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8- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, July 22, 1997 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" RY TR SAL Ye . a '@ Glenn and Kristina Kangas are happy to announce the upcoming marriage of their daughter Tanya Kangas to Steven Stiles son of Don & Debbie Stiles. Wedding to take place August 23, 1997 at Port Perry United Church SHR ml®V.N"4 The family of MARJORIE SUMMERFELDT invite family and friends to celebrate her 90TH BIRTHDAY Open House to be held on Sunday, July 27th from 2-4pm at 22 Hyland Crescent, Port Perry. 985-3644. Best wishes only please! IRTH ANNOUNCEMENT py HALL-BEACOCK NN Philip Beacock is pleased to announce the safe arrival of his daughter Christina Lyn, bom March 12, 1997 weighing 8lbs. 140z. Proud grandparents are Bryan Beacock of Port Perry, Judy of Oshawa, proud great-grandparents are Grace Beacock of Port Perry and George Allison of Oshawa. RTHDAY Ns X 90 Lig =] 1 It's the BIG 50 on July 24 for I BE Bobbie Drew! 50TH BIRTHDAY TELL ONE, TELL ALL... It's Really Nifty "that Bobbie Drew is Turning 50! July 24,1997 * Love Bev. & family! 1ST BIRTHDAY | | Ha | | Birthday Brooke Louise Lively July 25th Step right up... | An insider's guid By Rik Davie Port Perry Star "Step this way....Right this way, ladies and gentlemen, to view the Mighty Egress!" ...PT. Barnum istorians of the industry Hw that this invitation, to look at an 'Egress', was used by the great carnival and circus founder P.T. Barnum to move people more quickly through his New York City freak show. Egress is in fact another word for exit... as patrons soon learned, when they found themselves back out on the street. Since the time of Barnum, carni- vals the world over have had the reputation for being run by fast- talking, less than reputable huck- sters who are out to take you for all you have. Is it a deserved reputation? In the modern world of the carni- val in Canada, the name of the game has changed to some extent. As is the case with many modern institu- tions, though; the carnivals past is less than pretty. The midway, today most often associated with modern carnivals, in fact began as part of major circuses. The row of games and vendors ran from the entry gates to the entrance of the Big Top. Midway between the entry gate and the tent... get it? Right. Midway. Paddy Conklin was probably responsible for the modern carnival in Canada more than anyone else. Arriving in western Canada dur- ing the Depression, Conklin quickly gained a reputation for going into small rural communities and squeezing every nickel to be had. He and his carnival crew became known through-out the west as "Paddy Conklin and the Forty Thieves", a reference to the number of carnies he had working for him. en you visit the fall fair today, there is little of the old fixed-game mentality left. It simply doesn't pay any more. The old carnie joke about the games being broken last week (Punchline: But don't worry, they're all fixed now!) is rare in a world where inspections of games are fre- quent, and pleasing a family crowd is more profitable than "scamming a live mooch". What's a mooch? In the closed world of the carni- val, where few are permitted and fewer still have the abilities to last, slang plays an important role in ° knowing who's "with it" (slang for someone in the carnival, who knows the ropes). Here are a few to try out next time you're on a carnival lot: Q Mooch: A er. The phrase means someone who wants some- thing for nothing, also called The Food, or The Wallet Q A Live One: A particularly stu- pid mooch with a lot of cash. Q The G or the gaff: the trick or skill needed to win a certain game. Q Plush: stuffed animals of the larger, more expensive type. '0 Rag: less expensive stuffed ani- mals given out for the first few wins on many games, these items are highly sought after by lovers of vel- vet art, and beer can collectors. Q Slush: prizes like key- chains or whistles given out for first wins on prize-every-time style games. Ra SRA = & 3 § Win-every-time games, like t Sometimes called penny stock. Q Joint: the tent or trailer which contains the game. The four-sided games down the centre are known as centre joints, while the others are referred to as line-ups. a Gag: The game. o: armed with this insight : you're ready to proceed down the midway, right? But hold on: There are a couple of things to keep in mind on your jour- ney through PT. Barnum's money magnet, called the Game Line. For instance, never carry large bills with you. You'll probably either get back a handful of small change (you'll spend 10 loonies without wor- rying a lot faster than you'll spend a $10 bill once). So if the game costs two bucks, give the clerk a twoonie. It's easier to leave after one try when you don't have to wait for change. When playing, beware of trade-up games. They're the ones where you may trade two prizes for the next largest prize. Do a little math: It doesn't work to your advantage. Play games for the fun of it and if you win, great... but remember, your chances of winning at the carnival are about as good as at the race track. It's entertainment, so pass me over another two dollars, and give it another try, buddy. t modern carnivals, a fixed or rigged game is uncom- on. It's just too hard to get away with it nowadays. e to the mysterious midway his one found in years past -- and pre-' sent -- on the midway at Port Perry's annual fair, are more in vogue now than in the past, when carnivals were designed to relieve you quickly of your money -- then clear town. If you think you may be at one, however, there are several easy ways to tell. If you suddenly become something of an expert at knocking over Coke bottles, for instance, watch out. Rigged games rarely operate to stop you from winning. The trick is for the operator (agent, as he's known in the business) to be able to let you win whenever he wants. Beware of games that involve knocking anything off a board, or adding up any sequence of numbers. The most notorious of these is the Coke-roll, which involves two Coke bottles side-by-side on a flat board. The idea is to knock them off using what appears to be a normal soft- ball. By simply moving one bottle slightly ahead of the other, the agent can assure you of a win or deny it to you ... as he wishes. It's uncommon for these games to appear on modern midways. Carnival owners now rely on volume to make their profit, and more emphasis is put on major rides to attract the dollars to his pocket. Most things on the modern mid- way are designed for the amusement of children. Prize every time games, like the fish-pond, may seem a rip- off to you, but kids are happy to win, no matter what the prize. " The main thing is to enjoy your- self while remembering what Paddy Conklin supposedly said: "Nobody gets nothing for nothing unless they pay for it."