I am attempting to build a concordance to all the limited-edition cards, to explain the jokes, acronyms, obscure references, and cryptic comments, on the theory that everyone needs to have *something* explained. Please, even if you think you understand everything, take a look. There are a lot of subtle things that are easy to miss. New or much-changed entries in this edition: Subliminals, Loch Ness Monster, Grassroots Support, Elders of Zion, Feminists, Reformed Church of Satan. Many other small changes are marked with *'s. Please send me your comments, questions, suggestions for things that need explaining, corrections, and _entries_. I'll see that they're included with proper credit. [I'll try to pick up comments in the newsgroup, but mail is much more sure.] Am particularly looking for further historical commentary on the Gnomes. Version 1.1, (c) 1995 Colin Roald . The Phone Phreaks Edition. This document may be distributed freely, but no charge may be made for it nor may it be included in any compilation for sale without my prior permission. ----------------- potential spoilers follow ----------------------------------- The Illuminati -------------- Adepts of Hermes Ultimately derived from the cult surrounding the Greek god Hermes Trismegistos ("Thrice-greatest"), also identified with the Egyptian god Thoth, that emerged in Hellenistic Egypt ca 3rd century AD. The writings ascribed to Trismegistos include revelations on occult, theological and philosophical subjects, par- ticularly astrology and later medicine and alchemy. These texts are typical of gnostic works of the time, in aspiring for the deification of Man on earth. The work was known, for the most part, throughout antiqui- ty and the middle ages, during which it was frequently reviled as heretical. The followers of Trismegistos (who probably numbered many fewer than the heresiol- ogists targeting them) are known as the Hermetics, though it is unlikely there was ever any well-defined Hermetic society or church. The staff with entwined snakes is Caduceus, one of Hermes' symbols. Bavarian Illuminati "Formally known as the 'Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria', these are the original Illuminati. Many consider them to be the prototype of all secret societies." [Illuminati 1987 Deluxe Edition Rulebook] Founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt (compare _Cerebus_), the Illuminati were hardly the first secret society. Freemasonry--oddly missing from this game--was an extremely influential contemporary secret society with members like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The two societies borrowed attributes, titles, degrees, etc from each other. Like many of these societies, they were founded as part of the Enlighten- ment as men searched for Truth within instead of from the Catholic Church (or God). [LM][MB] Bermuda Triangle The Triangle is the area approximately between Bermuda, Florida, and the Greater Antilles, where more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes are said to have mysteriously have disappeared. Reports date to the mid-nineteenth century of ships lost without distress signals, ships found abandoned without apparent cause, and planes (including rescue missions) vanished without trace. Discordian Society "Worshippers of Eris, the Roman Goddess of Strife and Chaos." [Deluxe Edition.] From the _Iliad_: Eris rolled a wonderful golden apple into a party of other goddesses emblazoned upon the apple was the word KALLISTI, "to the prettiest one." Hera, Athena and Aphrodite all claimed the prize, and Zeus instructed Paris to choose the victor. He chose Aphrodite, and was rewarded by her with the love of Helen of Troy, thus precipitating the Trojan War. [LM][BW] Gnomes of Zurich "The old nickname for the Swiss bankers who are reputed to be the money-masters of the world." [Deluxe Edition] The Network "Some say the Network is a conspiracy of the world's computer programmers; others believe the programmers are merely pawns, and the computers themselves have taken over. Either way, they are rich and powerful, and they are probably watching you _right now_." [Deluxe Edition] Servants of Cthulhu A reference to H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. Cthulhu is an ancient evil that lies dreaming in R'lyeh lost beneath the Pacific, whose awakening would end the Earth. If it sounds like you're sneezing, you're pronouncing it right. Shangri-La Also known as Shamballa and Xanadu; one story has it that the city is the source of many tunnels, some of them hundreds or thousands of miles long, which connect to the world's capitals and mystic sites. Popularised in _Lost Horizon_, a 1933 novel by James Hilton, where it was a monastery in the Himalayas where the monks lived incredibly long lives thanks to their totally sinless existences. The main character in _Lost_Horizon_ was offered the position of head Lama when the old one (several hundred years old) was about to retire/die, but he decided to decline and return to the outside world (where he narrates the story from). The book was so popular the idea passed into the public consciousness. [MD][CO][DV][MB] UFOs Short, oval-eyed beings who have crossed the galaxy to abduct rednecks and mutilate cattle. What do