Well I just reread Vineland and the news is still bad...

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

           Ray:
           It would not have occur to me to call you 
           names because you find AtD brilliant.  

Howzabout "Poopy-Pants"? I'd kinda like "Snake", myself.

           Ray:
           It would not occur to me to say that you have no literary 
           taste or sense because your view of this novel differs 
           from mine.  

Can't say that I disagree with the man, kinda partial to that Armistead 
Maupin guy myself, if you catch my drift. Can't claim to have read all
the western canon, neither. We all read through different prisms.

           Ray:
           I guess my comment about arguing with Catholics 
           was apropos after all.

Flamin', but this is a serious question: what is it that makes GR superior
to AtD? I'll be more selective in my personal descriptors, honestly, I 
simply want to be illuminated. What is this great, uncrossable divide 
which you are describing?