Has The Magic Cafe Vanished?

[Larry Barnowsky]

Thanks for the update Steve. I appreciate all your efforts.

Larry

[Guest]

Originally posted by Jolly Roger:
Thank you Steve Brooks for the update! I really appreciate it. I regularly visit "The Little Darlings" to see what is going on over there. Hopefully, one day, you will allow me to post on there again..........as I have been told that many there enjoyed my contributions!! Good luck, and a Very Merry Christmas to you and your family! Roger

I would have to ask Steve as well if he'd be willing to reconsider haveing Roger back on the cafe. It might stir some pots and get the section cooking more on the "Little Darlings"...at the same time I think that we'd have to make sure Roger promised not to set the stove to "broil" ;)
Steve, whatever my moods may be, I always enjoy the cafe! I'm sure you'll be up again and running soon!
God Bless and Happy Holidays,
Chris

[Guest]

"I think that we'd have to make sure Roger promised not to set the stove to "broil""

Sorry Chris....you've lost me on this one!! :help: JR

[Pete Biro]

Steve; thanks for the update.

[Guest]

good luck Steve. happy holidays.

Thanks for the update.

kevin

[Guest]

I appreciate that Steve finally gave an update but with all due respect in this day of instant response most sites give you an immediate status of their problem.

[Guest]

I used to manage an IT dept. for a bank and have dealt with crashed servers, etc firsthand. While a prompt communication would have been nice, I can gaurantee that Gene & Mary were busier than a couple of one legged men in an ass kicking contest trying to get things up and running.

I sure don't miss those days. They'll get it running soon.

Jack

[Guest]

Randwill wrote >>With the Cafe off-line, my greatest fear is that the lunatics in the "Penny for your thoughts" section (mental magic) might wander away from their homes or padded cells and start interacting with the general population.

I shouldn't have, I know, but I had some fun with those guys ("Penny for your thoughts" section (mental magic)) a few months back. I had accidentally found an article online about James Randi's attacks on Monster brand speaker cables, their claim of superiority for very high price, etc.
Randi said he would pay one million dollars if the speaker cable company could prove they were really worth $1000 a foot or however much it was. I put a title saying "Randi's 1 Million Dollar Challenge" or something, with a link to the article.
Immediately there was a response that accused Randi of "changing the rules", a counter response, counter-counter response, lots of name calling, etc. etc.
Nobody seemed to click the link to the article. Everybody seems to have assumed it was about Randi's challenge to the mentalists, phenomenonalists, whatever; and carried their fights on into that thread.
It went on for a few days and pages till I revealed the whole thing was about SPEAKER CABLES. Needless to say, that was that.
Fun while it lasted...

[Guest]

What I mean, Roger, is that you are a very witty person, and I think that many on the Little Darlings on the cafe simply don't understand comedy, PERIOD.
Many don't get this business because they simply aren't in it. They WANT to be, but they ARE NOT. They have no concept, and this includes many in...ummm..upper strata on such site... that in this business we HAVE to be in people's faces a bit..in fact this is the MOST HONEST form of ad our there...unlike the devious "hey, can you bring my thread back to the top, I have to sell more widgets" crap that goes on. Personally, I think it really insults people's intelligence.
You were honorable in your ads, and you were a paying SPONSOR. You had as much right to push your product as Axtell, Wolf, Creative or any of the others out there pushing props.
However, if Brooks let you on again, I think you'd have to lay low on the advertising for a bit...that's what I mean, partially, by "broil" as well.
Chris

[Guest]

"What I mean, Roger, is that you are a very witty person, and I think that many on the Little Darlings on the cafe simply don't understand comedy, PERIOD."

