Current section, 4 of 4.......History is a step-function

[grladams at teleport.com]

If step functions are likened to stairs, then this part of history was
designed by OBA (Our beloved architect) with a very complex riser-tread
ratio, eliptical and doglegged, winding left and right to landings of
uncertain pause, intended to slow us walkers to gain certain effects as we
approach. (I'm pastiche-quoting from the Encyclopedia of American
Architecture and appearing to be working) Similarly, the delay: (I'm going
somewhere with this I swear!)

http://u2r2h.blogspot.com/2008/02/berlin-baghdad-railway.html
read the part called By rail from Berlin to Baghdad 

"From its side, however, for the next fifteen years, England sought with
every possible means to delay and obstruct progress of the railway, while
always holding out the hope of ultimate agreement to keep the German side
off balance. This game lasted literally until the outbreak of war in
August, 1914."






Original Message:
-----------------
From: Mark Kohut markekohut at yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 08:46:46 -0700 (PDT)
To: pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: Current section, 4 of 4.......History is a step-function


grladams wrote:
  It's worth noting the status of this section of the book, and the book
 in
general, and by my own interpretation, history itself at the time as
Pynchon savors it, as being a sum of delays, setbacks, tangents,
 flipflops,
as if a historical hurtling forward motion switched rails, a pause
 button
got pushed, whilst intermission music or such played, what do you
 think?
   
  Pynchon wrote (in V.): History is a step-function.     !

       
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