they want? No one knows. Note the schwa in the lower right-hand corner of the UFO triangle, which derives from UFO-watcher lore. Quoting from a pamphlet: "Alien invaders have no sense of timing... But now you can deal with them quickly, painlessly and at your own convenience! "They have travelled many light years to greet us...but somehow they always pitch up at an awkward moment. "You may be asleep, or driving along a lonely road at night, when an alien materializes with an urgent demand for sperm samples, or asks you to submit to a painful internal examination. Either way, it's just not convenient to be forcibly abducted and taken aboard an intergalactic spacecraft. "Only one thing deters these annoying extraterrestial pests--SCHWA, Earth's premier range of alien defence products. Schwa's amazing patented Xenon coatings give early warning of manifestations, while its printed products end all doubts about the unknown now --forever. "For Schwa information, and information about Schwa products, send a SASE to Schwa Corp, PO Box 6064, Reno NV 89513-6064...." [JY][WC] Groups ------ A.M.A. American Medical Association. American Autoduel Assn Reference to SJ Games' _Car Wars_ (fictional); also to the ubiquitous American Automobile Association, purveyors of fine maps and roadside assistance. [CL] B.A.T.F. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. An American law-enforcement agency involved in precipitating the mass-suicide of the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, TX. Big Media Can someone identify the image on the screen? * Bjorne Reference to "Barney", a purple "dinosaur" hosting a sickly-sweet kids show (ages 2-4); possibly also a reference to a Swedish children's character also named Bjorne, a bear, though the story is that Steve Jackson was not aware of the latter when designing the game. [AG][DC] Boy Sprouts Reference to the Boy Scouts, Baden-Powell's worldwide youth organisation. Brazil South American country, the 5th largest in the world. George Bush Ex-President of the United States. Got into a famous row with the agriculture industry after claiming, "when you're President, you don't have to eat your broccoli." California American State. Surf's up, dude. Canada Hey! I resemble that remark. [also see England.] Cattle Mutilators Apparently large numbers of dead cattle are found in the Western states with their eyes and sexual organs removed. Some reports claim surgical dissection and missing blood. Frequently blamed on UFOs. [JY][LM] The practice of divining the future by examining animal entrails is called "haruspication", and was widely practiced in antiquity. Center/Disease Control Federal research lab that collects data on diseases and conditions, watches for and responds to epidemics, and so on. [JY] CFL-AIO Reference to AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Labor/ Congress of Industrial Organizations. [KB][AB] * Church of Elvis The 24-Hour Church of Elvis is open for visitors in downtown Portland, Oregon. [AN] C.I.A. Central Intelligence Agency. The American spy service. Bill Clinton President of the United States. * Hillary Clinton Wife of President. Has been very visible in Washington inner circles, to the point of being nearly an unofficial member of the Cabinet. Clone Arrangers Possibly an obscure pun off the Lone Ranger. Note also that "23" is a very Illuminated number (cf. "Warehouse 23"). See also Clone. Congressional Wives "Congress" is the American federal legislature. What else can I say? Democrats American political party. The donkey is their trad- itional symbol. Deprogrammers People who are paid to kidnap people (usually friends or relatives of worried rich people) away from relig- ious cults and "deprogram" them--essentially brain- washing them into leaving the cult, an activity which they justify by alleging the victim was brainwashed into joining the cult. [TNG] Dinosaur Park Reference to movie "Jurassic Park". Druids The priests of a pagan religion from the British Isles. EFF Electronic Frontiers Foundation. lobby group for civil liberties and freedom of expression in the computer world. Provided lawyers for SJG in the Secret Service case [see "Secret Service".] [JY] * Elders of Zion Refers to a specific, long-standing hoax. _The Proto- cols of the Elders of Zion_ was a document purporting to show how the Jews were trying to rule the world. It has been shown to have been forged by the Czarist secret police, but Hitler is reported to have been heavily influenced by this document, as was the Soviet secret police. It still gets some attention, and has recently taken on a bit of a new life in modern Russia. [DC][DV][KB] Elvis Rock singer. Was big in the '50s. Dead now. Empty Vee Reference to MTV, "music television". England Still an important player in global conspiracy. According to Lyndon LaRouche, a secret British-Canadian organisation, "Permindex", is right this minute conspiring with Conrad Black of Big Media and the nefarious World Wildlife Fund to assassinate Bill Clinton. Bonus points if you replicate this in INWO. Fast Food Chains McDonalds is *everywhere*. Think about it. F.B.I. Federal Bureau of Investigation. If you didn't know this one, you haven't been watching enough Hollywood. Federal Reserve American central