Playing games in 2007

As the year slowly ends, it is always fun to reminisce and spend special time with family. Today after church we ate Christmas leftovers (you name it, we had it) and played games that we received as presents.

We played a new version of Sequence that Jon received called Sequence - States and Capitols. This was a hit and plays very much like the original Sequence game. The other game we played and had a real blast with was a new version of the game Cranium called WOW!

This was definitely Wow and a great variation on the classic game Cranium. Hope your Christmas was fun and filled with as much family memories as our has been.

More fun with friends and family!

What makes the Christmas holiday so special is the time to visit with friends and family you haven't seen in a while.



Last evening my aunts made one of the traditional Leppert foods, Taco Salad. I'm not sure why this has become a staple in our family, but I think it stems from some other friends of ours in Ohio. Let me retrace the Taco Salad history as I remember it. When I was growing up in Worthington, Ohio, my mom was the ultimate homemaker. Mom was always trying new recipes and with her background as a home economics educator, it was usually great food (except for the chemical macaroni and cheese we had once, that's for a later story). Some other friends of our family, the Tullers, owned a fruit farm that started as a fruit / vegetable stand and grew into a country store with homemade donuts, apple cider, jams, jellies, crafts, etc. (By the way on a side note, my first job ever was working at Tuller's Fruit Farm assembling fruit / veggie boxes and picking up the cigarette butts in the parking lot.) Doritos, the taco chip brand, was just released and there was a recipe mom found for taco salad. As the ultimate homemaker, she tried it out on us. The salad dressing it called for was not something mom particularly cared for so she tried something else she liked (big surprise, that is what happened to the chemical macaroni and cheese too!) which was the signature salad dressing made for Tuller's Fruit Farm. It was a sweet / sour dressing like nothing we have ever found since. Well, the taco salad was a gigantic hit with our family and it seemed that mom made it just about every week and for every friend that stopped by. Pretty soon we were purchasing the Tuller's salad dressing by the case, no joke! At some point a few years later, the Tuller salad dressing went out of production. Despite our pleas to Charlie and Rosalyn Tuller, there was nothing we could do but purchase as much stock that remained, and we did! It seems that the frequency we had Taco Salad dwindled as the dressing (which was becoming more valuable with each sitting) started to disappear. Back to last night, I realized as I was partaking of the delicious taco salad (minus the Tuller Salad Dressing, but with a signature mixture created by my aunts) that my children have only eaten taco salad very few times. Too bad, it is such a nice traditional and delicious family meal - I wonder if Charlie and Rosalyn Tuller could start production again on their dressing!



In addition to the great dinner, we were also blessed with the company of some dear family friends - Don and Martha Lane. Aunt Martha and Uncle Don (we called all our parent's friends by Aunt / Uncle) have been friends of my parents since their school years in Dublin, Ohio. As our parents had us kids, I grew up playing with Aunt Martha's children - Linda, Rick, David and Laura. Lots of great memories digging around in their Dublin back yard. Well, Uncle Don and Aunt Martha have a winter home in Sun City, Florida and we get to visit with them on occasion when they are wintering here in the south. It is always a blessing for all of us, but even more for mom as she truly cherishes these special times with her lifelong pals. Well, after stuffing ourselves with Taco Salad, we played David's new game Apples to Apples with the whole group (except David who was at Ocala Civic Theatre teaching for a rehearsal of "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." Thanks for letting us use your game, it was a blast!



Well, after food, fun, and games - the younger Lepperts called it an evening as Jonathan and Rebekah were anxious to see the movie "Transformers" at home. It was a great time all around, we can't wait till next time!

What a Great Christmas Day!

What a great time the Leppert Family had as we shared this special Christmas holiday with family and friends! Other than a few sick bugs that had infiltrated the Leppert family, everything was fantastic - especially the special time we shared with our close family and friends. Here is a picture of everyone (but TheSpotman who is taking the picture) gathered around the dinner table for an amazing feast created by Mema Leppert. We all rolled away from the table stuffed to the gills, but completely satisfied! Starting on the left and going around the table clockwise are: Aunt Besty, Aunt Sue, Mema Leppert, Bupa Barnes, Mema Barnes, Sarah, Diego, Rebekah, Jonathan, Dani and David. We played games and enjoyed each other's company throughout the rest of the day!