Thank you for that, Chris, and I believe you are correct in your assumption. Humour is a curious thing, and sometimes it does not always translate into the written word in the way that it does in verbal discourse. I have noticed that there are one or two individuals even on this wonderful forum, who are sadly lacking in the comedic arts. They seem to think I am being serious, when I am tongue in cheek! Here are some video clips of me performing. This may help you put a face to the written word:

http://www.comicmagician.com/video_page.html

Back to topic. I notice that Steve Brooks did not tell us his projected estimation as to on what date and time he expected his forum to return. He may not know, but Steve....if you are still out there, this information would be most useful!

I will state out front that I am not a technical person, so I bow down to those with greater expertise in these fields. However, I am a huge fan of The Busker's Forum, run by Danny Hustle, as I know many of you are. I wonder if Danny will agree with all that Steve says in his post, or whether he has a different perspective on it? I understand they have the same server.........and that is all I know. If you are out there, Danny, it would be great to hear fom you! I believe you are a member of the GF. JR

[Guest]

What? You think Brooks is lying or not telling ALL in his post JR? That Danny's version may be different or more forthcoming? If that's some of the humor you mention in a previous post, I guess I don't get it! And, I'm a funny guy!

[Guest]

Don't get your knickers in a twist, Micky! I am simply asking if Danny has the same perspective on it all as Steve. It would be nice to hear from him. No where did I suggest that Steve is a liar. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Brooks. JR

[Guest]

Cool!

[Roger M.]

Originally posted by Mickey Painless:
What? You think Brooks is lying or not telling ALL in his post JR?

There are many management folks who will tell you that complete transparency and openness in order to maintain credibility is what the public expects these days......and the public has become expert at sensing when that's not happening.

Does it take 48+ hours to fix what Steve has described is wrong? My IT manager says "no it doesn't".........which goes on to imply that there may be more going on that what has been stated.

That folks are interested should be expected, but in the end it's Steve's business, and it's also his call as to what to say, when to say it, and how much to say.

Would I (and it appears others) do things differently in terms of what I choose to say to my clients and users if I were him in this same situation?.........yes I definitely would.

[Larry Barnowsky]

Look, Steve gave us his assessment of what the problem was. When troubleshooting systems your initial diagnosis may be wrong or incomplete. Obviously they're running into more problems than they initially thought they had. Second guessing how long it should take to fix something by an outside IT expert who is not at the site and doesn't know exactly what they are running is ludicrous.

[Guest]

"Does it take 48+ hours to fix what Steve has described is wrong? My IT manager says "no it doesn't".........which goes on to imply that there may be more going on that what has been stated."

That is most interesting, Blair. As stated previously, I know little about matters technical. However, I do have a close friend who was a computer engineer for many years, and he tells me there has to be a lot more going on behind the scenes than was stated in Steve's post yesterday. I am simply reporting this to you, and hopefully Steve will shortly be able to give us an update. I also know that Danny Hustle over at The Buskers is extremely concerned as to what is happening, as are many of us. JR

[Richard Kaufman]

Jeez, quit the damn bickering. Steve has my sympathy--he must be tearing his hair out right now. Give the guy a break and let him get his business up and running again.

[Todd Lassen]

I hope the Cafe gets back up soon, Steve... each time it goes down I have to look up dozens of passwords to get my alias community back up and running. What a hassle!!

[Larry Barnowsky]

When the Cafe comes back up I say Steve should grant Todd Lassen a pardon. After all, President Bush pardoned a bunch of convicted criminals for the holiday season, the crack sellers are going to get out early due to a recent Supreme Court ruling. So why not Todd? He spells better than most Cafe members and although he has multiple personalities, he usually behaves well. This way he won't have to remember all those passwords for his community of clones. :)

[Guest]

The Cafe appears to be alive and well - right here on the Genii Forum.

