Came across a daily-news site with, among its dozens of daily items, this:

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"WEEKEND PROJECT - TEACH YOURSELF A MAGIC TRICK

Impress your friends and family with ten different easy to learn magic tricks this weekend, all taught and demonstrated in video format. Tricks include:

The snap card. This tutorial demonstrates how to make a card selected by the audience appear on your hand instantly.

Coin into Can. Using this technique, the audience receives the illusion that a coin has instantly been forced into and unopened can.

Glass through table - Amazingly simple yet effective trick where you force a glass through the table.

Yes, you could be cleaning out the garage instead, but how could you pass up a chance like this to become the next David Copperfield? Plus, it's a superb way to impress the ladies (and that's me as a lady speaking, yall)."

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My Question (before you howl "exposure" like banshees in heat):

What's so wrong about a LITTLE magic for the average guy?

How many of us were thrilled, as kids, when Uncle Al visited and pulled a quarter out of our ear? Or showed us something with (one of the millions out there sold by pitchmen) a Svengali Deck? Maybe even inspired us to learn magic? Did we turn away in disgust saying "Shame on you Uncle Al, and shame on whoever exposed these secrets to you"?

BTW, even Uncle Al taught me something most magicians don't "get" - how much you can get away with right in the audience's plain view, and it still comes across as magic, because they had no idea where to look and weren't expecting what you did (example: that 'coin in the ear' trick) - I'm thinking of making that idea a chapter in my next DVD.

The average muggle already has way too much magic and uses it HORRIBLY.

Can I have your autograph they ask...

Getting involved in spectator sports.

Putting candles on birthday cakes.

Do you know which one is black magic and which two are simply poorly applied magic? And of those two do you know which one is almost always done in a way that is utterly counter-productive?

What benefit is there to giving knowledge without responsibility?

So how about learning a little magic before you spread the joys of knowledge (that should be used responsibly) if at all.

;)

[Pauses ... scratches head ...]

"Wha?"

I'd guess the candles on cake are the black magic, to keep the evil spirits from the good stuff.

Then I go for

"Wha?"

The internet research tools require you to do a little typing.

Has anyone found a good search site that will respond directly to noises, shrugs or waves of a magic wand?

See, you get a WII controller and encase it in a hollow wand...

Come ON! Isn't anybody gonna tell me this attitude will lead to the ultimate total destruction of magic as we know it? One little flame, is that asking so much?

Okay...

This attitude will lead to the total destruction of magic as we know it!

People who expose magic should be tied down next to a giant ant hill and covered with honey!

Or did you want burned at the stake (you did ask for a little flame) lol :-0

The reality of this situation is... Mr average doesn't care, he won't waste his time looking for exposure of magic tricks... the only reason you or I know about this stuff is because we keep disscussing it on forums like this...

And even if he did look it up.. it will be in one ear and out of the other...

The only people who remember is us...

The problem is that people who actively go and watch magic do have an interest in magic . . .