Can you make any sense out of this list?

[williamweigand]

It was on a sheet of paper in my mailbox - no envelope.

I'll try to re-create it as well as possible. It's a mimeograph copy of something handwritten. I can only guess at some of the letters - and why the writer had some words with initial capitalization followed by a lowercase version of the initial letter is part of the mystery.

Brandishing Irons

Zephyrs Rosin oil Caster oil

Gerund Mylucient Too lape

Lendon Tegratal Iinusita

tunnui Iinverted IiridialLugiciGlue

Niehlo Socratex Sandoats

Lure Ffelunguisi Balsam Fur

Aura ApeWorld tonnot

Eera Cocoacosh Gladinum

Sun Podiatries Laws

Moon Dioxine IillegalToffeyChips

Stars BetaCarotem Black Stickers

Niello Machine Ffelt Loop

[brewha]

Can you scan in the original? Maybe post a high resolution photo? Maybe something is being lost in the translation. But, as it stands, I got nothing.

[Sigmagirl]

You need to send it to Bill Keaggy.

[Harmonious Discord]

It's somebody fixing stuff around the house. They're doing door oiling, woodwork repair, and gluing stuff together. They also have some folk art project using some wood burning. Let me know how close I was when you find them.

[lieu]

Illegal toffee chips?

Bad snacker! Bad, bad snacker!

[Alpha Twit]

You ever see the movie Gaslight? Look it up. It may help.

[YogSosoth]

Either you have the missing clues necessary to find the Zodiac Killer, or someone's grocery list

[Zebra]

You wrote the note, in the [reverb]future[/reverb], and sent it back in time to yourself.


Clearly it is very important and you thought you would understand it.



[I've read too much sci-fi haven't I?]

[williamweigand]

Originally Posted by brewha

Can you scan in the original? Maybe post a high resolution photo? Maybe something is being lost in the translation. But, as it stands, I got nothing.

Nope, I don't have a scanner. And I don't know how to post a photo. (Consider me your older parent who feels successfully posting this thread in the first place an accomplishment. In other words, I'm not too tech savvy.)

Sigmagirl, I'll check out that website when I get a chance.

Harmonious Discord, there is some work being done on a house down the block. I don't know if this list has any connection to it, nor why the list would show up in my mailbox. And why a mimeographed copy and not the original?

[Dallas Jones]

Well, if it actually is a mimeograph copy that is really going to narrow it down as to who sent it, I doubt if many people still have those machines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimeograph

My guess is that it is the key word code for decoding a message meant for a foreign spy that was placed in the wrong box. I would start running now, you could be in great danger.

[cwthree]

You've already wasted precious time asking total strangers about this, in a public forum? Get a satchel, now, and throw in a toothbrush, passport, any necessary medications, and as much cash as you can lay your hands on without arousing suspicion. Don't bother with checks or credit cards - they'll be tracking those now, if they haven't already been for some time. Leave the house, as nonchalantly as possible, and head for a trusted friend or relative's home, preferably one that's "off the grid." A circuitous route will give you the best chance of dropping out of view. Use only cash for transactions during that time, and be suspicious of any unfamiliar person who seems interested in you. If you must talk to anyone you don't know, try to casually work the phrase "Gerund cocoacosh tonnot" into the conversation and gauge their reaction. Good luck.

[Wile E]

Some of them sound like they could be plant names. Is there a homeowner's association that might be passing around a list of acceptable (or non-acceptable) plants?

[Wile E]

Another thought, it's spam sent by a Luddite. Don't click on any links on the paper, you
might get a virus.

[palindromemordnilap]

I admit it--I put it in your mailbox. I just wanted to see if something I wrote could end up in Threadspotting. (almost there -- fingers crossed!!)

Happy Eera Cocoacosh Gladinum, everyone!

[Sigmagirl]

It's Dan Brown's notes for his next book. You can make a fortune selling it back to him.

Or the respect of book lovers everywhere by shredding it.

[Yllaria]

I was going to say it's an Amish computer virus, but I don't think they do mimeo.

[Chessic Sense]

Well, I recognize a few things on the list.

Brandish Branding Irons
Linusit and Aura
Tegretol used for Bipolar Disorder.
Dioxin

I see that down the side, it says "Sun, Moon, Stars". What's that about?