Andrew

[Guest]

Originally posted by AJM:
The Cafe appears to be alive and well - right here on the Genii Forum

For those who appreciate the GF's unique culture, that's not a pleasant thought. The Cafe appears to have found its niche, and I hope GF never caters to the same niche -- or aims to.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Jolly Roger:
Thank you Steve Brooks for the update! I really appreciate it. I regularly visit "The Little Darlings" to see what is going on over there. Hopefully, one day, you will allow me to post on there again..........as I have been told that many there enjoyed my contributions!! Good luck, and a Very Merry Christmas to you and your family! Roger

I'd like to see Roger posting on the Little Darlings again too Steve! His posts were always fun and thought-provoking, even when he was pushing his Ridiculous Ravioli. It used to be such FUN on that part of the forum and Roger was a great part of that.

Hope you get all your server problems sorted soon!

[Guest]

Thank you John! Welcome to the Genii Forum. Kimmo is one of the top children's entertainers in England, performing both magic and vent. I understand he has been booked to lecture at the "Kidology" convention in England next year. JR

[Guest]

Whatever happened to the Jolly Roger convention is what I'd like to know mate!

;)

[Guest]

Originally posted by Blair Morris:
Does it take 48+ hours to fix what Steve has described is wrong? My IT manager says "no it doesn't"

Then he's guessing...

Without knowing exactly what went wrong, what software and patch level of software is being used, what sort of backups are available, what method was used for the backups, what HARDWARE was used for the backups and how much post-restore configuration is necessary he's not talking about Steve's systems, he's talking about his own systems (which may or may not be comparable).

[Guest]

Ahhh, the cafe is indeed alive and kicking.

Chill out everybody, all the stress won't help anything and this season is full of stress enough already.

Think of this as an opportunity to reflect on what made the cafe good and bad, both of which are reflected in this thread.

Thomas Edison: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.



Mark Twain: I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.

[Guest]

You might have a good idea there Larry.... I don't personally own any of Todd's work (yet) but I understand once you have some of his gaffus it is as addicting as crack! Never read any posts by Todd on the Cafe so I have no clue as to why he was ousted but I read on there daily posts by people that I don't understand how they duck the management! Oh well, I'm but a lowly subscriber there to enjoy! :p

[Guest]

"Whatever happened to the Jolly Roger convention is what I'd like to know mate!"

Hello JM! It is possible that some people on here may not know what you are talking about. About a year ago, on the green place, I suggested the idea of a kids convention to be held in Arizona every January. It was going to be quite different to Kidabra, and I had many members from around the world supporting me. I was going to fly in acts from England, and overseas, that American magicians might not be familiar with. I brought this up on a thread on the cafe, and, to be frank with you, all hell broke loose!! The result was that the thread was removed, and I was banned from The Magic Cafe. This ban appears to be permenant, and no explanation has ever been given to me as to the reason. Many believe that it is because the good folk at Kidabra felt threatened. This is why a number of people, even on this present thread, are outraged and are requesting my reinstatement. Hopefully Steve Brooks is listening.

In answer to your question, Johnny, I am hoping that one day this will take place. I have the full support of Mark Daniel, who organises Kidabra, along with Ken Scott and others from the Kidabra team. I shall keep you posted! JR

[Guest]

Originally posted by AJM:
The Cafe appears to be alive and well - right here on the Genii Forum.

Andrew

Hey everybody, what are your top 5 favorite tricks with Blackque Tigers?

[Guest]

Originally posted by frank starsinic:

Originally posted by AJM:
[b] The Cafe appears to be alive and well - right here on the Genii Forum.

Andrew

Hey everybody, what are your top 5 favorite tricks with Blackque Tigers? [/b]

Ah, potentially "5th in the series". ;)

[Guest]

Originally posted by Magicam:

Originally posted by AJM:
[b] The Cafe appears to be alive and well - right here on the Genii Forum

For those who appreciate the GF's unique culture, that's not a pleasant thought. The Cafe appears to have found its niche, and I hope GF never caters to the same niche -- or aims to. [/b]

Likewise, there are a lot of people on the GF and the MC who wouldn't get the Zeitgeist of Conjure Nation.

Man, it's fun being elitist!

[Guest]

Greetings,
Unfortunately I feel the need to come on here and set the record straight, as allegations are flying.