Merry Christmas to All!

Well it is Christmas morning and time to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. May today be filled with rich blessings of family and friends and the comfort of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Leppert Family sends their deepest wishes of joy and love for today and throughout this holiday season!

We found this nativity scene at the Disney campground Fort Wilderness and loved it!

The Dancing Santa Dance - Performed by Carlos Ramirez

Have you ever purchased or seen one of those mechanical Santas that dance to the crazy music? Well here is your chance to see a real person imitate the Christmas Dancing Santa dolls. This is my brother-in-law, Carlos Ramirez, showing off his magical skills.

Beat Box with Crazy Moves - Tres and Daniel Ramirez

Here is a short clip created by my two nephews, Tres and Daniel. Tres provides the incredible Beat Box sounds while Daniel provides the moves that make us laugh. Enjoy!

The EPCOT Geosphere - True Beauty!

I think one of the most beautiful objects at Walt Disney World is the EPCOT Geosphere. I was living in Orlando at the time it was constructed and was always in awe at it's massive presence and beauty. I took this picture and wanted to share with my friends. If you click on the image, you will get a much larger image you can use as a desktop or whatever you like. Enjoy!

Santa Claus at The Magic Kingdom!

While Sarah worked diligently to finish the Christmas Cards back in the camper, Philip, Rebekah and Jonathan headed across Bay Lake on a boat toward The Magic Kingdom for some fun in the park. We always enjoy our time at Walt Disney World, but during the holidays it is even that much better. The decorations were beautiful, but this time we had an extra surprise - we caught up with Santa Claus. He had flown in special on Friday just to meet with some kids at The Magic Kingdom and Rebekah and Jonathan had fun. Here they are posing with Santa and telling him their wishes for this Christmas! Later in the day we picked up Sarah and headed to EPCOT for the Candlelight Processional starring the actor Edward James Olmos. Check out an earlier blog with all the details and video of this great event! I have also included pictures here of the Christmas storyteller in Norway and the life-sized gingerbread house located inside the American pavilion. Lots of holiday fun!

Camping with the Roberts Family at Fort Wilderness

The Leppert Family attached our fifth wheel camper to our truck and headed to Orlando last Thursday to spend a couple of nights at the Walt Disney World campground - Fort Wilderness. We heard that some of our friends were camping there as well and that we might be able to catch up with them while we were down at Disney. When we checked in, the attendant told us he was able to get us in the same loop of sites as the Roberts - little did we know until we pulled in, but we ended up right next door! What a fun time we had together, we piled all the kids and adults on bikes and rode around the campground looking at all the sites decorated for Christmas. I have to tell you - the campground looked more lit up than many neighborhoods! Check some of my earlier posts to this and you can see some video as well. I have included some pictures of the Roberts Family and the Leppert Family. Ben and Paige currently are camping with a classic Airstream trailer that is in great shape (minus a dent on the driver's side of the unit). After biking around the campground and a few spills on the way with all the kids swarming on their bikes (Rebekah even fell into a bush for no apparent reason - we are still trying to figure out what happened), the adults played games until late into the night while the kids watched movies of their choice. All had a great time together!

EPCOT Candlelight Processional with Edward James Olmos

This is the 2007 EPCOT Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This is truly an amazing event that combines an outstanding orchestra, conductor, local choirs, the Voices of Liberty (Disney Singers) and a celebrity. The celebrity reader for this program was Edward James Olmos, famous from TV on Miami Vice and the movie Stand and Deliver. Edward James Olmos was truly inspiring and connected not only with the cast, but also the audience. This was his seventh return to EPCOT Center for this amazing event. Enjoy and make sure you watch all 12 parts in order to see the whole event as it happened December 21, 2007.