[Knowed Out]

I did some googling and found what came the closest to what you have listed.

Zephyrs Rosin oil Caster oil

Zephyr Rosin appeared in the movie Joonba as "English Boy."

Gerund Mylucient Too lape

A gerund is an -ing word, and Lucient.org is a guild website for Eve online players.

Lendon Tegratal Iinusita

Tegretol is a drug used to treat seizures and bipolar disorder, and Inusita is an art exhibit in Solvakia.

tunnui Iinverted IiridialLugiciGlue

Tunnui is a town in Myanmar, "iridial" means "Relating to this iris," and Lugici is located in Serbia.

Niehlo Socratex Sandoats

Niello is a metal alloy that's engraved into inlays, Socrates is a famous philosopher, and Sand Oats grow on beaches.

Lure Ffelunguisi Balsam Fur

The closest I could find is Feeling USA, which sells lingerie online.

Aura ApeWorld tonnot

Lost in an Ape World is a porno comic, and Louis Tonnot is the commander of Lyon's Brigade of Social Protection, as the French call their vice squads.

Eera Cocoacosh Gladinum

EERA stands for Electrical Equipment Representatives Association, CocoaCash is a personal finance manager app for the Mac, and 'Evaginare gladinum tuum' means 'Draw forth thy glaive or sword.'

Sun Podiatries Laws

A podiatrist is a foot doctor.

Moon Dioxine IillegalToffeyChips

Dioxin is a hydrocarbon used in pesticides, and Toffey Chips come from almonds.

Stars BetaCarotem Black Stickers

beta-Carotene is a red-orange pigment found in fruits and veggies.

Niello Machine Ffelt Loop

Ah ha, Niello again!

So I'm guessing an electrician into Central European art is traveling from France to Myanmar, and is looking to stop at various doctors along the way for his eyes, feet, and bipolar disorder. He's taking along his Mac notebook to keep track of his finances, and he's going to make sure not to eat anything with almond chips on them because they may contain dioxins. He's in a Eve online guild, and he wants to make sure he can buy monkey porno without getting busted. He eats carrots for his vision, likes gladiators in sexy underwear, and is wanting to get English Boy's autograph.

[An Arky]

Makes no sense at all to me, but now I know what to name my next thirteen albums!

[ivan astikov]

Originally Posted by Knowed Out

Moon Dioxine Illegal ToffeyChips

Okay, now I'm seriously considering changing my username to this!

[maladroit]

Sounds like one of your neighbors needs to change his meds, and he's gonna be really mad when he finds out you touched his stuff. (or didn't write back, or something)

[Alice The Goon]

I'm going with schizophrenic or bipolar neighbor for the win.

[TruCelt]

The key word is "Tegretol"

[williamweigand]

Knowed Out, I'm truly impressed with the research you did. You may have something there with your conclusion - at the very least a career in comedy writing - I busted a gut laughing. On a more serious note, I know a number of people with bipolar disorder but don't know what meds they're on. Either way, I doubt either of them put this list in my mailbox.

[pantheon]

I can't make any sense of it, but I can make a hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl!

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Computer passwords?

[Euphonious Polemic]

Originally Posted by Alice The Goon

I'm going with schizophrenic or bipolar neighbor for the win.

Seconded. And yes, Tegretol is the tip-off

[Gagundathar]

This is one of the best threads I have read in quite a long time.

////

Any useful code word group will look inexplicable to anyone without the key and this is just weirdly ordered enough to look like what I think a code word group might look like.

Y'all know how this crypto scheme works, right?

[digs]

How are you going to feel when the Antarctican Hollow-Earthers attack, and you didn't show the code to the CIA in time to stop the senseless Sno-Cone onslaught?

[Gary "Wombat" Robson]

I'm trying to figure out the ingredients list in illegal toffee chips

Originally Posted by ivan astikov

Okay, now I'm seriously considering changing my username to this!

It would make a great custom title for you!

[williamweigand]

O.P. here. I don't have time to respond to as many of your posts as I'd like, but thought that if any of you would like to see the "original" list, I could have someone at work show me how to fax it. Let me know.

[ivan astikov]

Originally Posted by Gary "Wombat" Robson

I'm trying to figure out the ingredients list in illegal toffee chips

It would make a great custom title for you!

