Search found 1598 matches

by Roger M.
January 26th, 2024, 8:43 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I watched the film on YouTube, and found that each and every comment or statement David Ben made was 100% accurate. I don't consider the filmmakers "yea but" comments to be particularly damning, nor do I find they offer any sort of credible excuse for the amateur quality of the film. Gener...
by Roger M.
September 7th, 2023, 9:25 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Help Back the Juan Tamariz Documentary
Replies: 22
Views: 2866

Re: Help Back the Juan Tamariz Documentary

Ahhh, my error.
by Roger M.
September 6th, 2023, 9:07 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Help Back the Juan Tamariz Documentary
Replies: 22
Views: 2866

Re: Help Back the Juan Tamariz Documentary

I can see not finding this Kickstarter a particularly beguiling Kickstarter to support ... as this is clearly identified on the Kickstarter page as one of those projects that actually buys you nothing at all not a single reward - not even a DVD . These "no reward" Kickstarter gigs are very...
by Roger M.
August 7th, 2023, 11:10 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

This thread is very probably the wrong place to begin a debate about the necessity or the importance of an ongoing search for Erdnase.
by Roger M.
July 29th, 2023, 10:28 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I watched Michael's video, and wasn't really going to comment on it ... but I do completely agree with Carlo's post above. If, at any point, a participant in the ongoing Erdnase conversation ceases to enjoy the process of exchanging multiple ideas regarding Erdnase and his book with similarly mixed ...
by Roger M.
July 11th, 2023, 10:15 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I agree that "discredited" is overstating, and a bit cruel in respect to Gardner.
Perhaps "superseded" is a better word choice?

I consider Gardners work undertaken in his search for Erdnase's identity to be crucial, and reference The Gardner-Smith Correspondence often.
by Roger M.
July 10th, 2023, 4:23 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

For those who were following the developing search for the identity of Erdnase back in 1991, I think the most profound change to the prevailing wisdom of the day (as put forward by Busby, Gardner, and Whaley) regarding Milton Franklin Andrews was the definitive 1991 publication by Thomas Sawyer of S...
by Roger M.
July 8th, 2023, 10:01 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I think your age range is very accurate Tom. And although you removed M.D. Smith from the equation, you did land almost exactly where M.D. Smith indicated you might land when Smith stated to Gardner that "he was about 40, not over 45" . Taking everything into account, including the fact th...
by Roger M.
July 5th, 2023, 10:05 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I remember Olegs posts in this thread and over on the Cafe. He typed with “an accent” and asked a great many interesting questions! RIP
by Roger M.
May 26th, 2023, 1:21 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

Stephen Burton wrote:
It's the truncated version with only 178 pages so not as collectible as other Drake copies.


Indeed, because it's not often mentioned in the ongoing conversation, I wonder how many folks realize that there's 30 or so pages of card tricks missing from this particular Drake edition?
by Roger M.
April 26th, 2023, 9:18 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

Jack Shalom wrote:Did Miracle Factory ever actually come out with their Erdnase book?

No, not yet.
It's still in production with the pre-orders now closed (to resume upon publication) and the deluxe edition sold out.

There is no timeline offered for its delivery.
by Roger M.
April 8th, 2023, 12:53 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Harry Lorayne
Replies: 36
Views: 5510

Re: Harry Lorayne

This is incredibly sad news.
I once put my large red hardcover Apocalypse Book 2 up for sale in an online forum, and Harry immediately responded to my post asking if I was crazy or just broke!
Irascible, genius, and one of the few absolute giants of card magic.
by Roger M.
April 8th, 2023, 12:34 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I've come to believe that the path to a confirmation of the identity of Erdnase very likely lies somewhere within the contents of this very thread. It's not obvious, but I believe it's somewhere within. Going back through old posts, and re-reading some of the longer linear conversations relating to ...
by Roger M.
February 1st, 2023, 9:27 am
Forum: Collector's Marketplace
Topic: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine
Replies: 95
Views: 14087

Re: Looking for al Stranger miracle poker machine

I sent a couple more extremely polite notes to Mr. Stranger after my first note back in 2021 (referenced in an above post), but I didn't get a response to any of them. The fact that Brad got a response at all makes it worth hanging on to the Poker Machine, but it would likely be best to consider it ...
by Roger M.
December 11th, 2022, 9:57 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

