LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Surnames
Further to your item in the latest Midweek about colourful surnames, I can confirm that The Revd Ken Orange was Minister of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Glasgow Street from 1954-1962. He is not the only Orange in our church's ministry. My old friend Revd Wilson Orange has recently retired from our Morrinsville church. Those having Orange as a surname can be found in the highest places. Members of the Dutch Royal House are designated by the surname Oranje-Nassau because of the family's origins around the French city of Orange. There may be other less well known colourful surnames around but I will leave it for others to do the research.
STEPHAN VAN OS
WANGANUI
New names
Fascinating tongue-in-cheek insight into the origins of surnames by Paul Brooks (Front Bit, September 30, Midweek).
Some of what Paul wrote: "[There are also surnames derived from] ... profession. We have ... Carver, Gardener, Tiler and Collier, to name a few, but nowhere do we find [a Mr or Ms] ...Cabbie ... Secretary ... Barista ... Why not? [Did they stop] manufacturing surnames? ...when ... exactly?"
I can partially answer that last question. If they stopped making surnames, it may have been the 1960s: I happened to be enjoying a video of Star Trek, Original Series, made in the 1960s, and when the credits rolled, there I read "produced by Fred Fry-burger". I can't imagine that being an ancient name. OK, the last name was spelt differently on the screen (Freiberger), but the Fred is genuine. It could have been pronounced "Free-burger", but that wouldn't change Fred's family's profession, just that they would have been poorer doing it. While I, like Paul, have yet to find a Ms Barista, I do recall that Homer Noodleman became of the great Hollywood heart-throbs of the first half of the 20th century. Guess there was more money in movies than the noodle business. You could probably still watch his movies on Gable - er, I mean - "cable", these days.
My forename can also be a surname: "Of-the-stony-lea" (Stanley). Boring, really. Think I'll change it to "Dragonslayer" or something.
STAN HOOD
WANGANUI
Pea brains
I noted with interest recent newscasts about scientific advances, namely the creation of a human brain the size of a pea in a petri dish with a developmental stage of a five week old fetus. What a staggering thought. My sardonic satirical mind leapt to the fore with political aplomb. For a politician this was a Key Idea, a Main Chance.
For those of us familiar with the Backbencher Pub in Wellington and the satirical British show Spitting Image and old enough to remember Ronald Reagan as President of the USA, one may recall the sketch where Ronald (or was it George Bush?), el Presidente, is bedridden with a bowl of walnuts at his bedside being attended by two doctors performing brain surgery. They inadvertently drop his brain amongst the nuts. Consternation! They can't leave him empty headed of course can they? The question is how does one know one's true nut (walnut actually)? So when it comes to peas and queues (or is that cues), not to labour a point of national significance, how will we know if pea brain ideas will become a reality? Will we be able to trust our leaders if this artificial intelligence replaces the real thing and how can we know the truth? Will we, and are we being led awry by our parliamentarians? Are they monarchists or aliens? Wake up sir , the truth is out there. If it's not then better be awake and keep alert. The world needs more lerts or thinking people. On the other hand maybe a pea for a brain would be a good idea for some people; or peas.
CHRISTOPHER CAPE
WANGANUI