Birthday Present ¶ 166

Birthday Present (Quarter Life Crisis) Quarter Life Crisis The world according to Sven-S. Porst « Coffee break • Main • In the paper » Birthday Present ¶ 166 words This morning Leif and me went shopping for a birthday present for Carola , who is having starting her quarter life crisis now as well. Well it was frustrating. We wanted to get a Rolodex file - but thought over 50 were a bit steep for a few bits of metal, plastic and paper. So, with time running out, we simply panicked. After lunch Stephie and me went on another trip and we got a nice large cooking knife. A very nice one indeed. Chopping vegetables is a lot of fun with it. In the shop we could try out the different knives on the salesperson’s lunch - which sort of compensated for the frustration. By now it seems, giving the knife was a good idea - so it was worth the hassle. We had a cake party this afternoon - I made a baked cheese cake and there were many other cakes as well. Later we ordered some pizza. Now I feel a bit sick. September 13, 2002, 2:15 Feedback Add your comment ← your name ← your e-mail ← your web page Remember me You can use _underscores_ to emphasise bits of your comment – and any other feature that Markdown offers. Use your news aggregator to track all comments on this post . Please note that I'll have to approve your comment before it definitely appears on the site. I will not approve any commercial or otherwise meaningless comments. « Coffee break • Main • In the paper » Comments on Wir sind Helden by: Terry . Anja . Keith . Terry . ssp . Make your own 'virus' by: Zer0 Cool . Jomon . Jomon . Jomon . omeed . Family by: chelsie macfarlane . De-Metallifise! by: . Shay . ssp . Shay . Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by: Albert Einstein . Categories Uni Software iTunes Bugs X.4 (10.4, Tiger) earthlingsoft Patches eBay Books SZ Bibliothek Travel Music Adam Green German Music Wir sind Helden Patrick Wolf Live German Media Films German Films Asian Films Wong Kar Wai Takeshi Kitano Photos T-Shirts Food Me Quarter Life Crisis Archive Web page Send E-mail This page Read post Feedback Write comment People Richard Dave Walker Gummi 2lmc spool Juha Haataja Pierre Igot David Simmer Chris Clark Buzz Anderson Michael McCracken Bill Bumgarner Alf Eaton Dan Wood Nicholas Riley Michael Tsai Martin Pittenauer Brent Simmons Chris Heathcote John Gruber drunkenbatman Richard Anderson Beyond Brilliance & Stupidity Linkage Die Zeit The Guardian ( Comment ) die tageszeitung Ars Technica The Register The Joy of Tech TWAS Kino in Göttingen Zartbitterparty Popscene Vera No Logos Syndication feed Delicious links Scrobbler music Flickr photos T-Shirt mania GeoURL neighbours amazon wishlist HTML , sometimes CSS hooray Credits These pages are made by Sven-S. Porst. Feel free to quote stuff but be sure give a credits and references where they are due. This site is powered by Movable Type and looks prettier on a Mac. Additional goodness thanks to John Gruber's SmartyPants and Kalsey Consulting's SimpleComments . The layout for this site started from The Blue Robot's three column layout . It works like a charm and all the messy additions are my own fault. Better check out the original if you want to learn CSS. Quarter Life Crisis •The world according to Sven-S. Porst • [top]

Golf Gifts - Find

Golf Gifts - Find Ideas for Great Golf Gifts  You are here: About > Sports > Golf > Equipment > Golf Gifts - Find Ideas for Great Golf Gifts Sports Golf Essentials Almanac: Records, Stats, Timeline Golf Glossary Equipment Reviews & News The Rules of Golf Pro Shop Articles & Resources Beginners Equipment Golfers Tours / Major Events Golf Courses Rules of Golf Handicaps History of Golf Golf Tips Fitness & Health VideoGames / Trivia / Humor Women Junior Golf Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Top 10 Instructional Videos/DVDs Top 10 Instructional Books Top 7 Golf Movies Product Reviews Articles Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Golf newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Golf Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Most Popular Free Online Golf Games Golf Trivia - Play Golf Trivia Hangman NabiscoWorld "Golf Course" Glossary of Golf Terms Golf Rules What's Hot Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 8 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 3 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 9 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 6 Michelle Wie at the 2005 U.S. Women's Open - 8 Related Topics Tennis Football Baseball Basketball Pro Ice Hockey Golf Gifts Guide From Brent Kelley , Your Guide to Golf . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Find Ideas for Great Golf Gifts Need some help choosing golf gifts for friends or family, or suggestions for what to buy yourself? The Golf Gifts section of About.com Golf collects some resources that should help you select great golf gifts. Equipment Reviews and News There are no better golf gifts than golf clubs, natch. Browse these categories to find reviews of, or news releases about, the latest golf equipment: • Drivers • Fairway Woods and Utility Clubs • Irons • Wedges • Putters • Golf Balls • Accessories (Shoes, Bags, Apparel, Etc). • Golf Training Aids More Golf Equipment Reviews and News Price-Comparison Shopping Through our price-comparison partner, you can not only hunt down golf gifts, but great deals, too. Find a product you like and you'll be able to compare its price at different stores in order to get the best deal. • Drivers • Fairway Woods • Irons • Wedges • Putters • Women's Sets • Junior Sets • Balls More in the Pro Shop Golf Gifts - Best Equipment of 2004 Check out our rankings of the best new golf equipment of 2004 . We rank the best new clubs and equipment in the following categories: drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters, ball, women's clubs and training aids. Golf Gifts - Books • Top 10 golf biographies • Top 10 golf novels • Top 6 how-to books for golf beginners • Top 10 full swing or general topic golf instructional books • Top 8 books of classic golf instruction • Top 5 instructional books on the short game • Top 5 instructional books on putting • Top 5 instructional books on mental golf • Top 10 instructional books for women • Top 10 books about golf rules and etiquette • Top 5 golf books by John Feinstein • Top 8 books about Tiger Woods Golf Gifts - Videos and DVDs • Top 7 golf movies • Top 10 DVDs and Videos on Golf History and Highlights • Top 10 golf instructional videos and DVDs • Top 9 instructional videos and DVDs on putting and the short game • Top 5 instructional tapes and DVDs for women Golf Gifts - Games • Top 8 golf video and computer games • Top 6 golf board games Golf Gifts - Miscellaneous • Top 10 golf gifts for the office Most Popular Video Bathroom Decoration Ideas Tag Sale Tips Creating a Craft Room Making a Personal Space Be Your Own Contractor See other videos at About.com        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Poll: What would you do with $10 million? 1) Spend it 4) Pay bills 2) Donate 5) Save 3) Invest 6) Not sure Is New York City Safe? Tips for Women Travelling What's Hot Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 8 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 3 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 9 Michelle Wie at the 2005 PGA Sony Open - 6 Michelle Wie at the 2005 U.S. Women's Open - 8

Gifts for Women --

