Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with magic

Books I remember fondly (but not their titles)

radiosig — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:24:41 -0800

What is the name of the book I read in 5th grade (as part of the curriculum) about a boy who finds a magic traveling alleyway in his neighborhood and meets the inhabitants, including an old "bag lady" who sews sweaters from bits of trashed yarn and an adolescent girl who ... wears roller skates, maybe? To clarify, these people live in houses that are inside the alley, and the alley itself (or the entrance to it, at least) moves every so often. I've been wondering about this book for years and can't seem to find reference to it. Thanks! (Bonus questions inside) Bonus book: A mousy boy with brown hair and eyes discovers that he takes after his mother, who he's never met (whereas his brothers all look like dad, big and strong with blond hair and blue eyes), and also that she was some kind of witch, and he sets out to discover more. also I remember fondly the fetishization of eating hunks of bread and cheese with fruit for meals while traveling (anybody else notice this as a teen fantasy novel trope?)

Also there was something to do with "runes," possibly this was even part of the title.

Another bonus book: This one was about a girl who is vacationing on an island with her family and comes to realize that her next-door-neighbors for the summer, a couple of guys, are involved in this creepy sort of board game, the outcome of which has implications for their real lives. There's something to do with drawing cards that have special abilities on them (suits of armor? weapons?) After I read this book I was inspired to create a deck of "abilities" cards to be used while playing checkers, but the concept didn't translate very well.

ANOTHER bonus book: This one I read when I was super small. It was a children's picture book about an Asian (Japanese or Chinese?) prince or warrior who goes on a quest. The main thing about this one is that the art was GORGEOUS. I also remember the story being surprisingly dark (perhaps the hero dies?). I think it may have won an award (gold seal on the cover?)

I would have read all of these in the late 1980's - early 1990's.

K thanks again!

Quarter Life Regression, or how to get back into Magic: The Gathering

utsutsu — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:34:27 -0800

What is the best way to get back into Magic: The Gathering? I played the game (as well as others) a lot as a teenager and recently my best friend has been introduced to the game and is addicted something fierce.

I would like to join him in his quest but here is my situation:

- I've lost my old cards except for a small handful.

- I would like to get in on the cheap-ish, sub $200 for sure. Where can I get cards for the cheapest either online or in the real world in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada?

- What is my best bet for buying cards? What sets? Starters? Boosters? Boxes of boosters? Boxes of boosters split with said friend?

- Any particularly crushing black themed decks currently? I played a black / blue back in the day that relied on Nightmares to do the heavy hitting and Royal Assassins (before they nerfed with with a cost for their ability) to thin out any pesky attackers.

Thanks for any advice including, but not limited to, "waste of money, don't bother, you are a huge nerd"

Magic, incarcerated

MrVisible — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:34:17 -0800

Help me find real-world magic items. I'm looking for real-life items that have strange histories, weird reputations, or just plain creep people out. One example is the pair of pistols made of meteoric iron that made the news recently. Any object which can be viewed as having a magical nature will do, the weirder the better.

Historical curiosities, medical oddities, anything that incites a sense of weirded-out wonder will be considered. Extra special bonus points if the objects existed in North America in 1914.

I realize that this is a very broad question, but I wanted to tap into the vast reservoir of odd and arcane knowledge that MeFites seem to have.

(This is for a role-playing campaign. Do not be alarmed. The premise is that these items are charged with a magical energy, which can be harvested. Quests ensue.)

Can You Name This Sleight of Hand Magician?

jxpx777 — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:33:30 -0800

A couple years back I remember seeing a sleight of hand magic routine where the magician was sleeveless. He worked with cards and even produced some tall mixed drinks! He was a white guy with blond hair, perhaps from Sweden or Denmark? (That's just a guess.) He was touted on the program as the reigning sleight of hand champion. Can anyone tell me the name? I would like to find some video of his work.

How can do I do those crazy card tricks?

jasonspaceman — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:47:31 -0800

I've recently been enamored by card tricks that appear to be magic. Can anyone suggest reputable teachers/mentors and study guides?

Fidgeting with a purpose.

