| Why are you interested in UE? | asked by Anymouse |
I have a background in anthropology and archaeology, and a very strong curiosity about my own culture.
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| How often do you explore, or how involved are you in the UE community? | asked by Anymouse |
As often as possible, with a strong preference for weekends since I have to get up at 5:30am on weekdays.
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| What types of places do you like to explore? | asked by Anymouse |
Places with historic or cultural importance, places where people have lived their day-to-day lives and left evidence behind of what it was like, subterranean places.
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| What is the first place you ever explored? | asked by Skaught |
An abandoned townhouse complex in Toronto. The first place I explored since discovering other UE enthusiasts was The Hartley, an apartment building.
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| What are some places you found on your own? | asked by Skaught |
Old townhouses in Toronto.
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| What skills do you have in relation to UE? (climbing, photography, etc.) | asked by Skaught |
Photography (I used to be a photojournalist), moderate climbing, surreal ability to talk myself out of trouble.
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| Have you ever been caught by the police or security? | asked by Skaught |
Indeed. Not since I turned 18, though, so the charges are all on a juvenille record.
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| Where do you currently live, and where have you explored before? | asked by Anymouse |
Currently living in Calgary, Alberta. Explored Toronto a little bit, and will have seen a fair chunk of Calgary by the end of the summer. I travel into BC on business, and am hoping to get some abandoned mines in.
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| Is using lockpicks ok as a method of entering a site after all other options have been exhaused? | asked by Skaught |
Absolutely.
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| Do you think taking a small momento from an abandonment is ok? | asked by Skaught |
Not unless the site is going to be demolished within the next 12 or so hours. Take photos instead.
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| Is it ok to use any sort of force when entering a site? | asked by Skaught |
"Any sort of force"? No. But a healthy degree of force is fine with me. If I have to kick in a door (assuming the building is about to be demolished), that's okay. If I have to drive a car through a wall, that's really crossing a line.
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| What's your stance on the use of drugs/alcohol in conjuction with UE? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
I've done the 8 martini exploration, and it wasn't ideal. Recollection is a little fuzzy, and photography becomes way more complicated than it should be. I'm a huge fan of getting blind drunk, I just prefer other venues. I'd rather not explore with somebody who's not relatively sober.
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| What's your stance on tagging, graffitti and other modifications to sites. | asked by K.A.O.S. |
Obviously this is site-specific. Generally I prefer to leave everything as I've found it, but in the case of sites where the graffiti is part of what you come to see there's nothing wrong with enriching the next person's experience by adding your own mark.
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| Hypothetical situation: security is on to you, either ahead or behind. Run or talk your way out of it? | asked by Vapor |
Depends on the situation. If I know they've seen me I'd probably try to talk my way out of it. If I am reasonably sure that I saw them first I'd hide or run.
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| What is the origin of your nick? | asked by Skaught |
Juxtaposition of two nicknames. I got Nox (Greek goddess of night and darkness) in high school, and in university was tagged as Agent 22 (long and weird story).
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| How comfortable are you exploring with minors? | asked by Feztaa |
I've never done it, and probably never would.
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| Do you have a UE kit, and if so, what's inside? | asked by Vapor |
The core kit that comes everywhere would be: flashlight, cell phone, camera, disinfectant, bandaids, lip gloss (really, I don't do anything without lip gloss),multitool, gloves. Depending on the location lots more can be added.
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| Do you take pictures? If so, what type of camera do you use? | asked by Anymouse |
Pictures! Love them. I have a Canon 10D but it's proven too cumbersome in many situations, so I'm testing out a new Canon G6 with a delightfully compact but highly extendible tripod.
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| Do you run your own website? If so, what's the URL? | asked by Feztaa |
http://www.agentnox.com/, http://agent-nox.deviantart.com/ and http://agentnox.blogspot.com/
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| What do you think about exploring active sites? | asked by GCOAP |
Just fine with me. It's a whole different adventure. *stares at the Palliser and mutters*
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| What has the thing that has tempted your taking hands the most? | asked by Night Shade |
Um... what? I've studied linguistics and have an MA in communications, and I have NO idea what this question is asking. Are you asking what I've been tempted to steal? An awesome picture of a woman's face.
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| How do you deal missions with explorers whose ethics differ from your own? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
It depends on how serious the disagreement is. I realize that ethics are personal, and I might ask somebody to explain their decision to me. If they believe/behave in a manner I can't reconcile with my own ethics I would have to stop exploring with them.
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| What was your favourite place to explore, and why was it so awesome? | asked by Lucid |
Toronto subway tunnels, because I'd been fascinated with them my whole life and I *heart* subeterranean places.
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| You're exploring with other people when someone sustains a serious injury, gets trapped, caught, etc. In your current position you're safe but trying to assist your fellow explorer could put you in peril. What action (if any) do you take? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
Help them. I would hope they would do the same for me if the situation was reversed. I carry a cell and I'd call for help if the situation were dire enough to merit it.
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| What are your UE goals? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
Continue to see new facets of the world around me and take photographs that make that vision accessible to people who aren't comfortable physically entering the places I go.
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| You find illegally dumped toxic waste while exploring, evidence of drug trafficking or other illegal/dangerous activity/conditions in the course of your explorations. What do you do about it, if anything? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
Toxic waste or something that can harm people without their knowledge: I'd notify the police and Environment Canada.
Drug trafficking: make sure I wasn't seen, videotaped or photographed and haul ass out of there. I'd keep that one to myself, I have some disagreements with Canada's current drug laws.
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| How did you find your way here? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
Discussions with another Calgary explorer and my trusty friend Google.
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| What has UE given you in your life that you otherwise have not had? | asked by Q |
Satisfaction to curiosity, adventure, good friends, great photography subjects, justification for teaching myself things like lockpicking.
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| What, if anything, have you given back to Urban Exploration since you started exploring? | asked by Q |
Not much yet, I have to admit. I only recently discovered the UE community. I aim to produce some great photos, and to ensure I keep fellow explorers safe while pushing our limits.
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| Why do they call you double eh?> | asked by doublebubblelady |
They don't. :)
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| What things frighten you the most in terms of UE? | asked by K.A.O.S. |
A friend getting hurt and being unable to prevent it or help them.
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| If you encounter a dead body during a mission, what would you do? | asked by Skag |
Photograph it, don't touch anything, call the police immediately.
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| Truth or Beauty? | asked by baz |
I once played bass with The Waltons. Not for their song "Truth or Beauty" though.
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| Cake or Death? | asked by Feztaa |
Cake, that cover of "I Will Survive" and "Opera Singer" are just too good
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