u.s.w.

[Wolfe, Skip]

Noah,
I'd recommend that you pick up, if you haven't already, Stephen 
Weisenburger's _Gravity's Rainbow Companion_ (available at many large 
bookstores).  It will help you with a lot of Pynchon's arcane references, 
and is generally a useful guide through the book.  Don't remember off-hand 
if it covers u.s.w., but suspect it does.  (I think it's the German 
equivalent of etc., by the way, but don't know any details.)  Hope you enjoy 
the second half!
     Skip Wolfe
     crw4 at nip1.em.cdc.gov
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>Hello from a long time lurker.  I hate for this to be my first
>post to this group.  I would rather have something interesting
>to say or ask about the nature of Slothrop, the V2 bomp, curious
>concepts of W.A.S.T.E. or why I really didn't like Vineland but
>I don't (yet).  I am currently halfway through "Gravity's Rainbow"
>(after starting for the fourth time, and yes it gets easier after
>the end of the second chapter) and I have yet again run into
>the nth word/phrase I don't know, but unlike all the others I am
>not sure what this is.  What does "u.s.w." stand for?  It seems
>like he is using it as "etc" but I would like a full expansion
>of it if I could.  Any help?  Thanks.

>N.S.

p.s.  I personally don't see how that silly rumor about Pynchon
being the one and the same as Sallinger (sp?) continues.  I
personally don't see a great resemblence, but then again I only
have read one J.D. and only 3.5 T.R.

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| Noah Sturr     | "Anybody remotely interesting is mad, in some way |
| sturr at sky.net  |  or another."  - Dr. Who                          |
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