Trick Rostrum
From Popular Science - Oct 1954. Most conferences would be livened up by this gadget. Would be useful at the Oscars as well.
Trick Rostrum Makes Long Stories Short
Scientists rigged up this remote-controlled rostrum to gag long-winded speakers. If a speaker talks too long, a puff of smoke blows up in his face and laugh-provoking cartoons appear on a screen behind him. The electronic gadgets at the chairman's elbow also speed up the clock when a talker gets behind schedule and warn him two minutes before he is due for "the works." Standard Oil scientists say the system has cut down wordage at meetings.
Scientists rigged up this remote-controlled rostrum to gag long-winded speakers. If a speaker talks too long, a puff of smoke blows up in his face and laugh-provoking cartoons appear on a screen behind him. The electronic gadgets at the chairman's elbow also speed up the clock when a talker gets behind schedule and warn him two minutes before he is due for "the works." Standard Oil scientists say the system has cut down wordage at meetings.
Comments
Not very professional for business meeting. If used at the Oscars all the crazies would scream about smoking indoors.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 09/21/13 at 10:00 AM
Not back in the 50's, Patty. Most of them were sponsored by or were spokes persons for BIG TOBACCO.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 09/21/13 at 10:52 AM
I'd rather they just burned some pot and sent it into the ducting. "Wow man .. he is such a good speaker" :cheese: :coolsmile:
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 09/21/13 at 02:04 PM
I think Chuck Barris had it right. One of the most effective techniques of Skinnerian conditioning is public humiliation.
Posted by tadchem on 09/21/13 at 04:46 PM
I think I prefer the IgNobel's solution to the same problem: Little Miss Sweetie Poo, a cute, approximately eight-year old girl who, when a laureate waffles on for too long, walks on stage and starts repeating: "Please stop, I'm bored. Please stop, I'm bored".
Apparently, it works very well indeed.
Apparently, it works very well indeed.
Posted by Richard Bos on 09/22/13 at 08:42 AM
Ah, I still prefer the classic method, the ol' vaudeville hook!
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VaudevilleHook
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VaudevilleHook
Posted by Captain DaFt on 09/22/13 at 03:32 PM
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Category: Inventions