Electricity from candles. Real or Fake?

[Wise Young]

Several weeks ago, a person called Mysterious1 posted a video of how he generates electricity from two burning candles. He sticks a nail into each of two candles (3 inches thick white candles), warning that the nails should not be stuck all the way through the candle. He takes a magnet and rubs the nails with the magnet to "magnetize them". He then connects alligator leads to the two nails sticking out of the candles, connecting the wires to a flashlight bulb. He lights up the two candles and the flashlight bulb lights up. He does the same thing with a small motor.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/400937...eds_batteries/

It is of course FAKE! What is amazing is that many people believes this video. In fact, some people even posted that they tried it and claims that it works. One person made a video, showing that it doesn't work
http://berrynose.wordpress.com/2007/...ake-you-judge/
It is unbelievable that people are falling for this. It is total nonsense.
http://hackedgadgets.com/2007/02/02/...er-trick-done/

Well, there are two things about the video that should have clued everybody that this was faked.

• The circuit was not closed. There was no connection between the two candles. Therefore, no current could have flowed.

• Lighting the candles should do nothing. It would not even heat up the nails over the period of time being considered. In fact, if you look carefully at the video, the light bulb actually starts to light before he got both candles lit.

• The moment I saw the rubbing of the magnets, I knew that it had to be fake. Rubbing the magnetic on the nails like that was not going to magnetize them to any significant extent.

Okay, so, how did the guy fake the video? It is very simple. The wires that went to the light bulb went off the table, probably connected to a battery and switch that the guy controlled with his foot. The wires were never placed completely on the table.

What I don't understand is how the guy apparently made over $1000 just by posting this video. Sigh.

Wise.

[Chaz19]

a sad magic show...indeed

[rfbdorf]

Originally Posted by Wise Young

...What I don't understand is how the guy apparently made over $1000 just by posting this video. Sigh.

Wise.

People really, really want to believe in magic. We see it all around us.
- Richard

[wayngrove]

He probably had an assistant with a switch or he himself had a switch under the table. One of his hands always seem to be on his crotch each time the objects power on and off. Most likely the table itself was charged and the wires completed the cycle. Notice the center panel of the table is a different color, AND how he's very careful not to show the BOTTOM of the candle? The things people go through for their 15minutes

[funklab]

Originally Posted by Wise Young

What I don't understand is how the guy apparently made over $1000 just by posting this video. Sigh.

Wise.

Wow!

Sounds like I need to think up something like that. I could use some money.