I was daydreaming on the toilet again, reading about Max Thunderstone as it where, and trying to think of interesting things to hide digitally for my scavenger hunt.

 

I had an idea!

 

Google accounts can have LOTS of stuff!  A google account can have gigs and gigs of well sorted documents, images, calanders, and more stored on them.  I can hide access to google accounts and make them the prizes!

 

So I'm looking at a nice collection of wallpapers, the repair manuals for every toyota ever, and a calander of all the reasonable calanders of events in San Diego piped into it.  

I can hide the data, encrypted, on USB keys and the like.  It could be as simple as a login and password in a text file. 

 

We can allow access to the encryption keys for the stuff in one of many ways, some more fun than others.

 Viralink Agent Interface Dev Plan

A viralink agent is a fictional personal assistant.  Interfacing with them is done more by doing than by typing or entering data traditionally.  Agents only communicate with other agents and of course their users.  An agent can only preform it's activity cycle every so often, determined by it's current list of upgrades.  Agents have a set number of upgrade modules they can handle. 

 

Viralink Industries is to be a real metacommunity.  Prefferably there will be no actual website as the hub.  Services, modules, groups, and the like should be the backbone of the project.  The core web presence should be a collection of google search terms, profiles on FOAF sites, blogs, and the like.  At best, a website would provide a place for people to post sightings of viralink agents and operations.

 

The core subversive function of the metacommunity is to inspire members to join new groups and pull as much useful data, guides, resources, links, and more from them as possible and adding them to the central database.  

 

 

Platforms Possible:

Ruby

Drupal / php

ASP.NET

 

{possible SDK sets applicable} = {}

iPhone Application

Local Database Cache

Cache of all practical information database.  Could be a local cache of RSS feeds or the mobile information database.  Local database cache should be synched from a database that is a clone of the web presence database, possibly with a different set of tables.

 

{ Core services - sqlLITE / database} 

Group Mission Status Updates

When a coworker acheives a milestone misson it sends a notifaction.  I like the idea of status notifactions coming via a customizable query building tool, but i'm kinda silly.

{Cocoa Touch - List View}

Locational Scavanger Hunt

Agent upgrades are to be items placed in the physical world.  May come in the form of an access code on a piece of paper in a book, a usb key buried underground, or a hash on a short run of audio cd's.  Device needs to have an easy system that notifies user when they are within proximity, and possibly gives a riddle or clue of it's location (or the location itself and a clue of what to do with the item when it is gotten).

 

{Core Services - Geolocation | Media - OpenAL / openGL? }

Rendered Avatar

Remember the M$ office paperclip?  I want an evil one of those clawing through the phones surface.

{ Media - Open GL | Cocoa - Touch}

 

Locational Audio

Plays audio automatically using positional 3d audio sdk, to emulate the audio coming from physical locations.  Use ICBM / geourl information, or something else, to tag audio origin point.  Also for use in audio confrencing with people who are in proxy at another location, generally by invite.

 

{Core Services - Geolocation | Media - OpenAL }

 

 Locatiaonal Tagging of Locations

Easy entry of locations and summaries w/ images and audio.  Map view of tagged locations with catagories for vies (and something more completed I'm sure).

{Core Services - Geolocation | Media - images  }

Persistant Search View

System of heirchal catagories, metadata terms, and so on no more than 4 deep, that can show all data in the database in a list virw with some combination or another.

 

{Cocoa - List | Core - sqlLITE}

 

Data Posting Agent

Centralized tool for posting data to the internet.  Audio, image, and a wide assortment of text posting catagories can be queued and made available via txt messages, twitter posts, facebook status updates, blog entries, and the like.  

 

{Cocoa - touch| Core - sqlLITE / Networking} 

 

Asset Tool

System to easily search current value of physical items using average values via amazon and ebay and who knows what.  

 

Facebook App

Agent Avatar

Possibly animated rendering of agent that updates at least once a day.  Should represent connection port number and connectivity status.

 

Agent Avatar Stats / Timer

Agent activity countdown timer.   Agent capability and personallity status sheet. 

 

Datafeed

5-Star ranked data items.

