MDMD Chapter 49 Notes and Questions (1)

[Prokopis Prokopidis]

R.P.H 477.3  
-----------
Red Pubick Hair. A "measurement unit" initially mentioned in Chapter 30,
296.7. It has also appeared as "red cunt hair" in GR 664.11. From a
lexicon with similar entries,
http://members.tripod.com/~TheWeenie/sweardict.txt :  

> RCH,n, acronym, (pronounced *arc") U.S. construction 
> worker unit of measure for very fine adjustments:  "Red 
> cunt hair," as in, "hey, Mac, move it another arc over 
> this way!"

Fire-flies 478.5
----------------
http://iris.biosci.ohio-state.edu/projects/FFiles/ "contains information
about Firefly (or Lightning Bug) biology. You will find answers to your
questions about this amazing bioluminescent insect, references for
further study, and activities for both kids and adults."

HighLights from this Ohio Univeristy site include an explanation of
their bioluminescence:

> Fireflies produce light via a chemical reaction consisting 
> of Luciferin (a substrate) combined with Luciferase 
> (an enzyme), ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and oxygen. 
> When these components are added, light is produced.

Nevertheless, Dixon's plans "for lighting the Camp-site with them" seem
too optimistic, even today. From the same web site:

> There are several theories on how fireflies control the "on" 
> and "off" of their photic organs. However, the exact 
> mechanism(s) has yet to be worked out.

Linkmen 478.11
--------------
>From OED: A man employed to carry a torch.

Ensign Cheer 478.14
-------------------
Any suggestions on what this phrase means? Some OED quotations than may
help someone to interpret it:

One on ensign (n): 
> 1656 Bp. Hall Occas. Medit. 79 We are wont to fight cheerfully
> under this ensign abroad.

And another on cheer(v): 
> 1815 W. Burney Falconer's Marine Dict., To cheer, to salute a 
> ship en passant, by the people all coming upon deck and huzzaing 
> three times, called three cheers.

Pepinazos 478.33 - 479.5
------------------------
During MDMD98, Juan Cires Martinez provided a translation of the anthem:

Pepinazos, nunca   Blows, never
Abrazos, Si me     Hugs, if you
Quieras,           loved me,
!Oigame!--         Listen to me!--
Dejate,            Leave,
Los Pe-pi-naa-zos! The blows!

Juan noticed that there is "one error and a few inconsistencies in a
song on page 477 of MD". You can read his posting in the P-list
archives,
http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=9802&msg=23499&keywords=pepinazos

Eyre Coote 478.30
-----------------
One of two Sir Eyre Coote (1726-1783 and 1762-1823) Generals, obviously
the first.

>From Tim Ware's Hyperarts:
> Coote, Eyre (1726-83) 478; Commander of the East India Company 
> forces in Bengal commander-in charge in India. He led the 
> British against the French in the Battle of Wandiwash

See http://www.mazro.freeserve.co.uk/eyre.htm for a full biography and
http://www.mazro.freeserve.co.uk/eyre1.jpg for the man himself.

Interesting career highlights from the same site:

> In 1764 he was presented with a £700 diamond-hilted sword 
> by the Directors of the East India Company in recognition
> of his services in India.

> In 1784 a monument to him was erected in Westminster Abbey 
> by the East India Company, and much later, in 1828, a large 
> monument after the style of the Wellington monument in 
> London was erected at West Park to the joint memory of him 
> and his nephew, the other Gen.Sir Eyre Coote ... At West Park
> he was much liked and respected. He was not regarded as the 
> avaricious, grasping, money-loving soldier of fortune whom 
> some biographers and historians have portrayed, but as one 
> who was always kind, generous, loyal to friends, and ever 
> ready to acknowledge the good qualities of even those who 
> had injured or thwarted him.

s~Z, from MDMD98, notes that 

> Thanks to Dixon's pacifism, Mason would have to be the 
> heroic soldier should they decide to rebel against their 
> Agreement.

Gematria 479.9
--------------
>From OED: 
> gematria . Also gematry. [Rabbinical Heb. gematriya, a. 
> Gr. geometry. ...] A cabbalistic method of interpreting 
> the Hebrew Scriptures by interchanging words whose letters 
> have the same numerical value when added.

For a Greek/Roman isopsephia (isos = equal, psephio = digit) and Hebrew
gematria calculator see
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/OM/BA/Isopsephia.html