dancing paper figures from Venice
Sep 24th 2001 | 11:06 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
I took a coach tour of Europe earlier this month. When we stopped at Venice, there
were quite a few street vendors selling in broad daylight what looked like a figure
cut from a piece of paper with arms and legs made from strings stapled to the paper.
The figure may look like one of the cartoon characters. The vendors also had a boom
box playing pop music. What is interesting is that these paper figures would stand
upright and danced to the music, flopping their arms and legs. I did not see anything
making them dance other than the music. They were selling it for about $1 each. Out
of curiosity, I bought one but has not been able to make it dance. Wondering if
anyone has bought the same and could make it work.
were quite a few street vendors selling in broad daylight what looked like a figure
cut from a piece of paper with arms and legs made from strings stapled to the paper.
The figure may look like one of the cartoon characters. The vendors also had a boom
box playing pop music. What is interesting is that these paper figures would stand
upright and danced to the music, flopping their arms and legs. I did not see anything
making them dance other than the music. They were selling it for about $1 each. Out
of curiosity, I bought one but has not been able to make it dance. Wondering if
anyone has bought the same and could make it work.
Sep 25th 2001 | 12:34 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
THung wrote:
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Well...
The good news is that you only got taken for a dollar
I will now demonstrate my psychic powers by telling you that there was something else
(like a cardboard box or a backpack) sitting on the sidewalk about 3-4 feet from the
boom box and that the boom box was cranked up very loud.
Behind that other thing there was a motor that was driving a length of very fine
fishing line up & down. The other end of the line was attached to the boom box. The
figures were taped to the fishing line. The boom box is loud to cover up the sound of
the motor.
--
Terry Richards http://www.home.earthlink.net/~terryr999/
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Well...
The good news is that you only got taken for a dollar
I will now demonstrate my psychic powers by telling you that there was something else
(like a cardboard box or a backpack) sitting on the sidewalk about 3-4 feet from the
boom box and that the boom box was cranked up very loud.
Behind that other thing there was a motor that was driving a length of very fine
fishing line up & down. The other end of the line was attached to the boom box. The
figures were taped to the fishing line. The boom box is loud to cover up the sound of
the motor.
--
Terry Richards http://www.home.earthlink.net/~terryr999/
Sep 25th 2001 | 12:36 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
THung wrote:
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I'm afraid it won't dance on it's own. These cartoon chartacters (usually
Mickey/Minnie Mouse) if you remember were most likely dancing between a Boom Box and
a small daypack on the ground. There is a *very* thin and clear Nylon line from the
B/Box to the pack, the figures can be hooked and unhooked to this line very easily.
This line is made to be jerked slightly, causing the body to jump which causes the
arms & legs too swing about wildly. I have heard that in the daypack is a small
battery operated device which jerks the line. This might be the way it's done but I
have a theory that the Nylon line might just be attached to the cone of a bass
speaker in the B/Box. You can see a bass speaker physically move quite a bit esp the
center cone and the daypack might just be an anchor for the other end of the line.
HTH Regards, Walter ..And Paradise Was Lost...like teardrops in the rain...
>
I'm afraid it won't dance on it's own
. These cartoon chartacters (usuallyMickey/Minnie Mouse) if you remember were most likely dancing between a Boom Box and
a small daypack on the ground. There is a *very* thin and clear Nylon line from the
B/Box to the pack, the figures can be hooked and unhooked to this line very easily.
This line is made to be jerked slightly, causing the body to jump which causes the
arms & legs too swing about wildly. I have heard that in the daypack is a small
battery operated device which jerks the line. This might be the way it's done but I
have a theory that the Nylon line might just be attached to the cone of a bass
speaker in the B/Box. You can see a bass speaker physically move quite a bit esp the
center cone and the daypack might just be an anchor for the other end of the line.
HTH Regards, Walter ..And Paradise Was Lost...like teardrops in the rain...
Sep 25th 2001 | 3:38 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thung-- Yes, we bought one in Florence. I knew there had to be a trick but could not
figure it out. The instructions that came with mine told you how to attach a string
to the puppet and make it dance. IOW, it is a hoax. I have seen these things for sale
everywhere in Europe I have been and have not been able to detect, at least from as
close a distance as one can get, how they do it. When you get too close, they pack up
and leave.
THung wrote:
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figure it out. The instructions that came with mine told you how to attach a string
to the puppet and make it dance. IOW, it is a hoax. I have seen these things for sale
everywhere in Europe I have been and have not been able to detect, at least from as
close a distance as one can get, how they do it. When you get too close, they pack up
and leave.
THung wrote:
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Sep 25th 2001 | 4:06 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Brad: I think you are right. There is a daypack next to the B/Box.
