I intend to try and take a look at the Radio Straka transmissions and try and pull out the relevant facts.What is relevant may be a difficult thing to ascertain, but lets hope we can find something together.
First of all I want to list all of the references to The Ship Of Theseus book, and collect all page numbers / mentions, I will also list other books written by V M Straka, then I want to list some of the recurring items / numbers, also I will outline the basic subjects of each transmission, and finally anything else of note that doesn't fit into those categories.
If you think something else is significant or something is incorrect please let us know in the comments.
Ship Of Theseus References
- TRANSMISSION 1
Shipwreck described in SoT was a shipwrecked vessel, possibly from 1st Dec 1912
Tweets
"the avian warbles and trills that will allow them to communicate" (V.M. Straka, 'Ship of Theseus' p.416)
"Perhaps there is art to be found in the context of their actions..." (V.M. Straka, 'Ship of Theseus' p.323)
"It was stolen, as most beautiful things eventually are" - Stenfalk ('Ship of Theseus' p.151)
- TRANSMISSION 2
"Perhaps there is art to be found in the context of their actions, in their motivations, in the desire that underlie their doomed rebellion." page 323.
Now, now, what does it add up to this barrage of images and words and voice and lines and nonsense and roots and fevered dreams and soliloquies and abject lies." Page 310
(Unsure where the actual quote starts)
Tweets
“Perhaps a coincidence, perhaps a tradition.” - V.M. Straka, 1949. 'Ship of Theseus', p.390
"It takes more than destruction to destroy a ship like this" SoT p.396 (Youtube video to accompany this)
"a quick nod of the head that counts as the greatest demonstration of solidarity" V.M. Straka, 'Ship of Theseus', p.416
- TRANSMISSION 3
"It would be better if you had many names." page 245
"many current leaders of revolutionary movements have cited this novel as inspiration." - Editor’s footnote, footnote 16, page 353
"Straka was never more outraged. The endless condescension imperial outsiders have shown through history." Look at that footnote on page 16
"There is no greater sin in the worlds of Straka’s stories than the acquiescences to the limits of, that power political economical and social imposes on the individual." Editors footnote 9, on page 440
Tweets
"the avian warbles and trills that will allow them to communicate" - Page 416
"To remain unmanageable, perilous, deadly?" - Page 316
"What matters is what you do, not what you are called." - Page 334
- TRANSMISSION 4
"We create stories to help us shape a chaotic world to navigate inequalities of power, to accept our lack of control over nature, over others, over ourselves." - page 146
(This quote and page is mentioned twice in this transmission)
"...syndicalist agitators in order to protect their vast and varied business interests and in fact orchestrated the brutal massacre of striking factory workers in Calais in early 1912, Chapter 1, footnote 2 page 8.
"Birds sing and can fly, writers tell stories, there is much comfort and strength to be found in birds" page 165
Tweets
"He wants to get as much of his story out as he can before he departs, wants to leave a record ..." page 217
"Every story has at least a little truth in it. Every story comes from somewhere." Corbeau - page 149
"The stories that move outside time, that divert, oppose, resist." - page 404
"Push all you like...I am going nowhere." page 248
- TRANSMISSION 5
"It's much easier to bend the world to you will if bending the world is what matters most to you" - Unknown page reference
"Only a madman would devote himself to being an impediment to progress, to political realities, to common sense and to the natural flow of cash and service and product." - page 323
"Times and places were great numbers of people have suffered, died, disappeared." - page 449
"So, the powerful control us. Their control is not absolute. This is the story." - page 396
(Note this reference does not appear to be correct and does not appear on 396 of the book)
"Readers may be interested in know that, just as sailor's referred to ship with feminine pronouns, so, too would Straka use them when referring to the principals of political and economic reform that were the foundation of his writing, his act of resistance, and his revolutionary spirit." - editors footnote 6, page 209.
(This actually appears on page 219 in the published book)
"...referencing the paradox recorded by Plutach in the Life of Theseus similar to the grandfather's axe or John Locke's sock, a thing who's parts change until it raises the question of whether it is the same thing at all." - A reference to page 290
"A ship: a dying aviary." - page 325.
