[Maa-l] The Mystery Spot

[Robyns, Marcus]

We Yoopers simply know how to profit from gullible and big-head trolls.
Why do you think Frank assiduously avoids crossing the bridge?  

Marcus C. Robyns, CA
Associate Professor / University Archivist
Northern Michigan University
 
mrobyns at nmu.edu
906.227.1046
FAX 906.227.1333

-----Original Message-----
From: maa-l-bounces+mrobyns=nmu.edu at lists.dhal.org
[mailto:maa-l-bounces+mrobyns=nmu.edu at lists.dhal.org] On Behalf Of
Robert Garrett
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 3:42 PM
To: maa-l at lists.dhal.org
Subject: [Maa-l] The Mystery Spot

Every year, I drive to Wisconsin through the U.P.  On every trip, I
drove right past the Mystery Spot in St. Ignace.  This year, I decided
to stop.  I had heard that visitors to the Spot could walk up walls and
see water run uphill and gravity do otherwise wonky things.  I paid my
$7.00 and marveled at such seemingly inexplicable wonders.

Of course, I figured that there was SOME scientific explanation for all
this.  A quick bit of googling turned it up.  The scientific explanation
is...(Surprise!) it's all a con!  Everything happens in these small
rooms in a small  house built up a slope.  Because the house is built up
a slope, visitors don't realize how tilted it actually is.  From there
everything (water running uphill, etc.) is an optical illusion.  For
more details you can read this site: 
http://www.sandlotscience.com/MysterySpots/Mystery_Spots_1.htm

..and this one:
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1998/0909/spot.html 


Can you believe it?  Those fiendish, conniving Yoopers bilked this
poor, unsuspecting troll of seven hard earned dollars.  By God, I'll
never trust a shifty-eyed Northerner again!

On the plus side, I guess I can now say that I've been to the Mystery
Spot.  It was entertaining in the same way that a magic act can be
entertaining, I guess.  Maybe it doesn't matter that it's all sleight of
hand.

Has anyone else been to the Mystery Spot?  Anyone fooled by the
illusion?  (I know this isn't archives-related, per se, but I'm just
generally curious...plus I want to complain about shifty-eyed
Northerners.  : ) )   

Bob Garrett
Archives of Michigan
Telephone: (517) 241-1382
E-mail: garrettr1 at michigan.gov

Plan a Pure Michigan vacation filled with Michigan history when you
discover your connections at www.michiganhistory.org.
 





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