Yogic Crochet & Michelson-Morley

Just going back over a few things… We live in a world of fibres. The Michelson-Morley thing – this was taken as a rejection of the view of mechanised spacetime, whereby the universe is not empty but full of complicated devices, nodes, mechanisms… If there are indeed suggested failings in the Michelson-Morley model, this could be a pincer thrust against the empty spacetime view, in which there is nothing mysterious hovering behind and between atoms; ie. the thruster could be a proponent of a fibrous multiverse theory.

Just the other day I became acquainted with a Dutch yoga practitioner, through a number of mutual friends. The girlfriend of a brother of a friend. After a considerable time spent on various yogic postures and moves in a porch where we were all staying, as dinner was cooking, this dutch girl then went to the crochet, still in her sweat top and jogging cottons. Her hook was very thin. Ultra-thin. I took the chance to get talking crochet with her. I have in my back pocket as I sit here a thicker alternative crochet hook to lend her, but have not seen her again since then. Her crochet book (in Dutch) was full of intricate works, floral designs, motifs. She was working on a spiral form, in soft merino-like light yellow-green. The spiral form looked very complicated, and given the thin hook, was very tight – hard to make out the pattern in order to copy it. It was I think a single rather than double helix, but perhaps a double helix would also be possible. If I can get her to replicate this spiral design using my lent hook, I may be able to get to the bottom of the technique used.

Perhaps where one hook (crochet) yields a single helix, the two sticks of a knitter could double it.

I don’t know exactly how the science and the crafts relate to each other, but I feel a connection does exist. The patterns, threads, fibres being postulated could be the same in each case.

But how does closed-loop technology relate to this?

The yoga postures also seemed relevant. Perhaps the shapes and positions formed were a representation or replication of the types of stitches.

And there’s something about that loose-fit cotton-wear...

A New Thread ...

Re: searly case:

I have theories on the knitters' plans, based on 'string theory'; fabricating a new reality for us all to live in once the current one is unworkable - just cross over onto a new thread and leave the old world behind.

Home Knit?

Astute indeed. Is there a place for llama knit bobble hats in summertime? This investigator knows the double use of woollens as both warming and cooling aids – just like leather or antifreeze, the fibres (or the gaps between them) have a dual quality for both extremes of temperature - keeping warmth in when cold outside, but also cooling when hot outside. I believe wool does this partly by allowing moisture out, thus utilising the cooling effect of latent heat of evaporation. Far better than moisture-trapping synthetics… There may be a market for woollens in California for this reason.

This investigator’s back is burnt, but not as badly burnt as it would have been without frequent use of light blue ethnic cotton shirt. I do like the term ‘ethnic’. All of us are ethnic, hence it implies humanity as opposed to artificial, made by a genuine human being as opposed to a machine… Perhaps even made by a genuine free-feeling alive human being as opposed to a factory slave drone… Maybe some sweat, but not shop sweat… maybe some dollar changed hands, but hopefully some donation made to an orphanage or something. A new village well, that’s not owned by coca cola… I wonder if the road south is a case of the hippies going home, back to the canyons, back to Lake Tahoe?

Old Laughing Lady

Our Boston man’s dispatches fit perfectly – road trips either cease or go more underground in 2005. The theory of Costa’s low key festival circuitry is 99.7% likely, I feel. Slipping back into the fog when the band ‘make it’. Chinchilla fabric – a ‘hold-all’ term capable of containing the natural and the synthetic without revealing whether one or the other or else ‘wool mix’ combination.

The speed adjuster controls of a good mixer double turntable set up are indeed a potential means of achieving a variety of beat frequencies from waveform interference.
In the city squat this investigator abandoned overnight recently, such a two turntable set-up was included among the original paraphernalia present. The investigator recalls the fullsome sound of such interference some years previous. I have recently been researching non-electric wind-up turntables (originally called grammaphones, due to their frequent presence in the upper year social rooms of grammar schools, where 15 year olds would listen to swing, ragtime and early jazz). Standard grammaphones would have an analogue variable speed control. Later machines would have an analogue 3 way control between 78, 45 and 33. What I could do with is something capable of going lower – say 22. That way I could do the ’45 played at 33 speed’ trick on 33s, and listen to a whole album at ‘mong-out’ speed. I know of no modern manufacturer of wind-up, non-electric grammaphones. There may be one.

