the original gypsy petulengro and spiritualists

To call me sceptical about Spiritualists and Palm Readers / Forecasters would be massively understating my contempt and disbelief for the money grabbing charlatans. This advert in Blackpool made me chuckle though, 'Tony Christie to make a comeback', as forecast by Gypsy Petulengro 34 years ago. I bet she would have lost count of the amount of stars she would have forecast would make a comeback in those intervening 34 years, and if you have enough non specific guesses, you are bound to strike lucky. Sadly, lots of people part with their hard earned money in the hope of some comforting news from dead loved ones, and to rip them off is contemptible. Either they are deliberately fleecing the public (lock them up), or truly believe they have a gift (in which case they are delusional).
Gits.

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an excellent telekinetic coffee shop prank

This is one of the best pranks that l have seen. A woman in a coffee shop gets annoyed and gains Telekinetic powers, much to the amazement of the unsuspecting customers.
Brilliant stuff.



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the death of gareth williams

This one is going to run and run for the conspiracy theorists.  A codebreaker from MI6, Gareth Williams, did not turn up for work and was not reported missing for a week.  When his naked body was found at his London flat in August 2010, it was so decomposed that the cause of death could not be established.
Did l mention the naked body?  Oh yes! But there's more!!
The naked body was inside a red sports holdall, but not only that, it was padlocked from the outside, and was in his bath.  None of Mr Williams' fingerprints or DNA were found on the lock, but despite being judged as an unlawful killing by coroner Fiona Willcox in May 2012, it has now been classed as an accident after a three year evidence review by the Metrepolitan  Police.
There are still some unanswered questions about how he was found by his landlady on one occasion in his boxer shorts, tied to his bed and unable to free himself, and why he had expensive womens clothes in his flat when he apparently did not have a girlfriend (but he could have had one in the past).
Male or female Prostitutes?  Kinky sex games?  Amateur escape artist?  Killed by spy type badies?
Who really knows, but speaking as a fan of magic tricks and escapology, that's one hell of an accident. There's a video on the Daily Mail site showing how to lock yourself into a bag similar to the one used, but l'd have thought the lock be covered in fingerprints and DNA afterwards.
My original post after the first verdict is here.

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hiding the elephant - jim steinmeyer

I've been picking up and re-reading Jim Steinmeyer's 'Hiding the Elephant' over the last month or so, a few pages or a chapter at a time, and it's just as interesting the second time around, as he knows what he is talking about, being a designer of  special effects and a magic consultant for the likes of David Copperfield.
Telling the tales of the Victorian (and earlier) magicians who paved the way for the current crop, it documents the original ideas for tricks, and the backstabbing, stealing and double crossing that followed the inventions, plus the intertwining lives, relationships and legacies of the masters.  Some such as Harry Keller, Howard Thurston, John Nevil Maskelyne, David Devant and Harry Houdini became famous and made a fortune, while others were cast aside as their illusions were stolen.
The 'Hiding the Elephant' title comes from an illusion that Houdini (and Jennie the elephant) performed many times at The New York Hippodrome, a place l would loved to have seen magic performed at. The size of it was staggering (the hall, not the elephant).  War battles could be re-enacted on the stage, while below, it held a huge water tank to stage sea battles.  It must have been staggering, especially for an audience years ago. You (or at least l do) also forget that they used smaller mechanical props such as butterflies and blooming flowers, and once they got the hang of using mirrors correctly, could make people appear and disappear. Then they started sawing people in half.
Levitation, ghosts, spiritualism, disappearing donkeys, women and cars, escapology and slight of hand, it's all brilliant stuff, but it has now made me want to read 'Carter beats the Devil' (by Glen David Gold) again. Damn!! You've got to put the hours in!
Here's Houdini and Jennie the elephant (not Nellie. She went to town and said goodbye to the circus)

And here's some old posters

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harry houdini in scotland, 1920 (and kraftwerk)

Although it's not Sky breaking minute by minute rolling news material, I saw this for the first time the other day, and it's news to me (for whatever that is worth). It's a photograph of Harry Houdini in 1920, performing in Scotland, and it has only just been unearthed (last year) and displayed after 92 years, by The Scotland Herald. Prints are available to buy from their website, and although the photograph is trimmed, it's magnificent.  The assistants look like members of Kraftwerk, and it is (as far as l know) the first photograph of the Chinese Water Torture Cell that shows the straps on the front.  I always think of Houdini as an American performer from donkey years ago, but he performed in Scotland many times, and 1920 is not that long ago in the great scheme of things.

Here's Houdini being lowered into the Cell (but not in Scotland)

Just the sort of magic and escapology l'd loved to have been around to witness, as it was all new at the time. Sometimes l wish l was older than l am, so l could have witnessed more monumental events (but not that old).

And here's Kraftwerk (mit Autobahn)



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magician cartoon

I like it.

