Blind Quest 2

Most Often Asked Questions

Q: What is Blind Quest?

Jim: Blind Quest is the navigation through a city or town while blindfolded and having to find specific predetermined points.

Q: Could you drive while blindfolded like shown?

Jim: Yes I could but I would not get far without wrecking. I am more visualizing than seeing like most people do. I am creating what I want perception to be. I don't think anyone would want to test my abilities on a city street in a car. I might be able to do it on a race track, only there because of the ability to control the variables.

Q: Do you have X-Ray vision?

Jim: Nope. But can you imagine what that would be like? At first it sounds like fun, but I bet it would wear thin real fast. Probably ruin your appetite for awhile too.

Q: Can you see through metal like the blindfold is made from?

Jim: No I cannot do that either. Metal is a totally opaque element (no light can pass through it) and that is why it is such a good choice for a blindfold.

Q: Do you hear really well?

Jim: As a matter of fact I do and at times it can be annoying. But it has little to do with my ability to navigate during this presentation.

Q: Could what you do help blind people?

Jim: Unfortunately not. What I do is create a form of alternate reality not very much different than what any performance artist may create. But what I do will only hold up under my very specific circumstances. I imagine that the visualization techniques I use are of little value to anyone sighted or otherwise.

Q: Can you see through clothes?

Jim: (Smiling) No can't do that either. But I don't think I would tell if I could.

Q : Have you ever gotten hurt?

Jim: I have. Everything from eye abrasions to badly bruised ribs but I can now roller blade pretty well while blindfolded.

Q: How is the blindfold made and from what materials?

Jim: It is made by taking a sheet of heavy aluminum foil doubling it and form fitting it to the face. It covers the nose, cheeks, forehead, and completely covers the temples negating the possibility of using peripheral vision for navigation. I guarantee that I am not using tricks like looking down my nose and to the sides with a $10,000 dollar guarantee. You will notice that the blindfold covers the nose completely and form fits the rest of the face (see photo above).

Q: Why do you sometimes stop and seem lost?

Jim: Because I am lost. What happens is that I become disorientated and at times will experience dizziness. I lose the visual image I have in my head and must rebuild it before continuing.

Q: Do you perform Blind Quest during your shows or lectures?

Jim: No I don't. Blind Quest is a promotional vehicle, a fancy way of saying a publicity stunt. It is intended to give people something to talk about and consider.

Hopefully they will consider engaging my services in some capacity whether for entertainment, lectures, promotional or consulting work. Or perhaps visit this web site and learn something or play with the interactive card reading site.

Q: What type of shows do you do?

Jim: I provide entertainment for almost every conceivable situation/venue/event/ from theater shows to small private engagements and for every conceivable audience demographic.

I also lecture on thought processes, human motivation, psychological programming and compliance technologies.

Q: DO you ever do television shows?

Jim: Yes I have started doing telivition intervuiws again and am currently working on a production titled The Paranormalist. My live shows will be taped and edited into a video production. The reason for this is that what I do is so different from what most people see of magicians that I have had to design the proper method to present it on television and the internet.

Q: Can you read wile blind folded?

Jim: If you held up a book in front of me I could tell you it's a book based on it's shape. But I don't read things while blindfolded.

Rehearsal pictures can be seen here CLICK

Twenty Years ago I walked into a situation at the University of Pittsburgh that would forever change my perception of reality and of what was possible with the application of the psychological systems I was just then developing and using in experiments. Below the line break you will find the letter written to me from the producer of the show segment that was part of their external studies program.

Blind Quest is an outgrowth of that initial testing. At the time fifteen feet of elastic bandage was used to blindfold me and then an opaque bag was placed over my head. I was then to ride a bicycle through a maze of people in a parking lot. I did it, but it was nearly impossible. The bandages were extremely uncomfortable because they pressed so firmly against my eyes and face.

I was then taken inside and a blindfold was made from aluminum foil and placed over my entire face. I was asked to perform some simple tests and that also was successfully completed (though was even more difficult than the bike riding test).

I also caused objects placed under a plastic cube to move about and bent a couple of keys. The metal bending was not one of my best efforts on that day. The keys would only bend slightly but that happens from time to time under such conditions.

The University of Pittsburgh

"I want to express my gratitude for your contributions to the development of the television show to accompany Professor Jack Anderson's course on Science and Pseudoscience."

"We had searched for several months for someone competent to demonstrate the phenomena in a credible way and to intelligently discuss the distinctions between the skills of magicians and the claims of psychics. Your performances, under the necessarily adverse conditions of video taping, were superb. I must admit that even knowing what we where trying to demonstrate, I found it impossible not to believe in your performance.

-Michael B. Spring, Director