My candidate is Emory Cobb Andrews Zenner and a few other contributors to this thread mentioned E.C. Andrews about 7 years ago. I believe Zenner thought that E.C. Andrews himself wasn't Erdnase, but that Harry S. Thompson (Zenners candidate) usurped his name in order to conceal his own identity? He...
by Roger M.
October 26th, 2022, 10:00 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

There isn't much support here for Wasshuber's endless claims that Gallaway is Erdnase, although I too read his newsletter, primarily as a long time customer of Lybrary's other offerings. Wasshuber has a personal research methodology that involves massive leaps of faith, and definitive claims lacking...
by Roger M.
October 7th, 2022, 9:21 am
Forum: Close-Up Magic
Topic: Marked Cards - on edges
Replies: 15
Views: 2161

Re: Marked Cards - on edges

A more accurate description of the Palmettos would be that they are a one-way design on the edges of each card , such that any card turned around 180 degrees from the remainder of the deck (as long as the remainder is all oriented the same way) can be identified in an assembled pack by looking at th...
by Roger M.
September 29th, 2022, 9:11 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

Very interesting Tom, and good to see your thoughts on Erdnase and his book in posts again!
by Roger M.
September 12th, 2022, 8:39 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Don't Miss Your Chance to Buy the Best "Dean's Box" Ever Made
Replies: 11
Views: 2090

Re: Don't Miss Your Chance to Buy the Best "Dean's Box" Ever Made

Sefalalgia in all its forms is a mighty fine effect ... thanks very much - Stewart James :)
by Roger M.
August 14th, 2022, 11:21 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Jerry Sadowitz at the Edinburgh Fringe
Replies: 23
Views: 2871

Re: Jerry Sadowitz at the Edinburgh Fringe

Like it or not, 2022 is "woke" ... and racist, offensive, 60 year old men waving their willy's in an audience members face won't ever fly in this particular point in history. Sadowitz knows what he does, and he does it all very specifically by design and to get a reaction ... in this case ...
by Roger M.
August 11th, 2022, 10:02 am
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

I put as much stock in Wasshubers film review as I do in his Erdnase research, which is to say no stock whatsoever.

Wasshuber can't see that the primary negative criticism of the film is the fact that the filmmaker choose to include him in it.
by Roger M.
August 9th, 2022, 11:14 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

How is the film as a film? Is there some resolution in the film? Roshamon? The cinematography is well done ... but you already know how it ends. We still don't have a clue who S.W. Erdnase really was, and as clock and calendar move ever forward, it seems the question may go eternally unanswered.
by Roger M.
August 9th, 2022, 4:24 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

At a German screening the director explained that leaving Sanders out was mainly a dramatic choice, for lack of a dramatic key scene that could have been reenacted. He choose to include Gallaway, a candidate with zero evidence to support his candidacy - over Sanders? And did so because Sanders has ...
by Roger M.
August 8th, 2022, 10:04 pm
Forum: General
Topic: ERDNASE
Replies: 8153
Views: 12005748

Re: ERDNASE

Considering one of the candidates they did choose to include, I'd not put too much stock in the depth of research that led to the selections they made.
by Roger M.
August 4th, 2022, 1:45 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Bob Little Has Died
Replies: 80
Views: 7025

Re: Bob Little Has Died

Whatever the man may have done or not in his life, that's between him and his maker now. Actually it’s not. All the kids he abused, and all those folks who support those kids have every right to opine on what a piece of trash Little was. So in effect, it’s between Little and whomever wants to rende...
by Roger M.
July 28th, 2022, 12:42 am
Forum: Collector's Marketplace
Topic: Todd Lassen Set F/S
Replies: 7
Views: 1721

Re: Todd Lassen Set F/S

Yes Shaun, I was indeed!
Sorry for intruding on your thread :)
by Roger M.
July 27th, 2022, 9:26 am
Forum: Collector's Marketplace
Topic: Todd Lassen Set F/S
Replies: 7
Views: 1721

Re: Todd Lassen Set F/S

Shaun wrote:Todd Lassen Belly Stripper gadget for sale. Only 10 made.
350.00

Todd definitely made more than 10 of these. He made a few runs, the final run was an edition of 10.
You may want to check your pricing on this, as previous second hand sales have seen prices almost double what you're asking.
by Roger M.
July 25th, 2022, 10:21 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Merlin award scam - an article by Tom Stone
Replies: 62
Views: 6295

Re: Merlin award scam - an article by Tom Stone

Excellent article Tom, very detailed.

