The Big Sweep (was: GRGR(12)Mystery of Imipolex G )

[Scott Badger]

Terrance:

>"Imipolex G has proved to be nothing more-or less-sinister
>than a new plastic, an aromatic heterocyclic polymer,
>developed in 1939, years before its time, by one L. Jamf for IG Farben."
>Gr.249

[alot that shouldn't be snipped]

>So 1920, when Slothrop is conditioned is too early for
>Imipolex G to exist, only the 00000 Schwarzgerat V-2 carries
>the Imipolex device, so why does Slothrop react to other
>V-2s?, Jamf may never have existed?, Imipolex is both black
>and white? and we are reminded by Pointsman's italics,
>of "a silent extinction beyond the zero," another mystery.
>You want cause and effect. Imipolex G, is a mystery.  "Surprised?"

Yes, a mystery, and one Pynchon/the cartels have gone to some length to
perpetuate. 'Imipolex G...[was]...developed in 1939, years before its time,
by one L. Jamf for IG Farben.'  Years before its time, hmmmm....On the next
page (250.21):

"One hypothetical chain that Jamf came up with, just before the war, was
later modified into Impolex G."

So this must be WWI that Pynchon means here, dating, I think, the
*possibility* of Imipolex G prior to 1914.  Why, then, would *1939* be
"years before its time"?  Through an elaborate series of convolutions
(mimicking the Italo-Tamara deal - which ends in a deafening explosion, but
no, surprise!(?), erection), *oral* contact between Jamf's firm and IG
Farben are traced back to 1926.  Two years later ICI is created and
purchases a majority of the stock of Jamf's firm. Then we're told that "For
some curious reason, Slothrop will discover, no agreements between ICI and
the IG seem to be dated any later than '39" - the year Imipolex G was
supposed to be developed.  Isn't that suggesting that stuff is being
post-dated?  Including, possibly, the date that the IG gets involved with,
and, officially, develops, Imipolex G?  Could it be that Imipolex G was
developed well before '39, but because the earliest association between ICI
and IG Farben (including ICI's marketing arrangement for Imipolex G) has
been post-dated to '39, that the development of Imipolex G was also
post-dated to substantiate that date?

Or is it the other way 'round?  That it's the earlier existence of Imipolex
G that is really being hidden, and post-dating those agreements is a way of
sweeping the tracks?  Where's that Doghouse Riley when you need him?

Scott