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The Dick that broke the Genii’s back?
It’s now old news, but on 1/13/2008 at 12:20 PM Richard Kaufman announced that the Genii Forum would no longer be public, but available to subscribers only. He’s given nothing but vague reasons from what I’ve read – it’s his forum and he’s free to do with it as he pleases. Non-subscribers will be able to view but not post.
I’ve been very impressed with his very noble attempts to treat those that buy Genii at a magic shop fairly. I don’t know him, but I suspicion he has a very high level of integrity. I just wish he weren’t so publicly crabby. I can’t believe that’s good for business.
OK – call this pure speculation, because that is what it is, but on the same day Kaufman made the announcement, he published this Apology to Thomas Wayne earlier in ther day:
In a now-deleted thread I made several remarks concerning Thomas Wayne. One of these was that he threatened a moderator on this Forum via e-mail. Unfortunately the hard drive on the computer on which this e-mail was stored has crashed, so we no longer have the e-mails to prove it. Subsequently I deleted that portion of my message.
However, I also stated that Thomas Wayne is “mentally ill.” Since I am not a trained health care professional, I cannot use that phrase since it insinuates a trained opinion.
Thomas Wayne’s ill-mannered behavior resulted in his expulsion from the Genii Forum, so you may draw your own conclusions from that.
Coincidence?
Take care………
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Something for every magician that uses a computer
I’m slow to pay for software. Before I buy anything I check freeware and Open Source availability and generally find something as good, if not better, than the commercial offerings.
Really – REALLY, this is not a function of being cheap. I have issues with many software developers after years of taking it where software was never meant to go.
Anyway, one piece of software that I did buy was FeedDemon – the best, in my opinion, RSS reader in existence. FeedDemon was written by Nick Bradbury, the author of the cartoon Dexter, as well as some other neat software such as Homesite.
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Steve Martin / Earl Scruggs video
I just picked up Steve Martin’s autobiography. What a funny, inventive guy.
As I’ve told people for so long, he was doing this schtick for 14 years before Saturday Night Live “discovered” him.
Anyway, it has nothing to do with magic, but I just posted the You Tube video of Ear Scruggs, Steve Martin and a lot of greats doing Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
Magic in its own way.
Take care………
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Magic Intelligence
When I travel, I take books and DVDs that have a lot of useful material in/on them. This means I find myself taking John Bannon’s stuff quite frequently. We are very fortunate that magic seems to attract a lot of brilliant thinkers – e.g. Jim Steinmeyer, Simon Aronoson, Mike Close, Robert Harbin, Alex Elmsley, Stewart James, David Williamson, Darwin Ortiz etc. It seems so many of the magic savants get the press and we tend to forget those of great intelligence and insight.
I spent a great deal of time rereading Smoke and Mirrors on my last trip. What a good book. Some of Bannon’s wisdom needs to be pointed out so we don’t forget.
That is why I consider myself a magician first, an entertainer second. This is why I do not believe a magician is an actor playing the part of a magician.. Magic should be entertaining and should contain elements of theater, spectacle and/or humor. But I think if magic has anything it can call its own, it is its appeal to the bundle of human reactions I call surprise. By choosing magic as the medium, by being a magician rather than a comedian, actor or storyteller, my aim is to provide that otherworldly sense of surprise.
Thank you, John! The entertainment at all costs mantra has gone further to destroy magic than anything I can think of.
My 1st Broken Resolution of 2008
Here’s the marketing poop:
A tic tac box is shown empty all the way around. You take the coin and slam it on the tic tac box. You can see and hear the coin melting through the plastic and end up inside the container. Your hands are clean after the coin penetrates the box. Immediately give away the box with the coin inside to your spectator. There’s nothing to find out. Your spectators can keep the tic tac with the coin trapped inside. Forget everything you have seen.
This is: Pure.Visual. Magic.
Read the rest of this entry »Quick Thought
My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
Obituary
Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn’t always fair, and maybe it was my fault.Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I’m a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Author unknownTake care………
Don’t miss the Blaine parody video
If only he was half as entertaining.
It’s working on its second million views.
Take care………
Say it ain’t so
In the Christmas Spirit
IVanish - What was I thinking?!
Why is Bill Gates RICH!!!!
IVanish - 1st Impression
All I Want For A Magic Christmas
Video Posted - 12/02/2007
A personal tour of Blogland
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