My Grandfather had an unusual name beginning with E. He and my Grandmother wanted their eldest son to carry on the name, but didn’t want the first situation you mentioned - two people in the house with the same name. So they sat down and picked out the name they liked most in the world to be the first name of their first born son - the name began with S. Now, as their surname began with W, the initials would have been SEW, and they hated the idea of initials that spelt out words, so that was out of the question. In the end, to keep the name they liked, the name they wanted to hand down and to avoid SEW, they named the son in the order ESW, and always referred to him by his middle name. Most of his friends don’t even know his real first name, but it is still there as a tribute to his father.
Like you, I dislike the custom of calling a child by their middle name, but I can see occasion for it. I like the idea of handing down family names (especially unusual ones), and I dislike the idea of initials that spell words. This means that if I want to name my children after my SO I will have to find a name that begins with a vowel, because _AB will make a word (or close to) with 'most any other letter (BAB, CAB, DAB, FAB). The alternative is A_B, and calling the child by the middle name. The reason I would pass on my SO’s name is because it is a family tradition on his father’s side.
Maybe a word from the other side, for a change in this thread…
For some of you, this might be fun and games, getting to be the one who makes the rules, but some (make that most) of these laws are downright frightening. The Libertarians are looking better and better all the time…
To most of you, I’m a thoroughly dangerous man. I smoke, and in public too. I have a few occasional beers, I cuss, and I own guns. One of my fondest wishes it to get another Blazer this year instead of the damned flimsy, underpowered econobox I’m driving now. And if I decide to warm it up in the driveway, tough.
[warms up to the task]
Stop over for a drink sometime, bernse. Got some Deep Purple that I’ll play for you. The’re a musical group, something like Guy Lombardo. Cell phones? Ever think that people might use them for phoning in accidents or unsafe driving conditions? And the rest of you - between your various versions of “guilty until proven innocent”, “give 'em a fair trial and then hang 'em”, and “immediate suspension/loss/confiscation”, the Founding Fathers are doing about 10K RPM right now.
[settles down a little]
OK, I know that there is an element of fun and games here, as well as an opportunity to rant a little. But I’ve been in some of these battles too, and it’s awfully easy for people who mean well to trample all over the rights of others.
[ul]
[li]No rude people.[/li][li]No tacky clothing.[/li][li]No country pop music.[/li][li]No big hair.[/li][li]No weird regional accents.[/li][li]No wailing children in restaurants.[/li][li]No spitting in public.[/li][/ul]
Okay… now I guess I have styled myself Supreme Ruler of the Universe In Charge of Making Laws. Feels GOOD!
On my father’s side of the family the firstborn male of each generation is named George. My grandfather’s name was George, my Dad’s name is George, and my brother’s name is George. This goes back as far as we have been able to trace the family tree (over 300 years). My Dad went by his middle name when he was young, my brother still goes by his middle name (I didn’t know his first name until I was 8 or so). My son will be named George, and he will probably go by that as my Dad is pretty old and lives 80 miles away (and the middle name my wife has picked out might get him beat up even more than George). Needless to say, I don’t see a reason why we should prohibit re-using names. I personally prefer traditional names to the abominations that are popular now.
I would love to come over for a drink. Is that an invite for sometime?
A little background on me. I drink…some would say like a fish. I own a cellphone. For a Canadian, I own many guns (for how long, who knows?). I smoked for 6 years… and yes, sometimes in public quite a lot. Does that make it right? IMHO no. Deep Purple? Well, I can’t say I’m a huge fan, but I do own Deepest Purple. Yes, I am aware cellphones are used to phone in accidents and such. Did I mention earlier that I was on the scene of two fatals? Yes? Guess how they were reported? Bernse phoned them in on a cellphone. Was I driving? No. If there was no way around (somehow) that I had to use a cellphone to report a serious accident and I was still driving, would I? Yes. Have I ever reported seriously dangerous driving conditions with a cell phone? No. However, if they are that serious I would hope someone would take their hands off the wheel so they could phone while driving. Does any of the above suprise you at all? I share/shared many of the same habits, beliefs and hobbies as several other people who don’t have such a “right wing” view of life.
