K46


K46, an APAzine for Pieces of Eight, July '94, from A. VINCENT CLARKE, 16 Wendover Way,

Welling, Kent, DA16 2BN


UPDATE

A sort of semi-hopeless SOS. Anyone any detailed knowledge of the RONEO 475 duplicator? I have a sick one here. As far as I can see the trouble lies in the feeding mechanism, which has about as much push as a falling soap bubble. I suspect that some internal nylon cogs have stripped.

Unfortunately, I can't verify this as I can't find a way to take the side panels off the thing. There's knobs sticking out on both sides which would appear to need something like a ball-race extractor to shift, and I'm reluctant to use that much force. Anyone any ideas?


BOOK REVIEW (of a sort)

My education was neglected to the point where I was never given the opportunity to read Sterne's THE LIFE & OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, but John. D's frequent mention of it in ARACHNO persuaded me buy a copy (World Classics, O.U.P., £4.50). Very much compressed, I assume – nine volumes into a 596p. PB, but I guess the essence is there.

And the essence is rambling, or to quote an excellent introduction by editor Ian Campbell Ross: "In Tristram Shandy, any incident could form part of a well-ordered sequential narrative, complete with beginning, middle and end. In fact, every incident throws up some association to which Tristram gives priority."

As somewhat of a rambler myself (you get like that when the years pile up), I found this comic up to a point. But 596 pages of dissertation on the narrative characters and the philosophers of the ancient world as admired by 18th. century intellectuals (there are copious quotes from Latin, Greek and French, all translated I'm glad to say) are just a little hard to take. This is a book to dip into at intervals.

As an example of TS, I present a chapter which starts: The abbess of Andouillets, which if you look into the large set of provincial maps now published at Paris, you will find situated amongst the hills which divide Burgundy from Savoy, being in danger of an Anchylosis or stiff joint (the sinovia of her knee becoming hard by long matins) and having tried every remedy — first, prayers and thanksgiving; then invocations to all the saints in heaven promiscuously — then particularly to every saint who ever had a stiff leg before her —.......

and Sterne goes on to list no less than ten other remedies the unfortunate abbess tried.

The story? You kidding?


COMMENTS ON THE JUNE '94 MAILING

PIECES OF EIGHT – Paul Kincaid

Sincere regret at the redundancy – and amazement. What an economic mess we're in !

Sorry to hear of Ian's (temporary) departure also. His common-sense approach was a great asset to PoE.

MARAUDER 52 – Ken Cheslin

RYCT John: 'Etaoin Shrdlu' indeed comprises the order of keys on a linotype (and it being the frequency of letters used in English is very useful in solving simple codes – 'E' is most frequently used, etc.). It's also the title of a story by Fredric Brown in UNKNOWN where a linotype magically acquired a mind of its own.

Brown later wrote (also for UNKNOWN) The Angelic Angleworm, one of the best humorous fantasies I've ever read, where a heavenly linotype guiding the destiny of a character starts making typos, so instead of digging up an angleworm the hero finds himself confronting a white-winged angelworm, etc., etc.

Both of the above stories are also in the collection 'Angels and Spaceships'.

Yes, there was another story about a linotype influencing reality for a limited distance – can't remember details.

Yes, the inner history of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour is now fairly clear – one source on my shelves is Ladislas Farago's 'The Broken Seal', (Mayflower '69) which not only gives details of the code-breaking operations of the Japs and Americans prior to the attack, but delves back into the history. For instance, when the new Secretary of State Henry L. Stimson was told in 1930 of the activities of the "black chamber" – the American code-breaking department – he said "Gentlemen do not read each other's mail" and gave orders to withdraw State Department funds from the dept. The head of this department, Herbert O Yardley, promptly sold it's methods to the Japanese!

Incidentally, I have one of those 'future war' books, 'The Great Pacific War 1931-1933' by Hector C. Bywater (Constable 1925), immensely detailed (even a 5-page index of ship's names!), where the Japanese fleet attacks the Philippines. Alas for prophecy – Pearl Harbour isn't mentioned until nearly half-way through the book.

Cover good as always. Don't know what make copier you used, but I had to use a magnifying glass to read one of the cartoon captions, so repro. by it excellent. Can you remember which it was?

You know I have sympathy for all your troubles.

K45 – self

Haven't got around properly to checking the Steve Sneyd ms. mentioned re. Green Grow the Rushes Oh – religious symbolism (which is what this may be), possibly dates back in this case to the Hebrew kabbala of the 13th. century. As something of a rationalist, I find it very very difficult to make sense of it.

