MDDM Ch. 16 Questions, Comments

[Dave Monroe]

No, I'm annoyed because past experience leaves me
suspecting the Distinct Probability of Deliberate
Insult here.  I mean, let's be honest ... but, I've
done the same thing myself here, and, just as I am
obviously not one to get much sleep, nor am I one to
get all territorial.  Just as no insult intended, no
turf war intended.  Shake?  Okay, then ...

Now, where the hell did all my OTHER posts go? 
Earlier, later ones are showing up first here, but
where is that excluded middle?  Based on recent
experience, will refrain from reposting for the time
being, but ... but if anyone's seen stuff on, say,
Eucharistic horror stories, please, let me know.  I
know that yesterday y'all received posts of mine I
hadn't seen since I sent 'em, so ...

--- jbor <jbor at bigpond.com> wrote:
> 
> Right, I see. You're annoyed because I typed up and
> posted the same passage as you did. Sorry. I didn't
> get a chance to read the two chapters until this
> morning and had chosen not to read any of the posts
> on the chapters so that I was reading the text
> through fresh. I started compiling notes and
> questions as I read, and then looked through the
> MDDM posts afterwards (and,as you of course well
> know, it's MDDM, and always has been).

Actually, hadn't really noticed that.  Just thinking,
"GRGR," "VV," and so, by analogy ... and, just before
they went down, I'd been perusing the archives from th
first, just-post-publication reading here, which I
believe WAS MDMD ... so, er, what're the initials
standing for this time around?  I'd probably seen it,
but a LOT has happened since we started in ...

> Some of my questions were answered, so I edited
> those questions out of my posts. But as I'd already
> typed up that interesting passage referring
> to "Death's Thousand Metaphors in the World", and
> hadn't noticed anyone else commenting about it,
> I left it in. 

This is a Very Interesting Passage, indeed, and,
again, do note what some of those "Thousand Metaphors"
are here.  A strong concern for social justice, fair
treatment of labor, and so forth.  I think such
concerns, as a legacy of both the 30s and the 60s
Progressive to Leftist movements, and as expressed in
Vineland, was a recent Topick at the List, no?  Yet
another of Mr. Pynchon's Memorable Phrases ...

> I also left in a brief recount of "the War of '39"
> because it gave a slightly different version of the
> lead-up events to 'The War of Jenkins' Ear' than the
> source you cited. 

This was not a bad idea at all, as I deliberately
avoided posting any straightforward historical text on
the whole Jenkin's Ear/King George's War/War of the
Austrian Succession, for a number of reasons ...  

Along the way, Pynchon outlined the immediate events
fairly well; I figured motivated types could either
click on the links (chosen largely for their
picturesque qualities) I posted, or could easily
enough do the research themselves; I was hard-pressed
for a "definitive" historical text on the subject;
and, neither last nor least, I wanted to save space
for my own patented brand of critical wackiness; and
so forth ...

Basically, I just wanted to establish that the whole
Jenkin's Ear thing did have an historical basis, and
that it did open onto larger, world-historical events
with some resonance to those of M&D's (vs. Mason and
Dixon's) own historical milieu, and get on to that
Shepard and Shepard book as a possible, probable,
even, source for Pynchon.  But, yeah, a simple account
of the events at hand wouldn't have hurt, and
certainly won't ...

Okay, too much on that, but I do have my Reasons for
doing what I inevitably do, and they largely have to
do with a concerted effort to do those things that
perhaps ONLY I will do here, so ...

> So, sorry for that as well I guess.

No, again, we're cool here ...
 
> And so, I hadn't "ignored the past week or so here",
> as you complained, and that's why I asked you about
> that complaint. Again, I couldn't see what your
> problem was.

I don't complain about being ignored, I complain about
being insulted ...
 
> Hope that's cleared that one up.

Back from the brink, indeed.  Now here's hoping those
mssing posts show up, because I recall being pretty
pleased with myself for once a few hours ago ...

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