Zenith always added life to its products. The fancier radios had ‘entertainment on all sides’, with active dials and Magic Eye tubes and lively controls.
Their fanciest record changer in the ’50s had one uniquely analog feature. The speed was smoothly controllable. Other phonos selected 16, 33, 45 and 78. The Cobra-Matic could be set anywhere between, for special effects or just enjoyment.
Why was it called Cobra-Matic? The tone arm was a typical shape for the era, strongly resembling a cobra. Zenith added eyes to liven it up.
This version was based on the same plastic shape as another life form, the ‘Owl’ clock radio.
Here the Cobra-Matic is charming humans. This animation was copied and modified from 2013 when I had more ‘anim’ than I do now. Three years of insane war sucked out part of my ‘anim’.
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Some discussion program on BBC this morning ended up with the idea that dancing, or at least gestural communication, is far more likely to be a ‘universal language’ than mathematics.
Makes complete sense. If the ETs have bodies with moving parts that they use to sense and manipulate their environment, we can probably communicate with them by motions.The scientist’s dream of math as universal language has never made sense. As Polistra noted earlier, you can develop the technology needed to signal or reach other planets without ever using symbolic math, so you can’t assume that math must be the ‘least common denominator’ between critters on different planets. For fuck’s sake, even humans within the same ethnic group and economic class and family don’t use math to communicate! We use a mix of words and gestures.
When we do use math, it’s always for the exact opposite purpose: to establish our membership in a mysterious priesthood that owns specialized secrets. Math says “I know things you don’t know, and I’m going to prevent you from learning. Nyah nyah nyah.”
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One thing hasn’t changed, my basic drive to place SKILLS above THEORY.
The Cobra-Matic also came in more sedate versions for easy listening situations.
Polistra's Mill 