There’s a thread on the Genii Forum that I recommend everyone read:

Click Here

The thread is primarily a bunch of old coots flopping around like beached flounders complaining about a new site that exposes some tricks and supposedly aids in the distribution of copyrighted manuscripts. What they say, may or may not be true. I briefly looked at the site and either everyone is named Dude or it is primarily kids (use your own definition).

One sub-thread deals with methods of stopping them through legal intimidation. Invariably someone will post a whois and someone else will post links to the copyright office and someone will suggest pressuring the ISP’¦blah¦blah¦blah. This shows a total lack of understanding of how morphable sites like this are and it appears that the proprietor is fully aware of the available options. Furthermore, if anybody thinks our crack government gives a damn about this sort of pilfering, I’ve got the proverbial real estate and bridges for sale. They’ve already been bought by the music and movie powers in Hollywood!

Some will invariably point to the moral issues. Com’n on fellers – people of this generation have less reason than ever to adhere to any moral principals. Think about it! What have they seen?:

• Government corruption and graft
• Corporate thievery
• Parents trashed by the very institutions our generation was taught to trust
• CEOs that legally steal hundreds of millions of dollars and see nothing wrong with it.

Make the case for morality, fellers. Personally, I can’t find it. As someone that was raised by a near Saint, I saw him clobbered by the bad guys. Only the bastards win anymore. Think about your own bosses. Any good guys there? To paraphrase Charlie Brown, Bastards ride – Good guys walk.

On to more practical matters. Which of the following two ads are honest:

1. The Silver Shifter is like no other coin device available. With it, you actually bend a coin right in front of your spectator. The coin bends VISUALLY, and never leaves the sight of your spectator during the bend! Once bent, you can drop the coin into their hand for inspection. It is truly astonishing! No “funny” switches. No funny palm off. No pressure. No heat. No KIDDING! At the end, both hands are shown empty front and back. This one will fool Magicians and Layman alike!You can also use the device to do a coin vanish or production.You have seen a coin melt down through someone’s hand but have you ever seen a coin melt UP? That’s right! With SILVER SHIFTER, you can do just that! Add a whole new dimension to your Scotch and Soda routines. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. This is the must have coin device to add to your arsenal. Only $50.00

2. Rubber coin $50.00

I’m sure I’m not the only one that would have an additional fifty bucks in my pocket if there was a place to go to find out what I was buying. I see apologists on the Cafe’ talking about the value of magic secrets etc. The fact is, most tricks are over hyped crap and can’t stand the light. Just think of the tricks you bought in the last year and I’ll bet the many, if not most, ads went well beyond reasonable puffery into the land of the purposeful misleading.

Also, I’m sure that having your material stolen and publicly published could be devastating, but fellers, every download is not a lost sale. This is the accounting used by the music industry. It’s unlikely that more than a couple of sales might be lost. That’s the truth.

Take a reality pill and move on.

Take care………

Take care……… 
 

I doubt that I’m the only one that gets distracted when cleaning up the magic pile. Today I was organising my DVDs and decided to take a break at look at one of the Johnny Thompson videos – #2. For some reason, I wasn’t thrilled when I first watched this series, even though I’m a huge fan of his. When I brought up the menu of performances, I was intrigued to see what Trumph was.  It may seem obvious reading this, but it never occurred to me that it was a simple misspelling.

Anyway, Johnny described it as the perfect card trick. After watching him perform and explain it, I tend to agree. I’ve been using John Bannon’s Play It Straight Triumph recently,  but I believe I’ll go practice my Strip-Out Shuffles and put the Vernon classic back in my working repertoire.

If you haven’t seen it recently, pull out this DVD and enjoy a classic in the true sense of the word.

Take care……… 
 

Everybody’s A Critic

This is my best buddy and magic watcher. I’m lucky to be able to take him to work with me every day. Normally, whatever I do is OK with him, UNTIL I pull out the wand. He’s learned, from experience, that when the old man starts practising his wand spins, the floor is no place to be.

Invariably, I find him huddled under the desk or in the corner until I’m done. He finds card tricks boring, but safer.

Unfortunately, when I start doing card tricks I find the human spectators huddled in the corner…..

In a recent post I was urging everyone to grab Steve Cohen’s Win the Crowd, while it is cheap and readily available. 

To whet your appetite for the kind of advice he offers, here are his Maxims of Magic:

1. Be Bold
2. Expect Success
3. Don’t State—Suggest
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
5. Be Prepared

There’s nothing ground breaking or revolutionary here, quite obviously, but his approach and expansion of these ideas is eye opening. For instance, wait until you read his method on learning boldness. Quite clever.

Take my advice and run this book down.

Take care……… 
 

Steve Cohen’s Win the Crowd first went on sale 6/14/2005 and the publishers have already remaindered the final stock. They sure don’t wait long any more!

You can find new copies for less than $10, delivered, all over the web – half.com – ebay.com – bookcloseouts.com…..etc. I would imagine it’s also in the bargain bin at your local B&N.

Anyway, for those that are not aware of the book, here’s the publisher’s puff piece:

Would You Like to Become More Commanding, Convincing, And Charismatic?

In this book, Steve Cohen, master magician and star of the long-running Chamber Magic show in New York City, will reveal the secrets of all great showmen and magicians — how to persuade, influence, and charm, and ultimately accomplish the things you’ve always wanted to do. As Cohen writes, “You’ll discover how to take over a room, read people, and build anticipation to a feverish pitch so people are burning to hear what you have to say.”

Win the Crowd will teach you Steve Cohen’s Maxims of Magic, simple rules you can use to take charge of practically any situation, from on-the-job disagreements to dating to important cocktail parties. The Maxims of Magic will wash away insecurities and hesitations, and replace them with confidence, poise, and leadership. What’s more, Steve Cohen will show you:

• How to Create a Magic Moment. Capturing people’s imaginations and attention so they listen carefully to every word you say.
• How to Command a Room. Showing everyone in the room that you are speaking right to them, making them all feel unique — and completely focused on you.
• How to Read People. Learning to sense what people are feeling and thinking as you speak, what they want from you, and how to make them feel like they are getting it.
• Misdirection. The most important trick in all of magic — getting inside people’s heads, and directing what they are thinking at every minute.

When you strip away the sleight of hand tricks, magicians are essentially masters of attracting and holding attention and impressing audiences, exactly the psychological secrets you need to be successful in life and business.

It’s a good read. Admittedly Mr. Cohen (far be it from me to assume any familiarity) is a big fan, but you can’t deny his success. He’s shoving a whole bunch of pesos in his pockets these days. I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I’ve already found several pearls. I think most magicians will find this money well spent.

Take care………

Drivel & Drool

Remember – Use your magic only for good!

Why does this hobby / business / profession / art….. attracts so many self aggrandizing, pompous and just plain mean jack asses? 

Take care……… 
 

Answer

Yeah – me too.