What is the Boonsburg Egg?
December 8, 2014 3:15 PM Subscribe
From a series of secret, more secret and even more secret locations, really very secret inventor/eccentric fencing-mask-clad 'eb' presents to the world The Boonsburg Egg. A geometric device that he claims is at the heart of the Universe(yt), the Pyramids, Stonehenge and the Earth's plasma fields(yt), he's built one big enough to move a car. But how do you fund such work while getting the knowledge out? Cue William Shatner, Nancy Reagan, Werner Von Braun, and Charlton Heston...
'eb' has, he claims, discovered a number of TV and movie props(yt) from such shows as the original series of The Twilight Zone, Robinson Crusoe On Mars, The Outer Limits and the Omega Man among others. Some decorate his hidden lair or lairs(yt), but some have been sold with Boonsburg Egg plans attached. He's also sold his three-decade collection of seminal small press and zine publications.
But who is he, this man from New Jersey who has ranged as far as LA (the involvement of the National Galleries of Scotland is a bizarre bonus)? Who is the mysterious Mother(yt)? Despite an almost textbook presentation of narcissistic delusion(yt), is it all too knowing to be quite right in its wrongness? And in the end, does it matter?
'eb' has, he claims, discovered a number of TV and movie props(yt) from such shows as the original series of The Twilight Zone, Robinson Crusoe On Mars, The Outer Limits and the Omega Man among others. Some decorate his hidden lair or lairs(yt), but some have been sold with Boonsburg Egg plans attached. He's also sold his three-decade collection of seminal small press and zine publications.
But who is he, this man from New Jersey who has ranged as far as LA (the involvement of the National Galleries of Scotland is a bizarre bonus)? Who is the mysterious Mother(yt)? Despite an almost textbook presentation of narcissistic delusion(yt), is it all too knowing to be quite right in its wrongness? And in the end, does it matter?
So one person working alone is kinda sad. But there's someone behind the camera, too, and with two people involved suddenly this becomes fascinating.
posted by straw at 3:41 PM on December 8, 2014
posted by straw at 3:41 PM on December 8, 2014
Did you see the all the displays this guy has in his garage? That was a lot of fast-blinking lights. Pretty sure this is legit.
This egg...it looks quite a bit like a thing called the "wheel."
posted by Hoopo at 3:46 PM on December 8, 2014
This egg...it looks quite a bit like a thing called the "wheel."
posted by Hoopo at 3:46 PM on December 8, 2014
Is this the tutorial guy? It seems like the tutorial guy. This is pretty brilliant.
posted by shmegegge at 4:33 PM on December 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by shmegegge at 4:33 PM on December 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Do you know how many time zones there are in the Soviet Union?
...
...
11
posted by Golem XIV at 5:27 PM on December 8, 2014
...
...
11
posted by Golem XIV at 5:27 PM on December 8, 2014
I looked up the patent number painted on the side of the "Egg" and found this:
Object lifting and moving device
That's the "egg" alright. It's attributed to one "Richard Paul Halke." Following through to another patent attributed to Mr. Halke:
Method and system of media programming to provide an integrated entertainment experience
This patent appears to describe an algorithm for generating a TV show + online community set in the fictional town of Boonsburg. Throughout the Boonsburg Egg videos, the protagonist keeps mentioning suspicions about the Mayor of Boonsburg, which seems to roughly correspond to this patent. 'eb' references a dispute with the town of Boonsburg about the boonsburg.com website, for example.
I get the feeling this is an experiment in storytelling... but it's kindof quirky and weird, so I guess I'm interested to hear more?
posted by iandennismiller at 5:37 PM on December 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
Object lifting and moving device
That's the "egg" alright. It's attributed to one "Richard Paul Halke." Following through to another patent attributed to Mr. Halke:
Method and system of media programming to provide an integrated entertainment experience
This patent appears to describe an algorithm for generating a TV show + online community set in the fictional town of Boonsburg. Throughout the Boonsburg Egg videos, the protagonist keeps mentioning suspicions about the Mayor of Boonsburg, which seems to roughly correspond to this patent. 'eb' references a dispute with the town of Boonsburg about the boonsburg.com website, for example.
I get the feeling this is an experiment in storytelling... but it's kindof quirky and weird, so I guess I'm interested to hear more?
posted by iandennismiller at 5:37 PM on December 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
Well, I like it. I think it's more Subgenius than Timecube, but our hero has been going at it for some time and with some dedication. Also, he has built the sort of den I dream of building, so kudos for that and the extended story.
Whether he gets the reward he seeks...
posted by Devonian at 7:13 PM on December 8, 2014
Whether he gets the reward he seeks...
posted by Devonian at 7:13 PM on December 8, 2014
How on earth can you patent a method of storytelling? re: iandennismiller above
posted by unknownmosquito at 7:50 PM on December 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by unknownmosquito at 7:50 PM on December 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Wow. Cudos to Devonian for finding this nexus of strangeness. EB is definitely self aware and playing to the camera... but on the other hand, he actually did patent the Egg. Seems like a toss-up between fake and real here.
posted by Kevin Street at 11:49 PM on December 8, 2014
posted by Kevin Street at 11:49 PM on December 8, 2014
"Seems like a toss-up between fake and real here."
This is certainly on the X-Files side of enigma. I would call this 'enlightened false consciousness'--a personal belief in how the world really works, regardless of evidence to the contrary.
I'm reminded of a editorial segment in the early days of the speculative fiction podcast Escape Pod where Steve Eley described the allure of speculative fiction. Something to the effect that fiction affords the freedom to express ideas about the human condition which mere reality can barely express--or something to that effect (Eley's editorial segments were actually much more eloquent; I don't do his idea justice). If it is indeed Mr. Halke who has created Boohsburg universe and patented his own brand of storytelling, maybe he believes he has found a patentable way to express an unspoken truth of humanity? Or, maybe the patent is part of the message?
posted by xtian at 8:09 AM on December 10, 2014
This is certainly on the X-Files side of enigma. I would call this 'enlightened false consciousness'--a personal belief in how the world really works, regardless of evidence to the contrary.
I'm reminded of a editorial segment in the early days of the speculative fiction podcast Escape Pod where Steve Eley described the allure of speculative fiction. Something to the effect that fiction affords the freedom to express ideas about the human condition which mere reality can barely express--or something to that effect (Eley's editorial segments were actually much more eloquent; I don't do his idea justice). If it is indeed Mr. Halke who has created Boohsburg universe and patented his own brand of storytelling, maybe he believes he has found a patentable way to express an unspoken truth of humanity? Or, maybe the patent is part of the message?
posted by xtian at 8:09 AM on December 10, 2014
ok, I realized I was referencing a small post from a year ago when I said "the tutorial guy." so I should have been clearer:
the tutorial guy.
seriously, watch those. it's gotta be the same guy. this is (or was) performance art. the guy has a thing about making funny videos featuring shut in damaged types.
posted by shmegegge at 3:28 PM on December 10, 2014
the tutorial guy.
seriously, watch those. it's gotta be the same guy. this is (or was) performance art. the guy has a thing about making funny videos featuring shut in damaged types.
posted by shmegegge at 3:28 PM on December 10, 2014
Ahhh. If that's so, then it looks like it's all the work of Alan Resnick, who also co-directed Unedited Footage Of A Bear.. anyone in Baltimore able to check that out?
posted by Devonian at 1:59 PM on December 20, 2014
posted by Devonian at 1:59 PM on December 20, 2014
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posted by Itaxpica at 3:30 PM on December 8, 2014