VLVL2 (9.5): "Gorman ('The Specter') Flaff"

[Dave Monroe]

"... but their history went back further, to their
wartime association with Gorman ('The Specter')
Flaff's legendary operations in money orders and
piasters ...." (VL, Ch. 9, p. 182)


"Gorman"

In Ireland, the surname comes from the original Irish
Mac Gormain, from a diminutive of gorm, meaning
"blue."

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/n/o/l/Gary-R-Nolan/PHOTO/0003photo.html?Welcome=1070483998

"Gorman" is derived from "gorm", meaning blue. It
would be easy to assume that this has something to do
with the blue shield. However, among the Celts'
psychological warfare techniques was the practice of
going into battle naked, carrying only one's weapons.
They also introduced the use of woad, a blue dye made
from a species of plant of the mustard family. [...]
They also smeared lime paste into their hair to make
it stand on end (not unlike the "spiked" hairstyles of
our own era). [...] I find it very believable that a
prominent warrior could have been renowned for this
practice, i.e. painting his body blue to intimidate
the enemy, and that his sons and daughters could be
known as "children of the blue one" - MacGormans.
However, there are others who claim that "gorm" means
"illustrious".

http://www.netservice.pair.com/gorman.htm


"The Specter"

Cf. not only ... 

Spectro, Dr. Kevin
46; "neurologist and casual Pavlovian" at St.
Veronica's; "one of the original seven owners of The
Book" 47; killed in a V-2 hit on St. Veronica's, 138;
139; 140; 167

http://www.hyperarts.com/pynchon/gravity/alpha/s.html

But also ...

http://www.toonopedia.com/spectre.htm

http://members.optusnet.com.au/grafito/spectre/

http://www.geocities.com/oracle2030/sentinels/spectre1.html


"Flaff"

flaff. to flap.

http://members.shaw.ca/micheil/burns/burnsf.htm

... with the rain it can be "attery" (stormy) with a
"blenter" or "flaff" (gusty wind) ...

http://www.geocities.com/saileshb/stuff/sllanguage.doc

http://www.geocities.com/saileshbhatia65/stuff/language.doc

FootLoose And Fancy Free?  E.g., ...

http://www.xanga.com/flaff/ 



"piasters"

Main Entry: pi·as·tre  
Variant(s): also pi·as·ter   /pE-'as-t&r, -'äs-/
Function: noun
Etymology: French piastre, from Italian piastra thin
metal plate, coin, from Latin emplastra, emplastrum
plaster
Date: 1592
1 : PIECE OF EIGHT
2 -- see pound at MONEY table

Main Entry: piece of eight
Date: 1610
: an old Spanish peso of eight reals

http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

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