Approx 40 min ago, this investigator was on a bumpy old-tarmac / dirt track road, a regular tourist walker route towards the base camp of a large mound of highland mountain, when rounding a puddled corner there was an elderly lady, of short height, blocking said road, arms waving in air. I came to an easy halt among the puddles. She held a walking stick – Walking stick in one hand, wrinkled healthy-looking complexion, vibrant face, wavy white hair, with a look of eccentricity and foreignness to her. I walk over to her, sidestepping between puddles on this barmy hot day. In what I think is the broken English of an northern/eastern European accent, she asks for a lift, in upfront, confident terms. I reverse to give her a puddle free access route to passenger side of the vehicle, though she heads towards driver’s side at first – a giveaway of one used to left-hand drive cars. I run her towards a village restaurant – she has been up in the foothills, and is parched and hungry – overheating. I half understand her side of the sparse but friendly conversation. Just before reaching destination, she reveals that she is a tourist from Oregon.

But where are you from originally, I ask. I expect her to be German, for example. She says she is originally from Canada – that is the accent, she explains. West Coast? I ask. Yes, the west.The strange appearance in the road of this elk convinces me I have something to learn from the encounter relevant to the case. A Canadian, with an accent I could have sworn was European, who lives now in Oregon. I suspect that she is the Old Laughing Lady, who can be seen in many mythic sources including the cover of Neil Young’s After the Goldrush album. This album is about the exodus of the hip culture from the US west, or the passing of that culture into hiding.

On the cover image, the red Indian laughing lady is moving in the opposite direction to Neil, however the overlapping alignment between them on the ‘great shot’ makes it appear that she is actually riding in Neil’s backpack (and so actually going in the same direction as Neil, but facing backwards – like a rear gunner). With every movement I feel an opposite flow probably occurs, as per Newton’s third law. So, if this Canadian woman went from Canada to the US, she is the reverse of the movin’ up country hippies who went to Vancouver to avoid nam. Just like Neil, in fact, who travelled from his roots in Canada to the US west.

Long Floats

The reference material sent on Closed Loop fibres revealed a detail which may be of note regarding the fibrous aspects of the case. See mention of a special fabric as follows...

Cinchilla: A cotton, wool, and even synthetic fabric of sateen or twill construction with extra fillings for long floats.

This is a fabric which can be made from natural and synthesised sources and bears a cutely disguising name. Note the talk of 'long floats'. Combining this with the name of the fibre suggests to me a Flotilla, something highly pertinent to this case. Perhaps the Michigan crew were looking at shipping/manufacturing such a fibre for use in their various operations. Perhaps your novel simultaneous spinning experiments are something akin to this manufacturing process, though may need some kind of modification or change of variables to get the desired results.

Are you aware that certain models of turntable favoured by audiophiles and disc jockeys have a pitch adjustment facility which allows, by means of a slider, many (14) speeds of rotation. It enables music to be played between the notes of conventional key structure, similar to the effect of de-tuning an instrument, but on a song-wide scale. I hypothesize that perhaps an unorthodox rotational speed could create some kind of resonance between the two spin sources, allowing for a qualitative change in results. This could operate as some kind of vibrational/resonant cipher - find the right combination of rotational speeds in the two sources and information may be gleaned from the beat notes of the resulting cross-rhythm like some kind of low frequency morse code.