 

Uplinked Agent Access Port map

Links to other agents currently connected to this agents Access Port.  Basicview of each connected agents' statii or top feed for the moment, include activity countdown.  Link to the profile of the person who has that agent installed on their site.

 

Data Insertion / Linking

Place for people to post recommended links to data, news, sites, and so on.

 

 

Some people prefer to be in a position of non-responsibility for projects and missions going on, but still wish to participate in them productively.  Sometimes a person will come to the realization that they don't have the experience to work as a peer with a person or group; sometimes an individual will crave being out of the limelights, or sometimes a person will be in so much social and/or material debt that they feel the need to preform services in order to make good on this debt (perceived or not).

 

There is nothing wrong with being a minion.  Minions are the number one source of delegation for a project leader, usually.  Most minions, especially empowered ones, will always critically analyze the things they are asked to do.  As long as there is no moral interference a minion will usually preform a delegated task.  The difference between a minion and a group member is realiability.  Minions can be counted on to do what they agree to do just as much as a project leader, they just end up doing more support roles.  Sure, speaking on stage at a confrence requires a skill but so does the tedious work of putting up and tearing down said stage.

 

The difference between a minion and an employee is idealism, usually.  An employee will complete requested tasks because it means financial compensation for themselves.  A minion generally chooses to preform tasks in order to see a project or idea further, even if they don't feel responsible for that project or don't feel competent to direct the operation in any way.

 

Sometimes, rarely, a person will take minion status entirely out of schedule limitations.  If someone misses meetings most of the time due to schedule constraints but still show up to events and preform assistance role tasks in order to remove burden from active project coordinators they are temporarily taking the role of minion.

 

Volentary participation in this kind of role is called being a minion.  If it's invollentary, it's called slavery.

 

Use google 4 doodle as a chance to get yourself placed in a school environment as a consultant!http://www.google.com/doodle4google

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOOY0xuQ3TU

 

Cigar Box:

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, are you comfortable enough in your manhood to bite the tips off one of these? Sigmund Frueds Box of cocks. Finest grade cigars."

A;ll hero's need supporting characters.  It's important to realize what your limitations are, skill wise and materially, at the moment.

 

Find someone or a group that you more or less agree with.  Remember to be practical, you will ALWAYS find disagreement in any group or individuals.  (at least, most likely, you should.  Please msg Agent Pugsly if you find someone completely agreeable.)  Become a minion.  Offer to do grunt labor, do projects that support other projects that influence your target.  In assisting someone else you ensure your productivity in your own action, or an accountability trail if needed, while allowing guidance to happen.  This is an invaluable learning tool as well as a good way to make contacts.

 

Support agreeable efforts instead of starting your own effort.  You learn AND you can survive the downfall when it (inevitably) comes.

I want to do a long song album with a band one day that sings lovingly to known toxic chemicals in consumer goods.

 

Oh my love poly(ethylene),

who bends and shapes hot or cold

 

<3

I want a series of shirts with the phrase I HAVE AN UNCONTROLLABLE URGE on the back in large text.

 

A picture that could be included is the band members of Devo looming threateningly over cowering normal people in khakis and suits and the like.  Probably unnecessary.  

The wheeler mission in indianapolis indiana is closing down, so large crews of desperate homeless people are clustering around downtown indianapolis in greater and greater numbers.  For the capitolist this is a fine resource that is newly made available.  Walking billboards and sticker teams just got a LOT cheaper.  Nothing makes an agent feel better than cheap labor. 

Ahhh mission accomplished.  I was feeling a little down earlier so I went out and entertained myself.  I spent 30 dollars and hired a few local homeless guys for a few hours.  One threw paper flower pedals in front of me while I marched downtown from the big new library and through downtown and back to the indian resturant.  He carried a sign I hade that said "Duty now: for the future!"  I had 2 of the others follow behind me and yell "I'm shouting!" whenever I gave them a hand signal and "SHOUT" when I did another (they got it well on their own later).  I then yelled a song repeatedly during all 45 minutes of this operation.  Here are the lyrics for Devo - Shout.  I made sure my body language was as threatening as I could be, but making sure to sing only in a monotone robot voice.  Some fled me, some kinda hid on the other side of a tree.  The guys really appreciated such an easy 10 dollars.

