When

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 179925

--- "Barry" <whealthinc at ...> wrote:
>
> > Shelley:
> <SNIP>
> > The Wizards clearly manipulated the Muggle environment with
> > charms that meant to confound, hide and conceal the magical
> > world, including the Dragons and Giants.

> Barry:
> 
> I find the explanations regarding the hiddeness of the WW
> very unconvincing. Every magic person would spend every moment
> clearing out every muggle. ...

bboyminn:

Why? It doesn't matter if muggles see wizards, it only matters
if they recognize them as magical beings. Wizards would 
walk down the street just like everyone else and would 
somewhat blend into the crowds. True their clothing styles
might be a bit odd, but if you live in London, New York, or
Los Angeles 'odd' clothing won't get you so much as a nod
of recognitions. 

We also know that there is only one truly all wizarding
village in all of the UK. The rest of the wizard live
mingling among muggles as in Godrics Hallow. 

As to others mention of the World Cup, muggle repelling charms
could include what I call 'Apathy' Charms, you see something
but you just don't care, so you ignore it. The presents of 
the World Cup doesn't necessarily mean that there would be a
big hole in a satellite image. It could just be out of focus,
or an area nearby could be transposed over it. 
 
Workable solutions are only limited by our imagination.


> Barry continues:
> ...In the 1990s, we had a very technological society. Yet 
> reading HP, we see virtually none of that. ...
> 
> Barry
>

bboyminn:

Well, as I've already pointed out, technology doesn't work
very well around heavy concentrations of magic. Someone
suggested that everyone should have cell phones and Internet,
but cell phone were not that common back then. As far as 
technology, every age sees itself as the height of technology.
At one time steam trains were the height of technology, but
technology changes. 

Also, what exists at a given time and what is common at a 
given time are very different things. True, reasonably fast
computers of the day may have existed, but at that time I
was in my basement with an 8086 with 1 Megabyte of memory
and a 1200 baud modem and no internet access. 

By 1998 things were looking up, but probably not for wizards.
They have alternate means other than technology. And it is
unlikely that Harry, Ron, or Hermione would have a cell phone
or wireless Internet access, and even if they did, what good
would it do them? It is unlikely that they could get any 
magic world news from them. And it is unlikely that there was 
anyone else they could call or contact. I don't think Mr.
Weasley had Internet. So, again, who are they going to call,
who are they going to email? No one. Which is why it's not
in the story.

Back to the 'hiddenness' of the wizard world, it's not really 
hidden, it's either unseen, unknown, or misunderstood. Legend
is full of wizard sightings. Legend is full of magical creature 
sightings. The world is full of unidentified flying objects.
We see these things, but we don't believe them so we make
up our own 'muggle worthy' excuses. When a breech of secrecy
becomes too extreme, yes, then memories are modified. But not
because you happened to pass an eccentric in the street.

On the day the Voldemort fell the first time and Vernon
saw wizards everywhere, he had no idea that they were wizards,
so he didn't need his memory modified. He thought they were
all just weirdos. 

The world is full of weirdos, we see them all the time, how
do we know they aren't really wizards? How do we know that
old lady who lives down the street and keeps to herself isn't 
spending her night drinking it up at the Leaky Cauldron? How
do you know that eccentric uncle you have isn't really a
wizards? 

Just a thought.

Steve/bboyminn