With regard to working out some kind of timeline of 'disappearances', Perhaps Costa's mid-90's 'disappearance' was her dropping out of the state education system to form a band (possibly an early guise of Broken Social Scene), with the interim years spent touring the low-level festival circuit until the band's profile was raised enough to force her to return to the overground. As previously noted, the festival circuit can be a great way to fall of the radar should one wish to do so. Though, as a known Obfuscationist, she could easily disappear and yet be active at the same time, most likely under a pseudonym. Happy said the mixtape couple stopped visiting circa 2005. He doesn't recall when they first began appearing on campus, but says he became aware of them a couple of years into his studies, around summer 1995. I do not know how this fits with your theories.

Wool and Vinyl...

...simultaneously spinning natural and synthetic materials wool and vinyl - simultaneously spinning natural and synthetic materials.

Both. I have, partly to understand more clearly what we are dealing with here, begun spinning natural and synthetic materials simultaneously, in something approaching what I suspect was behind the report dug up by Kingsbury PI. The natural material I chose was unwashed and uncarded highland-grown white sheepswool. The synthetic was medium-density black vinyl, sourced from Ullapool area junior highland games indoor sales area, specifically N Young’s first solo album, and the seminal Warhorse album, both picked up for £2 a hank, along with More soundtrack original-ish pressing, early Queen, and ‘Taste’ (Rory Gallagher’s band). There was also a wealth of prog, in particular Yes albums, which I left. Said highland games included 1 male senior event (over 21 yr old dads), for which I narrowly ensured no photo-finish was required.
The spin-source I chose for closed loop natural material spinning was an Ashford dark-rosewood wheel fitted with jumbo flier for greater width flexibility. Foot-Action operated. The spin source for closed loop (if indeed a spiral-groove 45 counts as closed loop, as opposed to the rare continuous-play closed groove discs) was a black turntable circa 1995, I forget the manufacturer. Powered by mains electricity.

Both spins were started near-simultaneously, without any CERN-style hiccups. Spin was allowed to continued for some time (1-2 hours). The bobbin filled quickly with approx 4mm width off-white coarse wool cordage, and was emptied and refilled once. Apparatus were then shut down, again close to simultaneously. The scaremongers’ fears of adverse reactions between the two mediums producing an uncontrollable chain reaction of spin, were this time at least unfounded.
I recall while working with Sam Ting at MIT, the same feeling of quiet achievement quickly giving way to the desire just to get on with the next test…

The next process in this case was the dyeing of the natural spun material. For this I chose mixed lichens from the lichen repository out back of the facility building, along with solar-distilled and re-acidified streamwater, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and onion skins. After bringing to critical point temperature in heating chamber, I added the first skein of post-spin material, and reduced heat to low. Second skein was then added. The hue began a deep magenta from the lichens, then after a night cooling in the chamber, turning to a rusty orange. The material is now airing naturally on a medium to high humidity external sill. I will use said material soon and pass on further findings and conclusions.

Donut Law

A donut is indeed the perfect closed loop. We seem to be looking microscopic and macro-scopic at the same time. Closed loop Boston Mass on large scale, and molecular closed loop technology in fabrics, on small scale. Perhaps doing the same job and utilising the same physical processes at both levels? Party size and king size donuts, but what about the middle ground?

Would it be theft to eat a donut but moving oneself upwards slowly while eating, such that donut stays in same place? Plus, how does donut law allow for earth’s spin, earth’s orbital movement, galactic spin, even tectonic drift – Einstein claims all motion to be relative. Over a long enough timescale there is no measurable absolute spatial position, even relative, in relation to, say, a location on the planet. Of course it is one purpose of such monuments as the pyramids, stone circles, the guidestones even, that they are markers trying to give an absolute position. As absolute markers on this planet they naturally ‘track’ the wider movements, the seasons, the precession of the equinoxes, etc.

If I was in court I would claim donut theft is impossible as the donut is already in non-linear, even non-euclidean, motion. By moving a donut further one could be attempting to put it back where it came from…

Donut or Pie?

Indeed you are as insightful and correct as ever. The snooker or pool hall is a breeding ground for low level hoodlums and criminal activity. Something to do with providing men too young to drink a place to hang out and smoke, I have always thought. In fact, if such premises were to keep a signing-in book, it would read as a veritable who's who of minor street criminals. Such activity, left unchecked, could easily develop into capers such as bank robberies and grand larceny.

