18 October 2020

Kyle Leon lecture hosted by Ring 151 (Ottawa)

Ottawa Ring 151 has an online meeting on Monday, open to guests. Join Kyle Leon as he lectures about his original magic creations!

From My Magic Meeting:

Monday, October 19, 2020

Zoom Meeting ID: 84474200409

Zoom meeting password: magic


[With thanks to Ryan Pilling for letting us know!]

17 October 2020

Mike D'Urzo consulting for TallBoyz

From the October 3rd Facebook post by Mega Magic:

On set as the Magic Consultant for Season 2 of the hit show TallBoyz on CBC airing in 2021. Let's just say it's going to be awesome! Definitely an interesting experience shooting TV during these times!




15 October 2020

Thank you to our October 2020 Friends!

Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, Ian Crawford, Matt DiSero, Gwyn Auger, Doug Hunt, John Smithman, Richard Hough, Robin Dawes, Eric Bedard, Loran, and Peter Mennie for being Friends of Canada's Magic!

It's good to have friends like you.

You too can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year! 

Donations of any size are always welcome.





 

14 October 2020

50 Magic Tricks in 5 Minutes with Eric Leclerc

Something fun to start the weekend!

From Eric Leclerc's September 23rd posting to his YouTube channel:



ICYMI, have a look at look at his June 26th reaction video of Eric and Alex Boyer watching the now 10 year old video "40 Magic Tricks in 4 minutes!!! (10 years later)."




13 October 2020

A clear solution for face coverings?

Recently on social media, I’ve seen it suggested that clear plastic "mouth shields" are ideal cloth mask substitutes for performers because they allow the audience to see your facial expressions.


Before you throw away your cloth face masks, be sure to ask yourself (or the mouth shield manufacturer):

Is there scientific evidence to suggest their mouth shield is as good as cloth masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19?

If the manufacturer says that their mouth shields are just as effective as face shields in preventing the spread of COVID-19, consider that the health care community does not support the use of face shields alone as source control (not sharing your germs) or as protection (not getting other people's germs). [1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6],[7],[8],[9],[10]

 


Cheryl Brown of CBC News, published the following on August 29, 2020 in the article "Can I use a mouth shield instead of a mask? Your COVID-19 questions answered" [emphasis mine]:

  • "The experts say no."
  • "'I don't think they're a really good alternative at all,' said Dr. Susy Hota, medical director for infection prevention and control at the University Health Network in Toronto, in a recent interview on The National." and
  • "Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, also said he's 'not a fan' because mouth shields don't collect droplets like a mask would."

 

As you make your decision, please consider your health and the especially the health of those with whom you'll be spending your time.



 

 

 

--------------------

References:

[1] “Focus on: Face Shields for Source Control of COVID-19.” Public Health Ontario, 16 July 2020, www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/main/2020/07/covid-19-face-shields-source-control.pdf?la=en.
 
[2] Gray, Richard. “Why a Face Shield Alone May Not Protect You from Coronavirus.BBC News, BBC, 6 Aug. 2020, www.bbc.com/future/article/20200806-are-face-shields-effective-against-covid-19.
 
[3] Roberge, Raymond J. “Face Shields for Infection Control: A Review.Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Taylor & Francis, 2016; 13(4): 235–242 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015006/.
 
[4] Woods, Michael. “Face Shields vs. Face Masks: Which Is Better?CTV News, CTV, 14 July 2020, ottawa.ctvnews.ca/face-shields-vs-face-masks-which-is-better-1.5023909.
 
[5] Hensley, Laura. “Face Shields Are Easier to Talk in, but Are They Safer than Masks?Global News, Global News, 18 June 2020, globalnews.ca/news/7075262/face-shields-covid-19-coronavirus/.
 
[6] “Can a Face Shield Be Used as a Substitute or a Replacement for a Mask?” Ottawa Public Health, www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/masks.aspx.
 
[7] Duong, Diana. “Masks vs. Face Shields: Which One Is Safer?Healthing.ca, PostMedia, 27 July 2020, www.healthing.ca/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/face-shields-vs-masks-guess-which-one-is-safer.
 
[8] Schimelpfening, Nancy. “Why Plastic Face Shields Aren't a Safe Alternative to Cloth Masks.Healthline, Healthline Media, 1 Sept. 2020, www.healthline.com/health-news/why-plastic-face-shields-arent-a-safe-alternative-to-cloth-masks.
 
[9] “COVID-19: Considerations for Wearing Masks.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 Aug. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html.
 
[10] “Face Shield or Face Mask to Stop the Spread of COVID-19?ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 1 Sept. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200901112231.htm.

12 October 2020

Nova Scotia's Ben Proudfoot wins best director

You may remember that Ben won International Brotherhood of Magicians' Youth Close-Up Magic Contest in 2007.  Congratulations Ben!

 

From the September 28th article "Ben Proudfoot wins best director for short film at Raindance Film Festival" by Susan Bradley in CBC News:

The short films reveal the passion, deep roots and tenaciousness of the artists. "They're our history, our culture, who we are," the 24-year-old said in an interview Monday from Bath, England.

Raindance is one of the largest, most influential independent film festivals in the world, operating in major cities including London, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Berlin.

Proudfoot, who founded Breakwater Studios Ltd. in Los Angeles in 2012, is a graduate of Citadel High School and an accomplished sleight-of-hand magician, winning Canadian and International championships.

​He turned his talents to filmmaking and attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles.

Read more.