bank; coordinator of fiscal policy. * Feminists Supposedly, bra-burning was, in the '60s and '70s, a statement of liberation from patriarchal oppression. Historically, this was largely the invention of right- wing comics and commentators wanting to ridicule the feminist movement. A few of the most radical actually may have pulled off stunts like this, but for the most part it was a lot less frequent than many suppose. Betty Friedan was interviewed on the subject, and claimed to know of only two actual incidents. [KB] Fiendish Fluoridators When the practice of adding fluoride to public water supplies to prevent tooth decay began in the '50s, there was much hysteria about this fiendish Communist plot to contaminate our precious bodily fluids. also a reference to movie "Dr. Strangelove", in which an insane general with this belief launches an attack on the Soviet Union. [TG][WC][TNG] Note the reappearance of the number "23" (cf. Warehouse 23). Finland Scandinavian country; home of the sauna. One of the few places in the world where the biathlon makes sense as a sporting event. Flat Earthers This group really exists. They contend the picture on the NASA card is precisely how the space programme was conducted. [FM][JY] Fnord Motor Company Ford Motor Company, which is only mostly American these days. also see "Fnord!". France Anyone else think the Eiffel Tower is suspiciously pyramidal? Fraternal Orders Likely a reference to the Shriners, who are known for the funny hats. Another order, the Masons, is thought by many to be a front for the Bavarian Illuminati. Note that the guy's holding a Cthulhu statuette on the card, indicating he may be a pawn of another Illuminati. [DV][JK] Fred Birch Society reference to John Birch Society, a right-wing extremist organisation active in the '50s Commie witch-hunts; proponents of slogan "America: Love It or Leave It." Still in existence. [KB][AB][BK][LR][LM] Girlie Magazines "Pent-Ups" refers to American magazine "Penthouse", with double entendre to "Pin-Ups". [TNG] Al Gore Vice-President of the United States, noted for backing environmental causes, and coiner of the evil phrase "information superhighway". It may be worth noting that "tree-hugger" is a slang term for environmental- ists. [TNG][DC] Gun Lobby One of the richest in Washington. Hawaii Volcanic American State. Surf's up, dude. Jimmy Hoffa Labour organiser and former president of the Teamsters (Truckers) Union, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the '70s. Presumed dead; reputed to have had mafia connections. Hollywood You know, the place where they make movies. Saddam Hussein Dictator of Iraq. Imelda Marcos Wife of ex-dictator Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines. Owned over 2000 pairs of shoes when deported. I.R.S. Internal Revenue Service; the taxmen. Japan Really, it's too busy just _buying_ the world to worry about conspiracy. KKK Ku Klux Klan, white-supremacist organisation infamous for burning crosses and lynching blacks who didn't take the warning. [KB] L-4 Society Reference to "L-5 Society", a pro-space lobby group. "L-4" and "L-5" are orbital mechanics terms referring to specific orbits, where the Society wants to place space colonies. Has merged with the National Space Society. Las Vegas American city, home of the casinos. Libertarians American political movement believing in minimal government and freedom of the individual. * Local Police Departments American cops and doughnuts are stereotypically regarded as inseparable. [KB] * Madison Avenue Home to the advertising industry in New York City. Who is/was "Canada Bill Jones"? * The Mafia Organised crime, particularly groups in or originally from Sicily. The extent of the interrelationships between Sicilian and American operations is murky. [JD] * MI-5 British domestic counterintelligence organisation. The initials stand for "military intelligence"; MI-6 is the foreign intelligence service. (MI-1 through MI-13 were created in World War II. Afterwards, most departments were closed; only -5, -6, and possibly one other dedicated to protecting the royal family still exist.) [FM][DC][JD] Moonbase Where do you think the UFOs go? Moonies Nickname for Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, a Christian religious cult known for handing out flowers at airports. [FM] Moral Minority Reference to Moral Majority, Rev. Jerry Falwell's fundamentalist Christian organisation. [FM] Mossad Israeli foreign spy organisation. has a reputation for assassination. [DV] N.A.S.A. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. the moon-landing people. Also see "Flat Earthers". [FM] N.A.T.O. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The Western military alliance. * Nephews of God Possible reference to cult called "Children of God" which is/was accused of brainwashing recruits. The picture and caption, on the other hand, seem to be references to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (aka the "Hare Krishnas"), a red-robed Hindu religious cult also known for hanging about airports (cf Moonies). [TNG][DC][WL] New York It's a city. A big one. Ninjas Ancient Japanese sect of assassins. Manuel Noriega Ex-dictator of Panama; accused of harbouring cocaine smuggling. Ollie North Ex-military attache disgraced in Iran-Contra scandal for trading arms for hostages; lost a bid for the US Senate in 1994. Is both photogenic and silver- tongued. N.S.A. National Security Agency. The code-breakers. * O.P.E.C. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the oil cartel. * Pentagon The building that houses the Department of Defense in Washington. The cloud billowing out of the hole could be the spirit bound under it (Pentagon//Pentagram...) in the _Illuminatus!_ trilogy. [CC] Ross Perot American billionaire who made an independent run for President in 1992. Was known for making arguments with long sequences of cardboard graphs, in his tele- vision advertising. Phone Phreaks "Phreaks" are people who spoof or break into the phone system. Post Office The USPS is famous for disgruntled ex-employees shooting up the workplace. Dan Quayle Ex-Vice-President, famous for foot-in-the-mouth disease, and misspelling "potatoe" at a children's spelling bee. Nancy Reagan Wife to ex-President Reagan. Famous believer in astrology. * Ronald Reagan Ex-President of the US, one-time Hollywood actor. Co-starred in "Bedtime for Bonzo" with a chimpanzee. Note that Bonzo is playing with the Hotline. * Reformed Church of Satan There is a real "Church of Satan" founded in Los Angeles in the late '60s by Anton Salvador LaVey, who has also authored _The Satanic Bible_, orderable at most bookstores. The "Reformed" part may allude to the "Reformed Druids of North America", a neo-pagan group started in the '60s in Berkeley, who (tongue-in-cheek) said they were "reformed" from the ancient druids in that they "usually" didn't practice human sacrifice. While the open Church of Satan is little more than a small-scale scam for the jaded, barely approaching the status of a cult, conspiracy-minded types (including a number of law officials) claim that there is a large- scale secret Satanic cult currently active in the US, and practicing animal and human sacrifice, especially of babies. There is little evidence, however, for more than independent groups of nihilistic adolescents mucking about with the occult. The "official" CoS is believed to still exist, but the RDNA dissolved years ago. Bingo is a very common fundraiser at many American churches. [FM][DZ] Religious Reich Reference to the "Religious Right", an umbrella term for an American political faction. Also alludes to Hitler's description of Nazi Germany as the "Third Reich", where "Reich" is a German word meaning roughly "empire". [JK} Gordo Remora Reference to Geraldo Rivera, sleazy talk-show host. Note "gordo" is Spanish for "fat", and a remora is a scavenging fish known for taking free rides on passing sharks. [JY][AH] Republicans American political party. The elephant is their traditional symbol. * Rifkinites Jeremy Rifkin is a crusader against genetic engineering; likely this group is named in analogy to the Luddites, a anti-industrial protest movement from 19th-century Britain. Rosicrucians Order of the Rosy Cross. The earliest confirmed refer- ence dates from 1614, but thought to have been founded by Paracelsus, a Swiss alchemist who died in 1541. A worldwide brotherhood claiming to possess esoteric and secret wisdom. Their name is taken from the Rosy Cross of alchemy, a sex-magick/divine grace symbol typical of the ambiguity of Paracelsus and his crowd. In their day, the Rosicrucians were an organization of the same caliber (and roughly the same orientation) as the Freemasons. Rumoured to have ties to the Ancient Illuminated Seers (cf Bavaria) and the Templars (qv), though the latter would be particularly Illuminated as the Templars were disbanded in 1312. [MD][JR][CPL] Saturday Morn Cartoons An American cultural institution. Savings and Loans American small banks which required an enormous bail-out package after perhaps criminal mismanagement. Science Fiction Fans _Footfall_, a novel of alien invasion by Niven and Pournelle. Secret Service An arm of the US Treasury Dept., whose best-known function is to bodyguard the President, but is also responsible for the investigation of counterfeiting. Secret Service agents raided SJG in a spectacularly incompetent and unjustified fashion several years ago, claiming that the GURPS Cyberpunk RPG supplement then in preparation was a "handbook for computer crime". Secular Humanists People who base their philosophy on human values and observable events rather than spiritual or religious teachings; a common atheist creed. They disturb the more simple-minded of religious right by representing a credible challenge to their ideology. [JY] Semiconscious Lib. Army Possible reference to Symbionese Liberation Army, a '70s terrorist group famous for kidnapping Patty Hearst. [FM] Silicon Valley Near San Francisco; home of the computer industry. S.M.O.F. Secret Masters of Fandom--tongue-in-cheek allusion to the people who organise SF conventions. Soc/Creative Anarchism Reference to "Society for Creative Anachronism", which stages romantic reconstructions of mediaeval life. Legend has it that they have been investigated by the post office (or possibly the FBI) who couldn't tell it from "Anarchism". [WL][DZ] * Stonehenge Ancient druidical site in England. Various combina- tions of shadows supposedly mark important dates. (Similar but less famous