-- -- Gifts for Women( J. Countryman ) | Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Publisher of Christian Books, Videos, Software, Bibles and Children's Books Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Publisher of Christian Books, Videos, Software, Bibles and Children's Books Search: Title   Author ISBN Style# MM/DD/YY -- -- Books | Bibles | Kids | Teens | Reference | Gift Books | Tech Support | FAQ's | Contact Us -- Gifts for Women -- Simple Suggestions for a Sensational Life Paula White Hardcover In her characteristically upbeat style, New York Times best-selling author, Paula White, shares insight and wisdom for developing a life that soars above the ordinarya sensational life lived by Gods rules in Gods way. Paulas message of hope and ... more -- Soul Matters for Women Mark Gilroy Communications Softflex Soul Matters for Women addresses 40 of the crucial life issues you face as a woman, weaving together poignant personal reflection questions, inspirational quotes, real life stories, God's promises, brief-but hard-hitting-Bible studies, practical ... more -- Sitting in God's Sunshine...Resting in His Love Alicia Britt Chole Hardcover Women are busy! They are NOT looking for one more list of things to do or be. They are looking for encouragement, guidance, and assurance. Alicia invites readers to sit quietly in Gods sunshine by offering a respite from the rush with warm ... more -- God's Survival Guide for Women Criswell Freeman , Connie Wetzell Trade Paper Gods Survival Guide for Women touches onforty-five crisis times in a womans life and shares what the Bible says about each of them. Themes include Self Image, Relationships, Health, Parenting, and Dealing With Change, just to name a few. Each ... more -- Beyond the Sorrow Tammy Trent Hardcover People everywhere are facing difficult situations and they need to know how to cope with the frustration and overwhelming emotions that accompany any uncertain situation. This book of hope from Tammy Trent interweaves third-person stories and ... more -- Please, Dear Lord, Make the Laundry Go Away Dianne Garvis Hardcover Please, Dear Lord, Make the Laundry Go Away is an original poem written for Moms recognizing the challenge of balancing a familys priorities while enjoying a busy life as a wife and mother. This touching poem takes you through a womans life as she ... more -- Come As You Are Sheila Walsh Hardcover In the beautiful, warm style of Outrageous Love, Sheila Walsh reminds women of this Open Invitation from the Heart of God. She walks readers through the invitation to Come As You Are, not just as you wish you were.Topics include:Come as you ... more -- Grandmothers Journal Padded Hardcover No matter what age of grandmother or the level of time invested in capturing those memorable and reminiscence times, this journal will open a richer, fuller understanding of your . Let this memory journal be a starting point--a door into discussing ... more -- Faith for a Lifetime Women of Faith Hardcover This daily devotional is based on excerpts from the writings of Women of Faith speakers and guest speakers. These devotionals are a unique collection of inspirational thoughts from a wide variety of women including Patsy Clairmont, Barbara Johnson, ... more -- Sister Wisdom Criswell Freeman Hardcover This text is a collection of all-purpose advice from an assortment of highly quotable women of color who, like Rosa Parks, have made a difference. This Treasury of inspirational quotations tells a story of hope, courage, confidence, and generosity. ... more -- Thanks for Being A Mom Gift Book A celebration of Motherhood that's what Thanks for Being a Mom is all about. Filled with poems, scriptures, quotes and stories. This gift book is designed to Honor and Inspire the Mothers in all of our lives.... more -- The Heart of Prayer Lana Bateman Hardcover Lana Bateman is the prayer leader for Women of Faith and this book nestles her passion for fervent, powerful prayer in a comfortable, beautiful format for all women to enjoy. She knows Gods word, and as she applies His precepts she equips women to ... more -- A Hug to Make You Smile - Tina Wenke more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Dear Teacher - Sigmund Brouwer more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Fresh Cut Flowers For Daughter more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Fresh Cut Flowers For Mom more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Grace for the Moment Journal - Max Lucado more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Hope for a Woman's Heart - Kathy Troccoli more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Hope for Each Day - Billy Graham Words of Wisdom and Faith more | buy now -- :: Leather , Padded Hardcover Joy for the Journey-Repackage Repackage more | buy now -- :: Padded Hardcover Outrageous Love - Sheila Walsh more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Praying God's Promises for Your Grandchildren more | buy now -- :: Padded Hardcover Praying God's Promises For Your Husband more | buy now -- :: Padded Hardcover Pure Joy - Alicia Britt Chole more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Safe in the Shepherd's Arms - Max Lucado more | buy now -- :: Hardcover The Beauty of God's Blessings more | buy now -- :: Hardcover The Power of a Wise Woman - Eddie L. Long more | buy now -- :: Hardcover Women of Faith Prayer Journal - Lana Bateman more | buy now -- :: Hardcover "1118000" AND -- -- J. Countryman Home About J. Countryman Contact Us Join Our E-mail List Our Authors FAQs Bestsellers Coming Soon Gifts for Women Just for Mom Gifts for Men Gifts for Teens Gifts For All Occasions Friendship Baby/New Mom Love/Weddings Journals/Planners Devotionals Business Fiction Graduation More Than Music God's Promises I Celebrate You Women of Faith® Max Lucado Chris Shea Karla Dornacher John Maxwell Charles Swindoll News Investor Relations About Nelson Catalogs Employment Store Finder Directory of Sites Business Resources Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | ©2005 Thomas Nelson, Inc.| TN E-Mail

Gift Ideas Beginners Pick

Magic Tricks online from MagicTricks.co.uk New Arrivals Special Offers Downloads Exclusive Items Own Brand Gift Ideas Beginners Pick A Trick Mentalism Street Magic Pub Tricks Magic on TV Cards Money Ring & Key Sponge Magic Rope/Silk Magic General Magic Accessories DVDs Videos Books Jay Sankey - NEW Eddie Gibson Why Shop Here? Shipping Rates About Us Suggestion Box Requests Gift Vouchers Affiliate Program Free Mind Reader Our Other Sites Gift Ideas Magic makes the ideal present. See below for our selection of magic-related gifts Featured Products in this section MagicTricks.co.uk Card Magic Set - Our own brand magic set which has details on 225 easy to perform card tricks. The set contains:- A regular deck of playing cards with special one way back design. A "Universal" deck which contains many trick cards that can be used to amaze and amuse. 2 booklets with explanations of 125 tricks that can be performed with a regular deck, and a further 101 with a Universal Deck. Add to basket 4.99 Average Customer Review: MagicTricks.co.uk Pub Tricks & Bar Bets DVD - Top 5 Item! This DVD is packed with tricks and stunts specifically designed to amaze, confuse and entertain in bars and pubs. The DVD has been created for all abilities and the tricks graded allowing you to move from simple but incredible effects that you can do straight away, through to amazing illusions that you will master with a little practise. The DVD contains 20 incredible tricks to do at the pub using props that you will find in any bar or restaurant. Tricks Include: Coins across: A simple but amazing trick where coins jump one by one from one of your hands to the other with no gimmicks or complex set up. Spirit Writing: The name of a card chosen from a pack is written on a piece of paper, the paper is burnt in the ash tray and when the ash is rubbed on your arm the name of the chosen card appears written in the ash. Making Money: Borrow a 10 fold it into a tube and out drops a 2 coin Coin through table: An empty match box is placed on the table, you borrow a coin and tap it under the table then with a bang the coin appears to have penetrated the table and is now in the matchbox. The DVD also contains 20 bar-bets. These cons and scams are designed to