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Author Topic: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system  (Read 2784 times)

Jeremy McCreary

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Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« on: February 03, 2018, 03:45:27 PM »

Most civilizations go through a sun-worshipping phase. Indeed, astroarchaeologists estimate that sun gods and goddesses (here used interchangeably) account for 78% of all known deities.

But suns hide for hours to days at a time during solar eclipses, asteroid impacts, supervolcano explosions, and other natural sun-blocking events. Sure, your sun's always come back before, but what if it doesn't this time?  So just to be on the safe side, cultures across the Galaxy have turned to dramatic rituals begging the sun to return. These often feature -- what else? -- ceremonial spinning tops that basically say, "O Beneficent One, pleeeeeeeeeease come back! Our world revolves around You!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcifSRU2rQw

This sun-begging top design spread from the Zargon system to neighboring parts of the Delta Sector in the Edogoma Period ca. 2,800-2,000 BCE Earth time. To use it, just spin with great flourish, chant some well-chosen incantations, and wait. Works every time, and it's also good for general panhandling -- which high priests of sun gods spend a lot of time doing between outages.  >:D
« Last Edit: February 04, 2018, 04:28:23 PM by Jeremy McCreary »
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Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time ... and with spinning tops, we decorate both.
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the Earl of Whirl

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2018, 11:40:19 PM »

Cool strobe effect!
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Happiness runs in a circular motion!!!

Renee

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2018, 01:26:50 AM »

That is a nice one. I love the hand shape.
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Iacopo

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2018, 02:39:53 AM »

Nice effect, Jeremy !  I like it especially at 0:45 - 1:00, yellow triangles appear around the top, and the vibrating effect of the video well suggests a shining star.
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jmadrigal

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2018, 08:19:32 AM »

I wonder if real hands were ever used. ;)
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Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2018, 02:57:49 PM »

I wonder if real hands were ever used. ;)

Probably not on peace-loving Zargon III, but I wouldn't put it past the brutes on Zargon V.
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Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2018, 04:09:20 PM »

Many thanks for all the kind words!

I've come to think of my tops as having 5 distinct visual "personas" -- one "static" (at rest) and 4 "dynamic" (while spinning). The dynamic personas are seen (i) in person under ambient light, (ii) in person under a variable-speed strobe light in the dark, (ii) in still photos, and (iv) in video. And they may have little in common.

In person under ambient light, this top sweeps out a virtual surface resembling a large shallow bowl with a wide ribbed orange rim. This dynamic effect is actually my favorite here, but it just doesn't come across in stills or video.

With the following in mind, you can design toward any or all of these personas in a given top...
o In tops with strong surface relief (i.e., with highly 3D patterns), all personas vary with tilt angle.
o In the dark under blacklight, glowing fluorescent parts drastically alter all personas.
o Even with lots of experience, static personas often give rise to totally unforeseen dynamic effects.
o All the dynamic personas vary with the top's angular speed, often strongly.
o The photo persona also varies with shutter speed.
o The strobe persona also varies with flashing rate -- often wildly and abruptly.
o The video persona also varies with both shutter speed and frame rate (not the same thing).

Of course, dumb luck, experience, guess-and-test, and serendipity all go into the final result. And here, the rapid prototyping and the wide range of top structures possible with LEGO really shine.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2018, 04:37:26 PM by Jeremy McCreary »
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jim in paris

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2018, 03:25:03 AM »

hello Jeremy
very cool scintillation!

 when I started chanting "HERE COMES THE SUN.... I SAY.... ITS ALRIGHT" at 2.51
it started snowing in Paris !
it hasn't stopped since yesterday ,creating major traffic congestion
the good thing is that CUPER visited Jim Morrison 's tomb under the snow :)

thanks for the trip to Zargon ;)

jim

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"oeuvre de coeur prend tout un homme"

Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Sun-begging top from the Zargon system
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2018, 04:24:53 PM »

very cool scintillation!
when I started chanting "HERE COMES THE SUN.... I SAY.... ITS ALRIGHT" at 2.51 it started snowing in Paris !
it hasn't stopped since yesterday ,creating major traffic congestion
thanks for the trip to Zargon ;)

Any ancient Zargonian could have told you that chants can backfire without the right ceremonial top. I'll repeat the Beatles chant with my top going. Let me know when it clears up there.  >:D
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 04:27:03 PM by Jeremy McCreary »
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