Nemo. The name doesn’t exactly strike fear, but it has its share of loathing. Who picked that dumb name? Why would you name a winter storm after a fish? Isn’t it just a publicity stunt by the Weather Channel?
I have to confess that I was as skeptical as anyone – until I found out whose idea it was. It came from Bryan Norcross, and the intention wasn’t just to hype his employer. “The fact is that Twitter needs a hashtag,” he told the NY Times, and that isn’t all there is to it. By naming a storm they develop a shorthand that makes it easier to issue warnings and get people to take them seriously. And that’s where Norcross’ reputation comes into play and why I’m willing to give it a chance.