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Magic Roadshow December 2nd, 2005 Issue# 36 Rick Carruth / editor (c)copyright 2005, all rights reserved ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ It's time.. Actually it's past time, but we won't delve into that sensitive subject. Let's just say I'm glad to be here, and SO glad you could be here..
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope you did too. And before I go any further.. I want to wish a heartfelt 'Hello' to all the new subscribers. There's a bunch of you guys this time, and I honestly hope you find something here to enlighten or inspire your magic.. Do you guys realize how close we are to Christmas? unreal... And then New Years. 2006. I've just got the hang of typing 2005. Of course, New Years can only signal one thing (aside from the diet)- Two Weeks till SCAM.. South Carolina Association of Magicians will hold their annual event at Columbia's Marriott downtown on January 13th and 14th. I can already see some fantastic interviews coming out of this years line-up, which includes.. Jade, Tony Griffith, Joshua Jay, Gazzo, Daniel Garcia, Jason Michaels, The Fettucini Brothers, Michael Genevie, and Julian Franklin. What a super line-up! SCAM has also graciously offered tables to Tim Quinlan of Quinlan's Inside Magic ( http://insidemagic.com ) and your humble host here at the Magic Roadshow.. I'd sure love to meet some of you guys and share a little magic... http://www.scamcon.org In This Issue: ~ The Incomparable John Scarne - Brief history and personal writings ~ In His Words - Scarne meets Rothstein ~ What do You Get - When you cross Scarne and Carruth ~ The Wizard - My version of Scarne's classic ~ Stapled - Updated, simpler version of Scarne's "the Stapled Card" ~ Buckled - Method used by Scarne and many of his fellow magicians ~ Three Card Monte #1 - the original ~ Three Card Monte #2 - a gaffed version ~ Harold Layer - Scarne gambling devices revealed ~ Bigstring - Make it disappear ~ Card-trick.com - free magic --------- Remember, if you have any comments regarding this issue, email me at: rick@magicroadshow.com . I'd love to get your feedback... By Presidential decree... let the Show begin... ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ The Incomparable John Scarne One of my early hero's was the incomparable John Scarne. Considered by many to be one of the greatest card manipulators of all time, Scarnes skills extended far beyond cards. He wrote many of the definitive works on gambling, including Scarne on Dice, Scarne on Poker, Scarne on Gambling, and his magic related works which included Scarne on Cards, and Scarne on Card Tricks. Many moons ago I bought Scarne on Card Tricks and I've read and reread through it's pages faithfully for years. This was probably my first introduction to card magic, besides the typical card tricks kids teach one another. These tricks had a purpose, some had a story, and many were simplified versions of some of magic's all-time classic card performances. Unlike typical magicians of Scarne's era, he had a rooting in gambling and the moves used by professional gamblers. That explained why, when faced with entertaining the likes of Houdini, Leipsig, and Vernon, he quickly earned the label as the "magician who fools magicians". His sleights came at you from a different perspective than those of other magicians. They had learned a bottom deal that would fool an audience. Scarne had learned a bottom deal that would fool other worldly and wise gamblers who knew exactly what to look for to catch a cheat. Scarne was an anomaly. Born and raised in the New York area, he found work early amongst the gambling community. As an outstanding 'watcher' of people, John picked up on the crooked moves utilized by some of the characters that visited the clubs and picnic grounds where he worked. By the age of thirteen, Scarne had developed a reputation as a "broad tosser", which was the name used to refer to all the Three Card Monte guys. But despite his introduction to gambling and gambling sleights at such an early age, Scarne never felt the desire to be a gambler. He took the exact opposite path and became the leading authority on gambling in the country. Later in life he would be hired by many of the top casinos in the country to teach the staff and management the ways of the crooked gamblers and grifters.. Students of magic are familiar with the great Nate Leipsig, considered by many of his era to be the greatest card manipulator in the world. After watching a young Scarne perform the Three Card Monte, Nate encouraged him to write a manuscript containing his method and theory. Scarne agreed, and some time later he released a fifty-something page treatise on the monte. Leipsig, anxious to contribute to the future of young John, wrote in the introduction: "For those who are not acquainted with the author of this book, I wish to say that John Scarne is the most expert exponent of wonderful card effects and table magic I have ever seen in my life. I have met and known personally some very fine performers, both amateurs and