(This actually appears on page 326 and is [uh, no. 326 and the sentence starts with "the" not "a")
"It takes more than destruction to destroy a ship like this," - page 396
Tweets
"You may not have been one of us before, but you are now. Whether you like it or not" - Page 120
"The avian warbles and trills that will allow them to communicate" - Page 416
"What matters is what you do, not what you are called." - Page 334
Other V M Straka Books
Books are listed with publication dates where known or inferred
In the fourth transmission it is mentioned that The Winged Shoes of Amedeo Avert was his 17th novel
- TRANSMISSION 1
Miracle at Braxenholm - 1911 (First book published)
The Spotted Cat
The Black 19 - between 1924 and 1928
A Hundred Aprils in Amritsar - Probably between 1930 and 1937
The Viper’s Humor - Probably between 1930 and 1937
Washington and Greene - Probably between 1930 and 1937
Hanging the Dead - before 1936
Lopevi - before 1936
The Night Palisades - before 1936
The Brigade - 1939
Wineblood's Mine - 1939
The Winged Shoes of Emydio Alves - 1942
Coriolis - 1944 Carston Books (Last book published)
Ship Of Theseus - 1949 Winged Shoe Press
The Magnum Agency was formed in 1947, and SoT was published a year later by F X Caldera, his translator, contradicting the earlier statement about the last book above. However the @RadioStraka twitter profile says the comfort of birds quote is from 1949, not 48, and the actual book cover says 1949 on the library tag.
- TRANSMISSION 2
- TRANSMISSION 3
The Winged Shoes of Emydio Alves is mentioned again as is the hero of this novel "Hermes"
- TRANSMISSION 4
The Winged Shoes of Emydio Alves is mentioned again
Miracle at Braxenholm is mentioned again
The White Oak
- TRANSMISSION 5
Miracle at Braxenholm is mentioned again a few times
Recurring Items / Numbers
19 has occurred a number of times as has a duplicate i.e. 19 days and 19 hours
From the transmission and the book details it appears that Ship of Theseus is Straka's 19th book - this has now been confirmed by @RadioStraka
The teaser postcard was dated April 19th
Radio Straka mentioned the monkey that Straka sent to pick up the Prix Bourchard, there is also a money depicted on the seal of the book.
The Chinese monkey god is mentioned extensively in the fourth transmission as is Straka's use of a monkey to make a political point.
The year 1912 has been mentioned a few times and once as a direct connection with 2013
Each transmission on the Radio Straka website has two different numbers on the rotating dial associated with it depending on where you click.
These numbers listed may not be 100% accurate as the dial is analogue and the spacing between numbers is not consistent, so it is out best guess.
Transmission 1 - 445 - 445
Transmission 2 - 235 - 351
Transmission 3 - 330 ? - 397 ?
Transmission 4 - 385 - 215
Transmission 5 - 395 - 260
Transmission Subjects / Themes
- TRANSMISSION 1
Herbert List Photograph, The Santorini Man
Ocean trade in the 17th Century, ship wrecks and treasures under the sea between Bermuda and the Azores
- TRANSMISSION 2
Labor movements and the struggle, political activism
- TRANSMISSION 3
Sao Paulo, protest votes
UFOs
Soccer World Cup
- TRANSMISSION 4
Mythology and gods, specifically tricksters.
Birds and animals
The winged Shoes
Making connections
- TRANSMISSION 5
Other Items of note
- TRANSMISSION 1
F X Caldeira - V M Straka's Translator
The Santorini Man
Body of a young man found in Santorini in 1937 with a page of Straka's first novel in his pocket.
Straker disappeared in 1946, one year before the Magnum Agency was formed.
Bermuda and the Azores
- TRANSMISSION 2
Propaganda par le fait
1912 and 2013
Not all bombs in history were placed by those who ended up shouldering the blame.
Dorset, England, 1834
Tolpuddle Martyrs
1912 Straka won Prix Brouchard.
- TRANSMISSION 3
"Phyrrula Phyrrula" mentioned in the broadcast and Twiter name was changed to match, we think it is a Bullfinch
F X Caldeira - V M Straka's Translator is said to have written the footnotes in SoT
Cacareco the Rhinoceros was elected to office in 1959 as a protest vote.
Biennial de Sao Paul (Was V M Straka there at this time ?)
April 26, 1959 - Possible UFO sighting, a few days later he was passed a piece paper, possibly with a message from Straka.
