Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fundraiser at Historic Lummis House


El Alisal is the home built by Charles Fletcher Lummis between 1896 and 1910 on the west bank of the Arroyo Seco in northeast Los Angeles. It takes its name from local sycamore trees, one of which is featured in the home’s interior courtyard. The house is built using stones from the arroyo bed, concrete, and wood. The design of the home is influenced by mission architecture and the dwellings of the Pueblo Indians. Though not directly influenced by the English Arts and Crafts movement, the house shares many of its design principles; it is furnished with hand-crafted wooden furniture, and features exposed wooden cross-beams and concrete floors.

Fundraiser for the Historical Society of Southern California

Join us Saturday, October 1st, from 6:00–9:00 pm for a special fundraiser celebrating money and magic in the West. This will be at the historic Lummis house in Los Angeles.

Buy in and participate in demonstrations of classic games like the shell game and three-card monte.

The dealers will be Magic Castle magicians Pop Haydn and Phil Van Tee. All proceeds go to HSSC. There will be a silent auction as well as music, food and beverages. Western outfits and period costumes welcomed. Hats, yes. Guns, no.

Members $60, Nonmembers $70.

Special price for reservations received and paid before Sept. 10: Members $50, Non-Members $60

For Non-Members, you can get tickets HERE.

Happy Birthday to Irene Larsen!


Happy Birthday to Irene Larsen, one of the co-founders of The Magic Castle. Irene is a lovely, vibrant lady, one of our real treasures at the club. She is always a lot of fun to be around. Her husband Bill Larsen, and she, along with Milt Larsen (Bill’s brother) originally put together the Academy of Magical Arts and its world famous clubhouse in Hollywood, The Magic Castle.

Irene is a past-president of the Magic Castle, and affectionately known by everyone as “Princess Irene,” a stage name she was given by her first husband, magician John Daniel.

Irene is Honorary President for Life and Ambassador-At-Large for the Academy of Magical Arts and a current member of the Board of Trustees.

Happy Birthday, Irene!

We Can Do It!


Pop for President

I want to thank all of you for the wonderful support you have shown for me, for our party and for this important campaign.

We intend to wage a virtual fight for virtual truths, and for completely virtual goals. This election is too important to focus on the things of real importance to the American people and to our children and grandchildren–apparently.

Therefore, we intend to offer ridiculous ideas and many contradictory airy promises and have no intention to deliver on any of them.

The Greater American Confidence Party, or the “Con-Partiers” as we like to call ourselves, represent that thin and eccentric “sanity fringe” of American politics. A vote for us is a vote–not for better government–but for cheaper government.

I believe that in voting for me for president in 2012, you will be getting the kind of government you both expect and deserve.

I am exactly the kind of person and politician anyone with the sense God gave a grape would assume me to be; I don’t make any pretenses. I am not greedy, and I am not an elitist–I will split 50/50 with anyone, great or small.

Don’t be disappointed again! This time, for once, you can vote for a sure-thing!

Put confidence back in the American government!

We will give you the same kind of government you have grown to expect, but at a much cheaper price.

I think that we can find a way to outsource the Congress and the Senate, by getting much cheaper politicians from undeveloped nations.

They may not be any better, but they could work for much lower benefits and pay, and are used to a much smaller scale of graft.

I think that it is only fair that our politicians play on a level playing field with politicians from impoverished nations, and I am convinced they can still compete in the political marketplace if they give it that old American “We can do it!” attitude.

But the easy-flying days are over!

Our politicians need to regain their edge by competing for their jobs with the tough and hungry politicians of the third world.

This could really be better for everyone. There are a lot of experienced, avaricious and ruthless politicians out of jobs right now because of the disruptions in the Middle East and Africa.

I think they could quickly adapt to the Washington environment, and would have every bit the concern for the welfare of the American working people as those who are there now.

There is more to honesty than merely telling the truth; and true truth-telling is much more nuanced and circumscribed by both discretion and concern for others in real life, and it is more lively and more honest in intent than it is earthbound and moribund with fact, and therefore, you could say that I am a thoroughly honest politician, one with unfeigned sincerity, earnestness and a degree of humility that clearly puts me a cut above others seeking this high office.

I promise you I will never lie to the American people without a really, really good reason.

Together we can accomplish great things.

I plan to work really hard to achieve things I couldn’t have considered possible without your encouragement, your unalloyed trust, and without your jaded, sarcastic and obviously perverse sense of humor.