professionals, but I have yet to see such fine work and originality as John Scarne has command of." This was only the beginning of the many accolades Scarne would accumilate throughout his career. By the sixties, Scarne was earning a thousand dollars a show to display his ambidextrious mastery of the cards. Some critized him for his casual approach to a performance schedule. While other notables toured the world displaying their skill, Scarne would perform a couple of shows here and there, then take a break for a month of so. Of course, making a thousand a show, he could afford to maintain a sparse schedule. Scarne always found time though to appear on many of the top network shows, including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. What his friendly adversaries failed to mention was - while they were on their cross country trips - Scarne would perform two or three venues AND turn out a five hundred page book on gambling, or dice, or cards, or... His works number in the dozens. I have long admired Scarne for his almost stubborn resistance to the influence of others. Whether it be gamblers or other magicians, he always knew the path HE wanted to take, and never let the wishes of others side track him up along his journey. The following is taken from "The Amazing World of John Scarne", published originally by Crown Publishers, Inc. in 1956. Now out of print, and very expensive when you can find one I might add, this passage is taken from the web site " The Amazing World of John Scarne ", a great resource, located at: http://scarne.freeservers.com/index.html Ninteen years old and invited to the home of one of New Yorks most infamous gamblers, Arnold Rothstein, ( the guy behind the 1919 Chicago Black Sox baseball scandal ) Scarne was being summoned to display his ability to 'cut the aces' to a group of gamblers... ----------------------- I arrived at Rothstein's apartment at the Park Central Hotel at exactly nine o'clock. When I rang the buzzer at the door Arnold Rothstein answered and greeted me. He took my hat and coat and asked me to follow him into the living room. There were seven men seated about, and as I entered the room their conversation seemed to stop. Their gaze covered me from head to foot. If they had any feelings about me they certainly didn't show them by their expressions. Rothstein, as if sensing my uneasiness, broke the silence, saying, "Gentlemen, this is John Scarne, the young magician I was telling you about." Placing his arm about my shoulder, he said, "Johnny, I'd like you to meet George McManus [whom I recognized by reputation as the operator of New York's biggest dice game, which was run at a place called Warren's], and this is Fats Caldwell." Rothstein continued introducing the men to me, one by one. I later learned that two of the men were his personal bodyguards. Their sole job was to see that no harm came to Mr. Arnold Rothstein. With the introductions completed, I asked Rothstein where the party was being held and when he wanted me to start entertaining. He smiled at me and said, "This is it, Johnny." Then I realized that this hard-looking group of gamblers was to be my only audience. I felt rather important at having such a select group of mobsters for a private showing. In those rough and tough days of the roaring twenties, an invitation from Arnold Rothstein was practically an imperial command. In a half-joking manner Rothstein turned to me and said, "Let's go, Professor. On with the show." I then repeated the same routine Rothstein had witnessed the previous night. When I was performing I took a good look at my small but select audience and noticed their cold, impassive faces. I recalled what Bernie had so often said about opening-night audiences at a Broadway show being the most critical in the world, but I realized I was facing a much more critical audience right now. I continued to study their expressions and they gazed right back at me. I was beginning to feel even more uncomfortable when I noticed they were talking about Jack Dempsey, heavyweight champion, and who would be his next opponent, while I was trying my best to entertain them with the rope and lemon trick. When I finally put the paraphernalia aside at the end of the act they generated a sigh of relief. I then realized that my first hunch had been correct. This hard-boiled audience only wanted to see one thing, and that was the card-cutting which was to follow. Of course I knew that many card-table decisions were made by cutting for high card and naturally it followed that if you could cut an ace, you could win all the decisions and consequently any money involved. I recalled, too, the high-stake stud game that Rothstein was said to participate in, and that some of these games were said to have pots which totaled well over a hundred thousand dollars. Rothstein arose from his chair and walked toward me saying, "That was good, Johnny. Now would you cut high card with me?" The undercurrent of conversation in the room among the seven men slackened, and finally came to a dead stop when I said, "All right, Mr. Rothstein." I reached