Predicting next week's headlines

Mercutio · 17th November 2007, 11:50 AM

Local magician will attempt to foretell morning's headlines Nov. 26

Quote:

DOVER — B.J. Hickman, a local and nationally known magician, has a new take on Foster's Daily Democrat's conversion from an afternoon to a morning newspaper. He believes he can predict, a week in advance of the Nov. 26 conversion date, major front page headlines that will appear in Foster's on that date.

Executive Editor Rod Doherty said he is skeptical of Hickman's headline prediction ability and added, "the editorial staff will do everything they can to ensure Hickman is not accurate with his headline predictions." The magician said the headlines he predicts will be about breaking news stories and will not be related to the conversion itself, all to ensure the validity of his predictive powers.

The predictions will be sealed in an envelope this Monday morning, sent to a local bank's vice president, who will place it in the bank's vault. On the 26th, she will bring the sealed letter to the radio station broadcast, open it and read the prediction.

Or at least, that's what it says. No idea whether Hickman will have any chance to switch envelopes.

It is not being presented as a psychic thing--just a bit of fun with the paper.

Anyway, without giving anything away (as per forum rules), is this a fairly standard trick? If the paper wanted to yank Hickman's chain, is there anything they can do? (no, I am not going to propose that they do--I would have if he was claiming psychic powers, though.)

JonWhite · 17th November 2007, 01:22 PM

There are quite a few variations of this type of effect that even I know of. Simply switching the envelopes need by no means be the working.

It's all just fun for the newspaper's switchover. It would surely be extremely puerile and ungracious of them to yank Mr. Hickman's chain.

Peter S. · 17th November 2007, 02:44 PM

I think Ted Annemann had the best solution.

BTW, B.J. saved my butt once by filling in for me for the first half of a show that my agent forgot to tell me I had until an hour before the show. The show was an hour and a half drive away!

Garrette · 19th November 2007, 08:42 AM

The newspaper could consult with a magician to put in the tight controls that they already think they have in place. Barring that, and assuming Hickman is a good magician, no, there isn't anything they can do to yank his chain.

And, yes, it's standard, at least in the sense that methods are fairly well known.

I'm sorry if this breaks the rules, but I respect Mercutio too much to leave him hanging about the method. I ask anyone who is not Mercutio to refrain from looking at the method for this effect:

Tracer Bullet · 19th November 2007, 11:53 AM

Yes, there will be headlines next week.

There, what do I win?

NobbyNobbs · 19th November 2007, 12:29 PM

If I were the editor, my headline would be

"Elephants storm the White House, demand unsalted peanuts!"

Then, in normal size type,

"In other news, a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq....."

Garrette · 19th November 2007, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by NobbyNobbs

If I were the editor, my headline would be

"Elephants storm the White House, demand unsalted peanuts!"

Then, in normal size type,

"In other news, a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq....."

A magician would get both.

John Edward would say "I'm getting an E..."

Rodney would say that's a hit for both elephant and explosion.

Mercutio · 19th November 2007, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by JonWhite

There are quite a few variations of this type of effect that even I know of. Simply switching the envelopes need by no means be the working.

It's all just fun for the newspaper's switchover. It would surely be extremely puerile and ungracious of them to yank Mr. Hickman's chain.

Oh, they are not looking to, and even though I said in my OP that I was not intending to suggest anything, I still felt guilty after posting it.

JonWhite · 20th November 2007, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by Mercutio

Oh, they are not looking to, and even though I said in my OP that I was not intending to suggest anything, I still felt guilty after posting it.

No worries.

After the Phenomenon fiasco it just seems that there's a bit too much exposure going, on which ruins it for everybody. I'm just a bit (PK) touchy at the moment.

Azrael 5 · 22nd November 2007, 04:29 PM

I'd love to know what Garette's spoiler said! But I respect the art and wont look.

Brown · 23rd November 2007, 09:41 PM

You do not need to switch envelopes.

Garrette · 26th November 2007, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by Brown

You do not need to switch envelopes.

Garrette · 26th November 2007, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by Azrael 5

I'd love to know what Garette's spoiler said! But I respect the art and wont look.

Wont? You're wont to look?

Why won't you wont?

T'ai Chi · 26th November 2007, 09:53 AM

My crystal ball tells me there will be some news in Iraq next week.

