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Talk:CABAL

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Interesting. Is this the origin of the word, or did the acronym just happen to be a lucky coincidence of last names?

-- Dan

The word comes from the Hebrew kabbalah. The acronym is a happy coincidence. --Pat 06:22, 24 Sep 2003 (PDT)

Wikipedia explains CABAL in wonderful detail.

Moved from Talk:Stephenson:Neal:Quicksilver:36:According to what scheme? (Alan Sinder)

I'm not sure how to work this interface. First, congratulations on Quicksilver. One notes the reference to Smolin - all is info.

Pedantry follows. However, if you write a historical novel as anything but an alaegory or fanatasy, one does need to make soem gestures to accuracy. Thus:

Cabal were Clifford, Ashby,Buckingham, Arlington and Lauderdale. The geenral who welcomed Charles II was Monck, who indeed was the first commander of the Coldstream Guards. However, "Duke Tweed" is a little like "President Potomac" of the USA. First, Dukes have to be of somewhere, and second, the Tweed would be an unhappy location, being a river. Anglesea is a Marquesate, which arguable ranks a Duke. Young Cromwell was Richard (and keen on his rear, hence the saying "a queer as dick's hatband', used until WWII.)

Niggle, niggle; but it's my history you are misquoting, and it is as painful as a cracked tooth in hot cocoa to hit a clang in the middle of what is otherwise utterly fine.