Infinite Summer

I noticed a couple of names of minor characters are humorous pop culture references. I doubt if there is any particular significance to this, other than perhaps a statement about the prevasiveness of pop culture.

For example, one of the prorectors at ETA is Tex Watson, which is also the name of a member of the Manson Family. The form reply from the New Orleans Saints to the Moms' letter to Orin in footnote 110 (the longest footnote in the history of footnotes?) is signed "Jethro Bodine," who was of course the moronic son in "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV show.

I am sure there must be more of these little jokes that I didn't catch.

Sorry. I meant "endnote 110," of course, not footnote.

Yeah, I made the Tex Watson connection. Seems like a pretty weird reference to make considering we don't really see much more of the character.

This isn't really *pop* culture, but another minor character, Hester Thrale of the Ennet House (she of the planet Earth tatoo on her belly--would it expand if she were pregnant, wondered I?) (p. 207) shares her name with the 18th-century British woman of letters and friend (lover?) of Samuel Johnson.

Wikipedia entry on the latter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hester_Thrale