be fun and give the chance to win a tenner or a pint. Can you get an ice cube from a drink without touching it? Can you get a 10 from under a bottle without touching the bottle? Can you make someones hands stick to the bar? Add to basket 19.99 Average Customer Review: Wizard School - Andrew Mayne video - Save over 12 on regular retail price! Be a real life wizard! Levitate objects, perform incredible feats and learn how to float on a broom! At Wizard School, master magician Andrew Mayne will teach you sixteen different acts of wizardry. If you think it would be fun to make your friends think there's a goblin in the room, to twist your hands in an impossible way or levitate yourself, then Wizard School is for you! Aspiring wizards both young and old are welcome to attend. Add to basket 4.99 Average Customer Review: "Everybody's Magic" book - A unique publication with all proceeds going to charity - this book is a must-have for anyone interested in magic! Everybody's Magic is a collection of easy to perform magic tricks from some of the best-known magicians in the UK. Containing over 60 magic tricks and stunts that can be performed with everyday objects, you'll be learning amazing magic in no time at all! A truly unique collaboration from the magic community, featuring some of the most famous magicians of recent times such including: Dominic Wood Paul Zenon Wayne Dobson Geoffrey Durham Jez Rose Paul Daniels Marc Paul Marvin Berglas Guy Hollingworth ... And many, many more. Within this book you can learn the tricks that started them on the road to becoming professionals, and find out more about the performers themselves. This book contains contributions from 30 performers, and features over 60 effects, together with many performance hints and tips. All contributions to this book have been provided free of charge and ALL of the publishers profits go directly to Rainbow Trust Children's Charity ( www.rainbowtrust.org.uk ). This is the first time so many top names in magic have contributed to a single book, which is destined to become a magic classic - Order your copy now! Add to basket 9.99 Average Customer Review: "Street Magic" by Paul Zenon - Current Bestseller! Great tricks and close-up secrets revealed "Street Magic" teaches you the secrets of the close-up, under-your-nose, in-your-face magic that you see on television. This books shows you how to perform the best tricks and illusions made popular by today's great magicians. It is jargon free and fully illustrated with specially-commissioned photographs featuring tricks with everyday objects. This book is ideal for those who want to learn great tricks as quickly and easily as possible but without skimping on all-important detail. The chapters and tricks are arranged so that the reader can confortably progress from one to the next in skill and performance level, but the standard of trick is high and there are plenty of impressive routines all the way through the book. Auto-Magic: Self-working magic tricks The Midas Touch: Stunning tricks with coins Mind Magic: A selection of routines to convince people that you can read their thoughts Top Secret Gadgets: The best tricks and gimmicks Cards Made Easy: You don't have to be nimble-fingered to perform great card magic Card Shark: Become a master card manipulator Fancy Flourishes: Embellish the tricks you've already learned Street Scams: Classic and historic street hustles Party Time: A selection of crowd-pleasers ideal for entertaining groups Paul Zenon is the UK's leading comedy magician with numerous TV credits to his name, including several Street Magic specials. For the first time, he reveals the secrets to many classic street magic effects in this brand new book. Add to basket 14.99 Average Customer Review: Complete Course in Magic by Mark Wilson - Master illusionist Mark Wilson has compiled the most comprehensive magic "teach-in" ever assembled. The secrets to more than 300 classic tricks-from sleight of hand to levitation-are carefully explained in this 503-page volume. It's all here: Card Magic, Coin Magic, Rope Magic, Mental Magic, Make-at-Home Magic, Sponge Ball Magic, Billiard Ball Magic, Cups and Balls Magic, and Magical Illusions. Add to basket 16.99 Average Customer Review: Dominic Wood SIGNED books offer - A very special offer for all Dominic Wood Fans! Dominic has very kindly offered to sign copies of his new story book, "Dom and the Magic Topper" especially for MagicTricks.co.uk customers. Order this and receive his "Party Tricks" and "Playground Pranks", together with a personally signed copy of "Dom and the Magic Topper". This is a limited-time offer and once the signed copies have been sold, they're gone! Add to basket 7.99 Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer - How Magicians Invented the Impossible! In 1918 Harry Houdini performed a single illusion that has been hotly debated ever since: he made a live elephant disappear on stage. How did he do it? The answer lies in this dazzling tale of innovation, chicanery and keen competition that is the backstage story of the golden age of magic. Hiding the Elephant chronicles the race among history's most legendary conjurers to make things levitate and disappear. A master illusionist and captivating storyteller, Steinmeyer introduces us to the eccentric personalities behind floating ghosts, disembodied heads and vanishing ladies and takes us backstage to reveal the mechanics of their mysteries. He carries us to a time when Queen Victoria held private seances and all of England believed in magic. Add to basket 12.99 Average Customer Review: MagicTricks.co.uk "Office Magic" DVD - Top 5 Item! Ever wanted to impress your work-mates, your customers or even your boss? With 'Office Magic' you can! This DVD will teach you over 25 complete routines to perform with everday objects that can be found in your office. Some tricks are designed to be able to be performed right away, others take a little practise. Also included are 10 fantastic tricks to do with your business cards, great for breaking the ice, clinching the sale or just simply having some fun. Office Magic is a step by step guide to performing amazing magic tricks at your desk. Add to basket 19.99 Average Customer Review: MagicTricks.co.uk Ultimate Magic Set - Top 5 Item! A compilation of some of the greatest close up magic tricks ever invented. Entertain your family, friends and colleagues with easy to perform magic. Once you've amazed them, everything can be handed out for full examination - nothing will be found! Can be performed at home, at work, down the pub, or even in the street! Add to basket 49.99 Average Customer Review: "Dirty Tricks" by Paul Zenon Following on from "100 Ways to Win a Tenner" - one of the best selling products ever at MagicTricks.co.uk - Paul Zenon is back with a new book, "Dirty Tricks" Pranks, Wind-ups and practical jokes - A guide to getting your own back! REVENGE. It's a basic human instinct. It may not be admirable but it does feel great. If you're angry about something it's best to get it out of your system and, let's face it, it's hard not to get angry these days in this dog-eat-underdog world of one-upmanship, faceless corporations and automated bureaucracy. That's where revenge comes in. With the right tactic you can get your own back and make lives as frustrating as they try to make yours. Within these pages you'll find all manner of dirty tricks for any occasion: Friends as foes - How to get the better of your mates! Domestic abuse - Home is the perfect joke arena. Gross misconduct - Bodily functions! Public nuisance - Pranks as performance art Top of the crass - The finest tricks from educations establishments. Revenge is sweet - Don't let 'em grind you down! You'll find everything you need to exact merciless retribution upon anyone in the pages of this handy, illustrated book. Our Price : 9.99 MagicTricks.co.uk Card Magic Set Our own brand magic set which has details on 225 easy to perform card tricks. The set contains:- A regular deck of playing cards with special one way back design. A "Universal" deck which contains many trick cards that can be used to amaze and amuse. 