Hi Bob

DID YOU EVER wonder why weathercasters find it necessary to name all the inclement weather they report about. Like Hurricane Belle. Why do they have give each hurricane a name? And why do they have to name them alphabetically after women?

Oh sure, they now name everything from tropical storms to hurricanes after men (witness the current Tropical Storm Bob) to make sure no reverse discrimination exists; but when does a hurricane become female and when does it become male? How can weather-casters tell if a hurricane is a boy or a girl? And how do they know when Tropical Storm Bob becomes Hurricane Bob, Tornado Bob, Cyclone Bob, or Wizard of Oz House Removal and Destruction Storm Bob?

Furthermore, why do storms have to be named? Nobody names snowfalls. When was the last time you ever heard of Snowstorm Beatrice? Or how about Rainy Day Charlie? What is it that makes summer weather so nameworthy, and winter weather so anonymous?

And why do the weathermakers have to distinguish between storms. Would it make a difference if the weather wasn't named? Would anybody sit at home watching the weather, wishing our loud that somebody would distinguish between all the confusing anonymous hurricanes? Is anyone going to call up the weather service and ask for all the personal background on Tornado Donna from 1965?

Even if you do have to distinguish between today's weather and tomorrow's weather, who cares what letter of the alphabet the name starts with, Does anybody care that because the name of the twister starts with a "G," that means it is the seventh one of the year? Given our great concern for the different between cyclones, hurricanes, and tornadoes, this seems doubtful.

Does the mere fact that we name a particular decide whether the weather is weather or not? Bogart isn't sure. He only talks about the weather, he never does anything about it.