into my grip and removed two decks of cards. But Rothstein said, "You don't mind, Johnny, but we prefer you use our cards." And with that he opened a drawer of the table and removed several decks of cards. He then removed the wrapper, tore off the revenue stamp, opened the card-case, and removed the cards. As he started shuffling I forced a smile and the other men started gathering around as close as they could. Rothstein handed the deck over to Fats Caldwell to shuffle, and then on to another one of the men, and finally the cards were handed to George McManus who did likewise and handed the deck to me. I gave the deck a riffle shuffle and placed the cards atop the table squarely in front of Arnold Rothstein. Rothstein took his cut and turned up the ten of hearts. I squared the remainder of the deck and cut the ace of spades. A hushed silence covered the room as each of the men looked at one another as if to say, did you see how he did it? George McManus picked up the deck and eying it suspiciously said, "Do it again." I riffle-shuffled the deck several times and placed the deck on the table again. Rothstein bent forward and gave the deck several cuts and then placed it in front of George McManus. McManus made a cut and showed the jack of clubs. I made my cut and brought out the ace of hearts. Fats Caldwell then leaned over and got into the act by cutting a low card, and I countered again by cutting another ace. After the cards had been reshuffled and this was repeated several more times, I turned to Rothstein, saying that my half-hour's performance was up and that I really had to be going. I was getting anxious to get outside and relieve the mounting tension I felt. Rothstein said, "O.K., Johnny," and with that took two one-hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and handed them to me. I thanked him and said good night to the men, who scarcely seemed to notice my departure as they were whispering to one another. Rothstein saw me to the door and thanked me again for a pleasant evening's entertainment. The next morning I was awakened early by the ringing of the telephone. It was for me, and when I answered the phone a soft voice said, "Johnny, this is Arnold Rothstein. Would you like to perform again this evening? I'm having another party and you can make the same fee. Two hundred for another half-hour show." I replied, "O.K., I'll be there. Same time, same place?" "That's right, Johnny, we'll see you tonight then." When I arrived at Rothstein's apartment that evening I found the same seven men whom I had left the previous night. As I opened my grip Rothstein turned to me and said, "Skip the magic, Johnny. We like that rope and lemon trick, but anyway let's skip it tonight." It wasn't long before I was cutting the aces again for the men. After a half hour of this I received my two-hundred-dollar fee and left as I'd done the night before. The telephone rang again the next morning. "I'm giving another party tonight, Johnny. You're hired again. Same time, same place." Before I could answer or say anything he'd hung up. That evening I was cutting aces once more for the same seven men. For six successive nights Rothstein hired me at two hundred dollars a show, and all the group wanted to see was the high-card trick. I wondered if the rest of the men paid part of my fee but felt it really didn't matter just as long as I got paid. I later learned the real reason that Rothstein and his friends went to all the trouble they did. Two men in the group were professional card sharks and they had told Rothstein if they saw me do the trick several times they could detect my method and do it themselves. They felt that I might reject any proposition they offered for an explanation, and this was their method of finding out how the trick was accomplished. It was also a matter of professional pride with these men who were supposed to know all the angles of gambling, crooked or otherwise. For these gamblers to admit that a young kid from New Jersey was fooling the daylights out of them was just too much. However, being fooled six nights in a row and paying twelve hundred bucks for the privilege was the final blow to their pride. Finally, on the sixth night Rothstein said, "O.K., Professor - How do you do it?" George McManus then interrupted, saying, "When Rothstein told us about this we thought at first you were using slick aces [an ace treated with a wax that permits the waxed card to be cut easily]. Then, when we gave you our own deck and you did it again we thought you were using a fine crimp [a card bent during a shuffle]. But, we have to admit, kid, we don't know what it's all about." "Well," I said, "I always give the deck one or more riffle shuffles and hold the cards in such a manner that I can glimpse the indices on the cards as they fly past during the shuffle. When I sight an ace I count by feel the number of cards which fall on top of it. Then I calculate the number of cards a player cuts, and I cut down to this total and there is the ace." (At that early stage of my career I could cut any number of cards called for in the deck; otherwise