Steve Brooks has not lied nor is he hiding anything as is being hinted at.

(Jolly) Roger Blake of Arizona, who was banned from the cafe is enjoying his sour grapes at the moment. He and his few partners are here to whine. I can tell you the cafe does not ban people without reason. Those reasons are not for public knowledge however.

The cafe is quite aware that Roger is not actually gone from the cafe though as he maintains a variety of aliases there (nearly all of which are regular trouble makers) and many of his aliases have been banned as well.

As you are beginning to see now on the Genii forums he likes to stir up trouble with comments like:

(on being banned)
"...it is because the good folk at Kidabra felt threatened."

(on Steve Brooks)
"I do have a close friend who was a computer engineer for many years, and he tells me there has to be a lot more going on behind the scenes than was stated in Steve's post yesterday."

Passive aggressive statements like this are his specialty. He must not actually perform much because he spends huge amounts of time on message boards injecting venom and spreading hatred while smiling and saying "I hate no one", or "it was just a joke".

He holds the record for deleted posts and banned aliases, proof of his tactics and personality. The good news is here on the Genii board the IP addresses are logged and he will be unable to "hide", and the Cafe is investigating similar programs.

This is not an attack on Roger but rather a defense of Steve who he has basically been called a liar. And I believe we need to drag into the light who Roger is so readers here can discern his statements and what context they are derived from.

Denman

[Guest]

Interesting!
Thanks for that Denman!
Mick

[Guest]

"This is not an attack on Roger but rather a defense of Steve who he has basically been called a liar."

Denman...........I do not know who you are, but it is very sad that you have come on to this forum with what appears to be your first post, and made a number of allegations which are, indeed, untruths. Please give me an example of where I have called Steve Brooks a liar? I have tremendous respect for the man, and he has done a wonderful job with The Magic Cafe. However, that does not mean I should not be allowed an opinion about some of their editing policies, does it?

1)I am not on the magic cafe under another name. If I am, tell me what it is please?

2)If there is a reason I was banned from the cafe, why don't you or Steve Brooks make it public? Nobody has ever given me a reason, so I have to draw my own conclusions. All I know is that I was banned in the middle of a thread where I was suggesting a children's convention in Arizona.

3)For your information, I am a full time profession entertainer, doing mainly children's shows. I average around 400 shows a year. I have been doing this for forty years. I will be 60 years old next year. In the late 1980's I ran the largest children's entertainment agency in London. I am an Associate of The Inner Magic Circle, and wrote a column in the Magic Circular. I also wrote a column in Abracadabra for a number of years, under the title "Jolly Roger Goes West." Last year I was a featured lecturer at The Blackpool Convention in England, and next year I am competing in the children's entertainer world championships in Blackpool in February.

4)"he spends huge amounts of time on message boards injecting venom and spreading hatred while smiling and saying "I hate no one", or "it was just a joke"."

Please give me one single example of of where I have injected hate or venom?

5) I really believe you should get your facts right before you make such outrageous allegations, my friend! JR

[Guest]

Hi Denman:

Its usually helpful to hear another side to a story. So glad youre aboard here.

When folks post with the kind of conviction youve shown, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt that they have given careful thought to what they have to say. So the following questions and observations are sincere.

Would you mind telling us exactly what your relationship (if any) is with Steve? Close friend? Consultant? Caf Member? Caf staff member? Etc.

Would you mind telling us if you previously discussed with Steve the idea of posting a rebuttal to Roger here on GF and whether or not Steve provided you with input on the content of your post?

Now to a few of your comments:

Originally posted by Denman Campbell:
Greetings,
Unfortunately I feel the need to come on here and set the record straight, as allegations are flying. Steve Brooks has not lied nor is he hiding anything as is being hinted at.

Just to be clear: your post was made because allegations are flying. Sounds like a lot of allegations are being made. Can you please name just 2 or 3 allegations being made against Steve on this thread? [you might want to look up the meaning of allegation before you respond]

Originally posted by Denman Campbell:
I can tell you the cafe does not ban people without reason. Those reasons are not for public knowledge however.

