Zoo of Tranquillity: Wedding Cake

[Philip]

Why, folks will ask, is it permissable to display a wedding cake in a zoo? After all, a zoo is for animals. The zoo's kindly Director answers this question by pointing out that zoos are not for animals, but for people, and as such any exhibit relating to the human condition is fair game. She admits that some may be shocked by the cake, but it perfectly demonstrates the "worm-in-the-bud" principle, and that people should not be frightened to contemplate their own mortality.

Which brings me to probably the most bizarre automaton I can ever remember building. The tiers of the cake will snap into an open or closed position but some resistance has to be overcome in order to overturn the status quo. It's like an electric light switch which will snap to on or off after some pressure is felt. To open the closed cake one must have some hefty lungs as power is provided by a big, sharp breath into the square tube in the base. This activates an internal piston which smacks against the underside of the third tier top with enough force to click the skeletons into their load-bearing duty. To my surprise it works very well.

From "Spooner's Moving Animals" by Paul Spooner, Virgin Books, London, 1986.

[Mike Stamper]

Congratulations ;-)

Cheers

Mike

[Tapcho]

I like this and I like Paul Spooner's style altogether. I'd like to take a quick peek into his 'museum of mind'. ;-)

Have a great summer Philip,

Tappi

[Philip]

Greetings, friends.

Mike: Thank you so much! We're very happy together.

Tappi: I'll do my best. I hope you're enjoying your usual summer break in the great outdoors.

[SCEtoAUX]

That looks nice.
I think I have that book stashed away somewhere.

[Miamivhc]

How do u made it ?

[Philip]

The usual way - with some simple tools and a tube of glue.