From Reason, February 2005:
A Brazilian legislator wants to make it illegal for people to give their pets names commonly held by people. Reinaldo Santos e Silva says children may get depressed if they find out they share the same name as someone’s pet.
“The other children, they tease me and tell me to bark,” says 7-year old Rin Tin Tin Estobal, a second grader from Campo Grande. “And sometimes? They throw bits of meat at me.
“Which is not so bad if it’s cooked right.”
Will it still be OK to give your, um, thing, a name?
Sit Moby! Sit!
Well, whatever, as long as it’s for the children.
You just can’t seem to go wrong with legislation if that is your motivation.
I don’t know. A lot of really famous people have been named after pets. Barney Fife was named after a pet dinosaur, so was Dean Martin (his real name is “Dino”). Beethoven was named after a pet dog. That guy who did all the polling for Bill Clinton’s whole FAMILY is named after a cat.
Well. You can make silly shit up, Jeff, but you really don’t have to.
OK folks, let’s just say right here, nobody start up with the Satch jokes.
Really, who’s to say what’s obviously a dog’s name, I mean, Scout? Now, that’s just cool, right?
Personally, I named both of my dogs after people. Would that still be illegal? Or a form of homage? Guess it depends on how well I treat them.
Every other dog in my neighborhood is a Golden named “Maggie”. And so is every other girl under the age of 12. Or Molly.
Whatever. WTF.
My dog’s name is Maggie. But she’s not a Golden.
I choose names from 60’s cartoons, such as “Hadji” or “Race”. I guess that explains the way my neighbors look me.
Cool. Dog Confessions. My dog’s name is Tazman Smokin’ Monster. Well, that’s his formal, AKC name. We just call him Taz. Aussie Shepherd. Spends his life searching for coyotes on the horizon – which is frustrating for him I suspect given that we live on a half-acre in a neighborhood. Prob’ly haven’t been any coyotes here for a couple of decades. But don’t tell him that. That’s his job.
My neighbor’s dog is named Stella. It’s really freaky hearing him call her in at night, and I don’t even live near a waterfront.
Yes. But do you leave near a streetcar? Because that would be more apropos…
Mea culpa. Nothing like looking like a fucking idiot before thousands and thousands of readers. Course, it ain’t the first time…
Thanks for the correction, Jeff.
Stella: You think you’re going bowling now?
Cliff notes.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I said I was sorry three times.”
Oh, wasn’t directed at you JWebb. Just trying to be generally helpful.
You can keep on writing more great lyrics. I do think that By The Time I Get to Phoenix is one of the all time greats.
Thanks, MC.
What are you apologizing for? Brando could have hit 5-irons into the wharf between takes.
Er, JWebb, was that thanks for no bashing from me or your lyrical genius? Or both? ‘Cause like …
One of my former girlfriend’s friends had a very small, very black cat she had named “Harriet Tubman.” I could never decide whether that was an homage, or vaguely racist.
It was an excellent cat.
Our four-month-old kitten was named after an octogenarian who wants to show the world his ass on Super Bowl Sunday.
How utterly fitting.
MC,
Yes, and thanks again.
So this stupid Brazilian moron hasn’t figured out that the real problem is people who can’t be trusted by society to name their children?
It wasn’t a pet dog that showed up in a high school class with the name “Garnisha”. I wanted to ask if her middle name was “Parsley”.
A thymely, sage insight, Robin.
Not to be confused with the twins I delivered on New Years Eve, 1987;
Denika DeShawn
and
Detika DeShaun……..
seared into my memory.
the horror, the horror…..
JWebb – You know, I want to believe – I really want to – but with freaky Judd Nelson and McGehee around here you gotta give me a little somethin’.
You know what to do.
Sorry, MC. That’s All I’ve Got To Say.
JWebb – Well …
They Just Don’t Make ‘Em Like You Anymore.
Isn’t Suspending Disbelief fun?
Just Like Always.
(And tha spambuster says …… “MUSIC”!)