Incidentally, the charge of larceny contains some interestingly subtle clauses, for example (this is a classic example taken from an old law book which resides in my library)

'...the thief must not only gain dominion over the property he must move it from its original position. The slightest movement, a hair's breadth, is sufficient. However, the entirety of the property must be moved. As one commentator noted critically this requirement is the difference between rotating a doughnut (larceny) and rotating a pie (not larceny), as all of the donut is moved through rotation while the pie's exact center remains in the same place when rotated.'

This leads me to ask the following metaphorical question - is Searly rotating a donut or a pie? I have been digging into his past for clues and have theorised the following: Searly grew up in the NE corner of America, most likely Milwaukee of Pennsylvania (going by teenage poetry submissions). Both of these locations border on the Great Lakes; either side, in fact. Searly probably gained knowledge of the lakeshores and surrounding areas through family picnics and camping trips during his childhood.

My guess is that his father was a military man who favoured the outdoors and tried to pass this prediliction on to his son. Military fathers are known for their strictness and desire to see their offspring suceed along pre-determined paths. My guess is that Searly went to University in line with his parents wishes, but once away from their immediate presence, he began to drift into fringe circles and most likely dropped out to pursue his own aims, but kept in contact with academic social circles. Became involved in some kind of political network and oversaw operations involving fabric experiments in some capacity, either for the government or an independent subversive group. His knowledge of the local area and the Great Lakes soon made him a great asset to, and central figure in, the group.

His role would seem to be more strategic than operational, possibly becoming so after the incident with the Buick in Maine causing a scare that he may have gone too 'overground' and was in danger of being discovered. Since then, he appears to be more or less invisible, yet is present in everything. He is like the air pockets between the fibres of a chunky home-knit.This of course, is all just my own speculation based on a re-examination of my early case notes in light of post-Boston revelations. It should also be noted here that I failed to locate the Bungalow registered to Searly on the SE edge of Boston, so am no closer to revealing what he is building in there.

Angel Tee

In reference to microwaving clothing. It is actually an old technique, but for other purposes. I have done this already, circa 1994. As a setting method for heat-setting dye for creation from thin white tee of the ‘angel tee’ – tye dyed rose-pink a la Melissa George soap character Angel.

With Angel, said tee was only ever part showing – a sleeve hem here under thin blue denim shirt – a neck line there under a lacy vee neck. For myself I recall said garment worn during five-a-side, uncovered. Possibly on the very occasion of a certain Wolds reporter’s deep-in-own half swerveball strike placing itself in net behind me, aghast. I know not now where the garment lies. Possibly in a dusty drawer of a parents’ house. But that ball travelling slow motion past me will forever be on my conscience… Some things even sleep cannot erase.

E.P.P.S.

Further sifting of my communications has brought to my attention your theory of existing on the stateline as a means to evade the law. It is out of the box yet obvious all the same. A fantastic theory which could, if achieving a certain threshold density, exist as a self-sustaining organism, or culture, akin to yeast in the demijohn of a home winemaker. This is something worth investigating, but given their lack of discovery, the likelihood is that such communities, if they exist at all, must do so in destinations remote from urban or other densely populated areas. Of course, living subterraneanly would allow one to evade the law by vertiginous means.

Heard from Lone Wolf, who has also been pursuing dream-based investigations. I quote; "Had a dream the other night about someone named Epps. Thought it was someone already mentioned in the case, but the Epps surname was an acronym." There could be mileage in this.

Also in the mail was the white window envelope of dubious postage. Who knows how long it has been sitting there in the hallway corner, slightly raised by the curled corner of the straw mat? Its contents tie in with recent revelations. The idea of that which isn't, or is barely seen yet is still there, is at the foundation of our investigation. One thing I forgot to mention about Dan Stairs' proposal is that he was proposing fibres which would allow for the owner to re-model them at will by the means of easily achievable conditions: take your t-shirt, stick it in the microwave for a minute then mould it into a bowl to eat your soup from; wash it out, soak it in warm water and mould it into a pair of sandals. Think of the implications if such attributes could be achieved on an architectural scale.