Stagecraft — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:31:31 -0800

How does one fidget with a purpose? I am one of those people that seem to always be in motion. I am almost always fidgeting. I will often fidget with any small hand held item that is near by. This often leads to broken pens and a few scars on my hands (scissors are not toys). So I decided that I want to do something “productive” , instead of dangerous, with my fidgeting. I would like to learn some sort of coin or card slight of hand/ manipulation. Maybe pen twirling and tricks.

Oh mighty hive mind please help. Do you know of any tutorials that are easy to learn and fun to do? Or do you have any other suggestions for those who fidget?

Thanks.

Wanted poster!

timpollard — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:37:59 -0800

Does anyone know of where I could get (or download) a good sized copy of this poster (advertising the fictional magician Li H'sen Chang), seen in the classic Dr Who story 'The Talons of Weng Chiang'? I'd love to get a large sized copy to frame for my living room for some subtle geek chic!

Help me sell my Magic: The Gathering cards

Who_Am_I — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 09:59:53 -0800

What's the best way to sell a bunch of old Magic: The Gathering cards? I've got a few thousand M:tG cards, mostly from 3rd (revised) edition and the expansions Legends through Weatherlight. I think they're probably worth some money if I can sell them right. What's the best way to get rid of them and turn a profit?

Listing them individually on a site like ebay would mean looking up the value for each card (ugh!), and it seems like I would get nickel and dimed to death doing that. On the other hand, it seems like people who sell big lots of cards hardly get anything at all for them. Is there a good way to do this? Is there even a market for these anymore?

Help me find a book of Daemon's

Pontifex — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:29:45 -0800

I was told of a book of Daemon's, where the protagonist is a C coder who gets transported to a magical world where his code can do magic. I was told this by a co-worker during an internship. He was a big fan of all the things I thought was passe in my childhood. So we're talking about the 80's here when he read the book. And the book must've been pretty modern considering how hip and modern coding was at the time.

From what he told me the magical world our hero comes to is inhabited by people and magical creators (hence Daemon's). Magic is complicated and dangerous - a la Basic before C - and thus isn't practiced very much. I got the sense the setting was fairly feudal in governance. Our hero arrives and figures out that he can do magic, by whipping up some code to do things. He despise the feudalistic nature of the world he's come to live in and sets out to create new and safe code segments that people can copy and paste to do things. He creates libraries to make magic accessible.

Thus he goes on to save the day by creating a better world with the power of his code.

Thanks for your help. I'd truly love the title and author of this book so I can remind my friend of it; As he's since forgotten everything about it.

Vegas shows advice please

bread-eater — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:21:29 -0800

Recommendations of shows in Las Vegas, for two people in mid-20s. Looking for a few to see and for advice on how to get tickets for cheap if possible. Thanks! Hello. I've looked through the many past threads on vegas travel but my question is specifically about shows... We are two friends (female and male) looking for magic shows, comedy shows and also some kind of an adult/topless show to see while we're there in January. I'd love to hear your experiences (good or bad) about these shows. What I want to know:

1) Was it good? Why?
2) Do I need to get tickets at least a week in advance?
3) Were you able to get them at a discount? How?

Also I don't need to hear more about Cirque du Soleil as I have read the heaps of praises in older threads and have had personal recommendations from other people already :)

Mark CF, I love you, but go away :P

divabat — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:58:43 -0800

What are some good (preferably experience-based) birthday gifts for a 21-year-old Australian programming geek who thinks he's Danish? My boyfriend's (whom you all so nicely wished Happy Birthday to in code) 21st birthday is coming up in February. It's going to be a big birthday for him so I want to make it special.

One thing he loves about me is that I'm always doing interesting things and that I often involve him in them - I've dragged him to the Gold Coast to help me stage manage a show, and I've brought him to damn near every multicultural festival that exists in Brisbane. We spent a weekend away in Redcliffe a few months ago and it was awesome. I would like to gift him with another awesome experience-style gift, but I'm at a loss for what to get him.