If you can use your power and influence to make it so, I'll give a donation to a nominated charity.

[williamweigand]

I think I might have it figured out - and if I'm right, I'm really ticked.

Although it may have been posted in jest, Wile E's post (#13 above) could be on the nose. And the company whose website Chessic Sense provided a link for in post 17 might be the one behind it.

I didn't get around to mentioning that the first two words in the list were written larger than all the rest.
So maybe that company decided to come up with a sneaky advertising campaign where they write a slightly disguised version of their name at the top of a list of nonsensical sounding words, run off a buttload of them on a copier, and sneak them into peoples' mailboxes. Then they hope enough people think WTF, sending them to Google to find a link to their website. (After all, I might not be the only one to find this list in my mailbox - just the only one stupid enough to give them free advertising on a message-board read by teeming millions.)

If my theory is correct, I apologize to you all. I give the powers-that-be my permission to delete this thread if it can be determined without a doubt that I inadvertently spammed the Board. Or perhaps you might think that, just as Hal Briston's sheep sex thread provided an object lesson in the dangers of leaving your computer unattended when logged in to the Dope, this one could teach people to suspect the possibility of a sneaky ad campaign when they see something weird like this list.

[Little Nemo]

My guess? Somebody's dabbling in homeopathy. A lot of the terms sound like a phonetic attempt to spell the names of some substances. Maybe they were trying to write down a list of items being relayed to them over the phone or they were seeing on TV.

[GuanoLad]

A list of possible usernames for a message board?

[Imago]

An undifferentiated schizophrenic whose symptoms were mainly a combo of disorganized and paranoid could CONCEIVABLY write this, but it's far more likely to be either a prank or a code.

It seems like there may be too many instances of resemblance to actual words/names to be an advertising campaign from any place with conventional copyright laws? What with all the patented drugs and references to online games.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by williamweigand

I think I might have it figured out - and if I'm right, I'm really ticked.

Although it may have been posted in jest, Wile E's post (#13 above) could be on the nose. And the company whose website Chessic Sense provided a link for in post 17 might be the one behind it.

I didn't get around to mentioning that the first two words in the list were written larger than all the rest.
So maybe that company decided to come up with a sneaky advertising campaign where they write a slightly disguised version of their name at the top of a list of nonsensical sounding words, run off a buttload of them on a copier, and sneak them into peoples' mailboxes. Then they hope enough people think WTF, sending them to Google to find a link to their website. (After all, I might not be the only one to find this list in my mailbox - just the only one stupid enough to give them free advertising on a message-board read by teeming millions.)

If my theory is correct, I apologize to you all. I give the powers-that-be my permission to delete this thread if it can be determined without a doubt that I inadvertently spammed the Board. Or perhaps you might think that, just as Hal
Briston's sheep sex thread provided an object lesson in the dangers of leaving your computer unattended when logged in to the Dope, this one could teach people to suspect the possibility of a sneaky ad campaign when they see something weird like this list.

I was right? Actually, I came up with my joke comment when I googled one of the word combos in your list and found a whole lot if Russian websites, and Russian usually means spam. But I can't see how incoherent spam mail in a real mailbox would benefit anyone as advertising. Most email spam wants to trick you into going to their website or stealing your passwords or installing a virus on your computer. Spam mail in you real world mailbox wouldn't have the same immediate effect. Not to mention, that I think it's actually illegal to put non mail stuff in people's mailboxes so if it's a viral marketing campaign of sorts it's a bit risky for that company should people complain.

Did you ask any of your neighbors if they got one in their mailbox?

[dobieman]

It is the latest "on-palm" set of notes for Sarah Palin at one of her public frenzies of demagoguery. (Don't worry that it is missing pronouns, verbs, articles, etc. Those are supplied automatically by those accustomed to listening to her.)

[goodie]

Looks like a mnemonic device, perhaps elements? Bismuth, zirconium, cobalt...I see a few that won't match, though, so maybe not JUST elements.

[hougaswd]

Originally Posted by williamweigand

It was on a sheet of paper in my mailbox - no envelope.

I'll try to re-create it as well as possible. It's a mimeograph copy of something handwritten. I can only guess at some of the letters - and why the writer had some words with initial capitalization followed by a lowercase version of the initial letter is part of the mystery.