I would never have given these men such an answer.) With that reply McManus put the deck of cards on the table and said, "O.K., now cut me twenty-five cards." I realized he was testing the veracity of my statement. I squared off the deck and made a cut which I then handed to McManus. He counted the cards aloud and reached exactly twenty-five. They had me repeat this feat about twenty times and I finally said to Rothstein, "If you do the same thing for three or four hours a day you'll be able to do it too, in about twenty years." I wasn't trying to be smart but they had asked me a question and I was trying to give them an answer as best I could. "And how old are you?" someone asked rather skeptically. "I'm nineteen," I replied matter-of-factly. His rejoinder was quick in coming as he said, "You're nineteen and you practiced twenty years!" "No," I replied. "But I practice ten hours a day." Rothstein turned to the rest of the boys and said, "See, I told you this kid was terrific. Have you ever seen anything like that in your life?" Then looking at one of the men he said, "You're a card shark. What do you think?" As the men were discussing the trick, I mentioned to Rothstein that it was getting late and I had to be going as Mother was probably waiting up for me until I got home. He said O.K. and handed me the usual fee of two hundred dollars, and walked me to the corridor saying, "Johnny, come over and see me sometime. I might be able to get you a few more shows now and then." I thanked him for the offer and said good night. ----------------------------- I hope you read carefully the part where Scarne mentioned that he practiced Ten Hours a day... ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ What Do You Get.. What do you get when you cross Scarne and Carruth? Well, you get several tricks that were published by Scarne, then reworked by myself to improve the handling or make them more timely. None of these require sophisticated sleight of hand. That was the intent of Scarne when he published "Scarne on Card Tricks".. to create a book chock full of great tricks which didn't require great sleights. ~ The Wizard The original 'Wizard', as popularized by Scarne and Steffi Storm, utilizes a confederate who deducts a spectators chosen card via telephone. A card is picked, a phone call is placed, and when the "Wizard" answers the magicians asks to speak with the Wizard. Immediate the Wizard begins to call out numbers.. " ace, two, three, four, five.... " until the magician says "Hi, Mr. Wizard", thus signaling the confederate that was the chosen number. The confederate then says " hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades" with the magician again interrupting at the chosen suit. Armed with the number and suit, the magician now hands the phone to the spectator, who will have their card revealed to them by the Wizard.. This is a nice little trick when done rapidly. the pauses on the phone shouldn't be long.. just long enough for the Wizard to acertain the card... However... I have problems keeping the 'Wizard' at home when I need him. This is my version of Scarne's classic.. My answering machine gives me two options - electronic voice or personal recording. I'm lazy, so I've opted for the electronic feature. It's quick and to-the-point (unlike my writings), and gets across the message that I'm not home and they need to leave a message at the tone. Ta-da ... Since I can switch back and forth between the two, I've recorded a message on the machine for special occasions as follows: " Hi, the Wizard here.. Sorry I can't come to the phone at the moment - I'm in the basement plucking the wings off bats. If you would like to leave a message at the tone - you may.. Of course, since I'm the Wizard, I know who you are and what number you're calling from. I'll get back... Oh.. and if my toad of a friend, Rick, has asked you to pick a card - It was the six of hearts.. " When I leave home, and know in advance, that I'll need to contact the Wizard, I switch the answering machine to my message and go about my business. When I approach someone with the Wizard trick I speak fondly of the Wizard and his amazing skills. After forcing a card with whatever method strikes me as appropriate at the moment, (usually an extended magicians choice with a 52 card deck or a hindu force..) I ask them to call the Wizard and allow him to display his amazing long-distance psychic skills.. Generally, I don't ask the name of the card before the call. That adds to the mystery, since they know what the card is.. and I (supposedly) don't... Everyone has a cell phone.. I either ask them to call the Wizard at telephone #_____ , or give them my phone to use. Since my phone is also a speaker phone that can be heard by several people at once, I like to use mine.. ( When I get home and check my messages, I usually have a couple of calls where someone holds their receiver for a few seconds and then hangs up.. not sure what to say. It's OK though, I check my caller ID and call 'em back... ) --------------------- ~ Stapled Scarne devised a nice trick where the