A windtalker is a specialized computer that measures wind speed and direction using an external anemometer and weather vane at regular intervals, and reports it by voice to an incoming phone call or by ham radio. They are used primarily by hang gliders and paragliders, who place them on towers or in other remote locations in order to gauge conditions before a flight.

Windtalkers is also the title of the next John Woo film which stars Nicolas Cage and Christian Slater. It's about the use of the Navajo language as a secret code during World War II and focuses on the guardians of the Navajo Indians who were the only people who could speak or understand it. These guardians were under orders to kill the "Windtalkers" if they were under threat of capture.

It should be interesting...it's coming out in November of 2001.

Update - May 28, 2002
Okay, okay...the movie got pushed back to a June 14th release.

Update - October 21st, 2002

Um, yes...well, I finally watched the movie on DVD last week. Here's my review:

It sucked.

Let's just hope that Woo goes back to the genre that made him big in the first place - the good old gangster film - and leave the high-concept, high-budget Hollywood shams behind.

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