Spectacles are popular for opening events such as the HOW Conference. But we're always a bit skeptical of the spectacle. Before our last design conference, for example, we thought for sure we didn't like magic. But card-stickin' Ricky Jay did a great job of convincing us otherwise.

We've successfully avoided Cirque du Soleil after roughly four dozen Vegas trips, but today, Cirque de Soleil has hunted us down and pelted us with little hot pink balls. Keynote speaker Michael Moschen received the MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" for his work with the Cirque...but from what we can tell, he's just a really good juggler. Good thing we're easily mesmerized.