Flotsam & Jetsam

The jewfish is now extinct: You see, while that big fish is still swimming in the wild, it’s now called a “Goliath Grouper.” Joe Nelson, a University of Alberta professor who heads a sevenmember international committee on the names of fish, changed the name after four decades of ongoing petitions from groups who found the name offensive to Jews. What finally changed the committee’s mind in the end was a long petition signed by numerous editors of journals and heads of organizations. “At first, we resisted,” says Nelson. “Many Jews said, ‘We’re proud of the name.’ We’ve had rabbis say this.” One American rabbi recently joked that the new name, which brings to mind Goliath, the giant Philistine soldier and Biblical enemy of the Jews, might even inspire a fresh debate. “I wonder if the Philistines will come back and protest that one,” Rabbi Efrat Zarren- Zohar told The Miami Herald. This is the second time in 53 years a fish name has been changed by the committee as a matter of taste. The first was the squawfish, now called the pike minnow, which was switched at the request of aboriginal Americans on the West Coast. (Edmonton Journal)

In our April issue: we provided information on dive accident policies offered by DiveSafe. The National Accident Insurance Underw riters (NAIU), has canceled coverage, effective May 1, 2001. While such retroactive cancellation of coverage is not in keeping with industry standards and practices, and almost assuredly would not withstand court challenge, the fact is, DiveSafe policies currently are no longer in force.

Asia on the Cheap:Why spend the money for Palau or PNG, when you can cover the Indian Ocean for $999? That’s the price of Cathay Pacific’s All Asia Pass, which includes round-trip economy class airfare between New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles and Hong Kong, plus 21 consecutive days of economy class travel to any or all of 16 other qualifying Asian cities like Bali or Bangkok. Go to: http://www.cathayusa.com/offers/aap20012002.asp.