THE BALLOON MAN

Monday, August 26, 2013

STUNNING FOTOS

Stunning photographs tell the human interest tales at county fairs across the U.S. in the midst of bright lights, wild rides, hot dogs and lemonade

Doleful: An awkward interaction at the National Date Festival in 2005
From: dailymail.co.uk
By Daily Mail Reporter
25 August 2013
The great tradition of the U.S. county fair celebrates local agriculture and heritage with entertainment, competitions, bright lights, wild rides, food and fun.

But photographer Greg Miller is fascinated with the human interest angle at fairs across the country. Using a large format 8x10 camera, Miller documented the events, producing a series of intriguing shots commissioned by Life's newspaper supplement.

He told Slate that he would wander round the fairs observing people until something grabbed his attention. 'It's a recurring theme in the pictures,' Miller said. 'People are either breaking up or they're on the verge of a new relationship or you can't tell which way they're going.'

On the spin: A scene from a ride at the Ventura County Fair in 2005

Greetings: A girl encounters a robot at the Schnecksville Community Fair, 2005
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401720/photographer-Greg-Miller-tells-human-tales-county-fairs-U-S.html#ixzz2d4VDQlfi
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BACK IN THE DAY

~~~BACK IN THE DAY~~~
from: retronaut.com
c.1900s-c.1930s : Clowns

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

HGTV, Big Apple Circus visit LIC Flea

THE COURIER/Photos by Liam La Guerre
HGTV’“Flea Market Flip” and the Big Apple Circus stopped by the LIC Flea and International Food Bazaar over the weekend
from: queenscourier.com
By Liam La Guerre
Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
The circus is coming to town, but first it stopped by the LIC Flea and International Food Bazaar over the weekend.

The Big Apple Circus made an appearance at the Flea to promote its upcoming shows to potential patrons and provide a little entertainment.

HGTV’s show “Flea Market Flip,” where contestants are given about $500 to search for items, revitalize them and resell for a profit, was also at the Flea this weekend with host Lara Spencer.

“Rather than just taste the different foods, we can take in the entertainment too,” said Flea-goer Landy Wu. “The kids always like the circus. If there is an opportunity I will bring them.”

The Big Apple Circus will be playing shows at Lincoln Center from October 25 through January 12. The circus also gave free tickets to the show with a free raffle.

Worlds Tallest Stilts & Cow Smoking a Pipe, from Chevrolet Leader

News Vol. 4 No 3. 1938 GM

Published on Aug 25, 2013

A Professor Hill at Valley Forge Military Academy walks about on 18-foot stilts, said to be the world's tallest (the record has since been broken).

FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE---

A True American Circus
Photograph by Jacob Gayer, 1929
From: ngm.nationalgeograph.com
Circus posters captured the attention of two Ohio boys in 1929, the same year the Great Depression unfolded, leaving many circus performers—like millions of others—financially crippled. But from 1935 through 1939 some found relief with a new act in town: the Works Progress Administration Circus. Part of the federal government’s national employment program, the W.P.A. Circus hired 375 performers a year to give free shows for hospitals and the poor. It was the only government-run circus in American history.

Traveling Family Circus
June 8, 2009
Photograph by Traer Scott
This Month in Photo of the Day: Travel and Culture Photos
Parents watch their daughter's performance at a traveling family circus in Massachusetts.

Photo and caption by carolyn beller
There is a neighborhood...another way of life...between the buildings in Karol Bagh. I love this place which is quiet slow amidst the chaotic bustle just on the other side. Life is as it has been for generations. This man has always made a living selling balloons, just as his father and his grandfather did before him
From: travel.nationalgeographic.com

Jonas Zilinskas: Circus legend a hard act to follow
from: smhg.com.
By Pixi Robertson
August 26, 2013
JONAS ZILINSKAS 1919-2013

"The Man with the Iron Jaw” held his beautiful partner and her trapeze in his mouth while he hung from the heights of the circus big top, a mesmerising routine. The audience gasped every night at the sight, watching the girl twirl in the spotlight, held aloft only by those mighty teeth.

The dentition in question belonged to Jonas Zilinskas, also professionally known at various times as Jonas the Strongman and as Samson the Strongman. He was also a trapeze artist.

Zilinskas was born in Lithuania on January 27, 1919, one of 23 children in the Zilinskas family, recognised at the time as the largest Lithuanian family on record. His early life is largely unknown except that it was one of great poverty, but the roots of his lifelong love of nature were grounded in the "naturalist" movements that flourished in Europe between the world wars.

As a young man he became a trainee acrobat with a troupe that spent World War II entertaining soldiers. At this time, Zilinskas developed the “strongman” aerial act that he later brought to Australia.

Along with many other displaced people from the Baltic region, Zilinskas migrated to Australia in the late 1940s. In his case, he arrived in South Australia. The lack of forests must have been a severe cultural shock to the tree-loving acrobat, but he soon found himself as part of a timber-getting crew in what was then the Newfoundland State Forest, now known as the Yuraygir National Park, in northern NSW. He is remembered by locals as the man who built a statue of timber, concrete and beer bottles in the middle of the bush; the statue has been restored several times, and still stands today.