2 booklets with explanations of 125 tricks that can be performed with a regular deck, and a further 101 with a Universal Deck. Our Price : 4.99 MagicTricks.co.uk Pub Tricks & Bar Bets DVD Top 5 Item! This DVD is packed with tricks and stunts specifically designed to amaze, confuse and entertain in bars and pubs. The DVD has been created for all abilities and the tricks graded allowing you to move from simple but incredible effects that you can do straight away, through to amazing illusions that you will master with a little practise. The DVD contains 20 incredible tricks to do at the pub using props that you will find in any bar or restaurant. Tricks Include: Coins across: A simple but amazing trick where coins jump one by one from one of your hands to the other with no gimmicks or complex set up. Spirit Writing: The name of a card chosen from a pack is written on a piece of paper, the paper is burnt in the ash tray and when the ash is rubbed on your arm the name of the chosen card appears written in the ash. Making Money: Borrow a 10 fold it into a tube and out drops a 2 coin Coin through table: An empty match box is placed on the table, you borrow a coin and tap it under the table then with a bang the coin appears to have penetrated the table and is now in the matchbox. The DVD also contains 20 bar-bets. These cons and scams are designed to be fun and give the chance to win a tenner or a pint. Can you get an ice cube from a drink without touching it? Can you get a 10 from under a bottle without touching the bottle? Can you make someones hands stick to the bar? Our Price : 19.99 Wizard School - Andrew Mayne video Save over 12 on regular retail price! Be a real life wizard! Levitate objects, perform incredible feats and learn how to float on a broom! At Wizard School, master magician Andrew Mayne will teach you sixteen different acts of wizardry. If you think it would be fun to make your friends think there's a goblin in the room, to twist your hands in an impossible way or levitate yourself, then Wizard School is for you! Aspiring wizards both young and old are welcome to attend. Our Price : 4.99 "Everybody's Magic" book A unique publication with all proceeds going to charity - this book is a must-have for anyone interested in magic! Everybody's Magic is a collection of easy to perform magic tricks from some of the best-known magicians in the UK. Containing over 60 magic tricks and stunts that can be performed with everyday objects, you'll be learning amazing magic in no time at all! A truly unique collaboration from the magic community, featuring some of the most famous magicians of recent times such including: Dominic Wood Paul Zenon Wayne Dobson Geoffrey Durham Jez Rose Paul Daniels Marc Paul Marvin Berglas Guy Hollingworth ... And many, many more. Within this book you can learn the tricks that started them on the road to becoming professionals, and find out more about the performers themselves. This book contains contributions from 30 performers, and features over 60 effects, together with many performance hints and tips. All contributions to this book have been provided free of charge and ALL of the publishers profits go directly to Rainbow Trust Children's Charity ( www.rainbowtrust.org.uk ). This is the first time so many top names in magic have contributed to a single book, which is destined to become a magic classic - Order your copy now! Our Price : 9.99 "Street Magic" by Paul Zenon Current Bestseller! Great tricks and close-up secrets revealed "Street Magic" teaches you the secrets of the close-up, under-your-nose, in-your-face magic that you see on television. This books shows you how to perform the best tricks and illusions made popular by today's great magicians. It is jargon free and fully illustrated with specially-commissioned photographs featuring tricks with everyday objects. This book is ideal for those who want to learn great tricks as quickly and easily as possible but without skimping on all-important detail. The chapters and tricks are arranged so that the reader can confortably progress from one to the next in skill and performance level, but the standard of trick is high and there are plenty of impressive routines all the way through the book. Auto-Magic: Self-working magic tricks The Midas Touch: Stunning tricks with coins Mind Magic: A selection of routines to convince people that you can read their thoughts Top Secret Gadgets: The best tricks and gimmicks Cards Made Easy: You don't have to be nimble-fingered to perform great card magic Card Shark: Become a master card manipulator Fancy Flourishes: Embellish the tricks you've already learned Street Scams: Classic and historic street hustles Party Time: A selection of crowd-pleasers ideal for entertaining groups Paul Zenon is the UK's leading comedy magician with numerous TV credits to his name, including several Street Magic specials. For the first time, he reveals the secrets to many classic street magic effects in this brand new book. Our Price : 14.99 Complete Course in Magic by Mark Wilson Master illusionist Mark Wilson has compiled the most comprehensive magic "teach-in" ever assembled. The secrets to more than 300 classic tricks-from sleight of hand to levitation-are carefully explained in this 503-page volume. It's all here: Card Magic, Coin Magic, Rope Magic, Mental Magic, Make-at-Home Magic, Sponge Ball Magic, Billiard Ball Magic, Cups and Balls Magic, and Magical Illusions. Our Price : 16.99 Dobson's Choice DVD - Wayne Dobson Wayne Dobson, one of the UK's most successful and well-know performers has amassed a throng of followers, many of whom have never ever seen him perform live. Well, now's your chance to see Wayne perform all of his favourites on the TV. Wayne, who suffers from MS(Multiple Sclerosis), still performs and lectures as much as he ever did. However, he has cunningly adopted many new methods to achieve the desired effects in order to suit the physical restraints this debilitating disease imposes on him. Contents: Card Illusion Bill Switch Knife Through Coat Amazing Tale Dream Rope This Is Your Knife Six Pack Water Escape PLUS Bonus Footage: Royal Variety Show Silhouettes Our Price : 17.99 Dominic Wood SIGNED books offer A very special offer for all Dominic Wood Fans! Dominic has very kindly offered to sign copies of his new story book, "Dom and the Magic Topper" especially for MagicTricks.co.uk customers. Order this and receive his "Party Tricks" and "Playground Pranks", together with a personally signed copy of "Dom and the Magic Topper". This is a limited-time offer and once the signed copies have been sold, they're gone! Our Price : 7.99 Dominic Wood's Magic Book You too can become a wizard magician, just like Dominic Wood! Discover the secrets of magic and illusion with a master magician as your guide. From disappearing coins and mind-reading feats to levitating fruit and x-ray vision, flex your magic muscles with step-by-step instructions, star tips and easy-to-follow colour photographs. With a little bit of practise and a whole lot of pizazz, you'll amaze your friends and family with a perfectly polished performance! " The tricks are easy to follow and really do work ... The perfect present for any child who likes to be the centre of attention. " - Mail on Sunday Our Price : 5.99 Dominic Wood's Spooky Magic Baffle your brother! Surprise your sister! Freak out your friends! Creepy Crawlies, monsters and ghosts - find them all in this collection of creepy conjuring. Each trick is packed with tons of photographs and star tips from master magician Dominic Wood. Amaze your friends with vanishing eyeballs, angry genies and a dead man's finger ... Plus learn how to dress up as a mummy