From: "Fred Harshberger" <Fred@BalloonDude.com>
To: <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Manioli?  "Independent invention"
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000 01:44:04 -0800

I was so bummed!
Background: While at the WRCA convention, I came up with what I thought was
a new and unique use of the balloons (I wasn't thinking of it as a new
"Twist"). When describing the "point of no return" on a twist, (that point
in twisting a balloon where the twist closes, sealing off that section of
bubble), I took a 350 and walked around demonstrating it, twisting it back
and forth showing everyone how it irises closed like a door in an old sci-fi
movie. I have done this for years, never giving it any more thought than as
a display. Later I was twisting a 5" clear in half for eyes on a cartoon
figure when it struck me that it would be a funny, cartoon-like effect for
the pupils of the eyes to be able to shift from eye-ball to eye-ball, side
to side, like when a cartoon figure gets wacked on the side of the head. The
first one I just twisted part way and used another inflated balloon wrapped
around it to hold it in place. Cool!! I was so entranced that people around
me made fun of how entertaining I found myself. (you know who you are).
Later at the nightly jam I refined the technique by using the neck of the
balloon to hold the twist. In passing it around I found vindication
(finally!) in the way some other people found it fascinating also. I was
looking forward to having something new and fun to post to the list
I got back from the convention and with one thing and another I didn't get
around to reading my e-mail until Sunday.
What is this? The "Manioli Twist"???? Here I thought It was a new, unique
concept and I find out it was used already at EuroJam. Man, I was so bummed.
I was grumbling to my wife that I couldn't even post it now because people
would think I "stole" it from Manioli, when she calmly pointed out that the
post came while we were *at* the convention, and that I couldn't have seen
it anyway. (duh!).
Well, apparently it was done "first" at EuroJam, (unbeknownst to me), and
mine was just *another* case of independent invention. I don't know Manioli,
but I'm sure he/she must be a incredibly clever, inventive, talented and
intelligent person (dare I say genus?), to have developed such a concept
(hee hee). It may even, or probably has been, done before, but it's still a
cool thing. It's nice to see a cool concept recognized and used by others. A
few years ago I was surprised to see a *new* concept "the RasinTwist"
announced on the balloon line. I had already used the principle and had a
comment posted to the balloon line about a sculpture using it, but it took
someone else clever enough to notice that this effect wasn't in common use
and make note of it (and name it).
I'm surrounded by so many clever people that I was really bummed that
another example of my balloon inventiveness was pre-empted by someone else.
At least, thanks to my wife, I can at least show that I wasn't copying them.
Sigh.
"May Your Twists Be Many And Your Pops Few "
Fred "unrecognized genus" Harshberger
The Balloon Dude
At least in my declining years I still have my fading copy of Lorna's e-mail
calling me a "Balloon God" :o)