stone rings are found through- out that region.) [MB] * Subliminals A big fad topic in the '60s, one author produced several books claiming advertisers were smuggling the word "sex" into ads to induce us to buy their product. The ice cubes and ice-cream sauce are classic examples, used on the cover of at least one of the books. Inter- estingly, subliminal advertising itself was just a hoax of the late '50s, set up by a desperate advertising executive who needed to convince clients he had a new and exciting technique for selling goods to reluctant consumers. According to a recent issue of "Sceptical Inquirer", he obtained his "evidence" by setting up a demonstration of Subliminal Advertising in a drive-in, then fixing the cola and popcorn sales figures. [MB] Survivalists Fringe movement that believes in preparing to survive the end of civilisation. and in guns. lots of 'em. Switzerland Just what *is* hidden in those mountain passes? Tabloids Gossip newspapers specialising in outrageous headlines. Telephone Psychics Late-night American television is filled with ads for "Psychic Hotlines", $3.99 a minute. Templars The Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solo- mon, a mediaeval Crusading order of knights, disbanded by the pope in 1312 after accusations of witchcraft, sexual perversion, and heresy. These accusations are generally believed to have been mostly baseless--very likely the order had simply become too powerful for Pope Innocent to let continue. The Templars are common characters in conspiracy theory, believed to be the keepers of the Holy Grail (qv.) and the assassins of the last French King, after having infiltrated the French Freemasons and Jacobites. It is interesting to note that the Templars' traditional regalia was a red cross on a white surcoat; we are not sure who the character on the card is. [LM] Texas American state where things are very big. Margaret Thatcher Ex-Prime Minister of UK, a.k.a. the "Iron Lady". Known particularly for waging the Falklands war with Argentina. Trekkies Fans of "Star Trek". Triliberal Commission Reference to the Trilateral Commission, which is essentially a chat club for economic and political leaders from the US, Europe and Japan (hence, "tri"); membership has included two American presidents (Carter and Bush) and half a dozen cabinet members. Once a favourite target of conspiracy theorists. [KB] [TNG][also Cecil Adams, _More of the Straight Dope_] TV Preachers Believe it or not, there are entire television networks devoted to exhorting the faithful to send them money. * Urban Gangs The circled 'A' seen in this card and many others is an anarchists' symbol. * Vatican City The sovereign papal state and "capital" of the Catholic Church, located within Rome and including the papal palace (the Vatican proper) and St. Peter's Church, established June 10, 1929; 108.7 acres; pop. about 1000. Reputed to contain the most extensive library of Forbidden Tomes in existence. [DV] Voudonistas Combination of Voodoo practitioners reputed to thrive in Haiti, and the standard "istas" ending to major rebel bands in Central America. (Sandinistas, Zapatistas, etc.) [DV] Wall Street Home of the stock market in New York City. Famous for corporate raiders and white-collar crime, among other things. * W.I.T.C.H. This group (or perhaps groups) really exists, but it seems to be rather loosely-knit and has purposes that change with the tide. [KB] Resources --------- Bigfoot AKA the Sasquatch. A hairy giant, generally pictured circa 9' tall, reputed to roam the forests of the Rocky Mountains. Book of Kells The Gospels, illuminated by the brothers at the monastery at Kells in Ireland in the early 9th century. (The Book was actually begun at Iona in the late 8th century, but was moved after early Viking raids). On permanent display at Trinity College, Dublin, it is regarded as the masterpiece of its kind. [MD] Clipper Chip Prospective US Gov't-sanctioned cryptography standard. Would have a "back-door" to allow gov't agencies to potentially read any transmission. [FM] Crystal Skull A real gem made from a single block of quartz weigh- ing 11 pounds 7ozs. Commonly known as the Mitchell- Hedges crystal skull, the life-sized artifact seeming- ly came to light in 1927 after the excavation of a lost Mayan citadel in British Honduras. Subsequent investigation by Joe Nickell indicated that the item is not of Mayan ancestry, but rather is much more modern. Furthermore, the claims of death stalking the owner of the skull seem to lie more in the realm of imagination rather than fact. It is beautiful, though. [LM][DV] Eliza The early pseudo-AI psychoanalysis program. The user pours out his heart to Eliza, which responds by quoting fragments back at him prefaced by phrases like, "Why is it that..." and "Is it because of your mother that..." This is especially amusing when trying to discuss sports with Eliza. The Frog God In the _Illuminatus_ trilogy, there is a scene in which a main character witnesses an Obscene Ritual performed in front of an idol much like this one. [JR] Hammer of Thor Called Mjolnir. * Hitler's Brain Only his skeleton was ever found. Also possibly a reference to a Grade Z movie, "They Saved Hitler's Brain". [JY][JK][WL][RB][MV] The Holy Grail The name