THINGUMMYBOB
- What's This?
Look at it. Once believed to be a HINDUSTANI HANG-GLIDER, it has now been
shown (by a variety of authorities on strange, unknown objects) to have
originally been intended for and served the following possible purposes:
all the interpretations - latest first
TOC:
paul [so glad to find this...]
simone [it´s a world of balls and turtles]
andrea [crack it]
kerstin [bill of rights]
jutta [keeping track]
sigrid [lighthouse fantasies]
jürgen [snap an idea]
günther [astragal travels]
ylva [solar driven puncher]
dana [dancing letter]
ernst [bored joiner's mishap]
moni [zorp! spoilt brat]
karen [thought amplifier]
tony [viking shaker]
rosemary
[lisbon losses] e-mail
lisa [5 brain-crushing, mind-boggling interpretations]
e-mail
andre [ironing startled egyptians]
claude [birds' traces]
dirk [dark exposure]
colleen [divine ass]
vern
[terrible mishap! (or was it on purpose?)]
[my comments are in '[..]' brackets...]
paul:
It's obviously a very sturdy coat hanger for taking on a ski trip.
It hangs on anything by virture of a movable ball suspended at the top,
which catches, by the force of the weight of the hanger and what is on it,
anthing that is past between it and the spread sections on either side.
This can be adjusted by the white handle in the center, for very heavy
garments.
It is very old, and therefore, missing some structural components that
have been replaced caringly with retrofitted ornamental strapping.
The first inclination, when you are special, is to avoid the first inclination.
But this is the one we should trust. It is the most communicative one, and
represents the subliminal stream of information that ties us to the known.
More elaborate and interesting descriptions are always available, but what
is the point of this? It would only be an exercise in mutation of the known,
and serves only to obscure the purpose of the exercise.
Which is to realize, that...
...Doing dictates description. Unfortunately, we struggle like Hell, to get
past our Doing, until a time comes, that we struggle like Hell to hang onto it.
simone:
1)
Quite recognizably, this is a depiction of the model of our social system.
The appreciation of this model varies widely, depending on the part of it the
individual identifies itself with: the sphere (unlikely, because it looks like
from another world - but who knows?), the handle, or a board of the triangle.
First of all there is the golden globe, supported by timber and metal, carried
on the back and held up by the bulk of the population (as you see
represented by the triangle); it is getting narrower towards the top, at the
locations closer to the golden sphere. Well, and the sphere needs the support
of the wooden, common ones - otherwise it would lack all power and fall off
its throne. But the way it is - the ball glides about, while the masses care for
its transportation. The sledge represents the very existence as such.
As can clearly be seen, the globe has got a pendant in the center of the
triangle, being the continuation of the holders. The holders consist of the
same material as the triangle, but they don't notice, because they have such
an important role to play, and therefore they feel important and somewhat
better than the supporting triangle. I'd identify that continuation as the
stabilizing element of the whole - in our world possibly the mass media and
other factors promoting the moronization of the masses.
If those supporting the globe and those in the center would fall off - that
would result in a pure triangle, without top or bottom; thus proximity to
the globe wouldn't any longer be the main issue, all individuals would be
equals and could just glide about sightseeing as it is their genuine nature.
2)
With equal validity it might represent the conception of the world as
seen by the medieval carpenters' guild - just like the indians saw the
world on elephants' backs, carrying a turtle or so, on which the world
finally rests.
3)
But most likely it is just a mere fantasy product.
andrea:
A set of utopical nutcrackers
kerstin:
(spontaneously)
A new kind of iron; or - the window of a black house
(after a further considerations)
The earth's stand or pedestal ; otherwise the earth would go down.
Could also be a shrinking device, or a ski for compasses.
Final motto: The earth has got a natural right for skis.
jutta:
A gliding device, guiding the earth through space and keeping it
on its orbital track.
sigrid:
Thanks ...
... for the first sketch of the gable roof for my dream resort home by the sea.
The best of it is the versatile sphere in the bifurcation on top.
