is no one listening?

[Guest]

Mr. Verner,

I hope that I can get this in before you quit posting (if not, though, I would just like to thank you for taking your valuable time and contributing, what is, invaluable insights into your youth in conjunction with your father).

My question (which is very personal, but I consider it to be important):

Are you getting any of the royalties from the massive amount of material that is being published on your father? Presently, the number of books coming out regarding The Professor is mind numbing. I would think it a true shame that you, or at least Vernon's estate, should not be paid a fair amount for the profits being reaped on his name.

Of course, I know that laws do not exist that force payment to the deceased, but I also know that money can make laws bend to their side - like anything that has Elvis's name on it has to pay royalties to the Elvis estate. Again, though, that is all about the money and anyone trying to bypass the estate will pay dearly in court.

Yet again, I realize that this is a very personal question, but if these authors and publishers are not paying a royalty to you, or your family in some way, this only goes to prove to me what I already believe: The magic community, on the whole, is "every man for himself" and a very ugly establishment.

Whether you reply or not, thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Mike.

[Guest]

How this could possibly be any of your, (or anybody else's) business, is beyond imagination.

If Mr. Vernon's son, wanted to discuss anything of that nature, he could/would do so.

I doubt Vernon's family would participate with those, who are devoted to preserving his legacy and their interests as well, if they felt otherwise.

I have enjoyed reading Mr. Verner's posts and sorry when they are sometimes, distracted, in the wrong directions.
Rather than this thread getting side-tracked again, I believe most would appreciate any posts, he may want to do, that are of real interest.

[Richard Kaufman]

As the publisher of The Vernon Touch, I can answer your question: The Larsen family paid Dai Vernon for every installment of The Vernon Touch as it appeared in Genii. So, the Vernon Touch columns were the property of Genii and I purchased the rights when I purchased the magazine. In cases like this, no royalties are paid.

[Pete Biro]

That's right. And when I wrote the monthly column, The REEL Works... Bill Larsen paid me every month.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Diego Domingo:
How this could possibly be any of your, (or anybody else's) business, is beyond imagination.

If Mr. Vernon's son, wanted to discuss anything of that nature, he could/would do so.

I doubt Vernon's family would participate with those, who are devoted to preserving his legacy and their interests as well, if they felt otherwise.

I have enjoyed reading Mr. Verner's posts and sorry when they are sometimes, distracted, in the wrong directions.
Rather than this thread getting side-tracked again, I believe most would appreciate any posts, he may want to do, that are of real interest.

I'm not asking for numbers or figures. I simply wanted to know if royalties were being paid where they were due (not legally, but ethically).

Maybe you find it interesting to have Mr. Verner explain, a half dozen times (go back and look - that's no joke) that Vernon wasn't a good piano player, but I only need to see it once to get the idea.

The fact that I ask the question means that it is a question of interest, whether or not it is of interest to you.

But, it has been answered anyway and further proof of my theory, above.

Mike.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Michael Jay:
[I'm not asking for numbers or figures. I simply wanted to know if royalties were being paid where they were due (not legally, but ethically).
[Snip]
But, it has been answered anyway and further proof of my theory, above.

Mike.

Legally? Ethically? What are you talking about?

Richard Kaufman bought a magazine. With that magazine came certain material that was bought and paid for by the previous owner. Kaufman now owns it. He chose to excercise his rights and publish.

The original publisher paid the original writer and the rights ported over to the new owner of Genii. End of story. Kaufman has no legal or ethical duty to anyone else.

Are you suggesting that Kaufman has some fantasy "ethical" duty to pay Derek Verner a royalty to publish material Kaufman already owns?

If that is your position, I'd like to know what planet you're living on, because it ain't this one.

[Guest]

Know what? I came on here to ask Mr. Verner a question, which is what I did.

Worry about you. I'll worry about me and you worry about you. You are not Mr. Verner and I'm really not talking to you, or anyone else.

Life would be so much easier if people would simply worry about themselves.

Mike.

[Guest]

Michael, Mr. Alexander is one of the guys who I highly value because of his experience and just the simple fact he has earned the right to say what he likes or feels. You can disagree but please be polite and show respect for a gentleman who truely has earned it. Thank you.
Steve V

[Guest]

Originally posted by Michael Jay:


Life would be so much easier if people would simply worry about themselves.

Now there's a depressing thought -- people being even more selfish and self-centered than they already are. Maybe we should all have our own forums and just talk to ourselves.

Seriously, David Alexander is obviously a sharp guy and knows the ins and outs of publishing. I don't think he was attacking you, more like saying, What the f***? Sorry for the intrusion. I'll go back to worrying about myself now. :D

[Guest]

Oh, well, then my apologies. Feel free to put me down any time you please, Mr. Alexander.

I don't know what got into me - feeling like I have the right to defend myself when treated poorly and believing that I have some kind of right to react in kind.

Again, my apologies. Sometimes I forget why I don't post on these boards.

Mike.

[Guest]

He didn't put you down, he gave a balanced response.
Steve V

[Guest]

Originally posted by Jim Coles:
Maybe we should all have our own forums and just talk to ourselves.

Some folks seem to think these are one-on-one discussions when they clearly are not. They are forums for the input of a number of people of different backgrounds, ages and clearly temperament. I have occasionally popped into these "Vernon's son" threads but they are hard to take for any length of time as they seem to quickly devolve into sniping.

In Mr. Jay's case it seems there might be a hint of what cartoonist Berkeley Breathed termed "offensensitivity" while others offer a touch of cutting wit which comes off as sarcasm in the written word. Perhaps we should all take a deep breath and start again. Or just get out the long knives and keep going until Richard has had enough.

[Guest]

The name of this thread is apt. CHS