Here is a playlist that will play though all 12 parts on YouTube:


Click on each section below to watch any separately:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12

EPCOT Gateway to the World - Christmas Lights

Here is a short clip of the Christmas / Holiday lights as you walk toward the gateway to the world in Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center. These lights are put to music and are a delight to watch and listen!

EPCOT New Spaceship Earth Ride - Sneak Preview at Disney

This weekend at EPCOT they let some visitors get a sneak preview of the newly renovated Spaceship Earth Ride located in the Geosphere of EPCOT at Walt Disney World. At first glance the ride appeared much the same. We thought the cars were the same till we noticed there were video screens installed in both the front and back section of each car. Due to lighting I could only tape the very beginning and very end of the ride. Many of the sets are similar, but new animatronics and a much more appealing high tech storyline make coupled with the choose your future touch screen ending makes the new Spaceship Earth a great ride and something everyone should try. At the end of the ride the riders are asked a series of questions and then a future designed for them is played on the screen. It was easy to see that all the cars had different outcomes. You can watch the selections made by my daughter as we rode. The newly renovated Spaceship Earth will open in February of 2008!

Christmas Campsite at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground

Christmas campers at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground at Walt Disney World really go to extremes! Each year the Disney campground awards some major ribbons to the best overall campsite for their Christmas / Holiday decorating and this video represents one of the very best. In fact, the creators of this campsite also won last year, you will see the ribbon in the video. Enjoy, this is truly a treat to behold!

Christmas Mailbox Decoration - Letter to Santa from Jill

This is a Christmas / Holiday decoration we found while riding our bikes through the Fort Wilderness Campground at Walt Disney World just before Christmas this year. This was a decoration we thought was just fantastic so I made a video clip for all to enjoy. The letter in the opening mailbox says "To Santa from Jill." Enjoy!

FCM Magic Lecture by Dale Leppert (Magic by Vernon)

This is a magic lecture / demonstration presented by Dale Leppert, also know as Vernon the Mystifier, for the Fellowship of Christian Magicians in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on September 17, 1992. This was taped in his home in front of an intimate group of magicians from the local FCM organization.

Santaland at Macy's Department Store in New York City (NYC)

The Leppert Ladies recently visited Macy's Department Store in New York City (NYC), New York. This is a video clip of their brief stroll through the fun of Santaland during their holiday trip.

Young Frankenstein - The Broadway Musical

Well the reviews are in and the Leppert Ladies all agree that Mel Brooks' new musical Young Frankenstein was a huge hit! They were totally thrilled by getting to see the original cast and laughing all the way through the play. So much so that they have been sharing all about it since they got back. The girls bought David a copy of the soundtrack (only available at the musical until late December) and we have been listening to it endlessly - what a treat! The set design (from the program they brought back for us too) looks truly amazing! I guess enjoying the show through the ladies is only fitting since David and I saw Wicked with the original cast and had to share the same way with the girls. Here also is a picture of an "Abby Normal" stress ball the ladies brought back from the show for both David and I - lots of fun!

Leppert Christmas Card - Take 3!

Version 1


Version 2 (wording change)


Version 3 (Style, picture and wording changes)


Hi all. Well we are now at version 3 of the annual Leppert Christmas Card. I have included here all three versions for your enjoyment and historical purposes. Since it just went to be printed, my calendar suggests you may actually receive our Christmas Card by New Year's or at least Valentine's Day (grin). This is an annual challenge for us, not an afterthought at all (truly). We indeed appreciate and care for all of you, enjoy!

Rockefeller Center Ice Skating - Christmas in NYC, New York

Here is a video of Sarah and Rebekah ice skating at the Rockefeller Center Ice Skaking Rink in New York City, NY on their recent Girls trip with Mema Leppert during the Christmas season.

The Leppert ladies arrive home safely!

Well the Leppert ladies arrived home safely tonight. They were wrapped warmly in thick clothes having just come from the cold temperatures in New York City this morning. Little did they know that we would have a slight chill in the air here in Ocala too as the temperature dropped from the 80s yesterday into the 50s tonight. We three boys picked up the three Leppert girls at the Ocala Civic Theatre around 9:30pm. We are so glad to have them home safely with us!