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learned pigs and fireproof women - ricky jay

I have just re-read Ricky Jay's 'Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women', and a damn fine read it still is.  Dealing with the history of old time magicians, contortionists, illusionists, high divers and masters of the flatulence (I'm surprised l wasn't mentioned), there are colour reproduction posters, and the odd explanation of how tricks and stunts were performed.  I've always been interested in magic and illusion, as l love trying to work out how the deceptions are done.  It's amazing how many times you can argue with someone who describes a trick to you, only to take offence when you explain the ways the illusions could have been achieved.  "But they didn't do that" they scream, all spittle mouthed and incandescent with rage, despite the only other option being that the performers are true magicians who can make solid objects disappear, which l very much doubt.  Probably the one trick that really would have bamboozled me at the time, was the one involving Johnny Eck and his brother.  You'll have to look it up as l don't want to give the game away, but if l had seen that when it was first performed, especially as a member of the audience, l wouldn't have believed my own eyes.
 I've now got a hankering to rip open some boxes and dig out some of my other magic books (wherever they are).  Maybe they have disappeared and are trying to fox me. Bastards!

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impressive magic tricks by kevin james on america's got talent

A pretty smart trick trick or two by Kevin James on 'America's Got Talent' (where he won the best comedy illusionist award), which l nicked from Baron Harkonnen's 'The Afterword'  post here.
I'll let you know how it's all done for the right price.

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piff the magic dragon on penn and teller

Not the greatest trick, but the guy in the dragon outfit has a natural talent for comedy.  Very funny and dry.

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the illusionist / le illusionniste - (2010) - sylvain chomet

From an unfilmed Jacques Tati (who is shown on a movie screen) script, The Illusionist tells the story of Tatisfcheff, (Tati's real name) a magician trying to get bookings and generally survive, as the twin forces of rock and roll and television take over (it's set in 1959). Similar in style to Chamot's earlier The Triplets of Belleville / Belleville Rendezous, but at a more relaxing pace.  Tatisfcheff  gets a booking in the Scottish Highlands, where he befriends a young  girl called Alice, who runs away to Edinburgh with him, believing he can really perform magic. There's nothing sexual between them, and they are like father and daughter, staying in separate rooms while he performs in theatre. It's basically a Cinderella story, as the girl transforms from rags to riches (sort of), as the illusionist buys her clothes and shoes. She however, does not realise he is down on his luck, working odd jobs to make ends meet (and eventually pawning his magic stuff). He then sees her with another man more her age, obviously in love, and so decides to leave her with him, as she has now blossomed into a young woman.
It's about changes in life, and father / daughter relationships, probably based on Tati's own, hence the photo at the end. It's also about friendships, keeping up a cheerful façade no matter what life throws at you, and whether you really know someone when you are only presented with what they wish to reveal. Brilliant animation throughout, and Edinburgh looks fantastic in the way it is portrayed (as does the white bunny).
I loved it (hence all the photographs).

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icelandic spoon trick

Language is no barrier to enjoying this.

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carter beats the devil - glen david gold

Holiday reading ticked off.

Although this book was released in 2001, l had never heard about it or Glen David Gold before, until it was recommended to me by a work colleague who read it while we were in Majorca this year. She (Hello Vicki) kept saying how good it was and how she thought l would probably enjoy it, but l was reluctant to take her advice at first. I am so glad that l changed my mind, as it is now up there amongst some of my favourite books, as it reminded me of 'The Master and Margarita' and 'Jitterbug Perfume', which, although completely different, are also strange and off the wall.

It concerns real life characters (mainly Charles Carter) and events, but mixed up into a thriller involving magic, television and presidents. I can't praise it enough, and l am looking forward to the film version, whenever that arrives. I just hope they don't screw it up.

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a chess illusion

I love it, but this sort of stuff does my head in.

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l could have ruled the world

If only my parents had bought me this when l was younger. I could be an evil tyrant by now. Mind you, the FPO would probably say l turned into one anyway.

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barry and stuart in darlington

They finished the show with this X Ray machine stunt.

Went off to super Darlo on Sunday night to see Barry and Stuart at the Inside Out Club. Felt like l was taking the kids out on a day trip/adventure, as Lonni, Emma and Craig all came along for the ride. At least the FPO is closer to their age (obviously, as l would never go with someone my own age - that's just disgusting).

We all went for a drink opposite Joe Rigatoni's first, and bumped into Becky and her mate from work. This then evolved into Walter the pisser and Les the sailor boy joining us for a quick one, before we set off to Perrys (where Inside Out is).

Enjoyed the show, but there was not as much blood and gore as l would have liked, and we were sat right at the back (although it is still pretty close to the stage). As expected, it was a 50/50 mixture of comedy and magic, but it would have been better if we had been right at the front, or if one of the girls had been called on stage to assist with a trick, which they secretly would have loved, despite their denials.

The girls (and Craig) had their photos taken with Barry and Stuart after the show, so they were pretty pleased about that, although they had to be crowbarred away from them afterwards, (especially Craig).

Also chatted to Emma for a while about the stuff she witnessed with her mother when she was younger. This was around at a friends house, and was was pretty amazing, although l won't go into it here (and no, it wasn't abuse). No wonder so many people are messed up.

Another fine and splendid night out for all the family and our assorted crew, plus we even got home at a sensible time (11.15pm).

And l have no work until 3pm on Thursday. Hurrah!!

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tom cruise height gain

How does he manage to do it? in his wedding photograph he is taller than his bride (forgotten her name and can't be bothered looking it up). When he is out and about with her, she is taller than him. It's magic!

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clever advert for oxy spot cream

l like clever adverts and l like illusions. Great stuff (yet very simple). Click on it to enlarge first.

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