Enjoying the achievement of comprehesion take an adult’s ability to appreciate the beauty and interconnectedness of the universe.

Gary

This reminds me of watching Jim Henson on the “Tonight Show” many years ago (when “The Muppet Show” was still on TV). Henson was not a ventriloquist, but an excellent puppeteer. After the performance (which was Dr. Tooth and the band), he sat down next to Carson with the puppet still on his arm. Johnny proceeded to interview Dr. Tooth, and Henson replied to the questions, in full view. Even though you could see his mouth moving, you completely bought into the character on his arm.

He brought down the house when Carson asked, “So what do you do between shows?” “Well, mostly I stay in a box. I’m a puppet, Johnny!”

- Jack

As for magic and technology, a recent Strong Bad Email on Homestarrunner.com explains that …

If so then not all the time.

Knowing why a Solar or Lunar Eclipse works or What the Aurora Borealis is doesn’t , at least to me, lessen the experience.

To see the colors change in the sky, the Sun miraculously disappear, the Corona appear and shadow bands & Bailey’s Beads etc. that’s part of the fun of Astronomy.

People don’t want to believe a trick can be done in such a clumsy, ugly, obvious way.

Funny. I like such simple, elegant methods. Some things are so obvious, you never think of them, like this one cup-and-balls trick I suddenly figured out, thanks to Randi’s Princeton lecture. (He didn’t give it away. He just got me to question an assumption I didn’t realize I made.)

I tend to respect the “street magician” sorts over the elaborate stage setups for that reason.

Then they showed us the view from the camera that was in front of the truck, so we could see the 10 tons (or so) of counterweights fixed to the right side of the truck – all of the weight was balanced on the right-hand set of tyres, so practically none of the truck’s weight was supported by Teller.

I was impressed with the trick, and even more impressed at how fundamentally simple it was.

I still have fond memories of my first modem, 2400 baud, spending a night downloading a space invader clone from my local BBS.

I much prefer using pre-cast gels that we buy in. Saves all that ludicrously dangerous mucking about with acrylamide solutions (and I’m not old enough to have ever weighed out acrylamide powder). My guess is schools couldn’t do this until pre-cast gels were available.

Not to non-chemists : acrylamide is a potent neurotoxin.

I’d like to note that my son’s 10th grade science class actually ran an electrophoresis gel in their gene unit in biology. Our education system is keeping up with technology. The problem is that, after we leave school, so many of us neglect to learn anything new.

“dial-up”? Dark ages indeed!

–I mean, don’t knock dial-up or I’ll beat you with my club. UHHH!

I think the guy who created ILM should be as famous as George Lucas.

Sorry. Just nitpicking.

Which makes sense given how technology is described in his books

I saw a film clip that P&T put together some time ago where they were doing the balls-under-the-cups sleight of hand thing (whatever it’s really supposed to be called), but, as a twist, doing it with clear glasses, so you could SEE where the ball was at all times. Other “magicians” were outraged: “You’re giving away the secret!” They were silenced, though, when they saw the final video: Teller was so quick, that even though you could see the ball appear under the cup — and knew he had lifted the cup, dropped the ball under it, or picked it up, and put the cup back down — it was so fast, you couldn’t actually see him do it. It was a really remarkable performance….

Confused now..

*goes to bed*

thought that was Terry Pratchett..

A.C.C had it the other way ’round..