Fabrics of the Future

Back From Boston. Arriveded home to discover a package from Kingsbury PI amongst my mail. It contains a document entitled Fabrics Of The Future, which is explained in her accompanying letter as relating to a current Phd proposal by a student called Dan Stairs.

Whilst I was away, Kingsbury PI attended a public viewing of a design competition featuring a selection of Phd research proposal posters. It was here, her letter explains, that she found the document I mention, given as a handout to accompany one of the posters on display. Allow me now to relay a few excerpts for your consideration...

Fabrics of the Future
Dan Stairs (Ohio University)

This practice-led project explores ways of using sustainable textile fibres. Through creative experiments with newly developed natural fibres and closed-loop synthetics, to produce solutions to sustainable textile 'products'.

Aims
To examine eco-design theory, exploring emerging ideas about the life-cycle of textile 'products'.
To design and develop innovative textile 'products', using ecologically and environmentally sustainable fibres.
To research closed-loop production methods.
To disseminate findings in academic and manufacturing environments.

Methodology
...Practical experiment to explore the results of findings and test theories in the area of study, which will lead to realising new paradigms in the field of textile design.

Now, let's examine this; note the opening gambit - 'a practice-led project'. This means actually carrying out what is being examined, not just reseraching it. Stairs is planning on acting out whatever it is he is 'studying'. Next sentence speaks of 'creative experiments'. More action for 'research' purposes of dubious nature. Look at the aims and other ambiguous terms jump out; 'eco-design' 'closed-loop production methods' - what are these? eco-design sounds like designing ecological systems to me and 'closed loop production' is a perfect descriptor for the private network of individuals, who seem to exist outside of normal social circles and communication channels, that we are dealing with.

Note the final aim - 'to disseminate findings in academic and manufacturing environments'. Is this not exactly what Project 31 could be described as doing? the talk of a 'new paradigm' sounds ominous. Why would one want ecologically sustainable fibres for any other reason than creating an environment which would be sustainable with the current natural one? One other thing of note is the use of inverted commas with every mention of 'products'. That is sheer ambiguity - a classic Obfuscationist trait.

Unless I am being paranoid and overcompensating for failing to sight Searly in Boston, this would seem to a good insight into the closed loop soft core network. It would seem that Dan Stairs is an Obfuscationist and a part of the Cargo Corps who has secured funding for the operation under the guise of academic research. The alternative view is that he is a government plant and is monitoring academic reserch in the textile field on behalf of the military. As of writing I am unsure but my gut is leaning toward to former. I was hoping for at least a days rest now I am home, but can't shake the imperative to research Stairs.

Melodic Development

Deep insights abound via the investigator's poise. I had never considered that Searly may have had the hands of a government man (either his own hands, or those of a government man placed upon him for 'steering'). I have been working under the assumption that he was involved as an outsider - one of the remnant folk, a pro-softness man. Your shedding of light via anglepoise now means I must question the whole case from a new perspective. Reassess.

Was Searly really a fully signed up government operative? Hard to believe. Maybe he was posing as one and got found out. Was he a soft-core member who got fingered by the law and 'agreed' to 'help' them in order to save his own skin, yet was really relaying his inside knowledge back to his fringe group of fabric-ators? Or was he really a military man posing as someone from a much more flowery subculture in order to infiltrate the soft Michigan core? Could a military man really pass himself off in such a manner? Do the authorities employ 'soft' guys?

If Searly is indeed tied to the Buick wreck as you describe, that would mean he very likely had dealings with 'Pinsk' or could even possibly be him. I could head there from Boston if any leads surface in the next 18 hrs.

