Google Video Is Magic's Savior

I am of the opinion that the new Google video will be a great place to sell magic related videos. I'm going to be doing that in the future. But for now I wanted to see if a video could be embeded in this article from the Google Video site.



This is one of my favorite television moments. I think if this woman would have seen a magic trick, she would have declared that it was "evil spirits" at work.

The Big "Street Magic" Controversy

Ever since David Blaine first hit the airwaves with his televised magic show, which he unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) entitled "Street Magic," there has been a controversy brewing as to just what constitutes a true "street magician." Rumors have swirled that hundreds of young magicians are taking to the street with a gorilla styled magic that attacks an unsuspecting spectator or small group with the oh so original line, "hey wanna see something cool?" They look into their prey's eyes with a blank stare and say things like, "Did you see that?" "Pretty Phat Huh!"

There is an old saying amongst magicians, that goes like this "I asked him to show me a card trick, he did twenty." That is what my opinion of walking around with a deck of cards hoping to impress someone with your clever patter of "Hey wanna see something cool?"

Blaine did a magic television show. His approach was original. The "hundreds of wannabes" who copy his style and proclaim it "street magic" are not.

There have been street magicians for many years before David Blaine decided to do a televised close-up magic show. Yes, that is what he really does. He is a walk-around or "strolling" magician. A guy who does close-up magic while standing up with a limited sized audience. And you know what, people do hire magicians to do this type of magic all the time. It is popular at weddings, barmitzvas, parties, and even some trade shows. Some magicians have a negative opinion about a "strolling" magician, saying that they are somehow less polished or substantial than a stationary performer. To me magic is magic. I think it should amuse, entrance or astonish the audience and at the same time satisfy the paying customer.

When I was just a young boy, I read "Street Magic" by Jeff Sheridan. And I believe that Jeff personifies what a "street magician" is today. Simply put, a street magician is a magician who can use magic to make a living by performing on the street. That's it plain and simple. Now if you run up to a single person and ask to show them a trick. Chances are that you are not a street magician, just some guy doing a trick for someone. If you make enough money to justify actually performing, I'll say that yes, you are indeed a street magician. If you want to read more about street magic then visit my web page on the subject.

Alito's Way - The Crying Game

Misdirection is something that we magicians do to get you to look the other way. What's up with the wife of Judge Alito bursting into tears, not when he is being grilled by a Democrat, but rather while Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is showering him with praise? That's right, Judge Alito was being told by the Senator that he was beloved by all the minorities that had ever worked with him. He wasn't a bigot, because over thirty years, nothing but accolades for his affirmative actions have been given to the Judge. Graham went on and on about how he had letters to prove that he (Alito) was not in fact a bigot as the Democrats had seemed to suggest by their backhanded insinuations. I believe that she began crying at the very point at which Graham, stated that he couldn't find the letters that he was talking about. Maybe Graham's ineptitude set the tears in motion.

Certainly to me it did look that she was simply overcome with the emotion of the entire proceeding. However, to look at the media portrayal after the event one would think that she burst into tears because Ted Kennedy stood on his chair and shouted "You Bigot! You dirty BIGOT! YOU SHOULD BURN IN HELL!" at the top of his voice.

To give you an example how the media is using this as misdirection: Bloomberg.com's headline is "Democrats Attack Alito on Abortion, Princeton Group" then in the text they write:

"At one point, Alito's wife left the hearing in tears as her husband was being questioned about his membership in the group."

Funny how they left out the part that says she left crying during the monsoon of praise from Republican Senator Graham. Well that's misdirection for you. A crying wife becomes the story. Next time they'd better tell her to start whimpering when Teddy is ranting, it would make a lot more sense. I'm not suggesting that it was a set of crocodile tears, not at all. But every good magician knows that when the waiter drops the tray, it's time to bring the elephant onto the stage. I just want you to know what we magicians can do with reality.

Texas Wins Because of Magic Hat!

Howdy Y'all!It's all about the hat. Last night was the NCAA national football championship. I know you won't believe this, but everytime I put this magic hat on, Texas scored. When I wasn't wearing it, things looked grim for Texas. In the end, Texas has won the first undisputed national football championship in ten thousand years! Wow what a game. I'm not one to stay up and watch TV, being on the East Coast, we tend to miss anything produced out in CA. Well, since I'm a UT Alumnus and my younger brother is an SC Aulumnus, I played phone tag and stayed up to watch what I believe was one of the best football games I've ever seen. Of course, my brother may say that it was one of the worst.

When is Tragedy Newsworthy?

This morning we are given the tragic news that the 12 miners met a terrible end in the deep dark depths of the earth in a West Virginia coal mine. One person survived. Of course it is a news worthy event, but not because the media can run to the scene and give us pictures of mothers, wives, sons and daughters overwrought with grief. This is what we will see, because "they" somehow have decided that this is the story that Americans are demanding. Matt Lauer was on a plane last night rushing to the scene to give us the latest.

The real tragedy is that with over 100,000 deaths in American mines in the last 100 years that we still do nothing to manifest real change. We will all watch the news as it trickles across the airways telling us detail, after endless detail. There will be corrections and misstatements galore.

Then eventually we will all be given details of the many safety violations within the mine and the dangers that these poor people must face. We will be told how brave the men are that walk into the mine each day. And we will learn that they have been complaining to management for years about the working conditions. This is a story that seems to repeat time and time again. This will of course raise eyebrows and maybe even a few voices. Then the forces that run the industry, determine the laws, and control the politicians will make certain that nothing is changed that would "negatively effect production." This is the tragic story that should be told.

I can only hope that I'm wrong.

It is very good to see that NBC has chosen to run a few other news stories on the Today Show this morning. Of course the latest diet pill being used in Hollywood is big news.

CNN seems to have one.

New Year's Resolution

Well, here goes nothing. I'm entering the world of Blogging. Jumping into the "blogosphere." I know it's high time that I did so. Usually I'm the first to do anything Internet related. In fact I'm an early adopter of most technology. The exception being that I was a little slow on the uptake when it came to cell-phones. I chose to ignore them for several years, because I didn't want to be hastled all day with calls, until I finally got one. Now I don't know how anyone lives without them. Maybe the same will be true of my blog.

We didn't have our usual NY eve party and the girls didn't give us the annual pyramid. But, I made a few resolutions for the coming year. One of which is the creation of this blog. Lord knows I don't really need more trivial pursuits to fill my time, but hopefully this blog will lead to something worthwhile. I don't really know the direction it will take, but I've kept a paper journal in the past and not been very diligent with it. Maybe by having it here when I drink my coffee, I'll be more apt to write something profound on a daily basis. The main thrust of this web log will be my thoughts on life. Of course there will be some magic tricks, a little of my magic life philosophy, some political thoughts (from the gray-haired, pony-tailed liberal perspective), hopefully a little sarcastic humor, and of course comments on the all-knowing media. Also, we'll share a few photos and who knows maybe even make a short video here and there.

Here is to a magic new year and a magic life!