Hello All:

I've discovered today that ALL of my published work, ebook and hardcover, has been uploaded to a file sharing site by some misfit who lurks here on The Magic Café.

While checking the site (and another site) I found literally Hundreds of uploaded copyrighted ebooks and videos of other creators in mentalism and magic.

I'm doing what I can to have my materials removed and the sites taken down, but I'd urge other concnerned creators and individuals to contact me directly at: tom@thoughtcontrol.ca to learn the names of these sites and for more information as it comes available. I don't want to give these sites or individuals more publicity, as it seems that there are those here who do business with such sites.

Note that I WILL name names publicly if these individuals who do the uploading (or downloading!) are discovered.

Sad that there is such little respect for creators in our art, and such disregard for the law in general.

T. Baxter

PM'D You!

Paul.W
From Israel

Please don't pm me. As I asked in my post, email me directly.

T. Baxter

That sucks !

I am a teacher and I am repeating over and over again to my students (16-17 years old) not to download music, movies, e-books from torrent site as they are "stealing" from the creator, that is a long road dear friends.

It is appalling that this happens but the situation only seems to get worse. As someone who spends a great deal on products I am disgusted when I hear about this kind of thing. Good luck with getting the content taken down.

Information is beginning to trickle in.

Apart the the site I mentioned, I would like any information available on someone calling himself Guardician. Equally, information on anyone you know who frequents his file-sharing-for-magicians site would be useful

Another person of interest to me goes by the username of Tuonela on various sites. Anyone knowing who this person is, please contact me via email.

The identities of those who offer information will be kept confidential.

Many thanks,

T. Baxter

Hi Tom,

If you'd like the name of my DR X (who shoots these things down) just let me know. One needs to look at the policing of such matters on a long term basis. Often, as soon as the files are removed, they are then immediately uploaded. But, it CAN be controlled (to a great extent).

Benny

http://www.dmcanotice.com/

if its any use?

The server is in malaysia according to this site?
http://urldogg.com/guardician.com

Thanks guys.

The more info the better.

T. Baxter

Registration Service Provided By: Exa Bytes Network Sdn Bhd
Contact:

Domain name: guardician.com

Administrative Contact:
Exa Bytes Network Sdn Bhd
Kee Siak Chan ()
+60.6308283
Fax: +60.6308288
1-18-8 Suntech Penang Cybercity
Lintang Mayang Pasir 3
Bayan Baru, PENANG 11900
MY

Technical Contact:
Exa Bytes Network Sdn Bhd
Kee Siak Chan ()
+60.6308283
Fax: +60.6308288
1-18-8 Suntech Penang Cybercity
Lintang Mayang Pasir 3
Bayan Baru, PENANG 11900
MY

Registrant Contact:
Exa Bytes Network Sdn Bhd
Kee Siak Chan ()

Fax:
1-18-8 Suntech Penang Cybercity
Lintang Mayang Pasir 3
Bayan Baru, PENANG 11900
MY

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
ns101.mschosting.com
ns102.mschosting.com

Creation date: 19 Apr 2009 09:51:59
Expiration date: 19 Apr 2011 09:51:59

The good news Tom is that those that engage in this sort of thing are eventually infected by an evil curse.

I think that they must obviously be infected with a curse before they do these sorts of things. Very lame.

I just received a virus email from the fellow named Tuonela. My anti-virus caught it and sent it packing.

- T. Baxter

While there is no way to prevent theft, IMO the best protection is to publish only in traditional print format and NEVER in digital. While it is true that anything printed can be scanned and digitized, print media that consists of hundreds of pages poses a challenge that is apt to discourage anyone who does not have access to a high-speed automated system. It is nearly impossible to protect anything that is in digital form.

The attitude towards copyright these days is apalling. A musician I know had a phonecall from a 'fan' a few years ago. First, he congratulated him with his new album, then he complained that he could not download the album for free on Napster.
I like how Scott Wells put it on Banachek's 'Radio Magic' CDs: "By copying these CDs you will be violating Steve Shaw's copyright and his right to earn a living"

Tom's books are too good to be put into PDfs anyway. They should all be hard backs.

I heard you...
I also think the only way to keep things ¨kind of¨ secret would be to do it hard backs
then again.. it is awfull what happened to his book (books?)

I don't know him nor have I ever met him but sure he seems like an intelligent guy so I would guess his material is reallly really awesome

There are so many scans of hardback books out there. It's hardly a deterrent.

Some of these guys don't care how long it takes to scan because they use it as currency to trade for other files. Some books aren't scanned. A digital camera is used to take a photo of the page.

I've seen Harry Lorayne's books out there, Alex Elmsley, Derek Dingle, Ortiz, Berglas, Koran, just about everything from Vernon, Banachek, Switch - the $100 bill switch book, Ammar's big book and so on.

But you're correct Dick, there is no way to prevent theft. And basically there is no way to stop them. All of these guys post under screen names and even if you could connect them to someone here on The Café, you know it's a screen name here as well. If they get banned, they just come back under another name.

Most creators don't have the financial resources to go after them legally and even if you did, are you going to spend tens of thousands of dollars to go after one person who has a few of your files, worth maybe a couple of hundred dollars? And even if you won, what are the chances of collecting?

More information is surfacing, and I'm taking steps to correct things.

MANY thanks to all who offered their assistance.

T. Baxter

The main question is why would someone you know --assuming you gave it out to someone you know-- do it. Even someone who just purchased it wouldn't have a major incentive to do so, and you probably didn't send out a book to someone in Malaysia.

Possibly they are merely getting Trojans, or already have Trojan horse/back door viruses on various magicians/mentalist's computers and are merely retrieving data that way; as you yourself said, someone possibly connected with the guardian sent you a virus.