I?ve said it before and I?ll say it again, ?I love to repeat myself.?Given a choice between working here at the cat saddle and tack shop aligning the stirrup heights for some rodent to ride on a Tabby, I?d pick re-reviewing something I?ve already reviewed.
Well, not really. I’ve reviewed Roberto Giobbi’s Card College Series and I’ve reviewed Chriss Wasshuber’s Lybrary.com but I’ve never reviewed them at the same time. It was sort of like when I was running around a corner with an open jar of peanut butter and ran into a woman who was running the opposite direction with a chocolate candy bar and we hit each other. We made an interesting discovery.
We discovered the interestingtaste that comes from thecombination of chocolate, peanut butter, shattered glass, blood and sinew. Well, it’s not exactly like that.
Plus, I’m still paying the judgment from the lawsuit where the woman alleged it was unsafe for me to run around blind corners with an open glass jar.
When I first started Quinlan Magic years ago, there was only Card College Volumes One and Two.I bought the usual sample size of three books and sold them all within days ? before I even had a chance to read them.I figured they must be pretty good if they sold so quickly.
I tried to re-order from my supplier but he had no copies.I tried to work through another jobber (coincidentally, this was the name of my first record album in the U.S., ?Working Through Another Jobber? went platinum in the Bahamas but did not do well here ? I ran out of payola… Continue reading Card College Volume One Is Great – Repeat After Me
There is an ambiguously intended article on the ABC News website titled, No Illusions Here: Attack on Roy Horn Highlights Big Cat Dangers for Other Performers.
The network quotes Branson illusionist Kirby VanBurch’s speculation on the cause of the tiger attack that nearly took Roy Horn’s life on October 3, 2003 as well as the “three phases” of a tiger’s anger.
The troubling part of the article and news piece is that it seems the network is using Mr. VanBurch’s speculation of what the tiger was thinking as it attacked Roy as news to rehash the public attacks on Siegfried and Roy’s show.To his credit, Mr. VanBurch is quoted as saying Roy was the best in the industry for handling his animals.
It could be that I am overly defensive of Siegfried and Roy and, in particular, Roy’s handling of the attack that could and would have likely injured or killed people in the front rows of the theater.
The article reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the Siegfried & Roy act to determine whether there was any violation of the Animal Welfare Act.We checked with the Department of Agriculture but there is no press release or news concerning this investigation.
The article quotes several folks with their opinions on what happened.ABC quotes Branson magician Kirby VanBurch as saying, “There’s no doubt in my mind that the tiger intended to kill Roy.”Mr. VanBurch did not see the attack and apparently based his opinion as to the tiger’s intention on his previously seeing the show four times in the past.
It was 1956, a freezing cold November morning in Baltimore, MD, and the snow was pouring down and beginning to drift. I stepped onto the bus, dropped my dime into the box located beside the driver, and headed to the rear of the bus. I had been saving my allowance and my goal that morning was to visit Phil Thomas’, Yogi Magic Mart. I had watched Phil on Channel 13, WAAM in Baltimore for quite some time. He had a Saturday morning TV Show where he presented magicians and also ran movies of the “Little Rascals”. Yes, those were the good old days. Black and white TV and a 10″ screen.
By the time I reached downtown Baltimore the snow was 2′ high and still coming down. I tucked my gloved hands into my jacket as I trudged four blocks through the snow drifts to 215 North Charles St., my breath painting the air like clouds with every step I took.
After looking for a sign, I finally spotted a small one, about 5″ x 12″, hanging directly over a small doorway. Strangely, my heart was beating with anticipation. The sign proclaimed “Yogi Magic Mart”. Opening the door I peered in to see two flights of stairs leading to the second floor.
At the landing between the two sets of stairs there was a small dim light bulb that partially illuminated the dark stairway. The old wooden stairs creaked eerily as I started up them, and there was a distinct musty odor in the hallway. Looking up the stairs to the second landing, I could barely see a number of old faded magic posters at the very top of the stairs.
I continued up the stairs past the second landing and when I reached the top landing, I made two sharp right turns,and walked down a narrowhallway. The hallway was lined on the left side with all kinds of magic posters some bearing pictures of imps and devils, alongwith famous magicians. As I crossed the threshold of the magic shop a… Continue reading Barry Gibbs Essay: In The Beginning
I think the Code of Ethics is a great concept, but the question I ask is “What can be done to those who break the Code?” If they are members of the IBM or SAM they can be thrown out, but if they are not…?
