The Genii Forum

Jonathan Townsend

Bill Mullins wrote:...It's already described in the existing Greater Magic (see p. 424 of the K&G edition). ... I doubt there is much more to be said about it.

Just saying that almost a century later the trick and its secret are preserved.

Jonathan Townsend

Back to updating the book: Livestock production was popular - including big cats - then phased out of most performances. The Hooker Rising Cards routine has been preserved. Recently performed with its secrets intact. We missed a few greats who traveled the world including Fred Kaps and Al Goshman. T...

Jonathan Townsend

@Richard The sleeves figure in the coin section reminded me of Mickey Silver when does that trick passing the coin from hand to hand through his head.
The second picture, of the chopper, is "worse" in the sense that it's "chinese" caricature.

Jonathan Townsend

Means and ends. It gets "better" when you hear what they think the story of a trick was.

Jonathan Townsend

Here's a short wish list: Through pageant and old wine to playing cards - so many items need context. Simonize? Can we get some perspective on the "oriental" habits of that age - and watch out for the religion of others? It is a time worn saying that the hand is quicker than the eye. This ...

Jonathan Townsend

That would be great to find a clip of Chaplin doing the switch.

Tangentially... Houdini wrote as "nosey" in the same place as the ad for a book by "erdnase"? ?

Jonathan Townsend

Carrying a glass is ... well they come in cases - Libby 7 ?

Jonathan Townsend

Hi Bob, Guessing a small diameter hole about a half inch from the end, dead center and loop made from thread about two feet long? That way you have a little room to turn the card around and catch the loop on a button.

Jonathan Townsend

The card turning up on top of a different deck is a good idea. Not sure it's a climax for a theme though. What's the theme as far as the audience is concerned?

Jonathan Townsend · Re: DeLand Changing card - December 11, 2018. Jump to post

Changing card - December 11, 2018.

Jonathan Townsend

The kids in school use to play a game called "i doubt it" - (or BS) which involved miscalling cards and cheating using multiple lifts.

Jonathan Townsend

... Professor A. was so incensed by his arrest, that afterward meeting the barber who was the original cause of his prosecution, he so far forgot himself as to take the law in his own hands, and give the man a most unmerciful beating. He belabored him severely, disfiguring his face and eyes, and le...

Jonathan Townsend

.... This tells us something about how the human brain works (and doesn't work). This idea of establishing a false premise strikes me as very powerful, a way to set up some stunning magic. I have heard and read more than once that magic takes place in the mind of the spectator. This is something I ...

Jonathan Townsend

What you do tells the story. Let's say you do have a convincing false transfer and the audience is comfortable believing your procedure up to that point. They believe the coin is in your hand and you've got it in your other hand. You put the coin where you want it and the action continues. Okay now ...

Jonathan Townsend

... my issues with the ROV move (and by association, any studied placement). I'm with you about separating mundane actions (to set the stage) and spotlight actions (to build up the magical effect) around an effect.. Separating physical cause from magical effect. There's video of John Ramsay doing t...

Jonathan Townsend

That sequence in the Vernon routine which starts with the balls on top of the inverted cups is elegant when using the wand spin vanish. I want them looking at my hands during the vanishes. During some action you use as cue for the magic? And/or during the sleight you used to set up showing an empty ...

Jonathan Townsend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCcd5l2oHZA
He's been on TV before

Jonathan Townsend

So, what do you think of his latest book?

Jonathan Townsend

http://www.ianfrisch.com/about/
Something to talk about Feb 26th. We're about a month early.

Jonathan Townsend

There is no social value from exposing the hype. It’s purely a prurient Act. Gratuitous. Not sure about that. Imagining one has as clue how a con is foisted is part of the bait into a con. But it will not make the innocent vicious, or transform the pastime player into a professional; or make the fo...

Jonathan Townsend

It's okay to talk to the author if you disagree with a notion or argument or reference. The larger topic is how we treat each other. Must it be the flower or the fertilizer? If it reads as disrespectful call it out as abusive. Maybe we can call that the "A" word till folks get comfortable ...

