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Viewfinder: The Rubik's con
Photo by Steven St. JohnTribune
Tribune
For a few minutes, I thought I had stumbled into the presence of genius in, of all places, the Albuquerque High wrestling room. I watched 130-pound junior Robert Malahkov solve a puzzle I had long dismissed as impossible for anyone not eligible for Mensa membership. A teammate, who seemed only moderately impressed, snatched the Rubik's cube away, messed it up and started watching a clock. A crowd of Malahkov's teammates began to gather 'round, shouting and trying to distract him. His coach, Mannie Garcia, poked him (above) in the back as he twisted and turned with purpose. Then Malahkov paused, pulled a handwritten note from his pocket and quickly continued.
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For a few minutes, I thought I had stumbled into the presence of genius in, of all places, the Albuquerque High wrestling room.
I watched 130-pound junior Robert Malahkov solve a puzzle I had long dismissed as impossible for anyone not eligible for Mensa membership.
A teammate, who seemed only moderately impressed, snatched the Rubik's cube away, messed it up and started watching a clock.
A crowd of Malahkov's teammates began to gather 'round, shouting and trying to distract him. His coach, Mannie Garcia, poked him (above) in the back as he twisted and turned with purpose. Then Malahkov paused, pulled a handwritten note from his pocket and quickly continued.
This time he solved it in just over 3 minutes. I was stunned, so I asked him if he was some kind of genius.
The answer was an assured no, though he did say he was probably the best kid on the team at math.
No, he told me, he learned the way all kids seem to learn today: on the Web. The note in his pocket had instructions copied from one of the numerous Web sites dedicated to helping people beat the cube's colors.
My brother, a high school teacher, confirmed the return to popularity of the Rubik's Cube, saying he could probably confiscate one a day if he chose.
The Internet has already changed everything, in good ways and bad. Who knows where it will lead this and future generations, what seemingly impossible acts will be made simple?
