April 22, 2008

The Buzz of Frankenstein

Today, April 22nd, 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.


5 comments:

Mr. Karswell said...

Now I'm hungry for some Frankenfries...

rob! said...

if there was a BK like that around here i'd eat there every day, even tho i'm vegetarian...

KPaffenroth said...

OMG That's the BK in Niagara Falls, isn't it? I was just there for Eeriecon!

Pierre Fournier said...

Yes, Kim. That's Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls? NIAGARA FALLS???

Sloooowly I turned...

Kitty LeClaw said...

I had to travel to Niagara Falls for a conference, and seeing this fiendishly decked-out Burger King as we were making our way to the hotel tipped me off to the fact that the trip was going to be a lot more memorable than I would have thought!

Clifton Hill is simply full of campy fun and surprises - I can't wait to return with more time to explore!