h a l f b a k e r yNot so much a thought experiment as a single neuron misfire.
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It was nine o'clock at night, and nearing the end of a rainy New England October, that meant it was dark. The Walker walked on the edge of the street, heeding the local custom of avoiding the unshoveled sidewalks. There was no snow yet, just moisture, but it was habit. Everyone walks on the streets.
The Walker was wearing cargo pants and a dull hoodie pulled over his golf cap. He was finishing off the crust of his peanut butter banana sandwich as he walked, but he looked just disheveled enough to be pegged as a cigarette smoker from a distance.
The moon was stuck behind a curtain of diaphanous clouds but the streets were dimly yet consistently lit from an unending corridor of dim porch lights. Seeing the nearest stop sign illuminate itself with the glow of a car distantly behind him, the Walker crossed a poorly kept grass strip onto the craggly sidewalk. Immediately the porch light whose walkway he had entered sensed his motion and shut itself off. He had finished his crust by this point. The Walker continued on, past the next porch, which also darkened itself. The next did the same. They remained dark for some time as the Walker continued on, carrying the darkness with him everywhere he went. The moon shone brighter as he passed under it.
Another stupid idea
http://www.fotocomm...c/pc/display/706237
[zeno, Sep 16 2009]
[link]
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the next two or three porch lights were broken as he walked on and he tripped falling face first into his peanut butter sandwich... |
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Very H P Lovecraft ....... [+] |
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I don't, I prefer my (rather mundane) mid-night walkies unperturbed by spotlights. [+] |
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I love this idea and how it was presented. I
understood it, and I would like it. Even if it were only
in a "dream like" state, and something that would be
unsafe to do, I want one. |
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I place this rather dimly lit croissant at your feet, oh
doughnut person. |
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You could have them turn back on if the person came sufficiently close. Glad you found your random idea to dislike today, though, 21. |
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Also, I can't believe you tried calling this a let's all. You really don't get that one yet. |
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I think 21 has lost touch with his inner child. (I hope
he can find him again.) |
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A nice courtesy to passers-by, in some
circumstances. They could go back on again,
brighter, if the passer approaches. |
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[21Quest], I agree it is a very stupid idea to have a security light turn off upon approach. It is as stupid as taking of your saddle and steering from your bicycle, welding them together and hanging them on the wall, stupid and ugly. Except when you look at it in a certain way it resembles the head of a bull and that is brilliant and by Picasso and one of the most famous artworks ever. Check my link and when you see the bull, check this idea again. |
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I always imagine this is what's happening when a street light I am passing beneath extinguishes itself. Well written, perfect mood, thank you. |
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[21 Quest], this one went completely over your head, // Sorry to be so blunt, but that's the way it is. // |
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The bull is a great image, but remember, the goal of the game is to compel [21] to google something less than appealing. |
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The bull does ask. very quietly. Can you hear it? That's the art talking to you. |
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Flight of whimsy or nay, anything that cuts down urban light pollution gets my bun [+] |
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I agree this idea is dangerous and it requires
participation by other homeowners for it to work.
There is however some appeal to being able to
safely walk down the street at night and have it
remain dark. |
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I propose that the porch lights (and possibly even
street lights) be off by default to reduce light
pollution and energy usage and normally turn on
when motion is detected, providing light to avoid
tripping and to deter crime. Anyone who wants
to walk in the dark for benign purposes can carry
an infrared beacon that pulses a special pattern.
The motion detector can avoid turning the light
on when there is a moving object with a valid
pattern flashing close to it. |
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To reduce the risk of criminals using this to work
in the dark, each transponder flashes a unique
rolling crystallographic code (similar to a secure
garage door opener). That code is transmitted
back to the central database over the internet by
all of the motion detectors that see it. This
verification should be done before leaving the
light off. Purchase of a transponder (or
registration of a transponder code) requires ID
verification. |
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As an added bonus, as you are walking in the night
and see a shadowy figure approaching, if the lights
are not turning on for them either, you can be
reasonably confident that they also have a valid
transponder and are out enjoying the darkness
just like you. This is best used by those more
afraid of the average crook than of big brother.
This could also be used to automatically request a
low-priority police drive-by if a transponder
suddenly stops moving. They can retrieve a
dropped transponder to avoid it falling into
criminal hands or make sure you didn't collapse on
the sidewalk not to be found until the next
morning. Alternately the system may call the
registered phone number of the user before
requesting the police drive-by. |
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Properly complex. I'd do it differently, but that's properly complex. And remember, the goal is to get [21] to not Google shit. |
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Thanks for recycling this. It is well written. Porch lights being a sign of invitation and welcome, these turn off: this man, "pegged as a cigarette smoker from a distance" is not welcome. It is the sort of thing one would see in a Terry Gilliam movie. |
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Also I am tickled by 21's annos. |
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