The Pickle as Will and Idea
D. Brouse, D. Brouse and S. Mukherjee
Glistening Web Communications Corporation
Abstract.
The seminal work on pickle electrification by Hamburgen et al.(1989)
http://www.research.digital.com/wrl/techreports/html/TN-13/
raised many further questions, of which this work will address none.
Instead we propose to explore the zeitgeist of the electric pickle
experience in a global context, limning as it were, the Jungian
archetype of the Electric Pickle. In all its briny glory.
Part One.
There has been little sane theoretical or practical interest in pickle
electrification in the last decade. Part of this disinterest was the
characterization of this field (as implicit in the title of the
original work) as 'Organic Illumination' while the greater part
has been due to the Neo-Occidental conspiracy which ruthlessly suppresses
all electric pickle related work through subtle innuendo and biting scorn.
Part Two.
In this series of experiments, we followed the general procedures
of Hamburgen et al. with some modifications as the series progressed.
Some of the pickles were sliced in a variety of ways to better observe
the effects of the electric arc, and to appease the onlooking mob.
The copper electrodes of the Hamburgen work were replaced by aluminum
ones (0.159cm dia.). The current was delivered through copper clamps
at 120V AC (rms) and 60Hz.
(ie deadmans linecord + alligator clips on roofing nails in blocks o wood
do not try this at home)
Sophisticated safety systems( $5.00 powerbar w/ 5A
circuit breaker + trained ape with finger on button) minimized
(nobody got hurt) the inherent dangers of the procedure.
These experiments were recorded in digital video (mini-DV) format
which allowed us 720x480 pixel resolution with full color and
stereo sound. These were then transferred to various motion
picture formats as shown in the next section.
Part Three.
Results: will speak for themselves.
Multimedia
Pickeled MP4
Too Harsh
2.4M Microsoft .avi video
Pickled
1.5M Microsoft .avi video
Pickled
4.6M Quick Time .mov video
The Pickle
90k jpg picture
The Set-up
139k jpg picture
Too Harsh MP3 .wav soundtrack
Part Four.
Discussion:
Mere words cannot express the electric pickle experience. One must
see the event live.
Part Five:
Acknowledgements:
We gratefully acknowledge the loving support of friends and family
who rarely question our sanity.
References:
"Characterization of Organic Illumination Systems", B. Hamburgen, J. Mogul,
B. Reid, A. Eustace, R. Swan, M. J. Doherty, J. Bartlett (1989)
http://www.research.digital.com/wrl/techreports/html/TN-13/
"Implications of Pickle Electrification for Causal Determinism" J. Dunne,
F. Tempus, A. Fugit (2234) to be published in Proceedings of the 14th
Annual Temporal Physics Conference, Theros, Greece 2234.
© The Philadelphia Spirit
Experiment Publishing Company
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