Winds of Change

"Looks bad, Cap, real bad."

"Aye, mate, she should hit hard in an hour or so, but you never can tell with these unpredictable ladies."

"Uh, sorry, sir, but the National Hurricane Center has named this one Bernard."

Bernard? Yes, indeed. Since 1953, meteorologists have given hurricanes women's names, which outrages some feminists. But the weather watchers are bending to the winds of change. Next month they will propose to the Departments of Defense, Commerce and Transportation that male names alternate with female starting in 1979. Federal officials will probably agree, but the idea must also be approved by 30 Western Hemisphere countries that belong to the World Meteorological Organization, which will meet next May and perform the usual chore of selecting a list of names for the following year's hurricanes. Some representatives are expected to object to the change out of masculine pride. But others might propose French and Spanish names for reasons of national pride. By comparison, the debate over gender could be only a passing squall.

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