The crackpot inventions of Bryan Mumford
Tim says: "Bryan Mumford makes some interesting gadgets -- none more interesting than the Mystery Box. Designed to look inviting, it automatically slams its lid when approached, then teasingly creeps it back open when you leave."
LinkThe Mystery Box consists of a polished cherry wood box placed on top of a spruce pedestal. The box has a hinged lid, which is open, and the inside is lined with black velvet.
When you see this box on a pedestal, you think to yourself
"This is some special box, and something special is inside of it."
So you walk over to look inside. But as soon as you get within 6 feet of the box, the hinged lid slams shut and won't open.
If you walk away from the box, it begins to feel safe again, and the lid opens an inch or so. If you leave it alone, after 5 or 10 seconds, it opens another inch or two. If you still leave it alone, it will open a bit more. Finally, it decides it's safe once again and, like a cautious anemone, it opens all the way up. But as soon as you approach it, it slams shut.
Yes, there is something special inside and no, I won't tell you what it is.
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Oh dear Lord. I must possess one of these to inflict on my 6-year old nephew.
Kinda reminiscent of Claude Shannon's "The Most Beautiful Machine".
i really want to know what's inside. Anyone know? Please.
The only improvement I can think of would be a Repo Man/Pulp Fiction glow!
"You put your WEED in there!"
It's a mirror.
What would really add to it is a RFD chip detector. Keep the chip on you, and you can approach the box without it slamming shut. No chip, no peeking.
It is Rincewind's and Twoflower's Luggage. I wonder if it will grow feet? Perhaps cherry is the earthly equivalent of sapient pearwood?
Nothing! Absolutely nothing! STUPID! You're so STU-PIIIIIIIIIIID!
emphasis via imdb
Nothing that a tall ladder and binoculars can't solve.
would love to see the plans.
The Addams Family used the same technology on their front gate.
It's whatever is inside of the briefcase in 'Pulp Fiction" or the car trunk in 'Repo Man."
Be sure to check out the rest of his site - the Automatic Puny Tune player and Harminium are truly lustworthy. I first thought "Mystery Box = perfect toy" but then realized that the stream of geeky friends trying to defeat it would get tiresome.
Are you sure it isn't Bloody Stupid Johnson's locker?
Reminds me of the Sesame Street segment which taught us WASPy suburb kids the words "abierto" and "cerrado", wherein a cartoon box keeps tempting a fellow by opening up and teasingly saying "abierto!" in a tantalizing women's voice, but then snapping shut and triumphantly cackling "cerrado!" when he approaches.
Eventually the guy gets so fed up he goes over and stomps the snot out of the box, pounding it flat, at which point it weakly moans "abierto..."
You may draw any sociopoliticalsexual parallels you'd like below.
Now cut your parallels out, put them on the fridge, or give them to a friend. (You may want to ask Mom for help with the scissors.)
@#13:
The bodies of dead aliens (as in UFOs) are what's in the trunk in "Repo Man".
Plan #1.
Unplug the box while open (cord can be seen running out the back)
Plan #2
1.) Cut a hole in the box.
2.) Put your junk in that box.
3.) Have her open the box...
What's in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction? Obviously, the Holy Grail.