Let's be cool about this.

[Jody Keith Gilbert]

Pynchon has remained an open list and at present will still
continue to remain an open list.  I have both practical and
ideological reasons for this.  The following is the beginning
of reasons why this list might eventually become a closed list.


John M. Krafft writes:


>The relentless cutesiness is getting cloying.  Can we cool it a
little,
>please?  "Don't mean to bitch, folks" (and don't ask me for the page
>number for that one), and I'm not being humorless.  But I am starting
to
>feel embarrassed for having recommended the list to so many friends
>who are now expressing some annoyance with me.

>jmk

>John M. Krafft, English                 | Miami University--Hamilton
>Voice:   513-863-8833, ext. 342         | 1601 Peck Boulevard
>Fax:     513-863-1655                   | Hamilton, OH  45011-3399
>E-mail:  jmkrafft at miavx2.ham.muohio.edu
>         jmkrafft at miavx1.acs.muohio.edu

Don Larsson responds


>To John:
>Please don't be annoyed by the cuteness--call it mid-winter madness,
but it's
>enjoyable enough as a form of academic Mindless Pleasure.  Anyone who
>reads
>Pynchon--whose own share of outrageous puns can cause sensory
overload-->has
>to be ready to put up with quite a bit.

>Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN

Mike Koopman also responds

>Dear Dr. Krafft works on our "radio" active speck patterns,
>denigrating ego-centered declines (KFC trans. pack up and go over das
>hill climb).

> > The relentless cutesiness is getting cloying.  Can we cool it a
little,

>Shall we pre-modern esque?  Bumme.  Deconstructive cubism applied to
>wheel well of Fortunato of pre-modern croaking devices a loaf slices
>many ways and still comes up goober peas, i.e., As You Like It, Act 2
>- quite less chilling than Hammer rodlets same act, jah, ng? B-good-E

>Mucho aduiex,

>Mike Koopman internet: koopman at ctc.com phone: +1-814-269-2637

end quotations

I hope we can resolve this amicably.  As I suspected, over the last
year or so as access to the internet and news of this list have
increased,
the character of the traffic on the list has changed somewhat.  It has
dramatically increased in volume and has also displayed a broader
range
of approach to discussing Pynchon than previously.  I can easily
understand why this broadening of perspective might distress
some of the members, especially those that have been on the
list since its early days.  If we get too much conflict that seems
less than relevant to Pynchon, the way the list is run may have
to change.  I sincerely hope that is not the case, because there has
been
a lot of good discussion here, and I do not want to play net cop.
The continuing value of this list to Pynchon scholars, budding
and established, is very important to me.

Jody

==============================================================================

John (Jody) K. Gilbert
Department of English
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C. Canada
office phone (604) 291-5517
dept. phone  (604) 291-3136
internet     gilbert at sfu.ca