If not used as a sundial in the summer (difficult metal calculations
on the warped body), it can easily be utilized for christmas-tree
decoration in the winter - or the kids can use it as a globe.
Besides - the laths are not timber, but a special compound made of
styrofoam (light) and plastic (sturdy), which is especially durable to
withstand the sea storms.
Therefore the name starts with "Stypla..". The springs underneath the
triangle let the roof sway slightly with heavy winds.
This kind of roofs is a total novelty and catches a lot of attention.
So the new Stypla Roof with integrated radiating luminous globe it is.
The illumination is important in case the nearby lighthouse fails. The
sailors have a replacement light for orientation then.
The luminary power is, by the way, pure solar energy, charged by
a set of solar cells mounted on the southern part of the roof.
jürgen:
Dust-Snapper
günther:
Thyratrograph
Prototype -to date believed lost- of a measuring
device to register rectified relaxation oscillations,
caused by overdosed quantum-currents.
The Ombro-Gel capsule, as soon as inserted in the
draining-bifurcation, reacts intensely morphological.
Easily visible - the enhancement of the device.
Formerly occurring measuring flaws could be traced
back to the Astragal amplification, caused by the
symmetrically arranged stabilizing angles. since
an invar-steel oscillation-invasion absorber
has been introduced, rectified relaxation oscillations
could finally clearly be indicated.
[we should submit this one to the nobel prize committee]
ylva:
I'd like to rename the 'Hindustani Hang-Glider' to 'Alpine Warmupunch',
because its possible purpose could be the following:
Provided, you want to install couriers in the High Alps or other
mountains, which are snow-covered most of the time. The couriers
would bring extracts of account and other bank-related information
to people, who live there in seclusion from the world in solitary
cottages without internet-access, on skis.
These couriers would then mount the 'Alpine Warmupunch' right in
the front of the ski and, on demand and as a special service to
the customer, put the extract in the Warmupunch and punch it.
The tip pointing to the base, pulled down, would hold the extract
so that it cannot be blown away. When the Warmupunch is pushed
down, the steel tips inside the springs create the desired
punch-holes.
The ball's function could be to contain special deep sea algae,
which are capable of accumulating solar energy. By pressing the
wooden ends holding the ball, they get an activation impulse,
so that they release warmth. The courier can then warm-up his hands
or prepare a soup.
The remote mountaineers would most certainly welcome such a courier,
and the courier would definitely enjoy such an 'Alpine Warmupunch' -
especially because of its second function.
dana:
I felt it should be named " A Balancing all the Angles"
I don't know if this has any logic or reasoning but I felt
it was appropriate.
ernst:
"joiner's boredom"
- and the joint between the triangle and the split wood does hurt
(from the craftsman's standpoint)
moni:
1. Plasma-sledging
The Zorp People, which by the way also invented how to "beat about the bush",
organized the traditional "Plasma-sledging" every springtime.
The aim of this tradition was to thereby prepare the soil for its upcoming
fertility.
The sledge as such was a rather primitive construction, which in spite of
this fulfilled its very purpose quite outstandingly.
On an approx. 1 meter long, wooden ski -with its front bent upwards- a wooden
triangle was mounted on two steel springs, kept together by roughly forged
wrought iron angles.
At the rear edge of the triangle a metal spring brought forth that typical
Zorping sound during the tremendously fast ride down the valley.
A special feature of plasma-sledging is the plasma-pliers, almost seamlessly
worked into the top of the triangle. They can be precisely adjusted to fit,
according to the plasma-ball's size, by pulling or pushing them.
But now for a description of the course of plasma-sledging:
The ritual was meant to inseminate an unprepared field with seedlings, which
were embedded in plasma-balls, early in springtime.
These balls were manufactured by the High Zorp under the utmost secrecy -
therefore no knowledge about it has survived.
The field had to be freshly ploughed, and the slopes still sufficiently
covered with snow; the High Zorp placed one plasma-ball on each peasant's
sledge, and the peasant immediately rode down the valley - lightning-fast and
with sufficient zorping.
