Chapter 42-1 Chasing Ghosts

[7oddisdead]

Y'know what? I didn't, until you said something. Previously, I was looking for the kinds of things that really jump out at you. Now the pareidolia is starting to kick in. Looking at the thumbnail inside the quotation... when Kelly is hollerin' for everyone to shut it... I'm seeing not just a face, but a face "shushing."



I'm planning on it. but...
I feel bad not saying anything about it til now. Not the place for bloggy things, but in a nutshell: Remember I used to live in Atlanta? I live in Nashua now. My stuff is still there. So's my daughter. My stuff is in the basement of someone who is eager to have it taken care off. Current plan is to visit my daughter and have my stuff addressed by the end of February. Current plan version might leave me with some extra funds for LA... I can't even half heatedly commit until after that.



OK, so when you are looking at an oscilloscope reading of audio, say from the visualization effect in a media player, you are looking at a composite of all of the frequencies present in a linear, one dimensional, second by second snapshot of the wave form. Spectral analysis breaks down the audio into frequency ranges and displays them separately from one another. It is a more two dimensional, over time graphical representation of the audio. It is a tool that to my understanding, is most often used in audio forensics, though musical groups like Nine Inch Nails and Aphex Twin have been known to "hide" images in audio that are viewable with these sorts of analyzers.



^^ This. This is so true. and hilarious.

ya know, I put forward the idea of trying the spectrum analysis with that scene simply because the conflicting voices and vocal tones in that scene should have provided cool imagery. and after you mentioned the ssshhh face. sure enough, there it is. sprectrum analyzers are also useful in home/car audio (though not the type your using in this scenario) for properly adjusting levels of equalization. but in those situations they are using pink noise (static) to generate the same effect, and adjusting based on that.

and cool to hear your thinking of going on the convoy. we have quite a while before anything needs set in stone. do what you have to brother. hope it all works out, whatever ends up happening.

[clem131]

The simplest, Jail holds people for more short term stints, while on trial, etc...
Prison holds people for long term.

There's obviously more, but just trying to keep you on track. If people start thinking the Jail is Eastern Bay, there will be a major disconnect and confusion in theories. The Jail has a different title, which you'll find out later.

I totally thought the two words were interchangeable. Now I understand Kelly's comment "that's a prison" a while back.

[clem131]

This episode seems like a counter balance of Michael to CJ...... Last chapter CJ made a decision that ended up costing some people their lives...... and now Michael does too....... showing that they are on equal footing at making bad decisions........

The way I see it the two cannot be compared. One decision was to send a maintenance guy, an old man with a limp and a recruit out with an untested prototype weapon, while the other was to send trained soldiers with a tested prototype weapon and some other big guns: the first is a bad decision, the second is just very bad luck.

[YetAnotherBloodyCheek]

It's fascinating, but at first blush would seem to provide no additional insight. Bear in mind, I'm not an audio engineer and I'm trying to process this on a four year old "bottom tier, entry level" machine... but here's what I found:





I need to go over it again and play with the filters and settings... maybe some plugins. I ran Equation by Aphex Twin through it to verify that I'm actually doing/using the same thing others are. I'm getting a similar result.



Makes sense, considering Puck's cold reaction to Datu. Even it he was them get taken he may think and even believe they are already dead. Was his favorite movie ever mentioned? Aliens by any chance? (p-p-p-please k-kill mmmeee...)




I disagree. While running this segment through the spectrum analyzer, I listened to this segment a few times...
Spoilered for gruesomeness:

SPOILER 

Despite my combat lifesaver training, I consider myself fortunate to have not needed to lend aid to a wounded Soldier in a live combat situation...
However, my training helped me pick out a few things in this short segment:
In one moment he sounds nauseous, a symptom of severe shock and he also sounds like that he may have fluid in his mouth, excess saliva from vomiting or coughing up blood from a stab and/or gunshot wound to the chest.
The labored speech may not necessarily related to being winded, it sounds labored due to pain and fluid filling his lungs... again perhaps due to a chest wound.
The team needs to hurry... Possible sucking chest wound and suffocation with fluid in his lungs. He might die before he bleeds out.

As for the suggestion that this is a prank... No. it isn't. The guys may get up to spectacular grab-ass yo-mamma shenanigans, but outside the wire on an op, you do not fuck around.

Wow, I really recommend to award Red Shirt with the Gene Hackman award for advanced listening

[Merlin1274]

What if the attack was not by Ink and Co or Mallers. What if there is another group that has held up there. Maybe what is left of the Cartel looking for Vic wanting revenge. Maybe the Flying Squid seeking revenge for Tanya taking its gas. It is controlling what Puck is saying like the Alien from Independence Day when it had its tentacles wrapped around Data's throat.

But seriously after listening again, I am starting to think the attack was not by the Zombies. But I do not want to say that 100%. But it could be Randy's trade mark. Leaving one person behind to slow turn and to send a Message to Michael.

[YetAnotherBloodyCheek]

I find it hard to believe that the Matta gun was put to use at the jail / prison. There is no reason to rely on a clunky, rather inaccurate prototype in my opinion unless there has been a good reason to do so. Puck and the others were on a recon mission, these guys know exactly what to do and what to do not. So, here is my theory - they either triggered a booby trap at the jail, or they unfortunately ran into a group of mallers or both. I think that it is not unlikely that Puck was held at gunpoint while he was communicating with the safe house.

[LiamKerrington]

Wow. You busted out the spectrum analyzer. SOMEONE REP THAT! But that was cool. Does anyone else see a face in there?

Reped it ...

[Cabbage Patch]

If it wasn't zombies or Mallers that killed the soldiers then my guess is that it was a car crash. LA streets are dangerous enough even without an Apocalypse and a year with no maintenance. Take a top-heavy vehicle (most gun-trucks are), add an aggressive driver, a group of distracted passengers and streets clogged with wreckage, and sooner or later they were bound to crash into something harder than a flower bed.

[UndeadSweeper]

The way I see it the two cannot be compared. One decision was to send a maintenance guy, an old man with a limp and a recruit out with an untested prototype weapon, while the other was to send trained soldiers with a tested prototype weapon and some other big guns: the first is a bad decision, the second is just very bad luck.

You forgot to add: The colony need the windmill pump, the gun truck wasn't available to them since Michael decide to keep longer then should have and the thought at the time was the attacks has die down for a while.

[UndeadSweeper]

I find it hard to believe that the Matta gun was put to use at the jail / prison. There is no reason to rely on a clunky, rather inaccurate prototype in my opinion unless there has been a good reason to do so. Puck and the others were on a recon mission, these guys know exactly what to do and what to do not. So, here is my theory - they either triggered a booby trap at the jail, or they unfortunately ran into a group of mallers or both. I think that it is not unlikely that Puck was held at gunpoint while he was communicating with the safe house.

My biggest worry is that Mata gun may have explode for some reason. At close range that could alot damage and could cause internal injury, eg Puck?. The only question is why Puck would be inside the jail/prison? No one would be able to move that quick,at his current condition, in that place with be original entering there. I think they enter an then were attack.