The People Column (goofy celebrity baby name alert)

Bluebell sounds like something a 3 year old would name her new puppy.

Didn't Brooke Shields just name her little girl Grier?

I keep wondering what monstrosity Angelina will name her kid. My guess is it will be breathtakingly wierd.

I rather like the name Grier. Wasn't there an actress named Grier Garson in the 30s or 40s?

I agree that Angelina will come up with something flaky for her baby. We already know the poor kid will get Jolie-Pitt as its surname. Say it fast a few times.

I guess the trend is to make sure little Johnny is really, you know, special. So little Johnny gets a name like Dermitus and he's instantly cool. Or something.

It's the usual lowlife crap from the rich. Only this time, they've appropriated typical lowlife crap from the poor.

I dated guy named Zolten. Seriously.

All these years, I thought you forgot.

Zoltan Ferency for Governor!

Last name in the Manhattan phonebook for many years: Archimedes I. Zzzyandottie III.

It is probably a fake name for someone who wants an unlisted number, but doesn't want to pay for it.

I used to know someone who was listed in the phone book as Hind, Herbie.

I knew a girl named Mary Chris Smith. She was born Dec 25th.

My doctor's name is Haw Chu Lew.
I, of course, refer to him as "Dr. Gesundheit".

...and since that posted three times, I'd say that you dated him serially as well!

I like it!

They've appropriated typical lowlife crap from the poor.

You're right. Theodore Dalrymple expounds on that very point in his excellent book "Life at the Bottom."

He was barely worth one post!

I had a dentist named Slaughter.

"Bluebell Species Action Plan

1. Current status

In North Lanarkshire Bluebells form characteristic 'carpets' in numerous parts of long-remnants of semi-natural woodlands, of which they are an indicator species. The plants appear to grow best on brown forest soil types on clay. A survey involving observations from the public in 1997 revealed the plant to be most common in the Clyde valley, around Motherwell, Wishaw and Overtown, also in relict woodlands in the Gartcosh / Coatbridge / Airdrie area (such as Gartsherrie Wood), in the glens around Cumbernauld and in the Kelvin valley.

A number of sites once containing Bluebells are now thought to have been built up or otherwise developed. However many woodlands in Council ownership (e.g. Coltness and Cambusnethan Woods, Strathclyde Country Park and Colzium Estate) should continue to be managed in such a way that the species continues to flourish.

The plant appears to be absent from the eastern part of the Central and Southern Divisions, where soils are more acidic and the vegetation is of an upland character.

The Bluebell is now given legal protection in Schedule 13 (Schedule 8) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

2. Current factors causing loss or decline

The major cause of loss is probably historical, as the woodland cover of the area gradually made way for agriculture. Grazing and trampling by livestock still affects this plant in unfenced woodlands.

More significant, in some locations, has been clearance of land containing small woods to make way for developments (e.g. Strathclyde Business Park) and new roads.

There is no evidence at present of the deliberate removal of plants from natural sites, other than collection of bunches of the flowering stems, mainly by children.

3. Current action

There is no specific action at present, other than the 1997 survey by the North Lanarkshire Biological Records Centre run by the Conservation and Greening Unit.

4. Action plan objectives and targets

The main objective should be to prevent any reduction in the number of sites containing Bluebells. An inventory of sites will be compiled from 2000.
The Plan should actively retain and encourage the spread of this species in suitable woodlands by promoting ideal shade and ground conditions. Management plans for farmers should be drawn up to allow local woods used for shelter to be used in ways which will allow significant colonies of Bluebells to survive.
Examples include:

Moveable fencing of areas, to be used in rotation;
Cattle feeders to be moved to edges of woods, or outside them;
Where practicable, restrictions on numbers of livestock grazing or sheltering in Bluebell woodlands used from end of January to July.
In addition, there may be opportunities for introducing Bluebells -and other woodland species- into more recently-established woodlands.
It is estimated that where deciduous trees are established for at least 10 years, the bulbs could be planted.
5. Proposed action with lead agencies

All past and future survey material, including Phase One and other woodland survey reports, should be checked for records of Bluebells and it is recommended that the Council and partner organisations conduct a review of all woodlands thought or known to contain colonies of Bluebells, so provide base-line data on the size, extent and richness of the colonies, also the associated species (NLC (Biological Records Centre), BSBI, CSCT, FE, KVCP).