 

Shout shout

i'm shoutin' about the world outside
i'm shoutin' because you just can't hide
i'm shoutin' from the plain honest truth
i'm shoutin' there's so much we could do

Shout i'm shoutin' shoutin' shoutin'

I'm shoutin' because it's hard to believe
i'm shoutin' it's so easy to see
i'm shoutin' we're waitin' for a reply
i'm shoutin' for the very last time

shout well baby this one's for you
shout for everything that you do
shout until the battle is won
shout we'll live to fight on and on

and when you add it all together
and when you roll it in a ball
and when you watch another pyramid
as it's about to fall
remember you were there
remember if you care
all those who held their ground
when it all came down
said shout shout

shout it out

 

 Though I'm having trouble raising rent this month, I still think it was a fine investment. Next time we will use kazoos.

Dell	optiplex	gx150	1ghz	Pentium 3	256mb	133mhz	20gb	dvdrom
compaq	deskpro EN		733mhz	pentium 3	64mb	100mhz	10gb	cd
compaq	deskpro		800mhz	pentium 3	512mb	133mhz	15gb	cd
hp	vectra	vl420 MT	1.8ghz	pentium 4				cd
compaq	evo		1.7ghz	pentium 4	256mb	133mhz	20gb	cd

Nothing makes someone want to do something quite like being told that they can't.  Absurdist warning labels, warnings, and danger logos can make a person more interested in content then an open invitation.

Alan Moore : Leage of Extrodinary Gentleman - The Black Dossier

 

A warning on a document.

 

THIS WARN YOU

Docs after in oldspeak. Untruth, make-ups only. Make-ups make THOUGHTCRIME. Careful. Supervisor rank or not read. This warn you. THOUGHTCRIME in docs after. SEXCRIME in docs after. Careful. If self excited, report. If other excited, report. Everything report. Withhold accurate report is INFOCRIME. This warn you. Are you authorised, if no stop read now! Make report! If fail make report, is INFOCRIME. Make report. If report made on failing to make report, this paradox. Paradox is LOGICRIME. Do not do anything. Do not fail to do anything. This warn you. Why you nervous? Was it you? We know. IMPORTANT: Do not read next sentence. This sentence for official inspect only. Now look. Now don't. Now look. Now don't. Careful. Everything not banned compulsory. Everything not compulsory banned. Views expressed within not necessarily those of publisher, editors, writers, characters. You did it. We know. This warn you.

 

Assignable Mission Details (Ignore for open missions)

Category: 

task

Priority: 

minor

Assigned: 

Agent Pugsly

Related Nodes: 

Manuel's Amatuer Research Facility

I want to hammer out the skill of "Field Researcher".

 

I need to collect the equipment to do appropriate surveys with the public and train myself to preform proper field surveys. 

DOKTOR SLEEPLESS

Assignable Mission Details (Ignore for open missions)

Category: 

task

Priority: 

normal

Assigned: 

Agent Pugsly

List: 

Create a news variety show and make it sustainable

1. Decide on topic

2. create keypoint list

3. assemble track list

4. write script

5. create tracklisting in order

6. preform scripted scenes

7. edit audio properties

 

i have no idea how assigning tasks to a list works so here goes.....

This is a pilot of a radio show I want to do.  It was VERY rough and didn't exactly stay on topic as much as I hope the final version to do.  I also didn't script my rants like I normally would have.  I'd like to hear feedback on what people think of this kinda format for a possible news show.

 

Thanks!

 

http://www.archive.org/download/ItCouldAlwaysBeWorse-Pilot/ItCouldAlwaysBeWorse-Pilot.mp3

 

Assault the drones with instances that demand they make excuses for why everything isn't perfect.  Try and ensure that personal responsibility hooks are placed in the event.

Sometimes it's easier to let time kill you than to let time kill you AND do something productive.

Sometimes it is good to try and convince yourself to truely beleive something contradictory to what you feel you believe as a training exercize and a way to confirm steadfast stance on the initial thought.

 

This requires a lot of trickery or the ability to train reality tunnels on the fly. 