given to the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper; believed to have miraculous healing powers. Lost for millenia; one theory holds that it is guarded by a surviving order of Templars (qv). * Library at Alexandria The most famous library of classical antiquity. Founded and maintained by the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt begin- ning from the 3rd century BC; initally organised by Demetrious Phalerus. The Library was destroyed in the Roman civil war under Aurelian in the late 3rd century AD. (Alexandria was the capital of the Hellenistic Egyptian kingdom founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.) The Library was rebuilt, to be destroyed a second time by the Arabs in the 8th century. Allegedly, the commander proclaimed that if the books agreed with the Koran, they were superfluous; if they contradicted it, they were pernicious--so burn them all. [WL] * Loch Ness Monster (summarized from Fortean Times #76) In late 1933, the Daily Mail hired self-proclaimed big-game hunter Marmaduke Wetherall to find the Loch Ness Monster. He took a stuffed hippopotamus foot ashtray, and placed tracks and 'spoor' along the shore, and claimed to have found evidence of the monster. When his hoax was exposed, he was dropped by the Daily Mail, which wounded his pride. The famous photo of Nessie was supposedly created bye Wetherall and his stepson, Christian Spurling, who was an expert model-maker. Wetherall's link to the photo was not previously suspected, because the photo had been taken by surgeon Robert Wilson. However, it turns out that Wilson was a friend of a friend of Spurling's. Shortly before his death, Spurling described the hoax in an interview. There are still some suspicions about the truth of Spurling's story, however. [JY] Necronomicon Book of arcane and forbidden knowledge from H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu works. Originally fictional, though some enterprising individual has written a mockup which you may find for sale. [FM] Orbital Mind Control Lasers Paranoid schizophrenics frequently claim that "They" are controlling their lives via invisible beams from orbiting satellites. [RV] Principia Discordia A real book, written by an author calling himself "Malaclypse the Younger". Dates from the '60s. The bible of Discordianism. It is available online as ftp://ftp.spies.com/Library/Classics/princip.txt or http://www.willamette.edu/webdev/principia/. [JK][MV][CF] Rogue Boomer A "boomer" is a submarine armed with strategic nuclear weapons. Shroud of Turin A sacred artefact of the Catholic Church, held to be Christ's burial cloth. Considerable controversy exists over its authenticity. * Spear of Longinus The spear that pierced Christ's side when He was on the cross, also known as the Spear of Destiny. According to legend, its owner was invincible in battle. Reportedly, Hitler wanted this baby badly. [DV][KB] Soulburner Likely a reference to the key macguffin in SJG's second-coolest publication ever, the world of Merlin from _Time Travel Adventures_. * Warehouse 23 Reference to Hangar 54, where supposedly the US government stores crashed UFO's, dead aliens on ice, and other such objects it finds or acquires. Remember the last scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark? Possibly also a reference to "Hangar 18", a UFO flick. [I should note that my correspondents have quoted a wide variety of possible hangar numbers at me; in the event some- body has concrete references, I'll update this entry.] It should also be noted that "23" is a very Illuminated number, particularly important in Discordianism as a representation of the Rule of Fives (2+3=5). The key tenets of the Rule are (1) that the number 5 controls far more of our lives than can be attributed to mere chance, and (2) that any other number would serve as well as 5. Fictional. [JY][FM][AC] Xanadu "In Xanadu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure dome decree..." Reference to Coleridge's unfinished classic poem. The described effect is also reminiscent of the fashion in which the Assassin cult insured the total loyalty of its members, but a combination of hashish and a pleasure garden to convince them that when they died, they had assurance of heaven. [JK] Plots ----- 18-1/2 Minute Gap A reference to a critical bit of tape missing from the recordings of discussions between ex-President Richard Nixon and his subordinates, from the Watergate scandal. [JY][TNG] Albino Alligators Reputed to live in the New York City sewers, bleached and blinded like cave fish. [MD] An Offer You Can't Refuse From the film _The Godfather_; a very unappealing offer that the target must accept lest he find himself sleeping with the fishes. [MD] Are We Having Fun Yet? First quipped by cartoon character Zippy the Pinhead; later aped by many. [DV] Atomic Monster Gojira/Godzilla, mainly. But also Gamera and others. [DV][JY] Benefit Concert The 1980s saw a rash of benefit concerts for various liberal causes, mainly world hunger. [DV] Bimbo at Eleven Reference to standard TV news update phrase, "Film at eleven," meaning, "We'll have a full report in the late news programme." "Bimbo" is American slang for a very beautiful and air-headed woman, particularly one "collected" by a