Policy & legislation

Any evidence of deliberate removal of Bluebells or their bulbs should be reported to the Conservation Unit and if a problem is identified, contact should be made with police, the relevant community council and possibly 'neighbourhood watch' scheme organisers (NLC, CSCT, KVCP).
If there is a problem of theft in any sites, a poster should be produced and displayed in local libraries, schools and community centres, referring to the importance of Bluebells and encouraging their protection (NLC).
Site safeguard & management

Survey should be made of major existing Bluebell woodlands to look at problems such as dumping close to residential areas, trampling or squashing due to increased access, for example by motorcycles, etc (NLC, CSCT, FE, KVCP).
No spraying of weedkillers should be permitted before mid-July in woodlands supporting Bluebell colonies (e.g. on Council-owned, CSCT or other woodland management bodies or in golf course woodlands). The use of 'weed-wipers' / or alternatively, mulch-mats, should be considered as an alternative (NLC, CSCT, private owners).
No burning of brash or felled timber should be allowed on Bluebell sites unless turf containing the bulbs can be removed (NLC,CSCT, KVCP, private owners).
There should be no underplanting or replacement of deciduous trees with conifers where Bluebells are significant in the ground flora. (Note: this is covered by the Forestry Commission's Forestry Standard and in felling regulations) (NLC, CSCT, KVCP, FE, private owners).
Where underplanting (or replanting) of Bluebell sites is undertaken, this should be by notch-planting (whips,not standards); bulbs should be translocated to suitable sites, preferably within the same woodland, before planting of whips (NLC, CSCT, FE, KVCP, private owners).
Species management & protection

A survey of major sites should be undertaken in 2000 to estimate the extent of remaining colonies (SNH, NLC, CSCT, KVCP, FE, private owners).
The introduction of Bluebells should be encouraged within the community woodlands being developed by the Council and CSCT, where soils permit and the canopy has developed enough for this to be successful (CSCT, NLC, KVCP).
The presence of the related Spanish Bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica, as a garden throw-out was revealed by the 1997 survey and this species should also be monitored wherever hybridisation is thought to occur (NLC, BSBI, LBRF).
Advisory

An appeal for Bluebell observations or of known 'Bluebell Woods' should be advertised to groups through the Council (also in South Lanarkshire) and publicised through the Lanarkshire Biological Recording Forum (NLC, BSBI, LBRF).
Future research & monitoring

Sample sites require to be monitored by annual quadrat sampling or by fixed-point photography every two years during the flowering season (NLC, FE, CSCT, SNH).
Communications & publicity

The Council should regularly feature Bluebells in its internal publications, North Lanarkshire News and Inside North Lanarkshire and others could also.do so, e.g. CSCT in New Leaf (NLC, CSCT, KVCP, FE, RSPB, SNH, LBRF).
Links with other action plans (habitats or species)

The above actions, where relevant, should be included in the Broadleaved, Mixed Woodland Action Plan, and implemented in land, wherever Bluebells are a feature or might be established (NLC, CSCT, KVCP, FE, private owners).
Plan written by Bill Brackenridge. North Lanarkshire Council. January 1999"

I was in the ANG with a guy named Fay Kay Ray, he swore eventual revenge on his mother.

I think she spelled it Greer Garson. I remember her from Mrs. Miniver and Pride and Prejudice.

My mother said she had some career problems for "robbing the cradle". I heard she was a philanthropist as she got older.

I think it is a Swedish family name. I had a naming book from the 40's years ago where celebrities had written in where their names came from, and I seem to remember that is what she said. I wish I still had that book but I lost it in a fire. They had letters from Tallulah bankhead, Greer Garson, and others.

Greer.

I knew a Richard Upp, but he went by the name Dick Upp. Seriously.

She has two kids, Arm and Snake?