Steve also vaguely remembers the "one world citizen guy" mentioned – asks "didn't he plan to buy a Pacific atoll as capital of the World State he proclaimed? Wonder where/how it all ended up?"

Steve also picks up on 'gynnels' – "spelt Ginnels round here, there's a subtle distinction between them and 'Snickets'. The latter is a path running between fences or garden walls. whereas a ginnel runs between buildings".


WATCHER FROM THE SHADOWS – Jenny Glover

Very very pleasant anecdotes, but not a lot on which to comment. Can you ask Tara from me, very respectfully, how you tell weeds from flowers in the early stages? It always baffled me when I used to try a little gardening, especially on the occasions when I got a couple of packets of 'Cottage Garden' assortments and broadcast them over a large patch.

Intrigued by different gerbil names. Surely they don't answer to them?


SILVER PENNIES – Helen Gould

Interesting read as usual. I hope to heaven Nelson Mandela has made provision for prospective black leaders after him – I always feel uncomfortable when I see his carefree walkabouts, such an easy target for fanatics.


FRAGMENTS – Mike Gould

The listing of Wodehouse books you want intriguing. You never know, of course – you might win sufficient in the forthcoming public lottery, but right at the moment (well, in May) a dealer in Book & Magazine Collector is offering to buy nine of the titles you quote for a total of £8,575. (Will send you a copy of the advert if any interest).

Interesting pocket history of some comics – you've certainly done some research. Would it be possible to include some illos? I think I'll look around for Sandman stuff as recommended by you to JDR.

RYCT Brian J., I certainly agree with you that fannish activity is whatever the individual fan does, but overall I feel that some structure is needed. Or is the simple fact that we all started out reading SF sufficient? I certainly enjoyed fandom most when we had the complicated history & mythology that characterised '50s fandom. I suppose this was because it reinforced the feeling that one truly felt a member of a minority (select?) group. But those days are past. Everyone and their kid sisters reads SF. Unless Greg Pickersgill leads a HUGE revival of fanzine fandom!

RYCT me; thanks for the clarification of the query re. law 'n' order. I agree that some parental influence is decidedly anti-social, but then can't that be lumped under the blanket label of 'bad parenting' ? Seems to me that probably 90% of juvenile crime can be put down as the fault of the parents, deliberate or not. Actually, when you come to think of it, it seems totally illogical that anyone can be a parent, to be in total control of another human being, without any sort of instruction/training if they don't seek it.

Good thoughtful Fragments, Mike.


LITTLE BITS OF ZERO – Carol Ann Green

Congrats on new computer (but no details?). I think you'll find someone who can provide a programme to give you a word counter – even the simple PCW magazines have run such in the past.

Sympathies on your remark that 'that there are too many books in the world for me ever to read them all'. I've suffered from this realisation for years.


ROPE OF SAND 12 – Brian Jordan

Ah, 'faunching'. A word I forgot in the short & hasty list last 'K'. Seems to have changed its meaning slightly over the years – the 1959 FANCYCLOPEDIA defines it as a 'sort of vague, indeterminate yearning or tendency; sometimes, the physical activity resulting therefrom'. The NEO-FAN'S GUIDE (6th. Ed., '84) says 'A nervous, impatient waiting for something to happen'. My own definition would be 'A wistful yearning for something, esp. in fannish context.'

Wonder where it originated?

Found myself agreeing with practically everything you wrote (and pleasant too). RYCT Ros., tho' before your time I was a great reader of the text-only boy's papers – MAGNET, MODERN BOY and so on. They were carrying on a tradition of penny dreadfuls stretching back to the 1840's. It's really only since the WW2 that comics came on the British scene.

Incidentally, I can remember only one occasion in pre-war days when I saw comics-based toys in a toy shop. May have stuck in my mind because these were models from Buck Rogers. No, I didn't get them – partly because I was too old for that sort of thing (15), partly because I was spending all my spare money on SF magazines.

RYCT me: Yes, I reckon 72pt. is a bit much for this simple set-up. Back to Letraset, metaphorically speaking.

Copiering: As I think I mentioned, duplicating paper is better than copier paper for putting through the heat process involved, but at 2 – 3 times the cost is a bit dodgy economically.

Ta for interest in (3-year old) granddaughter's present. Yes, I even took a tent down from the Early Learning Centre shelves a couple of times and pondered, but finally decided that a small Wendy House would be better as it could be erected indoors. With the sort of weather we were having this was a consideration. A tent remains a possibility for the future.

