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by **Mandrake** » Feb 6th, '09, 16:21

You're all aware, or should be, about TM policy in respect of stealing through illegal copying, counterfeiting and so on. We posted a link ( http://www.online-visions.com/krystal/0501kenton.html ) to a message from Kenton Knepper's OnLine Visions article a while back about the effects of this and here's another report of the same sort of thing. We make no apologies for reproducing the text in full, the basic message behind this is that if anyone is dealing in such illegal copies, be aware that sooner or later you will be discovered.

This was posted at the Magic Cafe by Jerome Finely, he's also distributed it by e-mail:

All of you receiving this email are being ripped off at this very moment. My apologies for sending a mass email, but I thought my friends, peers and associates NEED to know.

The pirate and thief in this case is John Barrat, aka Y2John. There are many others that have come to my attention recently. Like Kenton, I hire people to scan the internet looking for pirated copies of my material. I have eyes and ears in 7 directions and GOOD PEOPLE who alert me when someone makes an offer to trade or steal my work. I'm more than willing to share this information with others, including other known perpetrator's.

I believe a united front is the answer.

Here is the message from John Barrat on a P2P site found today:

Hey...

Ok, here is a list of some of the things I have in my collection-

PDF Manuscripts that may be of interest:

X-Rays notepad by Paolo Cavalli - this is not released, only a few thus far have this work from Cavalli
Deceit by Colin Mcleod
When a Stranger Calls by Steve Haynes - not yet released
The Color of Money by Andrew Gerard
X by Andrew Gerard
Confabulation BOB by Luke Jermay
Luke Jermay blindfold manuscript
Hybrid Mentalism by Alexander Marsh
Contemplations by Sean Waters
Largo by Partick G Redford
Leap Of Faith by Jim Callahan
Mind Index by Bill Cushman
Suggestabilities by Bill Cushman
The Fource by Bill Cushman
OLOF by Paolo Cavalli
Thought Channel by Jerome Finley
Thought Channel 2n by Jerome Finley
Thought Dial
Random Acts of Kindness by Jerome Finley
Sigma by Paolo Cavalli
The Mobile Opener by Lior Manor
The Blessing by Slim King
Write Stuff by Tony Eye
Maximum Involvement Popular Selection by Tony Eye
Deus Ex Machina by Maxime Nadeau
Rhyme Time Sublime by Bill Cushman
Noetic License by Mick Ayres
Hoodwinkings by Mick Ayres
Predictibilities by Mick Ayres
Rhyme Time by Mick Ayres
In Plain Sight by Mick Ayres and Jim Callahan
Out on a Limb by Mick Ayres
Triplet by Mick Ayres
Signs of Influence by Kenton Knepper
Creating Impact by Alan Strydom
Palmistry Quickies by Alan Strydom
Drawing in the Dark by Ken Dyne
Erotic Seance by Annabelle
Hands of Time by Greg Arce
Infinity Loop by Ron Jackson
Lunarcy by Dale A Hilderbrandt
Method Impossible by Jason Messina
WI by Jason Messina
Mindblasters by Many contributors
Invisible Gemstone by Enrique Enriquez
Invisible Readings by Enrique Enriquez
Mathew J Dowden Lecture Notes
The Open Prediction Project by Entity plus many contributors
RPS by Entity
Picometry
Troika by Brad Gordon
2323 by Dee Christopher
Cinders by Dee Christopher
Cold by Dee Christopher
Silhouette by Dee Christopher
c2005 by Matthew Mello
1337 by Sean Fields
Magic Redefined by Sean Fields
365 by Scott Xavier
Oracle of Phoenix by Scott Xavier
Naked Mentalism 2
ICON by Paul Vigil
Diplopia by Paul Vigil
Sympathy for the Devil by Paul Vigil
P.B.B. Drawing Duplication by Vincent Lynch - no longer available to purchase
Ascension online website version by Joshua Quinn - was briefly released to those who owned Ascension.

DVD's that may be of interest:

Skin by Benjamin Earl
Energy Bill by Andrew Gerard
Rubiks Remembered by Mark Elsdon
Obssession by PK Son

Ok that is some of what I have.

What I am really wanting myself is The Taboo Treatises by Jerome Finley, and will be willing to offer whatever the person would like from my collection in return for TTT.

Cheers.
I've started a discussion and public hanging at the Magic Cafe, here: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/view ... orum=15&18

Maybe publically ousting these people will help and let others in the community know they have been shunned, banned and exiled - and NOT to associate with them. Maybe there should be a list (with proof) of other known pirates and thieves? I'm not sure WHAT the solution is, but I believe one exists. I also believe that by working together we can come to an agreement, plan of action and solution to the problems we face in magic and mentalism today.