Flipt DVD Curriculum from Willow Creek Church - Promo Video

This is a video promotion spot I created for use with the Willow Creek children's DVD curriculum called Flipt. The DVD Curriculum had just been released and I wanted something catchy that could be used in the church main service to raise interest in the Flipt series for the summer. I collected a variety of pictures about flipping and put it to some great upbeat music. This is fun to watch and listen to just as a pick me up! The beginning of the video is silent on purpose (for effect) until the words disappear.

VHS Players - Evolution of Dance at Merlin's Magic

Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida puts on a showcase of clubs for their annual homecoming game called Merlin's Magic. The VHS Players Drama Troup produces the opening and closing number for the show. Here is the opening number, an homage to the Evolution of Dance video originally created for the internet. This was in front of a packed audience that was totally into the event! For you Ocala Civic Theater (OCT) fanatics, you should recognize at least 3 of these dancers (David, Tyer and Becca).

VHS Players - Under The Sea at Merlin's Magic

Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida puts on a showcase of clubs for their annual homecoming game called Merlin's Magic. The VHS Players Drama Troup produces the opening and closing number for the show. Here is the closing number, an homage to Disney's "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Anderson - the song "Under the Sea." This was in front of a packed audience that was totally into the event!

Thoroughly Modern Millie at OCT!

Here is a great slideshow of memories from Ocala Civic Theatre's (OCT's) production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. This slideshow was compiled by a friend who also worked on the show, Brittany. David was part of the ensemble cast and enjoyed every second of it! Thanks Brittany for putting together such a great slideshow.

Seussical and Nunsense Memories at OCT!

Here are two slideshows created as memories of shows at Ocala Civic Theatre by the amazing Cat In The Hat herself - Sarah! What great memories - both shows were fantastic. For David especially who played a Who in the show Seussical. Seussical was the last show for director Jim Alexander who passed suddenly later in the year. Sarah's slideshow is a great tribute to both casts, crews and Jim! Thanks Sarah for sharing with us.

A Couple of Bubble Heads - Fun!

I first saw this clip a few years ago and enjoyed it very much. I could watch it over and over, I guess that is a sign of a good routine. If you know who these guys are, please share!

Barry and Stuart - Great Comedy Magic from Europe!

I've added a compendium of magic by Barry and Stuart. These european magicians know how to entertain! If you have never heard of them, you must see to believe.

You can also visit them online at:
http://www.barryandstuart.com/
More magic clips can be found on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/barryandstuart

Walking on Water


Backwards Magic


Dirty Tricks

The Mad Men of Comedy & Magic

Mixing magic illusions with live stage comedy has made the art of prestidigitation enjoyed by today's society. This video is a short compilation of the magicians Kozak, Michael Finney, Mac King and The Amazing Jonathan. These guys are all amazing and unique in their own style.

Magic, Memories and Dad - for you Pop!

As many of you know, my dad's hobby throughout his life was studying, learning, and occasionally performing prestidigitation (magic tricks) and illusions. As the only child in the house, I often found myself the test audience or assistant (as my mom also found). We were expected to comment and assist even if this was the six hundredth time we were seeing the same card vanish. I had the opportunity, through my dad's hobby, to learn many of the techniques, meet many famous magicians, and attend some of the most amazing magic conferences in the world. What a great atmosphere to challenge a young mind into thinking outside the box. I'll never forget the time my Dad, Mom and I spent with magic. Nonetheless, you will occasionally find me sharing video, pictures and links of magicians I have found. My dad, if he were still with us, would love this new technology of YouTube and blogging. I can only imagine the compendium of magic he would have compiled to share with other magicians. I can only hope to share occasionally, mixed into the regular adventures of the Leppert family. Here are some pictures of Pop (Dale Leppert), Mema (Phylis) and my family as we shared Dad's birthday at his favorite restaurant in the world - Richard's Place. These pictures are from 2005. We all miss you Dad!

