Fond Convention Memories

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If gas stays below double digits I’m going to try to get to a small, local convention this weekend. I’ve looked over the list of talent and only one name is remotely familiar.That’s OK, though, as I’ve found out that the quality of a convention and the amount of fun you have seldom is related to the reputation of the talent.

Actually, I’ve never been to a lot of conventions, but there are some nice memories:

  • Del Ray – There’s no earthly explanation
  • Paul Harris – Someone that lived up to the hype. Then having the pleasure of attending his private teach-in ($25 then)
  • Winter Cavalcade in Gatlinburg, TN – just plain fun
  • Paul Diamond bellering across the dealer room at the Florida conventions
  • Duke Stern – Just because he was Duke
  • 300 Pound Mike Caldwell opening the show with his thunderous flip and landing flat on his back. I was working backstage on was that ever impressive. It was a running gag
  • Jay Marshall – we’re gonna miss him
  • David Roth – this was as he was bringing coin magic into the 20th century. I can still see him perform the Portable Hole and Hanging Coins
  • Darwin Ortiz – wasn’t even a headliner a real surprise at that time.

That’s enough! Good memories and this doesn’t include the late night sessions with some great people.

When you read these blogs, this one included, you sometimes think everybody in magic is an absolute Richard. This isn’t true, there are a lot of good guys. I don’t, however apologize for spending time on this minority, as they can spread like a serious virus, infecting all who come in contact. Think of these blogs as an antidote.

Drivel & Drool

[This section is intensely personal and contains things of interest to me. There is no theme or agenda. There will be times I talk about the Cafe. I may give a computer tip. I may virtually visit other blogs. Please be warned that this area may be a little coarse and the blogs we visit, less than elegant.]

I’m sorry for another Cogitations post, but it just won’t die. That rancid stench is still around and just as I hate to see the corporate thieves walk with only minor censure, I hate to see the Cogitations perpetrators rewrite a very sordid story.

I’ve seen 3 instances recently where virtually the same story was spewed and they all said the same things. Sounds like the Bush people that keep their entire agenda on a 3 1/2 x 5 card. Here’s an example from MagiCentric. Actually, I kind of like him most of the time and I commend his article on Whit Haydn and the 3 Shell manuscript to you. He does, however, suffer from recurring dickosis and this is one of those times. To partially quote:…….There was certainly more praise than critics, so I hope that he didn’t let the bastards get him down…….What has been interesting to read on both The Cafe & Genii Forums is that 99.9% of the members were satisfied with both the value they received……There are still a few critics, but those people aren’t worth considering because they weren’t members.

OK! Where do you get those numbers? Could it be that Mein Brooks always deletes the negative posts about Cogitations and locks threads as the detractors begin to surface. You think that’s possible?

As to the those people aren’t worth considering because they weren’t members quip – Again, what sort of omniscient powers gives you this insight? I guess I’m not as insightful, but I know a LOT of dissatisfied subscribers that paid their money.

99.9% of the people reading his post think it is pure BS.

The other posts were similar and gave the same statistics. Although Richard Kaufman seems to be terminally grouchy these days, his post on the Cogitations issue sums things up rather nicely:
Mr. Youell’s behavior has been unstable for a long time…

Nuff said – at least for the moment. See you after the holiday.

Postscript: I understand the perpetrators have made their site available for members to download the content that was there when it suddenly collapsed. That was the right thing to do.

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