The Bloom Boys Harold, Allan, and Leopold

[Denis Salter]

Dear Colleagues,

My queries about matters canonical, pedagogical, typographical,
hyper-critical have brought me a veritable Noah's Flood of
E-mails, phone calls, faxes, and, today, a piece of correspondence.
I thank all of you. I didn't know such matters were still in the
underground. May the Canon be with you.

Yesterday I was being taught how to become a Guru of the Internet.
I was bad at hand, foot, and eye coordination.  I tried to be
consistent in putting the metal to the pedal as I was put in
charge of various Search Engines, most of which took me down
the once-upon-time-called Information Highway at such lightning-like
speeds that I had the impression I was being taught how to
drive different Formula One Racers.  <www.dogpile.com> should win
an award for verbal infelicity, memorable vividness, and the speed of
all speeds.Dogpile?  Please, help. What double entendres are at work?

The point of this exercise in painful death or autodidacticism
was that I came across a long, intelligent, lucidly written
article: at the speed I was going I had to speedreadit but I
think I captured the gist of it.  The main argument, over three
pages in nuanced thought, was that H. Bloom has to create a
canon--timeless, universal--because he is Jewish.  Now, as I am
not Jewish, this mystified me.  In the nanoseconds I had with
said article, I didn't detect a note of anti-Semitism.
I am still such a technoklutz that I can remember the effects of
speed on body, soul, imagination, mind, and all 5 (really should
be six) senses but I can't remember the name of the author, the
name of the article, and details as to where you can find it online.

A. Bloom was mentioned but just en passant.

L. Bloom wasn't mentioned.  But remember that H. Bloom has taken care of
that problem.

In conclusion, the article is there, in cyberspace.  If someone
finds it, I'd be grateful for what I think are still called
the bibliographic or citation details.

But please, no more Noah's Flood. And certainly not a Niagara
Falls which is possible given the volatility of these issues.
Don't drown the messenger.

Why not post your musings directly onto Candrama?


--D.

p.s. does anyone remember the website of the three men at
U of T (connected with the bookstore?) who went for many a pint
one Saturday this past winter, and contested one another with
good-natured parody etc. to arrive at their canon of the best
Canadian 200?  Just a hunch: I'll bet that not one play is in the
their canon.  What I liked was the combination of Canadian sobriety,
loopiness, eccentricity, and the desire not to take any of this
seriously that brought them together.  I think it was they who
orated: "There are no real canons. But there are imaginary
people who have created imaginary canons. Take your pick. But do
so with a pint or nine of your favourite brew along with your
favourite favourite friends."

D.

I might be misquoting.  Excuse me Professor Abrams.

This is a restricted access zone. 365/7/24 configurations are
denied entrance.


Denis Salter
4965, avenue Connaught
Notre Dame De Grace
Montreal [Qc]
H4V 1X4
(514) 487 7309
No Fax
<cyws at musica.mcgill.ca>; soon to be changed to
<d.salter at sympatico.ca>
31 May 2000