Are magicians trustworthy?

From Twitter:

Someone came to Browser's Den & stole a card signed by Dai Vernon! The worst part is that they damaged it in the theft. Unbelievable!
— Mahdi Gilbert (@mahdigilbert) July 8, 2012

This is right on the heals of this announcement from the MCA blog:

We regret to report that Mario Carrandi, one of the most respected dealers of rare and antiquarian magic, reports the loss of his collection of The Great Raymond lapel stick pins, last seen on display at his dealer booth last week at our 43rd Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago.  

What makes this particularly upsetting is not only that it took place at a conference of peers and in a room in where the security and access were controlled, but also that these objects were of great sentimental value to Mr. Carrandi.

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If anyone has any information with respect to these missing items, please contact the appropriate organization as soon as possible.

An interview with Ben Train

From The Daily Deception a Q and Eh with Ben Train:

Chris Williams - Scotland, UK asks our first question for Q and Eh with Ben Train: What makes magic special to you?

Ben Train:When I was much younger I really struggled just trying to get through life. I had serious trouble making friends, was doing terribly in school, and since I didn’t have an outlet to deal with the frustration I was feeling, I acted out. It was a pretty crappy time for me.Then I found magic.  

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Review: Banachek’s The Alpha Project

From The Toronto Review of Books:

Do certain individuals have the ability to see the future, to read the thoughts of others, or to communicate with the spirit world? Whatever your answers to these questions might be, in his show The Alpha Project an extraordinary performer named Banachek invites spectators into a universe where such superhuman feats are possible. At least, this is true for the first half of his one-man performance, which recently finished its world premiere.

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A question of insurance

James Jordan is looking for an insurance carrier that covers magicians. 

WTF pal insurance exclusively forbids insuring magicians! Perhaps because of our Arcane nature? Any suggestions? @canadasmagic
— James Jordan (@GVS_varietyshow) July 5, 2012

Does anyone out there have some advice for James?

Halifax: End-of-year show

From the Conjurers Court:

The End-of-Year Show will be on Sunday, July 8 at the Company House on Gottingen Street. Time to be announced.

The inimitable Bill Wood hosts a comedy/variety act there on Sundays, and he’s been kind enough to offer us the venue for that night. An extra benefit for us is that there will be “strangers” in the audience coming to see Bill and getting us as well.

So club performers will have the opportunity to perform in front of friends and enemies … I mean, friends we haven’t met yet. Such glee.

If you’d like to perform (And why wouldn’t you?) put together a routine or act running up to 12 to 15 minutes. You can, of course, do less if you’d like.

I would need to know in advance what effect(s) you want to perform so that we don’t have duplicate effects. One Professor’s Nightmare is enough....

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