RYCT JDR, tho' not being in the dock, I was once a witness with other SF fans who had to give evidence in court on a car accident. Without prior consultation we all affirmed, which must have surprised the magistrate.


A FINE SUNSET – (two issues) – Kev McVeigh

RYCT Theo: Amongst the oddments here there are some postcards dating back to WW1, in one of which my Dad confirms to my Mum that they were going to meet later that same day. They were both in what is now known as the Greater London Area, but it does appear that the PO ordered things better in the past.


THE MOON-DRENCHED SHORES – Darroll Pardoe

I started to accumulate material on the BSFA fanzine dispersal you describe at the Chessmancon, a most disgraceful episode, but eventually decided Rob Hansen would make a better job in THEN 4. The whole thing illustrates how little late 1960's/ early '70s fandom regarded fanzines.


THE ARACHNO FILE – John D. Rickett

RYCT me; properly abashed at the beautiful 'K44' you reproduce, appreciate the double (triple?) pun.

Re. Shakespeare, just looked at ye olde BARTLETTs FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS. About one page of Marlowe, one-and-a-quarter pages of Jonson, and seventy pages of the Bard. Whatever else he had, the ability for a pithy quote was obviously there. Would probably have been a Sun headline writer these days.

Interesting on the readability of sans-serif. Will be quite happy to change to ordinary if people prefer it, and in deference to your wishes have put this comment on ARACHNO into common Amstrad. But the latter takes more space!

Incidentally, I've been trying to work towards a 'house-style' in mentioning other publications, amateur and pro – not always with success as I forget the darn thing.

But I have a feeling that it'd be nice to adopt, say, CAPs for fanzines, Italic for professional stuff, including quotations from same, underline for....what? Emphasising in the italic mode? Interested to get thoughts on this.

Glad you liked Ethel Lindsay; she came into fandom through reading a Walt Willis column in the old Scots prozine Nebula and was one of several formidable females who made us males realise that a new element was creeping in. Or possibly elbowing its way in.

Don't know if I've mentioned it previously, but one of my memorable fannish experiences was in the early '80s at a con. (NovaCon?), when I saw about 15 females sitting on a floor planning, as is turned out, The Woman's Periodical, the all-female APA. 15! More than existed in the whole of the old British fandom which I knew best.

Re. the fifty lashes if you leave a blank page, no, will show mercy, especially as the other pages are mmmmph! (appreciative sound). And in any case I'm half-thinking I may leave a blank page in 'K' for once – Wimbledon, Test Matches, Football....us couch sportsmen have a busy time right now.


THE WOTSIT IN THE THINGY – Brian Stovold

Excellent title. Interesting travelogue, tho' mental antennae quivered at "another salad" (taking a risk is them furrin parts, weren't you?) and "A tortoise ambled ...in relaxed fashion". Not speeding, huh? Anyway, congratulations on the marriage.


TRICHINOPOLY – Tara & Barry

Nice bit on crime, Tara, but disagree on the position that after prison one has 'earned the right to have committed the crime.' You can't properly equate one with the other – prison is just the most convenient punishment available, but doesn't compensate the victim, either for physical or mental trauma. Ta for advice on tent – problem has been resolved for now. But in later years......

Re. Barry to Kench: I can 're-ink' ribbon on this W/P at least by spraying ribbon with WD40. A tricky process, and the ribbon has to (paradoxically) dry out for a couple of days afterwards, but it works. Another use for WD40 is to free dot-matrix of gunk. Spread two or three lines of it on a page and, without the ribbon, let the m/c print over the page. Really amazing how much material is deposited on the dot-matrix pins and comes off on the page. Forgot completely about your comment on ETAOIN SHRDLU earlier – sorry, and thanks. Found T. very interesting throughout – you two make a good team.

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Vince Clarke's APAzines
Contents

PreviousNext

Notes and Queries
K1
K2
K3
K4
K5
K6
K7
K8
K9
K10
K11
K12
K13
K14
K15
K16
K17
K18
K19
K20
K21
K22
K23
K24
K25
K26
K27
K28
K29
K30
K31
K32
K33
K34
K35
K36
K37
K38
K39
K40
K41
K42
K43
K44
K45
K46
K47
K48
K49
K50
K51
K52
K53
K54
K55
K56
K57
K58 to K69
K70
Books About SF Continued
From K??
Vincentian 1
Vincentian 2
Vincentian 3