We intend to have some fun, poke some balloons, and generally question authority and raise a rumpus.

Thank you for your kind attention.

–Pop Haydn
Certifiable Genius

About the rumors in the press…


Whitehorse Ranch

Facing the 21st Century

There have been some nasty rumors and innuendoes in the media, and especially here on the world wide internet web, about me and about my sincerity in running for what has become the most important office in the land–the presidency of the United States.

I will not dissemble.

I am, in fact, developing a reality television series. That part is true.

It is the true story of 19th Century expatriates trying to get by in the 21st Century any way they can–the struggles of common hard-working people who are basically undocumented aliens in their own country. These are people who–by no fault of their own–were translated into a world 100 years in the future.

The True Story of these brave and resourceful transplants is available at Pop Haydn’s True Story. The working title is either “Desperate Townfolk” or “Househusbands of the California Desert” but that may change until we get a final working title.

In this little reality series about our village in the California desert there will be sex, violence, nudity, drama, and whatever else it takes to get ratings.

But this is a reality series meant to confront real issues and raise real questions.

We have serious and artistic goals to accomplish that are much more important than the quick infusion of cash this might supply our other projects.

And most importantly, it reflects nothing on my current campaign for the presidency of the United States.

My campaign is much more than just a publicity stunt for a reality television show!

I am surprised that the magazines and talk shows would suggest as much.

Surprised and disappointed!

Why, this is the type of yellow journalism that has soiled news gathering for so long now, and is beneath the contempt of right-thinking individuals who know what to believe when they see it.

Those who have tried to minimize and ridicule my candidacy as such are just desperate and unhappy people…people who may have something to fear from my entrance into the fray.

I don’t know why these media bullies need to pick on a small group of unfortunate maroons from another era who are just trying to get by in the 21st Century like anybody else, but let me just say that whether the show gets picked up or not, my campaign will continue just as seriously.

I will sit here puzzled and saddened by these charges, but undaunted.

My faithful dog Cash is beside me, and he seems to have a higher opinion of me than many of those whose opinions I value less.

Thank you for your attention, and for your continued support in this important cause.

–Pop Haydn

The motto of the GACP:


“In Sanity We Trust!”

First 100 FREE Campaign Kits Shipped!


Click to go to Pop's Campaign Headquarters

Pop Haydn on the Campaign Trail

We have just shipped out the first 100 free campaign kits to our new members of the Greater American Confidence Party!

The Greater American Confidence Party believes in giving people the kind of government they expect, but at a price they can afford.

We are a part of that thin sanity fringe of American politics. You can find out more about our party and my campaign at the GACP International Headquarters: GACP

To join, you only have to sign up for our mailing list HERE.

A Bit of Sanity from T. S. Elliot:


To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits,
To report the behaviour of the sea monster,
Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or scry,
Observe disease in signatures, evoke
Biography from the wrinkles of the palm
And tragedy from fingers; release omens
By sortilege, or tea leaves, riddle the inevitable
With playing cards, fiddle with pentagrams
Or barbituric acids, or dissect
The recurrent image into pre-conscious terrors—
To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual
Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press:
And always will be, some of them especially
When there is distress of nations and perplexity
Whether on the shores of Asia, or in the Edgware Road.
— T. S. Elliot “Dry Salvages,” Four Quartets

The Scarlett Harlott


Fallon Ellingson, better known as the Scarlett Harlott, was the PyrateCon 2008 Grand Marshal in the Pirate Invasion on Bourbon Street parade!

Karin Mckechnie is the dressmaker for this beautiful outfit, as she was for the one in our last post of the beautiful pirate lass Erika Melody.

By the way, Erika Melody is a make-up artist and model and Fallon Ellingson is her mother. Two lovely, lovely pirates.

Pirate Babe:


Costume by Karin Mckechnie

Erika

This wonderful model is Erika Melody, who was Miss May in the Hot Pirate Babes Calendar 2008. I know it is a day late for “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” but I didn’t think I would get any complaints. She is a make-up artist and model, and you can find her page here:

Erika Melody

The costume was made by my dear friend, Karin Mckechnie, who creates fabulous costumes from many eras including Victorian, Steampunk, pirate, Gay Nineties, etc., and for men and women.

Hoorah in Pool Hustling:


“Sometimes the best way to get up a game is to walk in from nowhere and make a preposterous claim about how good you are and aggravate people into challenging you for high stakes. That’s called hoorah. You hoorah someone into playing.”

— John Gollehon, From: A Gambler’s Little Instruction Book