The Amazing Jonathan - First TV Appearance 1983

What a treat, this is the first Television appearance of comedy magician The Amazing Jonathan. The intro provided by comedy actor John Candy.

The Amazing Jonathan - Retro 80's Routine

Here is a classic 80's comedy magic routine by The Amazing Jonathan. Make sure you watch the whole thing, this is hilarious!
The Amazing Jonathan

NYC Ballet - The Nutcracker and beyond

Today the ladies did some serious sightseeing of New York City. Rebekah and Sarah headed to our favorite deli / grocery in the planet - Zabars. They had breakfast, did a little shopping and headed back to the hotel to pick up Mema Leppert. Once together as a group again, they boarded the Greyline Tours of NYC and did some sightseeing via the double-decker bus. At one point they even rode in the top (uncovered) area with the freezing wind blowing at them. When I caught up with them via phone they were eating in Chinatown and getting ready to head back to the hotel. Once back to the hotel, they were going to get prepared for the big event of the day, seeing the New York City Ballet (NYC Ballet) perform The Nutcracker. I can just imagine Rebekah after the show - she will be in heaven! Stay tuned for our next update on their exciting trip. We hope the impending storm won't drop ice and snow that would delay a flight on Sunday, let's keep our fingers crossed!

TheSpotman Widget - Get it NOW!

Today I found a great site called Widgetbox.com. This site allows you to add special content to your website, blog, MySpace, etc. This is amazing because I was able to take my blog ( http://thespotman.blogspot.com/ ) and create what is called a Blidget (making a widget out of a blog). Therefore, I now have a widget anyone can add to their website, MySpace, Blogspot, Blogger, etc. and stay current on TheSpotman and his Family as they adventure through life. Try adding my widget to your blog, MySpace, webpage. When you have figured out how it works, send me a comment with your widget so we can all stay in touch and up to date! My widget has a permalink (permanent web link) found at:

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/the-spotman-and-his-world

Leppert Christmas Card 2007

Here is a peek at a draft edition of the annual Leppert Christmas Card 2007. We are nearly ready to send for printing - just waiting for the final approval.

Mary Poppins on Broadway

Last night the ladies saw Disney's Broadway musical "Mary Poppins" at the Amsterdam Theatre in NYC. Mema shared that it was a delightful show and that they had great seats, 4th row! A couple of the highlights were when Bert tap danced his way up the proscenium and upside down over the cast. I have added a clip I found on YouTube.com that shows what they saw. The other highlight was when Mary Poppins exited the theatre through the roof! Sounds like they had a real blast.

Friday in NYC - The Christmas Spectacular and More

Friday in NYC has been a blast for the girls. They woke up late after seeing "Young Frankenstein" last night and got a quick bite to eat. They went to Radio City Music Hall to see The Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes. All of the girls said this was truly amazing! I don't have much description beyond that, but I'm sure I will later. Sarah and Rebekah went Ice Skating in Rockefeller Plaza as Mema watched on. I'm sure it was a blast! Later they went to Tavern on the Green in Central Park for a late lunch, a bit pricey, but delicious and fancy none the less. When they tried to catch a cab after the late lunch, they had a bit of difficulty - learning that there is a change-over time when cabs are a bit difficult to catch. Nonetheless, they finally caught a cab and made it back to the hotel. As mom rested, Sarah and Rebekah headed to find the NYC Public Library - no word on their adventure yet. Plans for the evening include seeing the Disney Broadway production of "Mary Poppins." More as we hear from them!

Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller "Sweeney Todd." Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again." Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney's amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judge's wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

Very Wet in NYC / Young Frankenstein

Well, the girls made it safely to NYC and they saw snow only briefly as they got off the plane. The snow quickly turned to rain and boy did the rain come! The short walk from The Renaissance Hotel to Ellen's Stardust Cafe' turned even the driest into a soaked wet noodle. After lunch at Ellen's, Mom returned to the hotel to try and dry while Sarah and Rebekah travelled to Rockerfeller Center for a first look. Despite the terrential downpour, and not a dry spot on their bodies, it was still fun!

