Author
Message
kosmopol
I Never Tire of My Own Voice
Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 3167
Oh, cool! Thanx for investigantion, people.
The page was registered 18th January 2008. (I'm on my Cloverfield-trip so, I see everwhere a signs).
I've called there, but they have now only answerphone. I'll call them tomorrow.
In the section "Library" on the page you have to enter a code to get in. I wonder, what code is it...
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:03 pm
jlr1001
Decorated
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 210
elite.fencer wrote:
if one of you guys with the cards places the punched out card over the card on TheFinalMill.com, like Natas was talking about, might it say something?
Actually, I think that's exactly what we're supposed to do. The note on TFM is written on the same type of card--just without punch holes--as the cards received in the mail.
In fact, I think this phrase, “To execute these commandments you’ll have to find the properly gifted follows," is a poorly translated version of something like: To follow the orders you'll have to find the properly aligned holes... (My guess at a reverse translation... so sue me...).
To that end,
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
I don't think any of the cards we've seen are compatible with the message on TFM. To verify (or debunk this) all you have to do is count the "column number" of the first letter in any of the rows. Then look to find a card with the corresponding starts... None of them match. (Of course, I'm supposing that the correct card would be a perfect overlay since I can't see any purpose to having a punched hole that would only show a blank area of the card underneath...
Since we know that bloggers were the first recipients, we need to monitor the blog search engines for any mentions of weird packages containing punch cards.
Also, as kosmopol wondered, there might be some explicit characteristic that connects all of these blogs. If we figure that out we might be able to pinpoint other likely bloggers who either have received packages or will be receiving them...
ETA an idea I just had...
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
I could be both wrong and right... While I don't think that any one of the current cards we've seen will "decode" the message at TFM, it is altogether possible that stacking two or more of the punched cards would align the proper holes to see the intended message...
-jlr1001
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:51 pm
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4266 Location: Where the cheese is free.
Actually, for any of the more common 12-row type punch encodings, the "Letters" are all in the same places.
That said (and if this uses what was the industry standard for several decades) the message encoded is:
TMAKYYLNBYVHSVNXOLUIFKPRGQCIPNJIQSRRFRJMIGWGLOGEUIEJVNNCRYXGCKQV
You can make your own copy of the card. Just punch in that string at the site sylvia posted earlier . It won't matter what encoding you choose.
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:03 pm
MrToasty
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee
Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 4310 Location: Des Moines, IA
I hadn't seen it mentioned yet and don't know if it's necessary, but the latin on the card from TheFinalMill is from Horace:
http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/horaces-villa/poetry/Epode2.html
Quote:
"Beatus ille qui procul negotiis" is a Latin phrase of Horace's (Epodes). Analogous it means: "That one is lucky, who is far [away] from [the] business."
Wikipedia
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:25 pm
kosmopol
I Never Tire of My Own Voice
Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 3167
This blogger seems to be IG. She blogs about her missing friend Daniel, who is working for Van Velsenmeer Foundation.
http://www.in-a-rush.com/2008/02/04/still-missing-you/
She tried to call him, but got only anwermachine.
Btw, German central ARG wiki started new wiki-article about it.
http://www.argwiki.de/index.php5?title=Final_Mill
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:25 am
kosmopol
I Never Tire of My Own Voice
Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 3167
Btw, here is this advert in the german PC magazine:
Melden Sie sich nicht bei uns - wir melden uns bei Ihnen
means
"Don't contact us - we'll contact you"
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:02 am
Bobucko
Guest
Hmm, Of course the code is likely in German as all of the recipients seem to speak German 9Judging by thier blogs).
It is possible that the cards mean nothing except as a set. The seemingly oddly worded
"To execute these commandments you'll have to find the properly gifted fellows."
(the follows may be a typo on the first blog as the individual that has the 5 cards on his blog says the word fellows whic makes more sense).
could literally mean that you have to find everyone who has a card and gather all of the cards together. All of the cards together may make a computer program in some language that could be run to give a message.
Just a thought.
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:10 pm
bigmouse
Guest
Five Maybe just a coincidence but the number 5 seems to be prevelant here. 5 bloggers, 5 cards, "Serving all five senses since 1853" in the ad, 5 areas of research on the vanvelsenmeer.org site.
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:24 pm
Fignut the Elder
Unfettered
Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 330
The source code for the page has this line in it:
csaction name="c3b3bd390" class="Password Plus" type="onevent" val0="4502834" val1="Welcome to the library!">/csaction
The library needs a password, as it's already been mentioned...but that number in the val0= part doesn't work(for now?).
peace.
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:49 pm
nicktonic
Guest
Fignut the Elder wrote:
The source code for the page has this line in it:
csaction name="c3b3bd390" class="Password Plus" type="onevent" val0="4502834" val1="Welcome to the library!">/csaction
The library needs a password, as it's already been mentioned...but that number in the val0= part doesn't work(for now?).
peace.
it's crypted by an javascript-lib. one of the working passwords is "nihilfit" - but the library behind is (still) under construction?!
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:13 pm
Bobucko
Guest
New video at in-a-rush.com. Shows 'Daniel?' in distress in the dark. no words....
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:55 pm
kosmopol
I Never Tire of My Own Voice
Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 3167
OMG...
You're right
http://www.in-a-rush.com/2008/02/06/kam-grad-per-mail/
Video is posted by S1lv3r5had0w on youtube.
Who is S1lv3r5had0w?
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 4:06 pm
kosmopol
I Never Tire of My Own Voice
Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 3167
If you check up the source of the secret library page (http://vanvelsenmeer.org/nihilfit.html), you'll find the note of an angry programmer:
Quote:
f*ckth1s! trashstupid codework for stupid people
why a
library anyway! boring scriptkiddiework. h8 to cleanup
gridmess,dregghead should pay us more $$!! h8 f*kking clarence wanna
some stolichnaya. he pawel: im not @ the 16/2.o8 exp.event -u go? paka!
So, 16th February 2008 there is an exp. event. What is "exp"? "Expermient"?
And perhaps that's why even if you get the passwort to the library, the library itself is "under construction".
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:25 am
Qvist
Greenhorn
Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 9
btw, 2 pictures have been discovered, which aren't on the website:
http://www.vanvelsenmeer.org/pict/research/re003.jpg
http://www.vanvelsenmeer.org/pict/research/re006.jpg
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:31 am
V for Vendetta
Guest
jlr1001 wrote:
In fact, I think this phrase, "To execute these commandments you'll have to find the properly gifted follows," is a poorly translated version of something like: To follow the orders you'll have to find the properly aligned holes... (My guess at a reverse translation... so sue me...).
It's "fe llows", not "follows", which makes way more sense.
/me did receive such a box as well.
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:50 pm
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