Global Monetary offered to pay "qualified persons" $250 to install the chip and promised that "once operational, you will be able to purchase everything without the need of cash or even a credit card!" It turns out the website was a hoax. Its creator, Bill Cross, was astonished to find that people have been signing up for the fictitious implant "in droves."

--- From Earth Island Journal

DISNEY NASTIES: Lopped, Cropped, or Chopped Disney Cartoons

Remember that Disney cartoon where Goofy accidentally sticks a fork into a light socket and is electrocuted and the electricity passes through Goofy and pops the corn on the cob into popcorn? Tough chance of ever seeing it again because Disney executives have bowed to political correctness and have heavily-edited scenes from over one-hundred cartoons dating back from the 1930s-50s. Gone are most of the smoking scenes(Who knew Donald Duck smoked cigars?) guns, alcohol, all black and ethnic stereotypes(including anti-Nazi shorts now deemed too insulting to Germans) and a scene where Donald Duck spanks a penguin.

Here's a small sampling of what's been edited:

Donald's Camera (1941)

Donald Duck buys numerous guns/weapons and starts looking for a woodpecker that destroyed his camera.

Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938)

Katherine Hepburn black face after being hit by pie. Little Jack Horner black faces sticking out of huge pie. Later editing-Eddie Cantor singing Little Jack Horner; Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe-black musicians, black piano player with Marx Brothers, Fred Astaire with black dancer.

Spare the Rod (1954)

All scenes containing pigmy cannibals, who have escaped from the circus; Donald thinks they are his nephews in disguise.

Steamboat Willie (1928)

Mickey pulls cat's tail in tune to music and swings cat by tail.

http://www.aros.net/~pov/issue08/censorship.html

Some in the U.S. Congress are considering whether to allow major corporations to put their logos on U.S. landmarks. (For example, whether to let Nike put their logo on the Washington Monument.) According to one anonymous congress-person, "When you consider that the government figures to raise as much as $210 million over two years, it's almost too good a deal to pass on."

ARTIST OF THE MONTH: ADOLF WOLFI

Adolf Wolfi was a schizophrenic Swiss peasant institutionalized from the age of 31 until his death in 1930 after an episode in which he attempted to molest a 3 year old girl. While incarcerated in Waldau Hospital, Wolfi was supplied with colored pencils and paper by his doctor, Walter Morgenthaler. This led to Wolfi's prodigious output of interrelated drawings, writing, musical compositions and collages, which has made him the most acclaimed example of Art Brut-a term coined by French Jean Dubuffet to describe art made by social misfits.

STELARC is an Australian-based performance artist whose work explores and extends the concept of the body and its relationship with technology through human/machine interfaces incorporating the Internet and Web, sound, music, video and computers.

http://www.stelarc.va.com.au

MORE TOTALLY ABSURD INVENTIONS

THE MITT CAP
It's a hat, no, it's a mitt, no, it's both. See that foul ball heading straight for you? Simply take off your mitt cap, stick your digits in the finger panel and make a flawless catch,

GREENHOUSE HELMET
This invention consists of a sealed plastic dome, plants on tiny shelves and speakers and microphone for communication with the outside world. The mini greenhouse is designed to allow the user to breathe the oxygen given off by plants growing near their ears.

THE WATERBED WOMB
This is a waterproof vinyl body bag sealed inside a waterbed. Go ahead, slide into the Waterbed Womb and at once you are suspended in and surrounded by warm, soothing water. The best news yet: you can stay inside as long as you want because you remain completely dry!

THE BUNNY SYRINGE
When small kids see a needle they often go ballistic. Big tears, screams of terror and some of the saddest faces on the planet. And who can blame them? They know pain is going to pay a visit and their only hope is to delay the agony. The Bunny Syringe was invented to ease the inevitable for the kid and the doctor. The syringe is disguised as a cute bunny with a big smile and a very long, thin nose. Hopefully, by the time Mr. Bunny bites into Jr.'s rear, he won't know what hit 'em. Our concern is for the now besmirched reputation of bunnies everywhere, not to mention the years of psychotherapy Jr. will need to overcome his fear of floppy eared rodents.

http://www.totallyabsurd.com

245 GROSS MEDICAL PHOTOS
http://path.upmc.edu/cases/

AWFUL MUSIC
http://wwwwredwood.northcoast.com/~shojo/Awful/awf.html

8-TRACK HEAVEN
http://www.pobox.com/~abbot/8track/

INTELLIGENT HOUSING
http://www.thevenusproject.com