Josh
He also invented a mean cookie.

Fig Newtons are good. But then he started messing with those disgusting "Fruit Newtons" which were terrible.

He isn't a very nice man.

Yeah, I agree, the fruit Newton's are the "pits".

Tbear
I know that you are a Sunday school teacher, and it makes me very happy to know that you feel at home here talking about science, and magic with us.

Al, thanks for the kind words. Here is a science project that looks like fun.

http://www.youtubedigger.com/egg-into-a-milk-bottle/

My kindergarten teacher did that one more years ago than I'm willing to admit.

I remember professor Bob got a heavy plastic gallon jug, cut the bottom off, and stretched a kitchen type rubber glove over the big open end. When he snapped the glove it created a vortex which would blow out a candle on the other side of the room.

Mr. Garrison did that using only a glass tube, a hamster and Mr. Slave.

Poor lemiwinks......

Here's a piece titled, The Science of Magic: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/scienc......nted=all

If you've already read it, disregard this notice.

Kregg
Ok it has been two days, and no one read your article. I'm not about to give the New York Times my email, or my snail mail address, so what is your article all about?

I gave the NYT my e-mail address years and years ago, so I'll brave the data mining for you.

It's an interesting but rambling piece about how the author was in Las Vegas during the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness' annual meeting. They had invited several magicians to talk about perception and misdirection -- and how that relates to perception, forming patterns in one's mind, and assumptions. The magicians he mentions are people like Teller, James Randi, and a few other LV performers. Most of it is something of a name-dropping travel log with the author going to bars or seeing sights with various big-name scientists and philosophers.

It had some interesting points, but the writing style seemed just so...pretentious.

Bill

Bill
You are the greatest.
Thanks
Al

Rough cuts of Apollo Robbins' talk have been posted online. There is also a shorter clip of James Randi. Mac King, Johnny Thompson, and Teller have generously, very generously, given permission to have their talks posted, and that will come at a later time.

http://www.mindscience.org/magicsymposium/index.html

The Café crowd would have been interested in the academic talks on change blindness and inattentional blindness, stuff Richard Wiseman has popularized around these parts.

The magicians gave very entertaining and informative talks. They revealed a few observations that researchers would be wise to pursue. For example, if you move your hand from one position to another, Apollo Robbins mentioned that people are unlikely to look at the original position if you move your hand in an arc rather than a straight line.

There was also a very candid and hilarious Q&A session afterwards. I'm hoping they'll post that, but perhaps certain things best not exposed

Al, Unless I heard wrong, NYT gave up on that stupid requirement about a week ago. The link should still be active. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/scienc......nted=all

Kregg
Thanks for getting back to me, but they still want to know two things that I object to:
1. My email address.
2. My gender. That is really crossing the line.
Al

I feel sorry for you "Explorer" users.

It Doesn't make me give any info.

Perhaps they realize I have junk e-mail addresses and false aliases that I give to nosey porn sites and whatever the "New York Times" is. Can't find any porn there, and it is the Internet...

My pal Jonathan Townsend emailed me the article. It appears that Jonathan doesn't care if the NY Times knows his gender.
THANKS
Al

For the record, one can copy and paste any internet page to Microsoft Word (Or oppenoffice.org writer) and send it, even modify it.

I find many wonderful cool tricks at this website. Countless magically applications!

http://www.layhands.com/ScienceTricks/Index.htm