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Xxxxxx of Significance
What is it for?
All the clues are in the photo.
And a small object of desire from a far flung corner of the world to be mailed to the first person who figures it out.
Writing from Uganda | July 1, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
Two things come to mind: 1) it looks intended to catch condensed water. 2) it might be located at a border crossing, the continuity of that line is striking.
Posted by: sevensixfive at July 2, 2006 4:56 PM
You're on the right track with both points, but neither is correct.
Posted by: Jan at July 3, 2006 5:20 PM
Portable urinal? My guess is that the other side has text or some indication of its use.
The white stuff looks sort of like a parabolic reflector but I can't think of any good reason for it. Actually my first impression was a sort of open-air oil lamp; it does look like something has been burned in the top bowl.
Posted by: Andrew at July 3, 2006 7:13 PM
Andrew - quite far from the mark.
Both the line and the bucket are relevant. I'll show a photo from the front side if nobody figures it out in a few days.
Posted by: Jan at July 3, 2006 11:57 PM
Hmmm... Artificial oasis? Collects rainwater, and the line is used to actually locate the droplets (i.e. where is it?)
The bucket is shielded against the sun or the wind, and there's a lid on it to protect against evaporatization (I'm assuming it collects water, the most precious resource we have. It could also be collecting small rocks, but I doubt it). The bucket is also clearly designed to be removable.
The shields also placed so that they could be used for advertising to drivers passing on the road.
The lines look like a road, so my guess is that this is an artificial oasis on the side of a road...
Posted by: Janne at July 4, 2006 12:34 AM
It must be a device located on the (Ugandan?) equator to show that water doesn't twist as it drains from a bowl.
Posted by: Timo at July 4, 2006 12:52 AM
Timo - spot on. I'd guess you've been on the somewhere on the equator?
I'll be in touch about where to mail the cultural object of desire.
Posted by: Jan at July 4, 2006 3:15 AM
Actually no, but I've always been fascinated by the phenomenon. Did you see it in action?
Posted by: Timo at July 4, 2006 3:37 AM
No. But there were three of these - one on the equator, and one on the north and south sides. Ill poast a few pics later on.
Posted by: Jan at July 4, 2006 4:06 AM
It seems like it is made to collect money from the pass drivers, but the bucket underneath doesn't seem open enough.
Or could be a crazily rigged satellite dish using the border markers as markers.
Posted by: nibaq at July 4, 2006 7:19 AM
It's a toilet. You put some coins on the plate and then use the bucket. It's for travellers maybe. Right?
Posted by: Florin at July 27, 2006 2:03 AM