spectators selected card is found by a magic 'indicator' card, which is a joker and a four stapled back-to-back. Actually, the spectators card isn't located by the locator card, instead it is found stapled to the joker in place of the four. I won't go into the specifics of Scarne's effect, as it's rather long (as if my version isn't..). Instead, I'll offer my version, which has the same premise but is about half the length.. text wise. What you need: Two jokers and two regular cards, for the sake of illustration, a four of clubs and a ten of hearts. Staple the four and a joker back to back. Do the same with the other joker and the ten. Put the joker/ten either in your jacket pocket or your back pants pocket. Put the joker/four in any front pocket. Now, you're ready to performed "Stapled", my version of Scarnes "The Stapled Card". Force the ten of hearts. As with the wizard effect above, I like to use a magicians choice to force my card. If you aren't familiar with a full deck magicians choice, you can read about it HERE. Taking the time to perform a magicians choice helps fill out the effect and when performed rapidly, leaves the spectator convinced that he/she chose the card fairly. Of course, you can use whatever method you like as long as the ten ends up on top of the deck. I force the ten, gather the cards, cut them near the middle, and ask the spectator to place his chosen card into the middle of the deck. I catch a pinkie break and bring it back to the top. If you aren't comfortable with that.. glimpse the bottom card, have the spectator place the chosen card on top of the deck, cut the deck a couple of times, and flip through the deck looking for the bottom card under the pretex that you're going to find the chosen card. When you spot the former bottom card, assuming you're thumbing cards from your left hand into your right, separate the deck at that point . The former bottom card will be on bottom of the pack in your left hand and the spectators card will be on top of the stack in your right hand. Turn the left hand pack around and show the former bottom card and announce that you've found the spectators card. They will tell you that you need to practice a little more, as that's NOT their card. Put the two halves back together, with the right hand pack going on top of the left hand pack - with the backs up, and the spectators card is now on top of the deck without any sleight of hand.. Whew..!! If you use the pinkie break method, announce that you are going to use a special locator card to help you find the selected card. If you used the non-sleight method, announce that since you couldn'd find the selected card, you are going to be forced to use a special locator card to find it. Reach in your pocket and remove the joker/four, hand it to the spectator and ask him to check it out thoroughly to make sure it is nothing more than two cards stapled together. Tell the spectator about this being a special combination of two magical cards first taught to you by Mama Lenora, your gypsy grandmother. And since the magic skips a generation, you're empowered... Place the locator card on top of the deck (also directly on top of the ten of hearts ) , and tell the spectator that you're going to place the locator card into the deck and, since you don't have a blindfold, you're going to put the cards either in your pocket -or- behind your back.. If you put it behind your back, take the locator card out of your pocket and stick it into the center of the deck with the joker side face up in the face down deck. Remove the joker/four and the selected ten of hearts and put them in your back pocket. If you use the jacket method, do the same with the joker/ten and then leave the joker/four and the ten in your pocket when you bring the deck out.. Bring the deck out of your pocket, or around front, backs up.. Lay the deck on the table, patter, patter, patter, patter, and announce that the locator card has been inserted into the deck at percisely the location of the chosen card. Remove the card under the joker/ten , lay it on the table, and as you flip it over announce that "my magic locator card has succeeded yet again.." When the spectator tells you that's not the correct card, tell him that sometimes the locator card actually slips under the selected card, and remove and show the card above the locator card. Again, this will not be the correct card. Tell the spectator that this is quite strange, as this has never happened before, and ask him to please look through the deck and remove his chosen card - while you hold the locator card. Of course, he won't find it.. When he tells you that his chosen card is not in the deck, ask him what his chosen card was.. When he says "the ten of hearts", say.. " Wow, this IS strange. I've never had this happen before either... Look.." as you hand him the joker/ten locator card for examination... Side note - You can begin the trick with the spectator stapleing the Joker/Four together for you. This adds a little personal touch. With the proper patter.. this can be a very strong effect.. -------------------- ~ Buckled This