Ray: I and others thank you.

The lawyer in me brought up the fact that a patent has recently been granted for the old rubber band snapper puzzle many of us found in our first magic sets (mine was in a Gilbert Mysto Set in the early 1950's) and that I wondered if others were surprised at its issuance since I'd have thought that it was sufficiently within the public domain as to use and as prior art so as to negate and / or call into question the patentee's claim of originality. I think I'll read the patent and its referenced related patents in more detail in order to see if I'm missing something as to why a patent was granted.

I saw this linked to on one of the magic blogs and thought it very interesting. It deals with the nature of creativity and the "trap" of intellectual property.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxrjsHSbHkY

This is part one. If it seems worthwhile, the other three parts are also on Youtube.

Magic inventors list and a link to copyright law:

http://www.magicvideolibrary.com/Magicinventors.htm

Here is an even better updated list to owns what and where it came from.

http://www.magicnook.com/forum/projectTOC.htm

and here:

http://magicref.tripod.com/books.htm