Anyway, while you have been shining tungsten light on such matters, I have been bathing in glow of the halogen bulbs in the film dept of Boston Uni. Had to change my cover (no way could I pull off being a documentarian when surrounded by film/media lecturers and technicians. I am once again playing dentist, looking for my fiance, 'Melody', who has ran out on me with the kids - 'I must find her; for the kids' safety' I told the film guys - no-one questions a kid in danger. A couple of the technicians remember how a girl slightly older than typical students used to use the editing facilities occasionally, booking out the edit suite once a term under the name 'Melody Nelson'.

Told the film guys that she was my girl - tell me all you know, has she been here recently? Apparently not - she hasn't been seen on campus since summer 2005. The tie-in with the disappearances of other members of Project 31 is beyond co-incidence. I ask what kind of films she used to edit (to help me figure what she may be involved in and get an idea for 'what danger my children may be in') and am told that they were 'road movies of some description... super-8 footage of the Northeastern landscape receding from the rear windshield of an automobile... car full of young hip-kids... soft fabrics... home knits... Canadian border crossings... picnics... acoustic guitars... quilting'. On a hunch, I show the techies the CCTV still of the 50's girl at the library, telling them it is the most recent picture I have of her, and is the evidence which led me to Boston - was this 'Melody Nelson', I ask. 'Damn straight' comes the reply, 'those old clothes are a dead giveaway - she only ever wore natural fabrics'.

So, we have a positive ID, but no current whereabouts or idea of recent activity, though we can now connect her to Searly via the library card.

Questions from Boston

Okay, my last full day in Boston and I feel like a stranger in a strange land. I think I need to ask some questions to get my orientation again, so let's see...

It seems likely, based on Happy's recollections, that Cate and Grant were two of the main protagonists when it came to the expansion and recruitment drive for Project 31. They were running things across the campuses of North America - tapes, for sure, but most likely people and fabrics too. Costa's songs are known to have appeared on the tapes, so there would seem to be some link between Grant/Cate and Costa. As one of our investigators so perceptively asked - is Cate Costa?

Also, are the instructions presented on the tapes Coasta's own, or is she relaying messages from a more central figure? Kosyra, perhaps, or Regan, or Searly, even. Perhaps the instructions are coming from 'Mr. Crafts', whoever that maybe (likely one of the 3 suspects just mentioned). Or is Grant 'Mr. Crafts' - we know so little about him beyond a connection with Cate and witness statements aligning him with the tape distribution?

Other thoughts - did Kosyra fund/design the guidestone projects? We know he was 'disgustingly rich' and that he works in construction (or runs a front company marketed as being in the industry); was 'R.C. Christian' his public go-between? Could be Regan? Could be Searly?

I wonder now about the mid-nineties disappearance of Regan and Costa, as proposed by the map found by the candian religious studies student when studying in England - where did they go and what were they doing all this time? Is their disappearance in any way related to the later mass-disappearance of all recognised members of the Soft Michigan core group? Which, in turn, makes me wonder about the couple caught on CCTV using Searly's library card - according to Happy, they would seem to have some historical involvement with the Project 31 (having been spotted on campus with infrequent regularity until the disappearances), yet are not recognised as being Cate and Grant. Who are they?

Other questions - how does Sad Sack tie into all of this, and what is the significance of the missing mixtape 'At The Haberdasher's Request'?I shall try to make a breakthrough before leaving Boston. The heat goes on...

In Reply:

'Availability' was cited as the official explanation for sourcing fabrics from Canada - Fashion Police having outlawed certain patterns and weaves from the United States as a reaction to hippy culture. It was this law which brought about the invention of the 'shell suit' in the '80's - something to distract the kids from tweed or floral prints and the leftist political leanings associated with such patterning.

However, 'official' explanations are rarely close to the truth. As my old mentor Bob Palindrome used to say 'when they say look left, you better look right'.

Border Crossings

Border crossings… It seems to make sense. Any shipments of fabrics have got to cross a border… Otherwise what’s the point? But where from and where to? If fabrics were brought from Canada, for construction of soft Michigan in Michigan, would it be possible for the constructed Michigan to then be transported back to Canada? I doubt it logistically. Why source fabrics from Canada in the first place??

