Friday, June 10. 2011
The Future Is Paraffin
I just invested in another Aladdin Blue Flame Paraffin Heater. So the power companies can fire up the price of gas and electricity all they goddamned want. Come the winter, they ain't getting a penny extra out of me. In fact I hope there's a major power cut and gas shortage! With all the paraffinalia I've amounted over the last few years, I'll be the warmest, most illuminated, smuggest bastard in town.
So take note, things are gonna get grim. But the future is bright. The future is paraffin!
Check this fascinating documentary about a guy lighting his Primus 5 Classic Stove. Trust me, every bit of this is fascinating, and the money shot at the end is well worth the wait...
Monday, January 4. 2010
What To Do When A Blackout Hits
An interesting article from 1977. One for the Paraffinpunk subgenre perhaps:
'Your television picture shrinks to a disappearing dot. Lights flicker out. Motors groan and die. The family huddles in the eerie quiet. It's a blackout. And despite all the myths about the siple joys of candlelit living, it's just about as romantic as drought.
'Nine million New Yorkers saw little that was joyous in the power failure that struck the city and adjacent Westchester County last July [1977]. Several freak lightening strikes during a severe thunderstorm triggered a series of power shutdowns in the Consolidated Edison system that brought the country's largest metropolis to a dark standstill.' (Popular Mechanics article).
Tuesday, December 15. 2009
Paraffinpunk: A Media Underground Manifesto
“The first Paraffin Crusade starts here. We must banish the pernicious tyranny of the butane/propane canister.” (Text message from The Sergeant Matron, December 13th 2009).
It all started innocently enough with the procurement of a Tilley Stormlight. I’d seen my weird friend The Sergeant Matron tinkering about with one about a year ago and was impressed. Perfect for camping, I thought, ideal for winter trips to the middle of nowhere.
“It’s off-the-grid-tastic!” exclaimed The Matron, eyes wide and geeked out of his crazy mind with a flaming meths-soaked pre-burner in his hand. I pretended not to take too much notice - knowing how he tends to get carried away with such things - but inside I was bubbling with excitement. As the Tilley Lamp’s mantle ignited with an audible pop, paraffin - I quickly realised - could very well become the fuel of the future.
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