Their are 18 sites on the Internet that form the ‘MAGIC SECRETS NETWORK’. Sites like:
Vertigo – magic from the tv special EXPOSED! Magic from the tv special Vertigo exposed! Learn the secrets to passing your hand through a window, the sealing beer can and more!
Total Tricks All Magic secrets revealed – David Blaine Street Magic and more! Twisting Arm (Blaine), Levitating Money, Fearson’s Fabulous Floatation, Masklyns Barstool, Hindu Gypsy Thread (Blaine), Voo Doo Ash (Blaine), and much much more!
Television’s Greatest Magic Secrets Revealed Do you want to know how David Copperfield vanished the Statue of Liberty? How about how David Blaine bit that coin in half? All these secrets and more are revealed!
Top Magic secrets revealed Secrets of David Blaine, Copperfield and some of the greatest illusions of all time!
Street Magic Levitation Exposed! One of magic’s most closely guarded secrets revealed! A fully detailed explanation of the infamous Balducchi levitation. Learn to levitate with no extra props or gimmicks!
The Self Folding Dollar Bill – As seen on TV! A dollar bill folds up all by itself while laying on your open palm! Use any dollar bill to perform this amazing trick. Download a great eBook that teaches you this famous trick. With full resale rights!
The ‘MAGIC SECRETS NETWORK’ offers you the secrets to all this magic and more for only $39.99 a year. As they say “Webmasters are encouraged to join our program and start making money today!”
As you would realise, these people are selling the secrets to other people’s magic, BUT they also make you agree to a MAGICIANS CODE before you send them your money. A Code which they break by selling other people’s secrets to you. A Code which is very similar to the IBM/SAM code:
The magician’s code is a statement of ethical guidelines designed to help keep the art of magic alive and healthy. We require that you agree to our stated code of ethics before subscribing. Although the traditional magician’s code is not enforcable by legal means, some of the issues regarding copyright infringement and the internet are, and we reserve the right to cancel your membership if it is found that you have purposefully violated any part of the code. Participating webmasters must also follow our guidelines in order to remain members.
Parts of this code were inspired by the Magician’s Code established in 1993 by the International Brotherhood of Magicians and modified for use with the Magic Secrets Network. Visit their website to learn more about… Continue reading Yes, But What If They’re Not Ethical?
I am writing to you with some information I’d like you to consider sharing with your Ring members. I know this is lengthy, but I really believe the content is quite important.
As you know, there is an ever-growing concern within our industry dealing with ethics in magic. Specifically, I am referring to the act of stealing another inventor’s intellectual property and building/manufacturing these tricks and illusions for resale. This unethical practice seems to have become more popular than ever before. Perhaps, in part, because our own industry has not policed itself very well… or perhaps because many have felt there couldn’t be anything done to stop this practice… or perhaps, and unfortunately, some people just don’t care. This does not change the fact that this behavior is wrong and unethical.
Now, of course, I realize that it isn’t all “black & white”. There are some “gray areas” that challenge the definition of which ideas belong to which specific creator… and how does the modification of an original idea affect the infringement of the inventor’s intellectual creation. However, just because there are some “gray areas” doesn’t mean we should ignore and turn our back on the obvious encroachments.
So, with all of that said, I want to strongly encourage magicians around the world to read and seriously consider the Code of Ethics as jointly accepted by the International Brotherhood of Magicians and Society of American Magicians on May 8, 1993. These six points were the result of a cooperative effort by both organizations for the betterment of magic.
All members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians agree to:
1) Oppose the willful exposure to the public of any principles of the Art of Magic, or the methods employed in any magic effect or illusion.
2) Display ethical behavior in the presentation of magic to the public and in our conduct as magicians, including not interfering with or jeopardizing the performance of another magician either through personal intervention or the unauthorized use of another’s creation.
3) Recognize and respect for rights of the creators, inventors, authors, and owners of magic concepts, presentations, effects and literature, and their rights to have exclusive use of, or to grant permission for the use by others of such creations.
4) Discourage false or misleading statements in the advertising of effects, and literature, merchandise or actions pertaining to the magical arts.
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