Having reached the field, the rider stopped abruptly, swung the sledge round
and let the plasma-ball burst with a determined hit on the handle!
Still enclosed in protecting plasma-jelly, most of the seedlings took root
soon and nourish the peasant and his family - or they don't.
2. The second version is simpler: The Wheel
When God still was a dumb little boy, He fiddled around with some junk,
which was left over from the last world's end.
Originally He did that without any intent, but when He looked at his
creation, He liked it a lot, and He decided to call it "wheel".
While He was still thinking about what His work might be useful for,
a sphere of primordial soup (another leftover from the end of the world)
landed exactly on top of the construction and spoiled the overall
impression of the whole.
God, being a rather spoilt brat at that time, threw away the wheel into
the ether and -after some failed attempts- created the universe.
The wheel continued to wander about through cold space for quite some
time, landed down on earth one day, and carried life down to it.
karen:
Perhaps if you had not have called it a hang-glider, I wouldn't have thought
of it in those terms, but I could not get it out of my head. It makes me
think of a certain kind of glider mentioned in the Darkover books by Marion
Zimmer Bradley. Your picture would not be a factual representation of her
glider, but evokes the same idea. In her books, where many people have
various psi power, they use matrix crystals to amplify those thoughts. She
wrote of a small hang glider type of structure that had a matrix crystal
attached so that the person could control the flying through thought power
amplified by the cystal.
Either way, it is such a neat looking thing. No matter what you call it or
how you would use it, I can only see it being interesting. It is one of
those objects that draws your attention just so you try to figure out what
it is and how it works. *grin* [ <-she always does this! ]
tony:
I think what you have is by far the best example yet found, of the late Viking
cross-country seismometer, used for giving warnings of impending earth
tremors, and avalanches.. I have enclosed a sketch found on a bark roll, during
excavations of Viking settlements near Dublin.
To this day, no-one seems to have come up with a description of how these
instruments were used, nor has anyone yet thought of a rational explanation
for the handle hanging in the main triangle.
You are certainly in a unique position to shed some light on these matters.
My house-mate thinks it's a snow-boarding trophy. [what else could it be?]
rosemary:
After lengthy consultation with numerous historians, I have come to the
conclusion that your object is the only surviving model of the
Luygendorph-Lisbon Device. Dr. Emmanuel Gustavo Luygendorph, (b. 1703, d.
1755), of mixed Portugese/Dutch descent, was interested in the transmission
of vibrations through materials. After extensive studies of sound and
movement, (and a traumatic experience at an Italian volcano site), he began
a focused study of earthquakes. Hoping to be able to predict techtonic
movements, he created an instrument which would amplify minor movements to a
measurable level. In letters to his collegues, he described a wood and
metal device which resembles what you have acquired. He claimed varied
amounts of success, telling of 'mouse footsteps which caused a table to
shake' and 'a feather stroke which shattered a bottle'. His correspondents
were sceptical, to say the least.
Unfortunately, all working notes and models were thought to have been
destroyed, along with Dr. Luygendorph, in the Great Lisbon Earthquake,
November 1, 1755.
[the 1755 lisbon earthquake is a historical fact. what is dr. luygendorph ?]
lisa:
Well, I showed your image to a couple of co-workers (I
am too tied to the earth for the metaphysical) and this
is what they came up with:
"God's Catapult" - during the formation of the heavens,
God used this catapult to launch the planets and stars.
(Submitted by Jim.)
"Sea of Life Container" - a holder for the encapsulated
sea of life from which all creatures, great and small,
emerged. (Submitted by Peter).
"Brain Crusher" - an instrument used during the Spanish
Inquisition to crush the brains of infidels. (Submitted
by Carlos (I am worried about Carlos)).
"Pinball Extractor" - used to extract balls that become
stuck in pinball machines. (Submitted by Peter).
When I look at the image I see a very early prototype of
a ski used by people who have lost their legs in
accidents. The ball is filled with gelatin and serves to
cushion the arm. (And now you know why there are no
metaphysical images on my web site - lack of imagination).
