"Ike Slaps South Florida" and Other Dingbat Headlines

Hurricanes often have geeky names. Gustav was a loser for sure. Back in 1989, Hugo sounded like a kid who'd get beat up on the playground. There was Iris in 2001 -- want to go bowling? And Georges in 1998. What in God's name is up with that 's'? Check...

By Chuck Strouse

September 5, 2008

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Hurricanes often have geeky names. Gustav was a loser for sure. Back in 1989, Hugo sounded like a kid who'd get beat up on the playground. There was Iris in 2001 -- want to go bowling? And Georges in 1998. What in God's name is up with that 's'? Check out the list of retired hurricane names on the National Hurricane Center site.

Ike is manly, though. Riptide's been thinking of headlines lately: "Ike Slaps South Florida." Or maybe "Ike invades the Bay of Pigs" (He's the one that really greenlighted the damn thing, you know.)

Batten down your hatches and start thinking, kid, because all projections for this baby are leading our way.

-- Chuck Strouse

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Chuck Strouse is the former editor in chief of Miami New Times. He has shared two Pulitzer Prizes and won dozens of other awards. He is an honors graduate of Brown University and has worked at newspapers including the Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times.

Contact: Chuck Strouse

Follow:

Twitter: @chuckstrouse