Some facts about him:

* White Australian male; I'm the most exotic thing about him
* favourite motto is "You can't be young forever but you can be immature indefinitely!" (to him it means he doesn't have to be boring and serious all the time)
* Obsessed with Magic: The Gathering
* Studying IT (Web Services) in uni; currently in 1-year work experience with a performing arts company managing their Web stuff. Often programs stuff in Javascript as a hobby.
* Went to Denmark for a year on exchange and now thinks he's half-Danish. Can speak Danish reasonably fluently. He yearns for opportunities to speak with Danish people and re-experience Denmark. I think he's saving up for a trip to Denmark in a year or so.
* Likes pandas a lot and has assorted panda paraphernalia. (I tried adopting a panda from WWF for him but their web form broke.)
* Enjoys cycling a lot. Also somewhat sporty, but he often needs an excuse (like a school sports team) to play
* Introverted and shy, but quite open and friendly to people he's familiar with
* Says he misses going out drinking; hasn't been to a bar in about a year or so. Doesn't drink much however.
* Likes Indian food; sometimes is more Asian than I am
* Likes to read, especially crime thrillers; Harry Potter fan

I've looked at sites like RedBalloon but nothing there seems to fit. While he is techy, I don't want to get him an iPod or other presents of that nature because I think other relatives will cover that for him. He knows I'm coming so I can't surprise him like I did this year!

I also don't have a lot of money (otherwise I would have bought him a plane ticket) but I could try talking to his mum (whom I'm close to) to see if we can work together on something.

Thanks folks!

What mystical powers do four kids have?

bonaldi — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:29:14 -0800

You know the playground trick whereby four of you can "levitate" a fifth person using just your fingertips (you first hold your hands over his head and count to 20)? How does that work, then?

Fruit Magic!

pantone292 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:47:14 -0800

I'm going to a fruit-themed party next week and want to impress. Can you recommend me some awesome tricks with fruit not unlike this one? Bonus points for those involving apples, but all are welcome.

Fantasy Books with Anthropomorphic Rabbits?

d13t_p3ps1 — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:36:42 -0800

I can't remember this 70's/80's fantasy book series! It's driving me nuts. I've been searching google and amazon for about two hours and I keep hitting dead ends. The details I remember:

The main character was a stoner type who got dragged into a fantasy world.
A female he went to school with followed him.
His magic was music-based.
He and the female were the only humans, all the other characters were anthropomorphic rabbits and foxes and other animals.
One of the main animal characters was a rabbit.
There was a large salamander that was a communist.
A strip club featuring a stripping mink (i think)

I am pretty sure I'm not thinking of Discworld. I got the paperback versions of the books from a library sale, the covers looked like typical Tor fantasy novels from that time period.

Where can I find a "Magic 8 Ball" in Panama City, Panama....today?

wogbat — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:04:59 -0800

Where can I find a "Magic 8 Ball" in Panama City, Panama....today? If I had one...it would be able to help answer my own question about where to buy one...

"Good blogs by female magicians?"

macrowave — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:06:04 -0800

Any female magicians/assistants here? Does anyone know of any web resources/blogs regarding women and professional magic? Long story short, I've been enlisted to write an article about women and stage magic. My interviews with contacts (two magicians, one male and female) have left me with rather slim info. Specifically, I'm looking for research material regarding women's difficulties in being taken seriously in what seems to be an overwhelmingly male profession.

I know this is a bit vague, but any leads would be totally appreciated.

Books with bumbling wizards?

killjoy — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:38:37 -0800

Recommendations for books with bumbling wizards? I'm looking for light, entertaining reads in the fantasy vein. Think Douglas Adams with magic. Bumbling wizards are a must--extra points for talking dragons and unicorns.

I enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and most of Terry Brooks' Kingdom for Sale series.

Most recent books read were Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and Martin Amis' Money.

Find the Unix Magic artwork.

bitmage — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 08:30:04 -0800

Unix-poster-filter. Help me locate the original of an artwork... I ran across this nifty Unix poster on a blog discussion. I was able to track down the artist, and had an interesting conversation with him.

He only has a few copies of the poster left. He'd like to be able to reprint the poster, but he's concerned about the copyright.

He created this poster for a company, and part of the deal was that the company got the original. Everything I've been able to find suggests that simply transferring the original would not hand over the copyright, but IANAL and he's unwilling to risk getting sued in an unclear situation.

Contacting the holder of the original would seem to be the simple way to clear things up, but the company has changed hands/been absorbed/etc and he has no idea where the original is now.