Garrette · 27th November 2007, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by T'ai Chi

My crystal ball tells me there will be some news in Iraq next week.

We should invade, T'ai Chilabi.

NeilC · 30th November 2007, 06:27 AM

Prediction tricks tend to have two obvious methods:

1. Force the predicted outcome
2. Change/create the prediction once outcome is known

The devil is in the detail.

17th November 2007, 11:50 AM	#1
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,329	Predicting next week's headlines Local magician will attempt to foretell morning's headlines Nov. 26 Quote: DOVER — B.J. Hickman, a local and nationally known magician, has a new take on Foster's Daily Democrat's conversion from an afternoon to a morning newspaper. He believes he can predict, a week in advance of the Nov. 26 conversion date, major front page headlines that will appear in Foster's on that date. Executive Editor Rod Doherty said he is skeptical of Hickman's headline prediction ability and added, "the editorial staff will do everything they can to ensure Hickman is not accurate with his headline predictions." The magician said the headlines he predicts will be about breaking news stories and will not be related to the conversion itself, all to ensure the validity of his predictive powers. The predictions will be sealed in an envelope this Monday morning, sent to a local bank's vice president, who will place it in the bank's vault. On the 26th, she will bring the sealed letter to the radio station broadcast, open it and read the prediction. Or at least, that's what it says. No idea whether Hickman will have any chance to switch envelopes. It is not being presented as a psychic thing--just a bit of fun with the paper. Anyway, without giving anything away (as per forum rules), is this a fairly standard trick? If the paper wanted to yank Hickman's chain, is there anything they can do? (no, I am not going to propose that they do--I would have if he was claiming psychic powers, though.)
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

17th November 2007, 01:22 PM	#2
JonWhite Muse Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: London Posts: 603	There are quite a few variations of this type of effect that even I know of. Simply switching the envelopes need by no means be the working. It's all just fun for the newspaper's switchover. It would surely be extremely puerile and ungracious of them to yank Mr. Hickman's chain.
	__________________ "In cases where prior knowledge is available, the alternative to 'an open mind' is not 'a closed mind'. It is 'an informed mind'. In such contexts, any appeal to 'keep an open mind' is an appeal to prefer ignorance over knowledge" Ian Rowland

17th November 2007, 02:44 PM	#3
Peter S. Magician Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arlington, MA Posts: 847	I think Ted Annemann had the best solution. BTW, B.J. saved my butt once by filling in for me for the first half of a show that my agent forgot to tell me I had until an hour before the show. The show was an hour and a half drive away!
	__________________ Wil In Space Wil in the Haunted forest Please vote for Wil In Space HERE

19th November 2007, 08:42 AM	#4
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	The newspaper could consult with a magician to put in the tight controls that they already think they have in place. Barring that, and assuming Hickman is a good magician, no, there isn't anything they can do to yank his chain. And, yes, it's standard, at least in the sense that methods are fairly well known. I'm sorry if this breaks the rules, but I respect Mercutio too much to leave him hanging about the method. I ask anyone who is not Mercutio to refrain from looking at the method for this effect: The magical community is close-knit. Whenever one of our brethren arranges to perform this trick, the remaining multitudes band together to plan a newsworthy event for the evening prior to publication of the newspaper in question. Do not be surprised when the headline says "Fifty thousand men in tophats carrying rabbits make plans to invade Iran! Sidetracked at local pub!"
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me. Last edited by Garrette; 19th November 2007 at 08:46 AM.

19th November 2007, 12:29 PM	#6
NobbyNobbs Illuminator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Mended Drum Posts: 4,976	If I were the editor, my headline would be "Elephants storm the White House, demand unsalted peanuts!" Then, in normal size type, "In other news, a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq....."
	__________________ I wish someone would find something I wrote on this board to be sig-worthy, thereby effectively granting me immortality.--Antiquehunter The gods do not deduct from a man's allotted years on earth the time spent eating butterscotch pudding. AMERICA! NUMBER 1 IN PARTICLE PHYSICS SINCE JULY 4TH, 1776!!! --SusanConstant

19th November 2007, 11:53 AM	#5
Tracer Bullet New Blood Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 14	Yes, there will be headlines next week. There, what do I win?