Jonathan Townsend

So you're saying Tommy Wonder's Tamed Card is a better example of how to bring magic into the moment. And there are better ways to fill the gaps of a discussion than r-rated digressions. Especially those referencing mysogeny or abuse. Also misdirection deserves a seperate discussion. Something more ...

Jonathan Townsend

So The Jerx writing is spiced with r-rated imagery. Consistently. It's his brand. Okay it's more Goofus than Gallant but that's his brand of Highlights. Now let's look at the framing and content. Using that ambitious card example with some text bolded. ... And, as I've said before, in my experience,...

Jonathan Townsend

There's no "rule" against having several wallets. .... I'd like it for CTW, peek, switch, index... Getting one function working for practical routines is not so easy. There are some nice dual function wallets BUT loaded indices are not so easy to handle when also doing a card to wallet. Yo...

Jonathan Townsend

Is anyone familiar with the Leathercraft brand 5” by 3 1/2” Himber Wallet? If so, can you please evaluate it as far as quality, looks, and ability to be convincing as nothing more than a regular wallet? I only have use for a standard back pocket size wallet. I bought a couple when exploring. As a b...

Jonathan Townsend

"Andy" posted an ethical opinion against actions which "...take advantage of the innocent and/or damage another human physically or mentally."

Jonathan Townsend

erdnasephile wrote:...Was that the one that ended with the picture of the skeleton hand and the card?

A small metal card box with magnetic gaff decorated in blue with a white dome on top - patter about x-rays.

Jonathan Townsend

starting the routine along the lines of, "A trick using 3 cups and 3 balls," and just showing the spectators 3 balls that were apparently taken out of the pocket or one of the cups. I felt (and still do) that it's not very magical. The Vernon routine also has some play with the cups and t...

Jonathan Townsend

It's in both Volume 1 and 2.

Jonathan Townsend

My favourite quote is by Bob Farmer. It is buried away in Best of Friends - Volume 3 by Harry Lorayne. It is something along the lines of magic consisting of a series of events which make sense in order, but appear magical when presented in another order. There's something like that in Volume 2. It...

Jonathan Townsend

Hi Bob, great to see Jackhammer and Victoria's Other Secret available. Any chance of a handling for Jackhammer using your Spiritu count?

Jonathan Townsend

The pass serves at least two distinct objectives. The first - as per the older books "pour faire sauter la coupe" to secretly undo a fair cut , and the second to get a card onto the top (or bottom) of the pack.

Jonathan Townsend

Richard Kaufman wrote:Jennings would say, for Triumph, that you secretly have half the deck reversed, and thus you are one ahead.

How about at least 20 ahead in that example?

Jonathan Townsend

...If you could provide the references on these I'd be interested in seeing them. The Leipzig mention is from Charlie Miller in Intermission page 426 October 1973 Genii Magazine. "From what I read about it the action is similar to spinning out a silver dollar in the manner of the late Nate Lei...

Jonathan Townsend

There's comment about Nate Leipzig doing something similar using a coin. There's an item in the Ganson book about him doing similar animations with a coin dropped into a glass of beer. The rubber band dates back to the 1800s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_bands :) So maybe there's a reference ...

Jonathan Townsend

Whose confirmation bias are you seeking to flatter?

Jonathan Townsend

About the band trick - at a New York convention Weber performed the stunt. Here's some background on it: https://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/vie ... 7&start=20

Jonathan Townsend

I'm looking for references for rising card methods that use any sort of cut-out in the deck. I recall seeing a method where a rectangular section was cut out of half the deck so a forefinger could poke in and push up a card, but anything like that would be of interest. Tarbell Volume 2 Lesson 27, R...

Jonathan Townsend

What's the problem with trendy pseudonews stories and infotainment? Before you shake your head or nod - notice the visual glitches. https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/shake-your-head-from-side-to-side/ Is the Journal of Irreproducable Results still around? http://www.jir.com/history.html

Jonathan Townsend

Psychology is not Newtonian Physics. There were a few years between when people started charting the motion of stars and when Newton posited an inverse square law and argued by geometrical proofs. Does anyone here have questions about Pavlov's laboratory dogs salivating? Or questions about the reaso...

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