Hands
In which your commentator discusses the tools of his trade.
TheIndian
Rope Trick
Speculation and inadequate evidence cast doubt on the veracityof
a legendary illusion.
Cleanand
Dirty
The art of the soap scam.
LifeInsurance
A history of placing wagers on inevitable unknowns, including
thelife expectancy of a dwarf.
Bismarck,
the Pig of Genius
This sapient animal employs cards
to play poker, to demonstratehistorical knowledge, and to predict
the future.
Major
Semple
An opportunistic ‘Prince of Swindlers’ achievesrepeated
success through confidence fraud.
Peter
Jackson
Who amassed both knowledge and materials
on subjects ranging fromLondoniana to the Little Man of Nuremberg.
Calculations
Masters of computation, child prodigies, idiot savants, and
freebeer.
Dickens
the Magician
Thecelebrated author’s explorations
into magic: illusion,necromancy, and Khia Khan Khruse.
Changing
Professions
From bodybuilders to bureaucrats; an elevation both literal andfigurative.
Japanese
Translation
Cultural differences become painfully obvious on the
set of a Japanesegame show, and in a Tokyo hospital.
Siamese
Twins
Egyptians, Saxophonists, Chang and Eng: Siamese twins from allwalks
of life.
Shot
from a Cannon
The first female flyer, the first family flyers, and
other humancannonballs.
Gambling
with Superlatives
Grandstanding and self-promotion prove integral to
the sport.
Extreme
Precoiousness
A discussion of whiz kids from past to present: a musical
prodigy,a balancing marvel, and an extreme skateboarder.
Reformed
Gamblers
Former gamblers, con-men, and cheats cash-in on pastexperience.
Tortilla
Apparitions of religious iconography on oil drums, tortillas and
old Chevrolets.
Misconception
Unconventional maternal imprinting
Three
Card Monte
The ancient deception brought to light.
The
Bottle Conjurer or A Hard Act to Swallow
The supposed performance of a full sized man who advertised
he would insinuate himself into a common quart bottle.
Sharps
and Flats
The language of the hustler and his victim are discussed
Living
Pictures
“Poses plastiques,” “tableau vivants”
and living pictures.The ancient and current art of animating paintings.
Emma
Hamilton
One of the beauties of her age, Emma Hamilton demonstrated her unusual
path from artist's model to performance artist.
Coffee
In which your commentator, who has never drunk a single
cup, nevertheless discourses on coffee and connoisseurship.
Taking
it on the Chin
Michael Boai, an uncommon musician, played Rule Britannia
on his chin at the opening of London Bridge.
Confessions
The machinations and peregrinations of a pretty typewriter
girl, and all that implied….
Blind
Faith
Seeing is believing, or is it? Two young women and their
tales of visual duplicity
The
Linguist
The acquisition numerous of foreign languages, a skill appreciated,
but not exhibited, by your essayist.
Paul
Boyton
This lauded aquanaut was the first to cross the English
Channel.
Misadventure
The most dangerous magic effect in history, and the near death experiences
of your own radio commentator.
Bees
The exploits of the eighteenth century equestrian apiarist,
Daniel Wildman.
Large
and Small
Compare and contrast some remarkable giants and dwarves
Chickens
The art of faking exhibition poultry.
Andrew
Oehler
The Life and Unparalleled Sufferings of an early entertainer,
adventurer, and balloon ascentionist
Detective
A Chicago bunko detective billed as “America's Sherlock Holmes.”
Time
Can one spout a graceful arc of water for as long as it
takes to recite the 22nd psalm? How we deal with oh so painfully
finite time.
Dirty
Dick
The nature of “collecting” expressed through
a man whoinadvertently achieved fame and glory by his distinctly
untidyapproach to life.
Mynah
The riveting tale of a psychic mynah bird
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