Naming fools are running wild, and we have to stop them before it is too late!
I'll blame The Weather Channel for starting this. They decided relatively recently to begin naming non-hurricane storms. The forecasters there are doing it all on their own, as if they woke up one morning with the name Fred in their heads and decided to give it to a snowstorm.
Then there's the "Polar Vortex", a phenomena that was identified in the 1890's. But suddenly it was being used to describe the frigid weather that invaded the U.S. this Winter. Next thing you know every talking head on TV is blaming the cold on "the polar vortex".
More recently a company started offering the public a chance to name a crater on Mars for $5.
"This is the first people's map of Mars, where anybody can play" said the CEO.
And anyone can pay too.
This might be kinda OK if it were a non-profit raising money for any Martian orphans we come across, or to clean up all of the junk hardware the Earth is leaving on the surface up there. But it's to line the company's pockets.
The official International group that actually does name stuff, like planets and features on those planets, isn't amused.
Why not go all the way and start naming entire galaxies, charging $12.59? But wait! There's more!
Call in the next millennium and we'll throw in an Alternative Universe name too!
I'm reminded of the "Name A Star" company...pre-internet I believe...that also convinced people to send them money.
They are still around with an official name and no official rights to name anything other than their own company.
Meanwhile, on another planet in a Galaxy many light years away from us, some alien has just paid 1,000 krityh%%##s to name the third planet from the sun in the Milky Way.
Welcome Fredlings.
I'll blame The Weather Channel for starting this. They decided relatively recently to begin naming non-hurricane storms. The forecasters there are doing it all on their own, as if they woke up one morning with the name Fred in their heads and decided to give it to a snowstorm.
Then there's the "Polar Vortex", a phenomena that was identified in the 1890's. But suddenly it was being used to describe the frigid weather that invaded the U.S. this Winter. Next thing you know every talking head on TV is blaming the cold on "the polar vortex".
"This is the first people's map of Mars, where anybody can play" said the CEO.
And anyone can pay too.
This might be kinda OK if it were a non-profit raising money for any Martian orphans we come across, or to clean up all of the junk hardware the Earth is leaving on the surface up there. But it's to line the company's pockets.
The official International group that actually does name stuff, like planets and features on those planets, isn't amused.
Why not go all the way and start naming entire galaxies, charging $12.59? But wait! There's more!
Call in the next millennium and we'll throw in an Alternative Universe name too!
I'm reminded of the "Name A Star" company...pre-internet I believe...that also convinced people to send them money.
They are still around with an official name and no official rights to name anything other than their own company.
Welcome Fredlings.
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