Tonight the agenda includes meeting up with the whole travel group from OCT at the restaurant "Pasta Lovers" a few blocks away. Then the girls will get to see their first Broadway musical, Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" with the original cast. I can't wait to hear their reviews, Rebekah is a true fanatic - I hope she falls in love!

Here is a local news review / summary of the show "Young Frankenstein" from Seattle where it previewed prior to landing in New York.

Defying Gravity - Off to NYC!

Well this morning was full of fun! Sarah, Rebekah and Mom met at Ocala Civic Theatre at 2:15 to catch a bus to Orlando, to catch a flight to NYC. This is Rebekah's first trip to New York City and she is very excited as she should! The past several weeks have been filled with shopping for appropriately warm clothes and new styles to look cool in the city. I look forward to sharing some of their pictures and stories when they return.

While in NYC, they are scheduled to see the Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein," the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular," the Disney musical "Mary Poppins" and the New York City Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. They will be really busy and hopefully will get to see some snow while there.

Check back soon for more updates. In the meantime, I am left with the boys here at home with my memories. One of the best was when my parents and I took David to New York City for the first time. While there we saw the musical "Wicked" with the original broadway cast. Here is a video clip of our dear friend, Dani Moreno-Fuentes, singing the song "Defying Gravity" from the musical "Wicked." This was performed at a Midnight Studio performance at Ocala Civic Theatre (OCT) in Ocala, Florida. Enjoy this clip - she is great!

Jonathan's Holiday Program at Dr. NH Jones Elementary School

Jonathan participated in the Holiday Program at Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary School tonight. He sang several songs with his 2nd Grade Class and did a great job. Here are the songs which include "Hot Chocolate", "Up On The Housetop" and and final song about how to "Be A Live Evergreen" with all the kids. Jonathan is in the plaid shirt and jeans shorts to the right of the teacher who is directing. You won't see him much in the "Up On The Housetop" because he is lost behind the kids with the banging instruments, but he is there! Enjoy!

"Hot Chocolate"


"Up On The Housetop"


"Be A Live Evergreen"

Apple TV - Great or Bust?

Here are two great videos from PC World about the Apple TV by Apple Computer Company. Any comments? Do you have one? Share with us...

Unboxing the Apple TV


Apple TV - Reviewed (PC World)


Apple TV - Reviewed (jon4lakers)

Amazing Commercials - Human Art in Action!

Here are a couple of amazing commercials I ran across, I love the active human art aspect...enjoy!

RI Captiol Building built of 22,000 cards!

I found this amazing video of the Guinness Record Holder for card stacking, Bryan Berg. Using 22,000 cards over 3 days, the record-holding card stacker builds the Rhode Island State House. Bryan Berg broke the Guinness World Record for the World's Tallest House of Cards in 1992 at the age of seventeen, with a tower fourteen feet, six inches tall. His latest record-holding structure in the category is over twenty-five feet tall. Touring regularly, Berg has stacked cards in virtually every major U.S. city and in Japan, Denmark, and Germany.

VHS Players - Soupid Dreams

This video is the performance of Soupid Dreams - A Condensed Presentation of Drowsy Spoofs on Saturday, December 8, 2007 by the Vanguard High School Players (Drama group at VHS) at their first ever 24-hour play event. The VHS Players started writing, creating, costuming, etc. two original plays after school on Friday, December 7, 2007 and they had a total of 24 hours to complete, produce and perform for a live paying audience. The pressure was on, most of the VHS players only got nominal sleep, and the productions were both great. There were two teams, however we only were able to film part of the group who produced Soupid Dreams - A Condensed Presentation of Drowsy Spoofs. This play spoofed their Drama teacher as well as many productions they had performed at VHS in the past.

10 + 5 = God. The power of signs

I found this video and thought others would enjoy as much as I did - what a neat modern art idea. The following description is borrowed from the author of the video.

