Not Enough Puppeh -

The Verdict On Yesterday's Blog

     Oh well, experimentation and all that, you know.  Don't worry, you're not about to be overwhelmed by pictures -

Like this

- since Conrad's brand of nonsense lightly leavened with the surreal will continue.  As proof, let me say

"Rafstraumur"
     For me, the stand-out track on Sigur Ros' "Kveikur" album, although some others run it close.
     "What does it mean, Conrad?" I hear you cry*.
     Er - you got me there.  Jonsi is either singing in Icelandic, which is a real proper language more akin to Old Norwegian than Danish - yes, I thought that would surprise you! or Vonlandic, which is a nonsense language he makes up on the spot.  I cannot tell the difference.

     Conrad sees the opportunity to string themes together here.  Ladies, gentlemen, visiting non-gendered hermaphrodites from Alpha Centauri, the KV2:

     The title does suggest "RAF's Trauma".  Ah, and before you leap to the obvious, may I present:

Ladies and gentlemen, Raf Vallone

     Conrad sees the opportunity to string themes together here.  Ladies, gentlemen, visiting non-gendered hermaphrodites from Alpha Centauri, the KV2:So - Tanks?

Yes, Raf Vallone, Italian character actor, whom you will have seen in "The Italian Job"**.
  Obviously - what else can it be! - Jonsi is singing about this actor's character being outwitted by Michael Caine.  Yeah.  Losing all that gold bullion - a right trauma.

What's In A Name?  Part One
     Here we are with a quadripartite article on the name "Nimrod".
     1)  In contemporary urban culture, "Nimrod" is a mildly insulting term used of one deemed to be socially inadequate.  Quite how this has come to be is a manner for etymologists, philologists, lexicographers and the Rabid Rats street gang to debate.  All Conrad does is present you with the term.

Your navel!  He's looking at your navel.  Which - is still a bit creepy.

2)  Then we have the ancient and historical Nimrod, quoted in the Bible (nice work if you can get it) as being a "mighty one on the Earth" and a "Mighty hunter before God".  Clearly not someone with acne and braces who reads "Twilight".

Looks like lead singer in a musical.  Get it together, Nimrod - look more manly!

3)  Next comes the RAF Nimrod.  No, nothing to do with Mr. Vallone.  This was a maritime patrol aircraft that stooged about the North Atlantic looking for Russian submarines or lost sailors.  Don't let the look of an airliner fool you, this thing carried mines, missiles, torpedoes, nuclear depth charges and a small microwave for heating up ready meals.

Look at it.  Positively thirsting to drop explodey things on Russians

4)  This one's a sound.  Conrad has not yet mastered posting audio files so you'll have to make do with a portrait of the composer Elgar:

I say, sir!  Splendid tash you have there!

Number 10 of the Enigma Variations is titled "Nimrod".  Here's a Youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUgoBb8m1eE

There you go.  Nimrod.

What's In A Name? Part 2
     Yes, especially if it's a very short name.  Here's just about the shortest name you can get (unless you use punctuation marks, which is kind of cheating):

V

     Now, imagine what goes through Conrad's mind in 1984.  The Olympics are being monopolised by the BBC, so ITV is boasting about a new series it has purchased from America, called by the simple title     Why is this significant?  Remember yesterday's blog and Conrad banging on about a major misapprehension on seeing a bus poster?  Well a good thirty years ago he had polished off two novels by Thomas Pynchon, "Gravity's Rainbow" and his debut "V".  "V" involves separate strands of narrative that eventually meet - like the letter V - in the port of Valetta during the run-up to the Suez Crisis.  Typically for Pynchon it pops off in all directions and one tangent had Conrad wincing at a detailed description of rhinoplasty.  

                                V

"Hang on," muses a puzzled Conrad.  "This is a complex, long, idiosyncratic book that lacks obvious screen appeal.  Or am I an erroneous elitist?"
     Of course I was!  ITV had bought the rights to that sci-fi epic - well, the first series anyway - "V".

     Conrad sees the opportunity to string themes together here.  Ladies, gentlemen, visiting non-gendered hermaphrodites from Alpha Centauri, the KV2:

     Conrad sees the opportunity to string themes together here.  Ladies, gentlemen, visiting non-gendered hermaphrodites from Alpha Centauri, the KV2:So - Tanks?

Twice the Nazi-busting zap of a mere KV1

Obviously Russians couldn't get enough KV, the KV1 didn't satisfy their urge to get more, so they came up with the KV2.  This monster weighed over 50 tons, about twice what contemporary tanks weighed, was 12' tall and mounted a 152mm howitzer.  The turret was so heavy it couldn't rotate if the tank was on a slope.
     Russians and gigantomania - gotta love 'em!