I was looking to buy a set of math sticks which are used in a prediction effect (or a super computation effect.) Diamond Jim sells a wooden set for about $15.00. Stevens Magic has a set for $18. Being of Scot blood, I didn’t want to spend that much on a set of four wooden sticks.
Continue reading “Home made math sticks”Mental Math Prediction
This is the prediction of a number from the addition of a series of numbers. It is based on a mathematical principal that I have adapted to a deck of cards. To learn about the principal see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRD5UkAm2Y.
This effect requires a setup to a deck of cards. First remove all of the court cards (K,Q, and Js) and tens and set them aside. Now take the remaining cards and make four sets of three cards, each set adding up to 18. For example, one set may consist of a nine, two, and seven. When those values are added up, they total 18.
Continue reading “Mental Math Prediction”Drawn but not quartered false cut
This is similar to the false cut “drawn and quartered“, but instead of four packets, it only uses three and is a little easier. Below is a video.
Doubly Ambitious
This is a two card ambitious like routine that is very difficult to do. It is based off a two card transposition that I do.
Phase one: Ideally start with contrasting cards second and third from the top of the deck. For this explanation I´ll use the Two of Diamonds and the king of spades, with the two second from the top.
Continue reading “Doubly Ambitious”Four ace control
There are several methods I use for “losing” the aces into a deck of cards and controlling them to the top. Several involve cutting the deck into four piles and losing the aces, one in each pile. One day I was looking at some magic sites preview videos and saw a different method that I thought looked good. So I deconstructed the performance, figuring out what the magician had done. While I can’t be certain that this is the same method, I think it is close.
Continue reading “Four ace control”Only a second, almost
This is similar to “Only a second” so I suggest you look at that one as well. This one distributes the aces with two faro shuffles, hence the “almost” in the title.
Continue reading “Only a second, almost”CHaSeD order
I just noticed something about the Club, Hearts, Spades and Diamonds suit order that is used in many different deck stacks. Since stacks are cyclic, this order of suits is equivalent to Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts and Spades. Which is a numerical progression order if you look at the “points” of the pips of the suit. Diamonds has four points, Clubs has three, Hearts has two, and Spades has one. So instead of looking at a suit and using the mnemonic CHaSeD to figure out the next suit, you can simply look at the “points” and subtract one. Thus a Heart (two points) is followed by a Spade (one point). Diamonds (four points) is followed by a Club (three points).
Around the World in … Part I: Portland, Toyko, Hong Kong, London
This is my daily journal recording the events, places and my observations during a business/pleasure trip around the world. I have visited most of the locations described here before, with the exception of Hong Kong. The business part of the trip consisted of training and sales calls with our Japanese distributor, then a week of customer training in India. The pleasure portion was two days in Hong Kong and one week in Nice, France. Although I have traveled quite a bit, this is the first time I have gone “around the world.” Hence the title of this trip report.
Continue reading “Around the World in … Part I: Portland, Toyko, Hong Kong, London”Another Revolutionary War Ancestor
Daniel Wiggins Applegate
1768–1826
BIRTH 1768 • Albany County, New York, USA
DEATH 11 FEBRUARY 1826 • Saint Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA
Based on the Applegate Genealogy Web Site, Daniel got married in Fayette Co., KY in 1790. He had a 50 acre farm in Franklin Co., KY until 1797. He then was in Carroll Co.,KY in 1802.
Daniel and his family moved to Henry County, KY about 1808 as there is a record that he was fined 15 shillings and detained 3 hours in jail on February 4, 1808 for cursing in the Henry County, Kentucky Court. On September 30, 1821, he was given permission by the Henry County, Kentucky court to keep a tavern in his house for one year. The following year he moved his family to St. Louis, Missouri.
Daniel Applegate was born in New Jersey in 1768. Although he was only a very young boy during the Revolutionary period, he served as a fifer and drummer under Capt. Ballard and Col. Shrove. He also received the rank of private, presumably at the very close of the war as he would have only been 17 or 18 when the conflict ended.
After the war he married Rachel Lindsay, and they had 5 children. The family lived in Virginia for a number of years and then moved to Shelby County, Kentucky. Finally they came to Missouri in 1822, being one of the earliest pioneer families in St. Clair County. Daniel’s sons, Jesse, Charles, and Lisbon later migrated to Oregon.
Daniel Applegate did receive a pension from New Jersey for his war service. Although most of his time in Missouri was spent in St. Clair County, he died in 1826 at St. Louis, Missouri at age 58 and was buried there.
Married:
Rachael Lindsey
1769–1816
BIRTH 10 JUN 1769 • Lindsay Station, Kty
DEATH 1816 • St Louis, Missouri
and with an unknown wife had a son:
Charles Applegate
1806–1879
BIRTH 24 JAN 1806 • New Castle, Henry, Kentucky, United States
DEATH 9 AUG 1879 • Yoncalla, Douglas, Oregon, United States
Married:
Melinda Miller
1812–1888
BIRTH 31 MAR 1812 • Claiborne, Tennessee, USA
DEATH 29 JANUARY 1888 • Yoncalla, Douglas County, Oregon, USA
Daughter of Charles and Melinda:
Susan Applegate
1831–1907
BIRTH 25 MAY 1831 • Cole, Missouri, United States
DEATH 30 DEC 1907 • Yoncalla, Douglas, Oregon, United States
Married:
Robert Smith
1822–1888
BIRTH 18 FEB 1822 • Allegheny, Virginia, USA
DEATH 5 MAY 1888 • Yoncalla, Douglas, Oregon
Son of Susan and Robert:
Robert Franklin Smith
1857–1929
BIRTH 3 APRIL 1857 • Umpqua, Douglas, Oregon, USA
DEATH 21 APR 1929 • Spokane, Spokane, Washington, USA
Married:
Annie Irene Byrd
1866–1935
BIRTH 04 JAN 1866 • Seattle, King, Washington
DEATH 23 FEB 1935 • Coquille, Coos, Oregon
Daugher of Robert and Annie:
Ruth M Smith
1890–1975
BIRTH 10 JUNE 1890 • Whitman County, Washington, USA
DEATH 18 FEBRUARY 1975 • Beaverton, Washington County, Oregon, USA
Married:
Joseph Eugene Axtell
1889–1945
BIRTH 04 MAY 1889 • Celina, Mercer County, Ohio, USA
DEATH 28 JUN 1945 • Coquille, Coos County, Oregon, United States of America
Daughter or Joseph and Ruth:
Jane Elizabeth Axtell
1920–1995
BIRTH 3 FEB 1920 • Lewiston, Idaho
DEATH 17 JUN 1995 • Hillsboro, Washington, Oregon
Married:
Richard Manning Wallace
1914–1995
BIRTH 28 MAY 1914 • Seattle, King, Washington, USA
DEATH 18 MAR 1995 • Beaverton, Washington, Oregon, USA
Son: Robert J. Wallace
Daughter: Susan E. Arney
Only a second
Another “find the aces” trick. This one is good for practicing your second deal.
Begin with secretly having the four aces on top of the deck. I typically have the spectator shuffle the deck, and then use my two-step cull to get the aces on top. Riffle or overhand shuffle to add eight more cards on top of the deck. I usually use two riffle shuffles to add four cards at a time.
Continue reading “Only a second”