The Buzz of Frankenstein

Today, April 22^nd, is Earth Day. The term “Frankenstein Food” might pop up in the news.

Suggesting a man-made menace that is out of control, it is used to describe the potential dangers of genetically modified food, plants and “super crops”. The expression is generally believed to have originated in England “around 1999”, which would make this BBC article from November 1998 one of its earliest uses in the press.

“Frankenstein Food” is often cited in conjunction with massive industrial production and fast food, giving a bit of an ironic twist to this Burger King Frankenstein promotion…

Another use of “Frankenstein” as a buzzword includes “Frankenstein Veto”, originated in 2005 when Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle modified a budget bill by striking out and “recombining” or “stitching together” words to give the amendment a different meaning. The term is widely used in America and some States have moved to limit or ban the practice. Simply google “Frankenstein Veto” for countless references.

“Frankenstein” describes most anything that is cobbled together, hence this “Frankenstein of the Skies”, the Aeroscraft, which combines aspects of an airplane, a helicopter, a blimp and a cruise ship. Frankenstein is also used as a verb for the act of merging disparate components into a new whole, such as frankensteining a custom car or a computer. Frankensteined video or frankensteined images means they have been edited or manipulated in Photoshop.