Nazca King / Nazcalites
Straka was possibly born in 1863 and was 58 when his first novel was published, which means he would be 82 when he disappeared.
Straka was European
- TRANSMISSION 4
Story of the rare swift killed by a wind turbine on the Isle of Harris
Story of Hanuman from Hindu mythology
Monkey King, Sun Wukong
Talk about Hawaii in a few places, plus some Hawaiian music
- TRANSMISSION 5
Terrorism and political action.
War on terror and State terror.
Bombing of civilians
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ReplyDeleteA good overview! But connections? Only solid things I can think of are -the monkey that accepted Straka's writing prize is printed on the book cover. As mentioned before, 1919 was a big year for labor strikes in the US.
ReplyDeleteThought the idea of Straka swimming from Havana to Brazil might go with the video of the man coming out of the water- but it would have to be after SOTh was written if so. @RadioStraka connects swimming to Caldera going to Brazil, in 1959 I believe, and SOTh was written in 1948.
But- how about- Straka is many people because he does not die? Maybe he is on ship from 1613 that is sunk by pirates, and has various lives that continue on to present.
ReplyDeleteAh yes that could be an interesting concept that many people have taken up the name Straka and continued publishing in his name, maybe to convey a message through history ?
ReplyDeleteI am thinking maybe something more supernatural-such as the same person "erased and reborn" as the first video says. There is the whole theme of being in the water by ship or swimming- of drowning and being found. Life ending in the water with drowning, and then beginning again as the person emerges from the water alive, but not knowing who they are.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Theseus in mythology seems to have two possible fathers- one is Poseidon-King of the Sea- and the other Aegeus-King of Athens. Might represent a man connected to two worlds. He lives on the land of one father, and is reborn in the realm of the other.
Assuming SoTh is autobiographical, and has the drowning/ rebirth story- maybe the "birdwatchers" are a group that look for the reborn man, and fill him in on his history. In secret because the Powers that Be are looking for him too.
ReplyDeleteYou, my dear, have a very good imagination!
DeleteI've been thinking, uh oh:
ReplyDeleteVM Straka.. Very Many Str AKA, straka and strike, straka (masculine) for Chezch magpie (we've mentioned before), also on Wiki Straka surnames: novelist, football mangers and players, historians
FX Caldera? if that is correct spelling? - large crater formed by volcanic explosion. We've had several references to fire, burning, etc. F X - effects of "from Xerbec (ship). and now polacca has been mentioned in tweet today.
Euonymus Wineblood - burning bush, red, red "that's the world burning"
torches in the video
compass or radio signal thingumabob on the website, one will be in with the book, seems maybe a way to decode page numbers?
Zort, at the UFO reference, he refers to Luis da Silva, there are many da Silva names with references to UFO abductions etc. name refers to woods, trees.
Maybe Straka DID accept the Prix Bouchard AS A MONKEY!!! ha ha *head spin.
thanks for the summaries above.
I asked Radio Straka whether SoT was the 19th book and they confirmed it was, I also checked the original postcard and that was sent on April 19th.
ReplyDeleteI tweeted this the other day, but thought I'd add it here - S is the 19th letter of the alphabet.
ReplyDeleteKeeping this in mind, I've been on the lookout for anything that might fit a sunbstitution cipher with shift+19.
Some other references to 19:
-Straka competed in a musical competition - "in a field of 19 entrants" he "came in 19th." (p26, FN)
-19 crewman aboard the Imperia; Eric adds that Straka has written 19 books (928)
-19 pieces of Obsidian (p40)
-There were 19 monks at the Abbey - "the other 18 brothers" were apparently thought not to have escaped the fire
(Xeroxed page from "The Burning Word" - Ephemeron #3)
-Vaclav Straka was thought to have committed suicide at age 19 (Ephemeron #6 - Copy of newspaper clipping Lampa)
Do we need a separate post for references to 19? I''m not sure if they are going to end up mattering.
Forgot about this "19" reference:
Delete-In the Chap1 footnote puzzle solves to the Argosey Every 19th at 1900 hrs. (p27)
Portuguese ship - wrecked near the Azores in 1619 (p49)
DeleteTitle page: Eric notes to return the book to room B19
DeleteTweet "Push all you want to... " correct page number is 284.
ReplyDeleteI've added a 19 reference page, hopefully we can build that up as we go along.
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