Further Notes From Boston

Been hanging around the Boston University campus these last 36 hrs looking for leads. Kids of every description hanging out all over the grounds - lone readers on the grass, athletic guys running round the lake in pairs - it's just like it is in the movies, and just like it was back when I was taking Social Theory classes at Ohio. Some things never change, and I guess campus life falls into that bracket. Not knowing whether to focus on the hip kids or the squares, i keep my enquiries vague and loose, so as to not give too much away.

A break comes when I am introduced to a guy called Zac Happy, a PhD student in town planning/transport networks. The guy has lived on campus for seventeen years, so has a better knowledge of the campus' recent history than most people. He's a good natured kid, but pretty serious with it. During our conversation, he recalled a time in the mid-nineties when groups of art students would often take roadtrips north, presumably to Canada or Nova Scotia. Happy mentioned how they would often come back with trunkfulls of fabric samples, citing a lack of availability in the States as the reason for their sourcing from north of the border.

Happy remembers a Canadian couple who used to visit the campus fairly regularly, something like once a fortnight, who would always mingle with the art students. One time, the girl turned up alone and Happy happened to pass by her as she was struggling to lift a box from her car, so he gave her a hand (partly due to philanthropy, partly due to a self-confessed attraction with the girl). He asked girl where her partner was, to which she replied 'Oh, Grant? He couldn't make it down this time'. Happy noticed that the box contained several copies of what appeared to be the same audio casette, boxed with identical handwritten inlay cards.

Sensing an opprtunity to strike up a friendship or possible romance, he tried to pursue a conversation with her, asking what the tapes were of - was she in a band? apparently her reply was 'erm, yeah.... something like that'. Happy asked if he could have a copy of the tape but was told 'Sorry, they are made to order for a certain audience, I can't just give them away'. Hurt, but still intrigued, Happy slyly stuck a copy of one casette into his trouser pocket when the girl was distractedly locking her vehicle. Apparently the tape was full of home recordings which included excerpots from tv adverts, lo-fi acoustic music and spoken word poetry, often with what seemed like knitting or tapestry instructions worked into the lyrics. Happy is convinced that the tape and it's casing still exist somewhere in his dorm room, which he has promised to endeavour to find for me. All he can remember now is that the title of the tape was 'At The Haberdasher's Request'.

Zac Happy would seem to be a useful contact, and unless he is a fantastic actor, I think we can take him to be as innocent and unrelated to the core group as he appears to be on the surface. When i asked him if this sort of thing still went on around campus he claimed it had all died down around the start of the new millenium, presuming the internet to be a decisive factor. As he put it himself; 'Who would bother with a thousand mile round-trip when you can sit at home eating delivered pizzas and order what you need over the fatpipe. No-one has time for that real-world shit any more, being face to face with people is just too big a deal for most folks to handle. People just want to live in their bubbles and work enough to afford what they want, they don't want to experience the world first-hand, just read about it in magazines while they worry about their weight and wait for mail-order goods to arrive from abroad'.

Addendum

It has been postulated that it was through dealings with college campuses in the mid sixties that now-Michigan-based ex- art students became involved in project 31. However it is unclear whether the recent soft Michigan project is a govt sponsored inclusion in project 31 or rather a counter culture retaliation to oppose the govt led project. If the latter is true, then the disappearance of all the soft Michigan circle core members could have a more sinister explanation. One informer vehemently maintains that the core were silenced, or removed, after a particular individual became aware of their activities and gained their trust. ‘This guy didn’t quite ring true. He had the terminology, like ‘that fabric’s sooooo the thing; my lovely little life…’, but he misused phrases occasionally; got words out of context. I thought it was odd at the time, but now I think he’d learnt it by rote in a short space of time – he was no genuine handicrafter.’
A third theory is that the circle did not know of project 31, but came up with the soft Michigan concept at random. However once word got out, the real project 31 people assumed they were ‘in the know’, and working against them. Perhaps they were indeed working against a secret military project without even knowing it…

Warren