N 11 • Simulacrum -- Ian Stronach, Educational Research Undone (1995) • Skullduggery, scam -- Michael H. Hyman, The Power of Global Capital (200 ) • Sometimes -- John McWhorter, Doing Our Own Thing (200 ) • Syndrome "where increased visibility leads to a paradoxical disappearance" This syndrome occurs in minority groups struggling to be recognized even as they wish to remain unidentifiable (Brian Roberts, "Whatever Happened to Gay Theatre?" New Theatre Quarterly 62: Volume 16, Part 2 [2000]). • Teasing "These young women were tricksters of desire -- now-you-see-it, now-youdon't flirtation and flair." -- Cynthia Gralla, The Floating World (2004) • Transitory thrills -- Ken Emerson, Doo-Dah: Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture (1998) • Uncertainty -- Sue Nelson, How to Clone the Perfect Blonde (2004) • Unpredictability -- Martin Kantor, Distancing (200 ) -- Anthony Easthope, Privileging Difference (2002) • Wishy-washy -- Arnold Aronson, American Set Design (1985) Origins: Magicians started using the phrase now you see it, now you don't in the 19 0s, at the same time people started saying the catchphrases "The greatest thing since sliced bread" and "That's all, folks!"19 Facts: The magic trigger in now you see it, now you don't is actually in the silence between the two phrases. The magic happens in the split second before now you don't. This phrase is often described as "conjuring in reverse." 0 "Now you see it, now you don't -- the rabbit seems to vanish back into the hat."21 Common Magician's Applications: "The Instant Vanish," in which something disappears "before one's very eyes." For example: "'Now you see it, now you don't.' Charlotte made a sweeping motion, and just like that, 19 Rick Jones, "20th Century Catchphrases" (200 ) 20 Priscilla Vail, Liberate Your Child's Learning Patterns (2002) 21 David B. Cohen, Out of the Blue: Depression and Human Nature (1994) 22 Giovanni Livera, Amazing Dad (2001) 2 Marc Davenport, Visitors from Time (1994)