VOTE Photo Contest - What Is That?

[ZapperZ]

We have a set of rather interesting pictures of unusual objects. So this ought to be fun. Please vote for the picture that best represents our theme.

1. Math Jeans

2. hypatia

3. Moonbear

4. Janus
http://home.earthlink.net/~jparvey/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/whatisit2.jpg

5. turbo-1

6. ZapperZ

7. Ms Music

8. Mech Engineer

9. Borek

10. ~christina~
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3180/3153scrappollenbywhitepgv7.jpg

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=244615"

Zz.

 

[cristo]

Ms Music's picture gets my vote, since I actually had to go back to the contest thread to find out what it was!

 

[_Mayday_]

~Christina's~ image won't load so I'll come back and vote later. I honestly do not know what 6 of the 9 I can see are...

 

[Moonbear]

I went with Mech Engineer on this one. I don't know what it is, yet it is a really aesthetically pleasing photo too.

 

[turbo]

Borek gets my vote. What IS that contraption?

 

[GeorginaS]

Some of the photos here are great imagery, like MechEngineer's and Zapper's and christina's, but Borek's picture truly has me the most perplexed.

 

[hypatia]

I had to go with moonbear, because I know, everyone who sees it asks what it is.

 

[lisab]

My best guess at Borek's contraption: a manual mini-cassette tape rewinder ?

 

[Borek]

Borek gets my vote. What IS that contraption?

I will tell you after voting ends

My best guess at Borek's contraption: a manual mini-cassette tape rewinder ?

It predates casette recorders.

And it was used worldwide, so I am not cheating you with some very specific Polish thingy.

 

[Ms Music]

Borek, I too (im)patiently await the answer. I voted for yours also. (I hope I CAN vote?)

 

[ZapperZ]

You have barely 2 days left to vote in this contest. So far, Borek is running away with it. Can anyone catch him?

Zz.

 

[binzing]

I'm sorry, but has this contest gone down the drain? No offense Borek, but I don't see why way more people have voted for yours than the other, more artistic photos...

 

[cristo]

I'm sorry, but has this contest gone down the drain? No offense Borek, but I don't see why way more people have voted for yours than the other, more artistic photos...

Presumably because they answered: "vote for the picture which best represents our theme" with Borek's picture. Not everyone's views are the same as yours, else there would be no need for a vote!

 

[ZapperZ]

I'm sorry, but has this contest gone down the drain? No offense Borek, but I don't see why way more people have voted for yours than the other, more artistic photos...

Besides what cristo has mentioned, this isn't JUST a contest on "artistic" merit. You could have the most gorgeous photo, but if it doesn't quite resonate with someone with regards to the intent of the theme, it should not win the contest. Borek's picture is not lacking at all in the "curiosity" factor and has as much of a claim to win this contest as the other pictures.

I will also remind you that this contest is done for fun. If you start taking this way too seriously and resort to belittling member's entries, then I would suggest that you stop participating in it completely.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

One day left to vote in this contest. Which one of these pictures that REALLY made you say "What is that?!"

Zz.

 

[turbo]

I'm thinking that Borek's contraption might be a totalizer (counter), and the positions of the little offset knobs can be read from some sort of scale (1x and 10x). Every pull on the toggle increases the count by one. Pulling the cord from the looped end resets the counters.

How's that, Borek? Am I even close?

 

[Borek]

How's that, Borek? Am I even close?

Completely off

Funny thing is that my first idea was that - judging from age - you have the highest chances of knowing. I don't know your exact age, but you are definitely older then me. I am a little bit too young, those younger then me are almost completely out of luck

 

[Borek]

Wow, I won! :rofl:

9. Borek

Geez, I have problems with explaining how it works in Polish and I have to try in English

It is a razor blade sharpener. Unfortunately, I don't have a razor blade of the correct type to show how it fits inside. You put the blade in, close the thing, and pull the rope here and back again. Blade is moving in small circles on those eccentric things inside. Green things are a very fine sharpening stones, or more like polishing stones. They are on springs and their "teeths" fit between those of the other side, so that blade is worked on on both sides at the same time.

Back in 70-ties this type of razor blade was still quite popular here, but I believe they were already of the type that could be not sharpened due to the type of steel used; I can be wrong though. As we were lagging behind I suppose in 70-ties you (in US) were already mostly using those razors in which blade is not a separate piece of metal, but piece of metal put into plastic. So only those that have started to shave earlier know this type of blade, and sharpeners are even older

 

[GeorginaS]

That's ingenious, Borek! I'm very familiar with the razorblades you're talking about. I had no idea there were sharpeners for them. Very cool

 

[Ms Music]

Congratulations, Borat!

I think you had quite the clever trick up your sleeve by not telling us what it was until after the contest. I know *I* voted for you, cause I wanted to find out what the heck it was!

 

[Borek]

Congratulations, Borat!

Thank you for congratulations, but please don't mistake me for someone I am not.

 

[Ms Music]

Borek, please forgive me! I wasn't trying to imply that you tricked us. I was (jokingly) trying to say that your withholding what it was brought some great fun and anticipation to the thread. At least for me.

(truly sorry, danged internet just doesn't transmit my personality and true intentions well!)

*edit to fix my typo. I have horrible eyesight, sorry! Is there an egg on my face emoticon?

 

[cristo]

Borat, please forgive me!

He means you spelt his name wrong: it's Borek

 

[Borek]

He means you spelt his name wrong: it's Borek

Exactly. No offence taken, no offence given, I just like my name

 

[Ms Music]

Got a big herring to smack me upside the head with? One large enough to knock me into the river?

 

[Borek]

I have a smoked mackerel in a fridge, but it is too tasty to be wasted