Henry's boorishness, forwarded at his request

[andrew at cee.hw.ac.uk]

Henry M writes:
> Gee, John. Is that a hamster in your pocket or are you just happy to 
> be...? If not, who is this "we?" I can think of maybe one other 
> person that is concerned about "On this day." Who is this "the rest 
> of us?" Shuffleboard vs basketball? Is this the kind of ageist 
> bullshit you're "here to play?" 

Include me in that we. I find the `On this day ...' stuff only mildly
irritating but *utterly* irrelevant to Pynchon. Not that some of the
things which you cite are not pertinent to our boy - we all know that
everything is connected - but rather that picking stuff out on the
basis of its location in *an almanac* is hardly the best way to expand
our collective Pynchon scholarship. You could try writing something
about the books or the man. This is after all the Pynchon list.

> Don't read'em! If you're using something more modern than DOS to read 
> your email, put a filter on'em. Unless you're using a 2400 baud 
> modem, each one takes a couple of seconds to download. Get a life. 
> Grow up! 

I am sure John is fully in possession of the necessary vitality. And
this argument is the usual Internet crap masquerading as trail-blazing
for freedom of speech, justice and the American way. There is a time
and place for everything in this world, or rather there ought to
be. But, funnily enough, the Pynchon list is a place for Pynchon talk,
not lists of obits and obscure unrelated historical events. And to
those who suggest that much of value has come out of Henry's lists
I'll also suggest that they (the lists) are full of much more crap.
Sifting this stuff for gold is just kabbalism. Let's *grow up* and
employ a bit more application, insight and scholarship, please.

> Feel free to respond to this message cc'ing the list, but if you do, 
> have the decency to fully quote this message.

Feel free to respond to this message telling me I am a fascist asshole
but whatever you do make sure you include the *obligatory* reference
to Thomas Ruggles Pynchon or to a subject which in some way - however
devious - relates to his work or life. And if you post without knowing
whether or how such a relationship exists then I suggest you are in
the wrong forum and are wasting the time of those of us who are
subscribed here because of our shared interest in Pynchon.


Andrew Dinn
-----------
And though Earthliness forget you,
To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
To the rushing water speak:  I am.