rich or powerful man. [JD] Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat From a famous Second World War speech by Winston Churchill, detailing all he had to give for his country. [MD] Chicken in Every Pot A campaign slogan of Herbert Hoover, who was president when the stock market crashed. Many people commented (post-crash) about how horribly wrong he was.... [RV] Citizenship Award The man on the right bears a distinct resemblance to Tricky Dick Nixon (cf 18-1/2 Minute Gap), possibly referring to the rehabilitation given to his reputation by eulogy speakers after his death in 1994. * Clone A genetically identical copy of a biological entity. A favorite of science-fiction tales wherein entire humans are "cloned". [JD] Cold Fusion Notorious scientific mistake. Chemists Pons and Fleischmann claimed to have observed fusion in a beaker at low temperatures, which if true would have promised almost limitless cheap energy. This claim was followed by a flood of fame and experimental effort, but their results were never verified. Crop Circles Sometimes more, sometimes less elaborate patterns found stamped into grainfields, frequently but not exclusive- ly in southern England. Attributed either to UFO landings or bored college students. "Ley lines" refers to a theory of magic holding that occult power is confined to a tracery of of "lines" embracing the Earth; crossings of lines then are places of great power. Stonehenge (qv) is often held to be one such. Deasil Engine "Deasil", from the Gaelic meaning clockwise. Its opposite is "widdershins", meaning anticlockwise, or "in a reversed way"--in other words, this card is a triumph of pun over scholastic accuracy. Don't Forget to Smash the State Illustration is reminiscent of the 1993 TV footageof the cranes ripping down Dzherzinsky's statue from in front of the KGB building. Fear and Loathing Catchphrase used by gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. [JY][MD] Fnord! A word which is supposed to appear throughout news- papers and magazines, but which we do not consciously fnord notice. Being faced with the omnipresence of an "invisible" fnord non-word creates a sense of perman- ent unease in the populace. From Robert Anton Wilson's _Illuminatus!_, though originated in the _Principia Discordia_, which says: "FNORD => fnord, fnord, fnord, fnord, fnord,fnord, fnord, fnord, fnord..." [JW] Full Moon Folklore holds that the full moon causes madness (luna-cy), but statistical analysis shows there's no more oddness on the Full Moon than any other night. Of course, They might control the statisical analyzers. [DV] Fundie Money "Fundie" is common American slang for religious funda- mentalists; ie. the target has been bought off by the special interest. Gang War Concrete galoshes are a traditional mob assassination method. Giant Kudzu Kudzu is an imported species of vine with no natural predators in the US. It thrives in parts of the South, to the point of choking trees, telephone poles, build- ings, parked cars, etc, while exterminating the native plant life. A truly vile weed. [TNG] * Grassroots Support The man and woman are from "American Gothic", a famous painting of traditional American farmlife by Grant Wood (1892-1942). [JJ][CL][MV] Gremlins Mythical creatures said to haunt machinery (partic- ularly airplanes), randomly breaking machinery. I believe their legend dates from WW2. Gun Control American political hot potato. Notice how they are prying it from his cold, dead hand. Harmonica Virgins August 16, 1986 was to be the Harmonic Convergence, when all the planets would come into alignment and a new age of peace and good things would begin. [DV] Hat Trick "Hat Trick" is usually a sporting term referring to a player who scores three goals in a single match; the trick shown is more usually called a "shell game". Infobahn Term popularised by _Wired_ magazine. Sickeningly, it's caught on. [see also "Al Gore"] [DV] The Internet Worm An experimental computer program by Robert T. Morris Jr., son of noted computer luminary R. T. Morris Sr. (on whose actual job my correspondents can't seem to agree), was supposedly inadvertently set loose one day in the late 80's...it rapidly began duplicating itself, spreading from machine to machine across the internet, and brought much of the network to its knees. Some folks who examined the worm claim it looked to have been written by committee. [JY][RB] Jake Day If one person does something weird, it's a shenanigan. If several hundred strangers from all over the globe simultaneously do something weird, it's a Jake. See newsgroups alt.discordia or alt.shenanigans to find the plotting for Spam Jake Day '95. [EF] Jihad A Arabic word meaning roughly "holy war." Apparently all collectible card games are required to have this card. Just Say No A poetic Reagan Administration anti-drug slogan. Ketchup is a Vegetable A proposed Reagan Administration policy to save money on school lunches while abiding by Food and Drug Admin. regulations requiring two vegetables served at each meal--consider ketchup to be a vegetable! Was dropped amid howls of derisive laughter. [JY] Kinder and Gentler What America would become if he was elected, according to George Bush's 1988 election rhetoric. Let Them Eat Cake! Likely apocryphal