was a favorite effect of many magicians in the New York area during the middle of the century. Again, I'm going to give you an abbreviated version. The principle is the same, and can be used during many other effects. This effect is perfect if the deck actually belongs to someone else, as it eliminates the possibility that you gaffed the deck beforehand. Ask the spectator to remove approximately twenty cards from the deck. (I'm not going to provide the patter.. only the method..) Tell the spectator that your fingers are so sensitive that they can actually feel the ink on the playing cards. Turn your back to the spectator and ask him to turn one card in his pack of about twenty around backwards and reinsert it into the deck at any point.. Ask him to place the stack into your hands, which you're holding behind your back. When he puts the stack in your hands, turn back around and face him. Slowly flip through the cards, find the reversed card, turn it the correct way, and hand it back to the spectator to confirm that you found the reversed card. That was simple enough, wasn't it? With the proper patter, you can make quite an impression. Oh.. you want the principle also? Make sure that the deck you're using is a used deck. Not necessarily an old deck... just used. If you hold a card with your thumb on one side and your middle finger on the other side and slightly squeeze the card, the card will bow face-out. If you're holding the cards with the faces facing the palm of your hand, you can let your index finger almost touch the center of the card, and when you press the card you'll feel the card bow out to touch the tip of your index finger. Of course, when one card bows the other way, it's the reversed card. You can use this principle to find a chosen card also. Let two or three spectators select cards. While they're looking at them, secretly flip the deck over, then flip the top card over to give the impression that this is the top of the deck. Bring the deck up and ask the spectators to please insert their cards into the deck at any location. Put the deck behind your back, flip the top (really bottom) card back over to it's original direction, and begin your search.. This was Scarne at his best.. teaching the average guy a few card tricks and showing him how not to lose his paycheck in a crooked card or dice game. Unfortunately, Scarne couldn't teach his amazing ability to cut the aces, deal seconds or bottoms, or cut the deck precisely to any named number. This took far more practice than even most magicians were (are) willing to devote to our craft.. R.Carruth ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Cannot Buy It Anywhere Exclusives! Ellusionist has implemented a special rewards program just for you - just for Christmas. "We created and manufactured custom-designed items especially for this holiday season. These items are completely exclusive and cannot be obtained anywhere. You can't even buy them on this site. The prizes are awarded as your purchase falls into specific, pre-determined brackets. The prize program begins on November 25, 2005 and ends December 24, 2005 (Christmas Eve). When you reach a certain subtotal in your shopping basket, you will be awarded the prize automatically in your package. When you keep adding items to your basket, you jump UP a bracket and will be awarded not only the new prize item, but the previous ones as well. The more you order, the more prizes you will receive." Check it out... Click on the 'Exclusive Prizes' link in the middle of the page.. http://ellusionist.com/cart/?aid=732 ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Scarne and the Three Card Monte Since Scarne got his start, so to speak, performing the three card monte, I thought it would be appropriate to include some detailed info about how you can learn the three card monte as well.. Goodtricks.net features a solid article by Andru Luvusi detailing the finer points of the three card monte. Learn how to properly bend the cards and how to perform the critical 'toss'. A number of clear photos are included for you visual magicians, like myself.. "There are only two moves you need to learn in order to perform three card monte: The throw, and the bent corner move." "The basic premise behind the 'game' of three card monte is that you have three cards, for example, two black fours and a red ace. You shuffle the cards around on the table, and the 'mark' or 'sucker' tries to pick the odd card, in this case, the red ace. The sucker bets money on whatever card they think is the money card, they lose, and you take their money. Of course, being a magician, you take great pains to neither take their money nor make them feel stupid for failing to follow the red card." Read more at: http://www.goodtricks.net/three-card-monte.html ----------------------- Method as taught at http://www.eHow.com Gaffed method: Hold up three cards in a fan for all to see: Use the 2 of diamonds, the 2 of hearts, and place the queen of clubs between them. 2. Tell the volunteer to remember where he saw the queen. 