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Helptwo real head-scratchers from the newspaper ...
An obituary for a woman named Mary Christmas. Christmas being her last name. A very bare-bones obituary, only giving the fact she graduated from a particular high school in 1972, and the time and date of her funeral. No mention of a possible maiden name or any survivors. Some obits are like that.
And the other day, a letter to the editor from a fairly prominent minister in our state. The poor man's name is Richard Speck. (For anybody who didn't know, in 1966, a man named Richard Speck made headlines around the world by killing eight student nurses in their house in Chicago, and later appeared in an infamous videotape taken in prison where he bragged how good he had it behind bars.)
I would really like to know when the good reverend was born, because if it's before 1966, just a really unfortunate coincidence.
You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts. -- Daniel Patrick Moynihan
And the other day, a letter to the editor from a fairly prominent minister in our state. The poor man's name is Richard Speck. (For anybody who didn't know, in 1966, a man named Richard Speck made headlines around the world by killing eight student nurses in their house in Chicago, and later appeared in an infamous videotape taken in prison where he bragged how good he had it behind bars.)
I would really like to know when the good reverend was born, because if it's before 1966, just a really unfortunate coincidence.
You're entitled to your own opinions. You're not entitled to your own facts. -- Daniel Patrick Moynihan
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The second one is definitely unfortunate and one of the reasons why I'm strongly for middle names. There are way too many instances where two people share the same names and suffer because of it. I think I remember reading during the Freddie Gray situation, there was a woman with the same name as the female officer who kept getting death threats.
The first one is just horrible. I would absolutely hate Christmas time if I had her name. I wonder if she ever stopped responding to her name; I think after the third time of turning when I hear Merry Christmas would be enough for me to stop reacting.
The first one is just horrible. I would absolutely hate Christmas time if I had her name. I wonder if she ever stopped responding to her name; I think after the third time of turning when I hear Merry Christmas would be enough for me to stop reacting.
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Ok, Mary Christmas is a great name. I love it.
Poor Richard Speck.
Poor Richard Speck.
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The Richard Speck story is a very good reason why giving children at least one mn and preferably two is the safe option.
As for Mary Christmas ... I'm assuming she didn't die at the North Pole! My daughter was given a little toy mouse one Christmas, cute little thing with grey fur and a festive red-and-green floral dress. It was her best toy friend for years. When she asked me its name, I said "Chris Mouse" but she didn't like it so my next suggestion was, I'm afraid, Mary Chrismouse. This name stuck. I think Mary Chrismouse is still at the back of a drawer somewhere, enjoying her retirement.
As for Mary Christmas ... I'm assuming she didn't die at the North Pole! My daughter was given a little toy mouse one Christmas, cute little thing with grey fur and a festive red-and-green floral dress. It was her best toy friend for years. When she asked me its name, I said "Chris Mouse" but she didn't like it so my next suggestion was, I'm afraid, Mary Chrismouse. This name stuck. I think Mary Chrismouse is still at the back of a drawer somewhere, enjoying her retirement.
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No, she died in Florida, but was a native of Wilmington, Delaware and that's where her funeral will be.
That is a great name for a Christmas mouse!
That is a great name for a Christmas mouse!
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I love the name Mary, but I still think Mary Christmas is way too much. Names shouldn’t be puns, in my opinion.
I think today, fortunately, most people wouldn’t connect the name Richard Speck with the killer, but maybe I’m wrong. That’s the problem with very common names — there are bound to be some bad people who share them.
I think today, fortunately, most people wouldn’t connect the name Richard Speck with the killer, but maybe I’m wrong. That’s the problem with very common names — there are bound to be some bad people who share them.
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the prime example ...
Of an uncommon name being associated with a bad person?
There's a radio football announcer for the Baltimore Ravens named Gerry Sandusky.
There is also, of course the famous Penn State football coach named Jerry Sandusky who is now in prison for molesting young boys.
Now, how many people do you know with the last name Sandusky?
How many people with the same uncommon last name, the same except for one letter first name, and both are involved in football?
Gerry Sandusky had to pause during a broadcast at the height of the Penn State scandal to remind everybody that "I'm Gerry with a G. He's Jerry with a J."
And to top it off, Jerry Sandusky's full first name is Gerald, so he could very easily have been a Gerry with a G too.
Of an uncommon name being associated with a bad person?
There's a radio football announcer for the Baltimore Ravens named Gerry Sandusky.
There is also, of course the famous Penn State football coach named Jerry Sandusky who is now in prison for molesting young boys.
Now, how many people do you know with the last name Sandusky?
How many people with the same uncommon last name, the same except for one letter first name, and both are involved in football?
Gerry Sandusky had to pause during a broadcast at the height of the Penn State scandal to remind everybody that "I'm Gerry with a G. He's Jerry with a J."
And to top it off, Jerry Sandusky's full first name is Gerald, so he could very easily have been a Gerry with a G too.
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Hi !!!
I love the name Merry but I think that Mary Christmas is lovely too! If the meaning of the whole name is positive I think it is beautiful for a baby born in that period.
Richard Speck is unfortunate yes.
I did not know the story until this thread but I suppose that this kind of bad news are not immediate in the people minds.. it happened in 1966, right?
I love the name Merry but I think that Mary Christmas is lovely too! If the meaning of the whole name is positive I think it is beautiful for a baby born in that period.
Richard Speck is unfortunate yes.
I did not know the story until this thread but I suppose that this kind of bad news are not immediate in the people minds.. it happened in 1966, right?
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In English, a name like Mary Christmas (Merry Christmas) is considered a pun, and not the kind of name people give except if they are trying to be funny.
Yes, the Speck murders happened in 1966, and so I wonder if the minister in the newspaper was born after that.
Yes, the Speck murders happened in 1966, and so I wonder if the minister in the newspaper was born after that.
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In American English... Mary Christmas sounds fine to me, if overly religious!
Richard Speck feels like probably an obscure reference.
Richard Speck feels like probably an obscure reference.
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Yes, I understand that in England they say Happy Christmas rather than Merry Christmas. I should clarify, Christmas is this lady's last name, not her middle name.
Richard Speck isn't all that obscure, and he definitely wasn't at the time of his crimes. His was one of the first cases of mass murder that got widespread TV news coverage.
Richard Speck isn't all that obscure, and he definitely wasn't at the time of his crimes. His was one of the first cases of mass murder that got widespread TV news coverage.
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I was referring to the pronunciation. We say Merry Christmas.
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Either Happy or Merry for Christmas is fine. But if you're sending a combined Christmas and New Year message, it's usual to write Merry Christmas and a happy New Year; the assumption being that merriment doesn't last for long but happiness does.
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