and distract your audience for a spookily spotless spectacle! Our Price : 7.99 Hiding the Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer How Magicians Invented the Impossible! In 1918 Harry Houdini performed a single illusion that has been hotly debated ever since: he made a live elephant disappear on stage. How did he do it? The answer lies in this dazzling tale of innovation, chicanery and keen competition that is the backstage story of the golden age of magic. Hiding the Elephant chronicles the race among history's most legendary conjurers to make things levitate and disappear. A master illusionist and captivating storyteller, Steinmeyer introduces us to the eccentric personalities behind floating ghosts, disembodied heads and vanishing ladies and takes us backstage to reveal the mechanics of their mysteries. He carries us to a time when Queen Victoria held private seances and all of England believed in magic. Our Price : 12.99 MagicTricks.co.uk "Office Magic" DVD Top 5 Item! Ever wanted to impress your work-mates, your customers or even your boss? With 'Office Magic' you can! This DVD will teach you over 25 complete routines to perform with everday objects that can be found in your office. Some tricks are designed to be able to be performed right away, others take a little practise. Also included are 10 fantastic tricks to do with your business cards, great for breaking the ice, clinching the sale or just simply having some fun. Office Magic is a step by step guide to performing amazing magic tricks at your desk. Our Price : 19.99 MagicTricks.co.uk Money Magic Collection A collection of some of the finest magic tricks using money ever devised. Everything in this set is easy to master, and in no time at all you'll be performing professional magic that will baffle audiences of all ages! SAVE OVER 70 ON THE INDIVIDUAL COST OF EQUIVALENT ITEMS!! Our Price : 49.99 MagicTricks.co.uk Ultimate Magic Set Top 5 Item! A compilation of some of the greatest close up magic tricks ever invented. Entertain your family, friends and colleagues with easy to perform magic. Once you've amazed them, everything can be handed out for full examination - nothing will be found! Can be performed at home, at work, down the pub, or even in the street! Our Price : 49.99 Simply Magic - Dominic Wood Amaze your family and friends with your astonishing magic skills! Join Dominic Wood on an exciting journey into the mysterious world of magic. With a wave of a wand and a few magic words, you'll learn how to turn water into ice, or paper into money, make a pencil vanish into thin air and a wand float in a bottle. Plus there are top tips on technique, setting the stage and looking the part to make sure you put on the perfect magic show. Our Price : 5.99 Wizard School - Andrew Mayne DVD Be a real life wizard! Levitate objects, perform incredible feats and learn how to float on a broom! At Wizard School, master magician Andrew Mayne will teach you sixteen different acts of wizardry. If you think it would be fun to make your friends think there's a goblin in the room, to twist your hands in an impossible way or levitate yourself, then Wizard School is for you! Aspiring wizards both young and old are welcome to attend. Our Price : 17.99 MagicTricks.co.uk - Click here to read our Terms & Conditions 1999-2005 Fraser Simpson Associates Ltd

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Gift Hub Gift Hub Blogging Philanthropy About Giving Blogs Charity Governance Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy Friends of the Commons PlaNetwork Journal Vermont Nonprofit CommunIT Philanthropy, Weblogs, and Democracy Wired Community Advance Sustainability Julie Evans Ted Ernst Indigo VT Non-Profit Community Lisa Tracy Lucy Berholz Lenore Ealey Chris Corrigan Info-Commons Philip Cubeta The Happy Tutor Mad Monk ACTA The Giving Blog Social Jedi Supporting Advancement The Philanthropic Enterprise Gang Blog Phil Anthropoid Wealth Bondage: Philanthropy Archives Philanthropy Beat Council on Foundations Emerging Issues: Philanthropy Jane King Foster Freiss Resources Acumen Fund Advance Sustainability American Institute of Philanthropy - Charity Watchdog Helping Donors Make Informed Giving Decisions Association of Small Foundations Blog of Social Wave Communities Project Blueprint Research and Design for Philanthropy: What's New Capital Missions Company -- Networking Socially Responsible Investors Catalogue For Philanthropy Center on Wealth and Philanthropy - Boston College Charity Governance Civic Reflection CivicSpace Labs Collect money for group purchasing, fundraising. — Fundable Community Development Venture Capital Association Community-Wealth.org: Wealth-Building Strategies for America's Communities Conceptual Guerilla's Strategy and Tactics Democracy in Action - Software tools for organizers Dialogues on Civic Philanthropy: Perfecting Our Grants Disinfopedia Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy Evolve Foundation FASTEN - Faith and Service Technical Education Network Fetzer Institute Fourth Sector Network Friends of the Commons GivingGlobal Global Giving GovBenefits GreenMoney Journal Groundspring.org Home - GlobalGiving Hudson Institute Idealist.org Independent Media Center Miles V Smith Philanthropic Advising MobileActive | Cell Phones for Civic Engagement Movement Strategy Movement Strategy Center National Center for Family Philanthropy Net Impact Ocean Foundation PACE - PHILANTHROPY FOR ACTIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Participatory Culture Foundation Partnerships Online PlaNetwork Journal Rockwood Leadership Program Social Edge Stanford Social Innovation Review The Future Of Philanthropy The Interra Project The small Change News Network Tides Underdog Ventures Wired Community WorldChanging: Another World Is Here Worth Living civiblog.org - global community The World We Want Community-Wealth.Com Who owns a community's or a nation's wealth? How can the benefits of an ownership society be spread around for the greater good? Community-Wealth provides the web’s most comprehensive and up-to-date information resource on state-of-the-art strategies for democratic, community-based economic development. Community Development Corporations, Community Development Financial Institutions, Employee Stock Option Plans, Community Land Trusts, Co-Ops, Social Enterprise, and Program Related Investments are among the topic areas. A great resource for those, across the political spectrum, who are interested in using market models for producing sustainable and positive social results. September 12, 2005 in Resources | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Foundations and Government: Who is Responsible for Social Progrms? Philanthropoid , " Is it the proper role of foundations to plug the gaps created by retreating public funds?" Assume they do fill the gaps in the safety net, what programs must then be defunded by the tapped out foundations? Advocacy for social change? You can hear Bill Schambra chortling. Let the bleeding hearts fund the losers, while the wealthy bear it away. Continue reading "Foundations and Government: Who is Responsible for Social Progrms?" » September 09, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Mennonite Disaster Service A knowledgeable friend suggests Mennonite Disaster Service as a credible provider of relief to the very poor in disater areas. September 01, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1) Writerly Do you find yourself collaborating on documents long distance? Grassroots organizations might find this online document collaboration tool worth a look. September 01, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? A reader writes, I was curious if you have come across any websites that facilitate collaboration for disaster recoveries. For example, are there places that allow local recovery efforts to post their needs (ie: lights, cranes, machinery, tools) that corporations could respond to. The idea is similar to donorschoose.org but is focused more focused on needs that only businesses could meet. Have you come across anything like this in your work? Does any reader have a site that would provide such collaboration between those in need and those providing disaster relief? August 30, 2005 in Resources | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) Blogger Conference Call on Estate Tax From OMB Watch What: Blogger Conference Call on Estate Tax When: Wednesday, August 31, from 2:00 - 3:00 pm EST Where: By Phone (Dial-in at 1.800.820.4690; passcode: 2022348494) - RSVP to blewis@ombwatch.org August 30, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Informed Giving Great post by Phil Anthropoid on the great wealth transfer boom and how philanthropy might capture a larger piece. How might advisors, donors, and nonprofits collaborate more effectively to that end? My sense, having worked towards it with some wonderful people, including Phil Anthropoid himself, The Philanthropic Initiative , Lenore Ealy , and Tracy Gary , is that we, collectively as a a nation, have many "stereotypes" and old habits to break if we are to meet as allies and fellow citizens to advance philanthropy and our communities. Values-based planning is a step in the right direction, though values are what cultural wars are made of. Raising awareness, as through Leave a Legacy via National Committee on Planned Giving is a piece. Encouraging all people to have a will is a piece. But perhaps the most important is to find the poetry, the pathos, the energy and the vision - what Tracy Gary calls the "inspiration" - that can lift the process of planning beyond the financial to the ethical, aesthetic, civic and spiritual. People are hungry for a life of more than production and consumption. The market feeds us but not our hungry hearts. So many of us feel that, rich or poor, liberally educated, or fundamentalist. It does not matter. We all raise families, live in communities, and hunger for a life and legacy that speaks well of us, invigorates our children, and leaves or passes on what we most love. Beyond the money is huge well spring of volunteer effort and pent up desire to find a means of engaging our world's many challenges. Maybe as we reach out to one another in the blogosphere, and in the real world settings, we can create that hub or web of relationships that enable each of us to give of her or his best. Philanthropoid - thank you for bringing the subject into focus. August 30, 2005 in Advisor's Role | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Philanthropy Blogs Noted at Council on Foundations Natalie Ambrose at Emerging Issues in Philanthropy has just posted a great overview of philanthropy blogs. She has "outed" me as the author of Philanthropoid's blog . Actually, it is an honor I don't deserve. The real Philanthropoid is far better informed than I about giving, and a far better writer. Great to see Council on Foundations , through Emerging Issues, is now following the giving blogs. I am somewhat surprised that Wealth Bondage made the list, but I suppose Dumpster Dwellers can talk among themselves about Philanthropy if they wish. It is a free country. And after all, Candidia's Rooster Foundation, Crowing in the New American Dawn, is a respected member of COF as is Tigg Montague , Senior Wealth Bondage Fellow, representing the Heritage of Wealth Bondage Foundation, a Think Tank devoted to Excellence and Human Flourishing among the Natural Aristocracy. August 27, 2005 in Philanthropy Folks | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (2) Blogging Philanthropy - Why the Masquerade? A year ago I was interviewed by The Chronicle of Philanthropy on the theme of "where are all the philanthropy blogs?" Today the scene is far more interesting, as evidenced by the growing list of giving blogs listed on our left hand side bar. Now, here is a good question for future articles: "Why are so many of the most outspoken and interesting philanthropy blogs (gifthub excepted) posted beneath a mask? Iconoclasm and philanthropy, or even humor and philanthropy, seem not to go together very well. There is something about big money that brings out the Golden Calf worshipper even in Moses. I mean what is one Commandment more or less? Everything is negotiable. What blogs provide is a back channel in which the pomposity and hypocrisy, so much of the hackery and flakery, of so much philanthropy talk can be exposed, satirized, and sent up. Solemn or ingratiating is not the right tone for discussing the role of money, whether in business, government or philanthropy, in setting our country's course . Money is smart and has learned in our time how to filter its agenda through strategic giving for hopelessly partisan ends . Who will discuss or expose this, except an insider under an alias ? Far easier to put ideologues in charge of philanthropic associations, treat them with the respect due their high office, and carry on as usual - as a Fool among Knaves. Rageboy , one the first bloggers and still one of the most vehement used to talk about "ripping the fucking lid off" corporate discourse, which talks to us, not with us, as if we were dunces who admired their flakery and hype. Maybe the time has come to rip the lid off strategic philanthropy ? If so, probably best to do it under an assumed name - since giving is an unforgiving field, and what goes around comes around. Omerta! my friends. We are all one big Family. Thinking of Publius and the masked pamphleteers among our Founding Fathers, what begins with carnival, ends with revolution and democracy. After awhile the mask slips and we appear in the public square, not as consumers or servants of wealth and power, but as citizens speaking freely in our own new found voices. Blogging will revolutionize philanthropy in that way, by restoring its accountability to ordinary citizens - the public in public good. The public philanthropy serves. August 27, 2005 in Philanthropy Folks | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (2) Ads and Acknowledgements I have added ads to see how they work. The revenue will offset the cost of the site. Any net revenue will go to charity. I have also acknowledged my debt to Candidia Cruikshanks and the good people at Wealth Bondage for their tireless efforts on behalf of a better world according to money. Links to the most recent 10 posts are now displayed on the right hand sidebar. My hope is to improve communication between those in Wealth Bondage and the world of philanthropy. We have The Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal at Hudson leading the way for humankind. And we have the Philanthropy Round Table facilitating giving within the enlightened worldview of wealthy business people. But, in my estimation, the best role model for Stragegic Philanthropy on behalf of the interests of wealthy people (and therefore the world at large) remains Candidia Cruikshanks. Her social venture, Wealth Bondage, is both self sustaining and self serving in a major way. I may be biased, though, since Candidia sometimes throws me a bone from her table. So, when Candidia asked for a little recognition on Gifthub, I was happy to sit up and beg, rollover, fetch, and lick her boots. You would do the same in my position. Who are we kidding. Giving is all about getting ahead. It is what makes the world go round. August 20, 2005 in Geeting ahead in giving | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (1) Allianz Study of "Legacies" Fascinating fact sheets on what the Boomers mean by "legacy," via the Council on Foundations Blog . August 19, 2005 in Values and Planning | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Phil Anthropoid on "Pewgate" Philanthropoid patiently dissects Bill Schambra's ebullient polemic against Pew for its work on campaign finance reform. At issue is Wealth