I understand, Richard, but it has only been a little over a day since Paul found out about your product.

He isn't a regular poster here and probably has not seen your posts. He has probably sent the past day trying to find out more about Psychic Control, and how to address the issue to you.

Please don't let posters here at the Café frustrate you. The issue is between you and Paul, and you are both good people.

Tony Iacoviello

Paul should do this with his stock...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNk9yQjoMHs

Jamie should stop s**t-stirring...

I'm only giving my opinion as to what I think is right and what I think is wrong.

Why don't you try adding to the debate instead of attacking others?

Do you keep a special book of trolling somewhere safe? we know latest and greatest is your playground - but sometimes you just step over the line...

*cue offended/wounded respond, or matter of fact/stick to the topic reply*

page 235 of the troll handbook..."oh iain, but you are trolling ME!" etc

anyway - I have the Ted Lesley Paranormal effect - and though the secret device a different shape/size, I'd be interested in the history of these kinds of gimmicked objects...

Can't believe you're attacking me. I'm just a magician trying to help Richard and Paul get to a resolution. Let's stick to the matter at hand.*

(* was that ok )

Yup - you should work for the U.N...

Shucks, thanks Iain.

Hey, seeing as this forum is about magicians helping magicians. Did you know the link in your profile lands at a dormant page. Just wanted to highlight that so you don't lose any sales.

Yup - I knew thank you...

and just so that you know, the link going to your professional website is also a dead link, so if you have felt that your gig enquiries have dropped off, that might be a contributing factor...

Hey thanks Iain. I was wondering why business was slow. I owe you.

Tony, Paul sent me a PM early yesterday morning. I immediately responded telling him my feelings and he has been silent since then. I know he read the message .

Should I stop stirring too?

Well.. this escalated quickly.

Richard, I havent responded to your PM due to a crazy work week. Please do not mistake my silence for anything other than lack of time to carefully consider my response.

In the mean time, please reconsider using words such as "steal", or ‘Blatant Rip off’ as it insinuates that I have knowingly, and maliciously taken something from Richard, which is most definitely not the case. The first I learned of Richards Product was here on this thread, a few days ago. Considering the thread is almost 2 years old… I’m amazed it took this long for any of this to become an issue.

I would also appreciate it if the 'performance rights withheld' thing could stop being used as some kind of ammunition to serve in making me look like an ego maniac, who thinks his product is so amazing that he needs to lord over who can perform it, or not. As I have explained already.... the "all performance" part was an oversight.

The TV and internet performance serves ONLY to help prevent it becoming part of what seems to be a growing trend of amateur magicians, usually kids, performing an affect and exposing the method, either indirectly through poor performance, on purpose for exposures sake, or secrets being given via some mouthy kid in the 'comments' section.

It would be remiss of me, or any creator to not consider this when releasing a product, and make every effort to protect the secret as best he/she could, purely out of respect for customers and the investment they have made in your magic product.... which is only useful to them if the method remains secret.

As an aside... this is all a little upsetting, to be honest. Each pencil takes over 2.5 hours to produce... taking 3 or 4 days overall, due to time needed between the various steps in the process... and I would hope that anybody who already has one, could attest to the factory finish of each and every pencil I send out.

I don't mention the time they take to impress anyone... rather, impress upon you that, given the retail price of $60.... after the retailer takes 50% ... and the cost of materials, which extend far beyond the price of a pencil, are considered.... I'm making about $8.00 an hour for my effort. Not exactly a get rich quick scheme... and certainly not worth having to argue with people, have my integrity questioned, and have to prove myself to people who I don't even know, or those that wish to make comments that verge on slander.

One of the first tricks taught to me as a kid, by an old fella who lived a few doors down, was balancing a pencil on a tables edge and making it move 'magically'. Of course... he was just blowing across it....but he may as well have been using magnets, as the effect is the same. It is not unique or original to me.... or Richard. The use of magnets in 'every day objects is also not original to either of us... so what it comes down to is the use of a magnet in a writing implement I guess.... to create the same effect that others have been doing for years, by blowing on it... covertly flicking it, or using I.T.

I am unashamedly proud of this product... As Richard should be of his, along with the many other contributions made by him to our art. Though... It's not the effect I am proud of as such, as it is not mine... or Richards for that matter. I'm not even proud of the method used.... as that is not mine either, nor his. I am proud of the engineering problem that needed to be solved to be able to gimmick a pencil, and return it to its original state.... enabling a performer to achieve the effect with what, for all tense and purpose, is a solid wooden item with no conceivable place to hide a magnet, completely negating the method from the outset… and that, despite also being a writing implement, has not been done before.

I’m going to do a bit of my own research, seek advice and if the ‘right thing’ to do means pulling the product, then I will… but I certainly won’t be bullied, or trolled in to kowtowing, that is for certain.

Paul, the place to respond to my message should've been in the p.m. section since that's where you contacted me, where I got back to you, and is where you read my response immediately. I have been on the road for two straight days, I am currently in Utah, but I still found time to respond to your initial p.m.

Please take our problem there.

Paul has played this all wrong so far. Accusing Richard of stealing, not responding to his PM, now only responding publicly. I fear his ego is being fed because he has the attention of one of mentalism's greats.

Let's hope he sees sense. And quickly!

I think iff you really want to help them then you should let two grown men sort this out by themself.
Your post are setting a very negative atmosphere which won't help both of them.

I would prefer if Paul took things private, as Richard has requested.

If he decides to take it public then I think we are entitled to a public point of view on his response.

In principle I'd agree with that, but there were some comments and criticisms raised about Paul publicly in this thread. Surely nobody could sensibly argue that he doesn't have the right to respond to those publicly in this thread?

Yes, Paul does have the right to respond publicly.

I would also argue Richard deserves a private response.

For sure. And the two are not mutually exclusive. So it sounds like we're basically in agreement. All is once again well in the woods!