2006 HURRICANE NAMES

Katrina and Rita will never come again, at least as hurricanes. Those names, along with Dennis, Stan and Wilma, have been officially retired by the National Hurricane Center.

This year's list of names for hurricanes has some possibilities:

Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie, William.

Alberto? Hello, Mr. Attorney General. Isaac? Hello, children. Tony? Hello, Mr. Soprano.

Our quibble is with the lack of two-name hurricanes. Given the grand Ozarks tradition, we'd like to at least see William replaced by "Bill Bob," or Patty amended to "Patty Ann."