[Grogospeak] Check out this "Chain-Reaction" Friday!

[Alice Tao]

http://web.mit.edu/museum/programs/fat.html

Free with MIT ID - and it should be lots of fun to watch [info copied 
below]:

THE MIT MUSEUM'S 2006 Friday After Thanksgiving (FAT) Chain Reaction
November 24, 2006, 1 — 4 PM
Rockwell Cage Gymnasium
120 Vassar Street, Cambridge, 02139

Imagine a ball rolling down a track that lands on a board that tips a 
book that falls onto a string that pulls six precariously balanced 
blocks that fall into a pan causing it to get heavy enough to fall and 
make a big crashing sound followed by…Yes, you get the idea! Invent a 
link and join kinetic sculptor and renowned chain reaction creator 
Arthur Ganson as he choreographs this event.

Information for participating teams:
Admission:

     * Teams:
       $10 per team of 4 participants.
       Additional team members, $5 each.
       Teams must register by November 17.

     * Spectators:
       $10 for adults
       $5 for children (under 18), students and seniors
       Free with MIT ID.
       Spectator fee includes an additional one-time free entry to the 
MIT Museum, valid any time during the next 30 days.

Guidelines:

     * Your link in the chain reaction should be no wider that 2', no 
taller than 4', and no longer than 6', should use no chemicals (baking 
soda and vinegar OK), no plug-in electricity (batteries and low-power DC 
OK), or use more than a cup of water.

     * Your link must BEGIN and END by a string pull. Be sure that it 
takes no more force than the hanging weight of a golf ball moving 1" to 
start your link and ends by pulling a string AT LEAST 1" with enough 
force to lift a golf ball.

     * Your link must be repeatable.

     * Test your chain reaction before bringing it to the event.

     * Make your event last AT LEAST 30 seconds and end in LESS THAN 
three minutes. Give your audience time to enjoy your event, be it funny, 
playful, clever, whimsical, or elegant.

Inspiration:

     Your chain reaction could be as simple as books falling against one 
another or as complicated as a Rube Goldberg invention. Look at the Game 
MOUSETRAP.

Questions?

     E-mail: museuminfo at mit.edu
     - or visit Arthur Ganson's F.A.T. Advice page

Register!

     * Registration Form in printable PDF format is available HERE for 
download. (You'll need Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher.)
     * Please send payment with your printed registration no later than 
November 17, 2006.
     * Online registration through our secure website.

On November 24:

     Bring your chain reaction to Rockwell Cage Gymnasium (120 Vassar 
Street) at noon and we'll connect your device to others to make one 
grand chain reaction. MIT students and Arthur Ganson will be on hand to 
help. Participants will set up their links between 12–1 PM, demonstrate 
their links & tinker from 1–3 PM. We will set off our grand chain 
reaction at 3:30 PM.

Amenities:

     Free parking is available in the West Garage on Vassar Street 
across from Rockwell Cage Gymnasium, on the streets, or in the Windsor 
Lot on Windsor Street behind the MIT Museum. LaVerde's Market and the 
MIT Coop, located in the adjacent Stratton Student Center on 
Massachusetts Avenue, will be open. All facilities are wheelchair 
accessible.

And?

     Don't forget to visit MIT Museum; the visit is free with the 
special F.A.T. admission. Check out Arthur Ganson's popular Gestural 
Engineering exhibition. The Museum will be open until 6PM that day.