Response to a bad post

I think it would be cool for our 404 Page Not Found pages to display a random news story.

 

By living as if you lived in the world you wanna live in you help bring your idea of a better world closer to reality.  If you wanna live in a world of unfettered creativity then live with unfettered creativity by living so.  Actions speak louder than words.  You can TELL people how you want the world to be but you can LIVE and show people how you wanna live in the world. 

Why should I breed myself when there are so many fine children unwanted in the world?  It's like conservaton of humans as well as a very human thing to want to do.  Although it doesn't meet the need to spread ones own genes I find it hard to wish to do such a thing until I have some kind of analysis that proves to me that my genes are worth copying. 

Warren Ellis is a writer of comic books.  He is an audience of one.  The approval of Warren Ellis and the notation of something he approves of on his blog is generally then relain to a large cyberpunk social network.

 

 

Use a projector to project a faint image of the mother mary onto the side of a building.  You can do this on a large building during the day if you hit a shade side.  Watch the crowd for someone to stop and notice it.  Allow that person to excitedly point it out to one battery or individual.  Stop the broadcast of the image before there can be another wave. 

 

That'll show someone something.

In addition to being able to sell ice to eskimos, I can also sell a Premium Ice Storage Unit (styrophome container) to an eskimo as a way to 'preserve the ice from external contaminants and to ensure the highest quality standards'. 

 

 

Home users with improperly configured wireless networks are BROADCASTING a need to technical help!  Create a flyer outlying the negitives to running an improperly configured wireless network.  Inform the inhabitants of the house that you scanned them and noticed that they have a serious security flaw.  Usually this is a generic router name with a default password or disabled security keys.  Offer to help configure the network to be more secure and to offer a short training class on how to use wireless securely.  This service should cost between 50-500 dollars depending on configuration and could very well be a lead to more work.

 

If nobody is home it SHOULD be possible to leave them a note and a contact number/email and get callbacks.

Art is a lie.  An untrained person can glue, stick, wrap, and hang items to each other.  If any time is spent at all creating a pattern than that will generally suffice to create the illusion of creativity.  Once this is acheived you can attempt to sell this item for a profit.

 

I would like to hide clues to hidden things inside such art so that if it ever breaks someone can find what looks like a treasure map or something.

"Premium, hand rolled, exotic, blah blah" cigarettes in a glossy pack.  Each in an individual compartment.  Marketed as a premium object.  Target college kids on vacation and in magor dance club strips.

With friendly competition i can gauge how I stand on things.  Am I really good at something?  Am I really bad at something?  If I am trying to identify where I really sit I need to compare skills with other humans and figure out how I preform compared to other people.  LOTS of other people.

 

Nothing makes me wanna push harder than someone else pushing harder.

I wish to learn the secrets to crowd control.  I want to get a crowd of people to breathe in synch with each other without anyone realizing it.

I will lay my hands apon anything I wish.

I shall write cryptic notes to random strangers if I choose.

I can do anything I want, and what I want is anything.

You cannot judge the spontanious inspiration without being a dick.

Everyone knows how much fun it can be to pretend to be something you are not to illicit a response.  I have found not only pretending to be / do something that is not true can help at manipulating a crowd or target.  I have also found how to take these supposed things to an absurd extreme that causes the target to preform self analysis that generally cannot happen due to social stresses without intensive inferrence.

 

Pretending to be a young christian media activist attempting to fundraise for "INTERNET MEDIA" at a confrence and redirecting everything raised to a free media project is one thing... but to preach about the evils of communication without being in front of someone is harder and effective.  Demanding that 'fellow believers' confirm that if god wanted you to be able to talk to someone in California you would be able to do so naturally can in some cases cause self analysis that is REALLY hard to force.

 

It's not about subject matter knowledge really but about figuring out what points you can poke on.  Find a hypocracy and create a fictional character who embodies it.  Preaching about the joys of a police state to a group of young republican ashtrays as a serious republican who is eager for 'us all to win' can do pretty amazing things to morale.

 

A successful op is one where you leave behind a target that completely beleives that you are a somewhat cuffed but intelligent and absolutely DEVOUT beleiver / follower.