I know this is a real longshot, but has anyone seen the original painting of this, or know of it's whereabouts? I'm hoping the power of the hive mind might be able to track it down...

Note: I'm doing this on my own, not at the request of the artist. I'm just hoping to be able to give him some information that might lead to this poster being put back in print.

Magicians could be stealing our stuff

selton — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:16:57 -0800

I reckon an expert magician can "trick the public" most of the time - with disappearing/switching watches, coins, jewellry etc.
Given that...
1) would the normal magician-like techniques work in real life situations? In other words could a competent magician go through their life just thieving from us innocents?
2) Have any magicians ever been exposed as using their skills for "evil"? By evil I mean non-performance fraud/theft/short-term monetary gain?
A very poor example: early on in The Grifters, John Cusack gets the crap beaten out of him for trying to switch a large denomination $bill for a smaller one in a bar when he paid for a beer.

Looking for a specific children's book

comfortinsound — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:10:27 -0800

i am looking for a children's book that my friend read when she was in elementary school (5-10 years ago.) the book is about a boy and a girl who go on an adventure through a magical world and save the people from a monster. then, the girl dies, and the boy has to boil her in a pot to bring her back to life. my friend and i are despretely searching for this book. she can remember a lot of its details: the main character lives a normal life until creatures come out from behind his stove and tell him that he needs to go on a mission in his (dead, i think) father's place. he and his friend encounter all of these magical beings, but then she dies. he somehow knows that he needs to climb up this mountain using her bones, sort of like icepicks, and then he defeats a horrible monster and saves the people. then he boils her dead body in a pot to bring her back to life.
i know the plot sounds strange, but i have been helping my friend look for this book for a long time, and any information you have about it would be much appriciated.

Magical Patent

schnee — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:20:46 -0800

I need help finding the patent for David and Dania's quick change act effect. These two have been discussed, both in the Green and in the Blue.

I don't want to know how this act is done, as this has been discussed in the previous link.

They were on Oprah today and David mentioned they have a patent on the 'effect.' I tried some searches in Google's patent search and haven't come up with anything. Can someone else find it?

Looking for help and suggestions on an illusion/science experiment/bit of alchemy I can perform.

donovan — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:07:15 -0800

Looking for help and suggestions on an illusion/science experiment/bit of alchemy I can perform. I need help coming up with some tricks/illusions/actual transformations I can perform at a costume party where I will be an "alchemist." Think snake oil salesman wandering around in a top hat with arcane artifacts, boasting of having the power to transform objects, that's what I'm going for.

I'm not interested in card tricks, but rather some sort of trick/illusion/chemical reaction that I could classify as "alchemy" turning X into Y or combining X and Y and getting Z.

I'm open to buying a trick at a magic shop (I live in Seattle), combining chemicals and compounds, or using a shill in the audience.

I'm looking for a couple of stunts that might create smoke, a flash of light, turn water into wine, turn something small into something big, and otherwise establish my alchemist character . . . which is key to the big surprise/finale I cannot yet divulge.

... and his 52 assistants?

Bookhouse — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:54:06 -0800

Where can I find video of Ricky Jay performing? I'd really like to see Ricky Jay doing some of his sleight-of-hand wizardry, but he's holed up in LA of all place just now. I'm looking for examples of his magic act that I can watch online or on DVD, preferably a whole act. I've seen the little bits he does in Deadwood and various Mamet movies, as well as that Bob Dylan video. Anyone know where I can look?

Best box cutters ever?

sirion — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:09:53 -0800

Box Cutters: I get lots of boxes, and I'd like a device that turns those boxes into small piles of cardboard that fit in my small trash can. What would you recommend? (Bonus for devices that take a minimum of effort and have a low risk of cutting my hands with blades or edges of fast moving cardboard)

Magic Card Generator?

nervestaple — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:16:10 -0800

Are there any simple ways to create fake Magic cards, like the "summon bevets" or "summon languagehat" cards I've seen making the rounds? Preferably, one of those web-2.0-ey generator sites. At the least, a photoshop template. I just don't want to have to deal with getting everything right from scratch, especially since my photoshop skills are rusty. Thanks!