19th November 2007, 12:32 PM	#7
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	Originally Posted by NobbyNobbs If I were the editor, my headline would be "Elephants storm the White House, demand unsalted peanuts!" Then, in normal size type, "In other news, a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq....." A magician would get both. John Edward would say "I'm getting an E..." Rodney would say that's a hit for both elephant and explosion.
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me.

19th November 2007, 04:04 PM	#8
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,329	Originally Posted by JonWhite There are quite a few variations of this type of effect that even I know of. Simply switching the envelopes need by no means be the working. It's all just fun for the newspaper's switchover. It would surely be extremely puerile and ungracious of them to yank Mr. Hickman's chain. Oh, they are not looking to, and even though I said in my OP that I was not intending to suggest anything, I still felt guilty after posting it.
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

20th November 2007, 09:18 AM	#9
JonWhite Muse Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: London Posts: 603	Originally Posted by Mercutio Oh, they are not looking to, and even though I said in my OP that I was not intending to suggest anything, I still felt guilty after posting it. No worries. After the Phenomenon fiasco it just seems that there's a bit too much exposure going, on which ruins it for everybody. I'm just a bit (PK) touchy at the moment.
	__________________ "In cases where prior knowledge is available, the alternative to 'an open mind' is not 'a closed mind'. It is 'an informed mind'. In such contexts, any appeal to 'keep an open mind' is an appeal to prefer ignorance over knowledge" Ian Rowland

22nd November 2007, 04:29 PM	#10
Azrael 5 Illuminator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Yorkshire,Uk Posts: 4,220	I'd love to know what Garette's spoiler said! But I respect the art and wont look.
	__________________ "I achieve these results through a mixture of magic,misdirection,suggestion and showmanship"-Derren Brown Photography here

23rd November 2007, 09:41 PM	#11
Brown Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Twin Cities, Canada Posts: 9,117	You do not need to switch envelopes. All you have to do is wait for the headlines to be announced, then write them on a piece of paper and seal them in a duplicate envelope. Then build a dupicate bank in the middle of the night, complete with vault, and put the envelope in the the duplicate bank's vault. Bribe the local bank's vice president's chauffer to drive to the duplicate bank instead. The vice president will unknowingly retrieve the envelope that you planted earlier in the day. The rest of the trick practically works by itself. Yes, it's easy when you know the secret. Seriously, there are many different ways to perform the trick. I understand that one performer actually sets it up multiple ways, so that if one way fails, the performer can fall back on the other techniques.
	__________________ Klaatu: I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it. Mr. Harley: I'm afraid my people haven't. I am very sorry. I wish it were otherwise. -- The Day The Earth Stood Still, screenplay by Edmund H. North "Don't you get me wrong. I only want to know." -- Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice

26th November 2007, 06:56 AM	#12
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	Originally Posted by Brown You do not need to switch envelopes. All you have to do is wait for the headlines to be announced, then write them on a piece of paper and seal them in a duplicate envelope. Then build a dupicate bank in the middle of the night, complete with vault, and put the envelope in the the duplicate bank's vault. Bribe the local bank's vice president's chauffer to drive to the duplicate bank instead. The vice president will unknowingly retrieve the envelope that you planted earlier in the day. The rest of the trick practically works by itself. Yes, it's easy when you know the secret. Why do it the hard way? I have simply bought a timeshare in the Country of Headline-Predicting Magicians In an Undisclosed Location. The major cities of all western nations are already duplicated there. I've started my own country to duplicate former Soviet Bloc countries; I suggest you buy in early.
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me.

26th November 2007, 06:57 AM	#13
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	Originally Posted by Azrael 5 I'd love to know what Garette's spoiler said! But I respect the art and wont look. Wont? You're wont to look? Why won't you wont?
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me.

26th November 2007, 09:53 AM	#14
T'ai Chi Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 11,233	My crystal ball tells me there will be some news in Iraq next week.

27th November 2007, 06:50 AM	#15
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	Originally Posted by T'ai Chi My crystal ball tells me there will be some news in Iraq next week. We should invade, T'ai Chilabi.
Garrette Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 7,964	__________________ My kids still love me.

30th November 2007, 06:27 AM	#16
NeilC Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,085	Prediction tricks tend to have two obvious methods: 1. Force the predicted outcome 2. Change/create the prediction once outcome is known The devil is in the detail.