Look, here’s the deal. This thread is more of a rant. I would genuinely like to see variations of these laws implimented. Are they all anytime soon? No way… of course not. It’s not like I am living in this little fantasy world. Others, even you are welcome to post their opinions on my laws and others and even post there own. Who knows? Maybe someday some variants of will get implimented.
The above should read, “if they are that serious (the road conditions) that I would hope someone wouldn’t take their hands off the wheel to use their cellphone”
Another thing that is interesting is that many of these laws (or variants of, maybe not the same fines/punishments) are already on the books but not enforced worth a crap. At least not where I live. Laws like littering, signaling. In various jurisdictions there are extremely strict anti-smoking laws and also cellphone and motorcycle laws like I mentioned. I am sure most people here are aware of that, but I imagine some are not. Many of these laws aren’t that big of a stretch… although the punishements for mine may be
Ammend the first to stores and movie theaters and I second the last one.
I would also like to add a new bernse law.
(12) Parents of children that let their “delightful” little monsters that run around stores and break items, open candy wrappers and stand up and walk around in a moving car get charged with, get this, being poor parents. First fine is nothing. A warning. Second offence the kids get taken away or put into some group home… although I would have to think of something better for the kids, as its not their fault. The parents would have to some type of parenting class. This law would definetly need to get fine tuned, but that would be the jest of it.
Sure, I’d be happy to share some Leinies with ya. However, the geographic thing is probably a problem. I’ll give you a couple of hints: Kleenex, Experimental Aircraft Association.
Not really a “right wing” view, let’s say more of a Libertarian from the position that the less government involvement and regulation in our lives the better.
Truthfully, I’m kind of surprised that the moderator left this here instead of putting it in the Pit. Yes, I realize it’s more of a rant, kind of a blowing-off-steam thing. I apologize if I came back at ya kind of hard. I’m a little sensitive to some of these issues, and have been on the losing end a couple of times. It’s not a happy feeling.
Oh, and Joe Don Baker will no longer be allowed to do love scenes in movies. That’s just fucking obscene to the 1000th degree. (Anyone who has seen Mitchell will understand).
People who don’t flush public toilets will be subjected to watching Rush Limbaugh do the Hoky Poky in a thong.
My “set the disruptors on full” peeve at intersections is just the opposite. When the left turn lane has a full red light (not one of those take-a-chance kind), and I’m in the right, waiting to make a right-on-red, and idiot-boy (or idiot-girl) in the redlighted left turn lane pulls beyond the stop bar blocking my view!!! Uh, stupid person, the light is red. You cannot go. Stay behind the line. If you get too far in front of the line, the light won’t turn green. Meanwhile, Impatient-Driver behind me also wants to go right-on-red and gives me a little horn (or gesture) action. Disruptors On Full. Fire!
(I guess if roseyray is from England, or another where they drive on the wrong side of the road, this may have been what they were talking about?)
Good idea. Also, as we learned in FLA this fall, the ballot summary should have an official estimate of the costs to implement. All laws going thru the Legislature have to meet this test. Anyway, a measure was passed to amend the State Constitution to REQUIRE the state to begin building a High Speed Rail (HSR) system within 5 (?) years. No funding source. Hugely expensive. so a future Legislature will either have to raise taxes or cut services. The Legislature is in session, and bills has been introduced to (a) add the cost estimate to future initiatives, and (b) repeal the HSR amendment.
Also, flood victims would only be rebuilt by FEMA or Flood Insurance once (maybe twice). The next time, FEMA would pay you fair-market (unflooded) for your property and buy you a new place on high ground. After clearing the land, it would become a floodplain park. Oh, this would apply to my Florida neighbors who get wiped out, repeatedly, by hurricanes.
