From Orwell to Pink Floyd: Animals & A Fig's Tale VL p.3

[ish mailian]

Operation Praying Mantis was an attack on 18 April 1988

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Praying_Mantis

On Sun, Apr 19, 2020 at 5:54 PM ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Carrier in the ocean with squadrons taking off and landing, light
> pulsing in there wings.
> Now, as Pynchon says of Orwell, he's no prophet, but GHWB is gonna
> send squadrons from carriers.
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 19, 2020 at 5:51 PM ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > If you're still with me on Squadron and Carrier, 2 words that seem
> > misplaced by Pynchon because Blue Jays, those aggressive birds don't
> > fly in squadrons and pigeons that carry messages are not carrier
> > pigeons bu homing pigeons, you might be wondering what happened when
> > these 2 words are put together. Yes, it is 1984 when Zoyd wakes up too
> > late, and yes Pynchon did pen an important essay on Orwell's classic,
> > and in 1984 Pynchon also penned his essay, "Is It O.K.to be a
> > Luddite?", an essay that begins with an allusion to the dystopian
> > masterwork, but it'snot 1984, not for You, reader, no, for You, Dear
> > Reader,  it's later, and Raygun's VP is now POTUS. GHWB flew in
> > squadrons from carriers. Get it?
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 19, 2020 at 3:40 PM ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Is Pynchon using the informal here? Or does the word hint that these
> > > Blue Jays are a symbol of an operation?
> > >
> > > Blue Jays are know for their territorial behavior and for sometimes
> > > stealing the eggs or chicks of other birds.
> > >
> > > squad·ron
> > > /ˈskwädrən/
> > >
> > > noun: squadron; plural noun: squadrons
> > >
> > > an operational unit in an air force consisting of two or more flights
> > > of aircraft and the personnel required to fly them.
> > >
> > > a principal division of an armored or cavalry regiment, consisting of
> > > two or more troops.
> > > a group of warships detached on a particular duty or under the command
> > > of a flag officer.
> > > INFORMAL
> > > a large group of people or things.
> > > "he immediately commissioned a squadron of architects"
> > >
> > > Origin
> > > mid 16th century (originally denoting a group of soldiers in square
> > > formation): from Italian squadrone, from squadra ‘square’.