Bondage , whether the rich can purchase democracy, and whether their hired hands in the Think Tanks will be able to intimidate those funders like Pew who stand up for ordinary voters. Schambra himself is all in favor of grassroots giving , as long as the poor give to each other, and the tax cuts keep on coming for the rich so they have the extra cash to buy the next election. so they can get the next tax break, to buy the next election with propaganda made to order by hired hacks. The culture wars are now being fought on the ground of philanthropy . The right sure does stay on message . Who put the hit out on Pew? And what does it pay ? Bradley Foundation's name sure keeps popping up . And why not? Shouldn't both sides be able to fund their views, and encourage their allies and proxies? Throwing money around to influence politics is free speech after all. And on that basis, the rich, not just Pew and Bradley Foundations, are certainly being heard. I hope through blogs those like Phil Anthropoid who think without being paid to follow a party line will finally be heard. We need real free speech, not just the boughten, think tank, kind. Continue reading "Phil Anthropoid on "Pewgate"" » August 17, 2005 in Philanthropy Folks | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Phil Anthropoid Excellent news for all who are interested in philanthropy. We now have a knowlegeable, witty, and good humored insider who is putting his thoughts on line. Mr. Phil Anthropoid is one I will be reading carefully to see just how much he is willing to share. He is the first philanthropy blogger, other than the scurrilous crew at W*eatlh B*ondage who is willing to take an irreverent but kindly poke that the dignified world of upscale giving. Two places you don't laugh: During religious observances and in conversation about philanthropy. Money, or the chance of extracting some from the wealthy, makes us all as pious as heirs around a deathbed. Mr. Anthropoid has a jaunty way about him that spells trouble for the established decorum. August 10, 2005 in Philanthropy Folks | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) Philanthropic Enterprise Blog Congrats to Lenore Ealy on her new Philanthropic Enterprise Gang Blog . She shows great courage taking on the Happy Tutor in one of her initial posts . As a mild mannered honest broker, I can see merit on both sides, and will move out of the way as quickly as possible. This is not your Dick Minim style philanthropic conversation any more. It is all about wealth, power, and politics - one person promoting the ideology of Wealth Bondage , the other, subverting it. (But which is which you ask? Take AP English and report back.) August 06, 2005 in Tooterisms | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) Mobile Active Org Via email from Marty Kearns, of Green Media Toolshed , Oh did you see 26 million people use cell phones to engage in Live8? www.mobileactive.org is going to be huge! July 08, 2005 in Resources | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Changemakers, Troublemakers, Courtiers and Clowns (Below is an open letter to Tracy Gary , who asked how, beyond my dismal professional bio , she should introducing me to her progressive funder friends.) Dear Tracy, Yup, been thinking because you asked, about how I see myself beyond my corporate self. The answer is not "financial advisor," nor "trusted advisor," but teacher in a certain very specific tradition. Education comes from "educere" to lead out. Socrates saying that he was (incongruously) the "midwife" to his interlocutors, helping them (male though all were) give birth to what is already within them, latent. Also, as model (in humility) I follow the Trickster Jesus of the Gospels. And also, Diogenes, the naked man in the barrel who accosted the wealthy of his day, including Alexander the Great, and helped them, as would a Zen monk, to awaken, often by setting them paradoxes, or rousing them to fury just short of violence. I do not believe any more than you do that philanthropy will save democracy. It cannot, obviously. The rich are blessed in their own way, but the truly gifted/accursed are the artists, the poets, the prophets, the holy fools. That is the role to which I most deeply aspire, or better yet, am most deeply stuck with. So, I play the fool and the courtier both. But the fool is for keeps. The courtier "financial services professional" is an IQ Test for the client, my various bosses, and colleagues. Most flunk. Diogenes naked in the streets with his lantern in broad daylight, seeking the honest wealth holder, the honest power broker, a "trusted advisor." That is me. The Trickster who teaches by getting the other off balance. Beware. Of course, I do know sprezzatura , the style you suggested some well bred donors expect. (You know it is from Castiglione's Book of the Courtier ? A handbook on how to prosper at Court among the knaves?) I will be as gracious and deferential with your friends as would any courtier to Queen or King. But you asked for an account of who I am. That is it: Troublemaker, as Peter Karoff once said to me. Troublemaker for democracy, maybe not unlike you and your cousin George Pillsbury when you were then as I am now, just a beginner. Haymarket - wasn't that a labor riot ? As an ex-college professor, let alone a financial services trainer, I am reconciled to misreading. Even at Yale many a future ruler of the universe could not follow an agile writer. So, instead of being hard to read, I am very easy. As easy as a billboard or a children's sock puppet. Unless you understand me. At which point I am nothing but trouble. In me as in a raven is the grapeseed. Shat out, it grows to the intransigent vine of Dionysus and democracy. The red wine of the grape, spilled from the Cross, drunk as blood from a chalice - believe me, I meditate on that, as a good lapsed Catholic with a humane education. I have about as much choice in this as does a man or woman in being gay. I can be in or out as one called to foolishness in the public square, but I can't change, only be broken. With you, and through your example, I am finding the courage to be my strange self, Harlequin in patches, "a Socrates gone mad," as Diogenes said. Philanthropy is teaching, but the payoff is activism. For me that means the liberal arts, the arts of freedom, not a passive thing to watch and admire, but to imitate, among the Pharisees, in the public square. What stands a chance of saving us is someone like Martin Luther Kind or Vaclav Havel. And people like that are not waiting around for permission or a grant. Some of us aren't even waiting for real artists. We just shit out what we can and pray that it contains here and there a fertile seed amidst the dung. You know all this. Or are the carrier of it. It is not a blessing, but a calling. And the call is not to peace of mind. The reason you can't shake my support is that I was going where you are going long before we met. You are an optimist by temperament; I consider that wisdom and caritas come with "brokenness and surrender." You and your cousin George have learned moderation in maturity. I have been driven half mad. We inherit a tradition, and we pass it on. It no more cares whether we live or die than do our genes. We are the carriers, the dead husk; the living germ courses through us. We pass it on as we received it, as a gift, the dangerous gift of knowledge, the apple Eve gave Adam. We spit the seed from our mouth. Hence the orchard. The garden run always to weeds. We live among snakes. And the fool should be as wise as the serpent. Extinct? Not yet. Nor Born Again, but Rapture Ready. Be well! Phil July 06, 2005 in Tooterisms | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (2) Omidyar on Carpe Diem Philanthropy Just ran across this very interesting article, from BusinessWeek Online, in 2004, by Pierre Omidyar on philanthropy in the internet age. Not only