response assigned to Marie Antoin- ette shortly prior to the French Revolution, when told the peasants had no bread to eat. * Mother's March Likely a reference to the Illuminatus! trilogy, in which a character is repeatedly accosted by women requesting donations to the "Mothers March against ", where psoriasis and catarrh were among the diseases mentioned, in parody of the real-life Mothers March Against Birth Defects, aka the March of Dimes. Possibly also a reference to an Argen- tinian group called I believe "Mothers of the Disap- peared", who pressed the government for information about their imprisoned sons. Unfortunately, they were not very successful. [MV][AB] Nobel Peace Prize Awarded every year in Oslo, Norway, as part of Alfred Nobel's atonement for the invention of dynamite. Peace In Our Time The infamous promise by British Prime Minister Chamberlain after the 1938 Munich talks. In the event, he wasn't re-elected. [DV] Pledge Drive American television tradition of variety shows held to provide an opportunity to make pleas for donations to support any of a variety of causes. Images of busy operators taking calls and display boards with running totals of pledge amounts are de rigeur. Power Corrupts And absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton.[DV] Pulitzer Prize Prestigious American awards for journalism. * Rain of Frogs There have supposedly been several incidences of rains of frogs or other unlikely small animals in the last century, but none recorded on video or film to my knowledge. More reputable are reports of sudden, localized population explosions of frogs. Information from the _Fortean Times_, a publication specialising in the news of the weird and named after Charles Fort, one of the original collectors of the bizarre. [JY][MV] Reach Out . . . "Reach Out and Touch Someone", a long-running ad campaign for AT&T, the phone company. [MD] Read My Lips "... No New Taxes". Famous campaign promise made by Bush in 1988; later reneged upon. Red Scare Widespread anti-communist hysteria in the 1950s. [MD] Rewriting History The door reads, "Ministry of Truth", the agency responsible for rewriting history from Orwell's _1984_. Savings and Loan Scandal See "Savings and Loans". The Second Bullet JFK assassination buffs often claim there was a second bullet from someone other than Oswald, one removed from the body before it could be found by doctors, which was the real killing shot. [DV] Secrets Man Was Not Meant to Know Catchphrase from the Cthulhu Mythos. Senate Investigating Committee Legal proceedings carried out by the legislative branch of the US government, particularly into the affairs of groups otherwise protected from public scrutiny. [MD] Solidarity Reference to the Polish labour movement turned poli- cal party, which won its fight against Communism. The Stars are Right R'lyeh, where dread Cthulhu lies dreaming, only rises from the deeps when the stars are in certain configurations. [DV][MD] * Straighten Up Note carefully all the items being tossed into the fire. Sweepstakes Prize Junk mail in the US often contains dubious sweepstakes offers (featuring Ed McMahon as spokesman) headed with the phrase "You may have already won!" *I've* never won. . . [MD] Swiss Bank Account Tax-free and secret (at least, they used to be). [MD] Talisman of Ahrimanes In Zoroastrianism, Ahriman is the spirit of Evil, in constant struggle with Ahura Mazda, the spirit of Good. [MD] Terrorist Nuke Image is likely a reference to the 1993(?) World Trade Center bombing in New York. [MD] Thousand Points of Light Reference to a speech given by George Bush at the 1988 Republican nominating convention describing the volunteers working to make America better. See also "Kinder and Gentler". [MD][DV] Time Warp Song from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", a cult film popular in the US. [MD] * Voodoo Economics Phrase used by George Bush to describe Ronald Reagan's theory of "supply-side economics" during the 1980 Presidential campaign. Reagan promised that by cutting the tax rate, he could improve the economy enough to raise revenues and thus simultaneously spend more on defence and balance the budget. His professed dis- belief did not prevent Bush from later buying into the theory to become Reagan's running-mate. Ain't American politics majestic? [MD][JY] Thanks for corrections, comments, and further information from: [RB] R. Bain [KB] Kevin Barth [MB] Mark Bassett [AB] Aaron Brezenski [WC] Will Chow [CC] Christopher Clark [AC] Aaron R. Clements [DC] DJConner@aol.com [MD] Mike Dalton [JD] John S Dunkelberg [CF] Christopher M. Fazendin [EF] Erica L. Frank [AG] Anders Gabrielsson [TG] Tom Granvold [TNG] Tom Greer [AH] Alex Habig [JJ] Jeff Jones [BK] Brian Kirkham [JK] Joshua Kronengold [CRL] Creede Lambard [CL] Chad Leigh [CPL] Corey Liss [WL] Will Linden [FM] Flex Mentallo [LM] Lance Moody [AN] Alan Nichols [CO] Craig "Ichabod" O'Brien [JR] JRaglin@utcvm.utc.edu [LR] Laurie Robertson [MV] Mike Vande Bunt [DV] Dave Van Domelen [RV] Rob Vines [BW] Brian K. Wade [JW] Jonathan Woodward [JY] Jeremy York [DZ] Douglas Zimmerman -- colin | rational romantic mystic cynical idealist minimal expressionist post- roald | modern neo-symbolist armchair rocket scientist graffiti existentialist