A number of these items seem to connected to printing or art:

Niehlo
"Niello is a black metallic alloy of sulfur, copper, silver, and usually lead, used as an inlay on engraved metal. It can be used for filling in designs cut from metal. The Egyptians are credited with originating niello decoration, which spread throughout Europe during the late Iron age"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niello

Rosin oil
"A white to brown viscous liquid obtained by fractional distillation of rosin and used in lubricants, adhesives, electrical insulation, and printing inks" http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rosin+oil

Caster oil
"Castor oil and its derivatives have applications in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, pharmaceuticals and perfumes."
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Caster+oil)))

BetaCarotem

"β-Carotene is an organic compound and classified as a terpenoid. It is a strongly-coloured red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. As a carotene with beta-rings at both ends, it is the most common form of carotene. It is a precursor (inactive form) of vitamin A."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_carotene

Others seem to be more associated with medicine

Tegretol-already noted as a medicine by Knowed Out

Balsam Fur

I think this is a phonetic spelling of Fir Balsam.

"Balsam is a term used for various pleasantly scented plant products. These are oily or gummy oleoresins, usually containing benzoic acid or cinnamic acid, obtained from the exudates of various trees and shrubs and used as a base for some botanical medicines. They may be obtained from..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsam

The entry associating dioxin and toffee chips is interesting. Dioxin is more closely associated with bio accumulation in animals rather than plants, but might someone with mental problems looking for causes make the leap that they have been poisoned from an otherwise unlikely source?


Perhaps this is the shopping list of a depressed artist, self medicating, with poor spelling skills?

Walt

[Mangetout]

Could just be that someone is messing with you.

Alternatively, I've seen people employ lists like this to serve as password reminders for computer systems - write down a bunch of obscure words or number sequences on a sheet, then just remember the *position* of the one you're currently using.

Once (25+ years ago - before the era when everyone had to remember computer system passwords) I found a small piece of green notepaper bearing the handwritten words: "Roxell Roxell Bowshot". I have never discovered the purpose or meaning of this.

[williamweigand]

After I get a copy made of the list I'll send the original to the snail-mail address of the website Sigmagirl provided a link for in post #3. If they decide not to show it on the website, I still offer to send it, or a copy, to anyone else who requests it.

[silvermist]

It looks like if you switch the letters around, it might make sense.

[Shmendrik]

Originally Posted by silvermist

It looks like if you switch the letters around, it might make sense.

You've done so, and made sense of it, but this margin is too narrow to contain it, right?

[Sigmagirl]

Originally Posted by williamweigand

After I get a copy made of the list I'll send the original to the snail-mail address of the website Sigmagirl provided a link for in post #3. If they decide not to show it on the website, I still offer to send it, or a copy, to anyone else who requests it.

I invited Bill to come visit the thread. His book Milk Eggs Vodka is hilarious. I recommend it.

[Wheelz]

Originally Posted by silvermist

It looks like if you switch the letters around, it might make sense.

Brandishing Irons = Shin Rinsing Board

Sun Podiatries Laws = Walnuts Raid Posies

Niehlo Socratex Sandoats = Coarse Latins Hand Sex

It does make sense now!

[Emily Litella]

I tried an anagram solver on one or two and it's not helping.

[Wile E]

Uh-oh. I think I'm smelling another "14 k in a gpd"* thingy.


*I'm not sure if that's the actual letters in that meme and now I must run far away before someone hurts me.

[TruCelt]

Originally Posted by williamweigand

. . . So maybe that company decided to come up with a sneaky advertising campaign where they write a slightly disguised version of their name at the top of a list of nonsensical sounding words, run off a buttload of them on a copier, and sneak them into peoples' mailboxes. Then they hope enough people think WTF, sending them to Google to find a link to their website. (After all, I might not be the only one to find this list in my mailbox - just the only one stupid enough to give them free advertising on a message-board read by teeming millions.)
. . .

Do you walk in your sleep?

[williamweigand]

Originally Posted by TruCelt

Do you walk in your sleep?

No. And I had no hand in producing this list, or distributing it.

In response to Wile E's question above, I haven't asked any of my neighbors if they found a copy of the list in their mailboxes. When the opportunity arises I might.