What's in a name
October 21, 2009 5:54 AM Subscribe
He's the patron saint of Russia and Scotland, where his name day is a national holiday . An Andrew was the much-caricatured seventh president , and the disgraced 17th. The first storm of the season and a Prince with a past.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Happy birthday to whoever, but this is basically a flat-out stunt post. Metafilter is not your personal facebook status update. -- cortex
Which Andrew is a regular user? Whatever, happy birthday!
posted by gman at 6:19 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by gman at 6:19 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
You should all be aware that I am the reincarnation of St. Andrew*. Not only is my name Andrew, but when I was born I had a X-shaped birthmark on my right shoulder blade. It proved to be more curse than blessing - in addition to requiring that I spend a lot of time converting Ukrainians and drinking with Scots, it tended to snag on my clothes.
Eventually, my folks decided to have it removed. The proceeds from the sale of the removed mark to a church in Luqa paid for most of my college education. While the removal has done little to curb my drinking with Scots, it cut down drastically on the number of trips to Kiev I've been required to make.
*That's how the popey types roll, right? I slept through most of Western Religion 101 as my Calvinist upbringing told me I was predestined to get a B+.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:24 AM on October 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
Eventually, my folks decided to have it removed. The proceeds from the sale of the removed mark to a church in Luqa paid for most of my college education. While the removal has done little to curb my drinking with Scots, it cut down drastically on the number of trips to Kiev I've been required to make.
*That's how the popey types roll, right? I slept through most of Western Religion 101 as my Calvinist upbringing told me I was predestined to get a B+.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:24 AM on October 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
As the second link points out, Saint Andrew is said to have been crucified on an X-shaped cross, hence Scotland's saltire. But Saint Andrew's Cross can be found in other flags. As the "Burgundy Cross", it was for a long time in the flag of the Spanish Empire, from which it apparently found its way into the state flags of Florida and Alabama. In Spain, the Cross of Burgundy was re-activated by the Carlist movement during the XIX century. Because the Carlists (together with the Falangists) formed the backbone of Franco's Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War, Saint Andrew's Cross found its way into the fin flashes of the Nationalist air force. It has remained on Spanish Air Force planes until today.
posted by Skeptic at 6:46 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by Skeptic at 6:46 AM on October 21, 2009
An Andrew was the much-caricatured seventh president , and the disgraced 17th.
Much-caricatured. Perhaps. Also one of the most important.
I won't bicker about the 17th.
posted by blucevalo at 6:47 AM on October 21, 2009
Much-caricatured. Perhaps. Also one of the most important.
I won't bicker about the 17th.
posted by blucevalo at 6:47 AM on October 21, 2009
The Kid from C.A.P.E.R.N.A.U.M.!
(don't ask me what it stands for)
posted by gubo at 6:57 AM on October 21, 2009
(don't ask me what it stands for)
posted by gubo at 6:57 AM on October 21, 2009
When I visited London, I was able to catch one of the last tours of Parliament of the year. I was shocked by how glibly guides all over the UK are able to make radically un-PC statements. For instance, in the transept where the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet, there are four mosaics, one each for the patron saints of Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales. According to the guide,
"The mosaic for St. Andrew of Scotland is obviously over the West door, as that was the door leading to the pubs. Everyone knows Scots are all drunks."
posted by jefficator at 7:09 AM on October 21, 2009
"The mosaic for St. Andrew of Scotland is obviously over the West door, as that was the door leading to the pubs. Everyone knows Scots are all drunks."
posted by jefficator at 7:09 AM on October 21, 2009
Andrew Cyrille is a fine jazz drummer. Worked with Cecil Taylor, among others. I took some lessons with him years ago.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:15 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:15 AM on October 21, 2009
The Andrew Project and Andrew File System. Both mostly defunct but very influential.
posted by octothorpe at 7:40 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by octothorpe at 7:40 AM on October 21, 2009
As an Andrew, I like to think of myself as mostly defunct but very influential.
posted by MrVisible at 7:48 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by MrVisible at 7:48 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
How bout the Andrews Sisters?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:08 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:08 AM on October 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Wikipedia doesn't have a list of famous Andrews. I was crestfallen.
posted by I_pity_the_fool at 8:11 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by I_pity_the_fool at 8:11 AM on October 21, 2009
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Are you shilling for the Andrews of this world?
posted by rhymer at 6:19 AM on October 21, 2009