Does anyone else make a connection with Bigend's name? Specifically connected with the location from which solid waste comes? Being a person of ample fundament myself, I couldn't help coming back to this. (Pun intended.)

the LaughingVulcan
*Remove the animal in my email address, which is my antiSpam device. Unless you Spam, in which case, don't*

Specifically connected with the location from which solid waste comes?

"Bigend" is a pun on "New Jersey"? Wow, who knew...

Watch those NJ references! 'Tis a beautiful place, in reality. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive, having grown up in the original ruined American city, Detroit.

He cracks his hardboiled eggs on the big end, obviously.

I read this as a computer reference (though one inspired by Swift's egg-crackin' controversy)
Big or little endian refers to which bytes are most significant in multi-byte data types. Computer architectures where the leftmost bytes (those with a lower address) are most significant are called "big endian". In little-endian architectures, the rightmost bytes are most significant.

Had I not been personally relating to Cayce's jet-lagged condition when I read the book (on a 2 night business trip to a time zone 3 hours forward of my own), I might have followed up the clue more... as it was I just chuckled and read on.

-vv-

I just rebuilt my corolla engine after one of the conrods let go. Conrods also have a little end and a big end. I can't see how this has any relevance to the story though.

"in the land of the blind,the one-eyed man is king"

In Australia, the phrase "big end" is used, normally as "big end of town" to mean, the richest and most influential business people or their companies.

You might see something like "the new regulations will hit small business operators hard, but won't have much effect on the big end of town".

It could be an ironic reference to the ending of the book!!! Then again, it could just be a name. I'm all for analyzing names and playing symbol-games. Just not with Bigend..the name is too stupid. Almost pynchonian.

Bigend is from Belgium, and it doesn't sound like Flamish which would be more like Pikent, so maybe it should be pronounced bi'jean, no?

So it's not so much the Little Endian who could, but the Big Endian who did? (sorry, couldn't resist, I've been watching Marx Brothers movies.)

My first thought when I read the name was car parts. (Stock BBC sit-com car maintenance joke: "my big end's gone". Cue laughter from audience. Benny Hill and 'Are You Being Served' have MUCH to answer for.)

I've never felt WG went overboard on overnaming characters (unlike much other sci-fi) - regular use of Bobby helps, of course! - although Chia Pet McKenzie was a little OTT. Interesting that it's his most real-world novel that has one of the weirdest names. "Hubertus Bigend". Just rolls off the tongue, I love it. Imagine De Niro or Pacino playing the part. "You gotta problem wid dat?"

I'm rambling and I apologise. Three hours sleep isn't enough for anyone. My soul is on a tether and is still hovering around the bed.

I live in Belgium and I have never seen the name "Bigend" before (neither in Flemish, nor in French). Even a search in the phonebook didn't turn up with any results.

May be this is Mr Gibsons tongue in cheek humour with regard the advertising game. I work in that industry ( indirectly as an It person)and I found the choice of name and description of characters and personality's as such relevant and very very funny!

I couldn't find anyone in the US with that last name Bigend, no surprise.

I googled it at got several asain company references, maybe someone could check those out to see what they say.

Also found reference to a part on an old Locomotive. Doesn't seem likely.

I really doubt that WG was referncing Big Endian as a coding ref; too esoteric and Bigend doesn't have anything to do with computers. The novel either really.

I'm thinking the big end of town is a far more likely ref. Seems like something WG would ref. and makes sense that Bigend is related to big biz. He is big biz.

Or maybe he just has a nice juicey ass. Chicks did that.

"bigend" seems to be used by a number of japanese companies making/selling high-end car parts - specifically rear spoilers and that sort of thing.
i suspect it is just a coincidence - that WG did not know of/intend the connection to a aspect of japanese tech fetishism.

Bigend also appears to be an engine-part

Bigend.. where did it begin?
Humm.. Bigend wants to know where the footage begins..

but will also, by finding the maker and consequently uncovering the source and thus ending the suspense, puts an End to the footage.. presenting the big climax the footage-heads were waiting for..

yes, the desire to know where things Begin&End lies within Bigend..

all that,

and the fact that he's kinda super-rich.. and kind of an ass sometimes..


joko