It's amazing that even when some magicians know something is a complete scam, there are still some who will still try to leverage that scam to their advantage.
by Roger M.
July 22nd, 2022, 6:39 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Of course the Magic Cafe will be back at some point in 2022, with maybe only dozens, or perhaps thousands of posts missing ... that was never really the issue. The issue is the fundamental dishonesty from Brooks and his minions surrounding the "offline" period, and the implications that su...
by Roger M.
July 20th, 2022, 9:43 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

The last hard drive change I performed also included a reinstallation of the OS and the database the old drive contained (all HD video in my case, megabytes larger than the Cafes minuscule text based content). I began the installation at around 9:30am, and the new drive was in place, and the compute...
by Roger M.
July 15th, 2022, 9:31 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Steve Brooks has just posted a message on Facebook which I strongly suspect is directed at this thread. "LET THEM BE UNKIND. LET THEM GOSSIP. LET THEM CRITIZE YOU. JUST DON'T LISTEN. THEY ARE PICKING ON YOU BECAUSE THEY FEEL BADLY ABOUT THEMSELVES. NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR WORTH UNLESS YOU LE...
by Roger M.
July 14th, 2022, 11:19 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Brooks dishonesty continues with the server obviously functioning such that it can produce a landing page, albeit an "error" landing page, but a landing page nonetheless. Brooks claimed this offline status was all due to a physical server move, and once the server reached its new home, all...
by Roger M.
July 13th, 2022, 8:59 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Brooks is no longer blaming their "data center" (which is likely Gene's basement) ... but is now apparently "doing everything humanly possible behind the scenes" to get the Cafe back up: Steve Brooks I want to thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Please know t...
by Roger M.
July 11th, 2022, 12:53 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Explains a lot about the disrespectful and miserable moderation of the Cafe. Can you imagine the ignorant, abusive mindset that would allow for the creation of these dozens of un-funny, and fundamentally distasteful cartoons? Political cartoons are intended to have an "edge" by design ... ...
by Roger M.
July 11th, 2022, 9:12 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Apparently Brooks hasn't been too sick to indulge his "other" occupation as an aspiring political cartoonist (yes, it's really Brooks):
https://www.thejerx.com/blog/2022/7/10/ ... old-friend
by Roger M.
July 10th, 2022, 1:09 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

ETA is sometime tomorrow according to Gene on Facebook. These statements are fabrications, not to be believed. Best to just presume it's offline for good, and then be somewhat surprised when it suddenly shows back up as if nothing unusual has occurred. Although what Brad posted above is unfortunate...
by Roger M.
July 7th, 2022, 7:36 pm
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

I think it's likely #2 on your short list of speculations, with Brooks and his wife apparently quite unwell, and his now decades long claim that the Magic Cafe actually costs him money, as opposed to either paying for itself, or generating revenue. I believe they do have a fairly robust back-up syst...
by Roger M.
July 5th, 2022, 10:01 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: A New Edition of Greater Magic is Coming
Replies: 102
Views: 26462

Re: A New Edition of Greater Magic is Coming

I haven't been purchasing a lot of magic books in the past few years (I ran out of shelf space), breaking that rule only for the recent Steve Forte tomes ... but this is something I'm ordering as soon as Richard announces that he's put an order page up.
by Roger M.
July 5th, 2022, 9:56 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

Anybody who buys the explanation being offered needs to give their head a shake. You don't have to be an IT expert to recognize that nothing "Gene" or Brooks is saying makes any sense whatsoever. I do believe the Cafe will be back online at some point, possibly with Brooks at the helm, and...
by Roger M.
July 2nd, 2022, 12:02 am
Forum: Buzz
Topic: Disappearing Magic Cafe!
Replies: 157
Views: 20060

Re: Disappearing Magic Cafe!

After Brooks references all Cafe users who ask why the Cafe is offline to be "idiots", giving him "slack" is definitely not in the cards. His abusive language has nothing to do with his families misfortunes ... in that the family misfortunes are unavoidable and very sad, but will...

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