December 10 2010
Blast Off
Every summer, Melbourne is whacked. Hammered. Walloped. The culprit is the dreaded northerly wind, that dry and gritty blast which leaves the city panting, or running into cineplexes.
For such a malign presence, the wind needs a name, say the people of AMOS, otherwise known as the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. You can’t just say The Northerly, or The Hot Wind of Summer. Real winds have a name.
That’s why AMOS is running a naming comp, asking for the public to coin a new word for the dictionary. If Fremantle can have its Doctor, or Marseilles her Mistral, then why should Melbourne tolerate this nasty and anonymous scourge?
With a deadline about a week away, the suggestion box is filling. My favourite is The Melburner, though I’m sure you lot can trump that. The Woiwurrung people had a great word for wind, namely Murnmut, which sounds hellish enough.
Other ideas include The Mallee Mongrel, The Riverina Roaster and Big Red. Two in the rhyming category are The Dust Buster and Jeff’s Breath. But maybe you can go one better. Why not hit the AMOS website and test your windpower. Or share your suggestions here, full blast.
Comments
Mauve — 10 December at 12:17PM
I call the wind Maria
LR — 10 December at 02:30PM
I've submitted this wind quartet.
1. Murray's Oven
2. The Teetotaller
3. The Bush Kettle
4. The Billy Boiler
SK — 10 December at 03:51PM
Pity it doesn't blow from the Grampians, otherwise a good name would be "Gramps".
dg — 10 December at 05:32PM
Using the maxim Quantity Over Quality (or 99%:1% Perspiration/ Inspiration) I've emailed a bucketload.
The Ripsnorter
The Furnace
The Sunstroke
Lucifer
The Ranga
The Scorcher
The Wrath of God
Hellfire
The Sandblaster
The Fuse
The Big Dry
The Spitfire
The Thrameflower
The Flamethrower
Burke's Revenge
The Dead 'Orse
The Camel Yawn
The Sweater
The Thrush
Dead Man's Sweat
The Heartbeat
The Hiss
The Devil's Breath
The Santa Claus(e)
The Dreamtime Fury
The Boomerang
dg — 10 December at 05:38PM
and lastly:
The Jolly Swagman
The Bushranger
(prefer my first and Burke's Revenge though)
DA — 10 December at 05:41PM
'Long-winded' springs to mind. Some gold in them thar ideas, dg - and LR. Hope you wind up winning....and remember where you first heard about your chance at lexical immortality.
dg — 10 December at 06:01PM
*fingers crossed*
I could just imagine the weatherperson saying "We've got a Ripsnorter coming through so there's plenty of hot nights ahead."
(and Ive added
The Bullroarer
The Blowie
The Blower
The Backburner)
Nib — 11 December at 02:38AM
Two from me:
Uproar
The Minister's Breath (a whole lot of hot air)
Sam — 11 December at 08:59AM
Southern's Cross
JD — 12 December at 12:04AM
I'm betting that whatever fancy, witty name wins the competition, we will still call it a 'hot northerly.' I might submit that as my entry.
GB — 12 December at 10:42AM
What about: Queensland Blew
Or is that too cryptic for the great unwashed?
DA — 12 December at 07:22PM
Chatting with journalist Andrew Rule at one of those Xmas things, and he reckoned Mallee Bull has some legs. Mallee Bullduster?
Be great to think that one of us may blast their way into the Macquarie, Vol 6.