Apologies for the lack of posts but its been a bit hectic around here lately, just getting ready to go to FISM 2003 which is going to be unbelievable, I have added a media section to this site, the first thing to go in it will be photos from FISM… the plan if it comes off will be for me to write-up the highlights of each day, if I can find an Internet point I will post from FISM if not it will be when I get back.
Also this week I have my Sister’s graduation, doesn’t seem five minutes since she went. Congrats Jo!
Will try and post a bit more before I go, I plan to actually finish the new design by adding an about page which is the only thing missing, and a proper contact form.
Doug Conn Close-up, Sleight of hand Magic: Doug Conn’s new site, I had the pleasure of meeting Doug in his shop in New Orleans at the TSD convention, you can watch some videos of Dougs effects, purchase his products or hire him for a show, personally I’m awaiting his e-book of Tricks of my Trade.
Astrojax: this could be a fun way to kill some time this summer, I will be picking one up for sure! Seems like these things have been out for a while, they are hailed as a cross between a Yo-Yo and Juggling. There are some sample videos and a forum. Also check out the video of Thom Stead [26mb mpa] an Astrojax Player who helped promote them in the UK. You can also visit the UK site which gives details of stockists.
The Straitjacket Circus: are a modern Circus performing group. Watch video clips of their performance.
Magicpitch: the new products website of Gazzo and Gary Animal, selling the cups and balls, pouches, wands etc.
Alan Warner Mini Magic: a site by Digital Cheetah showing the mini-magic of craftsman Alan Warner, such things as flight of the falcon, twister, prison block, wonderland door and cover up. See photos of all his creations, read the effect and also get a chance to order them.
Free Paper Models from FreePaperToys.com: links to lots of different models, airplanes, animals, buildings, cartoon characters, puzzles, dolls, science fiction etc. The Origami link is well worth a look as it lists lots of other interesting sites.
Canon 3D Papercraft: Origami and Chiyogami (paper with a coloured pattern), make a Dog, Fish, Crane or Samurai Helmet and download coloured paper patterns to print and use as origami or wrapping paper.
Joseph Palmer’s Paper Airplanes: make models such as the PL-4 Hybrid, PL-2 Gullwing and the PL-1 Joe’s favourite. Apparently unlike the common ‘dart’ designs, these planes are designed to have lift; if you throw at a point on the ground about 10 feet away
Stackview: a new program from Nick Pudar that allows you to explore variations of various actions to a stacked deck. Allows you to do shuffles, poker deals, faros and even control selections from the deck.
Jay’s Journal: Hear Ricky Jay every week on LA Radio Station KCRW, here you can also find the archives of all shows, Ricky talks about a number of things including as you would expect weird performers and performances.
L&L: L&L Publishing have a brand new re-designed site, with a new Forum to discuss their products.
Hit or Stand: Blackjack Game and Trainer, written in Flash, you get to play Blackjack and the computer teaches you based on your moves and shows you what is right and wrong. If your interested in Blackjack then some other links are Stanford Wong’s BJ21 forum, where you can read the free forum or subscribe. Blackjack 2002 gives you rules, tips and terminology. All About Blackjack talks about card counting, shuffle tracking, the social issues and strategies. Finally Black Jack Info offers a basic strategy engine to calculate custom charts.
All this searching was inspired by my tinkerings with Bob Farmer and Harold Cataquet’s Black Jack stacks that have been appearing in Bob’s new Flim-Flam corner in Genii an excellent stack that acts like the Jonah 10 Card Poker deal, which has just been exposed in The Telegraph in an article trying to debunk Derren Brown of all things!
Deck of Cards: Worth1000 is a photoshop competition site where people doctor and manipulate photos, they don’t take bad photos so this is high quality stuff. See how people have incorportated card suits into photos, also check out Deck of Cards 2 and Deck of Cards 3
Shuffle, Cut & Flip: the problem, to unshuffle a deck of cards, the solution a C computer program. Read all about the problem and the way that the winner solved it.
Devin Balkcom: wrote a thesis proposal [PDF 500k] on robotic origami folding, he then went ahead and built the robot, which you can see in action in this quicktime movie [QT 14MB].
Antony Gerard FFFF 2003 Pictures: Antony has posted 312 pictures from this years 4F convention, also check his Lectures page for other excellent photos of lectures and conventions.