Albert Lucas stated that "The biggest thing in performing is the miss. Usually when I miss, well, that's it; it's gone. You know what you can do. And you like to do your best at the appropriate time. But it doesn't always happen. I've had a very good record. I've never missed at any of my nine New York openings. Last year I used to keep stats on myself, on my tricks and how many times I missed in the year; how many shows I  did without a miss. And then I figured how many throws and catches I do in my act, which was about 2,000.... In these two weeks here, we've done 23 shows. I've only missed twice." (IJA Newsletter, January/February 1979)

They came from everywhere. 447 jugglers converged on Amherst that fateful week from all over the globe. 14  Canadians crossed the border to attend; 7 British citizens crossed the ocean. There was also one Australian and one West German, for a total of 23 non-Americans. The top five states attendance-wise were: Massachusetts, 87; New York,  77; Pennsylvania, 30; Connecticut, 29 and New Jersey, 28. Right behind those close-by states came far-away California, with a strong 26 member delegation, followed by Ohio with17, Maine with 16 and Georgia with 9. In all, residents of 37 states  attended. (IJA Newsletter, September 1979)

Larry Forsberg of San Francisco wants to start a vegetarian nudist juggling camp in Hawaii or some other warm place... Until then, he and Ned Van Alstyne will continue to teach Bay area residents to juggle Sunday  afternoons from noon to dark east of the conservatory.  (IJA Newsletter, September 1979) 

Karl Heinz Ziethen commented on the position of juggling performers today: "It's harder today than it was 30 years ago. In Germany before the war you could spin a ball on your finger and the crowd would say, "Wow!" They had no TV and not so much music. It's harder today because they've seen it all."  (IJA Newsletter, September 1979)

The brain, we are told, is divided in two halves. Now consider: juggling is the only sport which requires complex movements  equally from both the right and left side of the body. Running,  rowing and swimming are all "symmetrical" in that both sides of the body are used equally. But the movements are coarse and simple. Golf, bowling, sports requiring throwing and all racket sports are lopsided - one side of the body dominates the other. Thus it is  only juggling which consistently, repetitively and several times a  second integrates the brain's two hemispheres. Tarmac the Magnificent's Show of Ignorance (IJA Newsletter, November 1979)

The potential for progress at a convention is unprecedented if  you can accept your own imperfection and take advantage of the accumulated wisdom and energy. The workshop format  seems to help, since it permits each of us to admit a lack of knowledge...." The Professor Confidence Corner (IJA Newsletter, 1980) 

You have three major tasks as a street performer: gathering your audience; entertaining  them; and making them pay. Elements to consider include... making a strong start, transitions, cover-ups, facial expression, posture and body movements, patter and jokes, length of an effect, how to take applause, music, costume, character development and gearing all of this to your audience's level of sophistication. The Professor Confidence Comer (IJA Newsletter, May 1980)

Ray Jason, the "father" of San Francisco street juggling, returned from a 254day tour.  His itinerary included street juggling in New York, then London's Leicester Square, where he developed a style he calls "guerilla busking" because of police hassles. Next was Paris, which he called "bizarre" because of the competition he face in front of the Pompideau  Center - chain-wearing, glass-stepping extortionists. (And  that's putting it mildly, Ray says!) 

In Tokyo, he was stopped by the police, plugged into a computer and told that if he performed again they would 1) take  away his vise 2) take all his money 3) throw him in jail. 

He arrived in Seoul, South Korea just as they imposed a curfew and an ordinance limiting gathering to four people, which doesn't make passing the hat very profitable. In Hong Kong, Peking and Canton, China, Ray was allowed to perform, but not pass the hat. 

There's good performing at the weekend market near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, says Ray. His competition there was a snake-teasing act and cock fights.  In Australia, Ray's street performing was welcomed and generously rewarded. He put on shows in Melbourne and Sydney's Kings Cross. New Zealand was nice, but bad weather prevented from getting a solid idea of the market for street juggling. People in Tahiti are arrogant, he said. No fun or profit there. "Round-The-World Juggler Returns to Bay Area" (IJA Newsletter, June 1980)