In 1958, he appeared in the Herald with the statue and the story said that he was known for practising his trapeze in the sleeper-cutting camp where he was living. He said: "I get up at dawn and spend the day cutting sleepers and practising on the trapeze. I never drink or smoke, and the Spartan life here in the bush keeps me fit."

When an opportunity came for him to perform with Wirth's Circus, Zilinskas sent for his acrobatic partner, Freya Widmaier-Josse, to join him from Germany. Together they went on to work at Wirth's, tour New Zealand with Sole's Circus, and perform with Sorlie's Variety Show.

Finally, however, Widmaier-Josse returned to Europe and, after a short stint with Bullen's Circus, Zilinskas retired from performing. Then, in 1962, Doug Ashton, proprietor of Ashton's Circus, discovered Zilinskas working in the Mark Foy's department store in central Sydney and convinced him to go back "on the road".

Zilinskas spent the rest of his career with Ashton's, Australia's oldest continually run circus. He retired from the ring in 1999

STATE FAIR REPORT

Nebraska State Fair attendance up after the move

Independent/Matt Dixon
Nebraska State Fair
Fairgoers brave the mega drop, one of only four 135-foot-plus gravity towers in the U.S. Saturday afternoon in the Midway at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island.
From: norfolkdailynews.com
By David Hendee World-Herald service
August 25, 2013
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- When the Nebraska State Fair gates opened for the first time in Grand Island three years ago, the site was a field of dreams.
Workers hustled to complete finishing touches as midway carnies made their opening pitches. The question of the day inside the gates: "If we build it, will they come?"
Among those who wondered was Tam Allan of Lincoln, a State Fair board member who initially resisted moving the annual event out of Lincoln, its home for more than a century.
"We had no idea who would show up," he said.
As it turned out, Nebraska showed up.
More people attended the past three fairs in Grand Island than turned out in Lincoln each year during most of the past decade. The gate count reached nearly 337,000 last year, a third successive attendance gain. The 1 millionth visitor passed through the Grand Island gates Saturday.
read more:
http://norfolkdailynews.com/news/state-fair-attendance-up-after-the-move/article_1952f238-0dd6-11e3-8d8b-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=story

Sunday, August 25, 2013

State Fair foods you just have to try

From: 9wsyr.com

August 23, 2013

NY STATE FAIR FOTOS---

FROM: syracuse.com

2013 New York State Fair - Day 3. Nicole Kendall (left) and her son, Will (age 9) carry the prizes they won on the Midway. They are visiting from Philadelphia. David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com

Fair goers enjoy the swings during day three of the New York State Fair on Saturday. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

Chris Perondi performs with Flashy Ferrari during the Extreme Canines Stunt Dog Show during day three of the New York State Fair on Saturday. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

Travis Taylor mounts a saddle on Bubbarthe camel for the $6 rides near the Adventue Zone at the New York State Fair. Mike Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com

2013 New York State Fair - Day 3. Kevin Saunders works loading the stuffed animal prizes at the Crossbow Shoot game on the Midway. David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com

Weekend Today in Central New York

Llamas at the Fair

From: CNYCentralNews.com

Aug 24, 2013

KELLY-MILLER CIRCUS

Circus act antics
High-flying trapeze performers, hysterical clowns and exotic animals entertained under the Big Top on Grand Haven's Harbor Island on Friday.

(Tribune photo/Krystle Wagner)
The Kelly Miller Circus entertains residents and visitors on Friday.
By Krystle Wagner
From grandhaventribune.com
Aug 24, 2013
The Tri-Cities Kiwanis Club sponsored the Kelly Miller Circus for two shows.
The fire-breathing daredevil stole the show for 6-year-old Sophia Megna.
“It was good,” the Fruitport girl said.
The circus was filled with entertainers spinning from high above the crowd on swings and ropes, but the crazy antics of the silly clowns were the favorite for Brenden Visser, 6.
“I like the clowns because they’re funny and I am (funny),” the Marne boy said.
Brenden and his 4-year-old brother, Dylan, also watched as an Asian elephant named Lisa pulled the roof of the big circus tent up on Friday morning. It was the first time the boys watched the circus come to life.
“It was cool,” Dylan said.

(Tribune photo/Krystle Wagner)
Clowns interrupt the show with their crazy antics.
Although the acts in the main ring kept Reese Louzon entertained, the 7-year-old Grand Haven girl said the best part was getting to ride the animals.
This year’s circus gave 4-year-old Nella Cantu the opportunity to ride a camel for the first time.
“It was bumpy,” she said through giggles.

(Tribune photo/Krystle Wagner)
A Kelly Miller Circus performer twirls on a rope.
Ringmaster John Moss said the Kelly Miller Circus keeps the magic of a traditional circus alive as they perform under a tent and travel to a new city almost every day. He said the group travels between 50 and 60 miles a day.

(Tribune photo/Krystle Wagner)
Families watch clowns Ryan and Steve.
Although she said traveling the country with her circus family fills her with joy, trapeze performer Rebecca Ostroff said it’s interacting with the audience that means the most. Ostroff, who appeared in the movie “Water for Elephants,” said seeing the excitement on the audience's faces as they experience something new is the best part.
“I think the circus is a great boost of energy for people,” she said.
read and see more:
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/article/604081

MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

Perk at the Fair: Trying to take a load off

From: kare1.com

By Eric Perkins

Aug 23, 2013

