From batten@Kodak.COM  Wed Dec 23 14:54:52 1992
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Date: Wed, 23 Dec 92 14:56:47 EST
From: batten@Kodak.COM (James Batten)
Message-Id: <9212231956.AA11315@park.kp02.kodak.com>
To: balloon@mother.ent.rochester.edu
Subject: a few items


Just a couple of things that might be of interest to every one.

1) I heard that Ashland has gone out of business. If so, those of you who have
a hard time puffing up Qualatex had better start some deep breathing exercises.

2) A while back Larry Moss told us about a method he saw someone at a juggle
fest use to inflate balloons very fast. We sat down together and tried to do
it but just had no success. well...

   Last week while on a business trip I met up with a bunch of magicians for 
dinner and we all decided to make balloons for the waitress since it was her
last night. I thought I saw someone blow a balloon real fast and asked him 
about it. He of course denied it, but knew of the technique. Seems it was 
developed in Japan since they don't like to stick things into their mouths.
While trying to explain it to the rest of the group I attempted to demonstrate.
ONE SMALL PUFF and the entire balloon was inflated. To say it was fast is a bad
understatement.. It was as close to magic as ballooning can get. It was just
there.

  One warning, I can easily inflate 300+ balloons in one sitting,( its the 
wrists that pay the price from all the twisting ), but this did hurt my cheeks
just like the first few times when learning. (Larry, you are right, I have 
overcome that part of it, but I still have a hard time controlling how much
I inflate so I limit this to making monkeys and swords.)

  Whatcha do is.. stretch the balloon REAL good, then litteraly use both hands
to pull the mouth of the balloon open. It doesn't spread all that far, but 
you have to stretch it open as far as it will go. Now you have to pretend like
you are going to play the trumpet (or blow a pea shooter), purse your lips and
use the tip of your tongue to plug it. Build up pressure behind the tongue 
then snap the tongue back so the pressure can escape. (of course you have
to be holding the mouth of the balloon to your mouth at this particular time)
If it works you don't see the balloon inflate... it just IS inflated. It makes
 a neet wooshing sound.. adds to the over all effect.

  One gotcha I found is it only works on never before inflated balloons. I've
tried inflating balloons, letting the air out and trying again just for practice
but it just won't inflate properly the second time.

3) And lastly, I've been told that there are some health risks other than
wrist problems that are caused by ballooning. ie: ear problems, and broken
vessels in the eyes. Has any one else heard of, or seen this? My son helps me
alot when we go out in public and I wouldn't want any thing to happen to him.


Cheers and Happy Holidays to every one out there.

- jim batten