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devices with mirrors

 
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river1974



Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:29 am    Post subject: devices with mirrors Reply with quote

Dear teachers:

Galileo's contemporaries refused to look through his telescopes, no doubt in part because they believed that it was some kind of trick, producing an image of what was not there as *devices with mirrors* were known to do.

Are "devices with mirros" toys? Do they have other names?

Thanks.
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Bob S.



Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only one I can think of is a kaleidoscope, though I don't know if the invention is as old as Galileo. Perhaps there was a similar toy available in Italy at the time. (Venice is known for its glasswork afterall.)
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toe



Joined: 12 Jun 2005
Posts: 120
Location: michigan, usa

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's also the expression, "It's done with mirrors."
This refers to the idea that something is not really true, it's just a trick.

For instance, a magician will pretend to make someone disappear, or pretend to cut someone in half, when in fact it's all just an illusion. It only "appears" that he cut them in half or made them disappear. Usually those type of tricks are done with mirrors----how, I don't know! Maybe they used to be done with mirrors somehow. But it has become this phrase now, to explain the unexplainable, usually in a cynical or sarcastic way.

"How did he do that?" Marvin asked, incredulous that Harry landed the new account all by himself.
"Mirrors," Zelda deadpanned.

?? Make sense?

Toe
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river1974



Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
"How did he do that?" Marvin asked, incredulous that Harry landed the new account all by himself.

Thank you both. Does "landed" here mean "got"?
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bud



Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes.
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