[you don't actually _need_ to rely on your colleagues,
but we've loved their contributions as we did yours..]
andre:
difficult.....
what puzzles me in the moment is the handle at the center of the
triangle, which, provided the appropriate size of the object, only allows
for holding the thing parallel to the body...
that can't be it.
assuming the object is smaller, let us say 12 inches total length,
the whole device could as well be a metaphysical iron...
to glide down slopes one would need a pair of feet turned inwards
90 degrees, to fully enjoy the comfort of the shock absorbers,
so i reckon it isn't designed to be used by one person (or several
persons); no - the thing has to be autonomous one or the other way...
you have started a complex thought-process with this....
.... here are my latest thoughts ....
I think it is an object of an ancient egyptian cult. The wooden triangular
frame symbolizes it's divinity. The handle at the center of this frame allowed
a high priest to raise it high above the heads of the gathered believers.
The shining ball at the top of the arrangement symbolizes Horus eye.
At last, the gliding plane makes it easy transportable in the deserts...
....very strange indeed!
claude:
As for your hindustani hang glider, here's my interpretation:
I believe it's a machine used by ornithologists who travel to high
mountainous regions in search of the rare eggs of exotic birds. They place
the eggs in the top, V-shaped part of the machine and send it down the
mountain. The springs mounted on the ski-shaped base act as shock absorbers
to prevent the eggs from breaking. What other possible purpose could this
object have?
dirk:
I thought hard about the "hindustani hang glider" but i must admit
that no other title came out (at least nothing i was satisfied
with). I focused my looks mostly to the glass egg which seems
to contain some underwater plating and its wooden holder, so the
skiing-board-like thing seemed not so important. the marble egg
reminded me of a sf-story name "the angel's egg" - it looks some-
how extraterrestial or even supernatural to me. And i have the
strong impression the wooden triangular "holder" could have been
on a roof top. Or maybe that egg contains something dangerous and
must be exposed to the light and open to stay harmless. But the
background is black, so it is in a dark room. obviously the hol-
der is very old (not to say ancient) and has been exposed to the
weather. *shrug* well, exactly in _THIS_ case i have absolutely
no clear idea(s) about it.
colleen:
Is it some kind of divining rod? Or more of a compass? A combination
of the two. It's called a 'Divine-Ass'. No, I'm kidding.
But seriously ...
It IS a divining rod ... of some sort. One would place the object on the
ground (on its base) and take a few steps back. The whole top section
(the triangle with the 'legs' on top, plus the 'ball' on top, which
powers the device, will sway (on the springs) if the object that is
being searched for is near by. (I haven't decided what it detects
yet ... not water ... too plain.) If it sways side-to-side (the flat part
being the side), the object is very close. If it sways back and forth,
the object is further away, or in a small quantity. It is called (for
now) a Whatjamacallit Eliciter. I may develop further scientific
analysis as revelations continue to unfold. :)
vern:
what a drag it is with those incompetent employees!
didn't i tell the dumb boy where to put things, to begin
with? look what he's done!
i said 'take four fine laths of timber and make a nice
framework' - four, not three! is that asked for to much
counting for a start? anyway. just look at the fittings
he's used! we have a complete assortment right there in
the shed (just behind the box of used greasy oil pumps)
- brand new and shiny! i wonder where he might have
retrieved these instead. one of the disgusting rusty
things is already gone for good!
and do you call that a 'handle for easy opening'? well,
i for my part don't. looks more like an aid to throw it all
away to me...
oh, we have springs just as i ordered - well, almost. one
go and these have been.
you know what gliders are? well - you're no professional
in my field, so you don't need to. but look at the rotten
base - can you believe it? would you identify that as
'a pair of easy going gliders'? i believe not.
alright - the bifurcation is almost what i had in mind (i
do wonder, however, how such a moron could know the
word).
but why did he have to paste his sticky - yuck - twice
chewed super fluorescent bubble ball remnants to the place
where - no, there it is. i see. he used it to fix the price tag
(good boy!), but it has dried off...
Rural And Urban Life