[usenetquote2]> >I'm afraid it won't dance on it's own. These cartoon chartacters (usually[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >Mickey/Minnie Mouse) if you remember were most likely dancing between a Boom Box[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >and a small daypack on the ground. There is a *very* thin and clear Nylon line[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >from the B/Box to the pack, the figures can be hooked and unhooked to this line[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >very easily. This line is made to be jerked slightly, causing the body to jump[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >which causes the arms & legs too swing about wildly. I have heard that in the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >daypack is a small battery operated device which jerks the line. This might be the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >way it's done but I have a theory that the Nylon line might just be attached to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >the cone of a bass speaker in the B/Box. You can see a bass speaker physically[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >move quite a bit esp the center cone and the daypack might just be an anchor for[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >the other end of the line. HTH Regards, Walter[/usenetquote2]
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[usenetquote2]> >I'm afraid it won't dance on it's own
. These cartoon chartacters (usually[/usenetquote2][usenetquote2]> >Mickey/Minnie Mouse) if you remember were most likely dancing between a Boom Box[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >and a small daypack on the ground. There is a *very* thin and clear Nylon line[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >from the B/Box to the pack, the figures can be hooked and unhooked to this line[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >very easily. This line is made to be jerked slightly, causing the body to jump[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >which causes the arms & legs too swing about wildly. I have heard that in the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >daypack is a small battery operated device which jerks the line. This might be the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >way it's done but I have a theory that the Nylon line might just be attached to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >the cone of a bass speaker in the B/Box. You can see a bass speaker physically[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >move quite a bit esp the center cone and the daypack might just be an anchor for[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >the other end of the line. HTH Regards, Walter[/usenetquote2]
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Sep 25th 2001 | 4:07 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mine did not come with any instructions. Can you post the instruction here? I agree
with the other post that there has to be a string attached to it with something that
causes the string to move.
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[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I took a coach tour of Europe earlier this month. When we stopped at Venice,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > there were quite a few street vendors selling in broad daylight[/usenetquote2]
what
[usenetquote2]> > looked like a figure cut from a piece of paper with arms and legs made[/usenetquote2]
from
[usenetquote2]> > strings stapled to the paper. The figure may look like one of the[/usenetquote2]
cartoon
[usenetquote2]> > characters. The vendors also had a boom box playing pop music. What is[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > interesting is that these paper figures would stand upright and danced[/usenetquote2]
to
[usenetquote2]> > the music, flopping their arms and legs. I did not see anything making[/usenetquote2]
them
[usenetquote2]> > dance other than the music. They were selling it for about $1 each.[/usenetquote2]
Out of
[usenetquote2]> > curiosity, I bought one but has not been able to make it dance.[/usenetquote2]
Wondering
[usenetquote2]> > if anyone has bought the same and could make it work.[/usenetquote2]
with the other post that there has to be a string attached to it with something that
causes the string to move.
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[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I took a coach tour of Europe earlier this month. When we stopped at Venice,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > there were quite a few street vendors selling in broad daylight[/usenetquote2]
what
[usenetquote2]> > looked like a figure cut from a piece of paper with arms and legs made[/usenetquote2]
from
[usenetquote2]> > strings stapled to the paper. The figure may look like one of the[/usenetquote2]
cartoon
[usenetquote2]> > characters. The vendors also had a boom box playing pop music. What is[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > interesting is that these paper figures would stand upright and danced[/usenetquote2]
to
[usenetquote2]> > the music, flopping their arms and legs. I did not see anything making[/usenetquote2]
them
[usenetquote2]> > dance other than the music. They were selling it for about $1 each.[/usenetquote2]
Out of
[usenetquote2]> > curiosity, I bought one but has not been able to make it dance.[/usenetquote2]
Wondering
[usenetquote2]> > if anyone has bought the same and could make it work.[/usenetquote2]
Sep 25th 2001 | 6:57 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
mw wrote:
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I think I've also seen these in the US. The first time I saw one, I imagined it must
be attached to a line, and when I looked for it, I could see it.
Barbara
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I think I've also seen these in the US. The first time I saw one, I imagined it must
be attached to a line, and when I looked for it, I could see it.
Barbara
Oct 28th 2002 | 5:04 pm
#8
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1
I have a photo
Look familiar??
http://www.theforumisdown.com/upload...802/string.jpg
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/0802/string.jpg
I have a hi-res photo if you are interested. Email me. [email protected]
I took the photo because I was so fascinated at how many people were hawking this scam and at how many people were hoodwinked. In fact I spent an entire day in Madrid just watching the various scam artists bamboozle tourists. (I'd intervene when I could...)
As you have surmised, they have something that wiggles in the pack (or behind the cardboard display) and connects a wire to the boombox. They unhook the wire or stop the motor when they stop the music. And then they reel in the cash.
http://www.theforumisdown.com/upload...802/string.jpg
http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/0802/string.jpg
I have a hi-res photo if you are interested. Email me. [email protected]
I took the photo because I was so fascinated at how many people were hawking this scam and at how many people were hoodwinked. In fact I spent an entire day in Madrid just watching the various scam artists bamboozle tourists. (I'd intervene when I could...)
As you have surmised, they have something that wiggles in the pack (or behind the cardboard display) and connects a wire to the boombox. They unhook the wire or stop the motor when they stop the music. And then they reel in the cash.
