Award-winning writer Don Wiberg is gathering information for an article on magic summer camps to be published in The Linking Ring. Wiberg, Past International President of the I.B.M., notes, "A Google search to get information about summer camps for young people turns up hundreds of camps appealing to a wide variety of interests. With all the camps available, it makes you wonder how many teenagers stick around at home all summer, doing nothing?"

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The February 2012 issue of The Linking RIng features as its cover story the exciting quick change act, Lex Schappi and Alina.  The cover photo -- which shows the couple in action -- is one of the most exciting photos for the magazine in a long time, perhaps going back back to the August 2009 issue, which featured a montage of photos from the Nashville I.B.M. Convention. (The standard cover photo of The Linking Ring is a head-and-shoulders photo of the subject.) See more photos and read the story of how this couple has grown into one of the top quick change acts in the world. And learn more about the history and other aspects of quick change. Read on for summaries of the rest of the issue.

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Hey! It's a new year, and time to take a look at some of what is new on the I.B.M. Portal, and some of the things planned in coming months. Of course if you have not looked and clicked around THIS page, nor all the links in the left lists of menus, then EVERYTHING -- or at least MUCH -- on the Portal is new to you. So plan on spending a little time here, and you may be surprised what all you'll find. Read on for some ideas:

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A new online publication, the Journal of Magic Research, seeks to promote the application of scientific methods in magic research. 

The journal is published by Past International President Dr. William E. Spooner (left). “At the present time,” writes Dr. Spooner, “the use of scientific methods in research is practically non-existent within the magic fraternity. A scientific approach to magic can provide information not available through traditional historical research.”

John Moehring, former editor of MAGIC magazine and M-U-M, will serve as editor of the JMR. Past International President Dr. William A. Wells and Dr. Gerry S. Hayes are associate editors.

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At mid-January, 2012, we call to your attention ten magicians whose obituaries will appear in the February issue of The Linking Ring. We print them early in order for their friends and acquaintences to know of their passing. 

Since this is the beginning of a new year, once again we ask that anyone who learns of the death of a fellow magician, please notify the I.B.M. Office (office@magician.org) as soon as possible so that we might publish them in The Linking Ring in a timely manner. 

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