"10 + 5 = God. The power of signs" -- the title of the special exhibition in the Jewish Museum which commissioned ART+COM to produce the "floating.numbers" project.

The central element in this exhibition is a 9-metre long interactive table with a mass of numbers flowing in a continuum on its surface. Individual digits appear randomly at the surface of this stream of numbers and, once touched by a visitor, surrender their secret in text, pictures, films and animation.

The significance of the numbers materialises from the various perspectives of science, religion, art or one's outlook on everyday life.

A large-scale projection system and a touch-sensitive table surface form the elements of this media installation. Visitors' exploration of the world of numbers is a fascinating hands-on experience.

The project is a cooperation between ART+COM (concept and realisation) and Hürlimann + Lepp Ausstellungen (idea and content).

P.S. "08/15" is one of the hundred numbers explained in the exhibition. If something is "08/15", it is mass production and boring. This term, which originated in WW I, used to denote the first machine gun produced according to industrial standards.

Jerome Murat - Magician and Artist

You probably have never heard of this magician, Jerome Murat, but this video clip demonstrates that a simple illusion can be turned into something magical through the right presentation and staging, not to mention rapport with the audience. Make sure you watch till the very end - there is a fantastic ending!

Classic Bloopers from Game Shows

This is a must see - you will find yourself laughing and laughing. This is a compilation of bloopers from classic TV game shows, many shows you will remember and some you won't. Enjoy...

Merlin - Broadway Musical with Doug Henning and Chita Rivera

I never knew about the Broadway musical "Merlin" starring Doug Henning and Chita Rivera. Here are some clips I found that share a bit more about the show.

Kevin James - Cut in Half Illusion / Sawed and Restored Man

As you can tell, I am on a Kevin James kick. Here is a variety of video variations to Kevin James' illusion of cutting a man in half and restoring him to full. This magician is excellent, creative and original!

Kevin James - Frozen Hand Illusion

Here is Kevin James perfoming an illusion with a frozen hand during the America's Got Talent semi-finals 2007. Not the biggest hit with the judges, but still a good illusion!

Kevin James - The Chaplin Doll Illusion (also levitation and vanish illusions!)

I'm not sure if you caught Kevin James on America's Got Talent, but he is a great magician with a unique ability to take the old - worn out tricks and reviving them for our generation! This is a video of Kevin creating a Chaplain Doll. There is also a second video (earlier in his career) with the same trick (a bit different), a levitation, and vanish illusion (full routine). Enjoy...

Disney MGM Studios - Lights, Camera, Action! Epic Stunt Spectacular (finale sequence)

Here is a video I shot of the final sequence of the Disney MGM Studios stunt show "Lights, Camera, Action - Epic Stunt Spectacular." This show originated at Disneyland Paris and was brought to Orlando last year (in 2006). This is a fast-paced show that focuses on making a stunt movie. The cast presents several different stunts and then show the replays, revealing the secrets of the trade and letting the audience enjoy the live action in front of them. This is a must see attraction when visiting Orlando, Florida and the Disney World attractions!

Disney's Dancing Holiday Lights to Jingle Bells

Here is a video we took at the Disney MGM Studios Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights to the music of the Jingle Bells (a very upbeat version). This will truly put you into the holiday spirit if nothing else will! Check out my other blog posting with The Nutcracker Suite as well!

Disney's Dancing Holiday Lights to The Nutcracker Suite

Here is a video we took at the Disney MGM Studios Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights to the music of the Nutcracker Suite (rock version). This will truly put you into the holiday spirit if nothing else will! Check out my other blog posting with a dancing light version of Jingle Bells.

Disney MGM Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Today our family visited the Disney MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida and enjoyed one of the best events of the year - the Osbourne Family (originally from Arkansas and relocated to Disney MGM Studios several years ago) Spectacle of Dancing Lights. What a treat! This is highly recommended for everyone who wants to enjoy the holiday season or get thrust into the spirit. I will include some pictures we took and later add some video we also shot - enjoy as always!