~~~BACK IN THE DAY~~~
from: retronaut.com

1924 : Miss America

OPINION: Enforce laws that target animal-rights terrorists

Kurt Miller/AP
Theresa Fitzgerald interacts with two of her remaining pheasants on Aug. 2, after activists broke into her Riverside aviary and released her birds, leading to some of the pheasants' deaths. The break-in is a reminder that animal-rights terrorism is still a menace.
From: www.pe.com
BY WILL COGGIN
August 15, 2013
The burglary last week at a Riverside pheasant farm by the Animal Liberation Front is a reminder that animal-rights terrorism, described a decade ago by the FBI as a top domestic terror threat, is still in our midst. From burglaries to bombs, businesses, their employees, and even family members have been targets of animal-rights terror campaigns.

The crimes in Riverside follow an attempted firebombing of a police car in Vancouver, computer hacking of a New York business, a mink-farm burglary in Idaho, vandalism at a San Diego fur store and threats from a terror group to “destroy” farms across Utah, all in 2013 alone. And unfortunately, this coincides with a misguided movement under the mask of “free speech” to roll back anti-terrorism laws.

The New York City Bar Association is encouraging the American Bar Association to push for a repeal of recent terrorism laws that help fight self-anointed vigilantes. The NYC Bar is targeting the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, passed in 2006 to stiffen the 1992 Animal Enterprise Protection Act, and wants the American Bar Association to pressure the Justice Department to cease enforcing the law.

Congress passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act following the arrests of animal activists with a New Jersey-based group called “Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty,” a group opposed to necessary research involving animals. The group used tactics ranging from death threats to computer attacks to intimidate not just its target company, Huntingdon Life Sciences, but affiliate companies, their employees, and family members. Ultimately, six of the group’s activists were convicted and sent to federal prison with sentences ranging from one to six years.
read more:
http://www.pe.com/opinion/local-views-headlines/20130815-opinion-enforce-laws-that-target-animal-rights-terrorists.ece