3. Turn the cards face down. Ask your volunteer to pull out the queen but not to look at it. 4. Pick up the remaining two cards and show them. They are the red 2s. 5. Say, "What if I told you the queen isn't really a queen at all?" 6. Tell your volunteer to turn over the card he's holding - it's the ace of spades! http://www.ehow.com/how_4410_perform-three-card.html ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Harold Layer Harold Layer, Professor Emeritus from San Francisco State University, has put together an interesting site on 'gaming' and 'gambling', and the artifacts used by the bookies of Chicago and other places far away. Many of these gaming boards, machines, cards, and posters were probably in use during the time Scarne was growing up in the trade. It's interesting to view the early days, and ultimate growth of - roulette, electronic gaming, horse racing, craps, technology, telecommunications, and 19th century history. Mr. Layer has not 'glorified' gambling, thank goodness, but taken a scientific look at it's growth. Interesting and educational.. http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~hl/Welcome.html ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Bigstring Ever sent an email you wish you could take back? Ever sent a time sensitive email with info that you might not want someone holding onto forever.. or passing around to others? We magicians are in the 'secret' business after all... I've made arraingements with Bigstring for any of my readers to sign up for a 100% free account that offers you the ability to send self destructing emails. Can't think of a good reason to send one? I'll bet you can when I take this offer down.. Sign up for a free account and send up to twenty dynamically generated emails per month. Nothing to download, nothing to store on your computer. No adware or spyware. "Bigstring.com's patent pending technology allows our email users to recall, modify or set an expiration date for emails that have already been sent. These emails can be erased, modified or expired even if the recipient has read them. The email is not "deleted" from the recipient's computer. The message that the email refers to is dynamically generated, and therefore you have full control over it." Yes, I use bigstring.. And yes, I have a free account. You can upgrade if you wish, but it's NOT required in order to sign up for the 'au gratis' service... Trust me, this is a legitimate offer simply to get you to try it in hopes that one day you may feel a need to upgrade ... Want a free account? Click the small square banner at the top left of this page.... ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Card-trick.com I recently ran across this nice site from the UK, featuring a wide assortment of magic for all skill levels. Some of the headings for the various categories of free magic are: -Easy self working card tricks -Card tricks using marker cards -Mathematical card tricks -Card tricks using a pre-arranged pack -Card tricks using 2 packs of cards -Unusual Tricks With Cards -Card tricks using sleight of hand You can visit Card-trick at: http://www.card-trick.com/index.htm ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ BellaOnline For those of you who don't know..... one of my dark little secrets is I'm the Shareware/Freeware editor at Bellaonline. For those of you not females.. Bellaonline is the largest web site dedicated to women in the world. Around a million visitors each week read the relatively short articles, dedicated to helping virtually anyone with an interest in shareware and freeware programs, on every subject imaginable. Need free internet tv, or free online poker, or anti virus, or developer programs ? See what I've got available for you this week.. While there, look up my friend Dennis Regling, who is the magic editor at Bellaonline.. http://bellaonline.com/site/shareware ~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~ ~ Where in the world is David? In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip. -------------- As my friend and fellow editor, David Breth, would encourage... "Always take a moment to think of others this Holiday season.." PS.. you can catch David performing at: "The Smithsonian (Washington, D.C.), Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore), and then heading to St. Louis, MO (Close-Up in a Casino) and then onto Orlando, FL (Platform and Close-Up for Disney executives)." ========================= Again.. my apologies for not getting this issue out quite on time. I like to stick to my schedule, it keeps me honest. There's a gazillion distractions on the web, and I can get lost at some silly site totally unrelated to magic in a skinny minute... if I don't remain focused and on schedule... I hope this issue finds you well, and full, after Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for... Email me at: rick(at)magicroadshow.com with any questions, comments, rants, or raves. Have a request? Want to see an article on a particular subject? Email me... http://streetmagic.info http://streetmagic.info.blogger.html http://magicroadshow.com Later... Rick Carruth. ====================== |