I trust in my heart you are all as concerned about this as I am. It's been accepted that there is nothing (or little) we can do about this, but I have to disagree. I feel together we can make a change and send a strong message to those who hurt and kill our artform.

Divided we fall,
Jerome Finley

by **Lady of Mystery** » Feb 6th, '09, 16:37

The very sad thing is that there will always be people who think that it's ok to take something that belongs to someone else and wont think twice about it if it saves them money.

by **Tomo** » Feb 6th, '09, 18:11

To say I'm furious doesn't begin to scratch the surface.

As of an email conversation I had with this scum last night, he now claims he was doing it to lure potential traders into a trap. Yeah, right, and I'm the Queen of Sheba. You see, the site on which he posted the above offer to trade also has links by him to file archives containing the work of others, which he'd previously uploaded. Since being caught, he's now deleted those archives and claims it was all to entrap file traders ...but after getting caught.

In the case of Naked Mentalism 2, he claims he hasn't broken the agreement (the "BIG SCARY CONDITIONS OF SALE") that he agreed to by entering into a transaction to purchase the ebook from Books By Tomo.

The password on Naked Mentalism ebooks is unique to each purchase. A database is kept. The password links the file to the original purchaser. The conditions of sale say that if I find your copy in the wild, you give me the right to spread your details as a warning to others. Most people tend to write back with a message of support against piracy. In the odd case where people have told me they'll do what they like, I've refused the money and actively scan the web for their email address.

Nuff said.

by **Ian McCarthy** » Feb 6th, '09, 19:09

Tomo wrote:The password on Naked Mentalism ebooks is unique to each purchase. A database is kept. The password links the file to the original purchaser. The conditions of sale say that if I find your copy in the wild, you give me the right to spread your details as a warning to others. Most people tend to write back with a message of support against piracy. In the odd case where people have told me they'll do what they like, I've refused the money and actively scan the web for their email address.

This is the best way to do this, and if more ebook retailers handled online sales in this manner it could do alot to help fight against magic piracy (By building a blacklist of people who buy then distribute). Obviously it would not stop anyone scanning in a hard copy, but that's a bit too much effort for most people.

I may look into writing a PHP script that can do this on the fly, and be included as a function in your online shopping cart. Would you be interested in this? Do you think other ebook retailers might be?

by **Tomo** » Feb 6th, '09, 19:27

oeb wrote:I may look into writing a PHP script that can do this on the fly, and be included as a function in your online shopping cart. Would you be interested in this? Do you think other ebook retailers might be?

Well, I offer a discount to TM members that approach me, so I take a hands on approach to generating each PDF, but I'm sure others would be interested.

by **mark lewis** » Feb 6th, '09, 19:37

This kind of thing is indeed a pain. I have just had a long argument with one perpetrator on another forum who got an illegal copy of my DVD showing my kid show. He was stupid enough to say that he had it but I knew he didn't get it from me since I had only sold eleven. He never did say where he got it from.

Bootleggers are out there. I have no idea how you stop them. I put a psychic curse on the fellow who stole from me. Of course not everyone has that power.

by **dat8962** » Feb 6th, '09, 23:44

Other industries often use mystery shoppers to buy counterfeit products on their behalf and thereby proving the illegal trade.

I'm sure that there are many conscious magicians out there who would offer such services to magic producers for free in an attempt to help rid us of piracy.

That way the seller will never know who they are selling to and should fear selling their fakes more than they do at the moment.

Would this approach work?

by **kolm** » Feb 6th, '09, 23:52

Tomo wrote:The password on Naked Mentalism ebooks is unique to each purchase. A database is kept. The password links the file to the original purchaser.

Which is why I'm very surprised to see said book on the list

by **Sleightech** » Feb 7th, '09, 01:11

Perhaps I'm a bit thick but,..

When a Stranger Calls by Steve Haynes - not yet released

Well Steve Haynes obviously has a good mate there then?

by **Dirty Davey** » Feb 7th, '09, 11:09

This sort of thing happened to me a few years back. I wrote a piece of software as part of my University final year study which calculated personalised triathlon training and coaching plans based on certain cirteria that the athlete put in. After finishing uni I began selling the software and was very interested to later find athletes using my system who I knew I hadn't sold to. I don't know how much money this sort of file sharing cost me but it was very frustrating.

by **Tomo** » Feb 7th, '09, 12:03

kolm wrote:
Tomo wrote:The password on Naked Mentalism ebooks is unique to each purchase. A database is kept. The password links the file to the original purchaser.

Which is why I'm very surprised to see said book on the list

Yeah. From the way he started squirming when caught, I don't think we're discussing a brain surgeon here.

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