Dispatches from Vault 23



Post apocalyptic, rockabilly, ephemera, miscellany, eclectica, curio, journal, diary, notes, scrapbook, etc.



28.2.08

"If I lead will you follow?"

27.2.08

"It's embarrassing when you try to overthrow the government and you wind up on the Best Seller's List." - Hoffman

In the spirit of Abbie Hoffman's Steal this Book comes StealThisWiki. I'm not necessarily that kind of radical, but there are some useful and/or interesting tips in there.

Dr. Steel is more my type of culture jamming.

Damnation Alley

The Ten Best Post-Apocalyptic Survival Vehicles

I don't know if I fully agree with their list, but it makes for some good discussion material.

22.2.08

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men

I work with CCTV a lot so I know its reach.

Here's a translated German how to:
IR ASC - infrared light against surveillance cameras
and a couple from from Make:
Temporarily blind surveillance cameras
Building an (IR) infrared-veil

4...8...15...16...23...42

Yeah, I watch it. Even though most of the character interaction/development is complete tripe, a lot of the ideas incorporated are fun.

Lost

My man is Locke.

Looks good

The Signal

18.2.08

17.2.08

The Spies Who Love You

The Spies Who Love You
A work by by Mark Fiore

16.2.08

Another music memory


Until I have time to dig deeper and publish something more interesting, here's singly the biggest, most influential hardcore band from my past:
The Exploited

Dogs of War!

15.2.08

G.B.H.


Another blast from the past. I'm reacquiring a taste for my old hardcore bands, maybe becuase things look as shitty as they did under that shithead, Ray Gun.
I have a fond recollection of standing around a bonfire in the middle of a Kansas cornfield, drinking beers and bullshitting with the lead singer Colin. I remember busting his chops over how I thought it sounded too influenced by heavy metal.

13.2.08

Lori Nix

"...Lori Nix who photographs epic scenes of destruction and grandeur, natural wonders and glittering metropolises, magnificent architecture and heroic landscapes that all have one thing in common—they're all fake." (Cool Hunting article)

Heavy duty mind hacks

History of psychological interrogation and torture
McCoy discusses how these techniques were researched and developed by some of the most distinguished cognitive scientists of the time and were reflected in now uncovered CIA documents, including the 1961 'Manipulation of Human Behavior' research summary, the 1963 KUBARK interrogation manual, and the 1983 'Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual'.
(Post at Boing Boing with further links)

8.2.08

No Fly List

I've done this word gag in other lives before, but it amuses me so here it is again.
From Terry Gilliam's Brazil. More poignant now than ever.

Poor Mr. Buttle.

6.2.08

"Oh no, not me."

Isn't it a little crazy that we can all agree that companies spend a lot of money every year on advertising yet we think that we're not susceptible to its power?
If advertisements aren't an effective form of brainwashing then why would anyone want to drone them at children to and from school?
The school district that approved McDonald's-sponsored report cards has a hot new partnership with Bus Radio, a friendly company that advertises to kids as they ride to school! (Article)
It's too bad that schools are so strapped for cash that they'd remotely consider this a good idea. It goes to our weird fetus worship cult..."Save the Infant, Sacrifice the Child."

Scott Listfield

An astronaut in every painting.
Article at Wired

Tazer Glove

"From simple everyday parts you can make this glove which has two modes. Mode 1 is a constant output of slightly over 300 v. while Mode 2 takes a few seconds to charge, but gives off a much more painful shock. All that voltage from a simple AA battery, Yay science."
Instructables

2.2.08

Music from the Past - Conflict

One of the more influential albums from my youth, Conflict's Ungovernable Force.
From Wikipedia: "The Ungovernable Force is an album by the U.K punk rock band Conflict. It was released in 1986 by Mortarhate Records. Considered by many to be the band's most coherent and complete representation of their politics and aesthetic, it has become an enduring classic in anarchist punk music culture."

One of the most important songs on that album for me was the acerbic humor of Force or Service. I try to keep it in mind as what not to be when carrying out my duties. While I'm not a police officer, my job does often require me to use police powers. Funny how this shit winds up.

Apologies to a friend across the water, but I'm sure he gets it.


Force or Service
A quiet sunny day, the scene is suburban
Not much going off, in fact it's a boring one
Ready and waiting in Bristol fashion
For my radio to bleep and I will jump into action
PC Caring's off duty for a while
A right prat he is, always helpful and a smile
Nineteen, well hard, DM's and truncheon
Headcase 'ere and I've got some lunch

'Headcase' fuck me there goes me radio
It must be a riot if they're calling for backup
I'm at the scene Sarge, what's going down?
There's a darkie in defiance, get that nigger off me, kill 'im
Don't do it in the open, kick his teeth in later
I thought I'd taught you police operations
Take him away out the eyes of the media
Then kill the bastard kill 'im
Make sure you don't bruise him
Oh, doesn't matter you won't see the bruises anyway
He's in the van, pile in everyone, c'mon, c'mon
That's it lads
Ha, ha, ha, I love it, let me have him
Let me kill him, yeah, nice one lads
Now if you wanna get overtime, you better take my advice
Promotion or demotion? Just never step out of line
You want to make sure? Sure we can discuss a price
But keep it shut, keep the image nice
We nick the unemployed, for they are just lazy
Scrounging off us taxpayers, it must be crazy
Join the force and give a helping hand
Because the rules of the force are the laws of the land

(Police Policy)
The CND are communists, we're sick of petty pacifists,
Greenham dykes, Trotskyites, Greenpeace and the rest of it
Rioters, muggers, looters, shooters, niggers are the cause of it
Repatriation for the nation, the simple way to deal with shit
Rastas, punks, mods and hippies, students, queers and dirty pakis
Demanding more than nothing less, but never want to work for it
Miners, printers, paddies, pickets, givin' it all the demo bit
We'll smash them back with our attack, because we're the guys to deal with it

You're here to serve? Protect the nation?
Stop all the foreigners' illegal immigration
You help old ladies across the road
Even if she has got a face like a toad
You re-assure, protect the rich from the poor
To hell with muggings, rapists and the whores
Maintain law and order, keep the public at large
The police is your profession: that's right, eh Sarge?