OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

So what do optical illusions have to do with trading?

One reason I am not a fan of patterns in the market (aside from them being merely anecdotal) is that the human eye can be tricked into seeing things that are not really there. If you don't believe me, tune your TV to an unused analog channel and stare at the screen. Within 10 seconds you will see patterns in the noise that are not really there. Creating patterns are something we humans are just wired to do. After all, the ancients saw patterns in the stars. So, as you view these illusions, ask yourself whether you will believe me and my indicators and trading systems or your lyin' eyes.

Count the Black Dots

Stare at this picture and you will see illusary streaks of light at 45 degree angles

The scintillation of this one will drive you crazy.

Is the black area growing?

If you don't see motion in the figure below, jiggle with the vertical scrollbar to enhance the effect. If you don't believe nothin is really moving, then print the figure on a sheet of paper and look again.

Focus on the center dot and move your head forward and backward relative to the screen. If you think the picture is animated, print it out and repeat the process looking at the paper.

Get relatively close to the screen and concentrate on the "+" at the center. The green dot will erase the violet dots. The REALLY weird thing about this one is that there is no green dot at all!

The blue lines form three perfect squares - guaranteed!

These are also perfect squares.

And this is a perfect circle.

This picture is comprised of perfect black and white squares - REALLY! Test it by looking WAY off at the side and confirm that all the horizontal lines are parallel.

The Space Delta is clearly impossible, but following the ball makes it seem reasonable.

Cover the right side of this ring and you see the ring from the top. Cover the left side of the right and you see the ring from the bottom. Viewed together, the ring looks reasonable - but is impossible.

The Winter waves here on the West Coast are beautiful and captivating to watch. However, the water molecules don't move much. This animation lets you visualize both the wave and the water molecules

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

STEREOGRAMS

Stereograms were the rage in the 1980's. Here are several I created on an Apple II computer when researching some of the mysteries of 3D vision. To view these images, cross you eyes until the two larger dots become three. Then concentrate on the center dot, trying to make it as clear as possible. The 3D image will then magically appear.