does he want to give now, rather than "leave a legacy" at death - 50 or so years from now - but he also sees giving as happening within a community of self-actualizing individuals, in which each and every person is a giver. He also sees giving as a kind of investment in a social capital network (as was EBay) that grows in value as it scales (as did EBay, or the telephone, or the English language), and that pays back in real dollars (as did EBay). The role of big givers, or social investors, is to raise up and equip the smaller givers, so they too can discover their own power to do good in the world. This is a profoundly American democractic vision, fusing freedom of speech and assembly, with entrepreneurial zeal, and Emersonian optimism. You can join the Omidyar community, or call it a renewal of the great American experiment, at http://www.Omidyar.net/home. Many of the people who attended the Open Space Giving Conference a year ago in Chicago are members. And many of them are getting together again in Chicago (as I am) with new friends from Omidyar July 29-31 . I have been a member of Omidyar.net since, virtually, the inception and have been staggered to see Pierre and Pam joining in the day to day conversations, not as conveners or owners of the site, but as fellow seekers and citizens. They are the least patronizing of patrons, the least selfish of owners. You could call them hosts, maybe, or cordial role models. They also learn fast and don't mind principled disagreement, in fact they seem to thrive on it. July 06, 2005 in Case Studies in Giving | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Dialogues On Civic Philanthropy Great papers from diverse and distinguished sources on the legitimacy, effectiveness, regulation, and accountability of foundation philanthropy. Comes with an open discussion board. What makes the relatively unregulated exercise of economic, intellectual and political power through "philanthropy" legitimate in a market/democratic culture? Can givers (and the stingy) choose their own moral framework, as they might an automobile, nose job, or Halloween Costume? What are the obligations of wealth in a just society? The papers here raise those issues, in the bland style of successful, well-socialized, intellectuals and functionaries. The same questions raised from the scaffold upon which sits a pillory would be far more interesting to me, as having an outside chance of breaking the polite smile that seems always to accompany discussions of philanthropy. What is human speech for, if not satire? The rich can choose their own ethical systems, as can we who toss the tomato from the crowd. Hudson's site is open to riffraff (the demos) at least for now. Mind your manners! You are in the company of your betters. Do not be surprised if the discussion of legitimacy and accountability remains inconclusive. July 02, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Gifthub as More than Conversation The original hope behind Gifthub is still alive and I would welcome comments, if this note finds interested parties. Assume estate tax is repealed or greatly reduced. Imagine a world where the rich get vastly richer and pass their wealth on unhindered in a new (at best) aristocracy. Imagine government programs cut back, and chances for advancement for working people and poor people reduced except for those who have an aptitude for going along to get along with the ideology of those who have "made it." Imagine philanthropy as both the offset to such a world, and also its adornment or ornament. I would like to imagine a "hub" where wealthy people of good will, advisors to wealth, and talented people from all walks of life can meet as in some ways equals - as citizens. We would meet to advance shared ideals, including the ideals of open society, pluralism, caritas, justice, and passionate disagreement within an atmosphere of mutual respect. I believe there is a "business plan" or social venture plan that might support or undergird such a hub. Advisors want clients. Donors need advisors. All require education, tools, and processes that enable them to work together more effectively for shared ends. All today hide out talking mostly to others in the same professional or sociological silo. Major donors do not attend the conferences of professionals. Professionals are conspicuously uninvited to donor forums. Either group talks about the other in stereotypes. That is vastly dysfunctional for the givers, advisors, and the talented people who might volunteer. With my friend and hero, Tracy Gary , I am mooting about ways we could make this hub come into being as a nonprofit enterprise or association. She has uptake from donor friends. I have some from advisors. If anyone has thoughts, I would welcome comments or emails. Beyond that, onwards! By the way, I recognize the "liberal" slant of my remarks, and acknolwedge a rooting interest in progressive causes. But liberalism to me means risking my views in open contest with those to disagree. Therefore, the hub has, or should have, spokes into conservative, libertarian, and religious networks. The point of open society is precisely that it is inclusive. Someone like Lenore Ealy , for example, or Bill Schambra , or Amy Kass , who are associated with conservative viewpoints would be considered valued colleagues if their networks were enlisted. The point is not to agree on ideology but to second one another's practical efforts for a common good. I have known many compassionate conservatives, as well as many Evangelicals, whose passionate and self-sacrificing efforts for others set a high example. A true Gifthub would network the best together, and welcome the war of ideas, within a shared regard for one another and for those who are less fortunate. July 02, 2005 in About Gifthub | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0) Supporting Advancement Supporting Advancement weblog. Slowly, slowly the fundraising community seems to be getting online to share ideas and best practices. I hope over time that the conversation of philanthropy draws us together across our many specializations, professional affiliations, and "silos" so that we see ourselves, along with donors and volunteers, as fellow citizens engaged in a great wave of giving of which our specialized efforts, and institutional affiliations are just one tiny part. Can we begin to see ourselves as making common cause, across our institutions and - for want of a better term - jobs? June 29, 2005 in Planned Giving | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) Recent Comments Phil on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Lucy Bernholz on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Reyna Feighner on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? phil cubeta on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Rusty Stahl on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Phil on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Chris Corrigan on Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Phil on Blogging Philanthropy - Why the Masquerade? Phil Anthropoid on Blogging Philanthropy - Why the Masquerade? Phil on Philanthropy Blogs Noted at Council on Foundations Recent Posts Community-Wealth.Com Foundations and Government: Who is Responsible for Social Progrms? Mennonite Disaster Service Writerly Websites for Coordinating Disaster Relief? Blogger Conference Call on Estate Tax Informed Giving Philanthropy Blogs Noted at Council on Foundations Blogging Philanthropy - Why the Masquerade? Ads and Acknowledgements Categories About Gifthub Advisor's Role Case Studies in Giving Charitable Tools Funding for? Geeting ahead in giving Philanthropy Folks Planned Giving Readings Resources Tooterisms Values and Planning Wise Philanthropy A Public Service of Wealth Bondage Archives September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 Subscribe to this blog's feed