The Pickle as Will and Idea
Abstract
The seminal work on pickle electrification by Hamburgen et al. (1989) (www.research.digital.com/wrl/techreports/html/TN-13/ -- WRL Technical Note 13) raised many further questions, of which this work will address none. Instead, we explore the zeitgeist of the electric pickle experience in a global context, limning—if you will—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 stems from the unfortunate characterization of the field as “Organic Illumination,” while the greater part is due to a 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 modifications introduced as the series progressed. Several pickles were sliced in a variety of ways to better observe the electric arc—and to appease the onlooking mob.
Copper electrodes were replaced with aluminum rods (0.159 cm diameter). Current was delivered via copper clamps at 120V AC (RMS), 60 Hz (i.e., a deadman’s line cord plus alligator clips on roofing nails embedded in blocks of wood).
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.
Sophisticated safety systems (a $5 power bar with a 5A circuit breaker and a trained ape with a finger on the button) minimized the inherent dangers of the procedure. Nobody got hurt.
Experiments were recorded in digital video (mini-DV) at 720×480 resolution with full color and stereo sound, then transcoded into various formats listed below.
Part Three
Results: will speak for themselves.
Multimedia
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
Hamburgen, B., Mogul, J., Reid, B., Eustace, A., Swan, R., Doherty, M. J.,
Bartlett, J. (1989). Characterization of Organic Illumination Systems.
Dunne, J., Tempus, F., Fugit, A. (2234). Implications of Pickle Electrification for Causal Determinism. To be published in Proceedings of the 14th Annual Temporal Physics Conference, Theros, Greece.