For your statement to carry any weight, you must be very familiar with Caf management and practices and have participated in decisions to ban people, which must mean that you are a staff member. I know Im reading between the lines, but it sounds like you are stating that nobody has been banned from the Caf for personal or petty reasons, and that the decision to ban a user is made soberly and fairly. By implication, that in turn means that it doesnt matter whether you are a friend of Steves, an advertiser, or a big name, if you conduct yourself the same way another guy did who got banned, youll get banned too no favoritism. Would you please confirm that the foregoing are accurate statements?

Publicizing why so-and-so was banned is, as you may be implying, probably not a good policy and adds insult to injury to the person being banned. But since folks only get banned for (presumably good?) reason, is it safe to assume that they are privately told, however briefly, the reason(s) why? If thats not the Cafs policy, would you please explain why?

Will you please state whether or not Roger was in fact notified of the reason for being banned from the Caf? It sounds like Roger is inviting Steve to publicly state the reasons why he was banned. If you really want to set the record straight on Roger, wouldnt it just cut to the chase to state such reasons and thus expose Roger for the pain in the ass you imply that he is?

Originally posted by Denman Campbell:
The cafe is quite aware that Roger is not actually gone from the cafe though as he maintains a variety of aliases there (nearly all of which are regular trouble makers) and many of his aliases have been banned as well.

Would you mind giving us just 2 (of the many) aliases of Roger and provide links to where hes been a trouble maker?

Originally posted by Denman Campbell:
Passive aggressive statements like this are his specialty...

This is not an attack on Roger but rather a defense of Steve ....

I gather this is your tongue-in-cheek manner of imitating what you claim is Rogers behavior?

Originally posted by Denman Campbell:
I believe we need to drag into the light who Roger is so readers here can discern his statements and what context they are derived from.

As you recognize, context is indeed critical. Which is why Im sure you will be eager to respond fully and candidly to this post because you appreciate that my queries are intended to give context to your post.

Denman, to give some context to my attitude towards Steve Brooks, please read this post . And please feel free to reply/rebut if youd like, especially if you see anything about it which is incorrect.

And finally to you Roger:

Please tell us if you have signed up on the Caf under any aliases and if any of those have in fact been banned.

Clay

[Brandon Hall]

Originally posted by Jolly Roger:
Today is December 11th, and I am unable to log on to The Magic Cafe. Is anyone else having difficulties? JR

So Roger, you're now saying you don't continue to visit the Cafe?

[Guest]

"So Roger, you're now saying you don't continue to visit the Cafe?"

Let me clarify, as there is obviously some confusion. The cafe is a public forum. I visit it quite regularly to see what is going on, mainly in The Little Darlings. However, I do not post on there. I have been banned, and I understand that part of the cafe rules are that you cannot post if you have been banned. I am not on there under any other sign on names.

Clay.........thank you so much for your post. It will be interesting to see what Denman has to say on the points you raise!! It will be good to have all this out in the open. JR

[Guest]

Originally posted by Brandon Hall:

Originally posted by Jolly Roger:
[b] Today is December 11th, and I am unable to log on to The Magic Cafe. Is anyone else having difficulties? JR

So Roger, you're now saying you don't continue to visit the Cafe? [/b]

FYI one need not "log in" to view most sections of the cafe.

To impugn by deletion is also the sort of passive aggressive/behavior someone else complained about above.

[Brandon Hall]

Jonathan, with all due respect, I felt his statement was impugnable and I can be an impugner at times...

[Guest]

I think it all comes down to terminology. I am naive about this computer language, but I realise there must be a difference between "log in" and "log on." If I said the wrong thing, I apologise! As JT correctly says, anyone is able to view the threads on the cafe, without participating. I believe I am what is known as a "lurker" but that always sounds somewhat obscene!! :confused: JR